Sweetmantra: Internet Marketing Advice

15 Cool Things I Learned at the 2007 CMA Annual Convention

I had the privilege of attending, and speaking at, the 2007 Canadian Marketing Association Annual Convention in Ottawa earlier this month. Here are a few fascinating tidbits I gleaned from the many excellent talks and presentations I attended:

• Marketers need to learn how to 'outsource' the marketing to the consumers.
• Marketers need to develop mechanisms to detect and nurture the brand ambassadors (i.e., those consumers who will willingly act as promoters).
• Mass advertising for the iPod didn't happen until 9 months after the product launched; until then it was all 'word of mouth' marketing by brand ambassadors.
  (Source: Dr. Joe Plummer, Advertising Research Foundation)

• "Don't fear theft of your ideas; fear obscurity."
• To today's 'Net Generation,' "choice is like oxygen."
• Google is the world's fourth largest computer hardware manufacturer (of data servers).
  (Source: Don Tapscott, New Paradigm)

• People want more of what they can get less of.
• 90% of people look for less risk (try to avoid risk) when it comes to making a decision.
• You are four times more likely to be a CEO in North America if you are over six feet tall.
  (Source: Heath Slawner, Hart Resource Development)

• 50% of complex search queries (in search engines) go unanswered.
• 40% of the Web is not searchable...yet.
  (Source: Owen Sagness, Microsoft Canada)

• WestJet receives 1,000+ unsolicited resumes a week.
• The airline has a Department of Culture that is responsible for "creating a remarkable (workplace) environment."
• WestJet holds retirement parties for the planes it takes out of service. At the last retirement party for a plane, over 600 employees showed up.
  (Source: Richard Bartrem, WestJet)

• 74% of bloggers say they are open to receiving product or service information from companies, but only 9% actually do.
  (Source: David Jones, Fleishman-Hillard)

Next year's CMA Annual Convention will be held in Toronto in May, 2008.

The iTunes Advertising Enigma

There's no question in my mind that Apple has done more to advance the medium of podcasting than any other company. For that, I will always be grateful.

Nevertheless, I am still shaking my head in bewilderment about one thing I recently learned related to Apple and podcasts: nobody can buy advertising to promote their podcast on iTunes.

Sure, when you go to the iTunes podcast directory there are all sorts of banners and buttons promoting the virtues of various podcasts. I, like many people, had assumed that the producers of those podcasters had paid to have their podcasts promoted in this way. After all, this type of advertising model exists on a number of other podcast directories, and it's something many of us are familiar and comfortable with.

But get this: I assumed wrong. (Yeah, yeah, I know the old saying about making assumptions...)

After several weeks of investigating this, I have discovered that what I thought were paid ads for various podcasts are, in fact, freebies that the iTunes team creates and runs. According to the various podcasters I have talked to who have been lucky enough to have one of these "ads" put on iTunes promoting their podcast, this happens out of the blue. One moment they're scrounging for subscribers with all the rest of us pod-mortals, the next thing you know they're signing up subscribers by the truckload thanks to a big honking "ad" on the iTunes podcast directory home page. iTunes doesn't even notify them that the ad is running; it just appears one day.

On the one hand I love the eccentric nature of this and the fact that low-budget, independent podcasts are getting free advertising and profile alongside bigger budget "corporate" podcasts.

On the other hand, I am a little frustrated that if I wanted to boost the profile of a client's podcast on iTunes (through the use of paid advertising) I would not be able to.

Finally, I can't for the life of me figure out why Apple is walking away from the chance to generate significant advertising revenue. Then again, Apple's always done things its own unique way. Think different, indeed.

Earn Your Black Belt in Domain Name Karate at the CMA National Convention & Trade Show

I bought my first domain name over 12 years ago for $70 and sold it a few years later for $10,000.  I guess I've been hooked on the magical allure of domain names ever since.

If you'd like to learn how to protect your domain names, increase your website traffic, and outmaneuver your competitors, join me at the Canadian Marketing Association National Convention & Trade Show, May 14-16, 2007 in Ottawa, Canada.

On the afternoon of Monday, May 14, shortly after my pal Mitch Joel warms up the crowd with his "Burn The Ships" keynote address, I will be giving a talk entitled "Domain Name Karate: The ‘Ancient’ Art of Maximizing and Defending Your Domain Names."

That's right, for the first time ever, attendees at Canada's largest marketing convention will learn my secret Domain Name Karate techniques. I'll demonstrate moves like "The Quiet Warrior," "The Five Blades," and "The Peacock’s Feather." I might even be persuaded to share "The Green Volcano" with those in attendance, but only if I have a spotter.

Seriously, I'm looking forward to sharing what I've learned about domain names over the last 12 years. I hope you can make it.