Blog Posts By: Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek

I hope you will join me and Fatemeh Khatibloo, Senior Analyst at Forrester Research on February 28th at 1pm ET, for an informative webinar to introduce Fatemeh's newest research on Customer Intelligence (CI) Services.

We'll discuss the challenges CI professionals face as their business becomes increasingly more complicated and Fatemeh will share the four key trends - Indemnification, Engagement Selectivity, Risk & Revenue Sharing and Marketing Safe Havens - that will change the way CI professionals evaluate and select vendors.

I hope you'll join us for this exciting event.  Expect a lively discussion and some great insights you won't want to miss.  Click here to register for the Top Trends in Customer Intelligence Webinar.

Also, all attendees will receive Quaero's Client Readiness checklist, a great tool to help you assess readiness - everything from change management to a comprehensive data audit and inventory - as you embark upon your own marketing database initiative.

At recent events like AdTech and in conversations with clients, I've heard a staggering number of statistics that would make even the most sane marketer's head spin: 

• There are 800 million people on Facebook.
• Human beings generate 200 EXABYTES (read: 18 zeros!) of information each year.(1)
• 42 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube...  Every minute.
• 178.5 million people will browse online before they ever make a purchase.(2)

Are you scared yet?  I certainly am.  These numbers tell us a great deal about how consumers - people - get, consume, and utilize information.

During the next few months, you'll hear (and see) me talk about ValueWatcher, a highly intuitive (and interactive) visualization application that puts customer data in the hands of business users to gain a better understanding of customers and glean insights in a self-sufficient manner.

Why? Because our clients have adopted and embraced this tool in ways we never imagined possible.  While not a substitute for a campaign management or business intelligence application, ValueWatcher has become the perfect complement.  It allows those individuals who are not power users - and have no desire to be - the ability to query their customer data quickly and easily.

We’ve all been there…diligently planning and executing Marketing campaigns to drive new opportunities and, ultimately, increase revenue. But are you throwing precious budget dollars out the window and missing opportunities to drive customer value with effective, targeted programs that hit the right people at the right time via the appropriate channel? 

Join me along with Jeff Ernst of Forrester Research, Inc. for a webinar on June 23, 2011 at 1:00 PM EST. We will discuss the Four Key Steps to Smarter B2B Marketing: 

Quaero recently sponsored Forrester's Marketing Forum 2011. (And if any of you were able to attend our reception or visit our booth, you'll agree that the event was a particularly sweet success; Quaero treated attendees to more than 2,000 pieces of gourmet chocolate!)

As always, the Forum provided marketers with a great deal of food for thought. This year’s theme was Innovating for the Next Digital Decade. Forrester warned that rapid innovation is creating radical shifts in the methods and media that people use to engage with your company, brand, and products, and promised to demonstrate how emerging tools can combine the targeting, customization, and measurement of online platforms with the rich, emotional brand experiences often associated with traditional ‘offline’ media.

In Part I of Building Your Data Foundation, I alluded to the four critical steps marketers need to take in order build a data foundation.  As I said then, you need to define your data strategy and then use these four steps to develop the best, most comprehensive view of your customers.  From there, you can analyze, segment, and model your customers and then apply those insights to your programs and campaigns.  Trust me, your marketing efforts (and the results they produce) will thank you.

In Part I of this two-part (plus this update) series, I talked about the importance of building a solid data foundation, informed by an overarching data strategy.  A key component of that strategy is to establish the data management architecture that will most effectively support your objectives.  There are two closely related disciplines that best serve this purpose:

1. Customer Data Integration (CDI)
2. Master Data Management (MDM)    

While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for the purposes of this blog, we will define CDI as the collection of technologies and processes that consolidate information from multiple sources to create a centralized view of the customer.  This includes ETL, cleansing, standardization, matching, identity management and creation of "master records."

In B2B marketing today, there are so many interaction points between companies and their customers leading to countless opportunities to establish a meaningful dialogue.  The challenge is that many marketers focus mainly on the programs - which campaigns to run and when - that they forget the most important part of the equation - their data.

Yes, it's true; data gets a bad rap.  It's not nearly as fun to talk about cleansing and standardization, yet as a marketer, I would argue those functions are critical.  I gave a Webinar recently that talked about the importance of building a solid data foundation and here's what I shared.

Some of you might have seen my rant against the Today Show’s Steals & Deals for promoting amazing deals that were virtually impossible to get.  Guess what?  I wasn’t alone in my frustration.  This particular episode that aired on November 2nd, 2010 raised the ire of many consumers who tried to purchase the XOXO jacket or the Tahitian pearl set and wound up angry…and empty-handed.  Just check out the comments section of my post and you’ll get a sense for just how dissatisfied consumers were with the experience.

I don’t think the Today Show knew how much strain on the system its deals would cause.  Nor do I think they adequately prepared the individual retailers.  But I don’t think they should stop the concept altogether; it’s a great idea and people love bargains.  The Today Show, (and the supporting retailers), however, need to focus on the customer experience for the sake of their brand.

What can't you do with your mobile device these days?  In my experience, not much. 

I've been laid up with a hip injury recently (another blog post entirely); as a result, I've done almost all of my holiday shopping online...and not just via my computer.  This year, I've spent more time and money via my mobile devices, namely my iPhone and iPad.

No longer tethered by the boundaries of an office, a home or even a network hot spot, I've turned to my mobile devices as a primary source of...well, everything.  I'd argue that I'm a walking billboard for the untethered:  I buy coffee (thanks Starbucks mobile card); watch movies and TV shows (Fringe!); read books and check flight information.  I talk on the phone (although seriously AT&T?  What's up with the dropped calls?), play games and read proposals.  All from - you guessed it - my mobile device.

This morning, the Today Show aired a shopping segment called "Steals and Deals" that allowed viewers to take advantage of amazing deals on some hot products (e.g., Talbots cashmere sweater for $24; normal retail price = $115).  As the most popular network morning show on the airwaves, the Today Show has a tremendous following with more than five million viewers tuning in weekly[1].  It's no surprise that thousands of people hit the MSNBC site and the retailers' links to purchase these heavily discounted items.

It’s also the most “marketing-centric” place on earth.  And I mean that in a good way.  I have nothing but the utmost reverence for the Mouse and his house.  My family and I just spent a week’s vacation at Walt Disney World (WDW) and had a wonderful time.  But as a marketer, I am always keen to keep an eye out for the subtle (and not so subtle) means to get people to part with their dollars.  And speaking from experience, it was easy at WDW.  So here is my list of eight reasons why *Disney, and specifically Parks & Resorts, is one of the best (if not THE best) marketers out there:

1. The packages.  The Walt Disney World experience begins when you go online to book your vacation.  WDW has packaging down:  Want dining?  Include one of several dining options to your package.  Want to visit more than one park in a day?  Choose the Park Hopper option.  Need transportation from the airport? Guess what?  There's the Magical Express, a bus that includes televisions that show you all of the wonderful places you can go (and shop) while at the resort.

There has been a lot of buzz about customer engagement agencies (CEAs) and the role they'll play helping companies address marketing challenges.  But what is a customer engagement agency and what capabilities does a firm need to have to call itself one?  We've put together this short flash video to share our thoughts on the topic.

A colleague of mine has two chidren - ages 8 and 5 – with no plans to increase the size of her brood.  So you can imagine her surprise when she received a box from a leading baby food manufacturer that contained five samples and a letter, which welcomed her to their loyalty program and indicated that she would be receiving additional samples and offers in the coming months. And, then they came – direct mail pieces with diaper samples, coupons and other goodies - at least eight in total.

Talk about an expensive “mistake” for the manufacturer. Who knows how my colleague ended up on this particular marketing list, which was obviously geared towards a particular demographic (i.e., women with babies), but I'm pretty sure she wasn’t the only one who ended up on the list erroneously.

Which leads me to the topic of this blog post – how do companies avoid these marketing blunders, which can be costly in terms of both reputation and hard dollars?  The answer will be revealed in the video clip below.

Forrester’s Marketing Forum, as I wrote in the recent post, Forrester’s Marketing Forum – Are You Planning to Attend, was intended to deliver value to attendees through a variety of means – content, networking, council meetings and analyst 1-on-1s.

So did it deliver? Yes, it did. Quaero folks onsite spoke with peers, clients and analysts, all of whom agreed that the content will help to shape the decisions they make back at their companies.

Why was it so powerful? A lot of it had to do with the content and theme. Adaptive Marketing: How to Design a Flexible Marketing Organization to Thrive on Change felt particularly relevant as we start to see a light at the end of the recessionary tunnel.

Here are some of the things we learned:

In a previous blog post, I shared thoughts on a book chapter Naras and I are in the process of writing.  I thought I'd follow up by focusing on one of the key external drivers forcing CMOs to take a hard look at their ecosystems.

Changes in Consumer Behavior

In the not-too-distant past, if you wanted to "buy" something, you went to a store (or several), evaluated your options and ultimately made a purchase.  Now, brick and mortar stores have become little more than distribution centers for people who have done their "shopping" online and want the convenience of picking up in-store.  Since 2000, online retail shopping has grown by 210% and accounted for a $130 billion market in 2008, according to comScore (SCOR).  And while in-store sales are declining, online sales are, in fact, growing.

Later this week, I'll be heading to Los Angeles to attend Forrester's Marketing Forum, Adaptive Marketing: How to Design a Flexible Organization to Thrive on Change.  As a silver sponsor of the event, Quaero will have a presence in the network showcase and is hosting a themed break (with prizes! and food!) on the 22^nd.

Will the event be enjoyable?  Of course. It always is; Forrester's event team works hard to make sure attendees have a good time.  But, will it be useful? Absolutely.  I would argue that this year's event could be the most important and best yet. Here is why:

Blogging is a staple in the B2B marketer's toolbox and has helped many a small business elevate its presence and client base.  Here at Quaero, we have an active blogging community. We use blogs to provide thought leadership while engaging with both prospective and current clients.

But blogging and its younger cousin, microblogging (i.e., Twitter), have their drawbacks. Many companies continue to question their value.  Let's look at why and how corporate blogs are scrutinized:

If you've been to the site before, you've probably noticed that we've made a few changes recently.  Some are fairly obvious; others, which are far more subtle, are designed to improve your experience, making it easier to find what you're looking for.  The new Quaero Web site now:

Naras and I are in the process of writing a book chapter for a project called Masters in Marketing.  Focused on strategic brand management, the book largely provides guidance for marketers looking to understand how to strengthen their brand in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.  We've been tasked with writing about the "focus of the CMO"...and as you'll come to see, we go slightly against the grain; while brand matters, the customer and his/her ecosystem matter more.

Below is the start of our work.  I'll publish more pieces as it evolves, but I certainly welcome your input as we build out this chapter.

Although 2009 is drawing to a close and most people are thinking about winding down for the holidays, I'm already well-ensconced in 2010 marketing plans, programs and campaign execution.  During the past few weeks, I've spent a lot of time addressing the "marketing operations" side of the business; and while I've never considered myself an ops expert, my role has always included a significant amount of work in this area. 

Interestingly, marketing operations is one of those amorphous areas, quite different in every organization.  Here at CSG's Quaero, the goal of marketing operations is to improve the efficiency of the marketing function through people (resources), process and infrastructure/tools.  Most recently we've:

I was at the gym this morning - a local establishment I recently joined - and was surprised by how cold it was inside.  I looked at the thermostat to find that it was only 56-degrees.  The individual at the front desk didn't have a key to the thermostat so I proceeded to workout, albeit uncomfortably.  As I was leaving, I saw one of the managers and informed her of my concerns about the environment.  Her response: you need to work a little harder then.  What?  I left, shocked and disappointed by her comment and thinking about my options (read: find a new gym).

In my line of work, we often discuss customer experience management (CEM) from a channel perspective.  How well does an organization present information on the Web?  What kind of customer information is the call center using to handle inbound requests?  How quickly does an email get answered? 

And yet, we know that solving channel complexities is only part of the equation.  Having a solid web strategy doesn't make you more customer-centric.  Treating your customers well all of the time does.  Forrester analyst Bruce Temkin calls it "obsessing about customer needs" and I agree.  No amount of technology can compensate for not putting the customer at the center of everything you do.  

Miss last week's Webinar on Making the Right Marketing Investments?  Never fear, the Webinar replay is live!

During the event, Marketing Operations expert Niall Budds introduced the marketing roadmap as an essential tool for helping companies make the business case and build a plan for sustainable marketing improvement.  

This was not a theoretical discussion, but instead a practical guide to help marketers:

• Understand the importance of a marketing roadmap
• Identify the critical components and more importantly, how to get started
• Talk about how to use the roadmap as an internal tool for building the business case
• Learn from other companies that have parlayed roadmaps into marketing ROI

Click here to view the replay.  If you like what you see, send me an email and I'll send you a white paper on the topic (avail on October 28th). 

Did you hear about the JetBlue $599 All-You-Can-Jet promotion?  Of course you did; how could you not?  The announcement and subsequent promotion details were Tweeted, Facebooked and pushed over the wire to all general media outlets.  And, just this morning, JetBlue sent me an email reminder just in case the All-You-Can-Jet promo wasn't already top-of-mind.

But it was social media that really elevated the awareness of the promotion.  With 31 million search results and ~10 million blog posts in just seven hours, the viral campaign hit the top of the Twitter trending charts and was all the buzz when it launched on Aug 12.  Not that the approach should have surprised anyone; JetBlue is not a social media neophyte.  They've been active since 2006 when they began their "Flight Log" blog by founder, David Neeleman and have since expanded their reach to include all major social sites, among them YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Here at Quaero, we've been slowly increasing our use of Web 2.0 tactics (e.g., blogs, social networking, social media) in an effort to improve our level of engagement with both current and prospective clients.  I hoped that you could benefit from reading about a few key lessons we've learned along the way: