How often after doing your online research of a product and then buying it, do you get bombarded with advertisements and promotions for that product you just purchased? No doubt you see offers for the product much cheaper than you what you paid – and sometimes even from the company you just bought from.

​

Annoying is an understatement, right?

 

Instead, organisations should be using data, combined with some behavioural science thinking to execute situational marketing initiatives.

​

Read more... 

A footy fan’s take on the 2021 Intergenerational Report circulated by The Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia. 

​

Now I bet, just like me, you were waiting with bated breath to hear what was inside the Federal Government’s 2021 Intergenerational Report, issued by the Treasurer. 

​

No? Ok, I admit, neither was I. But, as I listened to the Treasurer explain the key findings and read through the document myself and the various industry pundit’s take on the document , I started to think, “This can’t be good for footy…”

​

Read more... 

As consumers, we are all creatures of habit – some good, some bad, some neither good nor bad. The thing about habits is that it is rare for us to change our habits unless there is a reason to.

​

But in 2020 we had plenty of reasons imposed upon us that forced us to change the way we live, what we do and how we do things. And I’m guessing that many of us subsequently developed new habits.

But will we return to the old habits when the shackles of pandemic oppression are removed?

 

Working with sporting organisations and clubs, I have noticed that there is considerable pondering about what fans will do when sport comes back. Could a year of not being able to see their beloved team play in a sport they have passionately followed for a lifetime change a fan’s feeling about sport or their club?

​

Read more... 

Have you ever wondered why a seemingly loyal customer or member suddenly leaves you? 

​

Maybe it was because you didn’t recognise them as a fan and kept treating them like a customer. 

​

After all, fans are different to customers. Aren’t they?

​

Fans and customers engage differently with a brand, and this can be identified in their behaviours and attributes. Let’s review what is a fan and what is a customer.

​

Read more... 

Graham Plant and Rik Brown explore the year that has been 2020.

Graham is writing a book on leadership and 2020 has enabled him to notice a number of trends.

​

Rik and Graham consider how WFH suits certain types of leadership and not others. What happens to leadership by walking the floor?

Graham has always been someone who takes leadership seriously but does not take himself seriously. It's a great conversation.

Graham features in an earlier LoF episode - reflecting on his participation in one of the world's toughest races. 

​

Leadership of Fools 

​

Apple Podcast

I sat down and started writing this post quite a few months ago on the week of my birthday.  One more year I had survived on a spinning blue green rock as it made another orbit around a sun some 150 million odd kilometres away.

My birthday was not a milestone or special birthday, but a birthday, nevertheless. I was but one of an estimated 323,545 born on the same day so it hardly makes me special.  But as each year passes and I get a little closer to the top of the escalator, I guess every birthday increases in significance.  

Not because I'm getting older, but because as each year passes, there is less time available to realise my dreams, complete that masterpiece, learn that new skill, achieve that goal or just be a bit better (or do a bit more) than the year before.

​

Read more... 

Well isn’t the world an interesting and challenging place right now? 

​

If you are reading this post, it is most likely that you are a leader. 

A leader with responsibilities to your team, your family, your friends, your boss, your colleagues, your customers, your shareholders, your community and yourself. When times are tough, all these people need your leadership. 

​

​Now, is your time to lead the way. Now is your time to develop strategies for when this ride is over. Now is your time to give people a purpose and future that they can believe in. All the while keeping the ship afloat and dealing with real issues and challenges that are constantly changing.

​

Read more... 

As a leader what matters most? What you say, or what you do?

While I am a leadership and business coach, I am also (and unabashedly) a football tragic and died-in-the-wool supporter of the Collingwood Football Club. So, when the recent documentary Collingwood: From the Inside Out aired on ABC providing a behind scenes look into the club and a few key players, I was captivated.

 

The documentary provided some fabulous insights into what it takes to play sport at the elite level, and also how culture drives success.

 

But there was a poignant moment in the documentary that really stood out for me. A moment that I felt exemplified what great leadership really means to people.

​

Read more... 

How to leverage your marketing automation platform to deepen customer understanding and supercharge communications.

​

I worked with Taguchi who has been working with customers
across many industries for more than 10 years to successfully deploy marketing automation. Millions of communications are successfully channelled through Taguchi every day. So, we joined forces to present some valuable insights on how to leverage marketing automation to improve customer data. Outlined in this guide are some examples of how businesses have started with just a name and email address, and built out a comprehensive communications program using marketing automation applications.

​

Request Whitepaper ...

A one-on-one conversation with Graham Plant recounting a 250+km trek across the Sahara Desert.  A story of personal challenge, resilience and giving back.

​

​

Leadership of Fools 

​

Apple Podcast

Leadership fascinates me. I am unabashedly a student of leadership and love researching successful leaders to understand them, and learn from them. 

​

History abounds with remarkable stories of leadership that we can reference for inspiration and guidance. And what great teachers we have to call on to show us what great leadership means, and what it can achieve.

​

I also love working with leaders, and that is what got me into executive coaching. Being able to work with leaders and help them on their journey is an amazing privilege.  

​

With so many good leaders from our history to guide us, how is it in Australia today that we seem bereft of great leaders?

​

Read more ...

Businesses and government have been winging it when it comes to data use. Graham Plant on trust and what it should mean to marketers.

​

As marketers we rely on data. Now more than ever. So why is it that so many businesses pay scant regard to the security, compliant use and governance of their customer data?  To understand if data security is important to your customers you don’t need to look any further than the hoo-ha happening around My Health Record.

​

Read more ...

Graham Plant writes that while business would be pretty boring without first movers, the advantage gained is rarely as clear-cut as it seems.  When the theme of this issue of Marketing was mentioned, there was an obvious choice for me in regards to the topic I would write on: market leaders and first mover advantages… or disadvantages.

​

Read more ...

Graham Plant investigates to what extent the values that define people actually influence their shopping behaviour.  Values – as marketers they sit at the core of everything we do, although sometimes we don’t recognise how important they are in defining our success.

​

Read More ...

Brand custodians need to rethink the responsiveness of the brand implement-test cycle, writes Graham Plant.  When the theme of this issue of the new-format Marketing (which, by the way guys, looks awesome) was presented to me, it raised a number of thoughts and ideas – but one stood out more than the others.

​

Read more ...

Don’t learn the hard way, learn from Graham Plant – he’s been involved in the selection of marketing automation platforms for a variety of organisations, including most recently at Effective Measure where he joined as CEO. His key piece of advice: figure out what your business needs before talking to any vendors.

​

Read more ...

The bestselling author is one of the world’s most well-known marketers. He loves new media, has more than 50,000 Twitter followers – and is supremely confident that print still works.  They call him the “celebrity CMO”. As the former chief marketing officer of Kodak, Jeffrey Hayzlett is a giant of the business world. Before he held the key role at Kodak - during its glory days in graphic arts - Hayzlett also worked for a number of print companies. He is now a consultant and bestselling author, and renowned as an expert in different marketing channels. Now often referenced for his expertise in social media (he has more than 50,000 Twitter followers), Hayzlett remains true to his first love – print. In a ProPrint exclusive, he speaks to former head of PMP Digital Graham Plant, who is now director of Pearl Business Solutions, specialists in maximising marketing effectiveness.

​

Read more ...

First, a confession: I am a hoarder! I hate to throw anything out. In my archives are articles, magazines, journals and products that I have kept on the basis that they would be useful references. I have football records from the 1970s, Harvard Business Review  publications from the 80s and industry publications that span across three decades. And no, they have never been referenced again. Until now!

​

Read more ...

After attending ADMA Forum this week, I reflect back on some of the other ADMA Forums I’ve attended in years gone by. This year the hot topic is multi-channel marketing and understanding how to get the channel mix right so marketers can maximise return on investment. 

​

Read more ...

Around the turn of the 19th century John Wanamaker, considered by some as the father of the department store and modern day advertising, is quoted as saying, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.”

​

This quote has been referenced by businesses the world over with a wry acceptance of how true this statement remains today.

​

Read more ...

“Mosaic 2008 offers us new levels of insight into where Australians live and work, how much they earn and spend, what their family situation is and what they do with their spare time,” said Graham Plant, from research firm Pacific Micromarketing.

​

Read more ...

One day, after more than 25 years working in corporate companies I came to an awful realisation – some of the people I worked with were assholes!  I know!  It was mortifying. Don’t get me wrong, some of my best friends in life were work colleagues first.  And I did work with some amazing and wonderful people who I am forever indebted for their support, friendship and advice.  BUT there were others who were political animals who had no issue with bare faced lying, breaching confidence and back stabbing if they thought they could benefit.

​

Read more... 

Have you ever watched on incredulously as prospective new customers or members are offered massive incentives to sign up to an organisation that you have been a long-time “loyal” customer of, while you get offered nothing to renew your relationship? 

​

Annoying isn’t it?

​

Read more... 

There is nothing like sport to galvanise a people together to a common cause. Nor is there anything like sport to divide normally likeminded people of similar backgrounds into passionate warring tribes. 

​

Fans, and in particular sports fans, are a breed of consumers like no other.

​

If you are a sports fan (I’m guilty your honour) there is probably not a lot that is rational about your behaviour and preferences. Not convinced? Ok, let’s take me as an example. I’m a sports fan and member of the Collingwood Football Club.

​

Read more... 

I have been writing a book on leadership for over a year now and recently as I watched the race to the 2020 presidential election, I started to wonder if maybe everything I had been researching and knew about leadership was wrong. OMG - Was my book going to be a total waste of time? 

​

I’ve explored servant leadership, Ubuntu philosophy, situational leadership, the psychology of leadership, extreme ownership, the importance of giving, that leaders should dare greatly, the power of trust and how leaders eat last. But then as I watched the leader of the free world and their approach to leadership, I was getting a sense that there was an entirely different approach to leadership, which I was deriding as disgraceful, that looked like it was working.

 

How could this be?

​

Read more... 

Ever had the feeling that you are relying on your smartphone a little too much?

Do you get anxious if you don't have your smartphone with you for an extended period?

How many times have you thought to yourself, "I need more time in my day!"

Have you ever considered that that you might be a slave to your device and that your digital devices might be stealing away not only your time, but your creativity, learning capacity and even your health?

​

Read more ...

At some stage in every executive's life there will be a point in their career, or in their life, when the stuff that seemed important, starts to seem a bit blah.

When the strategies that have helped them achieve their goals and successes, don't seem to cut it anymore, and what was once exciting is no more.

When the world outside theirs seems more interesting and exciting than the one they are in, making them feel trapped in their jobs, or stuck in a lifestyle that no longer brings them joy.

​

The feeling of being trapped in a world that dictates what it means to belong, when it doesn't feel like you belong, can be confronting and isolating.

​

Read more... 

As the year of 2019 draws to a close, I recently found myself reflecting on the year that was, and the year that will be. 

​

I am an eternal optimist and I tend to look at the year ahead with unbridled enthusiasm and excitement dreaming of the things that I will achieve with absolutely no doubts of my ability to achieve them. 

 

Then I look back at the year that was and realise how much I’d hoped for that didn’t eventuate, and wonder “Why?”, and find myself a little disappointed with myself. Then the optimist reminds me that this coming year will be different. But will it?

​

Read more... 

The world of advertising and the role of marketers has gone through an amazing amount of change in the past 10 years. Around four years ago digital media advertising was about half of traditional media advertising. By next year, the roles will be reversed with traditional advertising media spend being around half the value of digital media spend. And by traditional media I’m mainly referring to television, radio, print, mail and out of home media.

​

Now that’s a massive shift. But is it a good shift? 

​

Read more... 

The convergence of adtech and martech dominates current discussions on the topic, but a sound understanding of the difference between the two will help marketers better approach new data projects from start to finish. Graham Plant offers a little clarity on the subject.

​

​Since the terms became part of the marketing world vernacular, there have been many attempts to explain adtech; why it is so awesome? How it will own all our marketing spend? More recently, is it the same as martech?

​

Read more... 

Complete guide to outlining objectives, implementation, launch and review of new marketing automation projects.  Graham Plant shares his best- practice roadmap for effective and efficient marketing automation implementation.

 

Never before has the application of technology in marketing been so
significant. Most prevalent has been the rapid evolution of applications that automate marketing processes and customer insights such as segmentation, data integration, analytics and campaign management. Organisations that commit to finding and implementing a ‘best fit’ can not only improve customer experience and engagement, but also optimise marketing efficiencies. 

 

Request Whitepaper...

Being a leader in business today requires an absolute commitment to continuous learning. And one of the best ways to keep learning and on top of industry trends is dumping tv time and picking up a book or your Kindle.
 

In no particular order here is my list of 20 must read books for managers from my library or kindle that I find myself referencing again and again. Many of them play pivotal parts in my coaching program and strategic planning guides and I thank the authors every time I pick up their book.

​

Read more ...

Graham Plant explains Data as a Service (DaaS), and explores new options for commercialising your organisation’s data.

​

Have you heard about DaaS? You may have heard of its cousin Software as a Service (SaaS) or brothers Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). And, of course, there is big data as a Service (BDaaS) – riding the wave of big data hype.

​

Read more ...

Graham Plant discusses native advertising, a tactic for which analysis of efficacy is only just now becoming possible.  Heard the buzz about native advertising? Not sure if it’s bollocks? And have been told that it is brilliant? But haven’t yet invested in native advertising while you wait for proof that you will see an increase in your advertising ROI? While native advertising is not new, it’s an area that we get asked about a lot at Effective Measure, so it seemed appropriate to explore what makes native advertising work and what makes it fail – and, yes, it isn’t foolproof.

​

Read more ...

We speak to Graham to find out more about Effective Measure, how it has evolved globally to where it is today and what are the growth opportunities here in South Africa. 

We also look what insights other regions generate from Effective Measure and what the South African market can learn from these regions, what the markets compared to South Africa are doing and the growth opportunities for the African continent.

​

Listen to podcast ...

We asked two veteran direct marketers for their thoughts on the latest news from Australia Post that will see a two-tiered pricing model, with increases for both.  It still needs to get past the ACCC, but the changes announced by Government and Australia Post this week would see regular letters take longer and cost more ($1), while priority letters would take the same time as regular letters currently do and cost more still (possibly starting at $1.50). The changes would come into effect around September 2015.

​

What follows are comments from Australia Post, the Minister for Communications, and two veteran direct marketers Marketing asked for comment.

​

Read more ...

With the now ubiquitous nature of social media, the ever-increasing range of marketing media options and the rapid changes in the way people consume information, marketing has become increasingly complex. Marketers are struggling to assemble an increasingly fragmented view of the customer in an environment of dwindling response rates, stricter contact regulations, restrictive ‘do not contact’ lists and stiffer competition.

​

Read more ...

Every new channel is meant to kill its predecessor but this rarely occurs. 

 

Digital evangelists are spruiking everywhere that print is dead. With each new media development, “experts” have proclaimed the demise of another. Radio was going to kill off print. TV was not only going to render print impotent and replace radio and cinemas. Movies were to be the end of theatre. But history is a fantastic teacher. Despite all the predictions, the majority of mediums still exist and have continued to evolve. So why is it that this time round, an industry that stems back centuries appears resigned to its demise?

​

Read more ...

It is fair to say that the past few years have been a bit like living in a washing machine. We’ve seen phenomenal developments in technology, particularly in the digital space; We’ve watched the US dollar dive faster than an Italian footballer in the penalty box at the World Cup; and social networking has replaced porn as the number one activity for people on the web. Yeah, I know, crazy, huh? 

​

Read more ...

In my last article [published in March 2011 Marketing], I recounted the age-old question raised by John Wanamaker – considered by some the father of the department store and modern day advertising – who said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”

 

To address this question, we are increasingly seeing businesses create attribution models to better quantify the effectiveness of each customer touch point to achieve a sale or a response. Surprisingly, there are many more businesses that, while desperate to understand how to increase their marketing ROI, have not explored the benefits of marketing attribution.

​

Read more ...

The 2008 MOSAIC analysis showed the emergence of three consumer groups --- Freemales, Spuds and Salary Miners. Today on BTalk Australia Phil Dobbie asks Graham Plant, Managing Director of Pacific Micromarketing, to explain what these groups are and how demographic tools like MOSAIC compare with psychographic based techniques for segmenting customers.

Click on "Play" above to hear the podcast.

​

Listen to podcast ...