Club, Spa, Resort, and Healthcare Marketing» Market Intelligence

Tracking The Companies That Track You Online

admin — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:10:33 +0000

One of the fastest-growing online businesses is the business of spying on Internet users by using sophisticated software to track movements through the Web, so that the information can be sold to advertisers.Julia Angwin recently led a team of reporters from The Wall Street Journal in analyzing the tracking software. They discovered that nearly all of the most commonly visited websites gather information in real time about the behavior of online users. The Journal series identified more than 100 tracking companies, data brokers and advertising networks collecting data — which are then sold on a stock market-like exchange to online advertisers.In a recent conversation with Fresh Air contributor Dave Davies, Angwin explains how consumer surveillance works, how users can disable the tracking software — and how advertisers are continually evolving to keep up with the data they receive. She notes that many Internet users are unaware that their information is being tracked and then traded.”Most people that we have heard from since writing these stories did not know what was going on,” Angwin explains. “So when you go to a website, youre not thinking about the fact that they might have relationships with all different types of monitoring firms, and those firms are installing things that are invisible to you on your computer.”

via Tracking The Companies That Track You Online : NPR.

Coffee and Email

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:23:12 +0000

A new study released today by ExactTarget found 58 percent of U.S. online consumers begin their day interacting with companies on email, compared to 20 percent who start their day on search engines and 11 percent on Facebook.

Based on more than 1,500 consumer interviews and surveys, Digital Morning, the first research brief in ExactTarget’s Subscribers, Fans & Followers research series, found that consumers’ early morning online preferences reflect key differences in their motivations for interacting with companies across email and social media.

“Consumers who check email first tend to be more task-oriented, subscribe to more emails and interact with brands across email and social media to obtain deals, promotions or new product information,” said Morgan Stewart, principal, ExactTarget’s research and education group. “This stands in stark contrast to people who initially check Facebook, who tend to draw firmer, more segregated boundaries and become fans of brands for entertainment purposes or to show support for a company or product.”

Key findings of the research include:

• 93 percent of U.S. consumers subscribe to email marketing messages.

• 42 percent of U.S. online consumers use Facebook at least once a day and, of these, 69 percent are a fan of one or more companies.

• 54 percent of U.S. consumers between the ages of 18 and 24 are fans of brands on Facebook.

• While consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 are the most active demographic on Facebook and Twitter, they are also among the most active on email.

• Nearly half (43 percent) of all online consumers are either fans or followers of at least one brand on Twitter or Facebook.

• 68 percent of daily Twitter users follow at least one brand, yet only 7 percent of U.S. consumers participate on Twitter with that frequency.

via Email Marketing Software, Services & Solutions from ExactTarget.

Most Vacationers Stay Connected To Internet, Digital, Social Media

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:54:13 +0000

(I have had this conversation numerous times with clients in remote locations – who “poo-pooed” their customers inability to get either cell coverage or Internet access; claiming it gave them an “escape”. Bull. Glad to see the results here … bc)

No matter where vacationers migrate this summer, chances are slim that they will completely disconnect from digital media and communications.Indeed, 72.2% travelers in 2010 say they accessed the Internet, email or social media sites while on their last vacation, according to a new study from ad network Burst Media.That represents a significant jump from 2009, when three out of five — 63.3% — travelers admitted to using the Internet while on vacation.Men are more likely to go online while away — 76.2% — than women — 67.7%.Men or women, why do vacationers go online? Keeping in touch with family and friends was the reason cited by 42.8% of men, and 52.7% of women used that excuse. Meanwhile, 27.3% of men — and 31.6% of women — said they went online to check out local destinations and entertainment. Among men, 33.1% said they used the Web to check news and sports sites, as compared to 23.7% of women. Finally, 22.3% of men and 17.6% of women said they needed to virtually check in at the office.Administered earlier this month to over 2,400 adults 18 years and older, the Burst survey found that one-quarter — 27.2% — of respondents plan to take more vacations this summer compared to last year, and 44% plan to take about the same number.The Internet remains invaluable for travelers, with the vast majority — 88% — going online as a resource when making vacation plans.

via MediaPost Publications Most Vacationers Stay Connected To Internet, Digital, Social Media 05/26/2010.

The Conversation Prism…

bc — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:32:54 +0000

This has been around a while, but seems to be resurfacing since the poster went on sale. It is a nice tool to jog your mind, to see what options are available to you as you develop marketing strategies. The creator, Brian Solis recently spoke at the ConnectNow conference. I think this is a good review of the comments on social media from that conference. Here’s the link: MissingLinkNZ.co.nz

“Flash Selling” Drives Leisure Travel Sales

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:33:01 +0000

One of the more controversial marketing techniques to emerge from the challenging business climate that prevailed in 2009 is “flash selling,” or the blasting of time-sensitive offers to targeted prospects via email. The technique started in the airline business as a way in which to liquidate unsold inventory on selected routes. Hotel companies trying to pump up occupancy on otherwise slow dates were quick to follow. Even meta search engines now flash selling complete vacation packages.Flash sales feature offers that arrive unexpectedly and require an immediate response to book the featured promotional fare or rate. For example, the email may announce a “12-hour” fare sale on selected routes flown by an airline. Alternatively, it might announce 50 percent off the entire room inventory at a featured hotel or resort over a forthcoming weekend. In either event, the offer is: 1 generally restricted to individuals with whom the travel service supplier has an established relationship e.g., member of a frequent flyer or frequent guest program, 2 one that features a compelling discount and/or premium, and 3 one that may only be booked if acted upon within the stated time frame.Flash selling emerged as a low-cost alternative to other forms of business development used by a growing number of travel service suppliers during the depth of the Great Recession. Not surprisingly, the technique is controversial because it may compromise rate integrity, not to mention raising the ire of meeting planners and/or clients who may be bound contractually to pay higher fares/rates. Nevertheless, the decision about whether or not to launch a flash sale frequently boils down to the expected incremental revenue, oftentimes adjusted to reflect the cost of alienating some existing customers/clients along the way.According to the results of the new Ypartnership/Harrison Group 2010 Portrait Of American TravelersSM: Almost three out of ten 27% active travelers took at least one “last minute” leisure trip last year; One out seven 14% purchased a travel service as a result of receiving an unexpected email from a travel service supplier; Almost half 40% of those who purchased a travel service as a result of receiving an unexpected email booked an airfare and/or lodging, while fully four out of ten 38% purchased a complete vacation package, and one out of five booked either a cruise or car rental.

via “Flash Selling” Drives Leisure Travel Sales.

Hotels check out social media

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:51:31 +0000

As in other industries, social networks like Twitter and Facebook are proving effective and inexpensive marketing tools for hotels. Through them, hotels offer exclusive deals and try to build consumer connections to their brand. There are more direct business benefits, as well.

One is driving traffic directly to a hotel’s web site. If customers book rooms there as opposed to a third-party site like Hotels.com, the hotel company captures all of the room revenue. A third party’s cut can be between 10 and 25 percent of a booking.

“It used to be a goose egg in terms of (social networking) sites referring traffic to us,” said Richard Flores, vice president of marketing at Larkspur Hotels and Restaurants. “Now they are creeping into the top 10 referral sites I have. And those referrals are coming to us free of charge, unlike Google.”

via Hotels check out social media – San Francisco Business Times:.

Email Spending Sped Up as the Economy Slowed

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:15:35 +0000

Email has not only been spared the ax that fell heavily on most marketing budget line items, it seems to have actually benefited from the down economy. This boon wasn’t skewed by a few email-reliant sectors, it occurred in every industry participating in our benchmark survey.

via MarketingSherpa: New Chart: Email Spending Sped Up as the Economy Slowed.

Foreclosures Grow in Housing Market's Top Tiers

bc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:55:23 +0000

New data suggest that foreclosures are rising in more expensive housing markets.

About 30% of foreclosures in June involved homes in the top third of local housing values, up from 16% when the foreclosure crisis began three years ago, according to new data from real-estate Web site Zillow.com. The bottom one-third of housing markets, by home value, now account for 35% of foreclosures, down from 55% in 2006.

The report shows that foreclosures, after declining earlier this year, began to accelerate in the late spring and that more expensive homes have more recently accounted for a growing share of all foreclosures. “The slope of that curve in recent months is much sharper than it was recently,” said Stan Humphries, chief economist for Zillow. Rising foreclosures among more-expensive homes could create added pressure for a housing market that has shown signs of stabilizing in recent months as sales of lower-priced homes pick up.

The Zillow research compared homes against the median values for their local market and broke each market into three tiers by value. Zillow then looked at the share of monthly foreclosures in each tier over the past decade.

via Foreclosures Grow in Housing Market’s Top Tiers – WSJ.com.

Full Recovery in Luxury-Goods Sales Unlikely Before 2011

bc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:52:09 +0000

Sales of luxury goods, everything from apparel, to jewelry and leather goods, are likely to fall globally by 8% this year, to about $227 billion, according to a revised estimate.

The forecast, to be released this morning by consultants Bain & Co., narrows the global decline that Bain had forecast six months ago. In April, it predicted a 10% world-wide sales drop for 2009, citing its expected first-half plunge of as much as 20% followed by stabilization in the second half.

via Full Recovery in Luxury-Goods Sales Unlikely Before 2011 – WSJ.com.

Argentina Developer Pays $78M for Former Sonesta Beach Resort Site in Key Biscayne, FL

bc — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:46:46 +0000

In one the priciest land deals seen in Florida in years, an affiliate of Buenos Aires-based Consultatio, S.A. paid $78 million or $1,738 per square foot for a 10.3-acre oceanfront site that previously housed the 300-room, eight-story Sonesta Beach Resort in Key Biscayne, FL.

The price equates to about $7.5 million per acre.

The sellers were SBR-Fortune Associates LLLP (“SBR”), a 50/50 partnership comprised of affiliates of Sonesta International Hotels Corp. of Boston and Miami-based Fortune International Realty, headed by Edgardo de Fortuna.

The property in the transaction is not the similarly named 390-room Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort which is located at 18001 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach, FL, just north of Miami Beach.

via Argentina Developer Pays $78M for Former Sonesta Beach Resort Site in Key Biscayne, FL – Real Estate Channel Global News Center.