| In today's economy, it is easy to justify making | | | | magazines are losing circulation numbers, more and |
| cutbacks. With so many companies hard up for cash, | | | | more households have Tivo or a similar DVR service |
| finding areas to cut corners seems like the right | | | | that allows them to blow through television |
| approach. Statistics show that when companies look | | | | commercials, and the increasing popularity of MP3 |
| to cut down costs, marketing and advertising are | | | | players and satellite radio has significantly decreased |
| among the first to receive a smaller budget. This is not | | | | the popularity of the radio. The one advertising medium |
| always the best plan of action. Becoming smarter | | | | that has been gaining momentum over the past |
| about where you spend your marketing dollars is. | | | | decade, however, has been the internet. The internet is |
| These days, consumers are flooded and inundated | | | | an amazing opportunity to not only provide highly |
| with marketing messages from the moment they | | | | targeted advertising and brand impressions to your |
| wake up, until the moment they fall asleep. There are | | | | target audience, but you can do it at the most crucial |
| ads for beer, ads for cars, ads for gadgets and | | | | time in the decision process - right before purchase. |
| devices designed to make your life easier. But for the | | | | The economy today is forcing everyone to hunt |
| most part, all of this information goes in one ear and | | | | around for the best deals they can find. Usually these |
| out the other. Don't get me wrong, marketing is | | | | deals are found on the internet. Digital marketing helps |
| effective and when it comes to decision time, the ads | | | | your company increase its exposure to consumers |
| a viewer has been exposed to, often times, influences | | | | who are actively seeking your product or service, |
| their decision, but the problem lies in one small fact. | | | | making it much more effective than other forms of |
| Radio, television and print ads can all be targeted at | | | | advertising. Increasing your company's exposure |
| specific demographics. For example, a print ad for a | | | | through digital marketing is the equivalent of |
| BMW or Mercedes might do better in the Wall Street | | | | McDonald's only showing you a Big Mac commercial |
| Journal as opposed to Sports Illustrated. While this ad | | | | when you are hungry. It is targeted, effective, and |
| may effectively reach the intended target audience, it | | | | relevant. |
| is not always hitting them at a time when they are | | | | Don't cut back your company's marketing budget |
| making a decision to buy a vehicle, therefore, losing | | | | during this economy; instead, focus on spending your |
| some of its effectiveness. | | | | marketing dollars more effectively by investing in a |
| This is where digital marketing enters the equation. The | | | | highly targeted digital marketing campaign. |
| facts are all around us - newspapers and print | | | | |