Lifecycle Marketing: The New Thing

silverPOP has a great article about Lifecycle Marketing.

A Simplified Approach to Lifecycle Marketing
Despite the fact that JupiterResearch data indicates lifecycle email marketing campaigns generate as much as nine times greater results than other types, few email marketers are taking advantage of this customer-oriented strategy based on the idea of delivering the right message at the right time.

Many marketers are confused about where to begin and are concerned about the additional work required to implement this truly one-to-one strategy. But during a recent presentation to Atlanta-area marketers, Silverpop CEO Bill Nussey detailed a simplified approach to a developing lifecycle marketing program. Read the entire article on lifecycle marketing

Here are some basic things to try. A few of them are already on my list.

Campaign elements appropriate for Interested Recipients might include:

• Welcome messages
  
• An educational campaign
  
• Lead warming activities
  
• Promotions for first purchase

Messaging elements to Engaged Customers can encompass:

• Renewal notices
  
• Shopping cart abandon notices
  
• Service alerts
  
• Receipts
  
• Reminders of upcoming events


• Special promotions for top customers


• Targeting based on Web site page visits

Tactics to re-engage Lapsed Customers include:

• Sending surveys to identify reasons for lack of engagement


• Offering incentives to re-visit the Web site


• Delivering promotions to encourage purchases

A Good Book for Small Business Basics

I've been reading this book, Web Design and Marketing Solutions for Business Websites, and so far it's a great buy. I'm not a reader, but I got to page 112 in one sitting — quite an amazing feat since the last book I finished was probably Encyclopedia Brown back in the 5th grade. What, you don't know Encyclopedia Brown? Read those books first — they're awesome.

If you're looking for an informational, easy-to-read book on getting the basics set up or cleaned up, this book is great.

Online Marketing: WTF?

I recently went to the OnlineMarketingSummit in San Diego hoping to learn something I could use for my small online software business. The seminars were helpful, networking with other emarketers was good, too. But the biggest thing I took away from OMS was that most people are in the same boat -- we kind of know what we're doing, but not really.

And that's why I started this blog. I'm a Marketing Director, but I honestly wing it for a good part of my day. When I look around, there are 10,000 things I want to do — with our email campaigns, website, printed marketing — but... where do I even start? And by the time all these changes are implemented, will Google have moved onto something new?

Hopefully, my ups and down, mistakes and successes at TemplateZone might help other small business out there wrestling with WTF ONLINE MARKETING is all about. And, uh, any advice/thoughts are greatly appreciated, as well.