BDC Advertising is deeply involved in a variety of government affairs from community involvement to advocacy and this project is just one of the dozens completed in 2011 to the benefit of local, state and federal entities.

Email Marketing Segmentation

The stalwart of modern-day communications, email continues to prove a valuable marketing tool. How can your organization leverage this communications channel to help your business grow? One key to leveraging email marketing is to focus on email list segmentation to provide more value for your customers.

Segmentation by customer sales: All businesses have a percentage of customers who are extremely profitable. One customer spends $100 and another spends $1,000 and it often costs the same dollar amount for a company to acquire either customer. With list segmentation by sales, you take the top 10% of profitable customers and make it your mission to add value for them through email communications.

You could reward these customers by inviting them to a VIP event, a private shopping session, or perhaps by giving them a free gift card or discount for their patronage. Keeping your existing high-value customers happy can pay dividends when those customers have another opportunity to buy. They reward you with a large amount of value, so it makes sense to take the time to provide more value for them in turn.

Segmentation by product or service: No one knows your offerings better than you do. Are there certain aspects of that product or service you can share with your customers that will help them use it more effectively? By segmenting your email list by product, you begin to create more relevant information to those who could genuinely use your help.

In the case of an auto dealership, perhaps you begin sending out an email to your Volkswagen Jetta owners. You can add value for your customers who purchased Jettas by giving tips about how to adjust their sound system to get the most out of their music. You could give them a sneak peek at the brand new model that just rolled into your showroom. You could talk about the Jetta owners BBQ event that is coming up next week at your dealership. By making connections and providing value, you change the customer perceptions of your business from a profit-making venture to being seen as a trusted advisor…leading to greater customer loyalty and greater profits.

There are a number of smaller segments you can explore once you get your email list up and running. After looking at email open rates and click-through rates, you can see who hasn’t been too interested in your emails and invite them to re-engage. Perhaps you can give them an offer on their first order, or suggest a few ways to get involved with your organization. Once they start to respond to your emails, you have an opportunity to move them to your “engaged customers” list and continue to work on other customers.

One of the best things about email marketing is the return on investment. With current clients, we have seen generous returns as email list signups begin to build some momentum. We look forward to helping your company create value through email segmentation. Feel free to set up a meeting with us at BDC advertising. We would love to discuss how email marketing can add value for your industry and your customer base.

BDC Advertising’s portfolio reads like a who’s who in fishing with several new accounts coming aboard soon with some big announcements to be made at ICAST, the national industry trade show for the sportfishing industry held in Las Vegas next week. “We’re so pleased to see our accounts thriving in what has been a challenging business climate and so appreciative to see our business growing,” Carskadon continued. “Our clients have been amazing. They are BDC Advertising and we’re grateful for their business. We’re equally excited to be growing with new business which will benefit all of our clients as we add staff and resources.”

BDC Advertising is fortunate to have a number of distinctive strengths. Building dozens of websites a year has helped build a reputation as a leading digital agency. An in-house social media team works to keep BDC clients relevant and top-of-mind on a day-to-day basis. Under the direction of partner Melodi Dugan, BDC’s graphic design ignites attention and transforms messages into action. Then there’s the video work, PR, POP, media buying, direct mail, event promotion, planning and budgeting…all areas of expertise that propel our client’s business to the top of the market’s awareness.

QR codes, little known a few months ago, are increasingly visible in everything from print ads and brochures to lawn signs. A recent study sponsored by Mobio, a technology company, indicates these codes have become popular with the 35-44 year old age bracket, representing 25% QR code users. There is wide acceptance in the 45-54 age group as well, accounting for 22% of those who scan QR codes with their smartphones. In addition, the majority of scanners are female: 64% to be exact. These numbers suggest an early adoption by Generation X and baby boomer women, a dynamic and desirable segment of the market. So what are these black and white boxes?

QR codes are like next-generation bar codes. These codes are generated online with a QR code web application, downloaded and printed in any way imaginable: stickers, posters, billboard, coasters, promo materials, t-shirts, etc. From there, the end-user is able to take a picture of the code with their smart phone, which initiates an action on their phone like linking to a website, video, application, or downloading a file without the hassle of typing your website address into their computer. Essentially, QR codes allow you to transition readers of your two-dimensional printed materials to your online content.

When should you consider using QR codes in your print materials?

Limited space: Whether you are creating a tri-fold brochure, poster, magazine or newspaper advertisement, there is limited space to work with. Every page added to the design results in increased production costs; not a happy thing when dealing with limited marketing budgets. When the user scans a QR code, they are able to access more information online if they are interested in your message. It really expands what you are able to do creatively with your advertisements without limiting you to the space allotted. It literally allows you to think “outside the box,” and lets interested customers experience something beyond the advertisement.

Does adding a QR code add value for your target market? A key to deciding whether to add a QR code comes down to the value proposition. Is there something worthwhile, interesting or engaging that you’re linking to with the QR code? A good example of adding value to a printed catalog is to include a QR code to a product demonstration video, showing features and benefits of the product, or explaining how it is best used. The end consumer gets to see the product in action, something that is difficult to do with print. Another way to add value is to include a call to action where people who scan the QR code are able to download a coupon, enter to win free gear, get invited to a VIP event, download a white paper, etc.

QR Code Ideas

A cool idea from a recent article at CNN.com is for real estate agents to use QR codes on their “for sale” signs, linking the prospect to a video tour of a home. This keeps the potential customer’s interest and offers another touch point, giving a unique glimpse into the floor plan of the home, without getting the carpets dirty. How about car window stickers which link to a video test drive for potential buyers? A business card linking to a 30-second elevator speech would be great way to introduce your company to potential clients. There are some great options here for the savvy salesperson.

Measuring Response

How many people looked at my signage? Is there a positive return on investment for this marketing channel? Should I spend my money somewhere else, or perhaps move my sign to a higher-traffic location? These are all real and valid questions which require hard data to answer. Many QR code generators have built-in tracking functionality, showing how many people scanned your QR code and visited your links. This gives you the right data to allow you to adjust your print budget, print distribution, and signage location.

Printed materials have been, and will likely remain a viable advertising medium for businesses looking to expand their reach. QR codes expand on that value, letting your customers learn more about your company and your products with dynamic, interactive elements on their personal mobile device. This technology helps blend real-world and online presentations together, enriching the experience for the user. At the same time, advertisers have an opportunity to communicate with customers in many different mediums through one small, funny-looking, black and white-printed box. There is tremendous value here for both the customer and the advertiser: a win-win for both parties.

Following a series of in-depth strategy sessions with the Gamakatsu owners, sales staff, major dealers and targeted consumers, the BDC creative team started digging deep. Brainstorming meetings covered the office walls with imagery, product samples, clever headlines, speculative photos, and countless concepts we knew could never be produced within the budget. We always concept with a simple philosophy: before the nuggets of gold emerge, you have shift through mounds of earth and mud.

In the case of the Gamakatsu creative, when all the dust settled, there were ten ore carts full of valuable material. A finer sift and a mini focus group narrowed it down to three campaigns we all were highly confident would strike pay dirt. We presented all three and made the final decisions fairly tough on the client. Each campaign had unique strengths, but in the end, and upon our recommendation, Gamakatsu staked claim on the campaign we named “Precious Metal.” Was it the best choice? We’ll let the sales of their product answer that question in the coming months.

	Precious Metals
	Fossils
	A solid hook

Duckworth Boats challenged BDC with the task of taking them to a higher level of brand recognition. The marine market has turned upside-down in recent years, with major manufacturers going under and all others struggling to stay afloat. As BDC identified, the market was ripe to reposition Duckworth as the new category leader. To accomplish the task, BDC’s creative team went deep into the minds of current owners to understand the real reasons behind their ownership loyalty. The resulting campaign speaks the bona fide  truth and is delivered with captivating design never seen within the industry before. This first ad in a series breaks in April in regional magazines.

No matter what the specialty, from fish to frill, we love interacting with our clients and working as a personal resource to help them succeed. Look for more updates here about Posh Lingerie as they unfold.

BDC Vice President, Trey Carskadon added, “The amount of projects we’ve completed is staggering. There’s a lot to be proud of and thankful for going into 2011.  2010 was a challenging year for sure but we’ve been fortunate to have forward thinking clients who value good marketing and creative thought.  Together, we’ve overcome economic obstacles and logged some impressive results. Better news for BDC is it looks like we’ll be riding this wave of work right into 2011.  I’m personally impressed with how well we cut through the deadlines and workload — our throughput is peaking which is pretty gratifying. ”

Carskadon continued, “This isn’t about patting ourselves on the back, it’s about taking the time to look back and see the literally thousands of little accomplishments this team has achieved.  We’ve learned volumes, come together perfectly and executed flawlessly on a number of different fronts. I couldn’t be more proud or more satisfied with what we did in 2010. Period.”

Brauer finished, “Our partner Melodi Dugan has been brilliant in bringing her award-winning design talent to every project.  Our Senior Web Developer Gary Hepting continues to blow us all away with his approach to the work, client relations, ability to communicate and push the envelope in digital marketing and productivity.  Brandon Boyd, our newest addtion, hung his hat on the BDC tree at just the right time. Copywriter, social networking guru, account executive and creative influence Brandon’s found his fit here fast and can take credit for several projects he’s put to bed these last three months. One thing you learn fast in this business is your greatest value is in the sum of the parts. After 25 years in this business it’s one of the most important lessons I ascribe to in serving our clients.”

Gamakatsu entered the U.S. market in 1983 and has largely been credited as the pioneer in the premium fishing hook category worldwide. Gamakatsu continues to dominate in the category and credits its market strength with strict quality control standards and continued innovation.