Microsites: The Skinny

Now with the age of iPhone apps, I'm hearing the term 'microsite' thrown around quite a bit. I want to get back to basics first, so we can see how they can be used as a web marketing tool.

First, a microsite is an extremely focused, targeted 1-3 page website. Exactly what you would think when you hear 'microsite'. It can be used to promote an iPhone app, but also can target an event (example the new "Drive Through Healthy" Taco Bell campaign), a new product--anything you can think of using a single keyword phrase.

Now how can they be used for marketing? Obviously anything that is highly targeted is already a cut above, as visitors aren't distracted with information they don't need. If designed right, microsites should be consise and to-the-point. Visitors shouldn't have to click through flash elements, etc. to know what it is you are promoting or selling, etc. Basically, they help cut through the clutter when you want to promote something specific, and your message maybe or probably is different than your main website--that being said, a microsite should only focus on one topic. Or else you'll just end up making another website.

By promoting just one product or service, visitors get only the information they want--so the conversion rate is higher, and you can always integrate the lead form or purchase link into your main website.

So with microsites: single topic: good. More than that and you don't really have a microsite.

For an iPhone app microsite, I happen to love the one for www.iphorest.com. It's short and simple, tells you what the app does and the features it holds. And it's all about the app.

Working Around the Economy: An Inspiring Example

With the economy's ups and downs, every industry has been forced to 'get creative' in terms of generating revenue. One example stands out to me, and its roots are in the publishing industry. But I think every industry can learn from this.

In publishing, book sales are down 3% compared to last year. What creative idea did they come up with to try to negate those numbers? The authorless book tour. Yes, you heard that right.

First started successfully by Random House, the 'leaving the author at home' idea is gaining momentum. Random House launched its 'Stupid Smelly Bus Tour' six years ago to promote a book series for kids, leaving the author at home and gaining a $3.3 billion bonus within the $24 billion book industry.

Instead of focusing on the author, the tours focus on the books' characters--something that is way more exciting for kids. What a great idea for the children's publishing industry. And something that simple and logical is all every industry needs--a solid, creative and simple solution/addition.

Amulet Books did a 20-day 'Ice Cream Truck' reading tour this summer, giving out free scoops at 31 city libraries to publicize the Oct. 2009 launch of the fourth book in the Wimpy Kids series geared towards kids ages 7 to 12. It has sold more than 20 million copies to date.

Not only do these 'authorless' tours generate more revenue, they give the authors' more time to write--something the publishing house needs when they have a hit on their hands.

Brilliant, surprisingly simple, and inspiring.

Make Each Piece of Your Direct Mail Count

Let's start with the bottom line first: Your customers and prospects can't respond to your direct mail piece if they don't receive it. Sounds simple right? The good news is that it is, as long as you take the proper steps to ensure your addresses are correct, complete, and updated.

Most of us get tripped up on the 'updated' part. Since every piece of mail that doesn't reach your intended audience is wasted money (on postage, on printing and mail prep), commit to updating your mail list at least 3 times a year if not more.

What does this mean? Pay attention to the obvious: accurately entering new addresses by including all elements of the address: street number, proper spelling of the street name and city, secondary addresses such as suite numbers, and the most important is the zip code.

When you are trying to get a presorted postage rate, 'quality addresses' are rewarded with the deepest automation postage discounts.

The most common data entry errors that prevent my clients from getting the presorted rates are: wrong or missing abbreviations in the address, street name misspellings, missing the N,S,E or W in the street address, and transposed or missing numbers in the primary address number.

The biggest money waster if you've always kept your list 'clean'? They're the things you couldn't possibly know about: address changes. Forwarded mail is delayed, which may cause customers to miss the timeliness of your mailing. Making sure you have the most current addresses before you mail is simple, and the answer is NCOA. Make sure your mail house applies NCOA to your list, as it taps into a USPS database containing change of address notices submitted within the last 48 months. NCOA matches your mailing list against this file before your mail pieces are sent. When a match is identified, records with new addresses are updated and those listed as moves without a forwarding address are deleted. The result? A list with the highest chance of accuracy, timely delivery and minimal wasted postage.

I've found the most sophisticated mail houses include NCOA at no additional charge. But you MUST ask the question.

Movement Towards Small Agencies Ring Truer Than Ever

People have been predicting the shift to small agencies forever. Well maybe not forever, but forever in media time. But now, with IBM, Wrigley and many more companies reaching out to the smaller agencies, the shift is happening and it is public.

Of course my vote is for the small agency that can not only execute highly technical creative projects, but also leading some to wonder whether the biggest digital players are becoming a thing of the past.

Small agencies are faster, there's not doubt about it. We are not organized like the big companies we work for. We don't have the traditional cascade approach, where strategy flows to production to design to technology, we have different people with one vision handling all three at a time.

Basically, large agencies have huge infrastructures and have grown so large that they don't have the creative capabilities the small agencies have. Or they take forever. I'm making the argument that small agencies can not only do banner ads and press releases, they can also provide comprehensive deliverables like digital media.

There is no 'time' anymore to speak of. Big agencies are costly and slow. So there's my argument for the small agency. Small agencies can not only do what big agencies do, but they can do it in half the time b/c there aren't eight departments involved.

That's my case for the small agency.