Archive for September, 2008
Tom Polanski discusses the importance web site optimization
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
We’ve recently completed an analysis of the website of a nationwide brand. The company was under the impression that it was their media plan needed optimization, when in fact, we proved that it was the web site that was failing them. They’re getting targeted, motivated traffic but the site is not converting. The return on ad spend could be greatly enhanced for many, many companies if there was an internal commitment to test and optimize the website. We’ve learned that there are at least a few reasons why companies don’t:
1. Ego investment – The site was built in-house and leadership within the company is adamant that nobody knows their business like they do.
2. Hubris – Nobody would be foolish enough go into court without expert representation yet many think that they can go into the marketplace on their own. The thinking is that all one has to do is copy what they think is working for their competitors. What we often find here are competitors cannibalizing each others bad ideas. In addition, since we’re marketed to all day long it’s relatively easy to be seduced into thinking we’re experts by osmosis.
3. Lack of in-house resources needed to change and test.
4. Ignorance – An inability to associate website analytics with the causes and conditions that are degrading the sites conversion rate. Moreover many don’t even know that their conversion rate is lower than the industry standard. Ignorance breeds risk-aversion and fear.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Tom Polanski, Website Optimization on September 24th, 2008
As a consumer and an average American I am saddened and outraged
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
We’ve been very busy here at the agency and we haven’t had much time to put towards the blog. For that I apologize. I was thinking (when not thing about marketing) that we’re lucky to be in this industry. Granted we’re in the business of making others rich while keeping only a sliver for ourselves. However that sliver is more than many Americans have. And in the aftermath of the current financial crisis, after it rolls over us like Hurricane Ike..I’m betting it won’t take too much to have more than many Americans.
I knew it was coming. Anybody could see, if they wanted to see, that this was the inevitable ending to living large. Certainly there are plenty of Wall Street people who saw it coming. They took their money and ran. Now it looks like most of us will have to do some soul searching and many will realize, to quote a character from “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” that, “A man is rich when his wants are few.”
I’ve decided to reprint an article written by Bob Sullivan that perfectly articulates my outrage, as a consumer, at recent events. Here it is:
Posted by Tom Polanski in Advertising, Boomer Marketing on September 19th, 2008
An effective e-mail creative is like a good movie trailer
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
I’ve been a movie trailer buff for a long time. Without really being aware of it, I’ve always directed my team to use the elements of a good, effective movie trailer to build an e-mail creative around a clients offer. The e-mail is the “teaser”. It should be visually engaging and impart just enough information to motivate the recipient to take the call to action.
In reading the article below I think you’ll see what I mean. A movie trailer is a metaphor for an e-mail. Which movie trailer from those used as examples below best describes the type of e-mail creative your team is building?
The article below was contributed by MSNBC.
When “Burn After Reading” opens on Sept. 12, it will benefit from the reputation of the Coen brothers, who have followers who love everything from “Raising Arizona” and “The Big Lebowski” to “Blood Simple” and “No Country For Old Men.” It will benefit from a lineup of actors including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich.
But it will also benefit from one of the best-made trailers in recent years.
The “Burn After Reading” trailer is funny and full of energy, and while the early reviews of the movie are decidedly mixed, it’s hard to argue with the two minutes they’re using to promote it. So why does it work so well?
First, it follows one of the most important and most difficult rules that many know but few can navigate: explain the premise; don’t give everything away. For an example of an unsuccessful trailer that hands over entirely too much plot, consider the trailer for the recent Luke Wilson film, “Henry Poole Is Here.”
Posted by Tom Polanski in Advertising, Marketing on September 16th, 2008
Deloitte USA to Layoff 900, 2% of US Staff, Impacted by Economy Slowdown
We are a little late on this, but WebCPA and Wall Street Journal report that Deloitte USA plans to layoff 900 staff or about 2% of its 45,000 US employees, according to their spokesperson Deborah Harrington. There seems to be no official statement that at least we can find on the Deloitte.com website. But we finally did personally see the Wall Street Journal article.
There is also an extensive write-up on this at the Re:The Auditors blog who confirm this based on the author, Francine McKenna’s phone conversation with Deborah Harrington.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Tom Polanski in Advertising on September 12th, 2008
Tom Polanski discusses most recent eBrand Interactive client success story
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
I’ve been asked over the years why eBrand Media doesn’t issue press releases regarding our success stories and our new client acquisitions. In addition, more than one has wondered why we don’t attend any the industry shows. The long and short of it is that we’ve always put all of our money into our people and into optimizing our systems so that we can actualize the most positive of results while offering industry-leading customer support. Those who are interested can go to eBrand Interactive to see a sample list of our clients which includes several leading, nation wide, brands.
However, let me make this observation regarding industry conventions including Ad-Tech, Shop.org and SES: I find it ironic that digital marketing companies still use booths, brochures and business cards to promote their companies. As a person who has attended numerous conventions I find them to be highly inefficient. I seldom remember who said what by the end. It is a great excuse for getting drunk with your marketing peers calling it business development.
That said, the purpose of this article is to discuss our most recent client success story so lets get started.
Posted by Tom Polanski in eBrand Interactive, Marketing, Success Stories, Tom Polanski on September 8th, 2008