Do Business Well

Level of Marketing Service

On one end of the service continuum are the broadcasters who simply merge the text copy you give them with a list of names and blast it out. Some may also provide such basic services as canned response reports to track click-through information. At the other end of the spectrum are the full-service marketing consulting and service bureaus. These companies run their clients’ marketing functions in much the same way as traditional marketing and advertising agencies do. Here are the services to look for when choosing a marketing service provider.

• Strategic marketing planning capabilities
• 
• Campaign planning and execution capabilities
• Graphic design capabilities
• Copy writing capabilities
• Campaign or ongoing operations-based service model
• Data analysis capabilities
• Available partnerships

Operating Model

Your prospective vendor’s operating model is perhaps the most important factor of all. There are a number of different ones to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. To evaluate the one that’s right for you, you need to have a firm grasp on what it is that you’re looking for. Maybe you’re only looking to run a few campaigns to test whether email is right for you. Perhaps you want someone to analyze the results of a campaign you did in- house. Or maybe you are looking for a fully integrated email marketing program. Here are a few of the various models you have to choose from.

Pure marketing services. These firms do consulting rather than actual campaign or program execution. They may, for instance, offer such services as analytical modeling, creative services, copy writing, campaign strategy, and brand development.

Product. There are no services here, just software. You buy a product, get your IT organization to install it, develop an email campaign on your own (or hire a pure marketing service provider to assist you), and maintain the software and the programs yourself.

Application service provider. The ASP delivers an email marketing software product as a service by hosting the product in a secure operating environment. You use the software over the Internet to plan, manage, and execute your email campaigns. This model normally needs some interaction with your IT staff to manage data transfers, but not all that much since your team won’t have to install, maintain, or operate the software.

Marketing services and technology infrastructure. The pure marketing services and ASP models combine to offer a completely outsourced email marketing solution. Using this model you can get basic support for designing and executing email campaigns or a fully integrated and customized email relationship marketing program. For most marketers, this is the most versatile model because you get the benefits of a specialized service provider who understands how to design, implement, and operate effective email marketing programs. The most advanced service providers also offer full access to campaign management tools and sophisticated reporting and analysis capabilities similar to those offered by pure product or ASP vendors.

If all you need is to send the same unpersonalized newsletter every week to a large group (millions) of recipients, you’ll do fine with a basic email broadcaster. If you feel that you’ve got all the expertise you need in-house and are looking for pure product, you should be fine with a vendor offering an email marketing product or ASP. If you want a high level of specialized marketing service but don’t need very sophisticated functionality, you can engage a campaign-focused service bureau. Finally, if you are looking for a high level of marketing expertise and service as well as a flexible, customizable technology platform that can support your program as its needs evolve toward greater sophistication, you will want to select a customized, integrated email marketing program provider.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Categorizing Internet Direct Marketing Players continue…

• Categorizing Internet Direct Marketing Players
• Expenditure on Advertising: Would I have made more Profit if I had Spent less on Advertising? (10-18)
• Five Predictions for trends in Internet Marketing : WEBPROMOTE
• A Lateral Move Can Lead Upward
• Internet / Electronic/ Web and Business Transformation (No 1)
• The Language of Net Advertising
• Who will Handle Commercial Marketing Integration?
• Where to run for help? Email Marketing, Web Hosting Providers
• Applications of Mobile Marketing Part 2
• Launch Your Digital Marketing Program part 2

4 Comments »