Where's Astro Now?

This Salesforce campaign is quite a bit more elaborate than the Cloak of Adventure quest. The marketing group that put this together included a lot more engaging content to help you on your way to finding Astro. The language is playful and the goal remains as simple as ever: do x achieve y.

In this case, we are learning about the ability to tag contacts with geolocation data: longitude and latitude. Once these fields are created and if you are going to import/export data, you must use the same format for longitude/latitude should you get around to using it to manage your sales territories. You can't mix and match geolocation data sets. You must use the same nomenclature and format. Just a FYI.

Your mission should you decide to accept it...

While I still have yet to complete building my Battle Station console (I got lost part way and I can't figure out the errors I'm getting), these later adventures that Salesforce is putting out is a fine method of helping customers retain training knowledge.. in a learn by doing series of steps.

Applying for and obtaining a Salesforce developer account is independent of being a Salesforce customer. If you didn't already know this, now you do.

I wanted an Astro sticker for completing this mission. Sadly, I'll just have to do with her picture badge.

Salesforce's Astro

Indirectly asked: what could we be doing better?

This is a nagging topic on the minds of a lot of marketers this year; in addition to making marketing automation work like a mad SQL (sales qualified lead) generating tool. With respect to direct, email, or online marketing, what seems commonplace to me as a marketer might not be apparent to others who have had mixed results with their campaigns. Let's start with a basic approach: email marketing.

Batch and blast works well for generalized content or for product announcements. But, for that personal touch, as in do it with customer service like you really care... try sending your customers a personalized, non-sales oriented email about a birthday, anniversary, or a special gift just for them.

Ask customers to engage with you in online conversations, participate on polls or surveys, or get feedback on their experiences. It doesn't hurt to ask for their input. What do you think about the new features we put into ___. How does your website redesign look?

When I ask other marketers how many touches they send out to their prospects and active customers, I get a variety of answers. The most I've heard of (including autoresponders from newsletter signups or web form submissions) on the B2B side is 15-20 touches per prospect per month. Ouch, I don't think I'd want to be on the receiving end without an unlimited data plan for my connected devices. This is when planning out content and using a scheduling calendar really helps when releasing time-delayed content. Some premium features of marketing platforms even offer limiters on how many times a lead or contact can be contacted within a set period of time. And, you can also manage frequency when setting up a demand automation funnel as well for handling MQLs and recycled SQLs.

And last of all, your prospects and customers are just like you and me. We have a finite amount of time to devote to activities like reading email; especially promotional or content that adds some richness to our daily lives. Be mindful of how (often) you send out content.

/stepping off the soapbox/

Sears Rewards Program #FAIL

Thanks a lot Sears, I really didn't need to be spammed by all your eCommerce entities all at once. Sears is typically where I go to get tools and appliances for the home; although, in today's age, Home Depot wins out on in-store price comparisons and Lowes wins on customer service; at least in southwest Washington anyways. The customer experience is probably different where you live. Regardless, this post reflects upon the poor execution of what could have been a good retention marketing campaign by the Sears rewards program.

QR Code Campaigns

QR codes have been around for several years with their start in Japan. These days, the codes have become an inexpensive way for marketers to easily track the progress and ROI of their mixed media campaigns using print (direct mail, magazines, BRCs, business cards, coupons), tv, POS (e.g., in-store displays, billboards), mobile, email, or web marketing. As long as you have a mobile device that is capable of downloading an QR code reader app and has a built-in camera, you and your customers are good to go.

Here's a simple QR generator. Learn more about its developers here.

Some notable marketing campaigns using QR codes:

Dole Salad Mobile Club

• Campaign specs: 40k direct mail postcards with a QR code and short code for texting, Price Chopper database of users with an affinity for pre-made salads, separate codes used for Facebook and online banner ads 
• A/B Testing: different coupon redemption requirements for current versus time-lapsed participants
• Goal: Increase mobile subscriptions among
• Consumer reward for signing up: discount coupon, holiday recipes, sweepstakes entry to win a $500 Price Chopper gift card
• Next steps: national campaign via Valassis and News America mail programs

Calvin Klein Jeans

• Campaign specs: three billboards (downtown NY, Sunset Blvd in LA), 40-second commercial that users can share with Facebook/Twitter networks
• Goal: Introduce CK's 2010 Fall Jeans
• Consumer reward for signing up: a shareable mobile/web commercial 

MyToys.de

• Campaign specs: POS posters in public areas with themed and colored Lego codes directing users to MyToys.de's website
• Goal: Increase web traffic and online store revenue for LEGO product line
• Results: 49% increase in inbound web traffic; Twice as many LEGO boxes sold when compared to non-QR-coded marketing campaigns
• Watch their campaign wrap-up video

TATmobile

• Promo of interactive Android wallpapers (free download via QR codes)