Let’s skip how and why the decision was made to sell direct-to-consumer and assume that it was based on sound market research and a clear company vision. The marching orders are in place, and you need to drive sales through a direct response model without upsetting the delicate ecosystem of the traditional dealer network, or taking a lion’s share of resources from the brand strategy.

First, let me point out that there is no formula that applies to all situations. I’ve had clients implement an aggressive direct marketing strategy that heavily skews lead generation in their favor without reduced dealer support. Conversely, others have only dipped a toe in the water, only to create a viral mutiny that leaves the company with a sales disaster. I have found the following key principles to be the best guidelines for keeping the balance with your retailers, while enjoying a double margin and continuing to build your brand online.

Dealer sensitivities

Open a relationship with the sales department. If your traditional distribution is like most, 80 percent of your product is sold through 20 percent of your reseller base. Interview your best dealers. Be open about your intentions, but be ready to offer sound feedback regarding your company’s decision to sell direct. Listen to their concerns and offer to keep a level playing field. This not only reduces the impact of their reactions, it offers insight to your marketing plan.

• Impulse buy — If your products, or certain product categories, tend to be “impulse online buys,” you have an opportunity to capitalize on a more aggressive direct marketing strategy. Dealers are protective of the big sale and know that customers are spending more time price-shopping on high-ticket items.
• Sell on service — Consumers trust brands. With a proper ecommerce platform and operational support in place, you can rely on this concept to attract direct sales and repeat purchases. Consumers have confidence in a brand’s website through security, privacy, available inventory, and service after the sale. After all, your brand is on the line.
• Avoid discounts — Dealers compete on pricing, selection, and service. Carefully select your price point, and stick to it. By removing the most sensitive component, we level the playing field and build dealer trust.
• Let the customer decide — A simple change in the prominence of the “buy now” button, in relation to “find a dealer,” can make all the difference in the world to that retail buyer. Keep it fair and balanced.
• Offer dealer conversion tools — Among others, product-to-product links are a great tactic that can increase conversion for your top dealers who get leads through the website. This is a great way to reward the dealer for commitment to the brand.

Article source: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/31033.asp

ANDOVER, MA, Feb 22, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
Human 1.0, an international business innovation firm helping
clients understand, adopt and execute social business strategies,
together with DataXu, provider of the industry’s only
fully-integrated digital marketing management platform and number one
ranked DSP current offering, are pleased to announce the launch of
Digital Marketing 2.0, an editorially-independent thought leadership
community for digital marketers.

Living in an era of ubiquitous digital devices is changing consumer
behavior and, in turn, driving a paradigm shift in marketing. CMOs
unanimously cite that they are underprepared to handle the data
deluge generated by consumer interaction with digital media, and are
uncertain what tools, technologies, partners and resources they will
need to develop new strategies for interpreting the data and making
real-time business decisions based on the insights it provides. In
response, DataXu decided to launch and support an industry-wide
conversation, backed by a research study, on how companies can tap
into the power of the customer intelligence derived from a fully
digital world.

Digital Marketing 2.0 is edited by Stacey Williams, who for 20 years
has helped companies develop and implement their marketing,
positioning, and internal and external communications strategies.
Along with Williams, there are four main contributors including Dan
Greller, an IT executive and former CIO at Legg-Mason, Ian Gertler,
Chief Marketing Officer for online advertising Pioneer Cursor
Marketing under Lexos Media, David Rogers, the Executive Director of
BRITE at Columbia Business School and the faculty director of the
school’s Executive Education program on Digital Marketing Strategy
and David Allen Isben, a 25-year market-driven business strategies
veteran in both the consumer and technology spaces.

“Our community discussions will focus on the promise of Big Data and
the ability to create actionable insights that come with digital
marketing. The community aims to deepen and drive the conversation
and uncover ways in which the entire ecosystem can benefit through
shared information and expertise,” said Williams.

The site is sponsored by DataXu and produced by Human 1.0.

About DataXu
DataXu has developed the industry’s only
fully-integrated enterprise digital marketing management (DMM)
platform — DX3. Comprised of the #1 ranked demand-side platform as
well as sophisticated data management and attribution management
capabilities, DX3 defines a new class of enterprise solutions that
manage, optimize, and automate digital marketing initiatives to turn
Big Data into profitable actions. DataXu’s executive team unites
leading executives in digital media with MIT technologists. The
private company is backed by Atlas Venture, Flybridge Capital
Partners and Menlo Ventures. For more information, visit

www.dataxu.com or follow us on Twitter at @dataxu.

About Human 1.0
Human 1.0 (formerly known as Beeline Labs) is a
customer strategy firm that helps companies innovate business
programs, practices and organizational culture to realize the
benefits of social media and Web 2.0. Through extensive research and
first-hand client engagement projects, we have found that companies
that are successful in leveraging social media and communities do so
by turning their business processes into social processes — at Human
1.0, that’s what we do, we help clients turn their customer-facing
processes into social processes.

        Contact:
        Kelly Morrissey
        Communications Director, Human 1.0
        Email Contact
        617.871.0784

        Vinda Rao
        Marketing Communications Manager, DataXu
        Email Contact
        857.244.6238

SOURCE: DataXu

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=C26633D7FF045152

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=0CA4F7DAA987C132

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

Article source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/digital-marketing-20com-where-big-ideas-meet-big-data-2012-02-22

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Online lead generation has become a major marketing strategy for doctors who want to grow their dental practice. Many see an increase of 5 or 10 new patients every month – even up to 15 or 20.

(PRWEB) February 22, 2012

Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. (IDA) now features Google Places as a key component in each dental marketing plan. Since new patients often use local keywords when searching online for treatment, and Google automatically provides basic listings for all local businesses, it makes sense to maximize this resource for each dental office. IDA now assists with optimizing the Google Places information in order to generate new patient leads and increase local search traffic to dentist websites.

The primary benefit of the basic Google Places page is that search results automatically display the dental office location on Google Maps. This is particularly helpful for new dental patients using mobile devices for their local dentist search. Since the Google Places page is geotargeted, it helps new patients locate a nearby dentist to inquire about specific services. The Google Map provides directions for those who visit the dental practice for the first time.

Each Google Places page can be optimized with phone number, hours of service, videos, patient reviews, special offers, and links to the main dental website. From there, visitors who want more information can be directed to New Patient Portals based on the specific type of dental treatment they need (general dentistry, braces, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, sedation dentistry, dentures, etc.). This allows doctors to capture more online leads for specific types of dentistry.

“Online lead generation has become a major marketing strategy for doctors who want to grow their dental practice. Many see an increase of 5 or 10 new patients every month – even up to 15 or 20,” says Jim Du Molin, founder of Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. and dental marketing guru. “Thanks to our unique LeadFire technology, the marketing plans we offer go far beyond providing conventional dental websites. For example, the Web Portals are instantly customizable, and they provide market segmentation tools that allow dentists to strategically grow their practice!”

In addition to helping dentists optimize their Google Places listings, IDA’s dentist local search marketing campaigns utilize its unique LeadFire technology, and include websites and portals that are geotargeted and geotagged to increase overall search engine positioning for local searches. Each dental website page is optimized with geolocation information: city name, ZIP code, county and state. Dental websites from IDA also target up to 5 surrounding neighborhoods, towns, cities or geographic areas.

“Geotargeting is so important today in dental practice marketing that many of our members have two, three or more websites. IDA’s LeadFire technology allows each site to target a specific geographic market and type of dentistry, such as Sausalito Sedation Dentistry or Orange County Cosmetic Dentists,” adds Du Molin. “With the increased use of iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices, it’s important to geotarget for new patient leads.”

Bing and Yahoo! also provide local search marketing options. However, since Google is the most widely used search engine, IDA dentist local search strategies primarily focus on combining Google Pages with geotargeted websites and portals.

About Internet Dental Alliance, Inc.

IDA completed development of its unique LeadFire technology in 2012, and is North America’s largest provider of websites for dentists, email patient newsletters and dental directories. Internet Dental Alliance provides dental practices with dental marketing services such as websites and newsletters, find-a-dentist websites, and other dental management advice and resources.

# # #

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Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/dental-marketing/prweb9213334.htm

A veteran of several national brands known for their customer focus, Mr. Vogl will oversee Redfin’s marketing strategy and communications, public relations and brand management.  His responsibilities include Redfin’s social media, e-mail, website merchandising and advertising programs.

“Redfin spent a year looking for a Chief Marketing Officer committed to the social mission of the company he represents,” said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. “In Tom, we got someone who not only shares our values, but also has a history of taking scrappy up-and-comers to the big-time, often while running on a shoe-string budget. He’s a piranha with a heart.”

In the six years prior to joining Redfin, Mr. Vogl was Senior Vice President of Marketing for Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), overseeing a team of more than 160 people, responsible for advertising, web marketing, direct marketing and social media. Prior to REI, he spent eight years at Dell, Inc. in roles leading teams in consumer marketing, sales and e-commerce.

Mr. Vogl graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelors of Science degree in Economics and from Harvard Business School with an MBA in Marketing and Finance.

Mr. Vogl enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, cycling, skiing, rock climbing and hiking. He is a scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and serves on the board of directors of the BSA Chief Seattle Council. He also volunteers with the National Parks Advisory Board and the Wilderness Society’s North Cascades Initiative.

About Redfin

Redfin (www.redfin.com) is the real estate industry’s first online brokerage, combining a customer-focused team of real estate agents with online tools for making the process of buying or selling a home easy. Redfin’s agents handle every facet of a transaction, including tours, pricing analyses, negotiations, inspections and closings. Redfin is the only major search site to feature listings direct from broker databases as well as for-sale-by-owner and foreclosure properties from across the Internet. The company pays its agents customer-satisfaction bonuses, not commissions, and surveys every client, publishing each survey alongside the agent’s complete deal history. Redfin’s service is available in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland, OR, Seattle, Washington DC, New York’s Long Island and Westchester County as well as most of California, including the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. To keep track of our daring exploits, subscribe to blog.redfin.com or our Twitter feed @redfin.

SOURCE Redfin

Article source: http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/02/21/redfin-names-tom-vogl-chief-marketing-officer

Their marketing efforts change from play to play as the company tries to raise its profile locally and gain visitors from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. So far, both efforts have been a challenge. The staff has sought advice from the Maryland Small Business Development Center and is also trying to use social media more. 

Just like any business, local arts organizations are constantly seeking new ways to reach audiences and keep them coming back for more.

“People just don’t seem to grasp that they have this wonderful gem right here. Instead of going all the way to D.C. or Baltimore to see good (plays), they’ve got it right here,” said Beth Dolezal, a volunteer and member of the Bay Theatre’s board of trustees. ”All of the arts even have that issue. I don’t think people in Annapolis understand the wonderful culture that they’ve got.”

Nationally, the public’s relationship with the arts has fluctuated. The National Endowment for the Arts’ 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts found that American audiences were getting older and their numbers declining. Since 1982, attendance at performing arts staples such as classical music, ballet and dramatic plays experienced double-digit rates of decline. The next survey of the arts will be completed this year, but it won’t be released until next year. In this one, NEA officials will explore a fuller spectrum that includes participation via electronic media and personal arts creation.

J. Ernest Green, musical director of Live Arts Maryland and the Annapolis Chorale, is not concerned about the perceived decline in interest.

“My philosophy tends to be if there is a declining interest, it’s a two-way street,” Green said. “It’s because we’re not engaging people in what we do and/or we’re not communicating what we do effectively so that they become engaged. It’s our job as arts presenters to try to engage the audience.”

Over the past two years, Green’s organizations have focused on promoting events on a local level. But they also use social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to expand their presence regionally.

“This topic is really a callenge for all of us in the arts world because it is the one thing that we all have to figure out how to do,” Green said.  

Locally, there has been an ongoing effort to make Annapolis an arts destination. The Studio of the Arts opened in 2009 and provides an art studio and gallery to a collective of artists. At Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, the Annapolis Opera has been reaching out to students as a way of attracting young people to the art form. The Ballet Theatre of Maryland – also located at Maryland Hall – expanded its classes to the Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park.

The Annapolis Collection Gallery helped launch what became known as Gallery Row. That allowed businesses in that area of West Street such as Whitehall Gallery, Tsunami, 49 West and Back Creek Books to offer cross promotions. Staff members aim to attract passersby by switching their window display to coincide with Rams Head events. 

Last year, Westfield Annapolis mall featured the gallery’s work in the space that Borders once occupied. At that time, 95 percent of the sales there came from zip codes beyond the immediate area.

“It was very successful and (shoppers) continue to come in and say, ‘I saw you at the mall,’ “ said Katherine Burke, owner of Annapolis Collection Gallery. “We all have our Facebooks, our websites, our email lists and we all promote each other. When we have one event, we’re all linked to each other.”

At the Bay Theatre, the staff tries to package its plays by encouraging visitors to see a play, have dinner and stay at a hotel. The theater’s Facebook page is mainly used as a resource to find actors. 

Its next play – “The Belle of Amherst” – starts March 30 and is about Emily Dickinson. It is expected to reach anyone interested in history, and possible promotions could be held at St. John’s College and Annapolis Bookstore.

“Live theater is always challenging. This is not Bow Tie, it is not the cinema,” said Janet Luby, Bay Theatre’s artistic director. “This is an elevated art form. It requires some thought, culture and sophistication on the audience’s part. That is a smaller group than the masses.”

Article source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/bus/2012/02/21-27/Local-artists-revamp-marketing-strategy.html

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) February 21, 2012

Monetate, the leader in online marketing technology, today announced that Kurt Heinemann has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer. Heinemann will play a key strategic role at Monetate, communicating the vision for how marketers can consistently deliver engaging online experiences and relevant messaging to their customers.

Heinemann will lead Monetate’s commitment to end the one-size-fits-all-web by helping top brands learn how to create a culture of testing, act on real-time data, and deliver the right message, to the right person at the right time. Driving this initiative is a sophisticated content publishing program designed to help marketers implement best-practices and increase revenue.

With an extensive background in technology and ecommerce, Heinemann is a proven marketing leader experienced in communicating the value of sophisticated digital services and solutions that resonate with both prospects and customers. At Monetate, Heinemann will lead the company’s marketing strategy as it continues to build momentum on the heels of a successful 2011 that saw revenue increase nearly three-fold.

“Monetate’s browser-based, cloud technology enables brands to move faster and to customize the online experience like never before. Our Agility Suite gives marketers the speed and control they need to compete in the ever-changing digital marketplace,” said Heinemann. “I look forward to championing Monetate as an essential partner for companies looking to accelerate their online business.”

Most recently, Heinemann was Chief Marketing Officer at Perimeter eSecurity, a global leader in enterprise SaaS security solutions. Prior to Perimeter, he served as President of Synapse Group’s online division, a cross-channel affinity marketing company that works with hundreds of media brands. He also served as General Manager and CMO at Walker Digital, and Vice President of Marketing at Priceline.

“As a proven marketing and business leader, Kurt is an invaluable addition to the executive team,” said Monetate founder and CEO David Brussin. “Kurt will elevate how we interact with our customers, educating them on how to dramatically grow their online business. We believe his deep experience will have a profound impact as we continue to expand our products and services.”

About Monetate

Monetate drives billions of dollars of revenue every year for some of the best-known brands in the world, including Best Buy, QVC, Urban Outfitters, Aeropostale, The Sports Authority, and PETCO. The company’s comprehensive product suite and conversion expertise enable marketers to deliver a more relevant customer experience with unprecedented agility.

Leading marketers rely on Monetate’s cloud-based browser technology to achieve a new level of speed and control, allowing them to run 16 times more optimization campaigns compared to industry averages. The Monetate Agility Suite includes advanced products for testing, merchandising, targeting, and cross-channel consistency, providing an opportunity to bypass IT restraints and react in real time to customer demands. Monetate also helps marketers implement best practices and drive online revenue through its expert strategic services and content publishing teams. For more information visit http://monetate.com/ or follow us on Twitter @Monetate.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/2/prweb9213414.htm

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/21/prweb9213414.DTL

The team of village officials, residents, real estate agents and marketing specialists had their first meeting Thursday to begin brainstorming ideas, and nothing was left off the table. From outdoor festivals to a village tagline, the group is searching for the one thing that will set Sussex apart.

• What do you think Sussex should do to market the downtown area? Tell us in the Comments.

“We need to give downtown Sussex a sense of place, and we want to know what will make it a place that people want to visit,” said Melissa Weiss, assistant to the village administrator. “A downtown ideally should be a hub of activity, and a Main Street in a community of our size should really be the core of a community.”

Weiss prepared a presentation to get the group thinking, and it covered ideas about revitalization, public art, outdoor events and creating a village slogan like, “Sussex: We Do Small Town Well” to brand the downtown area.

Jeremy Smith, the village administrator, said this is a good time to start thinking about these things considering Main Street is slated for reconstruction and Village Hall will be completely rebuilt in a couple of years. The new downtown marketing team can think of ideas that could potentially be incorporated into construction designs.

“The ultimate goal is to create a space downtown that has a thriving business community — one that is self sustaining,” Smith said. “We’re trying to create that environment that builds upon itself. We’re just talking about laying the groundwork here.”

The focus of Thursday’s brainstorming was people traffic. What will bring residents downtown, creating a walkable and vibrant business district? In addition, how can Sussex work with existing businesses to help them market themselves?

Team members talked about bringing a farmer’s market to downtown Sussex, creating a large water feature at the upcoming “Village Hall campus,” and attracting specialty businesses to Main Street like night spots.

But attracting the businesses isn’t as easy as someone might think. According to Weiss, 70 percent of capital investment deals are based on a “short list” of potential locations. Sussex wants to be on that list.

“Having a vibrant downtown will get us on that short list of places businesses want to locate to,” Weiss said. “We’re trying to create a space, an environment that draws the type of people that make businesses work.”

The group’s next meeting is scheduled for March 14, and members are tasked with bringing new ideas, thinking of possible Sussex slogans and brainstorming further about an event to draw residents downtown.

Article source: http://sussex.patch.com/articles/sussex-creating-campaign-to-bring-businesses-downtown

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) February 20, 2012

Internet marketing consultants LocallyRank LLC of Newport Beach, California have been signed to provide strategic marketing advice for Desert Labs Inc, the makers of the popular dieting product The Ice Cube Diet.

LocallyRank specializes in ecommerce marketing solutions for firms wishing to incorporate social media advertising and advanced SEO strategies.

“While an online presence is rightly recognized as essential in today’s marketplace, it’s the latest in ecommerce utilities and strategies that truly keep you competitive,” says Kevin Heimlich, co-founder of LocallyRank. “We are proud to add Desert Labs to our rapidly expanding list of clients.”

The Ice Cube Diet is a non-prescription diet supplement whose ingredients include extracts from the hoodia plant—a cactus like plant containing a natural appetite suppressant that has been safely used by desert dwellers in Africa’s Kalahari region to manage appetite control in a locale with sparse and erratic food supplies. Marketed by Desert Labs Inc., the product is shipped nationwide in packets that allow it to be conveniently used as ice cubes in health drinks.

Desert Labs is an integrated consumer product company developing, manufacturing and marketing food supplements and dietary aids. Desert Labs’ agro technical profile spans medicinal plant research, plant tissue culture propagation, clinical testing, modern processing, packaging and marketing of consumer products.

The company’s flagship product, The Ice Cube Diet, is based on hoodia grown in Israel and frozen in a process unique to Desert Labs; it represents the first of the company’s “field to market” products now available in the U.S.A.

Consumers are able to buy hoodia shipped specially to preserve its freshness, in packages of 40, 60, and 80 cubes. Many NYC health food stores and select NJ ShopRite stores carry The Ice Cube Diet and orders can be placed online at http://www.IceCubeDiet.com.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/2/prweb9209167.htm

Article source: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/LocallyRank-To-Handle-Internet-Marketing-For-3344077.php

Click here to return to the home page.

Article source: http://www.aftermarketnews.com/Item/97232/marketing_strategy_networking_and_more_available_through_the_automotive_communication_council.aspx

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) February 20, 2012

Internet marketing consultants LocallyRank LLC of Newport Beach, California have been signed to provide strategic marketing advice for Desert Labs Inc, the makers of the popular dieting product The Ice Cube Diet.

LocallyRank specializes in ecommerce marketing solutions for firms wishing to incorporate social media advertising and advanced SEO strategies.

“While an online presence is rightly recognized as essential in today’s marketplace, it’s the latest in ecommerce utilities and strategies that truly keep you competitive,” says Kevin Heimlich, co-founder of LocallyRank. “We are proud to add Desert Labs to our rapidly expanding list of clients.”

The Ice Cube Diet is a non-prescription diet supplement whose ingredients include extracts from the hoodia plant-a cactus like plant containing a natural appetite suppressant that has been safely used by desert dwellers in Africa’s Kalahari region to manage appetite control in a locale with sparse and erratic food supplies. Marketed by Desert Labs Inc., the product is shipped nationwide in packets that allow it to be conveniently used as ice cubes in health drinks.

Desert Labs is an integrated consumer product company developing, manufacturing and marketing food supplements and dietary aids. Desert Labs’ agro technical profile spans medicinal plant research, plant tissue culture propagation, clinical testing, modern processing, packaging and marketing of consumer products.

The company’s flagship product, The Ice Cube Diet, is based on hoodia grown in Israel and frozen in a process unique to Desert Labs; it represents the first of the company’s “field to market” products now available in the U.S.A.

Consumers are able to buy hoodia shipped specially to preserve its freshness, in packages of 40, 60, and 80 cubes. Many NYC health food stores and select NJ ShopRite stores carry The Ice Cube Diet and orders can be placed online at www.IceCubeDiet.com.

###

For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/2/prweb9209167.htm

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/20/prweb9209167.DTL