TARGUSinfo Interactive Insights

Regardless of the terms used – status, disposition, outcome, state– every lead should have at least two data points associated with it.  One regarding validity and one regarding outcome. 

In my last post “Clear as Mud: Transparency is Tricky,” I posed a few questions for lead buyers and sellers to think about regarding their business practices.  I’d like to touch on the last two buyer questions regarding lead dispositions.

It is my experience that the line between the status and disposition of a lead is often blurred into one hybrid lead outcome.  While one lead outcome may seem more manageable, the lack of precision in defining the true state of a lead makes refining and optimizing lead processes much more difficult.

Let us take for instance the outcome “invalid lead – not interested.”  Contacting a consumer who is “not interested” does not mean the lead is “invalid.”   The status of the lead is valid – which I define as a contactable phone – but the lead was not workable because the disposition is “not interested.”

As I see it, status and disposition are not synonymous and should not be mixed.  These two data points should be independent and based on different factors.  The status of a lead should be based on the criteria defining validity.  The disposition should be based on the outcome of the lead – i.e. the action taken with the lead – thus only end users will have this data point.

For instance, let us define –

Status has the following values:

• Valid – contactable phone number
• Unknown – inconclusive contact (no answer, fax)
• Invalid – non-contactable phone number (invalid, blank, disconnected)

Disposition has the following values based on the listed outcomes:

Equally as important as maintaining these two data points for each lead, is the definition and standardization of their assignment. 

Whether your classifications are as basic as the ones I’ve described above or more intricate, it is imperative that you clearly define and document the criteria governing each outcome to ensure accuracy and consistency.  This is increasingly important when incorporating a human element – such as a call center agent.

When utilizing a call center, it is often helpful to provide your call center agents with a table in similar fashion to the one displayed above.  A standardized set of outcomes mapped to dispositions creates accurate uniformity, which leads to higher precision.

Retaining information on both validity and outcome allows more granular analysis of lead performance and in turn more accurate decision making.

If you are the end user of a lead, then you have the capacity to attain both pieces of information.  If you are the lead seller, you will only have data points regarding lead validity based on your parameters, unless you have developed transparency in your partnership.  Either way, you’ve got a place to start.

Stay tuned to find out what’s next…

Andi

@Ask_Andi

You don’t need me or any other marketer to tell you that the Hispanic population growth is real. 

Kelly McDonald, the guest keynote at today’s Professional Marketing Association (PIMA) Midyear Meeting in Leesburg, VA, made it clear that marketers need to start thinking about it RIGHT NOW.

Why now?  According to McDonald, the upcoming US Census will unveil that there are 50 million Hispanics living in America.  That number is particularly impressive when she detailed that 50 million means:

1) US Latino population would be the third largest Hispanic country in the world

2) US Latino population is larger than the entire country of Canada

Has your organization felt this wave of opportunity or panic (depending on your situation)?  Do you know how many of your online leads are Hispanic?  How do you know your online ads are reaching Hispanics?

Regardless of your situation, the need to identify, verify and score customers is real time is universal–regardless of industry.  At TARGUSinfo we see firsthand the power of being able to work with clients to help identify targeted audience groups to customize their messaging at every interaction.

Hispanics are online. Hispanics are among the fastest growing purchasers of goods and services today.  Hispanics are here to stay.

It’s a great event so far, and I look forward to learning more about the challenges facing the insurance market and how interactive marketers can help.
Rufus

@RufusManning

Make your plans for Vegas today, because  we are thrilled to announce that Greg Stuart, former CEO, IAB, and Emily Riley, principal analyst and research director, Forrester Research Inc., will be this year’s keynote speakers at the annual Interactive Insights Summit, October 13-14 at the Wynn Las Vegas, NV.

Formerly known as the Online Lead Quality Summit, the Interactive Insights Summit will host a unique blend of leaders from national advertisers, lead generators, lead exchanges, interactive agencies, ad networks and ad exchanges from around the digital world.  

Check out pictures from our 2009 Summit here.

“Last year, more than 350 senior marketing and advertising executives took part in our most successful summit yet,” said Joy Nemitz, senior vice president, market development, TARGUSinfo. 

“The new name reflects the evolving conversation that is taking place in the digital world, as will agenda topics that range from best practices in analytics and scoring to the importance of lead quality, and will also include case studies involving third party data in online display advertising.”

The Interactive Insights Summit bridges the lead generation industry to preeminent digital marketing and advertising trends.  In addition to hearing from industry experts, strategically planned and executed networking events will offer valuable face time with potential partners to help drive your business.

“The industry is increasingly moving from buying mere impressions towards buying focused audiences,” said Eshwar Belani, vice president products and business development, Rocket Fuel Inc.  “Data is playing a very influential role in this transition and TARGUSinfo does an excellent job bringing together industry thought leaders to discuss the latest trends and identify opportunities for the future.”

Stay tuned for the full agenda and more details at the end of July.

Rufus

@RufusManning

Undeterred by the rain clouds that swelled above, the TARGUSinfo team joined more than 10,000 members of the digital marketing community for AdTech San Francisco last week.  

It was a Manifest Destiny of sorts for marketers, publishers, advertisers, and agencies hoping to build relationships, meet new prospects and have a little fun.  The City by the Bay delivered as usual.

The Conference itself seemed to be bigger than ever, and the expo floor was abuzz with energy from booth to booth – and I was once again reminded how this community takes full advantage of the opportunity to network in such a positive environment.  

With Keynotes addressing the ever changing landscape of our industry, and discussions around maintaining relevancy and sustaining engagement with customers, the organizers once again pulled together an event with its finger directly on the pulse of the current interactive marketplace. 

We were reminded that a traditional marketing strategy is not a bad thing – but the real power exists when we complement these efforts with a new perspective, actionable data, and fearless innovation.   This approach is the key to keeping prospects and audiences engaged – and converting – in this new era of marketing.  My compliments to the AdTech team for being on the forefront of this effort.

As a change of pace for this year’s event, the TARGUSinfo team hosted a meeting and hospitality room throughout the event.  It proved to be a perfect (and quieter) environment to spend time with our friends and partners, both old and new. 

Over hot coffee and biscotti, we shared insight and best practices around how to leverage authoritative data and customized analytics to ensure – whether buyers or sellers – they were maximizing the interactions with their own prospects and ultimately growing their businesses.   Understanding who is on the other end of each transaction was a key theme and question throughout the week— and we continue to be impressed with the creative strategies our clients are taking to improve their own conversion rates.  We feel fortunate to play a part in driving their businesses.

In addition to our meeting space at the Moscone Center, we were thrilled to host so many clients back at our new San Francisco office at 201 Spear Street.   With views of the Bay Bridge just outside the window, we couldn’t be happier to officially be a formal part of the Bay Area interactive community.  

We look forward to seeing you all next week at the Scoring Summit in New Orleans on May 5-6.

Until then, my bags are still packed and I’m ready to hit the road again.

Chris McArdle

@CjMcArdle

It’s official.  TARGUSinfo has made its presence permanent in the Bay Area.   

2010 TARGUSinfo SF Launch Event

It was with great pride that last Thursday we hosted more than 100 clients and partners at the TARGUSinfo San Francisco Launch Event.  

Some of the finest marketers from Los Angeles to Northern California joined us for perfect San Francisco weather on the Hotel Vitale terrace overlooking the Bay Bridge, the historic Ferry Building and Treasure Island.  

As we highlighted in our Breaking New Ground press release in February, with so many of our clients and partners in the region, it was only a matter of time before we opened an SF office.  Located at 201 Spear Street on the 11^th Floor, the office will allow us to grow our local presence for some time.  

Some people have asked “why open another office?”  The answer is simple:  as we continue to innovate and grow our client base by double digit percentages—be it in lead generation, predictive advertising or local search, it is critical that we have “boots on the ground” to deliver the partner service our clients have come to know and expect from TARGUSinfo as the market leader.   

San Francisco joins our San Diego engineering and analytics teams to be our second office in the Golden Bear state.  

It was great to see so many of you last week but don’t worry, just because we have a fully staffed office now, that does not mean you will see less of me.  In fact, I will be back again Sunday night.   

Bring on Ad:tech!  

Chris,  

@CjMcArdle

“Vegas Affiliates!  Vegas!”

We know the integral role affiliate marketers play in expanding the ability of companies to reach a much broader range of prospects across the interactive marketplace.  If you’re looking for a crash course in the power of affiliate marketing, then the Affiliate Summit is a great place to start.

Our leadership role in online lead generation industry lead TARGUSinfo’s Brian Newmark (@briannewmark) and Julie Hirni (@juliehirni) to attended this year’s Affiliate Summit West (#ASW).  

Kicked off with a great Keynote by Dr. Robert Cialdini focused on leveraging “effective and ethical influence” during times of uncertainty – this event did not disappoint.  

The various educational sessions were also available, with focused topics on affiliate monetization, increasing search revenue, and improving SEO efforts.   

Over the span of the event, we networked and connected with industry leaders — representing the largest Affiliate Summit yet with more than 4,000 attendees.   

While Julie and Brian are not affiliate marketers themselves, their roles in the industry matched the overall attendee demographic.  According to the Affiliate Summit West 2010 show coverage data, only 37% of attendees were Affiliates themselves – while the rest of the attendees descended upon Vegas wearing various hats representing Agencies, Networks, Merchants, and Vendors.

Energy was high and conference rooms were packed with companies eager to network, discuss opportunities, and exchange business cards.  Julie and Brian shared that after speaking with a handful of other attendees, many agreed that this was some of the most valuable time spent over the course of the 3 day event – as the late nights of Vegas had not yet had a chance to slow down any of the participants.

Just like my last From the Road post on the Media Post Email Insider Summit , the Affiliate Summit was a great way to learn more about the interactive marketing industry, host client meetings, and meet new prospects.

My bags are packed.  See you all in NYC for Affiliate Summit East and out on the road soon.

Chris McArdle

@cjmcardle

An industry colleague and two-time attendee of our Online Lead Quality Summit recently called me to check in on this year’s event.  “What’s new this year?” was, I believe, her exact question.

Instead of answering immediately, I asked her what were her favorite, and/or least favorite, parts of our previous  events she attended?

She promptly stated:  1. Networking with C-level execs 2. Good mix of panels discussing macro level issues, but also specific discussions like how one school uses lead scoring and what sort of ROI they’ve received, and 3. Fresh content were among her top three most valuable takeaways from the shows.

I told her that if those were her criteria, then she would not be disappointed this year.

Each year we strive to deliver on each of the three points that she mentioned– putting ourselves in an attendee’s shoes, asking, what’s in it for them to attend?

We have 36 confirmed speakers for OLQS 2009– all leaders in their field, and remarkably, none of them have spoken at OLQS before.  Therefore, there will be all new content, panels and discussions to absorb.

An overwhelming amount of registrants are also leaders from their chosen field.  More than 200 companies are confirmed– most of which are choosing to send their top executives.

Lastly, we once again have placed an emphasis on not only interesting panels, e.g. “What will the privacy debate look like in 2010?” but specific case studies showing the impact of investing in innovation, such as the Dealix and Ford co-presentation.

Also, did I mention that we are having the ’80s cover band The Spazmatics play by the Bellagio Pools for our opening night party?

After hearing about the band, my industry colleague cut me off and said the opening night party we had planned at the Bellagio was all she needed to hear. She was in.  She closed with “Next time, lead with that.”

We look forward to seeing her, and hopefully you, at the Bellagio, on Sept. 23 and 24th.

Online Lead Quality Summit

Best,

Dave

davidwengel@targusinfo.com
@davewengel