Unqualified Friends

Unqualified ‘Friends’

           Local marketers are quickly starting to realize that the new media they once cherished because the metrics were ‘measurable’ are quickly discovering that clicks ain’t sales and the measure isn’t as qualified as once thought.
          And for good reason.
          Take for example, this email sent to me from a friend asking me to do a “favour”;
          My nephew, an up and coming musician, is trying to win a talent contest  and I have sent you the web site. Please scroll down and vote for him as         your choice for the winner in the BEST ROCK ARTIST category….He really       is the BEST!
          This counts from anywhere in the world so New Zealand, Australia, UK,    Luxembourg, Mexico, USA, Bangkok, Switzerland and of course all over       North America, let’s help this young man..
          Pass it on to anyone you think will help us out! I’ll return the favour.
          My friend is well connected, with lots of ‘online friends’ so there is no doubt his nephew has a chance to win the talent contest, even if he couldn’t carry a note in a bucket. Heck, I voted for him and I’ve never heard him.
          Clicks or friends are not a measure of success, or as in this case, a measure of qualified contacts. The measurable metrics touted by digital ad sales people do not consider two main points;
1.)   Global clicks or followings might be good for world-wide marketers like Coca-Cola, but what does a follower in Bangkok mean to a local business?
2.)   Even in the case of Coca-Cola, does the fact that Coke was referred by a friend really entice someone on a sugar-free diet to buy a case of Coke?
          I was not qualified to judge my friend’s nephew’s talent because I’ve never heard him. But I voted for him as a favour. Many clicks, friends, page views, followers or other metrics touted by new media sales people are not qualified.
          There is only one true measure of advertising success…..sales over time.
 
Randy’s “What if”
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