Who are the Search Engine People?

I recently spoke with Jeff Quipp from the Search Engine People about how they can help you with your business...

What does it mean to be a “search” company?

Four things. Three of them you’ll find with pretty much every other “search” company worth your time and money. We “get” search engines, whether paid or organic. We “get” web site design and usability and the ramifications it has from both a user perspective and from a technology perspective. And we “get” user behavior. Not only as it relates to web sites and web content, but as it relates to search engines and to other users as well. Search is pervasive online. Doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a hotel, a white paper, a college friend or the latest of Pez dispensers. It’s a search of some sort. We “get” that. And we use it to advantage.

That’s only three things.

Right. The fourth is that we get “vertical” search like few other companies I know. And fortunately, the vertical we’re in is Canada. But don’t tell anyone. It’s one of the eleven secret ingredients we use.

Who’s the perfect client?

In short, the perfect client is someone who knows enough about search to be dangerous but who also knows that this is an ever-changing industry that is still relatively new so it’s better to hand off to a company immersed in it. The perfect client doesn’t abdicate or cede responsibility and doesn’t micromanage to unreasonable expectation based on thing they’re only vaguely aware of. The perfect client has control over their own web site, is marketing savvy, technology savvy and industry savvy. We like to think we’re very good at making the companies we take on as clients the best in the industry. In truth, they are already the best at what they do, we help them develop online strategies to make everyone else aware of it. The perfect client isn’t a client, ultimately, they are a partner.

How should clients measure success?

Good question, that. The measure of a client’s success ultimately comes from the client’s existing business model. The Internet provides incredibly valuable tools that are typically unavailable in other media, and certainly not nearly as real time as the web offers. But each and every client has a customer base unique to its value proposition. In short, a client that has a long closing cycle and for some of our clients that can be up to two year. Certainly with analytics you can begin to craft or sculpt metrics, parameters and benchmarks that become factors for success but a fundamental understanding of the business you’re in does not change. It’s not a “just add water” proposition. The Internet is easily among the best marketing vehicles available, but one of its greatest advantages is that it is faceless. If yours is not a faceless business, that is not going to change. Traffic is one metric. But it is only one metric. Conversions, ROI (Return On Investment), ROAS (Return On Ad Spend), time spent on the site, lead generation. Each and all are metrics that can lead.

What’s the secret ingredient to your recipe for success?

We use eleven different spices. But, of course, we can’t disclose the whole recipe. In truth, the secret ingredient we use is twofold. A commitment to ethical search marketing standards and best practices; and a passion for what we do. The first ensures we do it well. The second ensures we are constantly learning so we can rest assured that we continue to do the first well. Talented people and business marketing acumen with a strong technical slant also help.

Ubisoft is Partner Friendly...

I recently spoke with Lucile Bousquet, Director of Marketing, at Ubisoft (Video Game Giant) about the different ways that they partner with other Brands...


How does Ubisoft offer Partner Brands a unique set of Marketing Opportunities?

We offer brands who wish to partner with us, the following….

We work with brands to incorporate their products or services in to the game and this is known as our Product Placement program. We have worked with brands like Nokia, where characters in our games use their cell-phones, so it’s part of their actual attire. We have also worked with VISA on placement in the popular TV series videogame ‘CSI’, where VISA is the brand of credit card used as evidence being examined by characters in the game. Because our games can take up to two years to develop, it’s the type of opportunity that the partner brand needs to get involved with early on so that they are part of the games’ storyline.

Secondly, we offer Advertising opportunities to our partner brands where Banners, TV Commercials, Screen-Savers and other content is embedded in to the Game. We can also sell in-game advertising where Billboards are featured on the streets of outdoor scenes. The benefit of these opportunities is that they don’t have to be planned out as far in advance.

Another opportunity is our Bundling program where we add value to an existing brand by providing them with a game that they can bundle in to a product. Fast Moving Consumer Products like Cereals, for example, can feature a Free Ubisoft Video Game CD on the packaging of the box. The brands use these unique opportunities to increase sales and leverage an offer that their competitors will not have. Furthermore, the perceived value for the consumer is about $50 whereas the cost for the client is less than $2 for a PC game (this varies depending on quantities and applicable licenses).

Finally, we offer manufacturers opportunities to License our assets by creating T-shirts, Toys and other unique items. Because ‘gamers’ are very loyal to their favorite brand of game, they want products that reflect their favorite videogame. It’s about giving them what they want.


What are the benefits of the programs to your Partner Brands?

With over 70% of males in North America aged 18-24 playing video-games and 81% of households containing at least one PC, our games offer Partner Brands a unique opportunity to create more awareness with their target audiences and increase sales traction for their products and services. We have games that target Kids, Tweens, Teens, and Adults and as a result, we can offer many alternatives, depending on the Partner Brands customer profile.

Vonage looks for the right Assets when Partnering with other Brands

I recently had a chat with Dan Morton, the Director of Partner Marketing at Vonage about their Partnership Program and what they look for when partnering...Here is what he had to say....

What does the Vonage Partnership Marketing Program provide to the Partner and to their Customers?
Simply put…Revenue, a relevant and unique market offering to their end-customers, and an added value to their existing product or service. It’s all about creating a win-win situation. Typically, there is no cost to the partner brand to integrate an offer form Vonage and we are flexible in the fact that we leverage whichever customer touch point they have. Partners can expand their business by adding a new revenue stream and offer something that their competitors do not have.

Can you provide some examples of how your Partners have leveraged the Program?
We’ve partnered with brands like United Airlines and Hewlett Packard. In the first case, our offer was featured in their loyalty programs where members could use their points toward Vonage. In the case of HP, we have bundled the service on their computers. With high speed penetration at an all-time high, it’s an opportunity for those who are buying a new computer to get a new phone service at the same time and we have given them a special offer for being an HP customer. The offer is promoted through a Desktop Icon embedded on the machine and the customer gets 2 Months Free of Vonage. We also include Marketing Collateral in the box and promote the offer online at their portal.

Do other Phone Companies have similar Partner Programs?
Because our competitors in the traditional land line or cable space are typically regional players, it’s difficult for them to partner with other brands and leverage this strategy to acquire new customers. Also, prospective partners want to have heard of you and with our huge marketing efforts, they already know of Vonage when we call on them. It’s more challenging for local VOIP providers to partner with national brands due to their lack of brand awareness and limited geo-coverage.

What types of Partner Brands are you looking for and why?
It’s not so much the Brands, but more how they communicate with their customers. Obviously, we look for sizeable opportunities that are highly relevant and timely, but more importantly, we want to partner with brands that have many customer touch points available and the kinds that we think will have the best results for the partnership. As you’re well aware from running Geyser Marketing in addition to your previous experiences, it’s quite an effort to set-up a new partnership, so you need to be selective and ensure that the opportunity has lots of legs. Shopping Centre Kiosks, Retail Store Fronts and Call Centers are examples of the types of active customer communications vehicles that we like to leverage. Passive channels are generally less costly to implement, but the flipside is that they don’t produce great results.

How Music can increase sales and differentiate your Brand

I recently had a conversation with Heidi Knobovitch about the Partnership Program that she runs at Universal Music Canada. Here is what she had to say….


What is the Value Proposition of the Universal Music Canada Partnership Program?

We help our Partners by providing them with complimentary music assets that extend their brand, add value to an existing proposition and drive traffic and revenue for their business. All of which leads to Partners leveraging the program to increase their overall market share and gaining a clear and competitive advantage in their category. This is done by providing them with music in traditional formats like CD’s or DVD’s or digital formats like music downloads or ring tones. We currently have over 40% of the music industry market with the most comprehensive listing of artists across all genres of music which allows us to help Partners develop the most compelling and creative programs.


Can you provide some examples of how your Partners have leveraged the Program?

We have many examples…Non-traditional retail sales channels like Starbucks are serving up more than coffee to their customers, they are now offering music from a selection of artists. They know their customer demographic, and have loyal customers who trust the brand and as a result, they have been quite successful in selling CD’s from selected artists at their store locations.

Other retailers like EB Games, recently leveraged a music download program in an effort to encourage their customers to trade in older video games and purchase new ones. Communications companies like Rogers are now including CD’s in their customer loyalty programs and Publications like Readers Digest sell multi-sets of CD’s to their customer database. Other leading brands like Hugo Boss Perfume, Malibu Rum and Pizza Pops have offered free down loadable music as added value promotions as well.

There are loads of opportunities and the way the program is ultimately designed depends on our Partners’ sales and marketing objectives and which formats, assets best compliment their brand and distribution vehicles. We are flexible in our approach and can work to our Partners’ needs.


Who are your competitors and why is Universal Music dramatically different?

We have a dedicated department that focuses on creating commercial value for our Partners and that is not necessarily the case at other music companies. That being said, we can’t confirm that we are the only ones who offer other brands an opportunity to leverage music assets to add value to their proposition, but with a leading market share and the ability to offer assets in different formats, we can give Partners a set of unique assets at a more cost effective rate than online re-sellers of music who are getting their music directly from us.


What types of Partner Brands are you looking for?

We can work with all sorts of companies in different ways across different vertical categories. We have worked with leading Canadian Retailers, Loyalty Programs, and Packaged Goods ranging from all sorts of industries and are welcome all interested parties to get in touch.


Heidi Knobovitch is VP, Partnership Marketing at Universal Music Canada. You can reach her at Heidi.Knobovitch@umusic.com if you are interested in learning more about their program.