Personalize or die: the secret to increasing email open rates, clicks — and revenue (webinar)

Email marketing is the undisputed marketing ROI leader and the preferred channel for your customers — so why are you losing money? Join our live webinar to find out from the experts how personalization can dramatically increase open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and revenue. 

Register here for free.

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A huge chunk of data-driven marketing relies on basic psychology — what do customers really want, and how can we make them happy?

“Every customer has different habits and preferences — we can’t ignore that,” says Matt Olsen, senior manager of digital marketing at Firehouse Subs, the rapidly-growing QSR encroaching on Subway’s market share. “It’s much harder to change behavior or create new behaviors from scratch than it is to encourage existing behaviors, so we want to work with our customers’ habits to achieve success.”

That’s why personalization has to be more than just plugging a customer’s name into an email. Olsen calls that a “really small baby step.”

“It’s more about the overall marketing strategy and content, he notes. “Those little baby steps are good, but we need to give them the content that’s right for them. Let’s just give them the content and the messaging that’s theirs, that’s going to encourage their repeat behavior.”

Most of Firehouse Subs’ customer data is harvested from the customer loyalty program. Integrated with the retail point of sale, the loyalty program offers data about purchase habits and visit frequency that offer real results. The company regularly sees conversion of lapsed customers back into regular customers with simple customization based on recency and frequency.

Data is important, Olsen emphasizes, but every company needs to look carefully at their marketing strategy to determine exactly what specific profile fields will drive results. If you start to delve into third parties that can help with demographics and psychographics, he warns, “you start to run the risk of almost having too much data.”

That’s a serious budgetary issue. Getting useful data beyond those basics, Olsen warns, can be difficult and expensive. From point of sale to analytics tools to data integration and a solid communication platform, it can cost a lot of money. But for Firehouse Subs, it’s worth the investment to get exactly the information they need.

Brands like these are succeeding because personalization works. As VB Insight’s recent email report shows, personalization dramatically increases open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and revenue — as much as 2.5x CTR and 6x increase in transactions.

Tune in to the upcoming webinar as VB Analyst Andrew Jones shares the top takeaways from the report and is joined by Olsen and other pros who will share the strategies behind their success.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

• Boost sales and cement customer relationships


• Avoid key challenges to implementation


• Learn best practices for adopting high tier personalization


• Get independent vendor ratings for personalization solution


• Partner with the right companies


• Avoids the gotchas of personalization

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Don’t miss out!

Register here for free.

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Speakers:

Andrew Jones, Analyst, VB Insight
Monica Zent, CEO, Foxwordy
Kevin Michael Gray, Founder, ApproveMe

Matt Olsen, Senior Manager, Digital Marketing, Firehouse Subs

Moderator:

Wendy Schuchart, Analyst, VentureBeat

Personalize or die: the secret to increasing email open rates, clicks — and revenue (webinar)

Facebook Q4 Earnings Report Shows Revenue Of $17.9B In 2015

For the year, Facebook reported sales of $17.9 billion, a 44 percent increase, and $3.7 billion in total profits.

Earnings per share (Non-GAAP) came in at $0.79, ahead of market expectations of $0.68 and $0.54 in Q4 2014, while net income grew from $701 million in the same quarter previous year to $1.56 billion.

Of those, 1.44 billion used the service on mobile devices, an increase of 21 percent.

Zuckerberg didn’t give a more concrete timetable while discussing the new feature with analysts in a conference call Wednesday following Facebook’s latest quarterly earnings report.

In a statement, Facebook co-founder and CEO Marc Zuckerberg said, “Our community continues to grow and our business is thriving”.

Dominance of Facebook in mobile advertising assisted to allay Wall Street disquiets over its heavy investments in messaging service virtual reality unit Oculus and WhatsApp, which have not yet produced profits.

Not only is Facebook adding users and advertisers, it’s also putting more marketing messages in front of people.

Capital expenditures – Capital expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2015 were $692 million.

According to the company, for the first time, more than 90 percent of both monthly and daily active users were on mobile.

Facebook, which is growing at an exceptional pace, propelling itself into a better position to challenge Google as the Internet’s most powerful company.

Social networking remains Facebook’s foundation.

“Advertisers are no longer asking us whether they should advertise on mobile, they’re asking how”, he said.

“We’ve seen strong brand performance on Instagram, with a majority of our brand partners moving spend to the platform, some significantly”, said Max Kalehoff, chief marketing officer of Facebook marketing partner SocialCode.

About 1.59 billion people accessed Facebook at least once a month in the fourth quarter, up from 1.55 billion three months earlier.

On July 13, 2015, Facebook became the fastest company in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to reach a market cap of $250 billion.

Zuckerberg need not have anxious, if he did anyway, because Facebook’s stock jumped almost 5% on Wednesday hours after trading following the release of the revenue figures. While those initiatives won’t contribute meaningfully for years, they’re aimed at making sure that more people put Facebook at the center of their digital lives.

Facebook Q4 Earnings Report Shows Revenue Of $17.9B In 2015

Facebook Inc (FB) Q3 2015 Earnings Preview: Video Ads, Instagram Could Drive Revenue To ...

Facebook Inc. has been talking about video since 2013. Most recently, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg referred to the Facebook app as a daily Super Bowl on mobile phones. Now, as the global social network gets ready to report third-quarter results, analysts say they’ll be looking for TV advertising dollars to start boosting its bottom line.

Facebook, which will report after markets close Wednesday, will no doubt try to focus minds on two big numbers: 4 billion (the number of video views each day) and 1 billion (daily unique users). And while Sandberg recently said Facebook prioritizes results, not clicks, it’s Facebook’s massive audience, and all of its data, that is expected to supercharge revenue growth for the company.

Facebook revenue is expected to reach $4.37 billion, up by 36 percent year over year, this quarter, according to analysts’ estimates collected by Yahoo Finance. Earnings per share are estimated to hit 52 cents, up 21 percent year over year.

Over this year, Facebook’s stock price has risen up to about 33 percent, propelling the company to join Apple, Alphabet (Google) and Microsoft in the “$300 billion tech club.” That quick rise, however, has some analysts worried about risk — notably in the company’s spending.

“We all know it’s mobile, it’s video, Facebook is king of the world,” said Tom Taulli, an analyst for InvestorPlace.com. “Where are they at in terms of spending? Things aren’t getting any cheaper in Silicon Valley. We’ve already seen Google take a step back. I think the stock has gotten ahead of itself. That’s a big risk.”

Finding The Money

Facebook’s growth has been fueled by mobile ad revenue, and it’s only increasing. Just as for Facebook’s second-quarter earnings report in July, Nanigans, an ad software company, found that the ads are drawing more clicks than ever before. Facebook’s click-through-rate was up 69 percent year over year, growing from 0.56 percent to 0.96 percent, Nanigans reports.

Not only is Facebook touting improved targeting, such as a new measurement tool called “advertiser outcome score,” the company has also added more advertising options. Facebook’s photo-sharing app Instagram opened advertising to all marketers in September and introduced 30-second video ads.

“For Facebook, there’s been a heavy emphasis on new ad types. They are taking all these steps on how we can drive more from the news feed,” said Tom Edwards, chief digital officer of agency business for marketing company Epsilon.

The expansion is working, for now. Ad spending from the same advertisers analyzed by Nanigans has increased 16 percent since last quarter, and mobile advertising spending is up by 10 percent from July’s report. Advertisers are also increasingly moving money to markets outside of the United States, up by 5 percent, according to Nanigans.

The growth of advertising abroad follows Facebook’s greater push to move into international markets, most notably emerging markets, as growth in the United States has plateaued. The company announced in September, three months after opening an office in Johannesburg, that Facebook’s total user base in Africa is about 120 million monthly active users. Facebook also introduced a lightweight video ad product, specialized for areas with slower wireless connections.

Facebook may also find new dollars in e-commerce. Business’s Pages are now being mobile-optimized, and the site added a “shopping” tab to the mobile app. Yet, some analysts are skeptical of Facebook becoming a destination shopping site.

“Google is a no-brainer as to what they give their customers. People are likely searching for a product, price or recommendation. Facebook isn’t used as much — if at all in certain segments — for getting advice on buying things,” wrote Kim Forrest, VP and senior equity analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group, in an email.

Search has become more open on Facebook. Earlier this month, the company released all 2 trillion public posts for users’ to access through the search tab on the site and mobile app. 

The Big Expense

With Facebook spreading into new markets and industries comes concern about what it could means for expenses. Indeed, in the last quarter, analysts’ inquired about Facebook’s $2.8 billion spending, up by 82 percent year over year. In July, Facebook’s Chief Financial Officer Dave Wehner pointed to the acquisition of WhatsApp as a major contribution. The startup cost Facebook $19 billion, and the company has yet to enact a major money-making strategy for it.

Meanwhile, the team’s been retooling Messenger as the go-to messaging app — with GIFs, payments and artificial intelligence. “They’re turning Messenger into a mobile hub similar to what WeChat does in China. WhatsApp remains as the simple messaging app. The audience size is so big, yet the experience is so simple,” Edwards said.

Another big expense for Facebook — the $2 billion acquisition of Oculus — is also nearing its market debut. The consumer version of the virtual reality headset is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2016. As for content on the product, Facebook announced partnerships with 21st Century Fox, Lions Gate Entertainment, Netflix and Hulu in September.

“While some investors have expressed concern about the CY16 expenses guide as it relates to Oculus hardware, we are more focused on the health and trajectory of the core advertising business, where we continue to see significant runway,” Goldman Sachs wrote in a research note, according to Silicon Valley Business Journal.

Facebook Inc. (FB) | FindTheCompany

Facebook Inc (FB) Q3 2015 Earnings Preview: Video Ads, Instagram Could Drive Revenue To ...

The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue

The Ultimate Primer and How-To Guide for Social Media Marketing

In the two years since the first edition became a global bestseller, the world of social media has grown and changed enough to require an updated guide.

Whether you use social media now or not, people are already talking about your company online. By becoming part of the conversation in a more meaningful way, you can start connecting directly to your customers and clients and finding new ones right away with ease and efficiency.

Social media marketing isn’t like traditional marketing—and treating it that way only leads to frustration and failure. In The Zen of Social Media Marketing, Shama Kabani, social media expert and president of The Marketing Zen Group (MarketingZen.com), teaches you the “Zen” of using social media tools to find your own marketing nirvana.

With a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Chris Brogan and updated content on Google+, online advertising, SEO, and more, the newest edition of The Zen of Social Media Marketing gives you:

• A comprehensive overview of why social media works and how to use it to drive traffic to your website and fan page
• A proven process to attract followers and fans and convert them into customers and clients
• The latest updates and step-by-step guidelines for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and group-buying sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial
• Tips on why, when, and how to use online advertising
• Essential advice on content marketing and targeted tactics to enhance your SEO
• New information on why self-expression is the true driver of social media use and how to leverage it for your business
• Insights from dozens of leading online marketers and entrepreneurs, with strategies for success

check out For More Information

The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue

Ubiquitech Software Corp's Division HempLifeToday.com Announces Joint Venture Revenue ...

TAMPA, FL – (NewMediaWire) – June 08, 2015 – Ubiquitech Software, Inc. (www.ubiquitechsoftware.com) (OTC PINK: UBQU), an International Technology and Services company, that also own the division HempLifeToday.com, is announcing its agreement with Blue Water Digital LLC (a division of Blue Water Media LLC), and a multi-million dollar advertising, production and media buying company, to market CannazALL™ CBD Oil products and the HempLife Today™ brand.

Through this joint venture revenue sharing agreement HempLifeToday™ will provide its quality CBD products under its CannazALL™ brand as well as all shipping, customer support and repeat marketing. Blue Water Digital LLC will provide financial backing, Internet advertising, affiliate marketing, Infomercial, long and short form, radio, social media, and other production and media strategies to help make CannazALL™ the number one recognized brand in the emerging CBD hemp oil industry.

“We are thrilled to have an agreement with Blue Water Digital,” said Tim Zorn, CEO of HempLifeToday, “and with this partnership we can concentrate on what we do best which is producing a superior product and taking care of our customers… and Blue Water Digital will help us grow at an even faster exponential rate.”

Sales of CannazALL™ CBD Oil products exceeded first quarter 2015 expectations and grew to over $600,000. CannazALL™ offers its CBD blends in a 24% and 30% CBD oil, as well as a popular peppermint tincture formula and CBD Vape oil.

“With Blue Water Digital onboard we believe we can add a minimum of 20,000 online customers per year and growing,” said James Ballas CEO of Ubiquitech Software Corp (OTC PINK: UBQU), “and with the number of repeat orders that these products get our revenues will just keep climbing at a very profitable rate. This way we can spend more on research and development to continue to produce and offer the finest hemp derived CBD products possible.”

With this announcement HempLifeToday™ (OTC PINK: UBQU) continues its plans for expansion of its CannazALL™ hemp CBD Oil products and expects more news in the near future on additional marketing plans. With less than 5% of the population exposed to CBD oil and its potential health benefits the company is poised to take advantage of the growing awareness and popularity of its quality products.

About Ubiquitech Software, Inc. Ubiquitech Software, Inc., through its newly acquired subsidiary Blue Crush Marketing Group LLC, is a dynamic multi-media, multi-faceted corporation utilizing state-of-the-art global Internet marketing, plus Direct Response (DRTV) Television, Radio, and traditional Internet marketing, to drive traffic to the new and emerging multi-billion dollar industries.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects”, “intends”, “believes”, and similar expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development and market acceptance of products and technologies, the ability to secure additional sources of finance, the ability to reduce operating expenses, and other factors described in the Company’s filings with the OTC Markets Group. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statement due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

Ubiquitech Software Corp"s Division HempLifeToday.com Announces Joint Venture Revenue ...

Using strategic inbound marketing to drive revenue

The numbers don’t lie when it comes to the power of technology: 89 percent of U.S. Internet users search online before making a purchase decision (even if the purchase is made locally); 93 percent of adult Internet users are on Facebook; and companies that blog (compared with those that don’t) see a 67 percent increase in leads per month.

While business owners today understand that in order to reach their revenue objectives, they have to embrace technology, they’re not always sure how to do so in a cohesive, strategic way.

There’s Facebook, Twitter, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and email marketing, just to name a few. Oftentimes, business owners engage disparate vendors to handle different digital marketing venues and are frustrated when they don’t reach their goals.

That’s where strategic inbound marketing comes in. Whereas outbound marketing (the lion’s share of most company’s marketing budgets) is difficult to measure and historically low yield, inbound marketing is different.

Costs drop dramatically because you are targeting your audience. People are not disrupted by your message because they are looking for it. And — best of all — it’s measurable.

Strategic inbound marketing takes a combination of tools — organic SEO, Pay Per Click, email marketing, blogging and social media — and turns them into a lead generator for your business.

Instead of having five voices all singing a similar song in different keys, you now have a perfectly harmonized choir, and all of their voices are pointed at your demographic.

If you’re considering hiring an outside consultant to implement a strategic inbound marketing plan, business owners should ask the following questions:

 

Do you have real offices and do you answer the telephone?

A design company’s commitment to a brick-and-mortar presence demonstrates a commitment to their business, and having someone answer the phone indicates a desire to serve clients.

 

What results have you seen in the past? May I see some samples?

Beware of novices in the industry. Pick an agency that has tenure and has worked with clients from various industries. Ask for samples of their work and results that their clients have seen.

 

What metrics do you provide and how often do you report?

Let’s be honest. You don’t just want more traffic to your website or more Facebook likes. You want more business and more sales. An agency that focuses on getting you more leads and that brings you clients outperforms agencies who gathered 500 new likes.

Another question is how often do they report to you? Keep them committed and ask to see updates on their results several times a month to ensure there is constant improvement.

 

What is your breadth of skill?

You need more than good blogging skills for a successful inbound marketing campaign. Pick an agency that is a pro at keyword research, social media, search engine optimization, email marketing and that can help you with website design and development.

If your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. You need someone who can offer a custom solution and can back up their services.

 

Do they offer support services?

Pick a reliable agency that can provide support services and respond quickly every time a problem might arise. Will they respond quickly to your requests for website changes? Do they provide email services? Can they design branded email templates and segment your list of contacts for personalized marketing campaigns?

Your website is the cornerstone of all your inbound marketing activities. A good Web design company will ask potential clients questions like: What are your marketing goals? What types of visitors would you like to have come to your site? What are the pain points or desires of each visitor type and how do you respond to them? What would you like each visitor type to do when they visit your site?

They will then build a site that encourages visitor action by understanding and applying trust building techniques, using content and call outs to create a sense of urgency and implementing layout and design to focus the eye on objectives.

Just remember that strategic inbound marketing is innovative in that it engages people at all stages of the sales cycle. It allows you to track leads, convert those leads into customers, close sales and delight the customer.

Strangers become visitors, who become customers, who become promoters. And that kind of marketing is priceless.

 

Andrew Reilley is the Chief Experience Officer at United WebWorks Inc. He can be reached at andrew@unitedwebworks.com or 912-231-0016.

Using strategic inbound marketing to drive revenue

Affiliate Marketing: Learn About the Best Way for an Online Business to Generate Additional Revenue

This book analyzes an important business tactic to gain supplemental revenue. Every business online is lacking something, and affiliate marketing may just be that one thing. Web sites from mom-and-pop stores to corporate Web sites such as Wal-Mart’s should implement a marketing system involving affiliates to generate the most revenue possible and please all shareholders.

In order to understand affiliate marketing better, be sure to dive into this book and learn the best secrets I have to offer. I hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration from TU and an associate’s degree in management technology from Owens Community College.

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Affiliate Marketing: Learn About the Best Way for an Online Business to Generate Additional Revenue