About Ian
- I'm the principal of august communication consultants, where I assist clients with online communication strategy, campaign planning, project management and content development. I work both directly with client companies across a range of industries, and in collaboration with marketing and design agencies that have short and long term needs that align with my skills.
My industry experience includes apparel, hospitality, technology, life sciences, consumer package goods, logistics, recreation and education. I’m happy to share relevant examples and case studies.
Want to know more? You can read a bit of trivia about me here, or send me an email.
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« October 2005 | Main | December 2005 »
Content syndication, the wrong way
A lot of marketing people subscribe to the reveries RSS feed. I do. And I'll share something with you about their content syndication: It truly irritates me.
The quality of information is outstanding. Excerpted content is descriptive and engaging. Beyond that, the experience often breaks down.
Click through from a newsreader. You arrive at a reveries landing page that provides the same description as the newsreader excerpt. You're prompted to click again.
You land on yet another page that tells you to - yes - click again to download a PDF version of the full story. Grrr. It doesn't happen every time, but enough to influence my opinion of them.
Folks, don't make it a challenge to get from newsreader to content. One click is all it should take.
Who wants to search ads?
John Battelle describes TiVo's new ad search offering. He quotes a piece in the Wall Street Journal:
"TiVo users will be able to set up a profile of products on their television screens by clicking on categories such as automotive or travel or typing in keywords such as "BMW" or "cruises." On a regular basis, TiVo will then download relevant commercials to TiVo recorders over the Internet or, for those users who don't have broadband, send the video via traditional broadcast signals. The commercials will appear on-screen in a folder next to the list of television shows TiVo users record."
Here's a question: Who wants to search television ads? Okay, I can imagine someone searching for an entertaining ad that's getting lots of word of mouth. But searching for the purpose of buying? Clicking their way to ads, for crying out loud? When consumer-generated reviews are at their fingertips?
Am I out of touch on this, or is this a solution searching for a problem?
Guest Cup
A personal note: I'm as particular (peculiar?) about coffee as I am about marketing. Here, I share a guest cup with Lloyd, proprietor of the Year of Coffee Blog.
Forbes.com - Magazine Article
This Forbes.com article focuses on the effectiveness of customer loyalty programs. How well do they generally work? Not too well, but there are exceptions:
"'Points for the sake of points is just buying off the customer, it doesn't drive loyalty,' says Gartner Research analyst Adam Sarner, who tracks customer loyalty programs. True loyalty, Sarner says, means getting increasing amounts of information from a customer who's happy to give it in return for a benefit. Surprising good customers with a sudden, unexpected discount or upgrade would go miles toward making them swear by a brand for life, he believes."
The article goes on to make an excellent point: Multi-channel retailers have an excellent opportunity to use points-based loyalty programs to reinforce their presence across those channels.
Holiday Goodness
I'm a firm believer in technology as enabler. Good tech products and solutions help you do something better or more easily. They shouldn't be the focal point of your energy and a source of frustration. That's why I highly recommend Uncle Mark's Gift Guide and Almanac. Published yearly by the principle of Creative Good, a user experience company, the guide "is simply the very best guide for anyone vexed about technology, in search of good purchases, or who simply wants to know the answers to life's incessant questions."
And best of all, it's absolutely free. Go download it (PDF).
links for 2005-11-22
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Appeals to those who measure time in cups of coffee
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So alpha it fails to recognize my supported browser
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Going to blog? Do it right.
Starting Points
- Start with my riff on viral marketing, an example of how online collaboration is simpler and more effective than ever, an alternative take on productivity and my case for aligning marketing and technology.
Also, for those of you looking for my review of the Minox 35, it's here.
