Real Time Marketing: What You Must Know For Success In 2013

Real Time Marketing: What You Must Know in 2013

Real time marketing can make the difference in 2013

Today’s marketing is one of the most fast paced and ever-changing endeavors of the 21st century. Nothing is static and the real-time marketing insures that it will never be the same again. Real time marketing is the next best thing to being all knowing, but you have to be ready to respond really fast.

The Web of the New Millennium

When the internet first came to life in 1995, there was a strong sense of anonymity. People used “handles” so that no one knew who they really were. Users spoke freely about whatever popped into their heads.

We can get nostalgic about those days if we like, but they’re over. Today, corporations, governments and law enforcement watch everything we do online. The all-seeing eyes of Google, Facebook, Twitter and various credit and marketing companies tell all. Because users in the past abused anonymity, today’s social media users must verify who they are before they can interact online. There is no longer such thing as privacy. Everyone knows what we do online.

The End of Privacy Signals the Start of Stronger Connections

Looking at this another way, technology is turning the world into a small town, where merchants know their customers. Even though your potential clients may be thousands of miles away, you can find them using real-time marketing tools. You can be aware of their location, their spending habits, their interests and even personal information about their lives. You can often find out their daily routines, when they are online, where they go when they aren’t online and what you can do to serve them better.

What is Real Time Marketing?

While real time marketing is a broad topic with many different approaches, it all boils down to knowing where your potential clients are, what they are doing and even what they are thinking. It’s as if big brother met and married old-fashioned customer service with a smile. It’s amazing how receptive consumers are to this futuristic approach, even though it means they have less privacy. In fact, real-time marketing has an amazing track record for making sales and raising a loyal customer base.

Here are some examples of ways real-time marketing works:

If Jim Brown tweets that he wants potato chips, he immediately receives a special offer for a free sample bag of chips.
If Joe Smith is ordering a free trial offer, his credit and purchasing history automatically and instantaneously undergo a check to find out if he is likely to pay. If the automated service determines that he probably won’t buy, then he is encouraged by extra frames to pay up front.
If Elizabeth searches for a new TV at the Electronics Magic Online Store, but does not buy a TV, she will receive special offers from the store immediately after she leaves.

Many tool and services are springing up to take advantage of real-time marketing opportunities. This is how large companies and corporations make real-time marketing work for them. At the cutting edge of the marketing world, most of these services aren’t cheap.

Baynote

Baynote monitors each user’s past activity, likes and interests to better anticipate their needs and wants. Among other features, Baynote allows merchants to see what key word search words site visitors typed into the search bar to find their website. Baynote can find users that ask about products and services like yours as well.

Foursquare

Foursquare is software that encourages mobile users to check in and show their physical location at a store, restaurant or venue. The program gives out points, various levels of status as well as special offers from the venues they visit. Foursquare users chase after special offers and will come to your location for a bargain, or perhaps stop by to check out a sale when in the neighborhood.

Experian and Cross-Channel Identity Resolution

Experian and other credit bureaus like Equifax and Transunion gather vast personal data about internet users. Experian alone processes 100 million records every hour. They collect information on people including their location, lifestyle and other demographic information. Their new Cross-Channel Identity Resolution programs allow them to identify, watch and uniquely address users in real time as they access a website.

Actionly

Google has amassed a tremendous amount of data about users, which they sell. The same is true of Facebook and Twitter. Specialized programs like Actionly monitor Twitter and Facebook for certain keywords, so marketers can present them with products that meet any need they expressed in a tweet or post.

Real Time Marketing can Work for Small Business

While some of these tools command a bigger budget, small business can also use real-time marketing to approach their customer base. Here are a few ideas to make it happen:

List a coupon or special for your company with Foursquare. Allow your client base to track you on Foursquare, or follow them to know where they are.
Search Twitter for keywords related to your business. Follow people who talk about the kind of products or services you offer and if possible converse with them.
Use monitoring tools and search engines to look for complaints and bad reviews of your products or services. Try to discuss the problems and correct the situation with customers immediately.
Use Clicky for real-time website analytics. You can back track links to learn how visitors found your site.

It’s time to start thinking about what your potential customers are thinking right now and move forward with real-time marketing. By spending at least an hour a week on figuring out what your customers want, you can boost sales and profits.