Lead Generation Blog

Ad Tech

April 23, 2008

Adam and I just got back from Ad Tech 2008 in San Fran. I feel like our trip was a great success. One thing to I learned about lead generation is that e-mail performance marketing has been shoved under the bus by new targeting and optimizing technology. Advertisers have been avoiding this marketing tool because they are more interested in the new lead generation technology on the market. We can’t forget to stick to the basics. At the end of the day, it’s the simple things that tend to perform better than the rest.

An observation about the Health Channel (my focus) — Exclusive health insurance and diabetic offers are hot right now. They are popping up left and right from various lead generation providers. Real time delivery is essential and standard for this consumer health based industry because it has a tremendous impact on conversion rates.

Posted by Eric Schwartz in General | 0 Comments

It’s a Server! It’s an Agency! No, It’s Microsoft (or WPP…)

May 21, 2007

So what to make of this latest rush for bigger fish eating big fish or for that matter, Razorfish? For one thing, it means that the definitions of agency or media buying firm or media technology firm really don’t mean anything.

And conflict of interest is beginning to look quaint. Will agencies that own serving companies favor their clients? How can they not?

In the end, consolidation probably rationalizes the online ad market and brings better price/value to the advertiser. Certainly, banner ads will be more cost-effective as will search. And acquisition of Right Media and others means that some form of rationalization is coming in the Cost per Lead space as well.

The question is whether the ever-larger players can really pull off a consultative sale, bringing the customization leads programs require to boost ROI. Just as in search, vertical knowledge commands a premium. Whatever the result, the advertiser will have more choice of lead provider and program – and the numbers will tell the story.

Posted by Gary Kreissman in General | 0 Comments

What business are we in?

February 23, 2007

It’s always fun to explain what we do to when we get together with friends who live in very different worlds. Can you explain the difference between Cost per Lead and Cost per Click in three sentences? How about possible commercial implications of social networking?

So we’re at dinner the other night with David, our 10 year old and a friend who is a professor of Medieval Studies of all things. David was saying how much he loves “Club Penguin” a sort of “Second Life” site for the Tween set. Our friend, who is pretty computer savvy within her academic world, didn’t quite get the implications of growing up with avatars and trusting peers over authorities and experts. And we discussed Wikipedia – was it really a threat to the accepted interpretation of history?

But when we talk about Cost per Lead – what’s the best analogy? We sometimes say that it’s like a prestige dating service, where you pay only when you meet someone who meets your high standards. But is that really what we want to be compared to? Instead, it was interesting to try some academic analogies, such as “Imagine that you could find only the historical documents you want when you do your research. Would that save enough time to be valuable?” Well, it’s a start.

How do you explain what you do?

Posted by Gary Kreissman in General | 0 Comments

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It’s a Server! It’s an Agency! No, It’s Microsoft (or WPP…)

What business are we in?