How/Why Consumers Share Info

ShareThis.com has just completed an extensive study on sharing with Forrester Research. Forrester and ShareThis, teamed up to find out what and how people are sharing information online with one another. The study, which will be released next week, provides some interesting statistics around how people share online information --

• 69% of adults cite email as the primary source of sharing information
• Less than 1/3 of online adults said they learned about the new content from shared content sources such as YouTube, a wiki, or social networking sites
• 84% of people still use the traditional cut and paste method to share a URL or information
• 81% of adults claim that they share to help others -- believing a person will benefit from the information they share
• Sharing increases site traffic 2x, thus increasing ad dollars or revenue for publishers
• Men are more likely to share recommendations and videos than women; 77% of adult males and 74% of younger males shared news and web links
• Women are more likely to share products or ideas they like via easy or direct sharing methods (ie texting.)

You can read the full press release here.

Selling The Way Businesswomen Buy

Deloitte & Touche associates are approaching women clients differently than men based on lessons learned from observing women's shopping behavior. Their theory says that just as women consumers shop differently than men, businesswomen shop for professional services differently than businessmen.

TrendSight Group (an Illinois consulting firm) interviewed senior women execs and employees, finding the same discovery process women use when doing personal shopping also applies to purchasing business services. For instance, a woman might go to a store to buy a black pair of pants but then buy something else or change her mind. By contrast, men just focus on the black pants.

Other suggestions from the study:

• Don't get frustrated if spaces change
  Female clients may reevaluate or modify their initial requests because women discover as they shop. On the up-side -- women may be more likely to buy additional services and features they discover
  
• Share some personal details to build trust
  Women clients want to know and trust their consultants personally as well as professionally
  
• Business Lunches vs. Dinners
  Women often prefer business lunches to dinners because they tend to have more responsibilities at home. They'll be more receptive to evening events if given time to make arrangements
  
• Nodding doesn't equal understanding
  In terms of body language, men tend to stare as they listen and nod to signify they understand. Women may nod when they don't yet understand, simply to encourage the speaker to continue talking
  
• Face to face
  While consultants often purposely sit beside a male client as their "right hand man," women are more comfortable seated face to face

Deloitte's new approach comes as women are increasingly taking on more decision making roles at corporations, although the Wall Street Journal found most companies haven't systematically pitched women differently than men outside sponsored conferences and networking events.

The WSJ also points out that the method could easily backfire. Some women may welcome the greater sensitivity behind the approach, but others may find it patronizing.

Meryle Mahrer Kaplan, a vice president at Catalyst (a research and advisory group on women in business,) said "It's a great idea to pay attention to women as a people of influence, but if stereotypes seep in there, that's not helpful."

Word of Mouth Sways Women's Buying Decisions

From a recent Word of Mouth Marketing Association newsletter...
When it comes to influencing women's purchases, family and friends have the most impact, finds a recent survey conducted by WOMMA member company Ketchum.

"Before women go shopping, they go CROPing, looking for CRedibleOPinions," maintains Kelley Skoloda, Partner and Director of Ketchum'sGlobal Brand Marketing Practice. "They trim research time by consulting a few close friends and family members, as well as experts, local news andmagazines. These people offer credible opinions by validating research and helping to determine buying decisions. It's the intersection of two very hot marketing topics -- word-of-mouth and influencers."

Of the women surveyed, 91% indicate that family and friends give either "very" or "somewhat" credible information, and women follow these influencers' lead when it comes to making decisions about buying consumer-packaged goods, consumer electronics, and food.

Other findings:

• 7 in 10 women do research prior to making big purchases.
• 25% of women claim they are the first to try new products and services.

Click this link to read the article and learn more.

---
VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• Assemble a listener panel of female listeners to evaluate new offerings from clients.
  
• Create a weekly podcast convering cool things (advertiser services, products) in which our listeners would be interested.
  
• Connect the ideas above with an advertiser campaign of :60s that promote the web-component.

Dollar Stores Worth an Ad Buck or Two?

A discussion at RetailWire.com shares some info on Dollar Stores as an industry -- they are not the dirty and dingy places that many might associate with the old five-and-dime stores.

Most the chain versions of these stores are stocked with brand name merchandise, and some even have fresh produce, refrigerated and frozen foods. The article doesn't pretend that a consumer would do all their shopping at these stores, but there are several categories where real savings can be had: school/office supplies, holiday and party supplies, household cleaners, paper products, and snack foods.

Deals found at dollar stores are drawing a larger portion of the population. According to ACNielsen, 70% of households shopped at a dollar store last year.

Want to hear another surprising statistic? The top four chains in this retail channel have a combined sales revenue of almost $20 BILLION dollars, and three of them rank among the top-ten retailers in the Unisted States.

---
VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• Don't forget the Audience DNA statistics we received, and look deeper than just being able to save our audience money.
  
• What if they sponsored our Mix Marketplace / 50%-Off page?
  
• If you've read this far, here's a reward: The first person on the RadiOhio, Inc. Sales Team to stop by Don's desk and mention this post will received a $25 restaurant certificate.
  
• Is there a snack food ad buy in which they might be paired-up?
  
• How about sponsoring a pet adoption promo? (These stores sell a lot of pet supplies.)
  
• What about cleaning supplies for a "home for the holidays" or "spring cleaning" connection?

You can read the full article and comments at this link, but you'll need to register as a user on the site (but it's free and well worth the TON of information you can find in just about any retails category.)

Networks Tout Fall Shows Via Web

From Promo Xtra:
---
In an effort to promote the new fall line-up, broadcast networks are turning to the Internet to give viewers a taste of what's to come.

AOL has teamed up with Warner Bros. Television and NBC to feature online premiums of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Twenty Good Years before the shows air this month. The shows will be available at AOL.com/television one week before the network broadcast. The Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip episode launched yesterday and Twenty Good Years rolls out Oct. 4.
---

---
VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• With so many shows trying to appeal specifically to male or female viewers, our stations have the perfect individual audiences to which to preview the new fall tv season.
• Why not offer the shows via streaming video from a special TV page on our site(s)?
• Streaming videos could certainly carry a short preroll promoting the network on which the show appears (perfect for the promo requests we get from WWHO and FOX -- and a helluva a lot better than a moldy 'watch and win' contest!)
• The preview page could also offer a ratings-based feedback system to allow visitors to weigh in on what they think of the individual show (1-star = bad... 4-stars = good.)
• Our listeners feel special because they are getting a 'sneak peek' from the station, and the previews are perceived as CONTENT instead of ADVERTISING.

Whirlpool Spins Love & Laundry Social Events

See the linked article for details, but here's the gist of it...

Whirlpool is taking its laundry appliances to the social scene by hosting Spin Cycle events that will give singles a chance to meet, mingle and have some good clean fun while playing laundry-themed games that can earn them Whirlpool prizes.

The first of four Whirlpool Spin Cycle event loads up in Atlanta on Sept. 7 at the brand's Insperience Studio, a showroom featuring Whirlpool appliances. Others will hit restaurants, lounges and unique locations in Minneapolis and Charlotte, NC, before the cycle ends on Oct. 9 in Dallas.

Whirlpool hopes to connect singles to its brand through social events. Relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz who penned the relationship guide Finding Your Perfect Match will host each singles mixers event. Playing off of the age-old, romanticized notion of people finding their match at the Laundromat, each Spin Cycle will feature laundry-related games. For instance, Find Your Sole Mate matches couples based on socks, and a Laundry Olympics tests who can perform timed chores the fastest, such as folding bed sheets blindfolded. Winners receive Whirlpool Fabric Fresheners and copies of Finding Your Perfect Match.

Throughout the evening, consumers will get to tinker with the brand's new suite of appliances aimed to fit their lifestyles; whether a bachelor doing mini-loads in a city apartment (Duet Sport system) or a family doing several loads of laundry each day (Cabrio system).

Each event is geared toward reaching second-time singles (divorcees) and singles over 30 because of their level of disposable income, Whirlpool said.

Whirlpool paired with relationship Web site Perfectmatch.com to draw Perfectmatch.com's relationship-minded members to the event in each region. E-mail blasts were sent to the Web site's members, and some event-goers will receive a free Perfectmatch.com membership.

---
VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• A chance to create "It's Just Laundry"?
• Involve 'big box' retailers?
• What about the local 'suds & duds' type places?
• I've seen a internet cafe / laundromat combination...
• Whirlpool's focus on 'second-time singles' and 30+ singles match well with Mix audience

Jeep to Muddy Up Consumers at State Fair

Consumers desperately searching through a three-foot-deep pool of slushy, slippery mud to find sticks may drive home a new Jeep. It's the brand's latest stunt to engage consumers and get them digging for a chance to win the grand prize.

On Sept. 29, the start of the State Fair of Texas, up to 120 randomly selected consumers who register at JeepStickInTheMudChallenge.com will participate in the Jeep Stick in the Mud Challenge to win the brand's first four-door Jeep Wrangler.
As reported in PromoXtra By Andrew Scott

---
VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• Columbus has very active/passionate Classic Car content
• Concept for presence at Ohio State Fair? Tailgate?
• Doesn't have to be 'muddy' -- what about Hummers? Lambos? VW?
• Keep economy cars running around a track to see who gets the best gas mileage?
• Could you do it with motorcycles? Bicycles? Running shoes?

.

KFC Cooks Up Moms Panel

Quoted from the article in BrandWeek:

"...KFC announced the formation of a panel made up of moms who will help guide the brand. The “KFC Moms Matter! Advisory Board” is designed to get the Yum! Brands-owned chain in touch with family needs.

Members will give their two cents regarding everything from new product ideas to trendspotting. The first order of business is creating an online community for moms that will go live next year. Offline, the Moms Matter group will meet twice a year, hold quarterly conference calls and host monthly dinner meetings in their hometowns.

The move mirrors McDonald’s “Global Mom’s Panel” which was announced in early May. The burger chain chats with moms from six countries about issues regarding the brand.

KFC received a blow in June when the Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a suit against the chain. CSPI said, in a statement, the use of partially hydrogenated oil “puts customers at risk of a Kentucky Fried Coronary.” The suit aims to compel KFC to eliminate or disclose the use of “artery-clogging frying oil.”

Consumers didn’t seem to mind the health warnings and the chain had a strong year last year. U.S. sales were up 5.8% to $5.2 billion last year, per Technomic, Chicago."

---
VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• Use MIX 97.1 listeners to form a LOCAL panel of Moms
• Client and Moms could meet in RadiOhio conference room
• Send web survey to station eMail list
• Create a mobile text-message survey to poll opt-ins on client questions

.