Category Tom Polanski
Attribution, Recursive, and Predictive Modeling – The Marketing Sciences of the New Frontier
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
Every marketer in 2010 wants to understand where the end-users first “touch’ with a company’s advertising originated and to track or even predict how many “touches” it took, and where, to generate a conversion. Then budget can be allocated in a statistically sensible manner.
There are a number of reasons why I call these soft sciences, which I interpret to mean part science, part art, and part magic. First and foremost the cookie level technologies haven’t been developed, let alone making sure that they are collecting data in the same way. As an aside; web analytics software, typically Omniture or Coremetrics, each has a different approach to tracking. Marketers who have adopted this type of marketing modeling are often disappointed to find that they still have to explain allocating budgets based on “confidence” and probable “significance” levels.
Companies are expecting a little more accuracy than that.
And, of course, there’ll be conflicts within the organization between display (what to do with post impression attribution?), email, and search.
To me there a several reasons why mathematical modeling for interactive marketing is currently in vogue, and the way of the future:
Posted by Tom Polanski in Tom Polanski, Trend Tracker, eBrand Interactive, eBrand Media on March 14th, 2010
Sustaining Customer Relationships in a Diminished Economy
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
When it comes to keeping your best customers, what methods do you use? The fact is, in a sluggish economy, cutting back on purchases and spending is what most consumers do first. Companies, on the other hand, figure they can afford to trim back their sales force, customer service staff, and their marketing budget. Those companies assume, without the support of sound statistical evidence, that they can manage search engine marketing, display advertising, and email retention programs in-house. They think they can handle it all themselves. Numerous case studies indicate otherwise while demonstrating that it is more cost effective and profitable to out-source to companies that specialize in a particular service.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Customer Centric, Tom Polanski, eBrand Interactive, eBrand Media on February 25th, 2010
Effective January 1st, 2010, Yahoo! will no longer support the Paid Inclusion (SSP) program!
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
As you’re probably aware, Yahoo! announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft, which is wending its way through the federal regulatory process, and which would position Bing to be the search and monetization engine for both companies. Yahoo! would focus on its strengths as a producer of Web media sites, from finance to sports, as a marketer and a leader in on-line display advertising that accompanies published Web sites.
It appears that Microsoft is pressuring Yahoo! to drop its successful and highly profitable Paid Inclusion program. The Paid Inclusion program has been a compelling and dependable source of revenue for advertisers. It consistently delivers a return on ad spend that surpasses Google, Yahoo Search, and Bing.
I can only guess that Microsoft is adopting Google’s view of ethical internet behavior and is dropping the program because it believes that it is duplicitous to allow companies to buy PPC advertising in an area of the web page that has been traditionally reserved for “free” or “organic” listings. It may fear that an association with a program that has been as controversial as the SSP program may degrade the value of the brand.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Tom Polanski, Trend Tracker on October 16th, 2009
Tom Polanski and eBrand Media thank Zappos for their gesture of genuine partnership!
By Tom Polanski, EVP, eBrand Media and eBrand Interactive
A person can make a series of reasonably sound assumptions by the way a company treats it vendors. Savvy Senior Managers understand that the value they place on their vendors, customers and employees is directly proportionate to the value they place on their brand. Good relationships will always add to the brands equity.
Unfortunately, over the past 5-6 years, many managers, and merchants, have seemingly forgotten the importance of, and the investment needed, to build a brand. Most of the people I’ve met over the years have been driven by a direct return on investment now mentality. Too few were forward thinkers. These people wanted X number of dollars back for every dollar invested and many times, considering the gross margins they made, one could only arrive at the conclusion that they thought of their businesses the same way they’re customers thought of their homes; as ATM’s. I often wondered where the revenue was going. As far as I could tell it wasn’t going into creating a platinum level, end-user experience.
I think the companies that will thrive during this economic transition have been companies that have always had a coherent, cogent vision for the company’s present and future. In addition, management takes care of their employees; they create a positive environment and treat their people like a valuable resource. As a result, the return they see on the the investment they’ve made in their human resources typically exceeds the usual. These employees aren’t just showing up for work to trudge through another day.
Posted by Tom Polanski in Opinions, Tom Polanski, Zappos, eBrand Media on December 31st, 2008