i-news: January 22, 2008

i-News: January 22, 2008

 

Also in this issue:

  • What Drives Consumer Response?
  • The Toronto Star Invests in Audience Development
  • Al Frowiss Joins ASTECH as SVP/COO

 

“As a marketer, you want to be as smart and appropriate as you can be. Don’t annoy the customer…become smart enough so you know when and how they want to hear from you. Technology allows you to do this.”

 

Bernice Grossman, CEO, DMRS Group

 

Improving Marketing Productivity through Automation

In a recent white paper, the Winterberry Group discussed the drivers at the forefront of the marketing automation movement.

 

Winterberry defines marketing automation as “the approach by which marketers harmoniously blend technology development with strict process management to significantly enhance marketing efficiency and effectiveness.”

 

Key factors driving the adoption of marketing automation include the rise of customer-centric marketing, the brisk pace of product innovation and the demand for continuous improvement of business processes. The mandate for greater marketing spend accountability – and the need for relevant metrics associated with that accountability – are challenges that data-driven marketing automation is designed to conquer.

 

Winterberry further asserts that while optimal process design remains the core drive of workflow efficacy, technology is playing an increasingly crucial role in marketing campaign preparation and implementation. “Holistic” marketing automation solutions integrate multiple business applications including data processing and integration, analytics, reporting and campaign management.

 

MAAX™ remains the leading marketing automation solution for the newsmedia industry. For more information, please go to http://www.astech-intermedia.com/technology/maax.asp

 

What Drives Consumer Response?

Which are more effective in motivating consumer behavior – “above-the-line” messages with their flashy imagery and emotional appeal, or “below-the-line” efforts which emphasize targeting, customization and testing?

 

It is no secret that marketer spending has made a significant shift to the “BTL” domain, driven by the measurability and accountability associated with related channels. BTL marketing facilitates a focus on the consumer and his/her propensity to respond. According to the Winterberry Group, three key elements contribute to achieving the desired reaction.

 

Timing – The ability to communicate an offer when the consumer is most likely to purchase. The timing can be driven by such factors as lifecycle events, seasonality or ancillary purchase behavior.

 

Relevance – The ability to deliver an offer that addresses unique consumer needs, desires, preferences and attitudes.

 

Personalization – The ability to communicate an offer that is tailored to a unique recipient based on aesthetics, contextual elements and/or conceptual keys using data as a driver.

 

The Toronto Star Invests in Audience Development

Canada’s largest daily newspaper, the Toronto Star, has contracted with ASTECH InterMedia for the MAAX™ Solution Suite, the groundbreaking database marketing system currently employed by more than 70 newsmedia companies worldwide.

 

The Star is recognized as an industry leader in the migration of focus from print circulation to total audience development. MAAX is seen as the ideal instrument to facilitate audience growth across multiple platforms because of its incomparable functionality in data integration, analysis and campaign management.

 

To see the full release, please go to News You Can Use at http://www.astech-intermedia.com/home.asp

 

Al Frowiss Joins ASTECH as SVP/COO

ASTECH InterMedia is pleased to announce that Albert B. Frowiss has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer.  Bringing a wealth of experience to the role, Al’s impact on day-to-day operations and client services is already being felt throughout ASTECH and its client community.

 

The combination of Al’s management experience and his field experience with marketing technology implementation, customer data management and strategic marketing provides a solid foundation for Al’s new role.  His responsibilities will include oversight of day-to-day operations, client account management and the execution of customer-focused technology initiatives in support of ASTECH’s overall business objectives.

 

To see the full release, please go to News You Can Use at http://www.astech-intermedia.com/home.asp

 

ASTECH News & Events

2008 MAAX Users Group Meeting. It’s not too late! Whether you are a current MAAX user or a future one (you are one or the other), you need to be in Las Vegas on January 28-30 at the Westin Casuarina Resort. There is never a fee. For more information, please go to http://www.astech-intermedia.com/events/mug.asp.

 

INMA Summit on Audience Development, Jan 31-Feb 1, Palm Springs. ASTECH will be exhibiting at this event.

 

NAA Marketing Conference, February 24-27, Orlando. ASTECH will be exhibiting at this event.

 

Retention Marketing Seminar, March 19-20, Denver. For more details on RMS, please go to http://www.astech-intermedia.com/services/education/ret_mktg.asp.

i-News is brought to you by ASTECH InterMedia, the leading provider of data-driven, revenue-focused marketing automation solutions for the newsmedia. For more, please go to www.astech-intermedia.com.