Toyota Swagger Wagon

Landon's First B-Day!!!

Sturgis Here I Come!!!!

Chapter 3 of Roberts' Internet Marketing breaks down the value proposition, the understanding of the different business models, and which models are most prominent on the internet today. First, we must understand the value delivery system, to see if Harley Davidson created the product first, or chose the intended value and delivered the product as such. In 1903, four young men experimented with internal combustion, and over 100 years later Harley Davidson has maintained its dominance in the market, and has become a household name. So, in the beginning I would argue that the product was the driving force behind Harley Davidson. Today, the value drivers are what motivates their buyers as well as their vast marketing campaigns. The select target group has developed from rebel construction and labor workers into retired stockbrokers, professional athletes, stay at home moms, and interior designers. Harley Davidson also understands that the majority of motorcycle enthusiasts "know" their product, while many other part-time riders "know" Harley Davidson. They use this as a driving force in their marketing campaigns online, and in their stores. Renowned strategist Kenichi Ohmae puts it strongly....He urges marketers to "provide value to customers rather than aping the competition" (Roberts pg 56). Value to Harley Davidson customers comes in the form of resale value, image, comfort, feeling of belonging to a group, diversity, individual production capabilities and many more motivated buying and selling drivers. They communicate the value to customers by their message, individualized owners advertising, and promotion and public relations campaigns (ABATE, rallies, conventions, etc). I will finish my view on Harley Davidson with one more from Ohmae, "The value delivery system puts the focus on the customer---first defining the value drivers desired by the customers, next creating a product and marketing strategy that delivers the value, and finally communicating that value to the customer." Harley Davidson has transformed themselves into a corporation much larger than just a loud tail pipe--by using the value drivers discussed in Chapter 3 of Internet Marketing (choosing the value, providing the value, and communicating the value). It was incredible to spend the time to truly dig into their website and review the history and see where Harley was, and where they plan on going. Good stuff Harley Davidson, Sturgis Rally here we come!!!

Target(ing) Women

If you focus your attention to the dynamic pursuit of Target's marketing genius, it is not too difficult to see that the 21-35 year old female demographic is the holy grail. Free shipping is a key to homemakers or stay at home moms able to spend or shop online, and if you spend $50.00 or more dollars at Target online, it is free. The different tabs that an individual can click on are as follows: Women, Baby, Men, Kids, Shoes, Beauty, Home, Kitchen, Bed and Bath, Furniture, Movies, Electronics, and More. If you are a women, all of these can possibly pertain to you, especially if you buy your husbands clothing. If you are a male, it is a big stretch to find a large percentage of males who shop for even half of these items. Target also is offering specials this month on home decor, dresses, bedding, and curtains....certainly to appease the male consumer, kidding. In all seriousness, Target has transformed their webpage to appeal to all, but deliberately focus in on the younger female consumer, and distinguish themselves as the leader to this demographic category. As the success of their targeted market on their website continues, so too will their expansion towards these expanding categories. Meanwhile, I will continue to shop at Target because my significant other (definately in the 21-35 age group) has fallen victim to their marketing trap.

Swing...Batter Batter

The Minnesota Twins website truly depicts the evolution of the Internet as far as just being an information source to becoming a platform for promotion, product, price, and place (distribution)....The four essentials behind a successful marketing campaign. The Minnesota Twins offer a variety of ways that fans, vendors, coorporate partners, media, government entities, surrouding communities, and internet followers can keep close tabs on every facet of their favorite franchise every second of every day. Retention programs are designed by Twins Territory Team, Line Drives, Mobile followings, Twins blog set-up, email updates, season ticket programs, dining deals, and great specials on Twins gift cards. The majority of the Twins offers are designed for email updates and newsletter advances to their current emailing list. By clicking through the various tabs on the website, the Twins marketing department achieves goals of growth, acquisition, and retention by the lineup of all their product offerings. The Minnesota Twins website allows for a one-stop shop in regards to a fans every needs prior to arrival for a ball game. They can purchase tickets, parking passes, food and drink cards, Joe Mauer jersey and the like; enabling a fan to just enter the beautiful new Target Field and stop for a refreshment or two, and leave after a phenomenal Twins victory. This is a much different and vastly more convenient process then during the runs of Central Division Titles from 2003-2006. The website allows for information to be gathered for a one time a year visitor hoping to see the new Stadium, or a bonifide Twins Territy Team member looking for Carl Pavono's ERA over his last three starts. The bottom line still surmised by the Pohlad family as was the case five, ten, twenty years ago is profitabilty and this website is conducive for the financial gains of the organization as well as their marketing success in cyberspace.

First Day

This is my first time ever writing on my Blog page, and quite frankly I am actually very excited.
I will try to dazzle you with my marketing insight, but most likely I will fall short. The majority of marketing positions that I applied for while I was unemployed in May of 2009 were looking for individuals that had a current blog. This will be a new venture for me, one in which I am looking forward to gaining a crisper knowledge base. Online marketing is the wave of the future and an area of study in which I plan on further developing.