Results Marketing- Cycle Source Group Becomes Cycle Force Group

Results Marketing is the Selling Communications Inc. newsletter that focuses on results-based, customer-focused, integrated strategies designed to improve the efficiency of business development. RM provides the latest research and trends related to audience-focused measurable sales and marketing, and provides the latest information on key RM tactics. RM transcends the traditional tactical approach to sales and marketing by starting with the customer and the objectives, and stepping back from there to weave the most appropriate tactical program. 

Dedicated to Targeted, Integrated Marketing.

Cycle Source Group Becomes Cycle Force Group

The Cycle Source Group recently announced that it has been acquired by the British company Cycle Force UK Ltd.  “We are pleased to announce our sale to our long time friends and industry associates Cycle Force UK Ltd.,” says Cycle Force Group President Nyle Nims. “A new company has been formed named Cycle Force Group LLC, with full expectations that business and customers of Cycle Source will have a seamless transition. Many of our loyal staff remain with us. Bringing the financial strength of Cycle Force UK Ltd. to our Ames, Iowa warehouse will enable us to expand our planned deep inventory levels of Kawasaki, Polaris, Ford, Smith & Wesson and Mantis bicycles, along with several new and innovative products and lines to be introduced shortly.” Cycle Force UK Ltd. is Great Britain’s leading provider of police and emergency bicycles and accessories. Cycle Force Group LLC, a leading supplier of licensed wheel goods worldwide, is located in Ames, Iowa.

e-Marketing

Internet Advertising Revenue Reaches All Time High

One area of U.S. business appears to be recession-proof: internet advertising. According to a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Interactive Advertising Bureau, internet advertising revenues in the U.S. continue to climb. Here are some of the numbers:

• In 2007, revenues totaled $21.2 billion, exceeding 2006 performance by 26%, which was also a record year.
  
  
• 2007 was the fourth consecutive year (and 13th consecutive quarter) of record results.

“Interactive advertising isn’t just the future, it’s the here and now, as it represents a meaningful and growing component of U.S. advertising and marketing spend,” says David Silverman, Partner, Assurance, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Search, display, classifieds and lead generation all continued growing at a healthy rate, according to the report. Consumer advertisers remained the largest category of Internet advertising spending, at 55% of 2007 full-year revenues, up from 52% from 2006.

Direct Marketing

E-Mail is Medium of Choice for Direct Marketers

A recent survey from Direct magazine reveals that e-mail is now the preferred medium for direct marketers. In 2007, 72% of firms polled sent e-mail to customers (a 10% increase over 2006) and 50% percent to prospects (a 9% increase). In addition, 55% of those who utilize e-mail marketing plan to increase their spending in this area. While e-mail has preferred status, “regular” mail remains strong, with 66% of respondents sending mail to customers in 2007, and 59% mailing to prospects. Other online channels have gained ground along with e-mail. The survey found that 39% of those polled conduct search engine marketing (a 10% increase) and 41% advertise on other Web sites. Additionally, 25% conduct affiliate marketing.

Customer Trends

Who Wears the Crown of Most ‘Digital Savvy’ City?

According to a report from consumer and media research firm Scarborough Research, Austin, TX is the nation’s most ‘Digital Savvy’ city. Twelve percent of Austin adults are Digital Savvy, and they’re almost twice as likely as the national average to be in this leading edge consumer segment. Las Vegas, Sacramento and San Diego are also leading digital cities, with 10% of their residents having a higher level of technological orientation and adoption. Nationally, only 6% of all consumers are classified as Digital Savvy. Here are some of the criteria, according to researchers:

• Digitally Savvy consumers are a luxury-oriented group
  
  
• They are 56% more likely than the average consumer to own or lease a luxury vehicle
  
  
• They are 175% more likely to have spent $500 or more on men’s or women’s business clothing during the past year
  
  
• They are 49% more likely to own a second home
  
  
• More than half (54%) spent more than $500 online during the past year, and 35% spent upwards of $1,000
  
  
• They are far more likely to spend online in high-end purchasing categories, such as automotive and travel, as well as everyday items like books and clothing
  
  
• They have a greater likelihood to engage in certain Internet behaviors (including blogging, downloading music and online gaming), as well as usage of leading-edge cellular device features (e-mail, text messaging, etc.).

The bottom line? Those who are Digital Savvy are early adopters when it comes to fully integrating new technologies into their lives, and their shopping patterns, demographics and lifestyles could presage behaviors of consumers across the country.

Blogging

Can Anyone Stop the Invasion of the Blogs?

Blogging and reading blogs are becoming mainstream entertainment. Well, almost. According to the Blogosphere Report by eMarketer, 34.7 million people will be creating blogs by 2012. Moreover, more than 145 million people – 67% of the U.S. Internet population – will be reading blogs at least once a month by then. eMarketer predicts that blog advertising will reach $746 million in 2012, up from $283 million in 2007. The Blogosphere Report aggregates the latest data from marketing and communications researchers with eMarketer analysis. For more information, go to www.emarketer.com.

Advertising

Worldwide Mobile Advertising Revenue to Top $2.7 Billion This Year

According to Gartner, worldwide mobile advertising is projected to surpass $2.7 billion in 2008, up from $1.7 billion in 2007.  Despite these numbers, however, the market has developed slowly and numerous obstacles remain.  Ease of use and relevancy to consumers are two important factors that must be addressed to help build momentum in the mobile advertising market. “Innovative developments, such as minimizing the number of keystrokes required to access information, using the phone’s camera to improve the overall user experience and tying content or shopping location relevancy to advertisements, will move the market forward,” says Tole Hart, Research Director at Gartner. “To encourage users to accept advertisements, advertisers must improve the way search results are managed on the handset so that the experience is painless and rewarding to end users.” Some of the impediments to growth include:

• slow adoption of multimedia
• lack of consumer acceptance
• lack of metric transparency
• immaturity of standards
• diversity of platforms
• form factor issues
• cross-media integration priorities
• the complexity of the value chain
• inventory of content
• privacy
• education
• ease of accessing content. 

Despite challenges to the market, the industry is still poised for consistent growth. By the end of 2011, worldwide mobile advertising revenue is forecast to surpass $12.8 billion. The report is available on Gartner’s Web site at www.gartner.com

Industry Events

July 17-18
Internet Strategy Forum Summit
Portland, OR
http://www.internetstrategyforum.org/

September 23-25
The Motivation Show
Chicago, IL
http://www.motivationshow.com

October 6-7
Brand ManageCamp
Las Vegas, NV
http://www.managecamp.com/bmc2008/

October 11-16
DMA ‘08 Conference & Exhibition
Las Vegas, NV
http://www.dma08.org/

November 18-19
Extending Your Brand to Employees Conference
Chicago, IL
http://www.conference-board.org/conferences/conference.cfm?id=1727&nav=hr

In the Current Issue of Motivation Strategies…

Don Peppers Discusses Connectivity, Engagement and the Power of Positivity
Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, co-authors of Rules to Break and Laws to Follow: How Your Business Can Beat the Crisis of Short-Termism, argue that a “customer centric” strategy starts with networked culture and engaged employees – employees who enjoy their work and take pride in it, and who have the right tools, the right information and the right training, support and reinforcement. Motivation Strategies recently sat down with Peppers, who will also be the keynote speaker for the Brand Engagement Conference at this year’s New York Incentive, Rewards & Recognition Show, May 7-8. He discussed why employee engagement – and encouraging a networked culture and an attitude of “positivity” – is critically important to companies that want to succeed in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive marketplace. To read the full article, click here.

Gift Card Marketers Respond to Sharper Image Bankruptcy
Will gift card marketers see their product’s popularity take a hit in light of new concerns over redeemability? A recent Associated Press story concerning The Sharper Image’s Chapter 11 filing on February 19 focused on the fact that the retailer’s gift cards are no longer being honored, branding them “worthless pieces of plastic.” Despite the problems presented by the Sharper Image bankruptcy, industry insiders believe the popularity of gift cards will remain strong. “Gift cards continue to be a vital part of the American shopping scene and are still the preferred choice of award and incentive recipients,” says Deborah Merkin, Chief Operating Officer of GiftCard Partners, Inc., adding that it’s always a good idea to do your homework before selecting a retailer: “The gift card market mirrors the retail environment – it’s incumbent upon consumers and program directors to choose merchants wisely.” To read the full article, click here.

A Look at Brands from Both Sides of the Glass
Mark Schumann, one of the Keynoters at this year’s Brand Engagement Conference in New York City, says that while external branding gets most of the money and attention, internal branding is just as important. He says that a brand is at its most powerful when it reaches beyond the product to represent an idea emerging from the soul of the business. When purpose reaches beyond the sale to advance the relationship – to engage you, first on a functional level for being reliable, and then on an emotional level that will touch your feelings. Real brand power occurs when the brand reaches you inspirationally; when you connect with the “big idea” the business and brand stand for. To read the full article, click here.

How to Gain the ‘Loyalty Advantage’
What do American Express, Harley-Davidson, Waterford, Ben & Jerry’s, KitchenAid and Whole Foods have in common? They’re all companies that sell more than products – they are part of a lifestyle that customers can identify with. Over time, these companies have created a synergistic relationship with their customers, so that the experiences customers have with the product – as well as with the retail stores carrying it, customer service, billing, catalogs and every other touch point – reinforce their belief in the brand and its ability to change, improve, or maintain their quality of life. In an excerpt from her book, The Loyalty Advantage, Brand Engagement Conference speaker Dianne Durkin reveals what one of these popular brands can teach us about loyalty. To read the full article, click here.

About Selling Communications, Inc.

Selling Communications, Inc. is a fully integrated, target marketing, media and technology agency that improves results for clients by focusing on the people who matter most. We can help your business grow and save you money by targeting key prospects, getting their permission and strategically integrating your marketing and sales communications with the specific audiences most likely to affect your business performance.

Take advantage of these SCI services to improve your business development:

• Results Marketing Agency Solutions: Identify and get permission to communicate with the people who matter most through an integrated program rooted in permission-driven databases, direct mail, e-mail, Web sites, brochures, newsletters, public relations and sophisticated telephone sales that produce results. Go beyond the traditional sales and marketing approach by providing useful information and resources to build better, more measurable relationships.
  
  
• Target media: Build your brand and bring it directly to your power buyers through our stable of established niche print and online magazines in the sales, marketing and meetings fields (including this newsletter), the Sales Marketing Network at Info-now.com and SMERF Meetings Journal.
  
  
• Integrated Communications Technology: Build permission-based databases through Solata software to effectively communicate with the people who want to hear from you and precisely track the results in real time. Solata is also available to other media companies and marketing agencies seeking to profit from integrated, permission-based marketing and communications.

For more information on Selling Communications, its products and services, contact Jim Kilmetis at 914-591-7600, ext. 229 or send an e-mail to jkilmetis@sellingcommunications.com.

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