Baby Boomers: Building With Multiple Generations In Mind

The recently released “MetLife Report on American Grandparents” revealed that 1 in 10 households is headed by a grandparent with at least one grandchild living there. The study reports that part of the reason for this is high rates of unemployment among the children’s parents. Interestingly, in 1980 there were only 28 million Americans living in a household that included two adult generations or a grandparent and at least one other generation. By 2008 the number was 49 million Americans living inter-generationally.

In a recent New York Times story about this trend, Kermit Baker, a senior fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard and the chief economist of the American Institute of Architects, said, “Immigrants are a source of growing demand (for intergenerational homes), and their household composition is different in fundamental ways from the domestic-born.”

In 2007, a developer was set to break ground on a condo community in Sunnyvale, Calif., when the market crashed. In early 2011, developer Taylor Morrison revisited those plans and won approval for a town home project specifically targeting multiple generations living under the same roof.  This style of living appeals to the engineers coming to Silicon Valley from India and China with their extended families, according to the Times report.

There are signs, however, that this isn’t just a trend in the immigrant population. In a new book, Unassisted Living: Ageless Homes for Later Life, authors Jeffrey Rosenfeld, director of the Gerontology Program and Gerontology Center at Hofstra University, and Wid Chapman, the interior design program chair at Parsons School of Design, discovered that a number of Boomers are designing and building for their older years with multiple generations in mind. Whether creating a “compound” with multiple structures on the same property or a single home that embraces all generations, there is a clear desire to age at home, both supporting, and with the support of, adult children and grandchildren.

There is great interest in how Boomers are currently living and how and where they will choose to live in retirement.  It will not be their parents’ retirement.  It appears that Boomer idealism is being translated into realism that their children and grandchildren will not have the same quality of life, so they must be there to help fill the gaps. The National Association of Realtors’ new campaign on home ownership taps into this fear. It features a grandparent and grandchild talking about the American dream of homeownership.

Digital Approaches Tipping Point

For the first time since being tracked, digital media -- including online, social and mobile -- has approached parity with television as the most important medium among agency executives, according to the latest quarterly survey from Strata, the media data processing provider that services roughly half of all U.S. ad agencies. Asked what their No. 1 medium of choice was during the third quarter of 2011, 34% of agency executives cited digital, only one point lower than the 35% who cited local TV. That's the closest point of parity in the three years since Strata began querying its agency clients on the dominance of various media in their workflow and budgeting, and represents a 43% leap from the second quarter of 2011.

The findings, which are based on a segment of more than 900 agencies that process about $50 billion worth of media through Strata’s systems, also reflect the rapid decline in the importance of television over the past three years, along with other traditional media, as agencies and clients refocus their energies on digital media matters and workflow.

In fact, the survey indicates that digital may be at the tipping point of overtaking all other media in terms of importance, especially if the economy becomes any more unstable. While the third-quarter survey indicated that advertising budgets remain relatively stable and continue to grow overall, the agency respondents said print (52%) and local TV (24%) are the media most likely to take a hit by ad spending cuts.

While the executives said their advertising plans currently remain stable, most said they don’t expect the marketplace to gain strength until after 2012, and that TV-centric categories such as automotive and entertainment are the categories asking to cut ad spending the most, according to 30% and 21% of respondents, respectively.

“The economy is forcing many advertisers to look for more affordable ad avenues -- i.e., digital and radio,” said Strata President John Shelton, adding: “But it’s also important to note that digital has become much more valuable and accepted by C-level employees in recent years.”

That is clearly reflected in Strata’s tracking data, which show a steady growth in the Internet, while spot TV has steadily decreased over the past 12 quarters, according to Shelton.

“There hasn’t been a huge disparity between digital and TV since Strata started the survey in 2008, but the margin has steadily decreased quarter over quarter, he said, noting that “in 2008, 60% of respondents indicated that TV was a top focus, with digital at 12%."

The data indicate that social and mobile are boosting the overall role of digital in agency and client organizations. Nearly nine out of 10 (89%) of respondents indicated that they would use Facebook in their campaigns during the third quarter, up 10% from the second quarter. And for the first time, YouTube (39%) was the No. 2 most desirable social medium for campaigns, surpassing Twitter (37%).

Google+ is still on the outside looking in, with only 14% planning to use it during the third quarter, down 47% from the second quarter. LinkedIn was a strong No. 4 in social media choices at 22%.

The iPhone and Apple’s iAds platform continued to be the market leader in mobile advertising perceptions, with 78% of respondents noting it is the device their clients are most interested in advertising on, although that is down 10% from the second quarter. Google’s Android platform, however, is closing the gap at 54%, up 7% from a year earlier.

The iPad remains a strong platform among tablets at 46%, up 85% from last year.

“With Amazon and Apple continuing to focus on content for tablets, 69% say that focus will make this medium more attractive to advertisers,” the Strata report noted.

Despite these trends, the Strata respondents were mixed on the long-term dominance of digital vs. “traditional” media. While one-fifth said they anticipate spending more on digital than traditional media within “one to three years,” more than a third (36%) said digital will never dominate their advertising budgets.

Those perceptions of ad agency executives no doubt are colored by the sentiment of their clients. Only 56% of the agency execs said they believe their clients “understand the value” in digital, while 44% said they don’t see the value.

by Joe Mandese, Oct 20, 2011

Is QR Worth the Trip? Consumers Still Unsure

Only 28% of mobile users who have used QR codes more than once say they "usually" get something in return that made the effort worthwhile. Another 3% (call them QR enthusiasts?) say they always get something good from the goofy-looking digital symbols.

The use of 2D mobile codes in media and ad material is always good for a debate among marketers. Some argue they effectively extend physical assets into a digital interaction and engagement. Others wonder if the multiple steps involved in activating a QR code Microsoft tag or other scannable item pay off for the consumer consistently.

According to a survey of 500 U.S. consumers by research firm Russell Herder, mobile customers may be as undecided about the utility of 2D codes as the marketers. In a new white paper on "The QR Question," Herder found that 52% of repeat code snappers said the process only "sometimes" produces a fair exchange of value. For 15% of QR users the platform "rarely" delivers value.

Herder researchers say the QR code is still not recognized by all. While 72% say they have seen a code, almost three of every 10 say they don't know what a 2D code actually is. About one in five relatively sophisticated mobilistas (those who go online with their phone) still don't know what they are.

Demographics are key to understanding when it comes to mobile 2D codes. While close to 80% of 18-24s recognize them, closer to 60% of the 45+ segment do. Arguably, for a phenomenon that is relatively new in the U.S., those rates of recognition are not too bad.

Still, whatever ambivalence there may be over the platform, 54% of those who have used QR codes and have a cell phone that is capable of going online say they are likely to use them again.

In order to improve consumer confidence with the scanning process, Herder recommends that marketers not only target the right demographic, but pay attention to the ritual surrounding code snapping. They require time and leisure to activate, so consider the situations in which the consumer will encounter them.

Herder also warns that as QR codes become ubiquitous, they risk also turning invisible to consumers. Finding creative ways to craft and position the codes will help cut through the clutter.

(Source: Online Media Daily, 10/11/11)

A Quick Guide to Writing Great Blog Posts for Businesses

There are certain elements of a blog post that need to be given special care in order for a post to be successful. Let's take a look at these elements and what you need to do to make sure they are optimized.
1. The Title/Headline
A great title for your post is essential for driving traffic to it, from social media to search engines. Take Twitter, for example. The first impression of your post will be the 140 character status update including just the title of your post. For search engines, it's the same: the title will be the first thing potential visitors read in the results.

When it comes to great titles, you should consider:

• Including the post's main keyword for search engines and social searches.
• Including a number. People like posts where they know what they are getting. So instead of "Tips to Keep Your Car in Tip Top Shape" you should do "10 Tips to Keep You Car in Tip Top Shape."
• Including a solution to a problem. If you know a common question in your industry, then you should do a post entitled "10 Ways to..."
• Keep titles under 65 characters in length for search engine purposes. Anything after this point will be cut off with a "...".

2. Word Count
There is a lot of debate about the proper length of a blog post. Some say that you should keep it short and sweet with an average of 300-500 words per post. Others think that posts should be in-depth and complex, with a minimum of 1,000 words.

What you should be concerned about, more than the actual word count, is whether or not you are giving valuable information in each post. If you can deliver the content that you promise in the title of the post in a short post, then that is fine. If you can write a long post that isn’t redundant and keeps your reader's interest, that is fine as well.

My rule of thumb is to never make the reader have to go elsewhere for information. You shouldn't do a post with 10 tips if the reader is going to have to leave your site to find out how to implement those 10 tips. You should either have enough content for each tip that the reader can implement them, or have a post that you can link to on your site that further explains how to do each item.

3. Breaking Up the Content
One of the biggest turn-offs when it comes to reading blog posts or articles is seeing big blocks of text, text, and nothing but text. You want your post to be easy to scan, so that if you get someone who wants to take a quick glance to see if they want to bookmark the post for later, they will see the gist of the article quickly and easily. This can be accomplished by:

• Using headers for major sections. Your post should contain headers using the h2 or h3 header tags in HTML, not only to easily divvy up the sections but also to be search engine friendly.
• Using images. Think about when you read books as a kid. You probably enjoyed the ones with lots of pictures over the ones that were solid text, right? Blog readers enjoy images similarly, especially if they are screenshots or photos that illustrate a point in the text.
• Using series posts. If you have an article that going to be excessively lengthy, consider taking the one post and breaking it into a series of posts. This will keep your readers coming back to your site for more.
• Using bullet points and numbered lists. Again, this helps break out individual items and make it easily scan-able.
• Using formatted text. Be sure to emphasize important phrases or statements in your post by using bolded and italicized text within the content.

Mashable does a great job of breaking up their content using images and headers as an example.

It makes a post that has a lot of content easily scan-able for those looking for a particular topic and digestible for those who just want an idea of the overall goal of the post.

4. Call to Action
No matter what your post is about, or what industry you are in, you can have a call to action in each and every blog post. Calls to action can be anything from suggesting that the blog reader contact your business for help with any of the items recommended in the blog post to simply asking your readers for their opinion about the content of the post.

Asking readers for comments is an important way to build your blog’s social proof. This means that whenever a new visitor comes to your blog, they will see that your posts have a lot of active discussion, telling the new visitor that your content is valuable and worth discussion.

(Source: Kristi Hines, Published in Vertical Measures, 10/10/11)

Mobile Users Have Mixed Feelings About Location-Based Coupons

67% Say Location-Based Coupons are Convenient, 44.8% Have Security Concerns, and 25.6% Say They are Open to Receiving These Types of Coupons on Their Mobile Device

Sharing their location with retailers in order to receive discounts may be worth the privacy risk for the majority of mobile consumers. 67.0% somewhat/strongly agree that location-based coupons are very convenient and useful according to a recent mobile survey among smartphone and tablet users conducted by Prosper Mobile Insights. Respondents answered questions directly on their mobile devices.

Further, 1 in 4 (25.6%) Mobile Users say they would prefer to receive coupons on a smartphone or tablet automatically when they are near a store. However, double that number (51.1%) would prefer to receive coupons on their device via email. Manually searching for coupons, scanning QR codes and receiving promotional texts/IMs also rank higher than automatic location-based coupons. Receiving discounts on the spot, though, appears more popular than "checking in" through social media (only 10.3% would prefer this method).

Coupon Preferences on Smartphones/Tablets:

• Receive via email: 51.1%
• Manually search for them: 32.2%
• Scan a QR code when inside a store: 31.9%
• Receive via text or instant message: 31.0%
• Receive automatically when near a store: 25.6%
• Check in through social media: 10.3%
• Don’t want to receive coupons at all on device: 18.1%

Source: Prosper Mobile Insights Mobile Survey, September 11, 2011
While 81.9% are open to receiving coupons on their smartphone or tablet in one form or another, location-based coupons do raise privacy concerns -- 44.8% are somewhat/very concerned about their location being tracked or other security issues. 29.6% are neutral while 25.6% are not concerned.

Other Key Findings Among Mobile Users:

• 44.0% admit they communicate more impersonally (text/IM) with their loved ones as a result of owning a smartphone or tablet. However, 56.0% say they call loved ones more often than they text. 16.4% say calling and texting is 50/50, while 27.6% text significant others more often.
• 88.7% regularly or occasionally use a smartphone or tablet at work while 86.7% take their devices to outdoor activities. 77.0% bring smartphones or tablets along to nightclubs, 75.4% use them in the bathroom and 71.6% are active on their devices while eating a family meal.
• Mobile users take their devices everywhere, right? Actually, the majority do not use their smartphones or tablets in church (67.4%) or at the movie theater (57.4%).

(Source: BIGResearch, 10/05/11)

Consumers Ready to Boycott Corporate Bad Guys

When it comes to corporate responsibility, consumers aren't just paying closer attention, they're ready to kick brands that don't behave to the curb: Some 93% are willing to boycott corporations that behave poorly, and 56% have already done so.

And they are also willing to reward companies they perceive as responsible, reports the 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study, with 94% saying they would buy a product that has an environmental benefit and 76% saying they have already done so in the past 12 months. Cause-related products are just as popular, appealing to 93% of the more than 10,000 consumers polled in 10 countries. And 65% have already purchased such a product.

The most important issue for companies to address? Economic development, with 34% of respondents placing it first. Combined with the environment (21%), these issues represent the attention of more than half of the 10,000 respondents. Human rights comes in a more distant third (12%).

The survey -- which included the U.S., U.K., Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Russia, China, India and Japan -- found that while people are willing to accept a company's word on important issues (with 59% saying companies have educated them on key issues), more are willing to do their own digging. Some 36% say they have done their homework, researching a company's business practices or support of issues; 32% have given feedback directly to the company.

And while consumers say they want a dialog with companies about how they are handling these issues, they still find one-way communication most convenient, with 22% saying they want that information on a package, 21% through the media, and 16% through advertising. A smaller group wants to interact online, with 11% mentioning Web sites, 7% social media, and 3% mobile devices.

The most important element, the Boston-based Cone reports, is simply telling the truth: 88% say it's fine with them if a company isn't perfect, as long as it is honest about its efforts.

(Source: Marketing Daily, 10/04/11)

Spending on Pets Rises During Recession

Mary Louise Mills says her three dogs are spoiled rotten.

She has a 9-year-old shih tzu named Annie Lulu after Mills' grandmother, and two Pekingese -- 7-year-old Miss Daisy May and 4-year-old Elmer, whom she sometimes calls Fudd.

"They all think they're the boss," said Mills, 79, who lives in Annandale, Minn. "They've got me trained pretty well, I guess."

Mills enjoys their company; her husband died a few years ago. The dogs eat meals with her in the family room. They sleep with her in a king-sized bed and travel with her in the car whenever possible. They have a standing appointment about every eight weeks at Foxy's Pet Grooming and Boarding, which is one of the ways Mills tries to pamper her pets.

"My parents raised Dalmatians, and I've been a pet lover all my life," said Mills. "They're very important to me."

A lot of Americans feel the same way. According to the American Pet Products Association, people in the U.S. will spend more than $50 billion on their animals this year, a record. Spending in the pet economy has increased every year since 2001 and only once by less than 5 percent annually in that time.

Pet ownership is at an all-time high of 72.9 million households -- about two out of every three. About 78 million dogs and 86.4 million cats in the United States represent a 2.1 percent increase from 2010.

And those in pet-related industries in Central Minnesota say they've seen how animal lovers have made their business strong, if not recession-proof.

"I'm not surprised," said Valerie Muggli, who runs Tails of Gold, a golden retriever breeding operation. "I've found the same thing. The business really hasn't slumped. When the economy went bad, people started staying home more. They weren't taking as many vacations. They weren't gone as much. They started focusing on their home life and, for a lot of people, that includes a pet."

Muggli said she breeds about seven to 10 litters per year, depending on demand. Her puppies cost between $1,000 and $1,500, which she says is midrange for purebred golden retrievers.

"A lot of people ask 'Isn't it hard to send those puppies home with someone else?'" Muggli said. "It's a lot of work, but it's rewarding to see the joy they bring into people's homes. That's why I love doing this."

Muggli also is a dog trainer and has seen significant growth in interest in agility training.

Food, fences
Once you have a pet, the next object is to make it safe and secure at home.

Scott Potter has operated Invisible Fencing for 12 years in South Haven, Minn. A typical system from Invisible Fencing, which is a brand name and not to be confused with do-it-yourself pet containment systems, costs $1,500 to $2,000. Potter says his business isn't experiencing the record years it saw in 2006 and 2007, but it has rebounded through the recession.

"When the economy crashed, it affected our business," Potter said. "But we've been steadily gaining it back the last few years to the point where we're pretty busy now. People's pets are their family. They're like kids to some. Safety is a priority, and I see our systems save the lives of dogs and cats every day."

Potter said technological advances also have benefited the business.

"The collars pets wear with our systems now weigh less than an ounce," Potter said. "That's a lot lighter and less bulky than they used to be years ago. That's opened a lot of possibilities for different pets. Increasingly people realize it works well for cats."

Food accounts for a majority of spending in the pet economy -- an estimated $19.53 billion this year. The typical dog owner will spend $254 annually, not including treats. Average annual food spending by cat owners is $220.

Corporate representatives from PetSmart and Petco did not respond to inquiries for this story, but PetSmart recently reported second-quarter earnings were up 32 percent and net income was $61 million compared with $48 million in the second quarter of 2010.

Vet spending
The biggest increase in pet spending this year is expected to be for veterinary care -- with a total of more than $14 billion in spending.

The growth can be seen in some new pet hospitals, including Advanced Care Pet Hospital in Sartell, Minn. Tom and Pamela Gerds opened the operation in December 2009, although Pamela Gerds had been practicing as a veterinarian for 16 years in the Twin Cities.

"We did a lot of research and selected this market for a lot of reasons," said Tom Gerds, who runs the business operation of the animal hospital. "We looked at industry numbers and the number of pets and vets in the area. Based on those, we figured that the economy would bounce back and Sartell would be a good location."

Tom Gerds said pet owners mirror the bell curve of household demographics. Some people barely comply with license requirements for rabies shots. Others treat their pets as well as their own children. Different veterinarians have their niche, whether it's low-end vaccination clinics at big-box stores or full-service vets.

He said another reason vet care is accounting for a large slice of the pet economy is because pets are living longer through advanced medicine and technology.

"It's approaching the level you see for human care, compared with the days when you took your (sick) pet to the farm and then you never saw them again," Gerds said. "We can test for glaucoma and cataracts. There are a lot of things that can be treated now that people didn't run into when they put their pets down sooner. Of course, the equipment isn't cheap, and it's a significant investment for all involved. Sometimes when you tell someone who bought their cat from the humane society for $10, they look at you like you're kidding."

Veterinary care expenses this year are expected to increase more than a billion dollars from 2010. That's one reason pet health insurance has developed into a growing industry. Since 2007, it has grown by an average of about 10 percent annually -- though it's estimated only 800,000 pets in the nation are insured. Nonetheless, it is an option for pet owners who figure the luxury of such coverage is outweighed by the difficulty of a large, unwanted pet-care bill.

According to Reuters, more than 15 percent of dog owners said their pet's medical treatment would take priority over their own.

Pet benefits
Some research shows, however, the two may go hand in hand.

A recent study from the State University of New York at Buffalo found pets help lower blood pressure. According to the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, pets help reduce stress. And the National Institutes of Health Technology has research that shows pets provide their owners with greater psychological stability and a measure of protection from heart disease. The same organization says pet owners make fewer doctor visits and pay lower health care costs.

The fondness people feel for their pets, the increasing number of them and the growth in human population also have contributed to growth in the pet cremation business. Peggy McStott-Voigt operates Heavenly Paws south of St. Augusta, Minn. She said her 10-year-old business saw no dip during the recession.

"It's still a priority for pet owners," she said. "These are basically family members."

Cremation service depends on the size of the animal, but an average private cremation costs about $125. A garden cremation, where multiple pets are cremated at the same time, starts at $60. Urns made of plastic, wood or granite for the ashes run from $25 to $300. Owners can have a paw print made from their pet for $18.

McStott-Voigt says Heavenly Paws is one of four pet cremation services in the state, with the others in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. She offers a memorial garden for people who use her service to spread or bury their pet's ashes if they don't have private property on which to do so.

"When the floor dropped out of the economy, people stopped spending as much on their wants and focused on their needs," McStott-Voigt said. "But this is a need for many people. I've had people keep some of the ashes in a phial on a key-chain so they can keep their pet close to them. It's a personal thing."

Shelley Bunkholt has been grooming animals since she was a kid and dabbled in the business part-time for decades. Five years ago, however, she decided this was what she wanted to do. She ended a 27-year career as an insurance underwriter and opened Foxy's Pet Grooming and Boarding.

Her business has grown to the point where she's building a new facility this month. A new pole building will take pressure off the space she uses in the garage adjacent to the log house she and her husband have on a 40-acre property.

Bunkholt boards dogs and cats in what she describes as a relaxed atmosphere. The animals have real furniture on which to rest if they wish, including couches. Her grooming operation started in her basement and has continually picked up new business through vet referrals.

"Some people don't groom as often or they've got to plan for it in their budget, but business has held up well, and we're getting new clients all the time," Bunkholt said.

She also has three dogs -- a poodle, a golden retriever and a Jack Russell terrier. She says hygiene, including dental cleaning, has become more important to pet owners. She even works with a canine chiropractor.

"People who focus on their pets give them better care, and because of that they're going to live longer," Bunkholt said. "Making life better and easier for people and their pets is what it's all about."

(Source: USA Today, 10/10/11)

City Living: What 'Urban Boom' Means for Marketers

From Ikea to Zipcar to Walmart, Advertisers Follow Consumers into Metropolitan Areas

Decades ago, people left cities for the suburbs to raise families and to live the American dream. Now we're seeing "bright flight," younger, educated Americans reversing the trend seen in their parents' and grandparents' generations.

Consumers, from yuppies to artists to homeowners unable to sell homes to empty nesters, are clustering in urban areas more than ever before. And marketers stand to benefit from it.

"We're experiencing worldwide the fastest urban boom in history," said Ann Mack, director-trendspotting at WPP's JWT. "As the U.S. population gets more urbanized and cities boom, improving human environments will become a higher priority. We'll see a flourishing of opportunities for brands across multiple categories and initiatives aimed at improving local environments, adding beauty or helping to bring communities together."

According to the U.S. Census, from 2000 to 2010, the nation's 366 metropolitan areas picked up nearly all population growth: 92.4%. The overwhelming majority, 84%, choose to live either in or in the vicinity of a city of 50,000 people or more. In fact, almost 100 million Americans, 32%, choose to live in one of the 15 largest metro areas, each of which has more than 4 million residents. The 50 largest metro areas are home to 53% of the nation's residents, and all of them except five grew over the past decade.

The 2000 Census found 105.5 million occupied housing units, of which 32.8 million or 31% were in central cities. By 2010 that had crept up to 33%, despite the significant late-decade falloff in household creation. And even among first-time homebuyers, Ms. Mack said that 77% say they want to live in an urban area.

Among the sectors seeing opportunity in urbanization are furniture manufacturing, automotive and retail.

Ikea, long known for its apartment-friendly, affordable furniture, has of late been emphasizing its small-space furniture. "The small-space focus has been a global initiative within Ikea, as many Ikea customers worldwide live in smaller, urban areas" said Janice Simonsen, U.S. design spokeswoman for Ikea. She added that the focus on small also "resonates with U.S. customers. Although historically U.S. homes tend to be larger, our customers are looking to use these spaces smarter and more efficiently."

Even so, Ikea stands to benefit from an influx of urbanites in the rental market -- a healthy market in the wake of the housing crisis -- looking for apartments and affordable furniture. Walter Molony, spokesman at the National Association of Realtors, said that vacancy rates for rental units are declining as young people or people uncertain about home ownership rent more and seek roommates. According to the Census, 34.9% of occupied homes nationwide were rented in 2010, up from 33.8% in 2000.

Ikea's doing something right. Sales rose nearly 8% worldwide in fiscal 2010 and are similarly brisk this year.

And in cities, rentals have been going beyond homes and apartments to cars. "There's a trend of people leasing more than buying outright," said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, chief strategy officer at Leo Burnett. Zipcar, which had its IPO earlier this year but was founded in 2000, is one of the bigger car-sharing services around. It posted a 34% gain in revenue to $61.6 million compared to $46.0 million in the prior year period, for second quarter 2011. During that time, membership increased 29%.

Although car sales in the U.S. were up 6% in the first nine months of 2011 over 2010, according to Automotive News, that doesn't mean car-sharing services, which are more popular in cities, are in trouble.

"In urban areas, people -- especially millennials -- want to find practical solutions that are affordable. They're more environmentally aware than previous generations and they're keen on saving money," said Ms. Mack. She added that if Zipcar is going to feel competition from anywhere, it'll feel heat from similar car-sharing companies, such as I-Go and rental companies like Hertz, which expanded to car-sharing in Manhattan.

Not wanting to miss out, some car manufacturers are taking a more proactive approach. General Motors in 2012 will team up with RelayRides, which lets car owners share their cars with neighbors. RelayRides will use GM's OnStar to allow borrowers to unlock the cars from their mobile phones.

Mr. Griffiths said he expects the rental trend to continue beyond cars and apartments. "I would even expect to see an increase in furniture rental."

Retailers typically known for massive stores are even rolling out smaller formats fit for urban areas. Walmart is rolling out dozens of smaller stores in an effort to fight lagging sales. The chain took its Neighborhood Market grocery format and renamed it Walmart Market and began opening the stores in denser urban areas like Chicago. As of this year, the smaller grocery outposts account for about 200 of Walmart's approximately 4,400 U.S. stores. At the same time, it's working on Walmart Express, a convenience-store format that's even smaller.

William S. Simon, exec VP, president and CEO for Walmart's U.S. division, in a recent earnings call said that the company's neighborhood markets have posted positive same-store sales for 15 consecutive months and that the "Neighborhood Market format is delivering a return at the same level as our Supercenters, which have the best ROI in the company." He added that 180 more are in the pipeline.

Other downsizing retailers include office-supply chain Staples, which this summer said it planned on opening new stores that were about 15,500 square feet, down from the current layout of 18,000 square feet. Best Buy is looking to downsize its current stores, subleasing parts of its space to other retailers.

(Source: Advertising Age, 10/17/11)

Cold Calling 101

Cold calling is a relationship like any other and should be treated that way. It requires an approach that anticipates multiple calls. Build scripts that address each call based on the previous call and the anticipated response. Develop the relationship through each call in a unique fashion. Be deliberate.

The most successful cold call approaches address the long term virtual relationship and respects the fact the target is busy. My favorite approach is to call once a week. Each time leaving a message building off of the last message, adding a bit more information.

Keep calling every week for at least two months. That's 8 calls. It's not a lot of calls, but it's a lot of time. The calls are spread out enough as not to bother or smother the prospect, yet close enough they will remember the last call. The messages should be short, sweet and capture the attention of the prospect.

Rarely is it the cold call that get's the prospect attention. It's the virtual relationship you create over time, through the calls, that gets the prospect.

U.S. Vehicle Sales Soared Nearly 10% in September, Despite Economic Gloom

Auto sales defied a downcast economy in September, climbing 9.9 percent to their highest level in five months as new models arrived at dealerships and inventory shortages eased.

All three of the Detroit automakers reported gains, led by a 27.2 percent year-over-year increase for Chrysler, which outsold Toyota for the fourth time this year.

Toyota and Honda again trailed the rest of the industry, even though September was the first month since the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan that all of their plants were running at full capacity. Toyota's sales dropped 17.5 percent, and Honda's were down 8 percent. In contrast, Nissan sales increased 25.3 percent.

The industry's seasonally adjusted, annualized selling rate rose to 13.1 million, the first time since April that they had exceeded 13 million. General Motors and Ford Motor each said they still expected total sales for 2011 to top 13 million, which would require demand to jump further in the fourth quarter.

Auto executives and analysts said shoppers had not been dissuaded by a declining stock market, bleak consumer confidence surveys, a sluggish housing market or high unemployment. Bigger discounts offered by some brands have helped, as have new offerings like the Chevrolet Sonic, a subcompact car, and a bevy of redesigned models from Chrysler.

"I don't know of any other month where we had positive gains in auto sales with all of those negative factors," Jesse Toprak, vice president for industry trends and insight at TrueCar.com, which tracks sales and pricing. "The automakers might be convincing some consumers who may not be so eager to spend their money to buy a car because the product is so compelling."

Mr. Toprak said more consumers also were showing up at dealerships because their current vehicle had outlived its useful life and they had no choice but to buy a replacement. High used-car prices are prompting some in that situation to buy a new one instead.

"As long as things remain relatively stable, even in the face of persistently high unemployment, we're going to consistently see slow growth," Don Johnson, G.M.'s vice president for United States sales operations, said in a conference call. "Right now, the pent-up demand due to age of vehicles is what's keeping this nice, steady, slow growth going." G.M. sales increased 19.7 percent in September over a year ago.

Falling gas prices helped persuade more shoppers to buy pickup trucks and other larger vehicles. Sales of light trucks, including sport utility vehicles and minivans, rose 16.1 percent, while passenger cars were up 3.4 percent.

Sales of full-size pickups, which typically fare best when the construction industry prospers, surged 46 percent at Chrysler and 33 percent at G.M. Ford, whose sales were up 9 percent overall, sold 18 percent more light trucks but 8.7 percent fewer cars.

At Chrysler, September was the 18th consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth. It reported a 24.3 percent gain for its Jeep brand of SUV's.

"Irrespective of the economy, strong products equal strong sales," Reid Bigland, Chrysler's head of United States sales, said in a statement. "There is no double-dip downturn going on around here."

Another carmaker with considerable momentum is Nissan, which experienced relatively minor disruptions from the Japan disaster. Nissan sold 68 percent more of its subcompact car, the Versa, and its midsize sedan, the Altima, has outsold the Honda Accord so far this year.

In addition, the Nissan Leaf, an electric car, added to its sales lead over the Chevrolet Volt, G.M.'s plug-in hybrid. Nissan sold 1,031 Leafs to G.M.'s 723 Volts, but G.M. officials said they were still ramping up production while expanding sales to dealers nationwide.

For Toyota and Honda, even though plants are running at full speed, inventories are expected to remain below prequake levels until early next year. But dealerships said they were finally able to meet most shoppers' needs again, rather than just taking an order or hoping the customer came back later.

"It's beginning to feel like normal, almost," said Adam Skolnick, the general manager at Toyota of Watertown, near Boston. "We have plenty of cars on the lot, and I'm anticipating many, many more coming in the next 45 days or so."

Mr. Skolnick said the arrival of the redesigned Toyota Camry sedan a week ago was helping the dealership make a quick recovery. For September, Camry sales fell 19.2 percent, but it was the industry's top-selling car.

"It's been like a bakery here, with people taking numbers to see the car," Mr. Skolnick said. "It makes it feel fun again."

(Source: The New York Times, 10/04/11)

Temporary Employment: The New Permanent?

Uncertainties about future tax and health care costs could be inhibiting permanent job growth, shifting more of the labor force to temporary and part-time employment, say Pamela Villarreal, a senior fellow, and Peter Swanson, a Hatton W. Sumners Scholar, with the National Center for Policy Analysis.

• In 1956 there were only 20,000 temporary employees.
• By the early 1970s, there were 200,000 temporary employees, representing 0.3 percent of U.S. employment.
• In 1990, there were about 1 million temps, about 1 percent of employees.
• In 2000, 2.7 million temps accounted for 2 percent of employees.

Part-time employment has also grown in recent years:

• From 2005 to 2010, part-time employment doubled, from 4.3 million to 8.9 million jobs.
• Overall, since 2007 there has been a net loss of 9.8 million full-time jobs, but a gain of 2.3 million part-time jobs.

Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers with 50 or more employees to offer health insurance to employees who work 30 or more hours per week or pay a penalty.

Some employers will hire temporary or part-time workers to avoid the cost of providing health insurance.  However, the ACA limits the ability of employers to avoid paying penalties by hiring only part-time employees.  The ACA treats part-time employees as "full-time equivalents" by adding up the total number of hours per month worked by the part-timers and dividing by 120.  For example, if six part-time employees each work 25 hours per week, they would be the equivalent of five full-time employees.  Thus, these part-time employees would be counted toward determining whether or not the employer has 50 employees and is required to offer health insurance.  

If wages and salaries remain fairly constant, but the cost of health care and retirement benefits grows, employers will more likely use a temporary worker from a staffing agency, say Villarreal and Swanson.

Source: Pamela Villarreal and Peter Swanson, "Temporary Employment: The New Permanent?" National Center for Policy Analysis, October 7, 2011.

Bringing 20/20 Foresight to Marketing

With the explosion of social networks, mobile devices, and micro sites, marketing executives are challenged to gain a truly integrated view of customer behavior across the range of established and emerging channels.

A report from Coremetrics, Bringing 20/20 Foresight to Marketing, is based on an exclusive survey of more than 300 marketing and senior-level executives at large companies ($250M-plus in revenues) in the U.S. and the U.K. Survey respondents were asked about their efforts to meet business goals using online marketing software to manage their programs. The findings provide a glimpse into a fast-paced future fueled by robust and far-reaching analytics data used to manage and enhance the customer experience.

In addition, the study reveals how top performers -- those businesses that rate their marketing technology investment as a world-class differentiator -- take a more proactive and agile approach to marketing. For example, these world-class marketers are three times as likely to track their campaign performance in real time, and more than four times as likely to adjust their campaigns in real time.

KEY FINDINGS

• Marketers' priorities are customer-centric. More than half (52%) cited customer retention as their top current priority, followed by customer acquisition (38%), and customer profitability (29%). These will remain top priorities a year from now.
• Marketing budgets mirror these priorities. About four in ten executives (39%) are dedicating the largest chunk of their funds to customer retention; customer acquisition runs a close second (36%).
• Online tactics will see significant lifts in budgets. Over the next year, 56% will increase their online marketing spend, 54% will increase their social media spend, and 50% will increase their mobile marketing spend.
• Greater emphasis is being placed on data-based decisions. Nearly half of respondents are increasing their spending on business intelligence, and 78% say there is greater scrutiny placed on what works and what doesn't than there was a year ago.
• Marketers are challenged to understand the influence of their campaigns beyond the basic metrics of acquisition and conversion. Top performers are using technology to get at these results and optimize their channels.
• Marketers are not always clear on what tools they need to meet their top challenges. Respondents admit being concerned about their ability to get a deeper understanding of customer interactions or obtain an integrated view of customer behavior. But there appears to be a disconnect in how they solve that issue, as the tools that could help-reconciling multiple online marketing applications and lack on an integrated marketing suite-are at the bottom of their list of concerns.
• Marketing is moving at light speed, but most marketers are not watching or adjusting their campaigns accordingly. Just 9% review their online marketing performance in real time, and only 9% adjust their campaigns in real time.
• Top performers are more proactive in tracking and adjusting their campaigns. Among companies that said their investment in marketing technology was "world class," 27% track their performance in real time, and39% adjust their campaign performance in real time.
• While nearly two thirds of respondents said they segment and target customers based on an integrated view of customer behavior, that view is not necessarily complete. Just 30% have a view of mobile behavior, and just 34% look at social media behavior.

(Source: Forbes, May, 2011)

Smartphones, Mobile Internet Set Stage for Increased Mobile Ad Spend

eMarketer forecasts that advertisers will spend nearly $1.23 billion on mobile advertising this year in the U.S., up from $743 million last year and set to reach almost $4.4 billion by 2015. This includes spending on display ads (such as banners, rich media and video), search and messaging-based advertising, and covers ads viewed on both mobile phones and tablets.

This year, messaging-based formats still take the largest piece of the pie, accounting for $442.6 million in spending. But in 2012, banners and rich media will be even with search, each getting 33% of spending, or $594.8 million. That will put them ahead of messaging, which will fall to just 28.2% of all mobile ad spending next year. By 2015, banners and rich media and search will dominate further, and messaging will have shrunk to 14.4% of the total—though still growing in terms of dollars.

Video is the fastest-growing mobile ad format, but from the smallest base. Mobile video ad spending, at $57.6 million this year, will grow at a compound annual rate of 69% between 2010 and 2015 to reach $395.6 million.

eMarketer's mobile advertising spending forecast is based on an analysis of mobile advertising estimates from other research firms, company data from major mobile ad networks and vendors, marketers' mobile marketing strategies, and smartphone and tablet adoption and usage trends.

(Source: eMarketer, 10/04/11)

Mobile Approaches Tipping Point, Driving Incremental Web Traffic

Mobile media is approaching a standard measure of "critical mass" -- the point at which at least half the population uses it to "connect to media," Mark Donovan, senior vice president and senior mobile analyst at comScore said this week while revealing some compelling new statistics about the rapid adoption of mobile consumer media technologies at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's MIXX conference in New York.

Donovan released data showing that nearly 48% of America's 112 million mobile phone users now regularly use their devices to access media content, other than voice or text, and that number will tip the halfway mark by the end of the year.

Donovan said the emergence of smartphones, and especially Apple's IOS and Google's Android operating systems, have been the big game-changers driving mobile media consumption, but that other non-PC-connected devices, particularly tablet computers, are affecting consumer media behavior at an even faster rate.

While conventional computers still account for 93.2% of all Web traffic, according to the latest comScore estimates, Donovan said "mobile devices" -- especially smartphones and tablets -- now account for nearly two-thirds (64.4%) of all non-personal computer-connected Web access, and are growing fast. Among those mobile devices, Donovan said tablets are the fastest-growing segment, and that tablet devices now represent 28.1% of all non-computer traffic to the Web, and that Apple's iPads are the dominant portion (97%) of that market.

Donovan said the rapid growth of mobile Web access is having a remarkable effect on Web publishing, citing comScore stats showing that top publishers now get a significant amount of their total traffic from mobile devices. He said The New York Times currently gets 7.6% of its audience from mobile, while USA Today gets 10% and the Los Angeles Times gets 11.2%.

Some digital native publishers get even more. Online music service Pandora, for example, currently gets more than half (52%) of its total traffic from a mobile device.

While mobile traffic still is a tiny slice of the total Internet (just 0.2%), it is adding significant incremental reach for specific categories of content. Mobile boosts traffic to online mapping services 56.8%, and increases the duration of time users spend on mapping sites by 9.2 times.

Donovan said mobile has also become a significant factor for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, where many users access them solely via mobile devices.

Currently, he said, mobile is boosting social network traffic by about 12.5%, and expands the duration those users spend with social media by 2.8 times.

"There are people who are only doing Facebook or Twitter on their phone," Donovan noted, citing recent comments by executives at Facebook and Twitter that they are becoming mobile companies.

(Source: Online Media Daily, 10/04/11)

Zombies Are Hot!

The National Retail Federation reports that this Halloween will breathe new life into zombies, with walking-dead costumes zooming into the fourth most popular costume for adults this year, up from No. 22 in last year's survey. As has been true in past years, traditional costumes are still the most popular, with witches coming in first, pirates second, and vampires third.

 

The NRF predicts Americans will $2.5 billion on costumes this year, including $1 billion on children's costumes, $1.2 billion on adult costumes, and $310 million on pet costumes. For kids, princesses, witches, Spidermen and pirates occupy the top four slots. And for pets, pumpkin, devil, hot dog and bee are the most likely get-ups.

Online Ad Revenue Up 23% In First Half of 2011

Internet advertising revenue hit a record $14.9 billion in the first half of the year, according to a new report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ad revenue for the second quarter alone jumped 24.1% to $7.7 billion, compared to $6.2 billion during the same period a year ago.

Display advertising brought in more than $5.5 billion during the first half -- a 27.1% increase over the same period in 2010. Digital video also generated double-digit growth -- up 42.1% over a year ago, closing in on the $1 billion mark with $891 million in the first half.

Display accounted for 37% of the total digital ad spend in the first half of 2011, while search remained the leading online category at 49% of the total -- nearly $7.3 billion.

In other formats, classified ad dollars shrunk 2%, and e-mail decreased 34.2%.

"The remarkably resilient performance of interactive advertising so far in 2011 demonstrates that more marketers are placing big bets on digital to tell their brand stories," IAB president and CEO Randall Rothenberg said in a statement. "This welcome news, in light of the weakness in a large part of the rest of the U.S. economy, confirms that the innovations happening in interactive marketing deliver great value to the industry and to the consumer."

(Source: NetNewsCheck, 09/28/11)

Arby's Revamps Kids' Meals

Healthier Kids' Options and Charity Work Highlight Chain's New Kid Strategy

Arby's announced in an exclusive interview with QSR that it is unveiling a new, healthier kids' meal strategy and leveraging it to raise money to fight childhood hunger.

Today, the Atlanta-based company will debut two new kids' meal entrees and replace fries with apple slices and strawberry yogurt dipping sauce as a side to every option on its Kids Meal menu.

The Arby's Foundation will then use the rollout to support the company's new partnership with Share Our Strength's "No Kid Hungry" campaign, which seeks to end childhood hunger in the U.S. by 2015. Arby's aims to raise $1 million for the "No Kid Hungry" campaign by the end of the year.

Hala Moddelmog, president of Arby's Restaurant Group Inc. and chair of the Arby's Foundation, says the two campaigns work in concert with each other to benefit healthy eating in the U.S.

"We loved the synergy of having a good kids' meal that the moms would like and the kids would like, and letting the moms and the rest of our consumers be able to contribute to 'No Kid Hungry' and this hunger movement through this," Moddelmog says to QSR.

The two new entrees joining the Kids Meal menu at Arby's include a Jr. Turkey and Cheese Sandwich and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

Kids can also choose among low-fat white milk, Capri Sun 100% Fruit Juice, or bottled water for their beverage.

The new Kids Meal offerings reduce calories by 40 percent, fat by 70 percent, and sodium by 50 percent compared with its previous offerings.

Moddelmog says that when Arby's went through its last round of customer research, it focused mostly on its mom clientele.

"The moms told us that they wanted some healthier choices available, and the apples and the yogurt sauce were definitely popular items, so that was a no-brainer to get that in there," she says.

Arby's announcement of a healthier kids' menu follows in the footsteps of other quick serves that have moved to make their kids' offerings healthier.

In July, the National Restaurant Association launched its "Kids LiveWell" program with 19 partner brands, establishing a set of nutritional criteria that brands could voluntarily follow.

Days later, McDonald's announced that beginning this year, every Happy Meal would include apple slices as the default side item and that the portion size of a kids' fries would shrink.

Moddelmog says Arby's has "had a bit of an advantage" when it comes to consumers' desire for healthier dining options.

"Our customers have been telling us for a long time that they feel a little better about eating Arby's, they feel a little lighter, they feel a little healthier, a little more balanced with an Arby's purchase," she says. "What we really wanted to do is...make sure that we call that out for our moms and kids."

Julie Casey is a mom blogger and founder of MyKidsPlate.com, a website that points families toward healthier restaurant options. She says chains' addition of healthier choices to kids' menus is a good move. But she still has her reservations.

"Why does everybody keep doing apples?" Casey says. "Can someone please get more creative and do orange slices or grapes? Let's start offering some different stuff."

Variety, Casey says, is what many moms tell her they want for their kids at restaurants.

"When you offer one entree or one side item that's a healthy option, do you want people to just order that one thing over and over again?" she says. "Variety is huge, especially now.

"Kids want more options, moms want more options. That's the name of the game these days, especially as kids are more willing to try new things than they ever have before."

That variety may have to wait, though. Moddelmog says the sheer size of Arby's system mandated an efficient roll out of its new items.

"We know with 3,600 restaurants, rolling out anything new is a feat, but part of what we tried to do with the kids' meal is really keep it simple for our operators," she says. "So the apple slices and yogurt come prepackaged and ready to go, and the Macaroni & Cheese is in a format that is easy to deliver."

Arby's will then donate a portion of every Kids Meal purchase to the "No Kid Hungry" campaign. Moddelmog says there will also be literature in stores that highlights the campaign's mission, so customers can educate themselves and their families on the issue.

"Picture this: There are a lot children in America who are on the free lunch program, and that is great during the school year, but during the summer, where do these kids get their food?" she says.

"One of the things we want to help do with 'No Kid Hungry' is activate feeding sites in the summer that are accessible for the children so that they can get food then."

Moddelmog says the new efforts by Arby's are a,"first line of defense so that (kids) can have calories and have their energy to learn, because at the end of the day, we must have a society that can learn and help us all grow."

"We feel like this is a pretty broad mission," Moddelmog says.

(Source: QSRMagazine.com, 09/30/11)

Convenience Store Retailers Getting Crafty With Microbrews

Nearly 80 percent of convenience stores fortify their bottom line by selling suds. Household brands such as Budweiser and Coors dominate market share and shelf space, but craft beers and microbrews are popping up in coolers with greater frequency across the nation, satiating the pallets of aficionados looking to elevate their taste experiences.

"More and more consumers are turning their attention to microbrews and craft beers; as a result, we are seeing continued growth month to month," said Bob Pulley, senior category manager for Cary, N.C.-based The Pantry Inc., which operates 1,650 locations in the Southeast.

According to the Brewer's Association, the retail dollar value for craft brews in 2010 was an estimated $7.6 billion, up from $7 billion in 2009. Sales share was 4.9 percent by volume and 7.6 percent by dollars, while domestic beer and imported beer showed some weakness.

"In an overall beer category that is flat to slightly down, craft beer is the only category that is growing in volume and dollars," said Jim Koch, founder, brewer and chairman of the Boston Beer Co., which produces Samuel Adams. "It's on everyone's radar screen. Retailers, particularly convenience stores, are saying: 'How can I take advantage of this?'"

America's big brew houses recognize the value specialty beers offer, explained Craig Morris, director of chain and customer solutions for Tenth & Blake, a subsidiary of MillerCoors Inc.

"Despite some significant economic conditions, the craft segment has actually continued its acceleration. There is currently an exploration mindset with consumers, and more varieties being offered by brewers so by default the numbers will rise," Morris said, adding that the company's flagship craft beer is Blue Moon. "We continue to see very positive trends."

Kent Raphael, director of category management for Road Ranger, noted that customer interest in craft beers is driving this category in the 80-store chain serving the Midwest. As a result, cooler planograms have changed. "We have expanded what we carry because there is a definite consumer demand for these products and while it is still a small category, it's on the rise" said Raphael. "People are either buying better or they are buying cheap."

Striking the right balance of product and placement in this category is a new skill set. Premium light beers still draw the biggest crowd, but well-placed craft beers and microbrews, which might only occupy two shelves or one cooler door in a bank of four, are becoming more common.

"The role of the convenience store remains the same to the core beer shopper: it is their primary beer destination. For the craft segment, you have to understand which national brands are the strongest and complement that with local craft beers where appropriate," said Morris of Tenth & Blake. "This is absolutely about having the right selection."

He further believes a c-store's merchandising philosophy and in-store execution should match up with the amount of time a beer consumer will spend in front of the cooler. "In this segment, you cannot be everything to everybody," he stressed.

The Pantry has been on an accelerated path to take advantage of this segment and is getting specific in the ways it approaches it. Pulley said sales increases in specialty beer have been across the board with higher rates for those stores located in tourist destinations.

As is the case with all products, there is a learning curve for both the retailer and the consumer. "The bigger companies like Sam Adams have sales forces and marketing that can help educate retailers and consumers, but the smaller brands do not have the marketing forces in place like these bigger companies," said Pulley. "(However), consumers are savvier today and can tell the difference between a lager and a pale ale, for example."

(Source: Convenience Store News, 09/22/11)

Customers Remain Loyal to Independent Restaurants

Independent restaurant operators may face a tough road these days, but they may have one advantage over chain restaurants: many consumers prefer them.

According to a report from market research firm Mintel Group, 43 percent of American consumers who have visited an independent restaurant in the past month said they make a point of seeking them out over chains.

Independents, however, could do a better job of offering promotions and limited-time offers to compete with chains, Mintel said. Meanwhile, chains could borrow a page from indies by offering more unique menu items.

More than half of consumers surveyed -- 52 percent -- said they visit independent restaurants to support their local community/economy, while 51 percent agree that independent restaurants do a good job of supporting their local communities, according to the report. By comparison, 37 percent said the same of chain restaurants.

"People take pride in their communities and will often reward local businesses that make their community a better place," Eric Giandelone, director of Mintel Foodservice, said in a statement. "The primary way indies underperform in relation to chains is through a lack of promotions and limited-time offers -- two things that could be easily addressed with social shopping and social networking sites."

Most consumers, 56 percent, said they were willing to pay more at an independent restaurant, the report found. However, of those who had not been to an independent restaurant in the past month, 22 percent said it was because they deemed indies too expensive.

"While chain restaurants are able to offer up a big helping of value and convenience, they need to focus on areas of opportunity where independents are rated better, such as unique menu items and local flair," Giandelone said.

According to 42 percent of those surveyed, independents are superior to chains when it comes to food quality and the ability to customize orders, Mintel found.

However, 21 percent said chains are better when it comes to convenience, and 20 percent said chains offer faster service.

(Source: Nation's Restaurant News, 09/26/11)

Engage Customers How They Prefer To Be Engaged!

An increasing number of customers are taking their business online these days.

Many of them have also changed or updated the means by which they prefer to communicate.

One of the keys to finding (and closing) more prospects in a digital marketplace is engaging them via email, social media, webinars, IM, text, online message boards, phone, and perhaps even web conferences.

With so many new modes of contact available, it may even be helpful to ask prospects up front how they prefer to communicate on a regular basis.

While none of these strategies can take the place of traditional prospecting skills, they may provide salespeople additional ways to meet and engage new prospects, while generating dozens of qualified leads.