Peering inside professional marketing minds to get a glimpse of their strategies can help Canadian businesses identify key elements to base their own marketing strategy on.  We can pinpoint trends, while also determining where it would be best to colour outside the lines to maintain originality.  Marketing data validates our plans, inspires new strategies, and lets us know when it’s time to move into new marketing territory.

The 8th Annual BrandSpark Canadian Marketers Survey was conducted in March and April of 2013 by the Canadian Marketing Association, the Mobile Marketing Association and BrandSpark International.  Hundreds of marketers all across Canada participated in the survey, resulting in a realistic snapshot of their activities and plans.  A summary of the survey results was released in July, 2013.

All Eyes are on Internet and Mobile Marketing

Not surprisingly, planned Canadian marketing tactics focused heavily on mobile and online marketing:

  • 90% of marketers will implement online marketing
  • 85% of marketers will employ social marketing strategies
  • 69% will maintain or launch new mobile marketing strategies

Top 10 Marketing Tactics that Canadian Marketers Intend to ImplementCanadian Marketing Statistics

1. Internet Marketing

2. Social Marketing

3. Existing Product Innovation

4. New Product Development

5. Influencer Program Expansion

6. Mobile Marketing

7. Increased Effort in Public Relations

8. Using Mobile Technology in Advertising

9. Word-of-Mouth Program Expansion

10. Brand Mobile Marketing Repositioning

Canadian Mobile Marketing Strategies

  • 60% are considering a mobile marketing strategy that includes mobile app’s
  • 53% will focus on Social media on mobile devices
  • 49% will utilize mobile landing pages with promotions
  • 43% of Canadian marketers will use mobile-optimized paid search
  • 39% will use mobile display options
  • 36% will use print QR codes
  • 33% plan to utilize mobile messaging
  • 26% will bring people in with coupons
  • 22% intend to use real time Canadian geo-targeting
  • 21% will push out alerts
  • 20% plan to use text-messaging ‘call to action’ in print advertising
  • 17% will use macro Canadian geo-targeting
  • 5% have other mobile marketing strategies in mind

While Canadian marketers have generally recognized the value in online and mobile, they’re still struggling with the ROI aspect.  Their comfort zone remains offline in traditional advertising.

“Marketers seem more likely to say that the ROI is unclear for new media channels including social, mobile, online video and marketing automation, than for other channels,” says Robert Levy, President BrandSpark International.

Canadian marketers assume the highest ROI comes from from:

  1. Television
  2. Paid Search
  3. Sampling
  4. Promotions /Activations
  5. Email Marketing

Full results of this survey will be published in the 2014 Canadian Marketing Association Marketing Facts publication, available in December, 2013.

Resources

Canadian entrepreneurs and marketers remain largely baffled by mobile and digital marketing, and they are in danger of missing out on a rapidly growing opportunity.

If some education is in order:

Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Engaging the Digital Generation, by Ryan Damian and Jones Calvin

Mobilized Marketing: How to Drive Sales, Engagement, and Loyalty Through Mobile Devices, by Jeff Hasen.

Author Kim Dushinski offers an impressive line of mobile marketing training products and services.

Comment on Canadians Internet BusinessWhat are your marketing plans for next year?  We’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

You may also be interested in reading:
Canadian SmartPhone Use will Surf Past 50% in 2013
Economical Hiring – A Marketing Assistant Can Manage Your Online Presence
Canadian Digital Behaviour for Businesses (Statistics)
15 Easy Ways to Let Search Engines Know Your Business is Canadian
7 Free Canadian-Theme Blank Banners

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Digital Business & Marketing Manager at Online Business Canada | Website | + posts

Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.

Melody has worked with many businesses & brands in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.

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R. Goldschmidt

What took so long?? Smartphones have been around along time. We have to stop this scared little canadian routine and become early adopters if we’re going to stay in business in this century. We have the brains and resources….USE THEM CANADA!!

Reginald Lee

Slow & steady wins the race. We started with QR codes a few years ago and added more mobile strategies every year since. Now it doesn’t seem so overwhelming.

Ashly Rugama

I am so thrilled I stumbled upon your site. I really found you by mistake, while I was browsing on Yahoo for something else. Anyways I am here now and would just like to say thank you for a great post and an all round inspiring blog. (I also like the theme/design), I don’t have time to read through it all at the moment, but I have added your website to my favorites, so when I have time I will be back to read more. Please do keep up the awesome job!

lewphole

Mobile marketing is growing alot faster than internet marketing did. Keeping up with this one is going to be a full time job. 🙁

Maggie

Learn from the best, I always say!

Destiny L.

Thank you so much for sharing this invaluable marketing info. I bought an issue of Marketing Facts a few years ago and it was packed with relevant info. Maybe it’s time to pick up another one. Thanks again!