Ross Thornley. founder of RT Media, explains: “We recently carried out a strategic review within the business with a view to increasing resources, skills and generating growth. Both SocialTech (http://www.socialtech.biz/) and Ozone complement our existing capabilities and will further enhance our offering, expanding our branding expertise into all online communications and leading to a wider solution for our international, national and regional clients.”

Ross Thornley with Tony Ridgway and Luke Williams

Founded in 2008, SocialTech has built a reputation as a leader of social media training and consultancy. Its clients include Channel 4, E.ON, Condé Nast and Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI).

Luke Williams, Director and founder of SocialTech, comments: “I’ve always held the team at RT Media and the outstanding quality of their design work in the highest regard. When the opportunity to merge our businesses became available it was an obvious fit, in terms of culture and approach, and as a logical extension of their brand communication to offer an extended range of services.”

As a total creative resource, Ozone Creative Solutions brings expertise from its impressive folio of advertising, direct mail, sales literature, Point of Sale, interactive CD and online design work to RT Media. Its ‘straight talking’ and ‘clear creative thinking’ approach is also a natural fit for RT Media, as Tony Ridgway founder of Ozone, comments:

“Our view has always been to get the job done, and get it done well. The team at RT Media has a similar approach; they like to get under the skin of a client’s and challenge them to really know what is actually required to achieve the objectives. We have already started collaborating on several campaigns and new business wins, which has shown us just how much potential we have, working together.”

Steve Mills, Business Development Manager at Nutrichef said “As a long standing customer of RT we were asked to be one of the test clients they worked with pre-merger to support the re-launch of our new web site. Adding the social media knowledge from SocialTech to the branding expertise of RT worked very well, dramatically extending our reach online.”

Ross adds: “This is a coming of age for RT Media. Integrating the three very like-minded, skilled and professional teams has given us a very strong platform for growth. It is a new era, both for us and for our clients, who will most certainly benefit from having this level of resource for their campaigns.”

When the conversation turns to ‘mobile devices’, most people are probably talking about things like mobile phones such as the HTC Desire or iPhone and tablet devices like the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab. It’s these devices we are concerned with. Current phones and tablets, while advanced, are still behind when compared to your typical laptops and netbooks; limitations are generally processing power, RAM, storage space, compatibility with things Flash and Silverlight and, as with the iPhone, the lack of a transparent and accessible file system. When developing for these platforms a lot of stuff has to be taken into consideration, and on top of that you also have a decision to make:

Do I need an app, or a web application?

This is something an awful lot of people will be asking themselves right about now. A mobile optimised interface for connecting with visitors and customers is becoming more and more important as the platform evolves. A mobile presence can build value for your brand in the eyes of the consumer and put you a step above the competition, if it’s done right. The difference between the two may not seem obvious; below you can find a list of the features and relative benefits of each approach.

Mobile Web

• Instant access: Mobile websites use less imagery and scripting that may increase page loading times and eat up valuable resources. Those that are used are generally extremely lightweight and optimised for browsing on the devices over data networks.
• Improved SEO: Search engines like websites that have been built with mobile in mind. Search providers like Google and Yahoo keep a directory of mobile optimised websites, and it’s the only way to get on them. This positively affects the search rating of your mother-site as a bonus.
• Anywhere, anytime access: Sites that can be accessed via a URL can be loaded on a whim, wherever and whenever the visitor requires without the need to download software and store it on their phone. This is important for visitors who may not need ongoing access to the information.
• Offline media: Web addresses printed on billboards, QR codes in magazines that take a person directly to specific landing pages. There are numerous possibilities for getting your site out into the offline universe.
• Flexible and cost effective: A less restrictive, one size fits all approach across as many platforms as possible. In a shorter time, a less fragmented design can be pushed to production.
• Mobile advertising: A cost effective mobile advertising campaign, partnered with an optimised website, boosts traffic and awareness. For more information on mobile advertising, see my previous blog post.
• Deep linking: Redirecting traffic from the full version of your site to the optimised version of your website.

Native Mobile Applications

• More functional: Mobile applications have the ability to utilise device hardware such as front and rear facing cameras, speakers and G-Sensors, and are also capable of repurposing buttons on Android and Windows Phone 7 devices.
• Ditch the browser: Browser limitations such as the inability to display some in-line media and large image overlays can be circumvented. Content can be included in the initial download, or cached later, so an internet connection may not always be required to use the application.
• Immediate market reach: Distribution through central content delivery pillars such as the App Store or Android Market provides an immediate connection to a base of potential users. User ratings can lift your app in popularity, downloads and usage. Or kill it completely if it fails to deliver. Either way, this gives you a very clear picture of whether your application is performing. Receiving feedback on your app is crucial, and so is reacting to the demands for features and fixes. The respective app stores can also push fixes and features with minimal user interaction.
• Push content: Using push features that are now available on most smart phones, new content can appear automagically on devices with your applications installed. This reminds your users that you are there with them at all times, ready to deliver the content they want to see.
• Paid for content: If your app is worth paying for, people will buy it from you. A low priced app that provides value for money can sky rocket in a very short space of time, providing you with an easy revenue stream and keeping costs down. The app store provider takes a small slice (normally this hovers around the 30% mark), but bears the brunt of bandwidth and server costs on your behalf. Free updates can keep them coming back for more, and attract additional purchasers.
• Fully brandable: Running full screen is a huge boon of mobile apps. These pull your users out of their phone interface and into your own full branded and customised experience.

What you shouldn’t do.

Do not be tempted to distribute a web app in disguise. A growing trend among individuals and business is to use off-the-shelf web application builders to generate apps for their devices. These can be distributed through the app stores, but are little more than mobile websites running under the cloak of an application. While they are lightweight, cheap and easy to develop, they are easy to identify and have almost all of the drawbacks and none of the benefits. Applications such as these are usually interpreted as lazy rush jobs in an attempt to get into the market as quickly as possible. Do not be taken in. Pick the platform that is right for you and stick to it. The time, effort and money involved may be many times more by the time you are finished, but as long as you do not lose sight of your ultimate goal (ie. what you want your mobile website or app to accomplish) the potential pay off will be much more satisfying.

This month, RT Media celebrates a decade of creative campaigns, branding and web marketing for a client base spanning international, national and regional clients of all shapes and sizes.

Company founder and Creative Director, Ross Thornley, attributes the company’s success to a clear vision, a clear definition of success, a focussed drive to achieve it, and good timing – launching a creative agency at the start of the new media revolution.

Ross explains: “When I started the company I was 21, I worked from a bedroom armed with an Apple Mac, support from my family and a desire to prove myself.  Ten years on, RT Media has grown organically to a 10 strong team with all the skills required to fully service 21^st century campaigns.  All this has happened against perhaps the biggest ever change for marketeers; the advent of broadband into our homes.”

Ross continues:  “As a result we have grown up with the Internet, which has given us a very holistic approach to our clients’ work. To facilitate the increasing demands from clients for digital and social media campaigns, we recently launched GetShaking to maximise how social media can be monetised, and a return on investment can be tracked.  But while we know that the web can never be underestimated or ignored, we still believe every business plan and set of objectives requires a mix of communication channels.”

Today, RT Media can be aptly described as a ‘small, but well-heeled creative agency’, due to its deliberately contained growth, which centres on seeking the ‘right fit’ within the team, as well as its clients.  It also takes its impact as a business very seriously, applying for, and achieving Energy Efficiency in Business (EEIB) 2020 accreditation earlier this year.

Ross explains:  “It may sound like we are aiming to achieve some kind of Nirvana, but for me, creating the right balance between what our team needs in order to provide the highest level of service, is what business in the 21^st century is all about.  Every member of staff has input into the type of company we are on the inside, which means that we perform better for our clients on the outside.”

Ross adds: “I have worked very hard to reach a point where my vision of how a business can be balanced for the good of the whole, can be realised.  By working smartly, and with those people we actually enjoy working with, we can, and do, achieve so much more.  Over 40% of our current client base has been with us for over 5 years.”

Client retention is certainly a priority at RT Media and its high rate can be attributed to the company’s ‘client filter’, which gives the team clear criteria for doing business, and ensures that while they actively seek clients who fit, they also decline those who don’t.

So, what’s next in marketing?  Looking to the future, Ross predicts:  “Video and YouTube are effective and exciting communication channels, but their application for businesses is really very new, and will reach impact we have not seen to date.  I can also see that community delivery, through managed crowd sourcing, will also change marketing boundaries of scope and timescales.”

And the future for RT Media?  Ross adds: “We have now reached a point where we have the firm foundation, staff and resource to continue to build a strong and progressive business. Meanwhile, I plan to construct and build our own office environment, which will be ethically and ecologically sound.  It will give the business a breath-taking environment to cultivate creativity and become the hub of innovation I envisage.”

Traditionally these would come in the form of a barcode card, key fob or printed coupons. These schemes offer a combination of rewards and recognition, in order to drive up sales and customer retention rates. Credit card companies are notorious for their offers, with the majority now handing out flight miles, cash back, credit points and prizes if someone makes a purchase on the card. Through this, the idea is that they are helping the customer to stretch their budget that little bit further and keep them coming back for more.

Despite this, almost half of people still do not participate in these loyalty programs. And only half of those again are actively using them. So why is that? Could it be that most reward schemes come down to only one thing: freebies? As the concept has gained popularity over the last couple of decades it’s easy to see how it can be a double edged sword.

The problem is that it’s possible to get it wrong. While offering free stuff to customers the more they buy, an aggressive campaign could feel almost like a bribe, whereas a complicated system with different tiers and structures can only serve to confuse and confound the customer. Take Starbucks as an example:

My Starbucks Rewards

Last year, Starbucks introduced a Gold membership card. A customer could pay $25 dollars for a year membership, and in return they would get 10% off their purchases every time they went into Starbucks. For hardcore coffee drinkers this could equal some serious savings. The card would pay for itself in a matter of a month or two (or even a few weeks if you were a serious caffeine addict).

Now though the current economic climate, coupled with poor sales and stock drops down to over-expansion, Starbucks has had to reassess it’s approach. As of December 26th of last year the Gold card is being retired and replaced with My Starbucks Rewards.

Under this new scheme, customers can acquire a card and “activate” by loading currency of any denomination on to it in store or online and begin using  it immediately to purchase their hot cup of joe in the morning. For every purchase that is made, “stars” are accrued on the card. The more stars, the better the rewards. Rewards can range from a free birthday drink, free in-store wi-fi (2 hours per day), free beverage customization and free brewed coffee refills up to a free tall beverage and a personalized card.

There is even a limited test run for customers to use the “My Starbucks Rewards” iPhone app to pay for their drinks.

In some ways this is a brilliant tactical move. By using pre-paid cards or an app on a mobile, it helps customers to feel like they are not buying the drink, but rather they are owed it when they walk into the store. Like they are getting it for free. Instead of handing over money or fumbling with the pin for a debit or credit card, customers can breeze through the purchase process and be on their way. This ease of purchase should keep the flock coming back again, and shunning other competitor brands. Effectively cementing “The Starbucks Run” as part of the daily routine.

On the other hand, getting customers to part with their money online or in the store without taking away a tangible product could prove difficult. And with the various reward levels and perks it may be too much information for most customers to digest in the short space of time they in are in store. Buying coffee is an express transaction with most people in a rush to wake themselves up and get back to the office, so convincing them to take the time, listen, understand and ultimately decide on it may prove to be the thorn in Starbucks’ side.

And if it falls to the baristas to make the pitch and case to the customer. Will it end up being a case of sacrificing customer experience in return for a chance at dedication?

It could go either way for Starbucks as only time will tell if their gamble will pay off. That said they have taken an interesting approach with the iPhone app as a medium for delivering rewards and express payment. This is still a relatively new concept, still unexplored by most companies but with a world of infinite possibility.

Motorola recently launched their “Mobile Loyalty Solution” which allows retailers to digitize their subscription and membership services, which is then saved onto a mobile phone. Through this platform a consumer can carry around all their membership details with them 24/7, and can receive updates and notifications of special offers, deals and newly released products. No information as to what platforms it will function on yet, except that they say it will be available on “the majority of mobile phones in the U.S. market today”.

Yowza!! have taken a similar approach, but purely with coupons wrapped up in an iPhone app. Yowza!! uses the GPS and 3G (and to a lesser extent the Wi-Fi on the iPod Touch) functionality  of the iPhone to pin point your location, then presents on a map nearby stores that have offers or coupons available. All the customer needs to do then is take their phone in, show the cashier the coupon and receive their reward.

All of these are geared purely to drive sales under the guise of saving money, and in today’s technology-centric world it’s surely the way forward. But with a bigger and bigger push on maintaining customer dedication the question has to be asked:

Is your loyalty up for sale?

I read this quote today that made me think… and although I have always found it crass to blow your own trumpet, why not get others to blow it for you! Now that is something I am more comfortable with.

I see the fine line between confidence and arrogance, between a show off and a reserved professional. I have always believed in the quiet soft approach to business. I have never sold, never gone for the deal… never pushed an opportunity. I guess that’s because I love doing what I do and measuring success for me is not just about pound notes. Is this the best way to build a business though? I was comfortable with sitting back and empowering the customer to buy.

Should we be more aggressive in a competitive market?

In the last 6 months I have recognised the power of others talking for you, on your behalf, a good testimonial positions the trumpet – great stuff. So I will stay who I am and surround myself with good people who are damn good trumpeters and prepare for advance…