When you look at the opportunities across the spectrum of marketing outlets the choices can be daunting. Which of the many channels should you use to communicate the value proposition of your product or service? There are hundreds of lines of blog content and millions of pages of guidance in books and magazine articles, and they all provide points to consider. What is missing in much of the guidance is a specific pointer to technologies that can help to change the marketing narrative.
One technology that is underused is geomarketing, the art and science of using location data in innovative ways. It can help to change the brand narrative by creating direct links between where the sellers of products and services can be found and the people who want to buy them. It can add valuable new revenue streams to the menu of services offered by marketing and print service providers. And while geomarketing techniques can work for any communication channel, marketing and print service providers miss the opportunity to offer this valueable service.
For those who want to take the first step it is common to start with Google Maps or Apple Maps and create customer solutions, but over time those solutions lack the infrastructure most organizations want. In a set of whitepapers we released this month, found here, we explored the technology behind geomarketing and reviewed some success stories from the team at locr, one of the leading providers of this technology in North America and Europe. As shown in the graphic below, you can begin your geomarketing journey by adding static maps that show how a customer can find a product, and grow to personalize maps for each potential customer. Brand owners and campaign developers can use these services to pinpoint target locations for direct mail campaigns, or to integrate targeted mobile marketing into omnichannel campaigns.
The static map (left) and navigation map (right) shown below are just two of the ways that the needs of the marketers can create a value-added opportunity for the service provider. Using a geomarketing services provider who is proficient in print and mobile marketing, understands implementation timelines, and has documented success stories and references can provide a faster path to creating a differentiated marketing campaign that produces quantifiable results.
Considering geomarketing services solutions in the product mix is in alignment with the recommendations we have been making to print services providers following the release of the Production Workflow European Software Investment Survey and the US Software Investment Survey, found in our Report Store. Adding differentiation and adding services is consistently found as key reasons for growth in both Europe and the US. Every provider should investigate the opportunity.