This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert December 23, 2009 Near-Term Future of E-mail Marketing As we move into economic recovery, marketers are optimistic---optimistic enough to maintain or increase their online marketing spending. Based on a recent survey of 1,057 business executives, online marketing spending will be up in the coming year. According to the StrongMail "2010 Marketing Trends" report, 89 percent of respondents answered they will either maintain or increase the amount of their marketing spending in 2010. Fifty percent of the executives said they will allocate "additional dollars" to their marketing efforts. The top two areas that will benefit from this increased spending are social media and e-mail marketing, with 69 percent responding they will increase e-mail spending; 59 percent saying they will increase social media efforts, and 69 percent reporting they will integrate both areas. Moreover, 68 percent of marketers will also work to make better use of the data that is already available to them. StrongMail's director of corporate marketing Kristin Hersant points out marketers are becoming more sophisticated and "leveraging the viral aspect of the Web". "For example, using targeted segmentation to create a referral program with their top influencers, …[those] most active with their brand", says Hersant. Better tools are becoming available to help marketers identify their most active customers by examining engagement metrics. (Engagement metrics measure the degree of customer involvement.) These companies can also scan lists to determine which people are involved in social networks, including the networks in which they participate. Not surprisingly, 46 percent of marketers reported a desire to increase efficiency by adopting segmentation and targeting. "Marketers will also increase relevancy is by using video in e-mail", added Hersant. Marketers will use video more often to promote opportunities like webinars, training, and product education. There's also a developing technology that turns video into animated GIFs that look like a playing video. A new technology ("Relevance Engines") that makes it easier to test alternative versions of artwork and copy will become more important in 2010. Our forecast, wise marketers will begin by looking at their current missed opportunities to better target current customer segments. More sophisticated marketers will embrace the new technologies to make their marketing investments go farther. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. 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