• It’s a shopper’s market. We all know that consumers now have access to a huge amount of information about retailers and their products via new technologies. The survey found that consumers are using this information to shop around more carefully; 41% of the people polled by IBM have switched from one primary retailer to another or started purchasing some goods from a secondary retailer during the past year.

• Smarter consumers have higher expectations. According to the survey, the two improvements consumers would most like to see are personalized promotions and consistently available products.

• Smarter consumers use social networking. 33% of respondents are likely to “follow” a retailer on a social networking site. Some of these people also swap notes, so a single consumer’s shopping experience can influence the decisions many others make about what to buy and where to buy it.

• Smarter consumers are eager to assist. 78% of respondents would be happy to collaborate with retailers in designing new products and services that meet their needs.

• New avenues for reaching consumers are emerging. 62% of those who want to use their mobile phones to shop and make purchases would be willing to buy products that are advertised in magazines or on billboards by sending a text. Similarly, 64% of those who want to use digital television to shop and make purchases would be willing to buy products that are advertised on TV by pressing a button on their remote controls.

• Rich rewards exist for retailers that get it right. 61% of respondents are prepared to spend more money with retailers that implement their suggestions.

• Generation Y is leading the charge. Generation Y respondents to the IBM survey (those aged 20-30) are the most willing to use multiple technologies and alternative channels. They are also the most likely to follow a retailer on a social networking site and to reward a retailer financially for improvements the retailer makes.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ACTION SPORT / OUTDOOR SPORT RETAILERS?

1. Embrace new technologies, don’t fear them. The use of thoughtful SMS campaigns, geo-targeting and social media will only grow your business. Very few brands in our industry are doing proactive campaigns that cater to the smarter consumer.

2. The only way to offer personalized promotions is to know about your consumers. Develop a process for data-mining, ensure your staff are trained on the right way to get consumers’ contact information and tailor the information to increase your sales. Remember, you’re doing this as much for your consumers as your bottom line.

3. Social Networking in our world of outdoor play is huge. Consumers are way more likely to brag about their new snowboard or their favorite running shoes than they are about their life insurance. We are poised for success and need to leverage social networking by making it easy for our consumers to share their product reviews and purchasing feedback. We also need to reward them when they do.

These are pretty basic ideas but they form the basis for growth in these times of financial insecurity, unpredictable weather and increased consumer expectations.

* SOURCE: IBM Global Business Services
Executive Report By Melissa Schaefer and Laura VanTine

Les nouvelles technologies et les nouvelles tendances socioéconomiques sont en train de transformer le marché de la vente au détail. Le IBM Institute for Business Value a récemment effectué un sondage auprès de plus de 30 000 personnes pour tenter de découvrir ce que les consommateurs rechercheront chez les détaillants dans le futur. Voici un bref résumé de cette étude. *

• C’est un marché d’acheteurs. Nous savons tous que les consommateurs ont accès à une montagne d’informations sur les détaillants et leurs produits grâce aux nouvelles technologies. Le sondage montre que les consommateurs utilisent cette information pour magasiner avec plus de précautions : 41 % des personnes sondées par IBM sont passés d’un détaillant principal à un autre ou ont commencé à acheter des produits chez un second détaillant au cours de la dernière année.

• Les consommateurs plus futés ont des attentes plus élevées. Selon le sondage, les deux améliorations que les consommateurs voudraient voir survenir sont des promotions personnalisées et des produits disponibles régulièrement.

• Les consommateurs plus futés utilisent les réseaux sociaux. 33 % des répondants auraient tendance à « suivre » un détaillant sur un site de réseau social. Certaines des ses personnes aiment échanger des notes, ce qui signifie que l’expérience d’un seul consommateur peut influencer la décision de plusieurs autres sur ce qu’ils achètent et où ils l’achètent.

• Les consommateurs plus futés désirent aider. 78 % des répondants seraient heureux de collaborer avec les détaillants dans le design de nouveaux produits et services qui répondent à leurs besoins.

• De nouvelles avenues pour rejoindre les consommateurs apparaissent. 62 % des gens qui veulent utiliser leur téléphone mobile pour magasiner et effectuer des achats seraient prêts à acheter des produits annoncés dans des magazines ou sur des panneaux en envoyant un message texte. De la même façon, 64 % des gens qui veulent utiliser la télévision numérique pour magasiner et effectuer des achats seraient prêts à acheter des produits annoncés à la télévision en appuyant sur un bouton de la télécommande.

• Il y a des récompenses juteuses pour les détaillants qui s’y prennent bien. 61 % des répondants sont prêts à dépenser plus d’argent chez les détaillants qui mettent en place leurs suggestions.

• La génération Y sonne la charge. Les répondants au sondage IBM de la génération Y, âgés entre 20 et 30 ans, sont ceux qui sont les plus prêts à utiliser les multiples technologies et les canaux alternatifs. Ce sont ceux qui sont les plus enclins à suivre un détaillant sur un site de réseau social et à le récompenser financièrement pour ses améliorations.

CE QUE CELA SIGNIFIE POUR LES DÉTAILLANTS DE SPORTS D’ACTION/ DE PLEIN AIR ?

1. Adhérez aux nouvelles technologies, ne les craignez pas. L’utilisation de campagnes bien pensées de messagerie texte, de géo-ciblage et de réseaux sociaux ne fera que développer votre entreprise. Il y a peu de marques dans notre industrie qui font des campagnes proactives qui s’adressent à ces consommateurs plus futés.

2. La seule façon de créer des promotions personnalisées est de bien connaître vos consommateurs. Développez un procédé pour l’exploration de données, assurez-vous que votre personnel soit formé de la bonne façon pour obtenir l’information sur les coordonnées des consommateurs et taillez sur mesure l’information que vous véhiculez pour augmenter vos ventes. Rappelez-vous, vous le faites autant pour vos consommateurs que pour votre profitabilité.

3. Les réseaux sociaux dans le monde du plein air sont vraiment super importants. Les consommateurs ont plus tendance à se vanter de leur nouvelle planche à neige et de leurs chaussures de course préférées que de leur police d’assurance. Il faut être orienté succès et se servir de la force des réseaux sociaux en permettant à vos consommateurs de partager facilement leurs critiques de produits et leurs opinions sur leurs achats. Il faut aussi les récompenser quand ils le font.

Il s’agit d’idées assez fondamentales mais elles sont à la base de la croissance en cette période d’insécurité financière, de météo changeante et d’attentes sans cesse croissantes de la part des consommateurs.

* SOURCE: IBM Global Business Services
Rapport exécutif par Melissa Schaefer et Laura VanTine

Zumba is in and Pilates is out, according to more than 2,600 fitness professionals who completed an American College of Sports Medicine survey of the top fitness trends for 2012. The survey results were released today in the “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2012″ article published in the November/December issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal.

Zumba (and other dance workouts) and outdoor activities both made their debuts in the top 20 this year. Zumba and other dance workouts ranked ninth, and outdoor activities ranked 14th.

“Zumba and other dance workouts first appeared on the list of potential trends in 2010, but this is the first year Zumba has made the top 20,” said Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, the lead author of the survey. “While Zumba has experienced a rapid surge in popularity in the past year, future surveys will indicate if Zumba is truly a trend or simply a fad.”

Educated and experienced fitness professionals claimed the top spot in 2012 for the fifth consecutive year. Outcome measurements and clinical integration/medical fitness both dropped out of the top 20 this year. Outcome measurements, a way to quantify progress in clubs and wellness programs, had a five-year run in the top 20 and ranked 13th in 2011. Clinical integration/medical fitness, perhaps tied to last year’s national health care reform, only appeared in the top 20 in 2011 and claimed 18th place. Pilates, which first dropped out of the top 20 for 2011, remained off the list for 2012.

“The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting that jobs for fitness workers will increase much faster than other occupations,” said Thompson, an exercise physiologist at Georgia State University, a Fellow of ACSM and a spokesperson for the ACSM American Fitness IndexTM. “Educated and experienced fitness professionals – such as those with professional certifications – will have the best chances to get new jobs in an increasingly competitive field.”

The survey, now in its sixth year, was completed by 2,620 health and fitness professionals worldwide (many certified by ACSM) and was designed to reveal trends in various fitness environments. Thirty-seven potential trends were given as choices, and the top 20 were ranked and published by ACSM.

The top ten fitness trends predicted for 2012 are:

Educated and experienced fitness professionals. Given the large number of organizations offering health and fitness certifications, it’s important that consumers choose professionals certified through programs that are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), such as those offered by ACSM.
Strength training. Strength training remains a central emphasis for many health clubs. Incorporating strength training is an essential part of a complete physical activity program for all physical activity levels and genders.
Fitness programs for older adults. As the baby boom generation ages into retirement, some of these people have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts. Therefore, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.
Exercise and weight loss. In addition to nutrition, exercise is a key component of a proper weight loss program. Health and fitness professionals who provide weight loss programs are increasingly incorporating regular exercise and caloric restriction for better weight control in their clients.
Children and obesity. With childhood obesity growing at an alarming rate, health and fitness professionals see the epidemic as an opportunity to create programs tailored to overweight and obese children. Solving the problem of childhood obesity will have an impact on the health care industry today and for years to come.
Personal training. More and more students are majoring in kinesiology, which indicates that students are preparing themselves for careers in allied health fields such as personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to the health and fitness facilities that employ them.
Core training. Distinct from strength training, core training specifically emphasizes conditioning of the middle-body muscles, including the pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen – all of which provide needed support for the spine.
Group personal training. In challenging economic times, many personal trainers are offering group training options. Training two or three people at once makes economic sense for both the trainer and the clients.
Zumba and other dance workouts. A workout that requires energy and enthusiasm, Zumba combines Latin rhythms with interval-type exercise and resistance training.
Functional fitness. This is a trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness and special fitness programs for older adults are closely related.

The full list of top 20 trends is available upon request in the article “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2012.”

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 45,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

1. Half of the 31 million Americans who identified themselves as skiers or snowboarders DID NOT participate in the sport in 09/10, because of increased work and family commitments and not having anyone to go with… And though skier visits were up in Canada, actual participation amongst Canada’s 3.7 million skiers and boarders also continued a ten year decline.
2. US skiers either live near a hill/in a mountainous snowy climate OR earn over $100,000. In Canada, where everyone lives in a snowy climate, the bulk of the snowsports participants live in Vancouver or Montreal and have a household income above $75,000.
3. Snowboarders are more dedicated than skiers in terms of time on snow, but that might also be because they’re predominantly young dudes. (Two thirds of American snowboarders are male, aged 13 – 34 years old.)
4. The most dedicated cohorts in the US? 35-44 year old skiers, and 13-17 year old riders.
5. Skiing grew back when it was sexy. That happened to be during the Sexual Revolution. That’s not the Zeitgeist anymore. We’re now in the Information Age, a wired tribal social time. Snowboarding has nailed this vibe. Skiing needs to tap it.
6. Universities are great breeding grounds for future skiers and riders.
7. So are bowling alleys. (We’re still puzzling over this connection. A fetish for weird skanky stinky footwear?)
8. Girls ski and ride. Women slip away.

The data calls out a difference between ski visits (up) and participation (down.) What the data doesn’t highlight, but isn’t news to any of us: a demographic shift is coming at our industry like a category 6 cyclone. The boomers, those aging sexual revolutionaries, who helped build the industry, are slip–sliding away from the sport.

Attracting new, young participants and converting them into loyal skiers and riders is the call to action for us all.

Follow our 4 part blog series through November for thoughts on growing the sport. (Subscribe to the RSS feed or follow us on facebook or twitter, to learn when the post is live.)

1. La moitié des 31 millions d’Américains se décrivant comme skieur ou surfeur N’A PAS pratiqué ces sports en 2009/10 à cause d’engagement professionnels ou familiaux ou parce qu’ils n’avaient personne pour les accompagner… Même si le nombre de visiteurs venus skier au Canada a augmenté, la participation réelle des 3,7 millions de skieurs et surfeurs canadiens a poursuivi son déclin des dix dernières années.
2. Les skieurs américains vivent à proximité d’une montagne/sous un climat enneigé de montagne OU gagnent plus de 100 000 $. Au Canada, où tout le monde vit sous un climat nordique, la grande majorité des participants aux sports d’hiver vivent à Vancouver ou à Montréal et ont un revenu familial de plus de 75 000 $.
3. Les surfeurs sont plus souvent sur les pistes que les skieurs, la raison pouvant être qu’ils sont majoritairement de jeunes hommes. (Les deux tiers des surfeurs américains sont des garçons et hommes âgés entre 13 et 34 ans.)
4. Les groupes d’âge les plus assidus aux É.-U. ? Les skieurs de 35-44 ans et les surfeurs de 13-17 ans.
5. Le ski est revenu à la mode quand c’était sexy. C’est pendant la Révolution sexuelle. Ce n’est plus l’air du temps aujourd’hui. On vit dans l’ère de l’information, une époque de tribus sociales sur Internet. Le snowboard a bien compris la vibe. Le ski doit le faire.
6. Les universités sont un terrain fertile pour les futurs skieurs et surfeurs.
7. Tout comme les salons de quilles. (On ne la comprend toujours pas celle-là. Peut-être une forme de fétichisme pour les chaussures moches et puantes ?)
8. Les filles skient et surfent. Les femmes s’éloignent.

Les données indiquent une dichotomie entre le nombre de visites de ski (en progression) et la participation (en diminution). Ce que les données ne montrent pas mais que nous savons déjà : une secousse démographique va frapper l’industrie de plein fouet comme un ouragan de catégorie 6. Les boomers, ces révolutionnaires sexuels vieillissants qui ont aidé à bâtir l’industrie du ski, se détachent tranquillement du sport.

Le mot d’ordre de tous : attirer une nouvelle clientèle de jeunes et les convertir en skieurs et surfeurs fidèles.

Suivez la série en 4 parties sur notre blogue durant le mois d’novembre pour des idées sur comment favoriser la croissance du sport. (Abonnez-vous à notre fil RSS ou suivez-nous sur Facebook ou Twitter, pour savoir quand le billet sera en direct.)

(Here’s his own abridged version: leading off the top with my favourite tip, embrace your crow’s feet.)

Was intrigued by his chapter on How to Launch, where he inverts the traditional marketing focus on influencing the influencers. The influentials typically are journalists, A-list bloggers, analysts, industry gurus, and consultants. And they’re just not that important anymore. (That’s why they call it the social revolution.)

Post-Internet, people have come to depend on the opinions of their friends and casual acquaintances as much as they do on experts, and this change has turned marketing upside down. Now, when the masses adopt a cause, the influentials have to pay attention to it or risk looking clueless. Therefore, your enchantment efforts need not rely on influentials blessing your cause.

Kawasaki says the new approach is to Embrace the Nobodies, and Give up the Illusion of Control, create the best branding and marketing you can and then let it rip and go with the flow.

Quality is more important than ever, because your product must pass more than the cursory examination of an influential.

Translation: respect your customers. Don’t ignore them so you can swoon all over someone you perceive to be a VIP. A better ROI will come from practicing random acts of kindness, standing behind your product, and giving exceptional customer service to all your customers. It’s hardly rocket surgery. But it’s a nice reminder.

Although this may have been a groundbreaking attempt to establish a new market in lifestyle wear, by letting the target audience know that the product is as great at cafe as at the crag, we’re going to call it a miss.

Given yesterday’s article from Fast Company Design, identifying that women are the next emerging global market, and represent the largest market opportunity in the world, knowing not just how to not alienate female purchasers, but how to speak to their needs and concerns is paramount for today’s businesses, whether they’re selling girly-man sweaters, credit cards, vehicles or ski holidays.

Globally, women consumers control $20 trillion in consumer spending. They make the final decision for buying 91 percent of home purchases, 65 percent of the new cars, 80 percent of health care choices, and 66 percent of computers. Susan Fabry

So leave that woman dangling from side of the mountain from a piece of dental floss at your own peril. Why not take a look at your marketing copy through yin-tinted lenses. Are you hitting the mark?

[Image by Ibrahim Iujaz]

]]> http://origindesign.ca/blog/3528/marketing-advertising/advertising-hit-or-miss-if-you-want-to-be-a-hit-with-your-consumers-you-better-learn-to-speak-to-women-more-compellingly-than-this/feed/ 0 http://origindesign.ca/blog/2886/marketing-advertising/price-vs-content-to-connect-with-consumers-in-the-new-economy-understand-which-is-really-king/ http://origindesign.ca/blog/2886/marketing-advertising/price-vs-content-to-connect-with-consumers-in-the-new-economy-understand-which-is-really-king/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:51:55 +0000 lisa http://origindesign.ca/blog/?p=2886 The lull in the economy, the rise of the internet and the commodification of the vacation experience are the mountain travel sector’s perfect storm, leading to a cultural shift in consumer behaviour: shrinking booking windows, shortened stays, increased price sensitivity and an across-the-board move towards online booking.

The Mountain Travel Research Program recently asked three property experts to share how the changing destination travel marketplace might affect this winter.

Their intell: Price reigns.

Consumers are trying to stretch their vacation dollars as far as they can. Price, especially when it comes to lodging, is becoming the number one decision-making factor, no matter the demographic.

Internet savvy has shifted the power dynamic, giving consumers more access to information including an ability to track inventory, enabling them to negotiate for better deals.

Properties that panic and offer last minute “fire sale” rates on rooms are fuelling this cycle of last-minute booking. Many guests are holding off booking until the last minute in the hope of getting the best deal.

What to do: Respond with content.

Price might be king, but ultimately, it’s the value perception that drives a consumer’s decision to buy.

Our unconscious mind makes snap judgments about what is a reasonable price and what represents good value, and it’s not necessarily rational.

A critical tool to communicate value to the conscious and unconscious mind is great content.

MTRiP’s group-think revealed that the focus on price is creating a race to the bottom. Rethink the tactical approach. Use “tactical content” as a means of resonating with the customer on a level other than price.

1. Make shorter lead times work for your marketing. Shorter booking lead times means marketing budgets can be deployed more strategically, incorporating more current information about snow conditions, events, news/trends or value-added opportunities into marketing pieces.

2. Direct resources towards organic search. Instead of just focusing online marketing budgets on pay per click advertising, develop content-rich campaigns that are optimized for key search words will yield organic results, and speak directly to consumers when they are in their research and planning phase.

3. Be more targeted with your messaging, less generic. Use the power of web 2.0 to identify and directly communicate with market niches. This enables you to speak more intimately about the brand to specific demographics and psychographics and build loyalty and longer-term relationships.

4. Harness the power of word of mouth. Customers are going to the internet for recommendations, suggestions and insights. Provide a forum for customer feedback. Acknowledge champions of your brand with discounts, prizing, gifts, upgrades or incentives and create enduring longer term relationships.

Price is going to continue to be an important factor for destination travelers, but resorts and properties that provide compelling and emotionally resonant connections with consumers will be able to turn the price-point into an alibi, allowing the brand itself to contribute to instinctive thinking. As Malcolm Gladwell wrote in Blink: “Truly successful decision-making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking.” Price, discounts and special offers impact the deliberative process, but instinct and emotion are still powerfully at play to help consumers determine when the price is right.

Where do TripAdvisor and YouTube factor into the decision-making process? Recently, we were questioned on how many people actually consult YouTube and TripAdvisor when making holiday decisions. This discussion was prompted by a post on the near death of the travel brochure by our Creative Director, Danielle Kristmanson.

Last year, Google shared study results on business and personal travel planning in a presentation called The Traveler’s Road to Decision. The video is posted below, and the study it references confirms the rise, and the importance, of online resources for travel planning.

The key takeaways from the presentation are posted below (if you do not want to spend the next 45 minutes watching):

• 79% use internet for travel planning vs. 32% use informational brochures
• 41% made travel plans based on reviews and experiences of others
• 36% users watch travel videos on the internet (up from 15% from 2008)
• 63% used video when thinking about a trip
• 60% used video when choosing destination
• 64% used video when looking for activity idea

What about TripAdvisor? With 47+ million visits a month, TripAdvisor undoubtedly owns a sizable share of the 41% of travelers who make their decision based on online reviews and experiences of others.

Why YouTube? Even with the plethora of online video options, 79% of online video watchers still use YouTube.

A deadly duo when it comes to travel research? Those who rely on print, or even just their own websites, to get the word out about their travel and tourism product need to consider the stats. – Rory Tucker

De quelle façon avez-vous planifié vos dernières vacances ?

Jusqu’à quel point TripAdvisor et YouTube affectent le processus de décision ? Tout récemment, on nous a demandé quel était le nombre véritable de gens qui consultaient YouTube et TripAdvisor avant de prendre une décision pour leurs vacances. Ce questionnement a été initié par la publication d’un post de Danielle Kristmanson, notre directrice de création, sur la mort possible de la brochure de voyage.

L’année dernière, Google a fait paraître les résultats d’une étude sur la planification de voyage d’affaires et de voyage personnel au cours d’une présentation intitulée The Traveler’s Road to Decision. Cette vidéo est affichée un peu plus bas et cette étude confirme la progression et l’importance des ressources en ligne dans l’organisation de voyages.

Pour ceux qui ne veulent pas regarder le document de 45 minutes, voici les chiffres clé de cette présentation :

• 79 % des gens consultent Internet pour la planification de voyage contre 32 % d’utilisateurs de brochures informatives
• 41 % ont planifié en fonction des critiques et de l’expérience d’autres voyageurs
• 36 % des utilisateurs ont visionné des vidéos de voyage sur Internet (15 % de plus qu’en 2008)
• 63 % ont visionné des vidéos quand ils pensaient partir en vacances
• 60 % ont visionné des vidéos quand ils choisissaient leur destination
• 64 % ont visionné des vidéos quand ils regardaient pour des idées d’activités

Au sujet de TripAdvisor. Avec plus de 47 millions de visites par mois, TripAdvisor contrôle assurément une bonne partie des 41 % de voyageurs qui prennent leur décision en se basant sur les critiques et les expériences des autres.

Et YouTube ? Même avec la myriade d’options vidéo en ligne, 79 % des gens qui regardent des vidéos en ligne le font encore par YouTube.

On voit bien qu’il s’agit d’un redoutable duo dans le domaine de la recherche du voyage. Ceux qui se fient à l’imprimé ou simplement à leur site web pour diffuser l’information concernant leurs produits touristiques doivent réfléchir à ce que les chiffres indiquent. Rory Tucker

At Origin Design + Communications, we subscribe to a philosophy of utilizing Open Source, Social Media, and other 3rd party applications and platforms wherever and whenever possible.

The benefits that come from this are as follows.

1. Why reinvent the wheel: If developers have already created functionality that satisfies your requirements, it seems silly to try to do it yourself. If what they have done is solid and been ‘debugged’ there is a lot of efficiency in plugging in.

2. Updates and Scalability: 3rd party solutions and open source options both benefit from the fact that there are always people working on, fixing and updating the application. Features are continuously being added as technology and trends evolve. Security issues are handled swiftly. Once again, a small team of developers are not burdened (read: $$$ for the client) with constant maintenance. In the case of multimedia applications, negligible or non-existent fees provide bandwidth and server resources beyond the scope of what a smaller site could employee to manage weighty content.

3. Multiple channels: It used to be that if you had a Youtube video embedded on your site, it was viewed as an amateurish cop-out. Now with Youtube and social media sites garnering most of the web traffic, if you do not have a presence you are missing out. The beauty is that through technology we can now use these platforms and integrate the content back onto our own site. Now we do not need to duplicate our content. We can simultaneously feed separate audiences with the same content – efficiency is the word here.

4. Customization: Most 3rd party and Social Media services have extensive instructions and capabilities to integrate their service into your own site (and even others through sharing and syndication) in a fashion that does not necessarily come at the expense of your own brand [Vimeo video player example here].

- Rory Tucker

Contrary to what some think, the basics of PPC can be put into approachable language. Sure, it helps to have someone knowledgeable on your side but with a little time and interest, anyone can get started.

When done right, PPC is strategic and effective, and features many ways to continually optimize and refine the campaigns based on results. So dip your toes in the water and get started on your first PPC campaign. – Ruby Virk

• Spend Wisely: You don’t have to pay to be number one. Research suggests that spots #3 through #5 might actually be the “sweet spot” for users. Good news is, you can always test costs by lowering bids.
• Be Focused: Narrow your list of keywords, geographic targets and campaign timeframes (both daily and yearly) to stay as targeted as possible.
• Be Specific: Target your ad copy, identify specific landing pages for each ad group and make sure you have different campaigns running on the content network.
• Be Consistent: Ensure your ad copy has continuity with your website, and your offline and online advertising. Brand still matters.
• Spread the Love: Don’t ignore BING, MSN and YAHOO. Google might be King in Canada but all search engines have value.
• Social Media Matters: Include ads on Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube in your PPC campaign. Users are increasingly using these networks to find their way to your brand.
• SEO ©’s PPC: Ensure your PPC and organic search are working together for a maximum return on your investment. PPC is a great way to test key words for organic search traffic and is also an effective method of testing landing pages.
• Monitor and Optimize: Don’t just set your campaign and forget it. If it was that easy, we’d all be drowning in hits. Like anything great, PPC campaigns take time and attention to dial in perfectly.

The beer has been mopped up and the flags have been pinned back to the wall. The 2010 Olympic Games have concluded and as we wait for the Paralympic Games to begin, there’s time to reflect on the mark left by the festivities. One brand that has done an incredible job of leaving an impression is Slovenia Tourism. The small country made a big impression with Slovenia House in Whistler’s Westin Resort and Spa. Despite being hidden from the hustle and bustle of the main thoroughfare, Slovenia used great marketing material, a welcoming atmosphere and an authentically Slovenian staff to bring its country to the people.

Slovenia’s marketing slogan (I Feel SLOVEnia) is strong, and for a country with few English speakers, it does an incredible job of speaking to that market. When you entered Slovenia House, a native Slovenian greeted you at the door with a glass of Slovenian wine (of which I was unaware existed) and offered to give you a guided tour of the house. Throughout the tour, I was introduced to the treasures of Slovenia through huge wall displays, a custom magazine publication and the knowledgable guide. I have to admit to being pretty ignorant about the country (huge mountains, scenic vineyards, bustling metropolis’) and the House was the perfect tool to open my eyes.

Whereas many of the other national houses were rumoured to be thinly-disguised liquor blowout emporiums with little to no cultural significance, Slovenia House was a hospitable and friendly voyage through the country’s culture and heritage – exactly the purpose it was intended for.  – MB

Thanks to Lucija Jager at Slovenia Tourism for providing imagery.