In response to Conor Hanlon's Blog; Will snail mail and traditional marketing be replaced by smart phone marketing?

Conor Hanlon presents the following questions. How do you think the economy plays a role in the e-marketing schemes? Even though direct mail costs more initially, the influence it has on the customers greatly outweighs that of e-marketing. How do you think the availability of smartphones plays a role in this marketing? When the economy begins to prosper again, will an increase in smartphone sales lead to a larger role in e-marketing? How do you think e-marketing will play out in the future as newer technology begins to come out? Also, do you think the direct mail approach should ever be abandoned?

I personally believe smart phones are a too tedious avenue for marketing. Most people tend to check their email and Facebook while they are on the go and for nothing else. This is only for means of communication. If they are to use their smart phones for something else it would because they are bored. If someone were to actually use their phone to look up products I would think they’d prefer an actual computer. Smart phones are on the small scale where there is not full range of motion on the keyboard, it is much slower in loading a page, and the page does not have the same set up. That is why web page searches are more tedious on the smart phone rather than a computer and text messaging is also an annoyance compared to instant messaging and email.

When the economy begins to prosper again cell phone technology will increase and better smart phones will begin to be produced. But if smart phones were to be used for marketing they would have to be much faster, bigger, and less annoying and tedious in order to work for marketing. In this cell phone companies and marketers have their work cut out for them. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in order to reach a mass audience in order to get the majority of people on board doing this form of e-marketing on a smart phone.

It is also obvious that direct snail mail marketing should not be abandoned based on the article we read. For example look at the elderly people, there is a great population of elderly people that choose not to use computers or do not understand them as well as choosing not to give computers a chance at all. This is a great target market that companies would be avoiding which would be unfortunate for the comapany in marketing nd also resulting in loss of sales because of not marketing in this way. It is also noted in the article about snail mail that people like the personal touch of mail as long as it’s not crafted like junk mail. If this is personally crafted with care this avenue of marketing will work. Also because of the advent of smart phones companies should also not abandon traditional e-marketing on computers. In this companies should think of new ways to e-market on normal computers when new fads, social networking trends develop, and other kinds of technology develope which would benefit from marketing. It is uncertain how things will produce in the future for marketing but traditional marketing on billboards, personal mailings, and traditional computers should not be given up.

Snail Mail Marketing and Bar Code Linked Marketing

Article One: From Print to Phone to Web:

This article is very confusing. They refer to a bar coding system that some other countries use in marketing and that America has not yet caught on yet. Maybe because America has not caught on yet is a reason why I do not understand it but I’ve never heard of such a way to marketing which baffles me. I wish the article showed a photographic example of what they mean and what it is referring to. What I liked about the article is what some companies are using as marketing tools. InStyle for example is not using the barcode which they refer to as an ugly black box that does not link consumers in because it literally means nothing to them. Instead they use a photo that will actually hold weight to a customer and represents something. Maybe this is the block that America is having, that a barcode which is simplistic, meaningless, and is just a listing of numbers has no significance at all. InStyle also has ‘cute’ applications on the website for example showing a consumer how to make an outfit work as an ensemble as well as making it work as a day outfit and a night outfit. This is a helpful tool for people interested in fashion. InStyle also indicates that using this method makes customers happier by not forcing them to go to a website or download an application which can be equally frustrating for the company and consumer. ESPN is another company that has advertised in a unique not only through their magazine but also a text messaging code which provides information and special offers. My thoughts are that of InStyle and ESPN's marketing avenues being very helpful but the start of the article and discussion of the barcode system was very confusing. This article jumped in and it was very diffucult to follow at first since I had no prior knowledge of the barcoding system.

Article Two: Firms Hold Fast to Snail Mail Marketing

This article was easy to follow since it was introduced in a less bombastic manner. The argument of this article was from snail mail marketing to e-marketing. By one company’s example from reducing its snail mail marketing because of the economy provided to be a big mistake. The company saved 20,000 by not sending letters out but the company also lost 25% in sales. They realized immediately that the world of marketing would not be internet based and people still like to be mailed something personal to get them the buy things. This company does agree that sending tacky junk mail to a mass audience will not work anymore but sending a hand mail to someone that is personal and sincere will actually gain something in getting customers. The company also agrees it is easier to press the delete button in your email inbox than to read a message so the e-marketing will never reach the person in the first place.

Was anyone else confused by the barcode description and introduction to the first article? Why or why not? Please explain what you got out of the article. Do you agree that snail marketing is still work despite what this company states? How can a company customize their snail mail to be more personal and not appear as junk mail to customers?