MediaDailyNews
Friday, Aug12, 2011
by Steve McClellan, Yesterday, 6:30 PM
Digital channels and gadgets are making consumers savvier about where, when and why to purchase goods and services. At the same time, it's sometimes harder for manufacturers and retailers to reach their target audiences with sales pitches.
To reach consumers, manufacturers and retailers are sharply ramping up their efforts in the shopper marketing space, according to new data from shopper research specialist GFK Interscope.
This marketing subset includes how shoppers decide which retailers to consider before making a purchase; why they decide on a retailer or brand and which media channels influence those decisions, among other concerns.
In June, the firm surveyed 300 marketing executives across various retail and manufacturing sectors. Seventy-six percent of them indicated that their companies were now devoting 5% or more of their total marketing budgets to shopper marketing initiatives.
While that may not seem like much, Alison Chaltas, executive vice president, GFK Interscope, says the finding suggests a radical transformation from just five years ago, when -- with a few exceptions -- there were no such budgets.
Interest in the space has not peaked yet -- the survey also indicated that 47% of the respondents said their companies would be significantly upping their shopper marketing budgets within the next two years. "It's a remarkable shift," said Chaltas.
As marketers have focused more on the shopper marketing arena, so have agencies and their corporate parents, most of which have acquired or started shopper marketing specialists. Last year, for example, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands started a new agency called Shopper Sciences, designed to help retailers improve their results.
According to Chaltas, most of the money being earmarked for shopper marketing programs is coming from traditional media budgets, such as TV and print. It will flow to various arenas, including research, in-store channels, email marketing and mobile. The study did not cite specific amounts; each retailer exercises individual choice.
The primary driver, said Chaltas, is digital technology, which is making shoppers more discerning and "harder to communicate with because there are so many more touchpoints and so much clutter." Those touchpoints include dozens of online, mobile, in-store, word-of-mouth and direct mail channels. That makes purchasing-decision behavior more challenging to understand, she added.
"Everyone is still learning about the decision-making process," she said -- and how and why shoppers form relationships with particular stores and brands.
But while the media landscape is always changing, said Chaltas, "the one constant is point of purchase."
Friday, August 12, 2011
Television's NextFrontier: Mobile
Sorry I haven't updated the Blog for a week gang. Miss Donna just got out of total knee replacement last Fri and I've been her primary caretaker....so I apologize and will pay more attention to your getting the latest stuff..Philip Jay LeNoble,Ph.D. Publisher
MediaPost's Blogs:Online Media Daily Commentary
Point-of-View
by Alex Romanov, Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 8:15 AM
Changes in mobile marketing present new opportunities for networking, shopping and navigating. To make the most of each ad dollar, companies are doing their best to stay ahead. The mobile channel's growth allows for inventive use of technologies and tactics, like QR codes and location-based marketing. The latest development hits even closer to home.
New hybrid marketing technology will link television and mobile in an initiative that goes beyond storefront advertising and online deals. Using multichannel interaction, we are now able to integrate mobile media marketing with TV ads, sending advertising prompts to nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices during commercials. Once the consumer opts in, they will receive coupons and direct-to-device offers without leaving the room. This marketing technology allows real-time metrics viewing and protects potential customers' personal information.
With Americans watching more television -- over five hours every day on average, according to Nielsen's 2010 Q4 report -- and buying an increasing number of smartphones, this hybrid technology is well-suited to the public's expanding needs.
Television advertising spending increased 8% last year, per Nielsen, but the average TV ad has actually become shorter. Advertisers are rethinking efforts in the changing face of television spots. With mobile-TV fusion technology, data capture opportunity skyrockets.
The number of phones in a room can be recorded, as can the type of phones used. As this technology transmits deals and sample offers, it can record consumers' preferences for ads and offers, allowing advertisers to adjust campaigns for the ideal response.
We're able to see the social data of how consumers interact while watching certain shows, and that's only the beginning. Since TV metrics are considered increasingly important, performance-oriented advertising reports can be improved with the metrics offered by mobile-TV connection.
In recent news, Canoe allowed consumers to download coupons and catalogs through their TVs, while Shazam secured a $32 million investment in TV-triggered coupons. Brands like Old Navy and Procter & Gamble have already signed on to participate.
Coupon clipping is on the rise, as is smartphone use and television viewership; the stage is set for developments in the mobile channel. Digital coupons are far more likely to be redeemed than printed ones, and their use is growing. The printed coupon business may have seen 7% growth in 2010, according to NCH Marketing Services, but digital coupons grew 60% with only 1% of total U.S. distribution. Digital coupons are also 20 times more likely to be redeemed than coupons from freestanding inserts.
There's a great opportunity to connect TV with the current popularity of digital coupons. Studies show that watchers of reality and action programs are more likely to remember advertising during breaks.
Sharing personal data is more common than ever. Some digital marketing schemes have been criticized for culling mobile phone numbers and email addresses, although marketers are not allowed to collect consumer data without permission.
The hybrid technology available dispenses with the need to gather such information. When it comes in contact with a Bluetooth device, it sends an opt-in notice prior to any targeted offer. It not only protects users, but it manages to streamline messages according to customer response.
Mobile marketing doesn't need to stay in the living room. Thanks to real-time metrics and the easy method of delivery, it can be used for the digital-out-of-home market, allowing direct communication with nearby consumers. Marketers can transmit on-site deals and offers to potential clients, and this can be used in conjunction with TV-mobile offers for a well-rounded marketing initiative.
Hybrid technology could surpass previous consumer-mobile advertising in accuracy and impact. New coupons and digital offers present opportunities for mobile marketers to stay informed about consumer groups; as a result, advertisers are able to offer loyal consumers targeted programs. Multichannel interaction eclipses stand-alone outreach and introduces a new method to monitor ROI: brands seeking a competitive edge will get one with mobile-TV marketing's advanced metrics.
Burgeoning technology will continue to present opportunities and challenges in mobile channel marketing. Communication channels are growing and are providing new opportunities for those willing to explore changes. Fusion technology isn't only beneficial for ROI and revenue production, but for the enjoyment of deal-seeking consumers. Looking at the market direction and predictions, hybrid TV-to-mobile technology could stand as the newest mobile frontier.
MediaPost's Blogs:Online Media Daily Commentary
Point-of-View
by Alex Romanov, Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 8:15 AM
Changes in mobile marketing present new opportunities for networking, shopping and navigating. To make the most of each ad dollar, companies are doing their best to stay ahead. The mobile channel's growth allows for inventive use of technologies and tactics, like QR codes and location-based marketing. The latest development hits even closer to home.
New hybrid marketing technology will link television and mobile in an initiative that goes beyond storefront advertising and online deals. Using multichannel interaction, we are now able to integrate mobile media marketing with TV ads, sending advertising prompts to nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices during commercials. Once the consumer opts in, they will receive coupons and direct-to-device offers without leaving the room. This marketing technology allows real-time metrics viewing and protects potential customers' personal information.
With Americans watching more television -- over five hours every day on average, according to Nielsen's 2010 Q4 report -- and buying an increasing number of smartphones, this hybrid technology is well-suited to the public's expanding needs.
Television advertising spending increased 8% last year, per Nielsen, but the average TV ad has actually become shorter. Advertisers are rethinking efforts in the changing face of television spots. With mobile-TV fusion technology, data capture opportunity skyrockets.
The number of phones in a room can be recorded, as can the type of phones used. As this technology transmits deals and sample offers, it can record consumers' preferences for ads and offers, allowing advertisers to adjust campaigns for the ideal response.
We're able to see the social data of how consumers interact while watching certain shows, and that's only the beginning. Since TV metrics are considered increasingly important, performance-oriented advertising reports can be improved with the metrics offered by mobile-TV connection.
In recent news, Canoe allowed consumers to download coupons and catalogs through their TVs, while Shazam secured a $32 million investment in TV-triggered coupons. Brands like Old Navy and Procter & Gamble have already signed on to participate.
Coupon clipping is on the rise, as is smartphone use and television viewership; the stage is set for developments in the mobile channel. Digital coupons are far more likely to be redeemed than printed ones, and their use is growing. The printed coupon business may have seen 7% growth in 2010, according to NCH Marketing Services, but digital coupons grew 60% with only 1% of total U.S. distribution. Digital coupons are also 20 times more likely to be redeemed than coupons from freestanding inserts.
There's a great opportunity to connect TV with the current popularity of digital coupons. Studies show that watchers of reality and action programs are more likely to remember advertising during breaks.
Sharing personal data is more common than ever. Some digital marketing schemes have been criticized for culling mobile phone numbers and email addresses, although marketers are not allowed to collect consumer data without permission.
The hybrid technology available dispenses with the need to gather such information. When it comes in contact with a Bluetooth device, it sends an opt-in notice prior to any targeted offer. It not only protects users, but it manages to streamline messages according to customer response.
Mobile marketing doesn't need to stay in the living room. Thanks to real-time metrics and the easy method of delivery, it can be used for the digital-out-of-home market, allowing direct communication with nearby consumers. Marketers can transmit on-site deals and offers to potential clients, and this can be used in conjunction with TV-mobile offers for a well-rounded marketing initiative.
Hybrid technology could surpass previous consumer-mobile advertising in accuracy and impact. New coupons and digital offers present opportunities for mobile marketers to stay informed about consumer groups; as a result, advertisers are able to offer loyal consumers targeted programs. Multichannel interaction eclipses stand-alone outreach and introduces a new method to monitor ROI: brands seeking a competitive edge will get one with mobile-TV marketing's advanced metrics.
Burgeoning technology will continue to present opportunities and challenges in mobile channel marketing. Communication channels are growing and are providing new opportunities for those willing to explore changes. Fusion technology isn't only beneficial for ROI and revenue production, but for the enjoyment of deal-seeking consumers. Looking at the market direction and predictions, hybrid TV-to-mobile technology could stand as the newest mobile frontier.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The 6 Essential Rules for Closing Deals: Part 1 of 6 Parts
bNet
By Geoffrey James | July 18, 2011
While the blog of LeNoble’s Media Sales Insights is directed to media management and sales and marketing professionals within its framework.. I believe our readers will enjoy this special edition which will be broken into 6 different articles. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher: LeNoble's Media Sales Insights and CEO Executive Decision Systems, Inc. Littleton, CO.
RULE #1: Trick Closes Don’t Work
The sales world is full of lore about how to close. Most of it is pure nonsense. Specifically, the following trick closes keep popping up, sometimes in major sales seminars. Here the are:
• The assumptive close. Ask the customer to make a meaningless decision that assumes a decision has been made. Example: “Do you want that in the hunter green or the hunter orange?”
• The flyfish close. Promise something valuable then take it away if a decision isn’t made now. Example: “We have a special offer – a 15 percent discount – but only if you decide to buy now.”
• The puppy-dog close. Let the customer try the product for free in the hopes the customer will fall in love with it. Example: “We’ll give you the product free for your evaluation and only charge you if you don’t return it.
• The reverse close. Ask a customer who’s saying “no” a question intended to elicit a “no” that actually means “yes.” Example: “Is there any reason that you wouldn’t do business with our company?”
These “trick closes” are stupid and ineffective. Any buyer with an ounce of sophistication will see a trick close coming a mile away — and is likely to think you’re a fool for trying it.
Of course, saying something is ineffective isn’t the same thing as saying it doesn’t work. A trick close can definitely generate a sale, especially if the buyer isn’t too bright. Even so, trick closes are insulting to the customer and destructive to the long-term customer relationship. Here’s why:
If a customer has already decided to buy, then a trick close (by definition) isn’t necessary. The only reason to use a trick close is if the customer has not yet decided to buy, hence the need to trick the customer into making a decision. With the trick close, you’ve forced the customer to buy something that he doesn’t yet want.
Now, it’s perfectly true that the customer may really need your offering and after delivery be satisfied (even delighted) with what it does for him, but at some level or another he will always know that you tricked him into buying before he was ready.
But that’s the best case scenario. If the customer doesn’t really need your offering, and only bought because you tricked him (and he didn’t know how to gracefully get out of the deal), that’s going to create massive resentment.
And you’ll end up losing in the long run. So if you’re serious about really learning how to close, forget the tricks and learn the other five rules. (More to come tomorrow)
By Geoffrey James | July 18, 2011
While the blog of LeNoble’s Media Sales Insights is directed to media management and sales and marketing professionals within its framework.. I believe our readers will enjoy this special edition which will be broken into 6 different articles. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher: LeNoble's Media Sales Insights and CEO Executive Decision Systems, Inc. Littleton, CO.
RULE #1: Trick Closes Don’t Work
The sales world is full of lore about how to close. Most of it is pure nonsense. Specifically, the following trick closes keep popping up, sometimes in major sales seminars. Here the are:
• The assumptive close. Ask the customer to make a meaningless decision that assumes a decision has been made. Example: “Do you want that in the hunter green or the hunter orange?”
• The flyfish close. Promise something valuable then take it away if a decision isn’t made now. Example: “We have a special offer – a 15 percent discount – but only if you decide to buy now.”
• The puppy-dog close. Let the customer try the product for free in the hopes the customer will fall in love with it. Example: “We’ll give you the product free for your evaluation and only charge you if you don’t return it.
• The reverse close. Ask a customer who’s saying “no” a question intended to elicit a “no” that actually means “yes.” Example: “Is there any reason that you wouldn’t do business with our company?”
These “trick closes” are stupid and ineffective. Any buyer with an ounce of sophistication will see a trick close coming a mile away — and is likely to think you’re a fool for trying it.
Of course, saying something is ineffective isn’t the same thing as saying it doesn’t work. A trick close can definitely generate a sale, especially if the buyer isn’t too bright. Even so, trick closes are insulting to the customer and destructive to the long-term customer relationship. Here’s why:
If a customer has already decided to buy, then a trick close (by definition) isn’t necessary. The only reason to use a trick close is if the customer has not yet decided to buy, hence the need to trick the customer into making a decision. With the trick close, you’ve forced the customer to buy something that he doesn’t yet want.
Now, it’s perfectly true that the customer may really need your offering and after delivery be satisfied (even delighted) with what it does for him, but at some level or another he will always know that you tricked him into buying before he was ready.
But that’s the best case scenario. If the customer doesn’t really need your offering, and only bought because you tricked him (and he didn’t know how to gracefully get out of the deal), that’s going to create massive resentment.
And you’ll end up losing in the long run. So if you’re serious about really learning how to close, forget the tricks and learn the other five rules. (More to come tomorrow)
Turn Prospects into Customers with E-mail
Bloomberg Businessweek
Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on July 15, 2011
Ryan Allis, Chief Executive Officer; IContact, Morrisville, N.C.
E-mail marketing is an essential part of any marketing mix for businesses looking to further connect customers with their brand. When done effectively, e-mail drives a site’s return visitors and repeat customers, while also turning prospects into lifelong evangelists.
Here are some tips to help your business make the most out of your e-mail campaigns:
1. Make it permission-based. Only send e-mails to individuals who have opted-in to receive e-mails from your organization on the topic you are addressing.
2. Get to the in-box. Using an e-mail service provider that has white-list relationships with Internet service providers will allow your e-mail to get to the in-box of your recipients, instead of their spam folder.
3. Set up a schedule. Decide how often you will be sending your newsletter and commit to it. We see that a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly newsletter is usually best.
4. Make it worthwhile. In your e-mail—above the fold, and ideally in the subject line—address what the reader will get out of your e-mail. You usually have about five seconds to grab the reader’s attention. Include only valuable and relevant content and perhaps a coupon or special offer.
5. Include lots of links. The more links you include in your message, the higher click-through rate you will have.
6. Use a compelling subject line. Average open rates are 12 percent to 14 percent. Test different subject lines and send content that is most relevant to your subscribers. If you can get an open rate above 15 percent, consider yourself a winner.
7. Get social. Social media does not replace your e-mails. It allows you to increase the exposure of your e-mail content to a broader audience and to engage more deeply with your best customers.
Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on July 15, 2011
Ryan Allis, Chief Executive Officer; IContact, Morrisville, N.C.
E-mail marketing is an essential part of any marketing mix for businesses looking to further connect customers with their brand. When done effectively, e-mail drives a site’s return visitors and repeat customers, while also turning prospects into lifelong evangelists.
Here are some tips to help your business make the most out of your e-mail campaigns:
1. Make it permission-based. Only send e-mails to individuals who have opted-in to receive e-mails from your organization on the topic you are addressing.
2. Get to the in-box. Using an e-mail service provider that has white-list relationships with Internet service providers will allow your e-mail to get to the in-box of your recipients, instead of their spam folder.
3. Set up a schedule. Decide how often you will be sending your newsletter and commit to it. We see that a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly newsletter is usually best.
4. Make it worthwhile. In your e-mail—above the fold, and ideally in the subject line—address what the reader will get out of your e-mail. You usually have about five seconds to grab the reader’s attention. Include only valuable and relevant content and perhaps a coupon or special offer.
5. Include lots of links. The more links you include in your message, the higher click-through rate you will have.
6. Use a compelling subject line. Average open rates are 12 percent to 14 percent. Test different subject lines and send content that is most relevant to your subscribers. If you can get an open rate above 15 percent, consider yourself a winner.
7. Get social. Social media does not replace your e-mails. It allows you to increase the exposure of your e-mail content to a broader audience and to engage more deeply with your best customers.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Media Buyers To Wall St.: We're More Cautious, Focused On ROI
MediaDailyNews
by Joe Mandese, 6 hours ago
The outlook for the U.S. ad economy has grown "incrementally cautious," according to an informal survey of some big media buyers released this morning by the equity research team at Deutsche Bank. The survey of more than a dozen buyers representing over $5 billion in U.S. advertising budgets, mirrors the sentiment of some recent downgrades in the major agency holding companies' advertising outlooks, and is attributed mainly to the uncertainty surrounding the macro economy, as well as some micro factors such as media price inflation, and the trend toward so-called "ROI" media, such as search, and online display advertising.
"Status quo. Everyone is looking for ROI and proven effectiveness," readers the verbatim response of one buyer in the Deutsche Bank report. "Recovering slowly. There is more confidence in advertising as an investment that produces a positive ROI," reads another.
One buyer even described the current advertising climate as "schizophrenic," noting that initial expectations coming into 2011 haven't "held up," and that much of the optimism heading into 2012 is due to "artificially inflated" factors such as incremental spending due to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London and the U.S. elections.
Overall, the Deutsche Bank survey reflects the trends shown in the big agency outlooks, with greater optimism for national media - especially TV and digital - and a more tepid view for local media, particularly radio and newspapers. National magazines are also under pressure as marketers and agencies put increased emphasis on media that can demonstrate an immediate ROI - or return on investment.
Not surprisingly, digital media -- especially online search, display, video, mobile and social media - have stronger expectations among the media buyers surveyed.
"If the ad market hits a soft patch, this trend will likely become more apparent as buyers will likely increase their investment in higher ROI media, at the expense of print and radio," the securities analysts wrote in their report, which projects that online media will continue to lead U.S. advertising growth for the foreseeable future.
"We remain bullish on the fundamentals of Internet media, and continue to believe that ad dollars will follow consumers as they migrate to new platforms, resulting in another year of robust growth in 2011 once again," the analysts wrote, noting that much of digital media's gains will be coming from ad budget share gains from print media, and adding that a "strong e-commerce market continues to drive investment in online advertising."
The consensus of the media buyers surveyed is that "online/digital" ad budgets will rise 7.0% in the U.S. in 2011, a more modest view than Deutsche Bank's own prediction of 18% growth for digital media spending this year, but still the healthiest of the major media, according to the buyers. TV (+5.1%) and outdoor (+2.5%) are the only other major media expected to reap gains, yielding an overall gain of 3.2% among the major U.S. media for 2011. That is in line with recent outlook revisions issued by Interpublic, WPP, Publicis and Aegis.
While online and digital media remain the catalysts for overall growth, a recent survey of advertisers and media buyers released by Advertiser Perceptions Inc. indicates the relative optimism of digital media may be losing some steam too. While API's Spring 2011 Advertiser Optimism report the highest level of optimism - the difference between those indicating plans to increase or decrease advertising budgets - since the global economic crisis hit, the relative contribution of digital media appears to be ebbing, though it remains considerably higher than analogue media.
The digital media average dropped 11 optimism points from API's Fall 2010 survey to a 48, and mobile fell five points to a 61.
Between search and display, API found slightly greater erosion in the optimism for display ad spending, which eroded 13 points to a 46, while search declined 11 points to a 47.
Even the vaunted social media category, as reflected by advertiser optimism to spend on Facebook, has declined on a relative basis, dropping 12 points to a 58 from last Fall to this Spring.
On a positive note, elements of the online display marketplace - especially ad networks/exchanges (+6 points to 26), demand-side platforms (+4 points to 16), and portals (+6 points to 11) - are showing gains in optimism. Though agency trading desks, low to begin with, have dropped two points to an optimism index of only two points.
by Joe Mandese, 6 hours ago
The outlook for the U.S. ad economy has grown "incrementally cautious," according to an informal survey of some big media buyers released this morning by the equity research team at Deutsche Bank. The survey of more than a dozen buyers representing over $5 billion in U.S. advertising budgets, mirrors the sentiment of some recent downgrades in the major agency holding companies' advertising outlooks, and is attributed mainly to the uncertainty surrounding the macro economy, as well as some micro factors such as media price inflation, and the trend toward so-called "ROI" media, such as search, and online display advertising.
"Status quo. Everyone is looking for ROI and proven effectiveness," readers the verbatim response of one buyer in the Deutsche Bank report. "Recovering slowly. There is more confidence in advertising as an investment that produces a positive ROI," reads another.
One buyer even described the current advertising climate as "schizophrenic," noting that initial expectations coming into 2011 haven't "held up," and that much of the optimism heading into 2012 is due to "artificially inflated" factors such as incremental spending due to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London and the U.S. elections.
Overall, the Deutsche Bank survey reflects the trends shown in the big agency outlooks, with greater optimism for national media - especially TV and digital - and a more tepid view for local media, particularly radio and newspapers. National magazines are also under pressure as marketers and agencies put increased emphasis on media that can demonstrate an immediate ROI - or return on investment.
Not surprisingly, digital media -- especially online search, display, video, mobile and social media - have stronger expectations among the media buyers surveyed.
"If the ad market hits a soft patch, this trend will likely become more apparent as buyers will likely increase their investment in higher ROI media, at the expense of print and radio," the securities analysts wrote in their report, which projects that online media will continue to lead U.S. advertising growth for the foreseeable future.
"We remain bullish on the fundamentals of Internet media, and continue to believe that ad dollars will follow consumers as they migrate to new platforms, resulting in another year of robust growth in 2011 once again," the analysts wrote, noting that much of digital media's gains will be coming from ad budget share gains from print media, and adding that a "strong e-commerce market continues to drive investment in online advertising."
The consensus of the media buyers surveyed is that "online/digital" ad budgets will rise 7.0% in the U.S. in 2011, a more modest view than Deutsche Bank's own prediction of 18% growth for digital media spending this year, but still the healthiest of the major media, according to the buyers. TV (+5.1%) and outdoor (+2.5%) are the only other major media expected to reap gains, yielding an overall gain of 3.2% among the major U.S. media for 2011. That is in line with recent outlook revisions issued by Interpublic, WPP, Publicis and Aegis.
While online and digital media remain the catalysts for overall growth, a recent survey of advertisers and media buyers released by Advertiser Perceptions Inc. indicates the relative optimism of digital media may be losing some steam too. While API's Spring 2011 Advertiser Optimism report the highest level of optimism - the difference between those indicating plans to increase or decrease advertising budgets - since the global economic crisis hit, the relative contribution of digital media appears to be ebbing, though it remains considerably higher than analogue media.
The digital media average dropped 11 optimism points from API's Fall 2010 survey to a 48, and mobile fell five points to a 61.
Between search and display, API found slightly greater erosion in the optimism for display ad spending, which eroded 13 points to a 46, while search declined 11 points to a 47.
Even the vaunted social media category, as reflected by advertiser optimism to spend on Facebook, has declined on a relative basis, dropping 12 points to a 58 from last Fall to this Spring.
On a positive note, elements of the online display marketplace - especially ad networks/exchanges (+6 points to 26), demand-side platforms (+4 points to 16), and portals (+6 points to 11) - are showing gains in optimism. Though agency trading desks, low to begin with, have dropped two points to an optimism index of only two points.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Horrible Boss Screening Test
bNet
By Jessica Stillman | July 11, 2011
Thanks to Hollywood, horrible bosses have filled the media lately. Psycho supervisors might make great material for comedians, but in real life, of course, you want to avoid them like the plague. So when you’re hunting for a gig, how can you screen out all the different sorts of crazy you might encounter in a manager and avoid a real life version of the new film?
Stanford management professor and author Bob Sutton has an unusual and very topical specialty — what he politely refers to as “bossholes” — so he’s been fielding a lot of questions similar to this lately. To help out everyone inspired by fiction to make sure they avoid real life lunatics in the corner office, he’s taken to his blog to offer a list of 10 types of horrible bosses, as well as screening questions to identify them.
The post is, as usual, entertaining and well worth a read in full, but just to give you a taste, here are some questions Sutton suggests asking other direct reports of your potential new boss before you accept any position:
“How does the prospective boss respond to feedback from people higher in rank and lower in rank?” “Can you provide examples from experience?”
“Does the prospective boss accept criticism or blame when the going gets tough?”
“In what situations have you seen the prospective boss lose his temper?”
“Which style best describes the prospective boss: gives out gratuitous credit, assigns credit where credit is due, or believes everyone should be their own champion?”
“What do past collaborators say about working with the prospective boss?”
“What kind of email sender is the prospective boss?”
“What types of people find it difficult to work with the prospective boss? What type of people seem to work very well with the prospective boss?” Pay attention to responses that suggest “strong-willed” or “self-motivated” people tend to work best with the prospective boss because assholes tend to leave people around them feeling de-energized and deflated.
“Does the prospective boss share information for everyone’s benefit?”
“Would people pick the prospective boss for their team?”
By Jessica Stillman | July 11, 2011
Thanks to Hollywood, horrible bosses have filled the media lately. Psycho supervisors might make great material for comedians, but in real life, of course, you want to avoid them like the plague. So when you’re hunting for a gig, how can you screen out all the different sorts of crazy you might encounter in a manager and avoid a real life version of the new film?
Stanford management professor and author Bob Sutton has an unusual and very topical specialty — what he politely refers to as “bossholes” — so he’s been fielding a lot of questions similar to this lately. To help out everyone inspired by fiction to make sure they avoid real life lunatics in the corner office, he’s taken to his blog to offer a list of 10 types of horrible bosses, as well as screening questions to identify them.
The post is, as usual, entertaining and well worth a read in full, but just to give you a taste, here are some questions Sutton suggests asking other direct reports of your potential new boss before you accept any position:
“How does the prospective boss respond to feedback from people higher in rank and lower in rank?” “Can you provide examples from experience?”
“Does the prospective boss accept criticism or blame when the going gets tough?”
“In what situations have you seen the prospective boss lose his temper?”
“Which style best describes the prospective boss: gives out gratuitous credit, assigns credit where credit is due, or believes everyone should be their own champion?”
“What do past collaborators say about working with the prospective boss?”
“What kind of email sender is the prospective boss?”
“What types of people find it difficult to work with the prospective boss? What type of people seem to work very well with the prospective boss?” Pay attention to responses that suggest “strong-willed” or “self-motivated” people tend to work best with the prospective boss because assholes tend to leave people around them feeling de-energized and deflated.
“Does the prospective boss share information for everyone’s benefit?”
“Would people pick the prospective boss for their team?”
The Most Powerful Channel For Media Data? It Might Be TV
MediaPostBlogs:OnlineMetricsInsider
by Bill Wise, Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 1:45 PM
Over the past few weeks, I've been pretty tough on TV metrics, arguing that GRP is outdated and that TV metrics aren't evolving quickly enough for a digital world. But don't think I'm bearish on TV.
Quite the opposite. Digital media may be winning the buzz war, but TV continues to impress. And I'm not just talking about the enormous viewership TV continues to pull, even for watching programs at the moment they air. I'm talking about TV as an extraordinarily powerful platform for leveraging data.
I could cite a lot of examples of how TV continues to pull ahead on the data front. But I'll point to just three: the immense boon that DVRs can be for TV ads; the value of social graph data for media planning; and the new face of ROI metrics for television.
DVRs make TV ads more valuable. Yes, that's a surprising approach for an advertising industry insider to take-but the fact is, DVRs are one of the greatest potential sources of data in the advertising landscape today. Every DVR usage leaves a trail of information that tells both buyers and creatives what ads are skipped through, what ads are viewed, what points in the ad gained the best engagement, and even which ads viewers chose to watch multiple times. When you think about it, there's a reason TiVo has sidelined into the analytics business.
Social graph data is TV planning data. My thoughts last week notwithstanding, there's a ton of opportunity to link social data to TV planning. After all, social networks are the place we discuss the things that are the most top of mind -- and for many of us, that means talking about the TV shows we love. eMarketer sums up the research on the topic nicely, noting that "43% of online adults have gone online or used social media to engage with TV programming in some way" -- and the numbers are higher for the coveted 18-34 demographic. Mew technology is making the TV/ social connections tighter: Comcast's latest version of Xfinity TV, for instance, helps customers use Facebook to let friends' favorite TV shows guide them in their own viewing.
That's a ton of social graph data telling you what demographic engages most deeply with which shows. For a TV planner, that's a gold mine.
TV data is now ROI data. With the notable exception of low-quality DR spots, we've been trained to understand TV as almost exclusively a reach play -- offering a lot less information linking ads to performance than other channels do. But TV is becoming more direct, and more metrics-rich, than ever before. Enterprises like TRA marry TV ads with actual purchase activity, while ventures including Canoe bring direct response to the set-top-box, allowing TV viewers to download coupons and catalogs directly through their TV screens. Then there's the new mobile / TV connections-which set the stage for new levels of individualized data that can tie TV ads with mobile conversion and targeting information. One example: Mobile music service Shazam has raised $32 million to forge deeper into TV-triggered mobile coupons and mobile brand engagement, with advertisers like Old Navy, Paramount, and Procter & Gamble signing on to the program.
Has TV reached the point of being as addressable and accountable as online marketing? Not as of today. But combine the new data-rich TV technologies with the digital sources of planning data, and mix them with the enormous pool of viewers who still engage with TV enough to make a nice side career -- and I wouldn't change the channel on TV metrics just yet.
Sure, there's no limit to the data that digital media can provide. But for the most powerful marketing platform available now, I'll still flip on the old tube.
by Bill Wise, Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 1:45 PM
Over the past few weeks, I've been pretty tough on TV metrics, arguing that GRP is outdated and that TV metrics aren't evolving quickly enough for a digital world. But don't think I'm bearish on TV.
Quite the opposite. Digital media may be winning the buzz war, but TV continues to impress. And I'm not just talking about the enormous viewership TV continues to pull, even for watching programs at the moment they air. I'm talking about TV as an extraordinarily powerful platform for leveraging data.
I could cite a lot of examples of how TV continues to pull ahead on the data front. But I'll point to just three: the immense boon that DVRs can be for TV ads; the value of social graph data for media planning; and the new face of ROI metrics for television.
DVRs make TV ads more valuable. Yes, that's a surprising approach for an advertising industry insider to take-but the fact is, DVRs are one of the greatest potential sources of data in the advertising landscape today. Every DVR usage leaves a trail of information that tells both buyers and creatives what ads are skipped through, what ads are viewed, what points in the ad gained the best engagement, and even which ads viewers chose to watch multiple times. When you think about it, there's a reason TiVo has sidelined into the analytics business.
Social graph data is TV planning data. My thoughts last week notwithstanding, there's a ton of opportunity to link social data to TV planning. After all, social networks are the place we discuss the things that are the most top of mind -- and for many of us, that means talking about the TV shows we love. eMarketer sums up the research on the topic nicely, noting that "43% of online adults have gone online or used social media to engage with TV programming in some way" -- and the numbers are higher for the coveted 18-34 demographic. Mew technology is making the TV/ social connections tighter: Comcast's latest version of Xfinity TV, for instance, helps customers use Facebook to let friends' favorite TV shows guide them in their own viewing.
That's a ton of social graph data telling you what demographic engages most deeply with which shows. For a TV planner, that's a gold mine.
TV data is now ROI data. With the notable exception of low-quality DR spots, we've been trained to understand TV as almost exclusively a reach play -- offering a lot less information linking ads to performance than other channels do. But TV is becoming more direct, and more metrics-rich, than ever before. Enterprises like TRA marry TV ads with actual purchase activity, while ventures including Canoe bring direct response to the set-top-box, allowing TV viewers to download coupons and catalogs directly through their TV screens. Then there's the new mobile / TV connections-which set the stage for new levels of individualized data that can tie TV ads with mobile conversion and targeting information. One example: Mobile music service Shazam has raised $32 million to forge deeper into TV-triggered mobile coupons and mobile brand engagement, with advertisers like Old Navy, Paramount, and Procter & Gamble signing on to the program.
Has TV reached the point of being as addressable and accountable as online marketing? Not as of today. But combine the new data-rich TV technologies with the digital sources of planning data, and mix them with the enormous pool of viewers who still engage with TV enough to make a nice side career -- and I wouldn't change the channel on TV metrics just yet.
Sure, there's no limit to the data that digital media can provide. But for the most powerful marketing platform available now, I'll still flip on the old tube.
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