Coupon Use Continues To Climb

We’ve done several posts recently about the variety of tools consumers are
using to save money.  A new study shows us how many consumers are using coupons, what kind they are using and how much money consumers have
saved using coupons.

•   In 2011, over 80% of consumers say
they regularly use coupons – up from
78% in 2010

•   Nearly half of consumers said they
always or very often redeem coupons
– the number of heavy coupon users
is up 15% from last year

•  Over 300 billion coupons were
distributed in 2011, slightly down
from 2010

•   Consumers saved a collective $470 billion with coupons in 2011

•   Hair care products, eye care products and candy & gum were the three
largest growth segments for coupon use in 2011

•   Nearly 90% of coupons were distributed using free-standing inserts

•   From 2010 to 2011, there has been a 27% jump in consumers searching
online for coupons – currently nearly two-thirds of consumers regularly go online to find them

•   Nearly nine in 10 consumers use coupons when planning shopping

 What Does This Mean To You?

Coupons are a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and get
attention from consumers.  They also give you a great way gain more information about customers and create engagement.  More consumers are actively using and searching for coupons, there are ways to leverage this trend and generate more activity.  Think about offering coupons for filling out a survey or gathering personal information.  This will help you craft targeting profiles and forms avenues to connect with consumers.  Using group deal coupons are an excellent customer acquisition tool.  Just like any other acquisition method, don’t forget about strategies to produce loyalty.  For more information on coupons and other customer acquisition methods, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: NCH Marketing; The Center For Media Research

Online Video Brings Results

There has been a lot of research done on how many people are watching online video. Now, a new study shows us how engaged people are with in-stream (pre, mid & post roll) online video ads.

•  Nearly 80% of consumers who clicked on an in-stream ad watched 100% of the ad, if it had interactive elements (expandability)

•   69% completed watching ads that had no interactivity

•   For ads with interactive components, automotive ads had the highest completion & interaction rates – Over 80% of viewers watched the whole ad and 12.3% interacted with the ad

•  For ads with just a click-through, consumer goods had the highest completion rate at 97%.  Insurance ads had the highest click-through rates at 1.54%

•  In-stream ads had interaction levels 4 times higher than banner ads

 

What Does This Mean To You?

In-stream video ads are a great way for you to get your message out there.  Online video, in general, has a huge following and these ads let you take advantage of the trend while expanding your marketing footprint.  One of the ways to boost the effectiveness of your pre, mid or post roll video ads is by making them interactive.  You’ll see higher engagement rates and added interest.  For more information on in-stream video ad strategies, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Pointroll; Center for Media Research

Men Tend To Share More

If there is one thing that men are usually never accused of its sharing. But when it comes to personal information on social media, men are more likely to share information than women. A recent study found that younger men (age 18-24) are the most likely to share information and women age 50+ were the least likely to give personal information on social media sites.

• 35% of men age 18-24 said they were very comfortable with the amount of privacy protection available through social media

• Overall, just 17% of men and women were very comfortable with privacy protection

• Over two-thirds of social media users change their settings to control who is able to see what they publish

• A vast majority of adults were willing to share their names, brands they like, relationship status race/ethnicity, education and shopping preferences

• Between half and two-thirds of adults, depending on age, were willing to share their email address

• The types of information that ranked lowest on willingness to share were geographic location, phone number, income and physical address

 

What Does This Mean To You?

Targeting messages and offers by audience is one of the most effective & efficient ways to market any business. Yet, some of the most effective targeting parameters are just the types of information that consumers would rather not share. How do you get around this? In order to get the information, you need to offer customers something of value. The more information you want, the greater the value has to be. You have to think of it as an investment in your business. Information allows you to create offers that are more targeted and studies have shown that targeted offers have a better response. For more information in reaching your target consumers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Restaurants And Mobile Technology

Recently, we’ve done a series of posts on the restaurant business, focusing on what drives diner’s activities and how they choose where to dine.  Considering that mobile is such a big opportunity for so many businesses, we decided to look into the likelihood of customers accessing restaurant information via mobile device.  Equation research unearthed some very interesting information on the subject.

•  Patrons looking for fine dining information were most likely to access information on their phones – 64% very likely or very likely to get information on those establishments via
mobile device

•  Over 60% of consumers looking for local restaurants would likely get information from a smart phone or tablet

•  Over half of those interested in finding out about a casual dining chain restaurant would likely access information from a mobile device

•  Less than half of people looking for information on a bar or pub would research mobile-ly

•  The dining establishment with the lowest likelihood of people looking for information through mobile means were fast food establishments.  36% of consumers would look for fast food restaurant information on a mobile device. – this might be because we are flooded with information about them and they are usually on every corner

 

What Does This Mean To You?

This is just another piece of information proving how much consumers depend on mobile.  It also speaks to the fact of how important having a mobile presence is. If a local restaurant does not have a mobile site – they are most likely going to frustrate more than 6 in 10 of their customers.  There is increasing information that consumers are frustrated trying to navigate standard site on mobile devices.  You need to make it simple and easy for consumers to learn about you. Since more and more of that activity is happening on a mobile device you need to utilize all the functionality mobile can offer.  For more information on creating awareness mobile-ly, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Equation Research

Shoppers Go Digital For Savings

Even though there has been some recent good economic news, shoppers are still looking to save money wherever they can.  A new reports shows that digital tools are providing them several great ways to help them stretch their budgets.

•  During the 4^th quarter of 2011, nearly 40% of study participants downloaded coupons from a manufacturer’s web site

•  37% downloaded coupons from a retailer’s site

•  35% got coupons from a couponing site

•  Over a quarter of those surveyed had researched products on web sites
before purchasing

•  More than one in five visited an online deals site

•  All of these activities were higher in Q4 of 2011 than in Q2 or Q3

•  55% used a coupon &  49% checked newspaper circulars

 

What Does This Mean To You?

Consumers are actively looking for ways to save money.  Holiday credit card bills have hit and so has the money crunch with many consumers.  What has your business done to make it affordable for your customers to continue spending money with you?  We are not necessarily recommending the
Schooner Tuna approach (see the classic movie, Mr. Mom), but you should definitely look every opportunity to draw customers into your store.  Using coupons is a great way.  Also, price matching might be a tactic, depending on your business model.  It’s clear that consumers are doing their homework and preparing before they shop. For more information on ways to create awareness and draw more traffic, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: SymphonyIRI Group; Emarketer

How Affluent Consumers Interact

The affluent consumer is something that most businesses are looking to attract.  They are more likely to have disposable income and paying a little more for quality.  A recent study from Empathica touched on the ways that luxury buyers interacted with brands before they made a purchase.  This data can help you improve the way you recruit and retain affluent shoppers.

•   Over two-thirds of luxury buyers visited a company’s web site

•   67% visited a retail location

•   45% read online reviews – affluent male shoppers were nearly 30% more likely to read reviews than affluent females

•   14% interacted via mobile device

•   13% connected using social media

•   12% contacted the call center

What Does This Mean To You?

How robust is your company’s web site? Is it well maintained and welcoming? Considering that more affluent consumers visit websites than retail locations before buying , shouldn’t your web presence be as good as possible.  Also, customer reviews are very important.  They are like testimonials for your business.  If some of your reviews are negative, do what you can to fix the problem. Often, showing that you can fix problems is impressive to prospective customers.  In  Central Florida, there are nearly 850,000 adults with household incomes of $75,000+.  This is a customer base  that is too big to be ignored.  For more information on reaching affluent consumers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Empathica; Emarketer

What “Likers” Want

Yesterday’s post asked the question “Do “likes” equal loyalty”.  While there is still no definite answer, the evidence was obvious that someone who “likes” a brand is more likely to purchase that brand.  With that in mind, your company should do everything it can to keep the “likers” it has and employ tactics to organically gain new “likers”.  A global study from the CMO Council looked into what Facebook users expect to get once they “like” a brand.  This information is not only beneficial to keeping those who already “like” you, it could also help to gain new “likers”.

 •   Nearly 70% of those who “like” a brand expect to receive exclusive offers

•   Six in 10 think they should be able to interact with other customers and share experiences

•   57% anticipate finding games, contest and other unique experiences
•   Half want to get service and support help

•   41% want to share their ideas for new products and features

•   A quarter expect little or nothing from “liking” a brand

What Does This Mean To You?

Three-quarters of those who “like” your brand expect to receive something in return.  What are you currently offering Facebook users who like your brand?  ”Likers” expect to get exclusive offers, content and interaction. Continually offering them the “10% off” coupon that anyone could get is probably not going to cut it.  You need to keep them engaged with content. Remember, these are consumers who are more likely to make purchases.  Retaining them as loyal customers will pay long-term benefits.  For more information on social solutions, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: CMO Council

Do “Likes” Equal Loyalty?

Creating long-term, loyal customers is a key ingredient in running a successful business.  The cost in retaining current customers is much less than the cost of acquiring new ones.  With so many companies using social media and putting an emphasis on cultivating “likes”, the question has come up, does a “like” equal loyalty? There is a new study detailing what Facebook and social media can do for a business and consumer effects of social media.

•  Nearly 90% of consumers use social networking sites
•  Two-thirds look for special promotions & offers on Facebook
•  Almost 60% have “liked” a brand’s page in the past 6 months
•  13% said that they are much more likely to purchase something from a brand they “like”
•  The most “liked” pages were from food, TV shows, music, movies & clothing brands
•   7 in 10 adults age 40+ “liked” food brands
•  Nearly three-quarters of teens “liked” TV shows music & movies
•  Over half of users are accessing Facebook from mobile devices

What Does This Mean To You?

If 90% of all consumers are networking socially, it’s safe to say that a majority of your customers are using social media.  While there may not be a direct line from “likes” to loyalty, there looks to be a link between “likes” and purchase intent.  One important thing to remember is that “likes” need to be organic to be beneficial.  Purchasing “likes” may be fast & easy, but there may not be any affinity between the “liker” and the actual brand.  The best way to acquire and retain “likes” through social media is content.  Tomorrows post will focus on what types of content people “likers” expect.  For more information on optimizing your social media efforts, please contact your Orlando Sentinel
Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: eVoc Insights; Emarketer

How People Choose Where To Dine

A recent report about how people choose what restaurants to patron sheds an interesting light on how consumers make decisions.  While this study centers on the restaurant business, the decision process is probably similar for many industries.

Factors that are extremely or somewhat important in deciding where to dine:
•   Past experience – 86%
•   Recommendations from people I know – 80%
•   Limited-time promotions – 61%
•   Advertising – 57%
•   Google or other search site – 50%
•   Discount/Group deal web site – 47%
•   Local newspaper/magazine review – 46%
•   Restaurant review sites – 39%
•   Food/lifestyle magazine – 29%
•   Food/Dining blogs – 28%
•   Social Media – 26%
•   Zagat ratings – 24%

What Does This Mean To You?

Whether you are a dining establishment, B2B company, retail store or a service based organization, customer’s past experiences and recommendations will probably always be the top reasons why people do business with you.  This is one of the reasons why social media should be important to you.  While many consumers might not make selections about your business based on your social media offerings, comments & reviews on your page and information about your business distributed through social media can have a huge effect on your success.  Digital word of mouth is rapidly becoming one of the leading purchase influencers.  Also, important are offers and advertising.  Never forget the importance of telling people where you are and what sets you apart.  For more information on creating a buzz about you business and how to manage your reputation digitally, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Equation Research

Mobile Ads And Millenials

There are very few things that people take with them wherever they go. Mobile devices are on that list. The fact they have become companion devices to our lives is one of the main reasons why they are so important to your business. Mobile devices give you the ability to reach and affect consumers no matter where they are. A new study details how young adults feel about mobile advertising. Considering the spending power this group has right now and how it will grow in the future – their mobile attitudes are something that business owners should pay attention to.

• Across US markets, 35% of adults own a mobile device
• Nearly half of all 18-29 year olds own a smart phone tablet or pocket PC
• The number of smart phone users is expected to rise 44%
  to over 106 million this year
• Among 18-29 year olds, men are more likely to recall seeing mobile advertising. Two-thirds of men who own a mobile phone recall seeing ads on mobile devices, less than
  half of women remembered seeing them
• Men in that age group are also better targets for mobile ads – four in 10 either liked or very
  much liked seeing mobile ads, just 15% of women liked seeing mobile advertising
• 30% of 18-29 year old women very much disliked mobile ads vs. just 10% of men

What Does This Mean To You?

Younger adult men not only remember seeing mobile ads, they actually enjoy looking at them. While women lag behind in recall and affinity, that should change as mobile ads become more pervasive. It also may be a question
of message targeting. Prior research has shown that women are very responsive to targeted marketing. For more information on reaching your targets or creating mobile results, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Insight Express; Emarketer; The 2011 Scarborough Multi-Market Report, Release 1