Word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations are the currency of business success today. More than ever, they are key to establishing trust and building awareness. According to Nielsen, 83% of consumers say they either completely or somewhat trust recommendations from family, colleagues, and friends about products and services, making them a powerful resource to amplify your message.  

Tags: marketing process optimization, bank marketing, brand advocacy, MRM, marketing technology, Insurance Marketing, marketing resource management, local marketing, local marketing automation, franchise, franchise local marketing

The latest industry research shows, that while national franchise brands continue to invest heavily in national advertising to build brand awareness and favorability, they’re increasingly taking their marketing programs to the local level to drive engagement.

Tags: local marketing budgets, franchise, franchise local marketing

Today’s marketers are increasingly adopting marketing resource management (MRM) solutions to help them manage a number of core use cases, from ensuring brand consistency and content localization to budget and workflow management.

As a considered investment, due diligence is essential for finding the right MRM technology partner for your organization. In addition to evaluating MRM software capabilities, think about what happens after you make your selection. How will the solution be implemented and supported?

Following are some suggested measures to help ensure a successful MRM implementation.

Tags: MRM, marketing technology, marketing resource management, marketing technology buyer's guides

Experts estimate today’s US consumer is exposed to as many as 10,000 brand messages a day. More than ever, marketers need to deliver relevant messages, through multiple channels, with enough frequency to gain recognition and engagement. Every consumer touchpoint counts. Which means the quality of marketing campaigns is critical to breaking through the noise.

Tags: marketing resource management, local marketing, franchise, franchise local marketing, ad systems

Running a local franchise business requires a broad skillset. From day-to-day operations management, customer service, accounting and business planning, to HR, inventory control and facilities management—franchise business owners wear many different hats. For many franchisees, one hat that never seems to fit quite right is that of marketer.

That’s not to say that franchisees lack an understanding of the importance of marketing and promotion to the success of their business. In fact, in a recent survey of franchise SMBs by local media researcher BIA/Kelsey, franchise owners reported more than half of their business is derived from promotions.

Tags: localized marketing, marketing productivity, marketing resource management, local marketing automation, franchise, streamline marketing, scale local marketing, franchise marketing software, getting franchises to do marketing campaigns, turnkey marketing campaign, local marketing resource management

If you’ve been managing your creative projects with IBM’s Marketing Operations OnDemand (MOOD) system, previously known as Unica Marketing Operations OnDemand, you might be feeling abandoned since IBM announced it plans to end support for the product on June 30, 2017.

Instead of feeling abandoned, how about feeling supported? Vya has a great alternative for MOOD users. Our Vya creative production systems enable users to seamlessly route, approve and track progress on creative projects. Even better, we just announced a new release of the system with an upgraded user experience and enhanced reporting capabilities.

Tags: creative production management, MRM, marketing resource management

There are many industries that use some form of MDF, co-op, or local advertising funds. Whether it is manufacturing companies selling through dealers or franchisors selling through franchisees for example, these industries who don’t sell directly to consumers can find it challenging to get a complete picture of their customer at the local level. Fortunately, by effectively managing and tracking how local marketing dollars are being spent, you can gain marketing insights that you may be missing today:

Tags: localized marketing, local marketing, MDF funds, local marketing budgets, sales support, sales and marketing alignment, marketing budget management, co-op dollars

Franchises face unique challenges when it comes to local marketing. They are reliant on local owners to share corporate-supplied marketing campaigns and messages, but are not always able to measure effectiveness, or even tell if franchisees used materials provided.

That can be a big problem. If franchisees aren’t engaged in marketing strategies and techniques, then customers aren’t receiving carefully crafted materials – representing a loss to revenue and a waste of time and money spent creating campaigns that never get used.

Tags: localized marketing, local marketing, franchise, marketing strategies, marketing techniques, distributed marketing, franchise marketing best practices, Drive sales, through-channel marketing, franchisee marketing, franchise marketing campaign, franchise local marketing

Brand consistency is more than just typeface, logos and colors. It’s about delivering a brand experience with your products, services and people that customers begin to expect and anticipate. That consistent experience ultimately helps your brand stand out from competition and drive sales.

Make the path to purchase easier with a consistent, compelling brand experience across local markets.

Tags: brand consistency, franchise, brand loyalty, brand development

Have you been hearing more about “co-branded” campaigns lately? It’s with good reason. Co-branded marketing campaigns can increase your reach and introduce you to new audiences, and drive brand awareness and sales.

Tags: manufacturing, insurance, marketing resource management, co-branded, co-branded campaigns