What marketing message did you send out this holiday season?

Was it product/offer-driven?

or was it a simple holiday message?

or did you build an application customers could use?

Don’t get me wrong, the messages above were chosen because they were well-designed and targeted (not all are personalized and they should be) but they all fulfil the different goals set out by each marketer.

Perhaps what would make marketing messages even better is building an application to go along with it. They could be as simple as a game (http://stockrider.trone.com/), a holiday snow globe or a viral application to send a simple greeting card (http://Greeting.L2soft.com).

This holiday, we chose to send a simple holiday greeting but with a link to an application that allows prospects to send a personalized email greeting to their friends, colleagues or loved ones.

Marketing applications that help you generate curiosity and interest while showcasing the abilities of your product will be the next big thing in marketing. They help you stand out from the clutter of marketing messages and if it is well designed and executed, your recipients will remember you for it.

For better campaign results: mix up your 2009 marketing messages with applications and you will build a better 1 to 1 relationship with your prospects.

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