As a Marketing Professional, you know that the drive for ROI has fundamentally changed marketing.
How do you make sense of the new rules and Drive Revenue Rapidly?

BMA-Minnesota has been approached with a great offer for our members to attend the Integrated Marketing Summit (IMS) at a 20 percent discount. We hope you will join BMA-Minnesota and over 200 area marketers and advertising professionals May 25 at the downtown Minneapolis Hilton to find out how to be more successful with your marketing and advertising efforts across all channels.

IMS will feature 15 sessions and panels, 2 keynotes - the most current expertise and information in a one-day, interactive format. IMS is bringing to the Twin Cities over 25 marketing and advertising experts for this unbelievable one day format.

Speakers include:

• Michael Pranikoff, EVP of Emerging Media at PR Newswire Presents "Forget what you know about PR, It\'s a brand New World" (Washington, DC)
•  Tim Arnold, Adweek Columnist and 30 year veteran of advertising responsible for "This Bud is for You" campaign and the record breaking 2005 GoDaddy super bowl ad. (NY, NY)
• Alan Kuritsky, Principal Acxiom, Presents "Multichannel Best Practices" (NY, NY)
• Chris Kovac, Director of Social Media Influence at Nicholson Kovac (Kansas City, MO)
• Chad Mitchell, Principal Analyst Marketing Leadership at Forrester Research (Atlanta, GA)

BMA-Minnesota members are eligible for a 20 percent discount off the standard conference rate. Simply enter "BMAMN10" (no quotes) in the promo code line when registering.

For more information and to register click here

I found myself dumbfounded today.

 A brilliant young woman I’ve had the privilege of getting to know through a volunteer organization, a woman I respect and one I’d hire in a heartbeat, given the right opportunity alignment, posted a status update on Facebook that knocked my socks off. This woman works in a marketing capacity. I believe she has a marketing degree. Yet, she thought it was “bull” that she couldn’t take advantage of a Mother’s Day promotion, even though she is not herself a mother.

 I read her status update five times before I commented. I tried to point out, gently, that as long as the company sponsoring the promo has clear definitions. on eligibility, and terms and conditions of the promotion that are enforced fairly, she just isn’t eligible.

That’s just the way it is.

While I believe my answer was both accurate and appropriate, it wasn’t satisfying.

I felt it was missing something.

And I think the something may be this:

Every promotion that reaches out to one specific customer segment, runs the risk of alienating a different customer segment.

I was on the flip side of this equation a few years back.

Spending way too much of my disposable income at one major retailer, they had mailed out a special “two day” offer, letting me receive an additional 30 – 50% discount off ANYTHING in the store (exceptions noted) during this time frame.

I would have loved to go on a shopping spree, but found myself scheduled to be out of town those two special days.

I went to the local retail outlet and talked with the store manager, pointing out how much I would likely spend, if they’d just allow me to use the coupon on a different two day period.

You guessed it. I got nowhere. Her hands were tied. The rules and regulations were clear – it was a quarter-end traffic generating special. I’d just have to miss it.

I wasn’t happy. I’ve probably shopped there significantly less since this experience. But I understood the rules and they couldn’t change the rules for me.

So fellow marketers – what’s the answer?

I suspect that all the energy that goes into establishing a promo offer is rarely buffered with the “who are we going to alienate” discussion.

But after today’s incident, reminding me of my personal experience, it’s going to become a documented part of our promotion development going forward.

Would appreciate learning how other marketers have dealt with this.

Thanks!