Marketers from Mars
I just read this report from ExactTarget — Marketers from Mars — which underscored for me how marketers, including fundraisers, can get too far out in front of their audiences.
The report makes many comparisons about marketers’ use of social media versus consumers. For example …
- 90% of marketers own smartphones; only 51% of consumers do.
- 86% of marketers have ‘liked’ at least one brand or company; 58% of consumers have.
- 61% of marketers ‘follow’ a brand or company on Twitter; 12% of consumers do.
The report makes the obvious observation:
“The challenge facing marketers is twofold: first, they must acknowledge the differences between their own online habits and those of the consumers they seek to reach. To put it another way, marketers must avoid being a focus group of one. At the same time, however, marketers need to continue taking risks and exploring new digital frontiers.”
That’s a sound warning. The Agitator frequently shares information and insights on, for example, social media platforms (as we did yesterday), knowing full well that more and more donors, certainly upmarket donors, are avidly using these channels and tools.
At the same time, we also caution about being a “focus group of one”. Make the effort to understand where on the adoption curve your audience is.
From the report:
- Amongst marketers, 93% have made a purchase as a direct result of a marketing message received through email; 56% of consumers with a smartphone have; 42% of consumers w/o smartphone have.
- Through Facebook — marketers, 41%; consumers with, 31%; consumers w/o, 12%.
- Through Twitter — marketers 25%; consumers with, 17%; consumers w/o, 2%.
- Through direct mail — marketers, 81%; consumers with, 51%; consumers w/o, 44%.
Keep in clear perspective what channels are delivering your donations today.
Tom
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