Many people have never heard the term interactive marketing. It is a new way for companies to communicate with customers and potential customers with the objective of producing more effective advertisements. The hub of this relatively new movement in advertising is Atlanta, which is also home to the Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association, the AIMA.
The AIMA is an organization run by volunteers that networks advertising professionals and provides a forum for learning and sharing ideas. The AIMA is like Linkedin for people in advertising. This is where the best of the best go to keep their industry sharp and effective.
Within the AIMA there are groups called SIGs, which stands for special interest groups. The groups meet over the course of the year and focus on their specific area of interest. These groups include the special interests of advertising through email, ecommerce, digital media, social media and more. The organization also hold educational seminars for its members.
Marketing companies act as agents of the company trying influence consumer behavior. In this regard, the two function as one unit. Sometimes known, sometimes unknown to consumers, interactive advertising establishes two way communication where sellers learn about consumer tastes and behavior. The next email or ad that pops up on your Facebook page will be reflective of your preferences.
The Internet is the driving force behind this two way conversation. It provides a window into the thoughts of the potential buyers. Before Internet technology there was no easy way for sellers to communicate with buyers. Surveys were expensive and the response rate very low. This two way communication will only get more sophisticated.
Other than the Internet, there are other ways to get feedback from the consumer that are low tech and arguably less effective. When a customer reaches out to a company with a request or comment, the company representative will attempt to get some information from the consumer and provide some information about new services. Toll free phone numbers given through broadcasts are another way to establish dialogue. Neither one of these ways works as seamlessly as the Internet.
The venues for companies to reach customers has changed dramatically over the past fifty years when television, radio, newspaper and magazine advertisements were the prominent methods of advertising. Pay TV, pay radio and the news online have greatly reduced the effectiveness of old ways of advertising. The old saying that necessity is the mother of invention holds true in this instance. Old methods were no longer effective, so the advertising industry created new methods that adapted to how consumers function in the world today.
The AIMA is an organization run by volunteers that networks advertising professionals and provides a forum for learning and sharing ideas. The AIMA is like Linkedin for people in advertising. This is where the best of the best go to keep their industry sharp and effective.
Within the AIMA there are groups called SIGs, which stands for special interest groups. The groups meet over the course of the year and focus on their specific area of interest. These groups include the special interests of advertising through email, ecommerce, digital media, social media and more. The organization also hold educational seminars for its members.
Marketing companies act as agents of the company trying influence consumer behavior. In this regard, the two function as one unit. Sometimes known, sometimes unknown to consumers, interactive advertising establishes two way communication where sellers learn about consumer tastes and behavior. The next email or ad that pops up on your Facebook page will be reflective of your preferences.
The Internet is the driving force behind this two way conversation. It provides a window into the thoughts of the potential buyers. Before Internet technology there was no easy way for sellers to communicate with buyers. Surveys were expensive and the response rate very low. This two way communication will only get more sophisticated.
Other than the Internet, there are other ways to get feedback from the consumer that are low tech and arguably less effective. When a customer reaches out to a company with a request or comment, the company representative will attempt to get some information from the consumer and provide some information about new services. Toll free phone numbers given through broadcasts are another way to establish dialogue. Neither one of these ways works as seamlessly as the Internet.
The venues for companies to reach customers has changed dramatically over the past fifty years when television, radio, newspaper and magazine advertisements were the prominent methods of advertising. Pay TV, pay radio and the news online have greatly reduced the effectiveness of old ways of advertising. The old saying that necessity is the mother of invention holds true in this instance. Old methods were no longer effective, so the advertising industry created new methods that adapted to how consumers function in the world today.
About the Author:
Benjamin W. Luffkin has been a Marketing executive for over 10 years. He is really passionate about all the new and exciting opportunities that are now available for companies to brand and market themselves across the internet. To learn more about Atlanta SEO for small business he suggests you click here to learn more.