By Eric Auchard
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc plans to split off its search marketing arm from its affiliate marketing business and sell the search marketing business at its recently acquired DoubleClick advertising technology unit.
The online search and advertising leader is looking to spin off its Chicago-based search marketing business, Performics, which employs 200 of DoubleClick's 1,500 staff.
Tom Phillips, director of DoubleClick's integration efforts with Google, said the company wants to dispose of the search marketing business to eliminate the perception Google might favor the unit in its search results and other efforts.
"It's clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business," Phillips wrote. "Maintaining objectivity in both search and advertising is paramount to Google's mission and core to the trust we ask from our users."
In preparation for the sale, the Performics affiliate marketing business is being split off from the search marketing business and will continue to be run as part of DoubleClick.
Affiliate marketing is where advertisers pay Web sites to drive users to their ads. Search marketing is a process in which consultants help advertisers choose targeted keywords to help boost the audience for ad campaigns using Web search.
Google is the world's dominant provider of ads that are targeted to run alongside its free Web search results.
DoubleClick plans to run the search marketing operation as a separate business until it is sold. "While we have not yet identified a buyer, we've received preliminary interest from a number of our current partners," Phillips said.
A year ago, when Google announced plans to buy DoubleClick in a deal finally valued at $3.4 billion, the company said it was weighing its options for Performics. Following extended regulatory review, Google closed the deal last month.
The consolidation of independent players in the online ad industry has raised concerns among advertisers at the growing power of Google and Microsoft Corp, which paid $6 billion last year for DoubleClick rival aQuantive. Microsoft also has an outstanding $40 billion-plus bid to acquire Yahoo Inc.
Earlier this week, Advertising Age published a column by search industry analyst Danny Sullivan mocking Google for potential sales conflicts that could occur between its search engine and the Performics search marketing business.
"While all the attention on the DoubleClick purchase has been on whether it would make Google too dominant in the online-ad space, some search marketers have worried about a different issue: Is it right for Google to own a company that works for better (ad) placement on Google?" he wrote.
Sullivan hailed Google's move to sell the unit in a post on his Search Engine Land blog and called on Microsoft to do the same with the Avenue A/Razorfish search marketing business acquired in the aQuantive deal.
(Editing by Gunna Dickson and Braden Reddall)
New List Building Course Coaches on Latest and Workable Internet Marketing Tactics
Srini Saripalli, a professional information marketer who is often referred to as a business strategy expert and success engineer, is Launching "List Building 360", a list-building online training program/home study course, beginning Saturday April 12, 2008.
(PRWEB) March 18, 2008 -- Srini Saripalli, a professional information marketer who is often referred to as a business strategy expert and success engineer, is Launching "List Building 360", a list-building online training program/home study course, beginning Saturday April 12, 2008.
List building and email marketing methods that were in vogue when the World Wide Web was a young thing still remain in vogue today. Internet marketers have abused email marketing to such an extent that people are junking even genuine emails - now, it has become impossible to generate sales using these Jurassic Web 1.0 strategies. The result is that many infopreneurs are failing in their Internet marketing business and are losing their entrepreneurial steam rapidly.
List Building 360 promises to change all that. The course stays clear from unsuccessful, corny and age-old email marketing and list-building tactics, and focuses on practical and workable Internet marketing strategies based on a combination of savvy online and offline tactics. The course is geared towards existing internet marketers who are desperately looking for new, in-depth, expert list-building information that will enhance and revitalize their business model and deliver them the profits they always dreamed about. Aspiring internet marketers are also welcome to join the course.
List Building 360 will coach on the merits of employing a results-yielding integrated approach - an approach that will turn the list-building concept on its head and coach the participants about new and revolutionary techniques more suitable and workable in our present Web 2.0 and social media age. The course is made up of dynamic list-building training modules that will demonstrate:
-How to find highly motivated customers;
-How to explore new territories and markets;
-How to segment & target precisely;
-How to get that competitive edge with innovative products and
-How to get faster results with marketing campaigns;
-How to perform all of the above profit-generating actions by spending the least amount of time, effort and resources. and many more..
Moreover, this being a training program, it is ideal for home business owners who want to enhance their Internet earnings. Srini Saripalli adds a rider though: "Target your prospects with relevant messages across 360 degrees and you will have success. Note that, Internet marketing is a serious business for serious people who believe in doing serious work.
By: Srini Saripalli, a professional information marketer
(PRWEB) March 18, 2008 -- Srini Saripalli, a professional information marketer who is often referred to as a business strategy expert and success engineer, is Launching "List Building 360", a list-building online training program/home study course, beginning Saturday April 12, 2008.
List building and email marketing methods that were in vogue when the World Wide Web was a young thing still remain in vogue today. Internet marketers have abused email marketing to such an extent that people are junking even genuine emails - now, it has become impossible to generate sales using these Jurassic Web 1.0 strategies. The result is that many infopreneurs are failing in their Internet marketing business and are losing their entrepreneurial steam rapidly.
List Building 360 promises to change all that. The course stays clear from unsuccessful, corny and age-old email marketing and list-building tactics, and focuses on practical and workable Internet marketing strategies based on a combination of savvy online and offline tactics. The course is geared towards existing internet marketers who are desperately looking for new, in-depth, expert list-building information that will enhance and revitalize their business model and deliver them the profits they always dreamed about. Aspiring internet marketers are also welcome to join the course.
List Building 360 will coach on the merits of employing a results-yielding integrated approach - an approach that will turn the list-building concept on its head and coach the participants about new and revolutionary techniques more suitable and workable in our present Web 2.0 and social media age. The course is made up of dynamic list-building training modules that will demonstrate:
-How to find highly motivated customers;
-How to explore new territories and markets;
-How to segment & target precisely;
-How to get that competitive edge with innovative products and
-How to get faster results with marketing campaigns;
-How to perform all of the above profit-generating actions by spending the least amount of time, effort and resources. and many more..
Moreover, this being a training program, it is ideal for home business owners who want to enhance their Internet earnings. Srini Saripalli adds a rider though: "Target your prospects with relevant messages across 360 degrees and you will have success. Note that, Internet marketing is a serious business for serious people who believe in doing serious work.
By: Srini Saripalli, a professional information marketer
New Healthcare Study Outlines Strategies to Increase Adoption of Home Health Monitoring Technologies
Opportunities for Vendor Success in Projected $2.5 Billion Digital Health
Industry
DALLAS, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The digital health industry still
faces formidable challenges in convincing private insurers to adopt home
health monitoring technologies. Yet vendors can overcome insurer resistance
by providing independently verifiable trial results and further education
regarding the benefits of home health monitoring technologies, according to
Private Insurance and Digital Health Solutions, a new study by Parks
Associates.
"With U.S. market potential of $2.5 billion in device and service
revenues by 2012, the home health monitoring industry has every incentive
to convince private insurers, along with other potential payers, of the
technology's value and feasibility," said Harry Wang, Senior Analyst, Parks
Associates.
The new Parks Associates study outlines ten recommendations for vendors
to strengthen home health monitoring technologies' visibility and value
proposition, including providing independently verifiable trial results,
gaining recognition from the medical community, and presenting a practical
plan that will prevent over-utilization of the technology.
"While meeting private payers' requirements -- like providing a
drilled-down explanation about the operational details on how the
technology is used by consumers and caregivers -- is important, the
technology industry must also rally support from consumers, caregivers, and
employers -- many self-insured -- to influence private insurers' perception
and the technology review process," said Wang, who believes efforts from
industry organizations like Continua Health Alliance, American Telemedicine
Association (ATA), the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC),
and Technology CEO Council are great starts.
Private Insurance and Digital Health Solutions is Parks Associates'
latest primary research on the private health insurance industry. The
study's analysis is based on January 2008 interviews with twenty senior
executives from the private health insurance industry and includes twelve
major findings and ten key recommendations.
Harry Wang will present Parks Associates research findings at ATA 2008
in Seattle on April 7, 2008. For more information about Parks Associates'
digital health research, visiT:http://www.digitalhealthnews.com/
About Parks Associates Digital Health Research
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and
consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products
and services. Parks Associates envisions pervasive adoption of digital
technology within the global health care system and a drastic
transformation of how healthcare and wellness aids are delivered to
consumers in the future. Our research clarifies the opportunities and
challenges for technology vendors, healthcare providers, and companies
considering entering this changing market.
Parks Associates' expertise includes new media, digital entertainment
and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, digital
health, mobile applications and services, consumer electronics, and home
control systems and security
For more learn Internet Marketing Strategy with anne ahira, click here...
Industry
DALLAS, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The digital health industry still
faces formidable challenges in convincing private insurers to adopt home
health monitoring technologies. Yet vendors can overcome insurer resistance
by providing independently verifiable trial results and further education
regarding the benefits of home health monitoring technologies, according to
Private Insurance and Digital Health Solutions, a new study by Parks
Associates.
"With U.S. market potential of $2.5 billion in device and service
revenues by 2012, the home health monitoring industry has every incentive
to convince private insurers, along with other potential payers, of the
technology's value and feasibility," said Harry Wang, Senior Analyst, Parks
Associates.
The new Parks Associates study outlines ten recommendations for vendors
to strengthen home health monitoring technologies' visibility and value
proposition, including providing independently verifiable trial results,
gaining recognition from the medical community, and presenting a practical
plan that will prevent over-utilization of the technology.
"While meeting private payers' requirements -- like providing a
drilled-down explanation about the operational details on how the
technology is used by consumers and caregivers -- is important, the
technology industry must also rally support from consumers, caregivers, and
employers -- many self-insured -- to influence private insurers' perception
and the technology review process," said Wang, who believes efforts from
industry organizations like Continua Health Alliance, American Telemedicine
Association (ATA), the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC),
and Technology CEO Council are great starts.
Private Insurance and Digital Health Solutions is Parks Associates'
latest primary research on the private health insurance industry. The
study's analysis is based on January 2008 interviews with twenty senior
executives from the private health insurance industry and includes twelve
major findings and ten key recommendations.
Harry Wang will present Parks Associates research findings at ATA 2008
in Seattle on April 7, 2008. For more information about Parks Associates'
digital health research, visiT:http://www.digitalhealthnews.com/
About Parks Associates Digital Health Research
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and
consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products
and services. Parks Associates envisions pervasive adoption of digital
technology within the global health care system and a drastic
transformation of how healthcare and wellness aids are delivered to
consumers in the future. Our research clarifies the opportunities and
challenges for technology vendors, healthcare providers, and companies
considering entering this changing market.
Parks Associates' expertise includes new media, digital entertainment
and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, digital
health, mobile applications and services, consumer electronics, and home
control systems and security
For more learn Internet Marketing Strategy with anne ahira, click here...
Search Engine Optimization Firm Brick Marketing Re-Launches SEO Packages
As part of their continuing website marketing support for businesses of all sizes, Brick Marketing has re-launched their SEO packages to make them more affordable, flexible, and customizable to suit the unique needs of every business.
Each SEO package includes:
SEO Strategy Development – SEO methods customized to achieve the best results for each client.
Keyword Research – Identification of which industry-specific keywords will increase site traffic.
Meta Tag Copywriting – Optimization of meta tags and meta descriptions for each page of the site.
Site Content Recommendations – A review of the site’s content and opportunities for improvement.
Link Building Strategy – Enhancement of internal and external site links for better page ranking.
"We are pleased to offer new SEO solutions that achieve rankings without overcharging clients. Also, we pride ourselves by doing only quality, white hat SEO work in the United States," said Brick Marketing President, Nick Stamoulis.
Brick Marketing, President and SEO Expert also stressed that these packages can be customized to include additional services if a client is interested in options beyond those mentioned in the search engine optimization package.
Other search engine optimization firms focus on one or two aspects of website marketing which limits the effectiveness of their services. But Brick Marketing’s SEO packages offer a comprehensive approach to Internet marketing which provides enhanced ranking opportunities, greater brand awareness, and synergies between these methods which are critical for the short- and long-term success of the packages. Anyone interested in these SEO packages or any other aspect of website marketing is encouraged to visit Brick Marketing’s website at www.BrickMarketing.com or call 877-295-0620 for more information.
Each SEO package includes:
SEO Strategy Development – SEO methods customized to achieve the best results for each client.
Keyword Research – Identification of which industry-specific keywords will increase site traffic.
Meta Tag Copywriting – Optimization of meta tags and meta descriptions for each page of the site.
Site Content Recommendations – A review of the site’s content and opportunities for improvement.
Link Building Strategy – Enhancement of internal and external site links for better page ranking.
"We are pleased to offer new SEO solutions that achieve rankings without overcharging clients. Also, we pride ourselves by doing only quality, white hat SEO work in the United States," said Brick Marketing President, Nick Stamoulis.
Brick Marketing, President and SEO Expert also stressed that these packages can be customized to include additional services if a client is interested in options beyond those mentioned in the search engine optimization package.
Other search engine optimization firms focus on one or two aspects of website marketing which limits the effectiveness of their services. But Brick Marketing’s SEO packages offer a comprehensive approach to Internet marketing which provides enhanced ranking opportunities, greater brand awareness, and synergies between these methods which are critical for the short- and long-term success of the packages. Anyone interested in these SEO packages or any other aspect of website marketing is encouraged to visit Brick Marketing’s website at www.BrickMarketing.com or call 877-295-0620 for more information.
Click Consult & SEO Consult to Showcase at Internet World 2008
Leading UK Internet Marketing Company Click Consult and SEO Consult invite existing customers and businesses who are looking to partner with one of the UK’s leading Search Engine Marketing Companies to visit them at Internet World 2008 at Earls Court, London on the 29th of April to the 1st of May.
Cheshire, United Kingdom,Leading Internet Marketing firm www.clickconsult.co.uk, which specialises in Pay Per Click Set Up & Management Services, and www.seoconsult.co.uk which specialises in SEO, Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing, Online PR & Shopping Feed Management invite businesses to visit the showcase Click Consult & SEO Consult stand W360 at this years show.
Managing Director Matt Bullas Commented: Everyone in the Click Consult group are really excited to be showcasing at Internet World this year, with company accounts showing sales and profit growth of nearly 100% in 2007 against 2006 all involved are looking forward to a successful 2008. This year the Click Consult Team are looking forward to the ultimate question, what makes you different from all the other agencies? Well come and talk to us at Internet World, in the past year we have recruited some great industry experts, defined a clear strategy, and are delivering for businesses around the UK, Reading an article the other day from someone stating the reason to go with a competitor agency is because of size, I mean, is biggest & size always best! Of course not, Click Consult have one focus in mind, not who pays for the lights to be switched on, but cost effective result driven marketing, and that we can certainly demonstrate.
Established in 2003 Click Consult have become a leader within the Search Engine Marketing world, with more than 25 staff based in the UK with more than 15 Google Qualified makes the company a strong contender when it comes to Search Engine Marketing Firms. Are strong values of being a service lead business have lead to high client retention, and strong growth in an extremely competitive market place, specialising in all aspects of online marketing including, SEO, PPC, Feeds, Email, Affiliate & Online PR Marketing make us a one stop shop for your advertising requirements.
Contact Details
Matt Bullas
pr@clickconsult.co.uk
00 44 151 3538755
www.clickconsult.co.uk
www.seoconsult.co.uk
Cheshire, United Kingdom,Leading Internet Marketing firm www.clickconsult.co.uk, which specialises in Pay Per Click Set Up & Management Services, and www.seoconsult.co.uk which specialises in SEO, Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing, Online PR & Shopping Feed Management invite businesses to visit the showcase Click Consult & SEO Consult stand W360 at this years show.
Managing Director Matt Bullas Commented: Everyone in the Click Consult group are really excited to be showcasing at Internet World this year, with company accounts showing sales and profit growth of nearly 100% in 2007 against 2006 all involved are looking forward to a successful 2008. This year the Click Consult Team are looking forward to the ultimate question, what makes you different from all the other agencies? Well come and talk to us at Internet World, in the past year we have recruited some great industry experts, defined a clear strategy, and are delivering for businesses around the UK, Reading an article the other day from someone stating the reason to go with a competitor agency is because of size, I mean, is biggest & size always best! Of course not, Click Consult have one focus in mind, not who pays for the lights to be switched on, but cost effective result driven marketing, and that we can certainly demonstrate.
Established in 2003 Click Consult have become a leader within the Search Engine Marketing world, with more than 25 staff based in the UK with more than 15 Google Qualified makes the company a strong contender when it comes to Search Engine Marketing Firms. Are strong values of being a service lead business have lead to high client retention, and strong growth in an extremely competitive market place, specialising in all aspects of online marketing including, SEO, PPC, Feeds, Email, Affiliate & Online PR Marketing make us a one stop shop for your advertising requirements.
Contact Details
Matt Bullas
pr@clickconsult.co.uk
00 44 151 3538755
www.clickconsult.co.uk
www.seoconsult.co.uk
Free Online Collaboration Solution Provider Launches Pre-Beta Enrollment Site
PLANO, TX--(Marketwire - March 18, 2008) - ESPRE Solutions, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: EPRT), a Dallas-based company with patented best-in-class video compression technology, today announced that its spin-off offering free online collaboration has launched a pre-beta enrollment site. The spin-off, formerly called "Blideo," has been renamed "OpenACircle."
OpenACircle.com is a unique collaboration environment for on-the-go business professionals at small to medium-sized companies, providing free online collaboration spaces called "circles." These collaboration "circles" provide users both asynchronous and synchronous communications tools that are all free of charge.
"Today's collaboration products are tools rather than collaboration environments," said Andy Wilson, Chief Strategy Officer at OpenACircle. "OpenACircle.com was designed to provide people who work together with persistent online meeting places for all forms of live and asynchronous communication. It's a mash-up of online tools, incorporating the social networking aspects of Facebook, the business collaboration tools of solutions like WebEx and GoToMeeting, and the real-time collaboration features of solutions like Skype."
Another key differentiator is OpenACircle's simplicity. As the name suggests, a user simply "opens a circle," then uploads any files, documents, photos, etc. they wish to share privately with people they invite into the circle. At the click of a button, members of the circle can initiate a live collaboration session in which they can share their desktops, video conference, chat, and more. Unlike with other live collaboration tools, the entire session can be archived and stored in the circle for future reference. The circle is always open for its members to meet, exchange information and work together.
"Up to now, collaboration has been just a series of events," said Wilson. "Now, there's a permanent, online place for collaboration to take place."
Pre-enrollment for the OpenACircle.com Beta begins today. Registration is open to the public, but the company will initially limit the number of users in the Beta, to allow for a gradual scaling of the business. The private beta is intended to provide critical feedback on the user interface and product features as OpenACircle.com prepares for a full public launch in the summer of 2008.
Rick Bansal, OpenACircle's Chief Technology Officer, adds, "As we prepare to launch our multi-phase beta test, the OpenACircle.com enrollment site will help us find the right population of users for each stage -- users who fit our demographic target, are self-selected, and are eager to participate in our test. While many companies use the term "beta" as a marketing ploy, we truly are interested in customer feedback for possible product improvements."
As internal testing begins for OpenACircle, integration will also begin with the company's new audio partner, FreeConferenceCall.com. The audio bridging technology is expected to be included in the upcoming beta release.
Blideo has successfully raised $3 million in its initial rounds of funding, which is being used to fund development through ESPRE Solutions, as well as marketing initiatives.
Users who would like to participate in the OpenACircle.com beta test program can sign up today at http://www.openarcicle.com/
About ESPRE Solutions, Inc.:
Plano, Texas-based ESPRE Solutions is a public company (PINKSHEETS: EPRT) that is reinventing how enterprises and individuals work and exchange information and ideas by providing a truly viable solution for live, high-quality multi-media video collaboration. ESPRE Solutions harnesses the power of collaboration to extract the benefits of visually connecting global work groups and individuals to create, share, and deliver live video content over the Internet. ESPRE Solutions' ESPRE Live 3.0 ™ media engine provides an integrated toolkit solution for solutions integrators and developers to create applications for business and personal communications. ESPRE's business strategy focuses on building strong partnerships, investing in companies that define the leading edge of video collaboration, and developing businesses to bring its growing suite of SDKs and APIs to the market. To learn more about ESPRE Solutions, or to experience the company's pioneering video compression technology, visit http://www.ESPRESolution.com/
About Blideo, Inc. dba OpenACircle.com
Incubated and spun off by ESPRE Solutions, Inc., Blideo is being developed as the first fully equipped, completely FREE online collaboration environment for small and medium-sized businesses.
SAFE HARBOR
Forward-looking statements made in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provision of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements made by ESPRE Solutions, Inc. are not a guarantee of future performance.
By: Katrina McBride
OpenACircle.com is a unique collaboration environment for on-the-go business professionals at small to medium-sized companies, providing free online collaboration spaces called "circles." These collaboration "circles" provide users both asynchronous and synchronous communications tools that are all free of charge.
"Today's collaboration products are tools rather than collaboration environments," said Andy Wilson, Chief Strategy Officer at OpenACircle. "OpenACircle.com was designed to provide people who work together with persistent online meeting places for all forms of live and asynchronous communication. It's a mash-up of online tools, incorporating the social networking aspects of Facebook, the business collaboration tools of solutions like WebEx and GoToMeeting, and the real-time collaboration features of solutions like Skype."
Another key differentiator is OpenACircle's simplicity. As the name suggests, a user simply "opens a circle," then uploads any files, documents, photos, etc. they wish to share privately with people they invite into the circle. At the click of a button, members of the circle can initiate a live collaboration session in which they can share their desktops, video conference, chat, and more. Unlike with other live collaboration tools, the entire session can be archived and stored in the circle for future reference. The circle is always open for its members to meet, exchange information and work together.
"Up to now, collaboration has been just a series of events," said Wilson. "Now, there's a permanent, online place for collaboration to take place."
Pre-enrollment for the OpenACircle.com Beta begins today. Registration is open to the public, but the company will initially limit the number of users in the Beta, to allow for a gradual scaling of the business. The private beta is intended to provide critical feedback on the user interface and product features as OpenACircle.com prepares for a full public launch in the summer of 2008.
Rick Bansal, OpenACircle's Chief Technology Officer, adds, "As we prepare to launch our multi-phase beta test, the OpenACircle.com enrollment site will help us find the right population of users for each stage -- users who fit our demographic target, are self-selected, and are eager to participate in our test. While many companies use the term "beta" as a marketing ploy, we truly are interested in customer feedback for possible product improvements."
As internal testing begins for OpenACircle, integration will also begin with the company's new audio partner, FreeConferenceCall.com. The audio bridging technology is expected to be included in the upcoming beta release.
Blideo has successfully raised $3 million in its initial rounds of funding, which is being used to fund development through ESPRE Solutions, as well as marketing initiatives.
Users who would like to participate in the OpenACircle.com beta test program can sign up today at http://www.openarcicle.com/
About ESPRE Solutions, Inc.:
Plano, Texas-based ESPRE Solutions is a public company (PINKSHEETS: EPRT) that is reinventing how enterprises and individuals work and exchange information and ideas by providing a truly viable solution for live, high-quality multi-media video collaboration. ESPRE Solutions harnesses the power of collaboration to extract the benefits of visually connecting global work groups and individuals to create, share, and deliver live video content over the Internet. ESPRE Solutions' ESPRE Live 3.0 ™ media engine provides an integrated toolkit solution for solutions integrators and developers to create applications for business and personal communications. ESPRE's business strategy focuses on building strong partnerships, investing in companies that define the leading edge of video collaboration, and developing businesses to bring its growing suite of SDKs and APIs to the market. To learn more about ESPRE Solutions, or to experience the company's pioneering video compression technology, visit http://www.ESPRESolution.com/
About Blideo, Inc. dba OpenACircle.com
Incubated and spun off by ESPRE Solutions, Inc., Blideo is being developed as the first fully equipped, completely FREE online collaboration environment for small and medium-sized businesses.
SAFE HARBOR
Forward-looking statements made in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provision of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements made by ESPRE Solutions, Inc. are not a guarantee of future performance.
By: Katrina McBride
KSR Strategy Group Wins Prestigious Pollie Award For Best Internet and Electronic Media Campaign
Cable's Video-On-Demand Technology Excels
For Immediate Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif./EWORLDWIRE/March 18, 2008 --- The bipartisan American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) announced on Saturday that the Sacramento-based political consultant and lobbyist, Sam Rodriguez, president of KSR Strategy Group, received a Pollie Award for running the best overall Internet/Electronic Media Campaign in 2007-08.
The award was given Saturday night at the annual convention of the AAPC in Santa Monica, Calif. The AAPC has more than 2,500 active members including media consultants, mail vendors, fundraisers, campaign managers and pollsters from all fifty states and territories.
The Pollie titled, "The Nevada Caucus '08, Voter Education Initiative," was a collaborative effort with the Los Angeles-based Center of Governmental Studies Video Voter Project, Cox Media, Charter Communications and National Cable Communications to educate citizens of Nevada how to participate in the Democratic and Republican Presidential Caucus held on January 19 of this year.
During the twelve weeks leading up to Caucus Day, an educational spot highlighting, "What is a Caucus?" aired approximately 220 times per week on 24 cable network channels statewide. Each educational spot contained a special link or message that allowed a viewer to get critical information of how to participate in a Caucus. These five-minute video-on-demand, tutorials enabled party organizations, volunteers, campaign organizers, labor unions, special event fundraisers, media and press learn first-hand who is eligible to vote in a Caucus and how the process works.
See Nevada Caucus '08 Video at http://www.nevadacaucus.tv.
A Spanish version of the Nevada Caucus '08 - Voter Education Initiative, was created as a direct response to thousands of potential voters who work in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas, Nev.
Jill Derby, chair of the Nevada Democratic Party said, "The Nevada Democratic Party enjoyed the largest voter turn out for a Presidential Caucus ever recorded in Nevada. Almost 120,000 Nevadans attended precinct caucuses, exceeding everyone's wildest expectations. The Nevada Caucus '08 Internet and media campaign on multiple cable channels provided our staff and volunteers much needed assistance in educating voters who were participating for the first time in a caucus."
Sue Lowden, chair of the Nevada Republican Party had the following to say after also experiencing a better than expected voter turnout in the Republican Caucus: "The ability of our voters to access the video tutorials, either directly or from a cable channel within the comfort of their own households, helped our outreach efforts tremendously. The Nevada Caucus '08 Internet and media campaign amplified our efforts in using e-mails, phones and local activist activities to promote a better than expected voter turn out throughout the state."
"The Nevada Caucus '08 - Voter Education Initiative went to the point of our work: it was professional, unique and successful in advancing our democratic process creatively using a variety of media platforms - Internet, cable TV and video-on-demand," said Tony Fazio, president of the American Association of Political Consultants.
KSR Strategy Group is a full service governmental and public relations consulting firm located in Sacramento
for more info:http://www.eworldwire.com/pressreleases/18287
For Immediate Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif./EWORLDWIRE/March 18, 2008 --- The bipartisan American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) announced on Saturday that the Sacramento-based political consultant and lobbyist, Sam Rodriguez, president of KSR Strategy Group, received a Pollie Award for running the best overall Internet/Electronic Media Campaign in 2007-08.
The award was given Saturday night at the annual convention of the AAPC in Santa Monica, Calif. The AAPC has more than 2,500 active members including media consultants, mail vendors, fundraisers, campaign managers and pollsters from all fifty states and territories.
The Pollie titled, "The Nevada Caucus '08, Voter Education Initiative," was a collaborative effort with the Los Angeles-based Center of Governmental Studies Video Voter Project, Cox Media, Charter Communications and National Cable Communications to educate citizens of Nevada how to participate in the Democratic and Republican Presidential Caucus held on January 19 of this year.
During the twelve weeks leading up to Caucus Day, an educational spot highlighting, "What is a Caucus?" aired approximately 220 times per week on 24 cable network channels statewide. Each educational spot contained a special link or message that allowed a viewer to get critical information of how to participate in a Caucus. These five-minute video-on-demand, tutorials enabled party organizations, volunteers, campaign organizers, labor unions, special event fundraisers, media and press learn first-hand who is eligible to vote in a Caucus and how the process works.
See Nevada Caucus '08 Video at http://www.nevadacaucus.tv.
A Spanish version of the Nevada Caucus '08 - Voter Education Initiative, was created as a direct response to thousands of potential voters who work in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas, Nev.
Jill Derby, chair of the Nevada Democratic Party said, "The Nevada Democratic Party enjoyed the largest voter turn out for a Presidential Caucus ever recorded in Nevada. Almost 120,000 Nevadans attended precinct caucuses, exceeding everyone's wildest expectations. The Nevada Caucus '08 Internet and media campaign on multiple cable channels provided our staff and volunteers much needed assistance in educating voters who were participating for the first time in a caucus."
Sue Lowden, chair of the Nevada Republican Party had the following to say after also experiencing a better than expected voter turnout in the Republican Caucus: "The ability of our voters to access the video tutorials, either directly or from a cable channel within the comfort of their own households, helped our outreach efforts tremendously. The Nevada Caucus '08 Internet and media campaign amplified our efforts in using e-mails, phones and local activist activities to promote a better than expected voter turn out throughout the state."
"The Nevada Caucus '08 - Voter Education Initiative went to the point of our work: it was professional, unique and successful in advancing our democratic process creatively using a variety of media platforms - Internet, cable TV and video-on-demand," said Tony Fazio, president of the American Association of Political Consultants.
KSR Strategy Group is a full service governmental and public relations consulting firm located in Sacramento
for more info:http://www.eworldwire.com/pressreleases/18287
Your Magical Online Marketing Tool
The Internet has been touted as a panacea for marketing communications. This low-cost and highly democratic medium has its problems, however. E-mail and e-newsletters are getting blocked by spam filters and firewalls, and many association, corporate and supplier Web sites are struggling to attract the attention of prospects and the press. And it can be time-consuming to stay abreast of all that’s being posted about your industry, your organization and your competition.
There is a technology, however, that can solve these problems and make your online communications easier and more effective—as easy as rubbing Aladdin’s lamp. The answer to your wishes is RSS.
Rich, Simple, Succinct
Whether you call it “Real Simple Syndication” or “Rich Site Summary,” RSS is a publishing tool that allows the user to subscribe directly to information on the Internet. Today, much content is “syndicated” and made available through the Internet. So planners and suppliers can use RSS to market inexpensively and efficiently to their audiences.
To understand syndication, think about a talk show like Oprah or a newspaper column like Dear Abby. Local television stations or newspapers can opt to run the show or column in their marketplace. Similarly, your information and content can be made available for your target audience. In other words, your marketing materials receive wider and uninterrupted distribution from people who ask to be kept up-to-date.
An RSS document “feed” contains either a summary of content from an associated Web site or the full text, depending on the software used. RSS is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines, articles and podcasts.
Associations can use RSS to syndicate news, articles, blogs and bulletins for their members. For example, MPI uses RSS feeds to provide articles from The Meeting Professional, as well as the latest news from headquarters, chapters and events. Corporations can publish press releases, product information, job openings or even product reviews, like PetCo does. Suppliers can use all of these techniques to reach out to clients and prospects. Marriott has a very personable blog by Bill Marriott as well as eBreaks, which offers last-minute weekend rates via RSS.
Seventy-five million people in the U.S. and U.K. use RSS on a regular basis. However, only a small fraction of them realize they are using it. Anyone who subscribes to My Yahoo, My MSN, MyAOL, Google Reader or Google Alerts is using RSS in the form of an “aggregator.” Every Web page displaying the icon is RSS enabled and available for subscription. Blogs are also powered by RSS and are growing in popularity and success.
The Magic
So how can RSS magically help you market, improve communications with your audiences, increase attendance at your meetings, get better press coverage and research the competition?
RSS operates in two directions, sending and receiving. You should take advantage of both directions for the best marketing advantage.
Sending marketing information out from your Web site requires that you “RSSify” pertinent pages. Widely available RSS-builder software creates an RSS feed from your Web site. This will enable you to syndicate any page in your Web site, such as the online press room, announcements about your next event or a page of articles relating to your industry or service.
The exposure you gain by using RSS could include seeing your press release on the RSS feeds from online news sites which have RSS-feed capability allowing audiences to receive feeds based on keywords and phrases. Each time your release includes a word or phrase of interest to the RSS subscriber, journalists and others will receive your press releases in nearly real time or will be able to easily search for it.
You can also enrich your Web site content by including an RSS feed of your latest industry news. This would position your Web site as a resource to your audience and give them a reason to keep returning. To do this, you need to embed an RSS feed into the page.
Other outgoing options include syndicating your e-newsletter via RSS, rather than or in addition to your e-mail version. Since RSS feeds are not e-mail, your announcements bypass spam filters and firewalls and go directly to the people interested in the information. Imagine publishing your e-newsletter and with the click of a button having it syndicated across 4,000 content-relative Web sites at the same time.
You can now offer people the opportunity to “opt in” to your marketing messages by subscribing to your feed. Therefore, the number of messages opened and read is significantly higher than with e-mail distribution.
Looks Like We Got Ourselves a Reader
Becoming a subscriber of incoming RSS feeds is not only a good way to familiarize yourself with the process but also a great way to conduct market research. The magic of RSS makes it possible to keep up with information that has been posted online by others about your organization, your competitors and your industry. Using automated RSS feeds is much easier than checking hundreds of Web sites manually or even doing a daily keyword search because it scans not only traditional Web sites but also other syndicated sources.
RSS content can be collected and read using software called a “feed reader” or “aggregator”. The user subscribes to a feed by entering the feed’s link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. This anonymous form of subscription eliminates the need to enter an e-mail address and therefore appeals to increasingly wary Web surfers concerned about privacy.
These aggregators assemble and read feeds in real time, similar to the way an e-mail reader like Outlook operates. Once a feed is set up, it’s a direct, permanent and frequently updated connection to the latest information on the Internet. Just think of it as your own private research assistant.
Marketing is a never-ending struggle to reach members, clients, prospects and the press. It can be overwhelming to keep track of trends and issues within your industry. Inject a little magic into your marketing plan and include the power of RSS. Once you invest the time to syndicate and subscribe, you’ll see results the size of the giant Genie of Aladdin’s lamp.
By:CRIS CANNING, CMP, is a speaker, writer and teacher. She was awarded MPI’s Tomorrow’s Leader award. Via her company Hospitality Ink, she is dedicated to helping others increase their personal visibility and the visibility and credibility of their companies. She has published a booklet titled 199 Networking Tips and Tidbits available through the MPI Store. She will soon publish an Attendee Marketing - The Complete Guide to Marketing Meetings & Events
There is a technology, however, that can solve these problems and make your online communications easier and more effective—as easy as rubbing Aladdin’s lamp. The answer to your wishes is RSS.
Rich, Simple, Succinct
Whether you call it “Real Simple Syndication” or “Rich Site Summary,” RSS is a publishing tool that allows the user to subscribe directly to information on the Internet. Today, much content is “syndicated” and made available through the Internet. So planners and suppliers can use RSS to market inexpensively and efficiently to their audiences.
To understand syndication, think about a talk show like Oprah or a newspaper column like Dear Abby. Local television stations or newspapers can opt to run the show or column in their marketplace. Similarly, your information and content can be made available for your target audience. In other words, your marketing materials receive wider and uninterrupted distribution from people who ask to be kept up-to-date.
An RSS document “feed” contains either a summary of content from an associated Web site or the full text, depending on the software used. RSS is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines, articles and podcasts.
Associations can use RSS to syndicate news, articles, blogs and bulletins for their members. For example, MPI uses RSS feeds to provide articles from The Meeting Professional, as well as the latest news from headquarters, chapters and events. Corporations can publish press releases, product information, job openings or even product reviews, like PetCo does. Suppliers can use all of these techniques to reach out to clients and prospects. Marriott has a very personable blog by Bill Marriott as well as eBreaks, which offers last-minute weekend rates via RSS.
Seventy-five million people in the U.S. and U.K. use RSS on a regular basis. However, only a small fraction of them realize they are using it. Anyone who subscribes to My Yahoo, My MSN, MyAOL, Google Reader or Google Alerts is using RSS in the form of an “aggregator.” Every Web page displaying the icon is RSS enabled and available for subscription. Blogs are also powered by RSS and are growing in popularity and success.
The Magic
So how can RSS magically help you market, improve communications with your audiences, increase attendance at your meetings, get better press coverage and research the competition?
RSS operates in two directions, sending and receiving. You should take advantage of both directions for the best marketing advantage.
Sending marketing information out from your Web site requires that you “RSSify” pertinent pages. Widely available RSS-builder software creates an RSS feed from your Web site. This will enable you to syndicate any page in your Web site, such as the online press room, announcements about your next event or a page of articles relating to your industry or service.
The exposure you gain by using RSS could include seeing your press release on the RSS feeds from online news sites which have RSS-feed capability allowing audiences to receive feeds based on keywords and phrases. Each time your release includes a word or phrase of interest to the RSS subscriber, journalists and others will receive your press releases in nearly real time or will be able to easily search for it.
You can also enrich your Web site content by including an RSS feed of your latest industry news. This would position your Web site as a resource to your audience and give them a reason to keep returning. To do this, you need to embed an RSS feed into the page.
Other outgoing options include syndicating your e-newsletter via RSS, rather than or in addition to your e-mail version. Since RSS feeds are not e-mail, your announcements bypass spam filters and firewalls and go directly to the people interested in the information. Imagine publishing your e-newsletter and with the click of a button having it syndicated across 4,000 content-relative Web sites at the same time.
You can now offer people the opportunity to “opt in” to your marketing messages by subscribing to your feed. Therefore, the number of messages opened and read is significantly higher than with e-mail distribution.
Looks Like We Got Ourselves a Reader
Becoming a subscriber of incoming RSS feeds is not only a good way to familiarize yourself with the process but also a great way to conduct market research. The magic of RSS makes it possible to keep up with information that has been posted online by others about your organization, your competitors and your industry. Using automated RSS feeds is much easier than checking hundreds of Web sites manually or even doing a daily keyword search because it scans not only traditional Web sites but also other syndicated sources.
RSS content can be collected and read using software called a “feed reader” or “aggregator”. The user subscribes to a feed by entering the feed’s link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. This anonymous form of subscription eliminates the need to enter an e-mail address and therefore appeals to increasingly wary Web surfers concerned about privacy.
These aggregators assemble and read feeds in real time, similar to the way an e-mail reader like Outlook operates. Once a feed is set up, it’s a direct, permanent and frequently updated connection to the latest information on the Internet. Just think of it as your own private research assistant.
Marketing is a never-ending struggle to reach members, clients, prospects and the press. It can be overwhelming to keep track of trends and issues within your industry. Inject a little magic into your marketing plan and include the power of RSS. Once you invest the time to syndicate and subscribe, you’ll see results the size of the giant Genie of Aladdin’s lamp.
By:CRIS CANNING, CMP, is a speaker, writer and teacher. She was awarded MPI’s Tomorrow’s Leader award. Via her company Hospitality Ink, she is dedicated to helping others increase their personal visibility and the visibility and credibility of their companies. She has published a booklet titled 199 Networking Tips and Tidbits available through the MPI Store. She will soon publish an Attendee Marketing - The Complete Guide to Marketing Meetings & Events
TIPS INTERNET MARKETING STRATEGY
5 FIVE TIPS to Master Local Search
Posted By Paige
RISMEDIA, March 4, 2008-Do you know what local search is? If you just started having a grasp of search engine marketing, sit down, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready to learn something new. Companies are starting to act on strategies to get a good foundation that will make them a strong competitor for years to come.
One of the starting points of local marketing is understanding what it is and is not. While regular search marketing is about getting top results on sites like Google and Yahoo!, local search marketing is about having results on dozens if not hundreds of geographically related sites.
A second major point of why local search is a hot item revolves around the buzz phrase “user-generated content.” Sites like Yelp and CitySearch allow hundreds of different data points to be collected so that visitors can rate local businesses up and down. That commentary and voting creates a continuously updated source of information that is attractive to larger search sites like Google, but it also attracts consistent human readership due to the interaction happening on the site.
A third item that is encouraging growth for local search in 2008 is the evolution of the technology. Internet sites can now target visitors through much more precise IP addresses (a code that defines your point of origin), and we are also beginning to see information being shared across advertising platforms - ranging from wi-fi triangulation, cookies relayed through a multi-site advertising network, profile sharing on shopping/social sites, or even comparing your mobile phone information to your browsing habits. As that type of data gets refined by marketing analysts and developers, sites begin to produce an almost unnerving ability to send you a marketing message created personally for you.
Number four on the list-online marketers are getting more savvy with the understanding that some personalities don’t like doing business online, but do prefer to find information online about where they can do business locally. Several portals and services have shown up to aid shoppers in finding information so that they can buy a physical product locally. Some examples are ShopLocal, TheFind, and Where2GetIt.
The fifth point encouraging local growth is hardware. There are more laptops and cell phones in general use than ever before (that alone isn’t news.) Yet the “big push” by cellular companies this year is to enable wireless data (e-mail, Internet, chat) and GPS-mapping services on as many units as possible. This trend hit the Asian community last year when a large variety of GPS-enabled phones hit the market. By 2010, most cell phones will have GPS. Unlike traditional computers and hardware, cell phones are replaced and upgraded every 12-18 months (upgrades are usually done when a contract is renewed, a report by Strategy Analytics showed that there were 1.1 billion cell phones sold in 2007.)
If you take these five ideas and wrap them into one equation, you can begin to understand how several different industries are interacting to create an amazing convergence for local search. More detailed and refined user generated content will create more visitors, which will create an opportunity for many professionals to benefit from a stronger business foundation of establishing a good strategy before competitors do.
FOR MORE DETAIL: http://socialmediasystems.com/
Posted By Paige
RISMEDIA, March 4, 2008-Do you know what local search is? If you just started having a grasp of search engine marketing, sit down, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready to learn something new. Companies are starting to act on strategies to get a good foundation that will make them a strong competitor for years to come.
One of the starting points of local marketing is understanding what it is and is not. While regular search marketing is about getting top results on sites like Google and Yahoo!, local search marketing is about having results on dozens if not hundreds of geographically related sites.
A second major point of why local search is a hot item revolves around the buzz phrase “user-generated content.” Sites like Yelp and CitySearch allow hundreds of different data points to be collected so that visitors can rate local businesses up and down. That commentary and voting creates a continuously updated source of information that is attractive to larger search sites like Google, but it also attracts consistent human readership due to the interaction happening on the site.
A third item that is encouraging growth for local search in 2008 is the evolution of the technology. Internet sites can now target visitors through much more precise IP addresses (a code that defines your point of origin), and we are also beginning to see information being shared across advertising platforms - ranging from wi-fi triangulation, cookies relayed through a multi-site advertising network, profile sharing on shopping/social sites, or even comparing your mobile phone information to your browsing habits. As that type of data gets refined by marketing analysts and developers, sites begin to produce an almost unnerving ability to send you a marketing message created personally for you.
Number four on the list-online marketers are getting more savvy with the understanding that some personalities don’t like doing business online, but do prefer to find information online about where they can do business locally. Several portals and services have shown up to aid shoppers in finding information so that they can buy a physical product locally. Some examples are ShopLocal, TheFind, and Where2GetIt.
The fifth point encouraging local growth is hardware. There are more laptops and cell phones in general use than ever before (that alone isn’t news.) Yet the “big push” by cellular companies this year is to enable wireless data (e-mail, Internet, chat) and GPS-mapping services on as many units as possible. This trend hit the Asian community last year when a large variety of GPS-enabled phones hit the market. By 2010, most cell phones will have GPS. Unlike traditional computers and hardware, cell phones are replaced and upgraded every 12-18 months (upgrades are usually done when a contract is renewed, a report by Strategy Analytics showed that there were 1.1 billion cell phones sold in 2007.)
If you take these five ideas and wrap them into one equation, you can begin to understand how several different industries are interacting to create an amazing convergence for local search. More detailed and refined user generated content will create more visitors, which will create an opportunity for many professionals to benefit from a stronger business foundation of establishing a good strategy before competitors do.
FOR MORE DETAIL: http://socialmediasystems.com/
Smartphones Top List of Post-Holiday Return
Smartphones Top List of Post-Holiday Returns, Opinion Research Corporation Study Finds
Indecipherable set up directions cited as primary culprit
PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recent survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, an infoUSA company (NASDAQ:IUSA), fielded by international data collection and panel specialists Research Now, revealed that Smartphones (excluding iPhone and RIM Blackberry) were the most returned electronic technology products of the holiday season, with slightly more than one-fifth (21%) of Smartphone buyers returning their purchase to the retailer.
“The inability to understand the product setup process was cited as the primary reason consumers returned their Smartphone,” said Kevin Wood, VP and Senior Technology Analyst with Opinion Research Corporation.
“Electronics technology continues to be a very popular choice among holiday shoppers, with 34% of the US population above the age of 16 claiming to have purchased and/or received an electronic technology product during the holiday season,” said Manuel Flores, Director of Opinion Research Corporation’s Information Technology and Telecommunications practice. “With technology getting more sophisticated, the pressure is on customer experience managers, product managers and product marketing personnel to design products that are ready for consumers to use out-of-the-box.”
“Irreparable damage to a brand’s reputation and perception of the company itself is at stake when a product is not easy to setup and use,” Wood added. “Nearly 16% of the respondents we surveyed indicated that their poor setup experience significantly worsened their perception of the company that manufactured the product.”
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), in partnership with Market Basics LLC, will be hosting a roundtable discussion with a panel of ORC’s global technology experts in March 2008 on the implications of poor customer experience with set-up or installation and the impact this has on product and/or brand consideration and preference.”
Notes to editors:
An online survey of 2,000 respondents was carried out from January 11 to 16, 2008 with a representative sample provided by international online data collection and panel specialists Research Now. The margin of error is +/- 2.18%.
About Opinion Research Corporation
Opinion Research Corporation, an infoUSA company, has offered innovative solutions to the toughest market research challenges of clients worldwide since 1938. The firm has been conducting national, speech reaction, state and flash/overnight polls for CNN since April 2006. To learn more, visit www.opinionresearch.com.
About Research Now
Research Now is the leading international online data collection and panel specialist, with 28 proprietary online panels across North, Central and South America, Europe and Australia, comprising more than 2.2 million active panelists globally. The firm’s online panels are used by leading research agencies and some of the world’s best known companies.
About infoUSA
infoUSA (www.infoUSA.com), founded in 1972, is the leading provider of business and consumer databases for sales leads & mailing lists, database marketing services, data processing services and sales and marketing solutions. Content is the essential ingredient in every marketing program, and infoUSA has the most comprehensive data in the industry, and is the only company to own 12 proprietary databases under one roof. The infoUSA database powers the directory services of the top Internet traffic-generating sites. Nearly 4 million customers use infoUSA's products and services to find new customers, grow their sales, and for other direct marketing, telemarketing, customer analysis and credit reference purposes. infoUSA headquarters are located at 5711 S. 86th Circle, Omaha, NE 68127 and can be contacted at (402) 593-4500. To know more about Sales Leads, click www.infousa.com. To get a 72-hour free trial and 100 free sales leads, click www.salesgenie.com.
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, recent changes in senior management, the successful integration of recent and future acquisitions, fluctuations in operating results, failure to successfully carry out our Internet strategy or to grow our Internet revenue, effects of leverage, changes in technology and increased competition. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Indecipherable set up directions cited as primary culprit
PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recent survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, an infoUSA company (NASDAQ:IUSA), fielded by international data collection and panel specialists Research Now, revealed that Smartphones (excluding iPhone and RIM Blackberry) were the most returned electronic technology products of the holiday season, with slightly more than one-fifth (21%) of Smartphone buyers returning their purchase to the retailer.
“The inability to understand the product setup process was cited as the primary reason consumers returned their Smartphone,” said Kevin Wood, VP and Senior Technology Analyst with Opinion Research Corporation.
“Electronics technology continues to be a very popular choice among holiday shoppers, with 34% of the US population above the age of 16 claiming to have purchased and/or received an electronic technology product during the holiday season,” said Manuel Flores, Director of Opinion Research Corporation’s Information Technology and Telecommunications practice. “With technology getting more sophisticated, the pressure is on customer experience managers, product managers and product marketing personnel to design products that are ready for consumers to use out-of-the-box.”
“Irreparable damage to a brand’s reputation and perception of the company itself is at stake when a product is not easy to setup and use,” Wood added. “Nearly 16% of the respondents we surveyed indicated that their poor setup experience significantly worsened their perception of the company that manufactured the product.”
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), in partnership with Market Basics LLC, will be hosting a roundtable discussion with a panel of ORC’s global technology experts in March 2008 on the implications of poor customer experience with set-up or installation and the impact this has on product and/or brand consideration and preference.”
Notes to editors:
An online survey of 2,000 respondents was carried out from January 11 to 16, 2008 with a representative sample provided by international online data collection and panel specialists Research Now. The margin of error is +/- 2.18%.
About Opinion Research Corporation
Opinion Research Corporation, an infoUSA company, has offered innovative solutions to the toughest market research challenges of clients worldwide since 1938. The firm has been conducting national, speech reaction, state and flash/overnight polls for CNN since April 2006. To learn more, visit www.opinionresearch.com.
About Research Now
Research Now is the leading international online data collection and panel specialist, with 28 proprietary online panels across North, Central and South America, Europe and Australia, comprising more than 2.2 million active panelists globally. The firm’s online panels are used by leading research agencies and some of the world’s best known companies.
About infoUSA
infoUSA (www.infoUSA.com), founded in 1972, is the leading provider of business and consumer databases for sales leads & mailing lists, database marketing services, data processing services and sales and marketing solutions. Content is the essential ingredient in every marketing program, and infoUSA has the most comprehensive data in the industry, and is the only company to own 12 proprietary databases under one roof. The infoUSA database powers the directory services of the top Internet traffic-generating sites. Nearly 4 million customers use infoUSA's products and services to find new customers, grow their sales, and for other direct marketing, telemarketing, customer analysis and credit reference purposes. infoUSA headquarters are located at 5711 S. 86th Circle, Omaha, NE 68127 and can be contacted at (402) 593-4500. To know more about Sales Leads, click www.infousa.com. To get a 72-hour free trial and 100 free sales leads, click www.salesgenie.com.
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, recent changes in senior management, the successful integration of recent and future acquisitions, fluctuations in operating results, failure to successfully carry out our Internet strategy or to grow our Internet revenue, effects of leverage, changes in technology and increased competition. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Marketer of the year
TravelCLICK Names Georgetown Inn the 2007 eMarketer of the Year
Awards Ceremony Launches Industry's First Viral Marketing Campaign for
Hoteliers
CHICAGO, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Before an audience of a thousand
hospitality industry leaders from around the world, LXR Hotels & Resorts'
Georgetown Inn was named the 2007 eMarketer of the Year by TravelCLICK and
the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The
award was presented last night at the 51st Anniversary Adrian Awards Gala,
held at the New York Marriott Marquis. Sponsored by TravelCLICK, the
eMarketer of the Year honors hoteliers who exhibit excellence in hotel
emarketing by generating and converting hotel online demand. Georgetown Inn
was recognized for its strong online presence and ability to drive
additional, incremental revenue direct to its hotel. During the gala,
TravelCLICK also unveiled the industry's first viral campaign for hoteliers
-- an entertaining exchange among celebrity impersonators -- designed to
spread the message of hotel emarketing to the industry. The campaign is
posted at http://www.longtail-yeah.com .
The 96-room Georgetown Inn (http://www.GeorgetownInn.com ), located in
Washington, DC, implemented an integrated online strategy designed to drive
demand and convert guests on the web. The approach included an informative
website, a multipronged Internet marketing strategy, and a high-conversion
web-booking engine.
Accepting the award for the Georgetown Inn were Richard Chambers,
Senior Vice President of Marketing for LXR Resorts & Hotels and Jack Feuer,
Blackstone eCommerce Advisor overseeing online strategy for LXR Hotels &
Resorts. "We are thrilled to receive the honor of eMarketer of Year," said
Chambers. "Georgetown Inn has found the right mix of strategy and
technology that has evolved our online presence into a vital bookings
channel that generates highly profitable and repeatable business for the
hotel."
The Georgetown Inn has used online strategies to successfully drive
dramatic incremental revenue direct to its hotel by dominating the local
market through comprehensive SEO and pay-per-click campaigns. The hotel
also attracted more reservations to its brand website through advertising
placements with strategic partners such as Georgetowndc.com and
TripAdvisor.com. By converting online shoppers at a higher rate with the
superior merchandising capabilities of its web booking engine, the
Georgetown Inn is generating over 60 percent more in direct web bookings.
Direct website reservations now account for 28 percent of the hotel's total
bookings.
"All of the entrants in this year's competition demonstrated a
heightened understanding of the web's increasingly important role in hotel
marketing," said Shane Ettestad, Vice President of Internet Marketing
Solutions for TravelCLICK. "The eMarketer of the Year Awards illustrate
that an integrated approach to online marketing -- from your hotel website
to consumer review ratings -- is a critical success factor in driving
demand, gaining a competitive edge, and deriving higher net revenues. We
salute our 2007 entrants and congratulate Georgetown Inn for its
outstanding achievement."
In addition to naming the 2007 eMarketer of the Year, TravelCLICK
recognized the following winners in regional and chain categories:
-- Asia/Pacific Region -- Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong
(http://www.cosmopolitanhotel.com.hk), China;
-- Europe/Middle East/Africa Region -- Grand Hotel Esplanade Berlin
(http://www.esplanade.de), Germany;
-- North America Region -- Georgetown Inn (http://www.GeorgetownInn.com ),
Washington, DC; and
-- Chain Category -- Joie de Vivre Hospitality (http://www.jdvhotels.com),
San Francisco, CA.
The eMarketer of the Year Awards focus on hotel booking performance and
growth driven by effective online marketing, including enhanced website
design, organic and paid search strategy, online applications, as well as
ratings on consumer review sites
To learn what it takes to become a great hotel emarketer, visit
http://www.longtail-yeah.com .
About TravelCLICK
TravelCLICK (http://www.travelclick.net) is the leading provider of
emarketing solutions that help hotels sell rooms smarter and drive
long-term profitability. TravelCLICK helps hotels maximize asset ROI by
combining innovative market analysis and proven industry best practices
with advanced technology to develop and implement high-return strategies.
The company offers a full set of solutions, including reservations and
distribution management, market intelligence-based decision support, and
marketing services. Serving the hospitality industry since 1999 and
headquartered in the Chicago area, TravelCLICK has more than 12,000
customers in 140 countries.
Awards Ceremony Launches Industry's First Viral Marketing Campaign for
Hoteliers
CHICAGO, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Before an audience of a thousand
hospitality industry leaders from around the world, LXR Hotels & Resorts'
Georgetown Inn was named the 2007 eMarketer of the Year by TravelCLICK and
the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The
award was presented last night at the 51st Anniversary Adrian Awards Gala,
held at the New York Marriott Marquis. Sponsored by TravelCLICK, the
eMarketer of the Year honors hoteliers who exhibit excellence in hotel
emarketing by generating and converting hotel online demand. Georgetown Inn
was recognized for its strong online presence and ability to drive
additional, incremental revenue direct to its hotel. During the gala,
TravelCLICK also unveiled the industry's first viral campaign for hoteliers
-- an entertaining exchange among celebrity impersonators -- designed to
spread the message of hotel emarketing to the industry. The campaign is
posted at http://www.longtail-yeah.com .
The 96-room Georgetown Inn (http://www.GeorgetownInn.com ), located in
Washington, DC, implemented an integrated online strategy designed to drive
demand and convert guests on the web. The approach included an informative
website, a multipronged Internet marketing strategy, and a high-conversion
web-booking engine.
Accepting the award for the Georgetown Inn were Richard Chambers,
Senior Vice President of Marketing for LXR Resorts & Hotels and Jack Feuer,
Blackstone eCommerce Advisor overseeing online strategy for LXR Hotels &
Resorts. "We are thrilled to receive the honor of eMarketer of Year," said
Chambers. "Georgetown Inn has found the right mix of strategy and
technology that has evolved our online presence into a vital bookings
channel that generates highly profitable and repeatable business for the
hotel."
The Georgetown Inn has used online strategies to successfully drive
dramatic incremental revenue direct to its hotel by dominating the local
market through comprehensive SEO and pay-per-click campaigns. The hotel
also attracted more reservations to its brand website through advertising
placements with strategic partners such as Georgetowndc.com and
TripAdvisor.com. By converting online shoppers at a higher rate with the
superior merchandising capabilities of its web booking engine, the
Georgetown Inn is generating over 60 percent more in direct web bookings.
Direct website reservations now account for 28 percent of the hotel's total
bookings.
"All of the entrants in this year's competition demonstrated a
heightened understanding of the web's increasingly important role in hotel
marketing," said Shane Ettestad, Vice President of Internet Marketing
Solutions for TravelCLICK. "The eMarketer of the Year Awards illustrate
that an integrated approach to online marketing -- from your hotel website
to consumer review ratings -- is a critical success factor in driving
demand, gaining a competitive edge, and deriving higher net revenues. We
salute our 2007 entrants and congratulate Georgetown Inn for its
outstanding achievement."
In addition to naming the 2007 eMarketer of the Year, TravelCLICK
recognized the following winners in regional and chain categories:
-- Asia/Pacific Region -- Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong
(http://www.cosmopolitanhotel.com.hk), China;
-- Europe/Middle East/Africa Region -- Grand Hotel Esplanade Berlin
(http://www.esplanade.de), Germany;
-- North America Region -- Georgetown Inn (http://www.GeorgetownInn.com ),
Washington, DC; and
-- Chain Category -- Joie de Vivre Hospitality (http://www.jdvhotels.com),
San Francisco, CA.
The eMarketer of the Year Awards focus on hotel booking performance and
growth driven by effective online marketing, including enhanced website
design, organic and paid search strategy, online applications, as well as
ratings on consumer review sites
To learn what it takes to become a great hotel emarketer, visit
http://www.longtail-yeah.com .
About TravelCLICK
TravelCLICK (http://www.travelclick.net) is the leading provider of
emarketing solutions that help hotels sell rooms smarter and drive
long-term profitability. TravelCLICK helps hotels maximize asset ROI by
combining innovative market analysis and proven industry best practices
with advanced technology to develop and implement high-return strategies.
The company offers a full set of solutions, including reservations and
distribution management, market intelligence-based decision support, and
marketing services. Serving the hospitality industry since 1999 and
headquartered in the Chicago area, TravelCLICK has more than 12,000
customers in 140 countries.
2008 Affiliate Marketing from Share Result Affiliate Network
2008 Affiliate Marketing: Trends, Spends & Dead Ends from Share Results Affiliate Network CEO Nicky Senyard
Affiliate marketing is one of the considered strategies that all good marketing managers have in their toolkits to assist in driving traffic and sales to their e-commerce sites. Nicky Senyard, CEO of Share Results, shares her views and considerations for affiliate marketing in 2008.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- What affiliate marketer wouldn't want a crystal ball to reveal the online marketing trends that matter for 2008: will the social web shop socially? Will video ads trounce banners? Will mobile meander? What about widgets? And marketing mainstays such as search and email? Learn how 2008's online marketing trends translate for affiliates with the help of Share Results affiliate network CEO Nicky Senyard.
"Social networking was definitely the biggest story in affiliate marketing in 2007, as merchants and affiliates tried to convert the huge surge in user traffic on sites such as Facebook and MySpace into a viable sales platform. As 2008 evolves, expect affiliates to exploit social media marketing (SMM) for SEO, controlling search engine rankings through links and growing fan bases on the sites above, plus destinations such as Digg, YouTube, Del.icio.us, and many more."
"New avenues for SMM monetization are also opening up. Facebook's social ads, for instance, despite initial consumer privacy concerns, can potentially compete with Google for affiliate PPC revenue."
"2008 should also see a boom in niche social media interest sites in areas such as travel and home & garden that affiliates can align their affiliate program verticals with."
Video should also prove a major marketing trend in 2008, states Nicky Senyard:
"Over 48% of internet users visited video sharing sites such as YouTube in 2007 (source: Pew), and advertising during video content is expected to spike by more than 70% (source: eMarketer)."
"We're seeing affiliates in the Share Results network experiment with attaching their own pre-roll ads to video content on their properties, and especially affiliates who are using their personal identities to promote through blogs and social networking."
Mobile marketing may finally reach its long-promised potential in 2008 as generally accepted platforms, formats and business models unite, continues Nicky:
"Mobile use is now firmly established, with over 30% of Americans considered elite tech users relying on feature-packed cell phones to support voracious online habits (source: Pew)."
"With one in three mobile phone users in the U.S. (over 78 million people) having seen or heard ads on their phones in the last three months (source: Mobile Advertising Report), affiliates should use 2008 to develop an SMS strategy."
Behavioral targeting should also become more widespread in 2008:
"Affiliates will be pleased to learn that 2008 brings with it better targeted ad technology from affiliate programs as network, advertiser, and visitor data converges to build better consumer experiences. Share Results, for example, includes interactive creatives among its marketing tool capabilities."
Widget advertising should also take off, as affiliate networks introduce these powerful brand relationship building tools to their marketing creative line-ups.
"Widgets deliver a rich media experience compared to traditional banner ads, packaging everything from news feeds to video, games, music and more into one vehicle that users can drop on their desktops, blogs, social networking sites or start pages. Affiliates will find widgets an engaging, portable and trackable way to reach potential customers."
Despite spam fatigue, email will remain one of affiliate marketing's biggest ROIs, as long as marketers remember that "relevance is key to successful email marketing campaigns. Focus on behaviorally-triggered mailings, dynamic content development schedules for newsletters and promotions, and personalization."
Search optimization will also remain a key concern for affiliates in 2008:
"Take the new year to review your 2007 SEO analytics and to research new technology to apply in 2008," counsels Nicky Senyard. "Treat optimization as an ongoing process, instead of applying it only during an affiliate site's creation or major rebuild."
Finally, take the time in 2008 to review your affiliate network relationships, concludes Nicky:
"Affiliates and merchants need to expect more from their affiliate networks than competitive commissions in 2008. Test networks on their adaptability to your business model, open customer support, industry reputation and software analytics capacity to find the service that will maximize your affiliate marketing revenue."
Affiliate marketing is one of the considered strategies that all good marketing managers have in their toolkits to assist in driving traffic and sales to their e-commerce sites. Nicky Senyard, CEO of Share Results, shares her views and considerations for affiliate marketing in 2008.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- What affiliate marketer wouldn't want a crystal ball to reveal the online marketing trends that matter for 2008: will the social web shop socially? Will video ads trounce banners? Will mobile meander? What about widgets? And marketing mainstays such as search and email? Learn how 2008's online marketing trends translate for affiliates with the help of Share Results affiliate network CEO Nicky Senyard.
"Social networking was definitely the biggest story in affiliate marketing in 2007, as merchants and affiliates tried to convert the huge surge in user traffic on sites such as Facebook and MySpace into a viable sales platform. As 2008 evolves, expect affiliates to exploit social media marketing (SMM) for SEO, controlling search engine rankings through links and growing fan bases on the sites above, plus destinations such as Digg, YouTube, Del.icio.us, and many more."
"New avenues for SMM monetization are also opening up. Facebook's social ads, for instance, despite initial consumer privacy concerns, can potentially compete with Google for affiliate PPC revenue."
"2008 should also see a boom in niche social media interest sites in areas such as travel and home & garden that affiliates can align their affiliate program verticals with."
Video should also prove a major marketing trend in 2008, states Nicky Senyard:
"Over 48% of internet users visited video sharing sites such as YouTube in 2007 (source: Pew), and advertising during video content is expected to spike by more than 70% (source: eMarketer)."
"We're seeing affiliates in the Share Results network experiment with attaching their own pre-roll ads to video content on their properties, and especially affiliates who are using their personal identities to promote through blogs and social networking."
Mobile marketing may finally reach its long-promised potential in 2008 as generally accepted platforms, formats and business models unite, continues Nicky:
"Mobile use is now firmly established, with over 30% of Americans considered elite tech users relying on feature-packed cell phones to support voracious online habits (source: Pew)."
"With one in three mobile phone users in the U.S. (over 78 million people) having seen or heard ads on their phones in the last three months (source: Mobile Advertising Report), affiliates should use 2008 to develop an SMS strategy."
Behavioral targeting should also become more widespread in 2008:
"Affiliates will be pleased to learn that 2008 brings with it better targeted ad technology from affiliate programs as network, advertiser, and visitor data converges to build better consumer experiences. Share Results, for example, includes interactive creatives among its marketing tool capabilities."
Widget advertising should also take off, as affiliate networks introduce these powerful brand relationship building tools to their marketing creative line-ups.
"Widgets deliver a rich media experience compared to traditional banner ads, packaging everything from news feeds to video, games, music and more into one vehicle that users can drop on their desktops, blogs, social networking sites or start pages. Affiliates will find widgets an engaging, portable and trackable way to reach potential customers."
Despite spam fatigue, email will remain one of affiliate marketing's biggest ROIs, as long as marketers remember that "relevance is key to successful email marketing campaigns. Focus on behaviorally-triggered mailings, dynamic content development schedules for newsletters and promotions, and personalization."
Search optimization will also remain a key concern for affiliates in 2008:
"Take the new year to review your 2007 SEO analytics and to research new technology to apply in 2008," counsels Nicky Senyard. "Treat optimization as an ongoing process, instead of applying it only during an affiliate site's creation or major rebuild."
Finally, take the time in 2008 to review your affiliate network relationships, concludes Nicky:
"Affiliates and merchants need to expect more from their affiliate networks than competitive commissions in 2008. Test networks on their adaptability to your business model, open customer support, industry reputation and software analytics capacity to find the service that will maximize your affiliate marketing revenue."
Small Business Owners Learn Marketing
Small business owners learn marketing strategy
By Joe Olenick/olenickj@gnnewspaper.com
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
— Small businesses can have a big budget impact on customers with some effective marketing.
That’s what about 30 small business owners were told during a Greater Niagara Newspapers seminar Thursday at the Lockport Holiday Inn on Transit Road. Lisa Dixon, a marketing specialist with AdWorks, gave a presentation called, “Small Budget Marketing for Big Budget Impact.” The theme of the seminar was that small businesses have to market effectively to attract customers. Dixon said how customers regard a business is very important.
“Perception is reality, and perception is everything,” she said. “Build your strategy around it. If it’s negative find out why; if it’s positive, build on it.”
Some of the small business owners who attended found the experience worthwhile and very helpful for their own businesses.
“It was very educational,” said Leona Esposito of Lockport. “It was very nice and free, plus it told you a lot of things you didn’t know.”
Esposito is starting an Internet company that will sell jewelry. She said a lack of knowledge about starting a business “leaves you high and dry,” but the seminar offered useful information about drawing customers in.
The importance of the customer was highlighted throughout the seminar. Knowing who the customer is, what they want, what they need and exceeding their expectations was Dixon’s definition of customer service. When the staff has a friendly attitude, it helps keep customers coming back, no matter where the business is, she said.
“Research shows a customer’s perception of a business’ workers influence their opinion of the business,” Dixon said. “They will travel longer if they have to.”
Customer feedback is vital, even if it means offering incentives for them to participate. Letters or phone calls checking up on past customers can be effective. Dixon also mentioned the importance of current customers and what they can do to help a business’ marketing plan. Current customers can refer others to the business, either by word of mouth or through a customer referral program.
Some businesses offer incentives for customers who bring in a new customer. Bringing customers through the door is important, but keeping them as customers is just as important. Dixon offered tips about doing just that.
“Be reliable, be credible, be attractive, be responsive and be attentive,” she said.
Dixon advised competing not on price, but rather on value. People want to spend money at businesses they trust, she said.
“If you’re delivering on value, price doesn’t matter that much,” she said.
Dixon also touched on advertising strategy. Whether it’s print advertisements, billboards, television, radio or business cards, successful small business owners use creativity and repetition in their advertising. One successful example of creativity she cited was from a previous seminar participant in the health care field. He used a fake million dollar bill that read: “Your health is worth a million,” and had business’ contact information on the back.
Dixon said owners have to think like customers — the “what’s in it for me” approach. Paying attention to trends such as the age of the area’s population and what’s popular is also useful for an owner.
By Joe Olenick/olenickj@gnnewspaper.com
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
— Small businesses can have a big budget impact on customers with some effective marketing.
That’s what about 30 small business owners were told during a Greater Niagara Newspapers seminar Thursday at the Lockport Holiday Inn on Transit Road. Lisa Dixon, a marketing specialist with AdWorks, gave a presentation called, “Small Budget Marketing for Big Budget Impact.” The theme of the seminar was that small businesses have to market effectively to attract customers. Dixon said how customers regard a business is very important.
“Perception is reality, and perception is everything,” she said. “Build your strategy around it. If it’s negative find out why; if it’s positive, build on it.”
Some of the small business owners who attended found the experience worthwhile and very helpful for their own businesses.
“It was very educational,” said Leona Esposito of Lockport. “It was very nice and free, plus it told you a lot of things you didn’t know.”
Esposito is starting an Internet company that will sell jewelry. She said a lack of knowledge about starting a business “leaves you high and dry,” but the seminar offered useful information about drawing customers in.
The importance of the customer was highlighted throughout the seminar. Knowing who the customer is, what they want, what they need and exceeding their expectations was Dixon’s definition of customer service. When the staff has a friendly attitude, it helps keep customers coming back, no matter where the business is, she said.
“Research shows a customer’s perception of a business’ workers influence their opinion of the business,” Dixon said. “They will travel longer if they have to.”
Customer feedback is vital, even if it means offering incentives for them to participate. Letters or phone calls checking up on past customers can be effective. Dixon also mentioned the importance of current customers and what they can do to help a business’ marketing plan. Current customers can refer others to the business, either by word of mouth or through a customer referral program.
Some businesses offer incentives for customers who bring in a new customer. Bringing customers through the door is important, but keeping them as customers is just as important. Dixon offered tips about doing just that.
“Be reliable, be credible, be attractive, be responsive and be attentive,” she said.
Dixon advised competing not on price, but rather on value. People want to spend money at businesses they trust, she said.
“If you’re delivering on value, price doesn’t matter that much,” she said.
Dixon also touched on advertising strategy. Whether it’s print advertisements, billboards, television, radio or business cards, successful small business owners use creativity and repetition in their advertising. One successful example of creativity she cited was from a previous seminar participant in the health care field. He used a fake million dollar bill that read: “Your health is worth a million,” and had business’ contact information on the back.
Dixon said owners have to think like customers — the “what’s in it for me” approach. Paying attention to trends such as the age of the area’s population and what’s popular is also useful for an owner.
Women More Likely to Turn to Internet Than Friends or Family For Health Information
Study Finds 60 Percent of Women Rely on the Internet Versus 51 Percent Who
Consult Friends, Family or Significant Other
RESTON, Va., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq:
SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released results from
a recent study showing that -- second only to consulting physicians --
women turn most often to the Internet for health information. Eighty-five
percent of women using the Internet have researched women's health issues
online while two out of three (63 percent) have used the Internet
specifically to learn about birth control options.
The study was designed to help explain how women choose their birth
control method, how they view alternative methods and ultimately whether
their online activity influences their offline decisions. comScore surveyed
921 women between the ages of 18 and 44, who had been heterosexually-active
in the past six months and had used a form of prescription or
over-the-counter birth control.
Where Women Turn For Health Information
Women Age 18-44, n=921
Source: comScore, Inc.
Percent of
Health Information Resource Respondents
Medical Professionals (i.e. doctors,
pharmacists and healthcare workers) 82%
Internet and Web sites 60%
Friends, Family and Significant Others 51%
"Traditionally, women have relied on friends, family or a significant
other for health-related information, including sexual health and
contraception," said Carolina Petrini, comScore senior vice president. "But
today, with the influx of newer-generation birth control methods and
non-traditional pill regimens, more and more women are turning to the
Internet to sort through the clutter and organize their findings. As is
true in many other areas of healthcare, the consumer has become much more
proactive. She wants to be informed of all of her choices, and she is
relying on the Internet for answers."
User-Generated Content Represents Opportunity
As the number of women using the Internet for health information
increases, the importance of user-generated content ("UGC") also becomes
vital -- providing women with the opportunity to engage in health
conversations online. The comScore study evaluated the use and appeal of
UGC -- such as blogs, forums, or chatrooms -- among women seeking birth
control information online. Study findings showed that a third of
respondents have consulted birth control-related UGC, with more than 40
percent being open to the idea. These insights confirm the already popular
industry trend toward more online health discussion.
Respondent Attitudes Toward Birth Control-Related User-Generated
Content (UGC)
Women Age 18-44, n=921
Source: comScore, Inc.
Percent of
Respondent Attitude Respondents
Have not yet consulted a birth control-related UGC
to research birth control options but open to the idea 42%
Have previously consulted a birth control-related UGC 35%
Would not consider using a UGC to research birth
control options 23%
Drivers and Deterrents in Choosing Birth Control
With regard to factors influencing women's birth control choice, survey
respondents said effectiveness was the most valued attribute. However, only
nine percent said they have objected to various forms of birth control
because they believe them to be ineffective. In fact, the two main reasons
respondents would not consider a specific form of birth control are
perceived side effects (45 percent) and inconvenience (42 percent).
The study findings also showed that perceptions about side effects and
inconvenience varied across the many forms of birth control. For example,
some survey respondents said they would not consider switching to the birth
control pill, hormonal injections, patches and implants because of
perceived side effects. Alternatively, some respondents said they would not
consider vaginal rings and diaphragms because they perceive them to be
inconvenient or difficult to use.
Reasons for Not Considering Various Forms of Birth Control
Women Age 18-44 Who Reported They Would Not Consider Switching to
the Specified Birth Control Method
Source: comScore, Inc.
Inconvenient/ Percentage
Form of Birth Control Not Easy To Use Side Effects Ineffective
Birth Control Pills (n=140) 28% 70% 9%
Hormonal Injections (n=430) 28% 61% 3%
Hormonal Patches (n=407) 22% 61% 13%
Hormonal Implants (n=509) 25% 58% 3%
Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) (n=450) 40% 49% 6%
Vaginal Rings (n=420) 64% 22% 4%
Diaphragms (n=492) 76% 12% 15%
"The findings suggest that because women generally believe birth
control to be effective across forms, their decision making process is
largely based on their perceptions about side effects or inconvenience --
which can differ from form to form," said Ms. Petrini. "It is important for
healthcare professionals and manufacturers of birth control products to
understand these differing perceptions and behaviors so they can more
effectively communicate with consumers and dispel misconceptions about a
specific form of birth control."
To request a copy of The Contraception Marketplace, a comScore white
paper, or for more information on comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please
visit http://www.comscore.com/contact.
About comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions
comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions delivers in-depth information needed
to understand the impact that brand, condition-specific, and health portal
Web sites have on consumers' brand awareness, conversion, and patient
compliance. comScore's products deliver actionable insight to help refine
consumer profiles, identify key alliances, optimize interactive marketing
initiatives, benchmark against the competition and accurately measure the
ROI of Web site and online marketing programs.
To learn more about comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please visit
http://www.comscore.com/solutions/pharma.asp or contact:
Carolina Petrini
Senior Vice President
comScore, Inc.
703-438-2019
pharmaceuticalsolutions@comscore.com.
About comScore
comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the
digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section
of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to
confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including
online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in
survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and
intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what
matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore
analysts apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help
clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver
superior ROI. comScore services are used by more than 800 clients,
including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat,
Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association
of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestle, Starcom, Universal
McCann, the United States Postal Service, Verizon, ViaMichelin, Merck and
Expedia. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com.
Study Finds 60 Percent of Women Rely on the Internet Versus 51 Percent Who
Consult Friends, Family or Significant Other
RESTON, Va., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq:
SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released results from
a recent study showing that -- second only to consulting physicians --
women turn most often to the Internet for health information. Eighty-five
percent of women using the Internet have researched women's health issues
online while two out of three (63 percent) have used the Internet
specifically to learn about birth control options.
The study was designed to help explain how women choose their birth
control method, how they view alternative methods and ultimately whether
their online activity influences their offline decisions. comScore surveyed
921 women between the ages of 18 and 44, who had been heterosexually-active
in the past six months and had used a form of prescription or
over-the-counter birth control.
Where Women Turn For Health Information
Women Age 18-44, n=921
Source: comScore, Inc.
Percent of
Health Information Resource Respondents
Medical Professionals (i.e. doctors,
pharmacists and healthcare workers) 82%
Internet and Web sites 60%
Friends, Family and Significant Others 51%
"Traditionally, women have relied on friends, family or a significant
other for health-related information, including sexual health and
contraception," said Carolina Petrini, comScore senior vice president. "But
today, with the influx of newer-generation birth control methods and
non-traditional pill regimens, more and more women are turning to the
Internet to sort through the clutter and organize their findings. As is
true in many other areas of healthcare, the consumer has become much more
proactive. She wants to be informed of all of her choices, and she is
relying on the Internet for answers."
User-Generated Content Represents Opportunity
As the number of women using the Internet for health information
increases, the importance of user-generated content ("UGC") also becomes
vital -- providing women with the opportunity to engage in health
conversations online. The comScore study evaluated the use and appeal of
UGC -- such as blogs, forums, or chatrooms -- among women seeking birth
control information online. Study findings showed that a third of
respondents have consulted birth control-related UGC, with more than 40
percent being open to the idea. These insights confirm the already popular
industry trend toward more online health discussion.
Respondent Attitudes Toward Birth Control-Related User-Generated
Content (UGC)
Women Age 18-44, n=921
Source: comScore, Inc.
Percent of
Respondent Attitude Respondents
Have not yet consulted a birth control-related UGC
to research birth control options but open to the idea 42%
Have previously consulted a birth control-related UGC 35%
Would not consider using a UGC to research birth
control options 23%
Drivers and Deterrents in Choosing Birth Control
With regard to factors influencing women's birth control choice, survey
respondents said effectiveness was the most valued attribute. However, only
nine percent said they have objected to various forms of birth control
because they believe them to be ineffective. In fact, the two main reasons
respondents would not consider a specific form of birth control are
perceived side effects (45 percent) and inconvenience (42 percent).
The study findings also showed that perceptions about side effects and
inconvenience varied across the many forms of birth control. For example,
some survey respondents said they would not consider switching to the birth
control pill, hormonal injections, patches and implants because of
perceived side effects. Alternatively, some respondents said they would not
consider vaginal rings and diaphragms because they perceive them to be
inconvenient or difficult to use.
Reasons for Not Considering Various Forms of Birth Control
Women Age 18-44 Who Reported They Would Not Consider Switching to
the Specified Birth Control Method
Source: comScore, Inc.
Inconvenient/ Percentage
Form of Birth Control Not Easy To Use Side Effects Ineffective
Birth Control Pills (n=140) 28% 70% 9%
Hormonal Injections (n=430) 28% 61% 3%
Hormonal Patches (n=407) 22% 61% 13%
Hormonal Implants (n=509) 25% 58% 3%
Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) (n=450) 40% 49% 6%
Vaginal Rings (n=420) 64% 22% 4%
Diaphragms (n=492) 76% 12% 15%
"The findings suggest that because women generally believe birth
control to be effective across forms, their decision making process is
largely based on their perceptions about side effects or inconvenience --
which can differ from form to form," said Ms. Petrini. "It is important for
healthcare professionals and manufacturers of birth control products to
understand these differing perceptions and behaviors so they can more
effectively communicate with consumers and dispel misconceptions about a
specific form of birth control."
To request a copy of The Contraception Marketplace, a comScore white
paper, or for more information on comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please
visit http://www.comscore.com/contact.
About comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions
comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions delivers in-depth information needed
to understand the impact that brand, condition-specific, and health portal
Web sites have on consumers' brand awareness, conversion, and patient
compliance. comScore's products deliver actionable insight to help refine
consumer profiles, identify key alliances, optimize interactive marketing
initiatives, benchmark against the competition and accurately measure the
ROI of Web site and online marketing programs.
To learn more about comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please visit
http://www.comscore.com/solutions/pharma.asp or contact:
Carolina Petrini
Senior Vice President
comScore, Inc.
703-438-2019
pharmaceuticalsolutions@comscore.com.
About comScore
comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the
digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section
of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to
confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including
online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in
survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and
intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what
matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore
analysts apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help
clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver
superior ROI. comScore services are used by more than 800 clients,
including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat,
Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association
of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestle, Starcom, Universal
McCann, the United States Postal Service, Verizon, ViaMichelin, Merck and
Expedia. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com.
Automated Marketing Software Business
Small Business Marketers Meet Their Match with Automated Marketing Software Business
WEBWIRE – Sunday, February 03, 2008
Trisha Ahlman
February 3, 2008 – Houston, Texas Small business marketing consultants are feverishly trying to keep up with a new turn-key marketing software business that literally automates online marketing. The marketing software business helps aggressive and self-sufficient entrepreneurs market their internet businesses automatically. The turn-key system makes internet marketing comprehensible and manageable for small business owners. Even the most technologically challenged individuals are finding that creating pop-up windows, capture pages, search engine optimization, internet advertising, and using automated marketing software is a cinch.
Are small business marketing consultants meeting their match? A mentor team of Passport to Wealth says yes. Mentors 4 U and Trisha Ahlman of Augment Marketing Group are fighting for entrepreneurs. They want to help small businesses grow and learn to market their own internet businesses saving them time, money and resources. The skills they are learning are not only building wealth, but are teaching them the secrets of internet marketing. They are offering free online support, webinars, tele-seminars, and training courses to their members. Each member is learning how to marketing their own internet business using search engine optimization techniques that some of the most talented online marketers are using to obtain top positions on major search engines like Yahoo, Google and MSN.
The support team has already seen huge success for those wanting to develop strong internet marketing strategies. Mentors 4 U and Augment Marketing Group will stop at nothing to deliver quality advice to help entrepreneurs take control of their destiny. Trisha Ahlman, founder and CEO of Augment Marketing, states “most businesses only find this kind of support when they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on purchasing a franchise”. Of her 15 years in the marketing industry she has never seen a team of marketing professionals give away tons of marketing secrets even at the risk of losing market share. The answer, she says lies in the mentoring process. If business owners want to learn about the marketing software business then the team is willing to offer all the advice they have to help them achieve success.
WEBWIRE – Sunday, February 03, 2008
Trisha Ahlman
February 3, 2008 – Houston, Texas Small business marketing consultants are feverishly trying to keep up with a new turn-key marketing software business that literally automates online marketing. The marketing software business helps aggressive and self-sufficient entrepreneurs market their internet businesses automatically. The turn-key system makes internet marketing comprehensible and manageable for small business owners. Even the most technologically challenged individuals are finding that creating pop-up windows, capture pages, search engine optimization, internet advertising, and using automated marketing software is a cinch.
Are small business marketing consultants meeting their match? A mentor team of Passport to Wealth says yes. Mentors 4 U and Trisha Ahlman of Augment Marketing Group are fighting for entrepreneurs. They want to help small businesses grow and learn to market their own internet businesses saving them time, money and resources. The skills they are learning are not only building wealth, but are teaching them the secrets of internet marketing. They are offering free online support, webinars, tele-seminars, and training courses to their members. Each member is learning how to marketing their own internet business using search engine optimization techniques that some of the most talented online marketers are using to obtain top positions on major search engines like Yahoo, Google and MSN.
The support team has already seen huge success for those wanting to develop strong internet marketing strategies. Mentors 4 U and Augment Marketing Group will stop at nothing to deliver quality advice to help entrepreneurs take control of their destiny. Trisha Ahlman, founder and CEO of Augment Marketing, states “most businesses only find this kind of support when they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on purchasing a franchise”. Of her 15 years in the marketing industry she has never seen a team of marketing professionals give away tons of marketing secrets even at the risk of losing market share. The answer, she says lies in the mentoring process. If business owners want to learn about the marketing software business then the team is willing to offer all the advice they have to help them achieve success.
Learn Internet Marketing with Ahira!
Internet Marketing Consultant Provides B2B Marketing Automation Solutions
Todd Miechiels offers clients efficient way to capture and nurture leads through Internet marketing automation
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 29, 2008 -- Atlanta-based Internet marketing consultant Todd Miechiels now provides marketing automation solutions to B2B companies through Pardot, an industry-leading provider of on-demand marketing automation solutions. Miechiels' marketing automation services include strategy, implementation, and ongoing counseling and management.
"For years I've been wishing my clients had more efficient and accountable ways to handle the leads our programs generate for them," explains Todd. "Pardot provides a cost-effective solution that marketing and sales can put to use from the moment they sign on. Since offering this service, it has really changed the way my clients and I think about Internet marketing. It puts much more emphasis on how leads are handled and it makes everyone's jobs more rewarding as we're better able to track new leads, all the way through to closed sales."
For years I've been wishing my clients had more efficient and accountable ways to handle the leads our programs generate for them
One of the most common complaints and challenges among B2B companies is that marketing leads often find their way into an abyss once the marketing team hands them off to the sales team. According to Miechiels, about 78% of B2B leads are mishandled and not followed up on a timely basis. Even worse, close to 90% of those leads end up buying from a competitor within six months. By implementing an automated marketing solution, such as Pardot, sales teams can become more proactive in lead management, minimize dropped leads and maximize their close rates.
Through Pardot's Prospect Insight tool, sales and marketing teams can score, grade, route, and automatically follow up with new and old leads. The on-demand web marketing automation suite maximizes efficiency for companies with multi-touch sales cycles by showing sales teams exactly where to spend their time and automatically nurturing existing leads. Companies can track all prospect interaction, score prospects based on parameters, prioritize sales reps' time, send automated drip emails to prospects according to rules, and automatically notify sales reps of online prospect activity.
Since becoming a certified consulting partner with Pardot, Miechiels has brought the solution to several existing and new clients. He is making it a major part of a holistic approach to online lead generation in 2008.
About Todd Miechiels
Todd Miechiels serves as an Internet marketing steward to B2B companies and agencies. Todd uses proven tactics and strategies to measurably improve the volume and quality of sales opportunities generated from Internet marketing investments. His core competencies include search engine marketing, visitor conversion, online PR,, automated lead nurturing, and Web analytics. He is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and B2B Internet marketing strategist. To learn more about B2B search engine marketing, download a copy of Todd's paper, The 7 Cardinal Sins of B2B Search Engine Marketing. For more information about Todd Miechiels, visit www.miechiels.com.
About Pardot
Pardot is an industry-leading provider of on-demand marketing automation solutions. Prospect Insight, Pardot's marketing suite, has been well received by clients due to its rich feature set, ease of use, and flexibility. Pardot was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit www.pardot.com.
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