The Geomarketing Discipline: More and More Recognized in Quebec!

Montreal, May 1, 2003 Éric Trépanier, Manager of Business Development at Optima, a firm specialized in geomarketing and market analysis, was one of the 18 finalists in the “Marketing V.I.P. 2003” gala and competed in the “Marketing Science Advancement” category. Held on April 29, 2003 and organized by the Association Marketing de Montréal (AMM), this gala honoured marketing professionals who stood out by developing an innovative strategy, creating new approaches, or helping the marketing field progress through their ideas, actions, activities, teaching and research

“I wish to congratulate all the gala’s award winners, and especially Mr. Jacques Blais, Marketing and Development Manager at Héma-Québec, selected Marketing V.I.P. 2003,” says Éric. “To be a finalist in this gala amounts to undeniable proof of geomarketing’s growing popularity in Quebec and the excitement that market segmentation solutions and techniques are beginning to create in Quebec marketing decision-makers,” he added. Indeed, the association’s jury accepted his candidacy among 150 files, for the design, development and marketing of Focus, a revolutionary market targeting and segmentation solution that integrates Canada’s specific regional realities.

“This recognition is an excellent opportunity for my team and myself to thank all our clients who have trusted us since the outset and wanted to take up the geomarketing challenge in Quebec ,” he pointed out. “It is the natural outcome of efforts put forth during the past few years to build Focus, the only pan-canadian market targeting and segmentation solution developed and marketed in Quebec.”

The Focus solution’s power stems from its capacity to identify, locate and target the consumers most attracted to your offer; assess a given market’s business potential; position your company and its products or services through in-depth knowledge of target clients’ consumption habits; accurately select the various communications channels and media; and finally, measure each of your actions’ impact in your markets.

Éric Trépanier recognizes that geomarketing plays more and more a leadership role in Quebec-based marketing departments, and that Optima has strongly contributed to this evolution. Indeed, this discipline, which is quickly growing in popularity, enables to accurately target markets and tailor strategies accordingly; in this era of budget and process optimization and rationalization, this strategic adaptability represents a huge asset for any executive who is looking to fine-tune his/her plans and obtain convincing results.

“Ernst & Young selected us for the Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2002. Today, marketing professionals have recognized our contribution to marketing advancement in Quebec and Canada, which I find particularly touching and makes me even more proud of our accomplishments,” adds Mr. Trépanier. “We will do everything in our power to increase our products’ and services’ quality and continue to focus on our clients at the heart of our activities. Our track record has already been established. We will simply proceed with and pursue it as intended and slated by lengthening the list of our strategic partners and emphasizing our international development.”

In addition, the Optima team has drawn up a research and development plan that will enable it to design new marketing decision-making aid tools. “This plan prescribes design of a complete line of market information solutions to meet varied marketing requirements.” These solutions’ main strengths will lie in their accessible prices, their ability to provide an accurate market reading, and the capability of obtaining standard client profiles or business potentials integrating all market variables. This is an essential part of implementing marketing decision-makers’ strategies.