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© 2013 ExactTarget   1
Dear Marketer,                                                As an explorer, you also cannot stand to be left behind. You were probably
                                                              one of the first among your friends to have a smartphone. You were also
You’re different. As a marketer working on today’s digital,   probably the first to tweet, check in, pin, and Instagram. You’re the only
                                                              friend who pays as much attention to the advertising on Facebook as you do
fragmented, and cross-channel frontier, you take risks.       to the status updates. In marketing circles, this is normal. At family reunions,
You live on the bleeding edge of technology. You brave the    not so much.
wilds of new social networks and mobile apps before you
                                                              For the past three years, our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research
even know what they plan to do with your data. In short,      series has taken an in-depth look at consumer preferences as they relate to
you are not the average consumer. You are an explorer of      email, mobile, and social channels. This time, however, we decided to turn
brave, new worlds.                                            the tables—to look in the mirror at our marketing peers. Are there channels
                                                              that marketers use disproportionately more or less than consumers? Are we
                                                              more permissive with technology in our own homes? Are we less concerned
                                                              about the privacy implications of marketing today? Have all our years as
                                                              early adopters—internet explorers, if you will—impeded our ability to relate
                                                              to regular people?

                                                              In Marketers From Mars, the 20th report in our ongoing SUBSCRIBERS,
                                                              FANS, & FOLLOWERS, we tackle these questions—and more—thanks to
                                                              the results of our first-ever, side-by-side study of marketers and consumers.
                                                              The pages that follow provide a unique opportunity to reflect on what it
                                                              means to be a marketer today, as well as why it’s critical that marketers
                                                              avoid focus groups of one.

                                                              Please feel free to share this report with colleagues. And, as always, we
                                                              welcome your feedback at research@exacttarget.com.

                                                              Sincerely,

                                                              Jeffrey K. Rohrs




                                                              METHODOLOGY: Marketers From Mars serves as the first SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research
                                                              conducted concurrently about consumers and marketers, paralleling the process, methodology, and aim of
                                                              prior reports.

                                                              The “Personal Internet and Mobile Usage Survey” was launched in September 2012 to benchmark online
                                                              behaviors in consumers and marketers. A total of 1,201 consumers and 411 marketers responded to this
                                                              survey. Consumer responses were weighted by age and gender according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau
                                                              population estimates and Pew Internet Project’s online activity data to reflect the online US consumer
                                                              population. Marketer responses were not weighted. Of the 411 marketers, 62 respondents were recruited
                                                              from Twitter via industry leaders, and 349 respondents were recruited from marketing-specific email lists.




2   © 2013 ExactTarget
Introduction
At this very moment, some 60 million miles from Earth,      venture into these new worlds of social networks,
NASA’s robotic rover, Curiosity, is picking, poking, and    smartphones, tablets, and apps to understand,
analyzing a small patch of soil on the planet Mars.         analyze, and tap the potential they each hold for our
Its mission is one of pure discovery, and its every         brands. In the process, however, we marketers have
transmission back home holds the potential to forever       evolved. Our view of what’s “normal” behavior has
change the way we view the Red Planet and, perhaps,         been shaped by our emersion into digital, mobile, and
the very nature of life itself. Curiosity is the ultimate   social worlds.
explorer—focused, fearless, and relentless in its pursuit
                                                            In Marketers From Mars, we hope to help our fellow
of knowledge. Curiosity is also now a permanent citizen
                                                            marketers understand how our exploration of new
of Mars, and it will never view the Earth the same way
                                                            technologies and channels has made us different from
again.
                                                            the consumers we seek to serve. In so doing, we hope
Curiosity’s story is the story of all explorers. They (or   to provide you with the means to avoid personal device
their team back at NASA) gaze out upon the endless          and channel biases in your planning efforts.
sea, the untamed wilderness, and the starry night
wondering what’s out there. Unlike everyone else,
however, explorers take steps—and unimaginable              In Marketers From Mars, you’ll discover:
risks—to map and understand the great unknown.
                                                            •	   The differences between marketer and
They emerge from the experience forever changed,
                                                                 consumer channel usage (email, Facebook,
and quite often, they become the first settlers of a
                                                                 and Twitter).
brave, new world.

Modern marketing is full of such explorers. In fact, it     •	   The differences between marketer and
wouldn’t be beyond the realm of reason to dub the                consumer smartphone usage, digital
past two decades as “The Golden Age of Marketing                 purchase behaviors, and marketing priorities.
Exploration.” In that span, we’ve gone from a well-
settled world of television, radio, and print to one        •	   How marketers can avoid personal bias to
connected by the internet, untethered by mobile                  better communicate with consumers.
devices, and empowered by social media. Marketers




                                                                                              © 2013 ExactTarget   3
For the purposes of             Subscribers                                         Fans                                                       Followers
     this report we have   Online US consumers who receive                        Online US consumers with an                            Online US consumers with an
    defined the terms of   at least one permission-based                          active Facebook account who have                       active Twitter profile who “follow”
                           email per day on average.                              become a fan (i.e., “liked”) at least                  at least one company or brand
      Subscribers, Fans,                                                          one company or brand                                   on Twitter.
         & Followers as:                                                          on Facebook.




                           % who are                                              % who are                                              % who are
                           SUBSCRIBERS                                            fans                                                   followers


       Marketers              98%                                                     86%                                                    61%




        Consumers             93%                                                     58%                                                    12%


                           Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older




4   © 2013 ExactTarget
The View From Earth
   Today’s    Interactive marketing isn’t for everyone. Today’s marketers are like modern

marketers     space explorers whose story echoes explorers of the past: traveling great
              distances into the unknown, establishing frontier settlements, and returning

  boldly go   home to share news of their discoveries. Today’s marketers boldly go where
              few consumers have gone before, setting up new accounts on uncharted

where few     networks, establishing a meaningful brand presence there, and then trying
              to develop a flourishing digital civilization. Marketers push right to the edge

consumers     and come back, telling tales of what might be possible in the future on these
              other mobile and social “worlds.” Indeed, they can get so accustomed to

 have gone    life in these new environments, that they can lose touch with what life on
              Earth—the life of average consumers—is really like.

  before…     Over the past three years of presenting our research to marketing audiences,
              we’ve consistently heard marketers express astonishment at how the habits
              of consumers differ from their personal habits. With our new research
              findings, we’ve discovered instances where “The Golden Rule” is ignored:
              Do marketers treat others as they’d like to be treated? Well, yes and no. Our
              findings indicate that consumers do not feel the same pressure as marketers
              to stay current with the latest digital trends. As such, marketers tend to be
              more digitally permissive than the average consumer.

              The challenge facing marketers is twofold: first, they must acknowledge the
              differences between their own online habits and those of the consumers
              they seek to reach. To put it another way, marketers must avoid being a
              focus group of one. At the same time, however, marketers need to continue
              taking risks and exploring new digital frontiers. Only with such exploration
              can brands fully understand whether the “next big thing” will be meaningful
              and embraced by their target consumers.

              In the end, both marketers and consumers have finite time and energy, so
              they want to know that their investments will produce meaningful results.
              Even small adjustments based on these simple observations can lead to
              significant improvements in cross-channel marketing strategies.




                                                                        © 2013 ExactTarget   5
Smartphones:
The Marketer’s Trusty Compass
While marketers would never consider setting off without             differences are striking—consumers with smartphones                              90% of
their trusty smartphone in tow, it’s important to remember           email more, use apps more, share more, check in more,
that 49% of consumers still do not own a smartphone.                 review more, visit deal sites and redeem mobile coupons                          marketers own
This crucial fact can have a big impact on how, where, and           more, and generally purchase more online than consumers
when marketers attempt to engage consumers.                          who don’t own smartphones. Smartphone ownership                                  smartphones,
                                                                     doesn’t necessarily cause consumers to use specific
When it comes to online behaviors and preferences,                   channels more, but it does make it easier and more likely                        while only 51%
consumers with smartphones behave a lot more like                    that they will.
marketers than consumers without smartphones do. The                                                                                                  of consumers do.


                                     % who are                                            % who are                                             % who are
                                     SUBSCRIBERS                                          fans                                                  followers

    Marketers
                                           98%                                                   86%                                                   61%



 Consumers
     with a                               96%                                                   66%                                                   17%
smartphone




 Consumers
  without a                               90%                                                   51%                                                   6%
smartphone

                                     Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Consumers with a Smartphone = 675, Consumers without a Smartphone =526, Marketers = 411
                                     US Online Population, age 18 and older

6    © 2013 ExactTarget
Marketers must keep in mind that they do just about everything online more than the
average consumer, and they must be careful not to apply their professional behaviors
to consumers as a whole. With the abundance of other channels and devices available
to access content, it may be tempting to rush marketing efforts into the latest mobile
technology and tools.

The fundamental question is: what percentage of your audience uses smartphones? For
many brands, that percentage will be high—and it’s only increasing. For such brands,
mobile apps and websites hold tremendous appeal. For some brands, however, their target
consumers will continue to maintain a mix of smartphone and feature phone ownership
that will require more creative use of text messaging to capture mobile consumer interest.

Yes, smartphone ownership will continue to grow. But the hyper-adoption of mobile
channels by marketers is unlikely to be matched by consumers anytime soon. In the near
term, therefore, marketers should not let their own biases blind them to the importance
of reaching out to the 49% of consumers who don’t own smartphones. Longer term,
marketers will continually need to evaluate whether their investment priorities are rooted
in these personal, mobile biases or mobile consumer preferences. One way to avoid being
a focus group of one would be to survey and conduct focus groups with target audiences
to determine customers’ actual device and channel preferences.




                                   Marketers should not
                                    let their own biases
                                       blind them to the
                                 importance of reaching
                                       out to the 49% of
                                   consumers who don’t
                                     own smartphones.


                                                                      © 2013 ExactTarget   7
Interacting & Purchasing on a Smartphone
When it comes to interacting with brands online and making purchases, a side-by-side comparison shows that marketers
and consumers with smartphones tend to have very different priorities:


Which of the following do you use MOST often to                                                          Have you ever made a purchase as the direct result of
connect with brands/companies you trust?                                                                 a marketing message you received through the
                                                                                                         following channels?

                Marketers                  Consumers with             Consumers without                                      Marketers                  Consumers with              Consumers without
                                           a smartphone               a smartphone                                                                      a smartphone                a smartphone

                          45%                        36%                         49%                                                   93%                         56%                        42%
Email                                                                                                    Email

                          21%                        31%                         26%                                                    41%                        31%                        12%
Facebook                                                                                                 Facebook

                          15%                         4%                          2%                                                    25%                        17%                         2%
Twitter                                                                                                  Twitter

                           9%                         8%                          0%                                                    74%                        44%                        24%
Smartphone
App                                                                                                      Deal Site

                           0%                         7%                          3%                                                    81%                        51%                        44%
Text                                                                                                     Direct Mail

                Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Consumers with a Smartphone = 675, Consumers without a Smartphone =526, Marketers = 411 US Online Population, age 18 and older




8   © 2013 ExactTarget
Marketers & Consumers:
A World of Channel Differences
Email     is a well-established online civilization where consumers and marketers
have a stable relationship, valuing quality over quantity. Based on the differences
between marketer and consumer email usage, there are several opportunities for
streamlining and improving marketing email messaging and timing.

Considering that many more consumers than marketers check their email in the
evening, marketers might strategically schedule certain messages for after sunset.
Both consumers and marketers appreciate a good deal in their inboxes, but marketers
are more likely than consumers to make a purchase. How would that affect future
offers and messaging? And consumers without smartphones favor email significantly
more than other channels for connecting with brands. Marketers should make sure to
meet this receptive audience with what they want to receive.




                                       Marketers and Consumers are                                                                          But Marketers and Consumers
                                       Similar in…                                                                                          Differ in…
                                       Their digital mornings: both                                                                         Their digital evenings: marketers (34%) are less
     76%                               marketers (76%) and consumers (69%)                                34%                               likely than consumers (46%) to check their email at
                       69%                                                                                                   46%
                                       favor email as their first online “check”                                                            the end of the day.
                                       of the day.

                                       Appreciating a good deal: 74% of                                                                     Their purchasing rates: 93% of marketers have
                                       marketers and 73% of consumers                                                                       made a purchase from a company as a result of
     74%               73%             subscribe to receive coupons and                                   93%                49%            receiving an email, as opposed to only 49%
                                       discount codes in their inboxes.                                                                     of consumers.


                                       Subscribing: 67% of marketers and
                                       59% of consumers report being more
     67%               59%             selective about giving companies their
                                       email addresses over the course of the
                                       past year.
Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older

                                                                                                                                                                               © 2013 ExactTarget   9
Facebook is a well-inhabited interactive settlement, but the rules and
cultures are still developing. It’s a channel to experiment with, deliver playful
and entertaining messages, and try out new strategies. Consumers spend
a great deal of time on Facebook for socializing, so marketers should
make sure messages match that tone. Because marketers overwhelmingly
prefer Facebook for sharing with friends and family, they may overinflate
consumers’ usage of Facebook for that purpose. Because Facebook was
rated low (relative to other channels) for finding deals, it is an area marketers
should continue to explore—but do so with caution. Here’s why:




                            Marketers and Consumers are                                                                       But Marketers and Consumers
                            Similar in…                                                                                       Differ in…
                            Socializing: of active Facebook users, 81%                                                      How they share: when asked how they typically
  81%             66%       of marketers and 66% of consumers use                        59%                 34%            share things they like with friends and family, 59%
                            Facebook first and foremost to stay on top of                                                   of marketers (but only 34% of consumers)
                            their social lives.                                                                             prefer Facebook.

                            Connecting with brands: both marketers                                                          What age children should be when they
  21%             28%       (21%) and consumers (28%) say they prefer                     26%                16%            create a Facebook profile1: 26% of marketers
                            to interact with brands through Facebook,                                                       believe that 13-year olds should be allowed to
                            making it the second most common place                                                          have a Facebook account compared to only 16%
                            both marketers and consumers look to                                                            of consumers.
                            connect with brands online.

                            Looking for a deal: both marketers (7%)                                                         Their purchasing rates: 41% of marketers
                            and consumers (12%) report turning to                                                           (but only 21% of consumers) report making a
     7%           12%                                                                     41%                21%
                            Facebook as the first place to look for getting                                                 purchase as a result of receiving a message on
                            information on ongoing deals.                                                                   Facebook.

                                                                                1
                                                                                    Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities restricts usage to people aged 13 and older.
                                                                                Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US
10   © 2013 ExactTarget                                                         Online Population, age 18 and older
Twitter is a much newer online settlement with much of its identity still
                                                                                    in flux. Its developing stages are the perfect time for experimentation, and its
                                                                                    fast pace means marketers can see results—both positive and negative—very
                                                                                    quickly. While more and more people continue to adopt Twitter, using it is still
                                                                                    far from mainstream. Many marketers may lose sight of the fact that they’re five
                                                                                    times more likely (61%) to be followers than consumers (12%). And while there
                                                                                    may not be as many Twitter users as other channels, many of the followers on
                                                                                    Twitter are—or strive to be—influencers who wield power over popular opinions,
                                                                                    producing online content outside of Twitter in the form of blogs and online ratings.

                                                                                    Consumers and marketers turn to Twitter as a source of current events and
                                                                                    late-breaking information, to pass the time, and to be entertained—so marketers
                                                                                    should keep this in mind when crafting messaging for Twitter. It’s important to
                                                                                    remember that marketers use Twitter much more than the average consumer,
                                                                                    so it’s not so much about “how many” as it is about “the who” when marketing
                                                                                    on Twitter.




                                 Marketers and Consumers are                                                       But Marketers and Consumers
                                 Similar in…                                                                       Differ in…
                                 Their digital mornings: both marketers (5%)                                      Their digital evenings: Of active Twitter users,
     5%               1%         and consumers (1%) rated Twitter low on their          11%            7%         marketers (11%) were more likely than consumers
                                 list of digital morning checks.                                                  (7%) to check Twitter as their last digital check of
                                                                                                                  the day.

                                 Motivations to follow: Of active Twitter                                         Purchasing rates: 25% of marketers (but only
   58%                           followers, 58% of marketers and 46% of                                           9% of consumers) reported making a purchase
                     46%                                                                25%            9%
                                 consumers rate receiving advanced notice or                                      as a result of a message on Twitter.
                                 alerts about new products or future releases as
                                 a reason they follow brands online.

                                 Boredom: 56% of marketers and 55% of                                             Connecting with brands online: 15% of
                                 consumers who actively use Twitter say they                                      marketers (but only 3% of consumers) rated
   56%               55%                                                                15%            3%
                                 use it when they are bored.                                                      Twitter as the channel they use most for
                                                                                                                  connecting with brands online.

Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411,
Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older


                                                                                                                                                   © 2013 ExactTarget   11
“Out of This World” Growth
Since our first SFF report was published in 2010,                   The                                     Privacy and the Internet

                                                                    Explorers’
                                                                                                            The majority of marketers and
there has been a steady increase in consumer
                                                                                                            consumers are generally positive
usage of email, Facebook, and Twitter. The

                                                                    Paradox
                                                                                                            about the way the internet is
steady usage rate of email proves that it’s most
                                                                                                            evolving to benefit consumers.
certainly alive, well, and thriving—even as other
                                                                                                            When it comes to issues of online
channels continue to expand. At the same
                                                                    Today’s interactive marketers are       privacy, over three quarters of both
time, the significant increase in adoption by
                                                                    the explorers of the online frontier.   marketers and consumers agree
consumers of Facebook moves it squarely into
                                                                    They come from a long line of           that it’s a big concern.
the mainstream as a reliable channel. And the
                                                                    brave voyagers who discovered
steady increase in adoption of Twitter proves
                                                                    unfamiliar lands and returned with      However,       research    suggests
it’s most definitely here to stay. As a result, we
                                                                    the news to the old world. These        that the root causes for privacy
have seen a similar increase in the number of
                                                                    explorers achieved fantastic feats      concerns differ between marketers
subscribers, fans, and followers.
                                                                    that changed civilization forever.      and      consumers.      Marketers’
     Online Consumer SFF Growth Since 2010                                                                  concerns tend to stem from their
                                                                    Similarly, digital media is changing    knowledge about the amount
                                                                    media. Like the early explorers         of data that’s available online.
                  93%                         93%
                                                                    Ferdinand Magellan or Juan Ponce        Consumers’ fears tend to originate
                                                                    de León, early marketers founded        from a lack of knowledge about
                                              58%                   what are now the well-traveled          how their data is being used—that
                                                                    online channels of search, email,       disclosing information may leave
                  38%                                               and websites. Now, as Facebook          them vulnerable to threats of both
                                                                    and Twitter become increasingly         their identity and personal safety.
                                                                    familiar, some marketers are
                                              12%                   pushing forward even further—           Because marketers rely on the
                  5%                                                signing up social media platforms       internet for work, they tend to be less
                                                                    as they emerge, pushing further         concerned with gross exploitations
                                                                    into mobile, testing the waters of      of consumer information and more
                                                                    augmented reality, and attempting       with the storage and safe handling
Email is now the established civilization—trusted                   to bring these worlds together          of sensitive consumer data. Overall,
and stable. Facebook is a thriving settlement                       through the integration of data         marketers feel that data collection
whose population and quality of life will continue                  across platforms.                       is contributing to companies doing
to improve. And Twitter continues to grow and                                                               a better job of communicating with
develop on the edge of the interactive frontier.                    While there are riches to be had,       their customers. Consumers aren’t
Still, marketers will push on toward the newer                      exploration has always come with        nearly as optimistic that providing
channels that will bring even greater potential for                 risk. Just as Odysseus had to           personal information has resulted in
connecting with consumers online.                                   guard himself against the Sirens’       more personal and relevant online
Source: ExactTarget ® 2010 Digital Morning, March 2010 - N • 1506   call, modern day marketers must         experiences.
US Online Population, age 15 and older
Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012      remain vigilant against things that
• Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201US Online Population, age 18     can easily lead them astray.
and older


12    © 2013 ExactTarget
So How Can you Meet Consumers’ Needs for Privacy?
It’s all about permission. If you plan to ask for any information beyond      Daily Usage
name, email, and zip code, explain why. For example, if you’re going to
ask for their birthday, tell them it’s to send them a birthday coupon. Give
consumers the chance to opt out of supplying detailed information about                      Marketers                       Consumers                          Consumers
themselves so they never feel trapped.                                                                                           with a                          without a
                                                                                                                            smartphone                         smartphone
Additionally, while single sign-on products such as Facebook logins
may provide more customized user experiences, over-reliance on such
tactics may lead consumers to feel their privacy is being invaded or that                                                                                                 99%
they are somehow being tricked into giving you access to unnecessary                 Email                                                                        85%
information. Instead of side-stepping privacy issues, take them head-on—                                                                                             89%
clearly articulate the benefits consumers can expect in exchange for their
personal information, and you’ll continue to build trust-based consumer                                                                                       84%
relationships with your brand.                                                         Text                                                            74%
                                                                                                                           38%
Do You Know Where Your Customers Are?
When it comes to daily channel usage, some interesting trends and                                                                                         78%
differences emerge between marketers and consumers. In many ways,                Facebook                                                        66%
usage rates follow similar trends of prior reports, with email, text,                                                               50%
Facebook, and Twitter rounding out the top four.

                                                                                                                                   48%
What’s interesting to note is the higher rates of consumer usage in
emerging channels such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Foursquare.
                                                                                   Twitter                            31%
While marketers use nearly every digital platform more frequently than                                10%
their consumers, these platforms show different usage patterns. If
consumers are there, should marketers be there too? Perhaps marketers                                      17%
underestimate the power of these channels where consumers have                   Pinterest                       25%
been exploring and setting up new online settlements. If audiences are                                8%
beginning to congregate and interact in these newer channels, it’s worth
examining whether your brand should invest more effort integrating them                                    16%
into a cross-channel marketing strategy.                                       Instagram                      22%
                                                                                                    4%
Look at how your audiences are using channels, examine what kinds
of content they’re posting and sharing, and then do as they do. Adjust
                                                                                                      11%
accordingly—always with an eye toward prioritizing your efforts on
the newly-settled regions of the online frontier that produce results for     Foursquare                     20%
your brand.                                                                                         4%

                                                                              Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Consumers with a Smartphone = 675,
                                                                              Consumers without a Smartphone =526, Marketers = 411 US Online Population, age 18 and older

                                                                                                                                                       © 2013 ExactTarget     13
Back on Earth:                                                          When it comes to
Where to Invest                                                         investing a brand’s
Marketing Resources                                                     marketing time and
In this fragmented and disparate cross-channel marketplace, it’s        resources, newer isn’t
important for marketing explorers to both bring back news from the
farthest reaches of online space and to remember what civilized life    always better.
back on Earth looks like. When marketers are considering all options
for their cross-channel marketing strategies, they should not only be
thinking ahead, but also maintaining a connection to how today’s
consumers are behaving and reacting online.

We all know that marketers have pretty strong opinions about
where their time and resources should be invested, but it turns out
that consumers do too. The only problem is the two groups don’t
always agree. Because marketers tend to be on the bleeding edge of
adoption and innovation online, they often place a higher emphasis
on emerging channels than consumers. When it comes to investing
a brand’s marketing time and resources, newer isn’t always better.




14   © 2013 ExactTarget
Where to Invest Your Marketing Time and Resources
When asked where their favorite companies should invest more of their marketing time and resources
to improve customer loyalty, consumers and marketers had differing opinions.


      33%
                                                                                                                     Marketers                             Consumers


26%
             25%
                            24% 24%
                                                     23%         23%
                                                                                                22%
                                                                                   21%




                     14%
                                                                                                          12%                             12%


                                                                                                                        8%           8%
                                                                       7%                                                    7%
                                                           6%
                                                                                                                5%                                  5% 5%
                                                                                                                                                                 4%                 4%
                                                                                                                                                                               3%
                                                                                                                                                                       1%



   Em             Co             W                    Co            Sm                    Fa               Tw             Te          In               Ca           Fo            Go
     ail            nt            eb                    nt            ar                     ceb              itt            x   t       -   St           ll C        ur             og
                      en             s   ite              en                tp                   o               er                            or             en         sq            le+
                        ta                                  ta                ho                     ok                                          eH             ter         ua
                             bo                                  bo             ne                                                                 elp                         re
                               ut                                  ut              A
                                  P   ro                              R   ela              pp
                                         du                                  ted
                                            c   ts                                 To
                                                                                      p   ics


Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older

                                                                                                                                                                  © 2013 ExactTarget   15
Making Human Contact
         Similar to marketers, consumers do value investments in website,
         Facebook, and call centers, but they differ greatly in how they
         value smartphone apps (23% marketers vs. 7% consumers) and
         (12% marketers vs. 5% consumers) as ways to make them more
         loyal customers.

         Consumers, more so than marketers, emphasize the need for
         companies to invest their resources in interpersonal channels
         such as in-store help (12% consumers vs. 8% marketers) and
         email (33% consumers vs. 26% marketers).

         When it comes to investing marketing resources, consider that
         marketers may be lured by a strong sense of obligation to “be
         there first,” believing that being on the cutting edge of technology
         and strategy is critical for brands’ success. This is not always the
         case. In the minds of consumers, investment in customer service
         would appear to be the highest priority.

         At the end of the day, the message is clear: stay focused on
         the basics—email, website, Facebook, and strong face-to-face
         customer experiences—and use newer channels to augment
         what you’re already doing well.


         26% of marketers and 33% of consumers
         think brands should invest more marketing time and                     $       $
                                                                                    $
         resources in email.

         21% of marketers and 22% of consumers
         think companies should invest more marketing time
         and resources in Facebook.

         12% of marketers and 5% of consumers
         think that companies should invest more marketing
         time and resources into Twitter.

16   © 2013 ExactTarget
Staying Grounded
Decades ago, marketers were not explorers. They dealt only in the well-settled lands of television, radio, and print.
Their form of social media was a three-martini lunch.

Today, however, every marketer must have a streak of restlessness and willingness to embrace the new. The challenge
is how to balance new technologies with those that consumers use. Indeed, the best marketers will be those who
can keep one eye on the future while meeting the needs of today’s audiences, seizing the opportunities of today’s
devices, and navigating the evolving rules of today’s channels.




                                                                                                 © 2013 ExactTarget   17
So how do intrepid Marketers From Mars remember to stay connected to their consumers back on Earth? Here are some concrete
suggestions for navigating and improving cross-channel marketing performance for email, Facebook, and Twitter.


	How Do You Improve Email Marketing Performance?                           Email, in combination with a strong website and customer experience, forms
                                                                           a stable foundation for interactive marketing. Remember that your audience
“Make your site stand out from others on the net. Offer a site             is made up of both smartphone owners and non-smartphone owners, so
that is simple to navigate. Offer a 24-hour customer helpline              make sure your strategy accommodates both segments. Rather than relying
service and also reply to all emails received within the hour. Don’t       on single sign-on products to gather opt-ins, build your own consumer
inundate your users with emails—one per week will do. Make                 database by gaining consumers’ permission through your website. Email’s
                                                                           ability to deliver targeted and exclusive content continues to make it a sound
your subject line eye-catching so the user will open and not delete.       investment of your brand’s marketing energy to reach your audiences where
Have promotional offers going because it entices people’s interest.”       they anticipate hearing from you.
–Claudia R.


	How Do You Improve Facebook Performance?                                  Facebook is an excellent way to reach large potential audiences and enrich
                                                                           your already solid marketing foundation built on email, website, and customer
“Update regularly once or twice a day. Include plenty of pictures          service experiences. Facebook is first and foremost a source of connection,
and videos in posts. Make design interesting and easy to follow.           self-expression, and entertainment for consumers. Consumers expect
Involve fans with questions, competitions, and prizes. Ask fans            you to lead conversations that are consistent with the overall Facebook
for feedback of services. Respond to comments. Offer updates in            environment by delivering a blend of content that is fun and informative,
                                                                           while staying true to your brand’s value proposition.
a number of languages for a wider audience around the world.”
–David M., Melissa H., Natasha R.


	How Do You Improve Twitter Performance?                                   Investing in Twitter just to increase your follower numbers will not necessarily
                                                                           yield desired results. On Twitter, it’s not necessarily how many, but more
“[Include] discounts, free privilege cards, and a few more incentives      importantly who, you’re interacting with. Should you decide to cultivate a
along the way. Don’t send us spam every day, as I will ‘unfollow’ them.”   loyal following on Twitter, make sure you continue to devote the majority
 –Darren R.                                                                of your resources to a strong foundation of email, website, and customer
                                                                           experience. Word travels fast online, so be sure to use newer social channels
                                                                           as enhancements for what you’re already doing well offline.




18   © 2013 ExactTarget
What New Frontiers Await?
Exploration is not always about acquiring something physical, nor   or optimizing an existing online civilization, it’s never too late to
do you always discover what you set out looking for in the first    recalibrate your efforts. We are not only marketers, but explorers
place. In fact, Magellan completed the first circumnavigation of    and brand builders too.
Earth, and Ponce de Leon discovered the coast of Florida while
searching for the Fountain of Youth.                                Our constant challenge will be to assess what potential the next
                                                                    brave new world of technology holds for our consumers and
Remember: whether you’re creating a strategy based on the           whether it allows us to communicate with and serve them better.
bleeding edge of innovation, building a new online settlement,




                                                                                                                                       © 2013 ExactTarget   19
20   © 2013 ExactTarget

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Exact target sff20-marketers-from-mars

  • 2. Dear Marketer, As an explorer, you also cannot stand to be left behind. You were probably one of the first among your friends to have a smartphone. You were also You’re different. As a marketer working on today’s digital, probably the first to tweet, check in, pin, and Instagram. You’re the only friend who pays as much attention to the advertising on Facebook as you do fragmented, and cross-channel frontier, you take risks. to the status updates. In marketing circles, this is normal. At family reunions, You live on the bleeding edge of technology. You brave the not so much. wilds of new social networks and mobile apps before you For the past three years, our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research even know what they plan to do with your data. In short, series has taken an in-depth look at consumer preferences as they relate to you are not the average consumer. You are an explorer of email, mobile, and social channels. This time, however, we decided to turn brave, new worlds. the tables—to look in the mirror at our marketing peers. Are there channels that marketers use disproportionately more or less than consumers? Are we more permissive with technology in our own homes? Are we less concerned about the privacy implications of marketing today? Have all our years as early adopters—internet explorers, if you will—impeded our ability to relate to regular people? In Marketers From Mars, the 20th report in our ongoing SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS, we tackle these questions—and more—thanks to the results of our first-ever, side-by-side study of marketers and consumers. The pages that follow provide a unique opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a marketer today, as well as why it’s critical that marketers avoid focus groups of one. Please feel free to share this report with colleagues. And, as always, we welcome your feedback at research@exacttarget.com. Sincerely, Jeffrey K. Rohrs METHODOLOGY: Marketers From Mars serves as the first SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research conducted concurrently about consumers and marketers, paralleling the process, methodology, and aim of prior reports. The “Personal Internet and Mobile Usage Survey” was launched in September 2012 to benchmark online behaviors in consumers and marketers. A total of 1,201 consumers and 411 marketers responded to this survey. Consumer responses were weighted by age and gender according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Pew Internet Project’s online activity data to reflect the online US consumer population. Marketer responses were not weighted. Of the 411 marketers, 62 respondents were recruited from Twitter via industry leaders, and 349 respondents were recruited from marketing-specific email lists. 2 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 3. Introduction At this very moment, some 60 million miles from Earth, venture into these new worlds of social networks, NASA’s robotic rover, Curiosity, is picking, poking, and smartphones, tablets, and apps to understand, analyzing a small patch of soil on the planet Mars. analyze, and tap the potential they each hold for our Its mission is one of pure discovery, and its every brands. In the process, however, we marketers have transmission back home holds the potential to forever evolved. Our view of what’s “normal” behavior has change the way we view the Red Planet and, perhaps, been shaped by our emersion into digital, mobile, and the very nature of life itself. Curiosity is the ultimate social worlds. explorer—focused, fearless, and relentless in its pursuit In Marketers From Mars, we hope to help our fellow of knowledge. Curiosity is also now a permanent citizen marketers understand how our exploration of new of Mars, and it will never view the Earth the same way technologies and channels has made us different from again. the consumers we seek to serve. In so doing, we hope Curiosity’s story is the story of all explorers. They (or to provide you with the means to avoid personal device their team back at NASA) gaze out upon the endless and channel biases in your planning efforts. sea, the untamed wilderness, and the starry night wondering what’s out there. Unlike everyone else, however, explorers take steps—and unimaginable In Marketers From Mars, you’ll discover: risks—to map and understand the great unknown. • The differences between marketer and They emerge from the experience forever changed, consumer channel usage (email, Facebook, and quite often, they become the first settlers of a and Twitter). brave, new world. Modern marketing is full of such explorers. In fact, it • The differences between marketer and wouldn’t be beyond the realm of reason to dub the consumer smartphone usage, digital past two decades as “The Golden Age of Marketing purchase behaviors, and marketing priorities. Exploration.” In that span, we’ve gone from a well- settled world of television, radio, and print to one • How marketers can avoid personal bias to connected by the internet, untethered by mobile better communicate with consumers. devices, and empowered by social media. Marketers © 2013 ExactTarget 3
  • 4. For the purposes of Subscribers Fans Followers this report we have Online US consumers who receive Online US consumers with an Online US consumers with an defined the terms of at least one permission-based active Facebook account who have active Twitter profile who “follow” email per day on average. become a fan (i.e., “liked”) at least at least one company or brand Subscribers, Fans, one company or brand on Twitter. & Followers as: on Facebook. % who are % who are % who are SUBSCRIBERS fans followers Marketers 98% 86% 61% Consumers 93% 58% 12% Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older 4 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 5. The View From Earth Today’s Interactive marketing isn’t for everyone. Today’s marketers are like modern marketers space explorers whose story echoes explorers of the past: traveling great distances into the unknown, establishing frontier settlements, and returning boldly go home to share news of their discoveries. Today’s marketers boldly go where few consumers have gone before, setting up new accounts on uncharted where few networks, establishing a meaningful brand presence there, and then trying to develop a flourishing digital civilization. Marketers push right to the edge consumers and come back, telling tales of what might be possible in the future on these other mobile and social “worlds.” Indeed, they can get so accustomed to have gone life in these new environments, that they can lose touch with what life on Earth—the life of average consumers—is really like. before… Over the past three years of presenting our research to marketing audiences, we’ve consistently heard marketers express astonishment at how the habits of consumers differ from their personal habits. With our new research findings, we’ve discovered instances where “The Golden Rule” is ignored: Do marketers treat others as they’d like to be treated? Well, yes and no. Our findings indicate that consumers do not feel the same pressure as marketers to stay current with the latest digital trends. As such, marketers tend to be more digitally permissive than the average consumer. The challenge facing marketers is twofold: first, they must acknowledge the differences between their own online habits and those of the consumers they seek to reach. To put it another way, marketers must avoid being a focus group of one. At the same time, however, marketers need to continue taking risks and exploring new digital frontiers. Only with such exploration can brands fully understand whether the “next big thing” will be meaningful and embraced by their target consumers. In the end, both marketers and consumers have finite time and energy, so they want to know that their investments will produce meaningful results. Even small adjustments based on these simple observations can lead to significant improvements in cross-channel marketing strategies. © 2013 ExactTarget 5
  • 6. Smartphones: The Marketer’s Trusty Compass While marketers would never consider setting off without differences are striking—consumers with smartphones 90% of their trusty smartphone in tow, it’s important to remember email more, use apps more, share more, check in more, that 49% of consumers still do not own a smartphone. review more, visit deal sites and redeem mobile coupons marketers own This crucial fact can have a big impact on how, where, and more, and generally purchase more online than consumers when marketers attempt to engage consumers. who don’t own smartphones. Smartphone ownership smartphones, doesn’t necessarily cause consumers to use specific When it comes to online behaviors and preferences, channels more, but it does make it easier and more likely while only 51% consumers with smartphones behave a lot more like that they will. marketers than consumers without smartphones do. The of consumers do. % who are % who are % who are SUBSCRIBERS fans followers Marketers 98% 86% 61% Consumers with a 96% 66% 17% smartphone Consumers without a 90% 51% 6% smartphone Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Consumers with a Smartphone = 675, Consumers without a Smartphone =526, Marketers = 411 US Online Population, age 18 and older 6 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 7. Marketers must keep in mind that they do just about everything online more than the average consumer, and they must be careful not to apply their professional behaviors to consumers as a whole. With the abundance of other channels and devices available to access content, it may be tempting to rush marketing efforts into the latest mobile technology and tools. The fundamental question is: what percentage of your audience uses smartphones? For many brands, that percentage will be high—and it’s only increasing. For such brands, mobile apps and websites hold tremendous appeal. For some brands, however, their target consumers will continue to maintain a mix of smartphone and feature phone ownership that will require more creative use of text messaging to capture mobile consumer interest. Yes, smartphone ownership will continue to grow. But the hyper-adoption of mobile channels by marketers is unlikely to be matched by consumers anytime soon. In the near term, therefore, marketers should not let their own biases blind them to the importance of reaching out to the 49% of consumers who don’t own smartphones. Longer term, marketers will continually need to evaluate whether their investment priorities are rooted in these personal, mobile biases or mobile consumer preferences. One way to avoid being a focus group of one would be to survey and conduct focus groups with target audiences to determine customers’ actual device and channel preferences. Marketers should not let their own biases blind them to the importance of reaching out to the 49% of consumers who don’t own smartphones. © 2013 ExactTarget 7
  • 8. Interacting & Purchasing on a Smartphone When it comes to interacting with brands online and making purchases, a side-by-side comparison shows that marketers and consumers with smartphones tend to have very different priorities: Which of the following do you use MOST often to Have you ever made a purchase as the direct result of connect with brands/companies you trust? a marketing message you received through the following channels? Marketers Consumers with Consumers without Marketers Consumers with Consumers without a smartphone a smartphone a smartphone a smartphone 45% 36% 49% 93% 56% 42% Email Email 21% 31% 26% 41% 31% 12% Facebook Facebook 15% 4% 2% 25% 17% 2% Twitter Twitter 9% 8% 0% 74% 44% 24% Smartphone App Deal Site 0% 7% 3% 81% 51% 44% Text Direct Mail Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Consumers with a Smartphone = 675, Consumers without a Smartphone =526, Marketers = 411 US Online Population, age 18 and older 8 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 9. Marketers & Consumers: A World of Channel Differences Email is a well-established online civilization where consumers and marketers have a stable relationship, valuing quality over quantity. Based on the differences between marketer and consumer email usage, there are several opportunities for streamlining and improving marketing email messaging and timing. Considering that many more consumers than marketers check their email in the evening, marketers might strategically schedule certain messages for after sunset. Both consumers and marketers appreciate a good deal in their inboxes, but marketers are more likely than consumers to make a purchase. How would that affect future offers and messaging? And consumers without smartphones favor email significantly more than other channels for connecting with brands. Marketers should make sure to meet this receptive audience with what they want to receive. Marketers and Consumers are But Marketers and Consumers Similar in… Differ in… Their digital mornings: both Their digital evenings: marketers (34%) are less 76% marketers (76%) and consumers (69%) 34% likely than consumers (46%) to check their email at 69% 46% favor email as their first online “check” the end of the day. of the day. Appreciating a good deal: 74% of Their purchasing rates: 93% of marketers have marketers and 73% of consumers made a purchase from a company as a result of 74% 73% subscribe to receive coupons and 93% 49% receiving an email, as opposed to only 49% discount codes in their inboxes. of consumers. Subscribing: 67% of marketers and 59% of consumers report being more 67% 59% selective about giving companies their email addresses over the course of the past year. Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older © 2013 ExactTarget 9
  • 10. Facebook is a well-inhabited interactive settlement, but the rules and cultures are still developing. It’s a channel to experiment with, deliver playful and entertaining messages, and try out new strategies. Consumers spend a great deal of time on Facebook for socializing, so marketers should make sure messages match that tone. Because marketers overwhelmingly prefer Facebook for sharing with friends and family, they may overinflate consumers’ usage of Facebook for that purpose. Because Facebook was rated low (relative to other channels) for finding deals, it is an area marketers should continue to explore—but do so with caution. Here’s why: Marketers and Consumers are But Marketers and Consumers Similar in… Differ in… Socializing: of active Facebook users, 81% How they share: when asked how they typically 81% 66% of marketers and 66% of consumers use 59% 34% share things they like with friends and family, 59% Facebook first and foremost to stay on top of of marketers (but only 34% of consumers) their social lives. prefer Facebook. Connecting with brands: both marketers What age children should be when they 21% 28% (21%) and consumers (28%) say they prefer 26% 16% create a Facebook profile1: 26% of marketers to interact with brands through Facebook, believe that 13-year olds should be allowed to making it the second most common place have a Facebook account compared to only 16% both marketers and consumers look to of consumers. connect with brands online. Looking for a deal: both marketers (7%) Their purchasing rates: 41% of marketers and consumers (12%) report turning to (but only 21% of consumers) report making a 7% 12% 41% 21% Facebook as the first place to look for getting purchase as a result of receiving a message on information on ongoing deals. Facebook. 1 Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities restricts usage to people aged 13 and older. Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US 10 © 2013 ExactTarget Online Population, age 18 and older
  • 11. Twitter is a much newer online settlement with much of its identity still in flux. Its developing stages are the perfect time for experimentation, and its fast pace means marketers can see results—both positive and negative—very quickly. While more and more people continue to adopt Twitter, using it is still far from mainstream. Many marketers may lose sight of the fact that they’re five times more likely (61%) to be followers than consumers (12%). And while there may not be as many Twitter users as other channels, many of the followers on Twitter are—or strive to be—influencers who wield power over popular opinions, producing online content outside of Twitter in the form of blogs and online ratings. Consumers and marketers turn to Twitter as a source of current events and late-breaking information, to pass the time, and to be entertained—so marketers should keep this in mind when crafting messaging for Twitter. It’s important to remember that marketers use Twitter much more than the average consumer, so it’s not so much about “how many” as it is about “the who” when marketing on Twitter. Marketers and Consumers are But Marketers and Consumers Similar in… Differ in… Their digital mornings: both marketers (5%) Their digital evenings: Of active Twitter users, 5% 1% and consumers (1%) rated Twitter low on their 11% 7% marketers (11%) were more likely than consumers list of digital morning checks. (7%) to check Twitter as their last digital check of the day. Motivations to follow: Of active Twitter Purchasing rates: 25% of marketers (but only 58% followers, 58% of marketers and 46% of 9% of consumers) reported making a purchase 46% 25% 9% consumers rate receiving advanced notice or as a result of a message on Twitter. alerts about new products or future releases as a reason they follow brands online. Boredom: 56% of marketers and 55% of Connecting with brands online: 15% of consumers who actively use Twitter say they marketers (but only 3% of consumers) rated 56% 55% 15% 3% use it when they are bored. Twitter as the channel they use most for connecting with brands online. Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older © 2013 ExactTarget 11
  • 12. “Out of This World” Growth Since our first SFF report was published in 2010, The Privacy and the Internet Explorers’ The majority of marketers and there has been a steady increase in consumer consumers are generally positive usage of email, Facebook, and Twitter. The Paradox about the way the internet is steady usage rate of email proves that it’s most evolving to benefit consumers. certainly alive, well, and thriving—even as other When it comes to issues of online channels continue to expand. At the same Today’s interactive marketers are privacy, over three quarters of both time, the significant increase in adoption by the explorers of the online frontier. marketers and consumers agree consumers of Facebook moves it squarely into They come from a long line of that it’s a big concern. the mainstream as a reliable channel. And the brave voyagers who discovered steady increase in adoption of Twitter proves unfamiliar lands and returned with However, research suggests it’s most definitely here to stay. As a result, we the news to the old world. These that the root causes for privacy have seen a similar increase in the number of explorers achieved fantastic feats concerns differ between marketers subscribers, fans, and followers. that changed civilization forever. and consumers. Marketers’ Online Consumer SFF Growth Since 2010 concerns tend to stem from their Similarly, digital media is changing knowledge about the amount media. Like the early explorers of data that’s available online. 93% 93% Ferdinand Magellan or Juan Ponce Consumers’ fears tend to originate de León, early marketers founded from a lack of knowledge about 58% what are now the well-traveled how their data is being used—that online channels of search, email, disclosing information may leave 38% and websites. Now, as Facebook them vulnerable to threats of both and Twitter become increasingly their identity and personal safety. familiar, some marketers are 12% pushing forward even further— Because marketers rely on the 5% signing up social media platforms internet for work, they tend to be less as they emerge, pushing further concerned with gross exploitations into mobile, testing the waters of of consumer information and more augmented reality, and attempting with the storage and safe handling Email is now the established civilization—trusted to bring these worlds together of sensitive consumer data. Overall, and stable. Facebook is a thriving settlement through the integration of data marketers feel that data collection whose population and quality of life will continue across platforms. is contributing to companies doing to improve. And Twitter continues to grow and a better job of communicating with develop on the edge of the interactive frontier. While there are riches to be had, their customers. Consumers aren’t Still, marketers will push on toward the newer exploration has always come with nearly as optimistic that providing channels that will bring even greater potential for risk. Just as Odysseus had to personal information has resulted in connecting with consumers online. guard himself against the Sirens’ more personal and relevant online Source: ExactTarget ® 2010 Digital Morning, March 2010 - N • 1506 call, modern day marketers must experiences. US Online Population, age 15 and older Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 remain vigilant against things that • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201US Online Population, age 18 can easily lead them astray. and older 12 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 13. So How Can you Meet Consumers’ Needs for Privacy? It’s all about permission. If you plan to ask for any information beyond Daily Usage name, email, and zip code, explain why. For example, if you’re going to ask for their birthday, tell them it’s to send them a birthday coupon. Give consumers the chance to opt out of supplying detailed information about Marketers Consumers Consumers themselves so they never feel trapped. with a without a smartphone smartphone Additionally, while single sign-on products such as Facebook logins may provide more customized user experiences, over-reliance on such tactics may lead consumers to feel their privacy is being invaded or that 99% they are somehow being tricked into giving you access to unnecessary Email 85% information. Instead of side-stepping privacy issues, take them head-on— 89% clearly articulate the benefits consumers can expect in exchange for their personal information, and you’ll continue to build trust-based consumer 84% relationships with your brand. Text 74% 38% Do You Know Where Your Customers Are? When it comes to daily channel usage, some interesting trends and 78% differences emerge between marketers and consumers. In many ways, Facebook 66% usage rates follow similar trends of prior reports, with email, text, 50% Facebook, and Twitter rounding out the top four. 48% What’s interesting to note is the higher rates of consumer usage in emerging channels such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Foursquare. Twitter 31% While marketers use nearly every digital platform more frequently than 10% their consumers, these platforms show different usage patterns. If consumers are there, should marketers be there too? Perhaps marketers 17% underestimate the power of these channels where consumers have Pinterest 25% been exploring and setting up new online settlements. If audiences are 8% beginning to congregate and interact in these newer channels, it’s worth examining whether your brand should invest more effort integrating them 16% into a cross-channel marketing strategy. Instagram 22% 4% Look at how your audiences are using channels, examine what kinds of content they’re posting and sharing, and then do as they do. Adjust 11% accordingly—always with an eye toward prioritizing your efforts on the newly-settled regions of the online frontier that produce results for Foursquare 20% your brand. 4% Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Consumers with a Smartphone = 675, Consumers without a Smartphone =526, Marketers = 411 US Online Population, age 18 and older © 2013 ExactTarget 13
  • 14. Back on Earth: When it comes to Where to Invest investing a brand’s Marketing Resources marketing time and In this fragmented and disparate cross-channel marketplace, it’s resources, newer isn’t important for marketing explorers to both bring back news from the farthest reaches of online space and to remember what civilized life always better. back on Earth looks like. When marketers are considering all options for their cross-channel marketing strategies, they should not only be thinking ahead, but also maintaining a connection to how today’s consumers are behaving and reacting online. We all know that marketers have pretty strong opinions about where their time and resources should be invested, but it turns out that consumers do too. The only problem is the two groups don’t always agree. Because marketers tend to be on the bleeding edge of adoption and innovation online, they often place a higher emphasis on emerging channels than consumers. When it comes to investing a brand’s marketing time and resources, newer isn’t always better. 14 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 15. Where to Invest Your Marketing Time and Resources When asked where their favorite companies should invest more of their marketing time and resources to improve customer loyalty, consumers and marketers had differing opinions. 33% Marketers Consumers 26% 25% 24% 24% 23% 23% 22% 21% 14% 12% 12% 8% 8% 7% 7% 6% 5% 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 1% Em Co W Co Sm Fa Tw Te In Ca Fo Go ail nt eb nt ar ceb itt x t - St ll C ur og en s ite en tp o er or en sq le+ ta ta ho ok eH ter ua bo bo ne elp re ut ut A P ro R ela pp du ted c ts To p ics Source: ExactTarget ® 2013 Marketers from Mars, September 2012 • Marketers = 411, Consumers = 1201 US Online Population, age 18 and older © 2013 ExactTarget 15
  • 16. Making Human Contact Similar to marketers, consumers do value investments in website, Facebook, and call centers, but they differ greatly in how they value smartphone apps (23% marketers vs. 7% consumers) and (12% marketers vs. 5% consumers) as ways to make them more loyal customers. Consumers, more so than marketers, emphasize the need for companies to invest their resources in interpersonal channels such as in-store help (12% consumers vs. 8% marketers) and email (33% consumers vs. 26% marketers). When it comes to investing marketing resources, consider that marketers may be lured by a strong sense of obligation to “be there first,” believing that being on the cutting edge of technology and strategy is critical for brands’ success. This is not always the case. In the minds of consumers, investment in customer service would appear to be the highest priority. At the end of the day, the message is clear: stay focused on the basics—email, website, Facebook, and strong face-to-face customer experiences—and use newer channels to augment what you’re already doing well. 26% of marketers and 33% of consumers think brands should invest more marketing time and $ $ $ resources in email. 21% of marketers and 22% of consumers think companies should invest more marketing time and resources in Facebook. 12% of marketers and 5% of consumers think that companies should invest more marketing time and resources into Twitter. 16 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 17. Staying Grounded Decades ago, marketers were not explorers. They dealt only in the well-settled lands of television, radio, and print. Their form of social media was a three-martini lunch. Today, however, every marketer must have a streak of restlessness and willingness to embrace the new. The challenge is how to balance new technologies with those that consumers use. Indeed, the best marketers will be those who can keep one eye on the future while meeting the needs of today’s audiences, seizing the opportunities of today’s devices, and navigating the evolving rules of today’s channels. © 2013 ExactTarget 17
  • 18. So how do intrepid Marketers From Mars remember to stay connected to their consumers back on Earth? Here are some concrete suggestions for navigating and improving cross-channel marketing performance for email, Facebook, and Twitter. How Do You Improve Email Marketing Performance? Email, in combination with a strong website and customer experience, forms a stable foundation for interactive marketing. Remember that your audience “Make your site stand out from others on the net. Offer a site is made up of both smartphone owners and non-smartphone owners, so that is simple to navigate. Offer a 24-hour customer helpline make sure your strategy accommodates both segments. Rather than relying service and also reply to all emails received within the hour. Don’t on single sign-on products to gather opt-ins, build your own consumer inundate your users with emails—one per week will do. Make database by gaining consumers’ permission through your website. Email’s ability to deliver targeted and exclusive content continues to make it a sound your subject line eye-catching so the user will open and not delete. investment of your brand’s marketing energy to reach your audiences where Have promotional offers going because it entices people’s interest.” they anticipate hearing from you. –Claudia R. How Do You Improve Facebook Performance? Facebook is an excellent way to reach large potential audiences and enrich your already solid marketing foundation built on email, website, and customer “Update regularly once or twice a day. Include plenty of pictures service experiences. Facebook is first and foremost a source of connection, and videos in posts. Make design interesting and easy to follow. self-expression, and entertainment for consumers. Consumers expect Involve fans with questions, competitions, and prizes. Ask fans you to lead conversations that are consistent with the overall Facebook for feedback of services. Respond to comments. Offer updates in environment by delivering a blend of content that is fun and informative, while staying true to your brand’s value proposition. a number of languages for a wider audience around the world.” –David M., Melissa H., Natasha R. How Do You Improve Twitter Performance? Investing in Twitter just to increase your follower numbers will not necessarily yield desired results. On Twitter, it’s not necessarily how many, but more “[Include] discounts, free privilege cards, and a few more incentives importantly who, you’re interacting with. Should you decide to cultivate a along the way. Don’t send us spam every day, as I will ‘unfollow’ them.” loyal following on Twitter, make sure you continue to devote the majority –Darren R. of your resources to a strong foundation of email, website, and customer experience. Word travels fast online, so be sure to use newer social channels as enhancements for what you’re already doing well offline. 18 © 2013 ExactTarget
  • 19. What New Frontiers Await? Exploration is not always about acquiring something physical, nor or optimizing an existing online civilization, it’s never too late to do you always discover what you set out looking for in the first recalibrate your efforts. We are not only marketers, but explorers place. In fact, Magellan completed the first circumnavigation of and brand builders too. Earth, and Ponce de Leon discovered the coast of Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth. Our constant challenge will be to assess what potential the next brave new world of technology holds for our consumers and Remember: whether you’re creating a strategy based on the whether it allows us to communicate with and serve them better. bleeding edge of innovation, building a new online settlement, © 2013 ExactTarget 19
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