Freaky Fusion Beguiles

I just got a press release from Adtoma about Fusion, their new "all-in-one ad management platform," that sets up one central database system for proposals, orders, and campaigns ("obviating the need for spreadsheets," the release says). What's so great about that? Well, reportedly, Fusion is a "software solution that integrates and streamlines the entire media chain, from C.R.M. to proposal and sales management, to advertising operations." Why am I so struck by this? Maybe because I just spent two weeks, and employed three very heavy brains, to publish a teeny tiny proprietary database (104 records) on the Web. It was a big pain (yes, it works, but it hurt). So, right about now, I have an inkling of where the world is going with databases and online access, with everybody from everywhere marching to one digital beat. It's both scary and exhilarating. Incidentally, Adtoma is headquartered in Sweden. First the furniture, now the Internet. It's certain to be a beautiful thing, and, hopefully, no assembly will be required for Fusion users.

Are You Dumping More?

How’s your email trash folder looking? Are you sending more electronic newsletters straight to the storage bin? How often are you able to actually browse – let alone read – the marketing messages that pour in? All that good information.. lost… or is it (good information I mean?). The Wise Marketer just touted “Five Ways to Protect Brands During A Downturn.” Okay, I thought. I’ll bite. What are the five gems? Help your clients, empower your employees; solidify your links with suppliers; appeal to shareholders; recruit the best collaborators. That’s really no-brainer stuff and there's a lot of it out there lately. Rock and roll author Dave Thompson has this observation. "Books are still being published because people still demand them ... there's a lot of information on the net, but unless a reader has the time , energy and inclination to search, collate and ultimately rewrite it all for themselves, they're going to want to read a book.” Or something real, anyway.

Who's Listening NOW?

1to1 Media has an interesting piece about JetBlue’s use of software to track customer complaints and comments. Like many airlines, JetBlue hears a lot (30,000 emails poured into JetBlue when the February 2007 ice storm led to 1,000 cancelled flights). But help is on the way. Using Attensity’s “Voice of the Customer” text analytics, Jetblue analyzes not only emails and survey responses, but also call center notes, blogs, and other customer communications. Lotsa data. In August, Attensity partnered with BzzAgent to gain more insight into consumer “conversations.” Stephen Arnold blogging at “Beyond Search” thinks the scramble among search and content vendors is headed to new customers first. Arnold thinks Attensity is leading the stampede.

TransPromo Buzz

PODI’s AppForum scheduled for January 19-21 in Las Vegas has added a TransPromo Track. TransPromo adds personalized promotional messages to routine customer/member/donor communications like bills and statements. The goal is to up-sell, generate new revenue, etc. Variable data printing and print-on-demand technologies put TransPromo capability into any marketer’s toolbox. Expect to hear more about the technology in months ahead.

7 Ways To Fail

The Nightingale-Conant newsletter reports on Larry Winget’s audio program, Success Is Your Own Damn Fault. Winget is guilty of contributing to the genre of "success formula books" he's criticizing, except he’s not promising success; only failure if you don’t follow his “truths.” Makes sense to me.

• Apathy will kill a business; care enough to do the job you're paid to do.
  
• Forget attitude (positive or otherwise); if you find a problem, admit it and solve it.
  
• You can’t make your employees happy, so don’t waste time trying.
• You don’t have to love your job, but you do have to do it well.
• Fire people when they don’t perform, and don’t hesitate [Note: I was struck by Winget’s notion that you destroy credibility with other employees when you don’t fire a bad one.]
• Ethics matter. Do the right thing, even when it’s unpopular, or might cost you money, or might be embarrassing.
• Do what you said you’re going to do; deliver what you said, you’d deliver. Ethics count.
  

Dell Loves Twitter

Since mid-2007, Dell says Twitter has garnered them $1 million in revenue. Folks who sign up to follow Dell on Twitter receive messages when discounted products go on sale at the company’s Home Outlet Store. Twitters can click over to purchase, or they can forward the info to others. That’s very good for Dell, but so far Twitter hasn’t made money on the deal. In 2009, Twitter will lay out its plan for how to cash in on its growing popularity. The plan may include the creation of premium corporate accounts to help companies like Dell pay the freight. In the meantime, Twitter has a lock on lots of [okay, an indeterminate number of] eyeballs and thumbs [Note, Twitter reportedly had about 275,000 users back in June 2007 and some 1 million+ in April 2008. Today? Not sure. It's controversial, says Techozi.]

Is Print Terminal?

It's a no-brainer that marketers need to talk to everybody online... but have we really reached that point in history where print is terminal, if not quite dead? Are we at the historical crossroads where professional writers don't make a difference .. where we just all blog and twitter to each other?

That's the direction a lot of organizations are taking in order to save money. Some who do this point to the New York Times website as the "model." But, hey, as S. Murray Gaylord, vice president, marketing and customer insights for The Times reportdly said at the National Center for Database Marketing 2008: "To evolve their brand and keep moving forward in the new climate, NYTimes.com began employing enhanced web features such as blogs and video capabilities, forging strong partnerships with new ‘participatory media’ like YouTube, and made major monetary investments in new media. Now, they are one seamless brand operating on many platforms such as print; web; mobile; iPhone; Amazon Kindle; and the Times Reader." I'm not hearing anything about discontinuing print there, which seems to be the piece of the puzzle some of the less-thoughtful -- or more desperate -- are missing.