Business Travel Expenses Take Off in 2008

Hoteliers and Tracking Tools Benefit From Historic Highs.

According to an October 2007 American Express Global Business Travel Forecast, air travel, accommodations, transportation and meeting facilities will see a sharp increase in demand for 2008.

Expect Travel Rate Increases
Business travel demands will continue to drive an increase in rates, including double-digit hotel increases in certain markets in the US, Europe and Asia.

This poses a challenge for business and travel managers. According to Vice President and Global Leader for American Express Business Travel Advisory Services, Mike Streit, the average domestic inclusive business trip (airfare, care rental hotel) will increase six percent, bringing the average price to $1,100 domestic and $3,171 internationally.

According to the American Express report, domestic economy travel rates are expected to increase five percent domestically and ten percent internationally. Hotel rates are expected to increase up to seven percent for mid-range hotels and up to eight percent for upper-range hotels in the US.

And That's Not All Folks
Due to the high demand and low supply, business travelers can expect changes in hotel terms as well as price. This may include a minimum or maximum stay requirements.

New Opportunities for Businesses
Due to the historic highs, stricter requirements, and challenges with keeping within a budget, travel and entertainment managers are expected to find ways to save money on meetings and events. This creates new opportunities for businesses that provide affordable travel and entertainment services, or who can offer cost saving conference or event services. Companies are also expected to increase their use of preferred suppliers to maximize benefits and savings.

The report also predicted a fifteen to twenty percent increase in the sale of compliance tracking tools, to help businesses save money.

To learn how to target this niche market and increase sales, contact Variable Thinking, or attend a free 45-minute webinar held every Wednesday from 2:00 to 2:45 pm CDT
To register visit: http://www.variablethinking.com/webinar.aspx

Read the entire American Express business travel report here: http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/pc/2007/pdf/GBTF.pdf

Advantages of Personalized Direct Mail

Marketing gives a company visibility within a target market; it is how it attracts new customers and maximizes the lifetime value of existing ones. The ability to market a product or service is vital to a company's ongoing success-this is not a revelation. The struggle amongst marketing executives is never whether or not to advertise, but which marketing medium to make use of. With all the options that exist for marketing, consumers prefer personalized direct mail over other marketing options.

There are several advantages to using direct mail as your medium of choice to market your business. Direct mail is a cost effective way to target a specific market segment, while personalized direct mail adds to that medium an attention grabbing call to action.

Direct Mail and Segmenting a Market. [Read the entire article.]

Variable Thinking Newsletter, Oct.-Nov. 2007

Trends in Marketing

• Creating a more direct relationship with customers via your web or microsite.
  
• Delivering highly targeted leads to your sales department.
  
• Sixty-one percent of consumers prefer direct mail over any other marketing medium, according to a 2007 InfoTrends report.

Achieve the marketing results you strive for!
Variable Thinking is a full-service direct marketing firm that conceptualizes, designs, prints, double bar codes, and tracks your targeted direct mail! Variable Thinking also offers strategic demographic lists and personalized URLs (PURLs/microsites) to further increase response rates. From start to finish, our 30,000 square foot facility is equipped to meet all of your marketing needs! Request a call today!

Customer Spotlight

While other mortgage companies struggle to allocate funds for advertising, one of our newest clients is gaining market share with personalized marketing and achieving a 3% (and growing) response rate!
This could be you!
Contact us today!

MARKETING SPECIAL: Variable Thinking's PURL Marketing

Personalized direct mail with PURL services come with free web analytics and lead generation including:

• Free real-time reporting
  
• Free real-time targeted lead generation
  
• This quarter only!
  
• Find out more!

The difference between the marketing results you're achieving now and the results you strive for is Variable Thinking. So what is stopping you from moving forward? Contact Variable Thinking today and be one step closer to marketing success. For immediate assistance call 866/346-1400 or email sales@variablethinking.com.

Learn and Win!

Attend one of our free weekly marketing webinars held every Wednesday from 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm CDT, and enter to win a free three day/four night trip to the Grand Bahamas!
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To receive this newsletter monthly by email, subscribe at: http://www.variablethinking.com/.

Variable Thinking Wins International Design Award

Variable Thinking was announced as a winner in the 2007 Davey Awards Tuesday by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. Variable Thinking was among those honored for the finest creative work from the best small firms, agencies and companies worldwide. The company's website at http://www.variablethinking.com, won a Silver Davey in the Website/Moving Images category.

The Davey Awards is judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), an invitation only, 200+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. Current IAVA membership represents a "Who's Who" of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including: Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Yahoo!, Estee Lauder, Wired, Insight Interactive, The Webby Awards, Bath & Body Works, Brandweek, Polo Ralph Lauren, ADWEEK, Alloy, Coach, iNDELIBLE, MTV, Victoria’s Secret, HBO, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Myspace.com, and many others.

“The Davey Awards exemplifies outstanding work among smaller agencies, and to be recognized for that is truly an honor,” said Variable Thinking's President and CEO, Ronald Leggero, Jr., whose vision drove the redesign of the company’s website. In addition to the Davey Award, Variable Thinking’s site is also the first to use iPhone-type technology online.

“The incredible quality and growth of entries again proves that creative excellence, fresh ideas and great conceptual execution is a hallmark of the best small agencies and firms” noted Linda Day, director of the IAVA.