Marketing Matters: The Experience Factor

A large group in Boston for a trade show visits a local restaurant for dinner. Clients, customers and vendors all savor a respite from the day’s scheduled events with a dinner of shared stories, networking potential and a relaxed drink or three. The waiter overhears a gentleman at the table commenting on a particular wine […]

Social by the Numbers

The first thing that comes to mind when considering data’s role within social marketing is Web analytics. Social marketing, as a new marketing term that has evolved during the past decade, can be defined as “communication opportunities between consumers and businesses that use the Internet as a platform.” As all this communication is taking place […]

The Battle of Prepositions: A look at integrating data ‘from’ new marketing initiatives and ‘with’ new marketing initiatives

As I began writing this column, I was immediately struck by one of the words in the deck. Using “from” suggests fitting new marketing data into an existing process integration after new initiatives are introduced, while the word “with” requires a different approach altogether, indicating a process that considers the data before the initiative is […]

Follow me, like me, blah, blah blah

Why won’t customers cooperate and just do what we ask? In today’s marketing climate—with so many choices, technological devices and brand messages bombarding the senses—it’s more difficult than ever to get customers to do anything, let alone what you want them to do. In this new marketing climate, customers are savvy. If the call-to-action isn’t […]

Why print catalogs still provide a “call-to-action” in the digital age

AdNation News interviews Lois Brayfield, President of the direct marketing agency J. Schmid & Assoc. Inc. about the continued relevance of print catalogs in providing a “call to action” in this digital age. Direct marketing is older than our country itself; Benjamin Franklin published “a scientific catalog, complete with a guarantee,” Brayfield says. Many thought […]

The Integrated Shopper: How well do 3 home and kitchenware brands cross channels?

What’s in a name? When it comes to the three brands I’ve looked at this month … everything. The sign of a great brand isn’t only name recognition, but the image you get in your head when you hear the name. You should immediately feel something when the name is mentioned. The best brands allow you […]

Know Thy Customer: 3 tips for making the most of your research data

We are in the midst of a true paradigm shift. Consumer behavior suggests consumers want to be more in control of their interaction with the marketing that brands are pushing out. As marketers collect more data and gain access to more powerful analytic technologies, there also is a new dimension we need to access to […]

Behind the Curtain: A look at the people and departments responsible for marketing data

Over the past season, we have been looking at many data-driven elements, including the data itself and the processes that are involved in analysis and reporting. However, a simple, often-overlooked, but key part of the whole process is the people who work with the data. Different people are involved across so many parts of the […]

The New Era Catalog

Lois was interviewed by Kamil Porembinski of ProofHQ’s Marketing Operations Blog: 1. What are the most common marketing problems that companies ask J. Schimd to solve for them? The most common challenge for our clients is how do their brands not only survive in this new economy but how do they thrive? New thinking is […]