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April 16, 2012

Traditional media & print marketing still most effective for government decision makers

Market Connections, Inc. Releases 2012 Federal Media and Marketing Study

Chantilly, Va. (PRWEB) April 12, 2012

Traditional marketing is still the most effective way to reach government decision makers, as print media and trade shows are still highly viable marketing channels. In addition, government media publishers need to diversify their offerings as federal readers consume content in both print and digital forms.

These are several of the findings of the 4th annual Federal Media and Marketing Study (FMMS), released today by leading government market research firm Market Connections, Inc., in conjunction with Sara Leiman, vice president, media director at TMP Government. Market Connections and Leiman presented highlights this morning at a sold-out breakfast event at the Tysons Corner Marriott in Vienna, Va. today.

“Government decision makers still consume information through traditional print outlets. Print is not dead,” said Lisa Dezzutti, CEO and president, Market Connections, at the 2012 Federal Media and Market Study Breakfast this morning. “As such, when developing marketing campaigns, it is important advertisers not abandon their print campaigns. Conversely, publications need to continue to provide a mix of print and digital content to meet the diversified needs of this audience.”

With the theme of “Reaching Federal Decision Makers in All the Right Places,” this year’s study aggregates the use of print, television, radio, mobile, social media and Internet-based news media by senior federal employees. More than 3,700 decision makers-the largest response to date-participated in the study, which allows marketers and communications professionals to better target their efforts and ensure they are reaching the right people in the right places.

Highlights of the study include:

  • Print is not dead. Federal decision makers are slowly shifting away from reading trade publications in print, but the decrease from last year is small (40% in 2011 to 35% in 2012). 28% prefer a combination of both print and online media.
  • Trade shows and conferences still present viable marketing and networking opportunities. More than half of federal decision makers are still attending trade shows. Webinar attendance also increased from 14% to 26%.
  • LinkedIn is beginning to take off as a key destination for federal decision makers. Up from 18% in 2011, 35% of respondents rely on LinkedIn for both professional and personal use.
  • Conversely, Facebook for professional use is down to 3% from 6% in 2011. Though the personal use of Facebook is up significantly (68% from 49% last year).
  • More than half (58%) use smart phones and almost a third (31%) use tablets. For work email, Blackberry is still king at 30%. Yet iPhones and Androids dominate personal email at 36%. iPhones and Androids are also most-used for accessing news websites (27%), followed by tablets (21%).
  • New this year, more than one-third (37%) report reading blogs, while 13% actually write blogs.
  • This year’s respondent base is a more senior group of people, which could demonstrate many federal workers deferring retirement. 44% of respondents are 55 years or older, followed by 38% in the 45 to 54 age category. Last year, the largest segment was in the 45-54 age group (35%) followed closely by the 55+ group (33%).

An overview of the study results is available at www.marketconnectionsinc.com/mediastudy.

“Traditionally there has been no single database that provides such detailed information about government decision makers, both from a demographics and a content consumption perspective,” said Leiman. “Depending on who you are targeting, this study is an ideal tool for marketing and PR professionals to develop effective campaigns aimed at influencing government decision makers.”

Market Connections makes the data from this study available via a dynamic online tool, which allows marketers in the federal space to create their own custom data views to inform marketing and public relations decisions. The online tool allows users to cross-tabulate job title and product purchases; job title and web site visits or publication readership; or product and service purchases and publication readership; or radio listenership. The online tool is available for purchase through Market Connections. More information is available at www.marketconnectionsinc.com/mediastudy.

About Market Connections
Founded in 1996, Market Connections provides comprehensive BtoB and BtoG market research services, enabling organizations to make informed, intelligent decisions that drive significant and measurable business improvements. The firm offers deep domain expertise in numerous markets, including federal, state and local governments; information technology and telecommunications; education; healthcare; and associations and non-profits. For more information, please visit: www.marketconnectionsinc.com.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/4/prweb9397411.htm

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