Direct Mail Never Died—It Evolved
Remember in 1999 when the internet was “invented” and the advent of “you got mail” changed the world of print and direct mail forever? Advertising experts were convinced that the direct mail channel would quickly become extinct and email marketing would take its place. As you might have guessed from the title of this post, I’m here to remind you: that didn't happen.
2019 State of Social Report Highlights Importance of Social Media for Omnichannel Success
Marketers know that social media can be an exciting and effective way to reach audiences, but its place in the omnichannel experience is sometimes overlooked—or misunderstood. In The 2019 State of Social Report, published by Netbase, it was reported, “The ‘omnichannel’ approach has led some brands to believe they must be everywhere at all times, but that’s no longer the case” […]
3 Things to Keep in Mind When Marketing to Gen Z
My generation has a lot of names, including “post-millennials,” “the homeland generation,” and my personal favorite, “the iGeneration.” Whatever you call us, Generation Z is coming of age—and so are our wallets. Gen Z is the generation born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s […]
A Busy Mom’s Advice for Marketing to Mothers of Teenagers
I was recently asked, “What are your plans for Mother’s Day?” and had to check my calendar. My oldest, the teenager, has a basketball tournament. The youngest, a pre-teen, has a softball tournament. The tournaments are an hour and a half away from each other. It is going to be another “pick your favorite daughter […]
Trust, Equity, and Loyalty: How Integrated Marketing Campaigns Go Beyond a Single Purchase
The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) defines integrated marketing as “an approach to creating a unified and seamless experience for consumers to interact with the brand/enterprise.” They explain that integrated marketing campaigns “meld all aspects of marketing,” from advertising and public relations to sales and social media, to achieve consistent branding and a […]
“A Cross-Channel Rock Star”: How Direct Mail Helps Your Omnichannel Campaigns Soar
The IWCO Direct National Sales Meeting was held recently at our corporate headquarters in Minnesota. It was a great week with the best people in the industry. Our Sales and Marketing teams came together for company updates, education, and discussion on best practices within our industry. It is always time well spent and many conversations […]
The Components of a Successful Omnichannel Strategy
Much has been written about the increasing importance of omnichannel marketing. The most successful brands have crafted an experience that seamlessly follows the customer as they move from one channel to the next throughout the customer journey. I’ve come to appreciate these omnichannel strategies not just as a marketer, but as a consumer who […]
The “Silver Bullet” Channel for Customer Acquisition
Developing a successful, one-to-one customer acquisition campaign requires a lot of hard work and planning. And there are a myriad of variables that must be taken into account when determining which channels—or combination of channels—you should deploy. Those variables include, but are not limited to, your target audience, your media/marketing budget, the category, the path to purchase, and last but certainly not least, your business objectives.
In an Industry Focused on Trends, Omnichannel Marketing is the New Black
Over the course of my marketing career, I have seen a lot of trends come and go—and I have to say, the age of digital marketing is by far the most fascinating. The way marketers can deliver a message to their key audience through a multitude of channel options is fantastic. When done correctly, the […]
The Missing Link in Omnichannel Marketing
Target Marketing magazine recently published an eye-opening study, “Omnichannel Marketing: The Key to Unlocking a Powerful Customer Experience,” that detailed the state of readers’ current omnichannel marketing efforts. We completely agree with the 74% of respondents who ranked a cohesive omnichannel experience either “fairly important” or “very important” to their industry. (In all […]