Resources

• Win a Social Media Marketing Library
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 13, 2009
  Win a Social Media Marketing LibraryThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Win a Social Media Marketing LibraryThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing In a fit of collaboration goodness I would like to gift one set of seven awesome books to the person that most creatively answers the following: I get the biggest return for my business using social media when I [fill in the blank] I’m the [...]

• Top 10 IT Strategies for 2010
  CRM Mastery Blog | Nov 13, 2009
  Here are several excerpts from an article by Josh Cable, Senior Editor for Industry Week Magazine, Top 10 IT Strategies for 2010. For more information on each strategy area, check out the complete source article: Gartner Inc. recently unveiled its list of the top 10 strategic technologies and trends for 2010. The Stamford, Conn.-based IT [...]

• Snag Customers By Letting Prospects Go
  Better Closer | Sales Improvement | Nov 13, 2009
  Let me start by saying that if you are trying to land big accounts there is no one better to listen to than Jill Konrath. Jill Konrath, Author of Selling to Big Companies I recently reread Selling to Big Companies (affiliate link) and I am amazed at the contrast between Ms. Konrath and the average sales [...]

• What to look for in a Social Media Marketer?
  Buzz Marketing for Technology | Nov 13, 2009
  Now that we are beginning to feel the relief of the economic uncertainty that has been hanging around us for the past few months, I am beginning to hear a lot about the invention of some new roles inside organizations looking to get “social media”.Typically this means hire someone who knows our “space” really well and someone who is an expert in social media.Well it’s the latter part that is the hard part. Consider that in Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book The Outliers he goes into a discussion about Violinists and how long it takes them to become a master at their craft. So without spoiling the book for you – the bottom line was – it takes 10,000 hours to become a Master Violinist. This got me thinking about how it could apply to Social Media and how long it would take to become a Social Media Expert.So if you practice Social Media on the job for a few hours a day, let’s say 3 hours a day learning more about social media and 2 hours a day practicing social media times 5 days a week that means you could become a social media master in 7.6 years. Throw in the weekends and that drops to 5.5 years! But wait, social media hasn’t been around that long!So since you can’t hire an expert, what qualities would make for a good social media marketer? Here are 4 macro competences to look for:1) Story telling – in social media you need to tell good stories, stories that people will be attracted to, identify with and want to share. Story telling is key!2) Packaging – they need to be able to package the stories up and be able to make them shareable this means the content can be found in a variety of media forms not just one.3) Reach – they need to know how to reach people with their content, the more forms the better. So that means they need to be fluent in many social media sites.4) Measure – and finally the hardest part for most people is the measurement of the effectiveness of the media and the efficiency of the story being spread in those media.

• Calling all art directors, designers and logo creators - win $250
  The Marketing Minute | Nov 13, 2009
  I will try to make this brief. Last spring, I was approached by a company in the UK called Logo Inn who creates logos and identity packages online. They wanted to do a contest, demonstrating their services. So I did a series of posts on logo design and offered one organization a chance to win a free logo....as long as the entire process could unfold here on the blog, so we could all learn from it. The series looked like this:. We talked about 5 tips for designing a new...

• Paul Williams: Off-Site Meetings: Last Century Technology
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 13, 2009
  Did use an abacus or slide rule to build your FY'10 budgets? To prepare and distribute information about next year's Marketing Plan did you use a typewriter and make a duplicate with a layer of ink paper? Or did you hand crank copies on a Ditto (or Verifax) machine? Of course you didn't. That would be crazy and inefficient. We have invented better and more efficient tools. With that said.. while we are in the 21st century... there is a tool that is stuck somewhere in the mid-1900s: The Off-Site Meeting. It is interesting we don't perceive meetings as a "tool" the same way we do a photocopier, computer, or even the coffee maker. And, of all meetings, the "off-site" is critically important. So important, it warrants sending a hand-picked group away from the office, sleeping away from their families, huddled in a hotel conference room for three days, not allowed to return with out "the plan." Yet we put no thought to the meeting room. It is a "people container."

  Meeting Space = Commodity

  Look up commodity in the dictionary, and there will be a picture of a hotel meeting room. Tan. Accordion folding walls. Wall to wall patterned carpeting. Sweaty pitchers of water dripping into black coasters. A small paper pad and hotel logo pen. Sums up 99.9% of the meetings and conferences you've attended, right? And we don't care... when we book it. We ask the office admin to call around and find a cheap place that can hold the number of people we're bringing. If there was a preference, it would be something like: "Oh, let's stay at that place we were last time likes their Ceasar salad." Yet, as marketers and business people we intimately understand the importance of environment and ambiance and the affect it has on behavior and action. We create it for our customers everyday. Especially right now, the holiday season is when we pull out the stops! Christmas lights, holiday music, decorations, special programs and themes... All this to create a more pleasant environment mood and environment conducive for purchasing.

  Pay Per Stomach

  And the hotel doesn't care... what you do in the room. They just want to know how many stomachs will be present. Catering Manager: "How many?" Your Assistant: "18 maybe 20." Catering Manager: "Okay, that'll be $45 per person for breakfast, buffet-style lunch, and an afternoon snack." We literally pay "per stomach." And, because the rooms are where hotels make their money - book enough rooms and there is no additional charge for use of the room - just the food costs. But, of course that does NOT include all the tools for the meeting itself. Add on fees for renting the projector, a mic, access to the internet, easels, flipcharts... The room is tan to be generic. To accomodate yesterday's Bar Mitzvah, your meeting today, and the wedding reception this weekend. That is the venue that we think will inspire the multi-million dollar strategy and "killer idea?" Today's meeting spaces are the equivalent of using the Ditto machine. With hard work you can crank stuff out... But your results will be inconsistent, sloppy, and slightly blurry.

  The Solution?

  Hire A Better Space - If you're going to have an off-site where creative thinking, problem solving, and new ideas are involved - get yourself into a space that will inspire you - yet not be distracting for your work. Below I've listed a few places throughout the United States and Europe built to be a creative space for creating thinking. But it doesn't have to be a 'meeting space' either. You could get inspiration from your local art museum, science museum, or zoo. Find a place that works for your particular group. The Boardwalk, Manchester, England The Boardwalk Creative Center, Ann Arbor, MI Catalyst Ranch, Chicago Heineken - The City, Amsterdam, NL Idea Loft, Kansas City, MO Meet, NYC The Old Laundry, London, England SoHoSoleil, NYC SparkSpace, Columbus, OH Strategy Loft, Denver Spaces, Amsterdam, NL Thinkubator, Chicago Hire A Better Lead - If you don't have someone on your team skilled at leading groups or drawing ideas out of people - hire someone. (This will also allow you to relax and focus on coming up with the "killer idea" instead of running the meeting). What spaces have you found inspiration for you and your team? Image Source: OfficeMuseum.com

• Vote for the 50 Most Influential People in Lead Management
  B2B Lead Generation Blog | Nov 12, 2009
  I heard the Sales Lead Management Association is looking for who you think are the 50 most influential people in lead management. Voting ends on November 13th and you can vote for up to 5 people at once if you...

• True Story: I May Have Misjudged Your Interest
  Jill Konrath - Selling to Big Companies | Nov 12, 2009
  A true story, but the names have been changed to maintain privacy. Recently I received an email from a marketing/advertising sales professional who read my blog post on how to deal with prospects who disappear into the proverbial black hole. She decided to try my "let them off the hook" strategy. Here's what transpired. Subject Line: I may have misjudged...

• Platforms Change, Marketing is the Same
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 12, 2009
  Platforms Change, Marketing is the SameThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Platforms Change, Marketing is the SameThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing The video below, staged by the Business Marketing Association (BMA) during their annual conference, should be shown to every business marketer alive. It’s an update on the classic McGraw Hill ad known widely as “Man in a Chair.” I saw this a few months ago, but [...]

• Getting Bloggers to Write About You
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 12, 2009
  Getting Bloggers to Write About YouThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Getting Bloggers to Write About YouThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I get daily pitches from PR folks and business owners asking me to write about their news, launch, product, or survey. On one hand, I still think it’s awfully cool that people think enough of blogs and this blogger to pitch me. (Can’t imaging what [...]

• How Integrated, Web-Based Software Makes Business More Efficient
  CRM Mastery Blog | Nov 12, 2009
  Here’s some thoughts from Andrew Mulvenna that’s worth repeating, How Integrated, Web-Based Software Makes Business More Efficient: Cloud computing is the future of business software. Using online software to free you up to get on with actually running your business and making informed decisions based on the information you get. There’s a plethora of web based [...]

• Paul Chaney: The Model Small Business Blogger: J. D. Iles and Signs Never Sleep
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 12, 2009
  In my most recent Daily Fix post I made the boast that social media works for small business and that I had proof. Delivering on my promise to provide such evidence, here's the first of a series. If there is one small business owner I could point to as a model for others, it is J.D. Iles, owner of a four-person custom sign shop in Lincoln, New Hampshire. J.D. started his blog Signs Never Sleep in 2004 because he needed an easy way to update his otherwise static Web site and blogs fit the bill. In the beginning, J.D. confessed he didn't know what he was doing. He posted about his work, but mixed in posts about both his family and the local area. (Not a bad idea in my opinion if done in moderation.) One of the strategies he began to use that proved to be highly effective was showing photos of signs in the process of being made. Not only did it demonstrate his artistry and craftsmanship, but served as good PR for his clients as well. Seeing a sign being made, there was no question that J.D. completely understood his craft. He later experimented with the use of video, but quickly returned to a combination of photos and text. “While I could shoot the video in a few minutes, editing proved to be a time-consuming process. I determined it wasn't the best possible use of my time,” he said. “I backed away from video pretty quickly.” When asked what part his blog played in his overall marketing plan, his response was straightforward and concise: “The blog has been my only form of marketing. I even pulled my yellow page ads!” Based on his extensive experience, J.D. sees a number of benefits to using a blog, search engine optimization being chief among them. He has found the medium as a way to generate leads and close sales. “People will call me who have seen the blog and say 'You're doing our sign, no questions asked.'” When asked what advice he would give to small business owners considering the use of a blog, J.D. says it's certainly worth a try. “Many industries are not using blogs at all and being in a first mover position will give you great advantage. Not only that, many of those who are using them aren't doing so effectively,” he states. One caution he gives is to be patient and understand that it will take time, but that blogging will pay off. “If you blog for a year, no one will be able to catch up with you on Google,” he says. J.D. has become a mentor to others in his industry and has turned his blog into something of an online community for custom sign-making. “It is another step in my blogging evolution,” he says. However, J.D.'s influence extends far beyond his industry. His story has been written up not only in my book, The Digital Handshake, but in a number of others dating as far back as 2005. Because of his experience and success using blogs, J.D. serves as a model for any small business and is proof positive that social media can and does work.

• Paul Barsch: Going For Growth…In China
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 12, 2009
  Charged with finding new markets for growth, many Western marketers are eyeing China’s rising middle class and terrific GDP numbers. And while getting Western products and services into the Chinese market is hard enough, the ability to compete and thrive in China takes mastery of specific skills and processes. Success also involves a drastic change in mindset. As one of the few countries in the world showing positive economic growth, the future of China sure looks promising. And to take advantage of a very large marketplace, Western companies like Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Goodyear and others have established beachheads in Chinese markets. However, an Economist article titled, “Impenetrable” reminds readers how truly difficult it is to sell foreign goods in China. To be sure, some companies are thriving in China. The Economist article cites luxury good makers, airplane manufacturers, and commodity producers as successfully penetrating China. Yet, for every success story, there are a dozen works in progress especially in fields such as pharmaceuticals, banking and insurance and telecommunications. In fact, Ronald Schramm, a professor at the Chinese European International Business School says that the impact of Western firms’ total sales in China are little more than a rounding error. Why all the difficulty? Western firms must deal with the fact that for all the excitement of capitalistic economic zones in China, most of the enterprises in China are state owned. That means Western companies must deal with plenty of costly and unending red tape from protective Chinese authorities. And while China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, there is much work to be done to level the playing field for Western companies to effectively compete. Yet, all hope is not lost. Digging a bit deeper for strategies to penetrate and prosper in Chinese markets, I interviewed Globe Trade founder, Laurel Delaney. Ms. Delaney argues that companies doing business in China need to change their mindset and think of China as an investment that will pay off over the long run. She says, “It takes tremendous time, incredible patience and phenomenal preparation to do business in China. Many companies just don't have the stamina, perseverance or dollars to last -- yet, if they hang on and keep working on it, they will eventually find success.” The path to successfully navigating Chinese markets also involves avoiding the biggest blunders. To that point, Ms. Delaney mentions the number one mistake a Western marketer can make when looking to China for growth is attempting to go it alone. “You need a strong and effective team and good "Guangxi" (relationship) when doing business in China,” she says. “The stronger the team you assemble breaking out of the gate -- the greater your likelihood of success in developing business in China.” Ms. Delaney also mentions the types of local talent, needed “on the ground” to propel success. First, she says, Western companies should set up a peer-to-peer advisory board consisting of legal talent, an individual with M&A knowledge, a transportation and logistics “superstar”, a banker and a governmental contact. It’s these people that can help a Western marketer iron out issues and challenges they’ll likely face. In addition, outside of setting up a joint venture with a company, consider hiring local talent to help market to Chinese consumers. According to Ms. Delaney, someone on your marketing team, “(needs to know) native tongue languages of China, is smart and masterful at communicating which includes marketing/advertising, has experience with your product or service offering, and has a history of proven success.” China is an economic giant and is poised—eventually—to be the number one economy in the world. For Western marketers, finding ways to get your products and services into China is definitely worth strong consideration. Success in Chinese markets won’t come easy, and it won’t be cheap. China’s markets hold great promise, but also peril for companies that lack determination and endurance for the long-run. Questions: A Business Week article notes that in many instances the Chinese government has of late, “strengthened its grip on the economy.” Is there any hope for Western companies to sell their wares against state owned companies? Green industries are often cited by futurists as an area where the United States and other Western nations can create competitive advantage. And yet, currently, 35% of the world’s solar cells are made in China. Will the next Green revolution take place in China? Beijing University professor Michael Pettis says, “There is little real innovation or branding ability in China.” Does this provocative sentence scream “opportunity” for Western marketers and their associated products/services?

• Case Study:: Behavior-based Email Send Times Lift Opens, CTRs and Referrals: Test and Results
  Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Nov 11, 2009
  Most email marketers are happy to have a major testing breakthrough every once in a while. But see how a financial services brand recently scored big with multiple tests in this initial Case Study of a two-part series. First: How an A/B test showed that past response data can be used to send emails to list members' individually-preferred times. Includes tips on list growth efforts, subject line tests and segmentation.

• Lead Generation Check list – Part 6: A Multi-modal lead generation approach
  B2B Lead Generation Blog | Nov 11, 2009
  This is the sixth in an eight-part series I’m calling the ‘Lead Generation Checklist.' I wanted to provide a checklist that helps organizations optimize their lead generation process. My first post was on the mindset we should have – one...

• Study Guide for Today’s Web Clinic: Surprising Wins from 2009
  MarketingExperiments Blog: Research-driven optimization, testing, and marketing ideas | Nov 11, 2009
  The challenge: On today's web clinic, our research analysts will share the biggest online marketing lessons they've learned in 2009's experiments. Here on the blog, we’re some of our favorite posts…

• How Zen Does a Small Biz Need to Be?
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 11, 2009
  How Zen Does a Small Biz Need to Be?This content from: Duct Tape Marketing How Zen Does a Small Biz Need to Be?This content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing podcast with Leo Babauta (Click to listen, right click and Save As to download – subscribe now via iTunes Leo Babauta is the publisher of the very popular Zen Habits blog and author the Power of Less. Leo is not my typical marketing/business [...]

• Clouds of Confusion
  CRM Mastery Blog | Nov 11, 2009
  Here’s an eye-opening post that appeared in Mike Vizard’s blog in ITBusinessEdge, Clouds of Confusion: Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between when somebody really doesn’t understand something and when they just don’t want to understand something. Such is the case with cloud computing, which from the perspective of the internal IT staff all too often threatens [...]

• Turn your sales letters into workhorses!
  The Marketing Minute | Nov 11, 2009
  Neil Sawers, a 25+ year corporate writing veteran can show you how. In his new book, How to Write Proposals, Sales Letters and Reports, he spells it out in easy to understand, follow and learn examples and guidelines. But don't take my word for it. Listen to what the Midwest Book Review (one of the most respected reviewers out there) had to say: "Examples, recommendations of common tools to organize one’s thoughts, and a sprinkling of solid business advice fill out this superb, easy-to-use guidebook recommended for business writers of...

• Stephanie Miller: Email Testing: Reveal The Mysteries Of Subscriber Behavior
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 11, 2009
  The central question of any marketing opportunity is, "What motivates customers to buy?" This is just as true in email as any other channel. How do we know if two or blue or Tuesday or 15% will generate more response and revenue? The answer is simple: Test it. Yet, there is altogether too much guessing and not enough proving in email marketing. With inboxes overflowing, subscriber fatigue growing and competition from social networks increasing, it's no longer enough to broadcast out your best guess as to what will motivate and inspire and engage. We talked about why email marketers in particular don't do much testing in a panel I led at the MarketingProfs Digital Mixer a few weeks ago with Sarah Welcome, Director of Customer Intelligence for International Data Group (IDG) and Shane Johnston, VP of Client Strategy at Brooks Bell Interactive. We think it comes down to two things: Fear and Lack of Knowledge. This includes fear of losing revenue, making a mistake or having to actually defend your reading of the results. It's complicated by a lack of testing methodology, no strong starting point or low statistical intelligence. Testing can be scary. Using objective data forces us to be accountable. That is great if you are trying to prevent internal preference or opinion from guiding your email marketing strategy. Data is wonderful when you are protecting your subscribers (and your sender reputation and ability to reach the inbox) from too frequent or poorly timed messages. The flip side of the potential for a big gain from testing, is a big loss from testing. Sarah of IDG mentioned that it can be scary to think about spending company money for a campaign or a new design that just ends up costing the company more money in lower response. It's easier sometimes to just stand still. Most marketers seem to do just that. Jupiter Research (now part of Forrester Research) found in 2008 that only 40% of email marketers did any regular testing. But those who did saw a big lift, up to 25% improvement in response rates. "If you test, you never really lose," says Sarah from IDG. "There are tests that are ill conceived and poorly implemented. However, if you do test well and the theory you had is proven WRONG – that's not a failure. You gained knowledge from that." Ah - there's the rub, right? She says it's okay to be proven wrong if your test is well conceived and implemented. Uh, oh. Now we are back to fear and lack of knowledge again! You can do it! Shane from Brooks Bell Interactive outlined a six step methodology to help get everyone started:
  Set goals. Be clear on what is measureable. Define Success. Align the test and the metrics. Know the Audience Develop likely hypotheses about what you think will happen. For example, "Changing the call to action from 'download' to 'click here' will increase clicks." Create viable tests. For example, segmenting out a random 10% of the file and sending them the same message as others, but with just the change from 'download' to 'click here.' Identify the winner after a viable timeframe. Sometimes the immediate winner after an hour is not the winner at the end of 48 hours. Or, sometimes the winner of higher clicks is not the winner of higher conversions. Be sure to focus on the right metrics. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Keep testing to iterate further. Trend the findings. Like all marketing, email is not consumed in a vacuum or in a snapshot of time. Trend the findings in order to understand subscriber behavior.
  Sarah said that her methodology is similar, but that they integrate testing into their daily routines. Questions from the audience around how this applies to smaller businesses, or how to test across channels like email and social networks, also indicate that attendees struggle with the same challenges. We shared a number of great examples of tests done well and lessons learned. IDG retested a concept that had been testing a year before, and the opposite now proved true. So much for consistent subscriber behavior! Lesson: Don't accept the status quo, even if it worked before. AARP tested a new template and found that ugly worked better. Yikes. To their credit, however, they kept testing and found out the underlying issues - not beauty, but user experience. Text sometimes beats HTML. Behavior trumped demographics for certain mail types. If you'd like a copy of the deck, just email me stephanie[dot]miller[at]returnpath[dot]net. I'll also send you a testing worksheet we created that should help you follow Shane's methodology and review results. Please test it out and let us know how it works for you! I would love to feature your successful testing - including learning you didn't expect - in a future column.

• Elaine Fogel: James Arthur Ray - Is He a Marketing Wizard Gone Awry?
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 11, 2009
  Three people are dead and nearly two dozen hospitalized after participating in a sweat-lodge ceremony billed to help people "find a new vision for life." Behind the controversy and criminal investigation is James Arthur Ray, a self-help guru I saw in action at one of his free seminars in Phoenix, six months prior to the Sedona tragedy.The man is a marketing wizard. I believe that a good part of his "show" is to generate prospects for his very expensive retreats, while the other may actually be genuine. It's hard not to buy into your own hype after pitching it for so long. Last April, I saw a calendar notice in the Arizona Republic - a free seminar with James Arthur Ray, one of the contributors to the film "The Secret." Gee, I thought, maybe my 23-year-old son can benefit from this guy's message, so I signed us up. Here was the automated e-mail response to my registration: Congratulations, Elaine! On Tuesday, April 14, you will obtain some of the most effective and powerful success secrets known to man. That's because you've made the wise decision to participate in my ABSOLUTELY FREE live event on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 PM. Please make a note on your calendar of the details so you don't miss out on this life-changing opportunity. Bypass the registration lines! Click here to print your Fastpass ticket. Since the room promises to be standing room only, please make arrangements to arrive early to register and guarantee your seat. (Or better yet, click the Fastpass link above.) This is going to be an amazing program where you'll receive hard-hitting, real life, "rubber-meets-the-road" information that you can start using in your life immediately to catapult your results in all areas to phenomenal new heights. Please don't let anything prevent you from attending this life-changing event. While there's still space available, you can invite your friends and family members to take advantage of this opportunity. Just click here to send them a personalized invitation. Thanks again for participating, and get ready to enjoy more Harmonic Wealth® in all areas of your life just for committing to attend. To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International P.S. Get this, you'll also get a free copy of my hot new book Answers to Life's 11 Most Burning Questions. It's a special pre-release version that's yours free as a gift for attending, and it's not available any other way. P.P.S. Since every available spot for this event is surely going to be taken (and we'll have to turn some people away), please, please, please be considerate. If you've registered for this fabulous event, make sure to participate. It wouldn't be fair to take one of the available spots and let it go to waste while others who really want to participate get turned away. This is formulaic direct marketing copy - excellent content. It has all the right stuff to entice, create a sense of urgency and scarcity; offers an incentive, and an incredible promise - "you will obtain some of the most effective and powerful success secrets known to man." The event was packed and Ray delivered on his speaking magic. By the end of 90-minutes, people were forking over their credit cards to sign up for his retreat. Quite amazing to witness. This wasn't a series of books or tapes that many professional speakers offer. This was a very expensive retreat worth thousands. And the audience was comprised of regular people - vulnerable people. Wealthy people are already doing well, so why attend? I received four more e-mails in August and September from Ray with the sender name reading: "Support JRI Intro Events." He was looking for word-of-mouth referrals for the next three seminars in three different cities. And then, this week, I received another: I'm continuing to devote all my energy to determine the facts surrounding the tragic accident at Sedona. I've instructed my representatives to meet with the authorities in Arizona and to share with those authorities the facts they learn. That process is ongoing. In the meantime, I want to let you know that not only is this situation requiring all of my personal focus, it's also consuming my entire team's focus as well. For that reason, you can expect significant delays in responses to all general business requests. We have every intention of responding once we have helped determine what happened in Sedona. Much love and respect, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International, Inc. We're hearing snippets of information almost daily about this man. Forget the criminal investigation for now and let's talk about his marketing activities and follow-up PR response to the incident. He abandoned his Sedona participants and took off after the incident. He continued speaking to conscript new retreat participants until last week in Toronto, when a sign notified attendees that the event was canceled. He sent a check for half the Sedona seminar cost (accompanied by a sympathy card) to the family of one of the victims. If you were his publicist, what would you advise him to do? What do you think of his marketing technique?

• Case Study:: Lead-Gen Revamp with Automation and Scoring: 7 Steps to 190% Increase in Sales Conversions
  Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Nov 10, 2009
  Segmentation, lead scoring and automated nurturing campaigns are crucial elements of a sophisticated B2B marketing organization. The benefits compound when all the parts come together in a fine-tuned lead generation machine. See how a software company combined these tactics (and more) to develop robust prospect profiles, segment their database and deliver the most relevant information to prospects. Through better lead qualification, they've seen their sales conversion rates jump 190%.

• Case Study:: Internal Search Data Inspires Store Page Redesigns: 4 Steps to Boost Revenues 50%
  Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Nov 10, 2009
  Your site's search tool can provide a wealth of information about the most sought-after products in your inventory – and the problems customers may have finding those items. See how a car parts retailer used internal search data to uncover popular products and drive page design changes. They've seen nearly 59% more revenue from the redesigned pages.

• Hey Sales Managers, Check This Out ..
  Jill Konrath - Selling to Big Companies | Nov 10, 2009
  The last time the economy was in this bad of shape, I was a sales manager at Xerox. Interest rates for purchasing capital equipment were at least 18%, which is really bad if that's what you're selling. Sales is always hard, but in tough times salespeople need to be even more skilled. And, that's exactly when Xerox canceled all their...

• Twitter and LinkedIn Finally Sync Up
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 10, 2009
  Twitter and LinkedIn Finally Sync UpThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Twitter and LinkedIn Finally Sync UpThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing LinkedIn and Twitter announced an integration today that should be interesting. Starting sometime today, LinkedIn users can automatically feed their Twitter status updates to their LinkedIn status updates. While LinkedIn’s status update feature is right there for all to use, my experience is that people don’t [...]

• What We Need is a Marriage of Business Process and Social Networking
  CRM Mastery Blog | Nov 10, 2009
  Here are several excerpts from a very insightful article by Bob Warfield, CEO of Helpstream, Why Process Barfs on Social: Enterprise 2.0’s biggest problem is it lacks Business Process for the most part. What we’re lacking is simply a harmonious marriage of these two (Business Process and Social Networking).  Social should be integrated into specific [...]

• 5 ways to promote internal training and events
  The Marketing Minute | Nov 10, 2009
  I had a meeting with a client this morning and one of the topics on the agenda was how could they better promote an internal training event that was optional for the employees. When I asked how they would normally promote it, they said...we'd make up a flier with all the information and attach it to an e-mail. We'd send it out to everyone. We might send it out a couple times or ask their supervisors to also send it out. There's nothing wrong with what they're doing. But, there's...

• Suzanne Lowe: Discover Your Firm’s Marketing Barriers
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 10, 2009
  To compete effectively, professional firms need to ensure that marketing and sales are integrated into every function. But there are two big barriers getting in their way: how firms are structured and their existing culture, including the way they define the scope of marketing and sales. Figuring out what the barriers are is the obvious first step. Do you know which structural and cultural barriers exist at your firm? Do you know how they’re causing significant marketing and business development disconnects? Here’s a shortcut to get you started: Instant Feedback In conjunction with The Integration Imperative, I created two short web-based tests that help firms anonymously assess their structural and cultural barriers. I’m challenging readers to take the assessments and give me their thoughts on the results. You can let me know as an anonymous comment, email me, or, if you want to share and you have a blog, you can blog about it and send me the link. If you’re amenable, I’ll link to your blog or website in a follow-up post here on the Daily Fix. How will your firm benefit if you complete these tests? Professional firms are challenged by the complexity of their marketing and business development silos. It’s hard to know where to start in the quest for marketplace effectiveness! Our research revealed a number of distinct organizational barriers that exists in professional firms, regardless of sector, size, or marketplace lifecycle. Your answers in each test will help your firm identify the exact areas to address in building a more productive, integrated marketing and business development engine. Take the Assessment Challenge Click the links below to take the assessments. And hey, it’s fine if you decide don’t want to share your thoughts after you take the tests. But I hope you do! Assess Your Firm's Structural Barriers to Marketing and Business Development Integration Assess Your Firm’s Cultural Barriers to Marketing and Business Development Integration

• Ted Mininni: 'Simple' Sells
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 10, 2009
  According to a recent article in USA Today, “simple” will mean to consumers in 2010 what “cheap” means in 2009. In fact, the move to simplify is already underway, because “Simple is better,” as stated in the first line of the article: “Marketers such as Starbucks discover that simple sells.”The gist: consumers like food products that contain as few ingredients as possible...as long as those few ingredients look and feel healthier...and as long as they can pronounce them. Interesting premise. Noteworthy trend. “Consumers these days want to know what’s in the stuff they eat and drink—they want to know what’s not.” Labels that include additives like MSG and unpronounceable ingredients like chemical preservatives are causing more concern among consumers. Widespread allergic reactions in an overwhelming proliferation of processed foods are spurring much of this. A growing desire to choose healthier foods is another. Some savvy marketers are using this feedback to cut down on the number of ingredients in many of their products. They’re also revisiting what those ingredients are and making changes to respond to consumer demands. Ironically, the concept of “five simple ingredients” became the hot marketing tool behind the launch of a new Haagen-Dazs ice cream line. While we know that “milk, cream, sugar, eggs and one natural flavor” are hardly the hallmark of a “healthy” product, consumers still responded favorably. After all, these are five pure ingredients, aren’t they? No chemical gobbledygook here. Then, the company posted its five ingredients right on the packaging of its new seven product roll-out. Result? The new simple product line now accounts for 10% of HD’s overall business. Not bad. The concept was so successful, a whole queue of food companies have gotten into the “simple” act. Starbucks has reconfigured its food offerings by simplifying each product’s ingredients. Its Vivanno fruit smoothies now tout four ingredients: milk, juice, banana and natural protein fiber powder. Kraft’s Triscuit brand has embraced the new trend. Its ingredients: wheat, salt and oil. Soybean oil has also replaced the less healthy palm oil. Kraft’s Back to Nature line will debut a Triple Ginger cookie in January containing whole grain wheat, cane juice, crystallized ginger, ground ginger and ginger extract. Pretty healthy ingredients for a cookie product. Campbell’s Select Harvest soups offer limited ingredients and explain what each one is. The line doesn’t use any artificial colorings either. Beech-Nut Let’s Grow toddler foods put a “No Junk” promise on its packaging. “No” meaning no added sugars, modified starches or fillers. I expect this trend to grow as more and more mainstream food companies take a page from their natural product industry counterparts. By simplifying ingredients, and choosing healthier ingredient alternatives, companies are responding to growing consumer concerns. Furthermore, by explaining the ingredients they are using, there seems to be a push for more transparency. And that has to be a good thing. Right? Questions: Are you a label reader when you purchase foods and beverages? Have you deliberately chosen one product over another due to fewer, “cleaner” ingredients? Do you prefer fewer, simpler ingredients in the products you purchase, if you have a choice? Have you ever written or called a company to request they simplify or eliminate ingredients from a favorite product? Or have you purchased specific products in natural food stores rather than trying to find a cleaner choice in a supermarket? I’d love to hear from you.

• 5 Tricks to B2B Marketing Socially
  Buzz Marketing for Technology | Nov 09, 2009
  Whenever I ask members of sales team from around the globe what they need – the answer never changes – more case studies. Its not to say that we don’t respond but for whatever reason it takes a village to get a single case study done. The reason the sales team loves case studies is it [...] Related posts:
  What to look for in a Social Media Marketer? Now that we are beginning to feel the relief of... Spray and Pray Marketing 2.0 No matter how you look at things these days... If I had a dollar … Last week, I was interviewed by a technology services marketing...
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• Five nails in the Trade Pub coffin
  B2Blog | Nov 09, 2009
  Here is another voice putting to words the paradigm shifts we have been witnessing in the last few years. But the important point is noting that things HAVE changed, and that we need to act accordingly. Tom Pick at WebMarketCentral Blog asks rhetorically Will Content Marketing Kill Trade Publications?: “The challenges faced by trade publications go far [...]

• Article:: New Chart: Email Spending Sped Up as the Economy Slowed
  Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Nov 09, 2009
  Email has not only been spared the ax that fell heavily on most marketing budget line items, it seems to have actually benefited from the down economy. This boon wasn't skewed by a few email-reliant sectors, it occurred in every industry participating in our benchmark survey.

• How To:: Adding Social Media Features to a Website: 6 Tactics to Enhance Traffic and Retention
  Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Nov 09, 2009
  Social media can enhance your website, but you need to choose social media features that will provide a significant impact. Ineffective tactics can waste time and money, and might lessen internal support for the idea. See how one social media site thrives off interactive features, and how they've used these features to increase visibility without spending funds for advertising.

• A primer on Social Media ROI
  The Innovative Marketer | Nov 09, 2009
  Olivier Blanchard Basics Of Social Media Roi View more presentations from Olivier Blanchard.

• 5 Reasons to Use the New Twitter List Feature
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 09, 2009
  5 Reasons to Use the New Twitter List FeatureThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing 5 Reasons to Use the New Twitter List FeatureThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Twitter added a new feature recently called Lists. I have to admit, at first I thought this was no big deal. I use desktop twitter clients like TweetDeck and Seesmic Desktop to create groups and lists already, so what’s the big deal. [...]

• The Right Approach to Buying Enterprise Software
  CRM Mastery Blog | Nov 09, 2009
  Here are several excerpts from an article by Rahul Sah, about how to get started on the right foot before buying enterprise application software, Enterprise Apps Buying Guide - Be sure to check out the complete source article for much more on this topic: For an enterprise to be competitive in its business, it has [...]

• 5 Tricks to B2B Marketing Socially
  Buzz Marketing for Technology | Nov 09, 2009
  Whenever I ask members of sales team from around the globe what they need – the answer never changes – more case studies. Its not to say that we don’t respond but for whatever reason it takes a village to get a single case study done.The reason the sales team loves case studies is it gives them evidence. Evidence for them to start a conversation around your solution and gauge whether there is a need with the potential buyer they are talking to.Then how do B2B Marketers use that content with Social Media to do the same - here are 5 tricks to Marketing B2B content socially ...1) Tell good Stories - You have a new kind of marketing evolving now – a marketing that is driven by good stories. I think Story Telling is going to be a huge component of the marketers tool kit going forward since the web and social media adore good stories.2) Make them Sticky - But not just any stories – for example boring stories of an ERP implementation aren’t going to go viral any time soon. But stories that are “sticky” will – but even if you cant have a really sticky story you can at least write about what people care about and in a way in which they will care – ex 7 Ways Facebook will Change your Life was downloaded 10,000 times in the course of a month because it’s a sticky story.3) Think Friction Free - Think about the friction involved in the packaging of your content and find a way to remove friction from the process. Typical friction-laden processes and long registration forms are usually the culprit so think about circumventing them by uploading to sites like SlideShare give you an easy way to access an audience that can engage with your content.4) Launch them with all available media - Think about how to maximize your reach into every available channel or media. Find a way to take the core idea and distribute into every possible niche of consumer attention – get creative and leverage that story to maximize the mileage you can get from it.5) Measure Reach, Efficiency and Value - If you are going to go through the trouble of putting your content out there – why not gauge the effectiveness of the content by measuring how many people you reach, how efficient that reach was (did they click through to learn more, did it drive website visits up, did they register for more information on your site) and finally what value did that bring – a newly minted lead in your database is worth something and it gives you a stream of leads to nurture to the point that you can hand them to your sales team as a sales ready lead that they can close!

• Beth Harte: Are You TwittFaced?
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 09, 2009
  Recently I had a chance to catch up with my friend and fellow Daily Fix blogger, Jacob Morgan, about his newly released book, with co-author Josh Peters, TwittFaced: Your Toolkit for Understanding and Maximizing Social Media. With such an intriguing title, I definitely had some questions for Mr. Morgan!What does it mean to be ‘TwittFaced?’ Being TwittFaced is that moment of realization you get when you understand that social media is more than just tweeting about how bad your day is or poking people on Facebook. It's the moment when you realize that social media is about an evolution and transformation of how companies do business with each other and with their customers. Of all the Facebook tips you offer in TwittFaced, what would you say are the top three and why?
  The most important tip on that list to make sure that you have all of your information filled out as completely as possible so that people can find you and understand what you do and how you might be able to help them. Don't be scared to reach out to people and send folks a message. If you're interested in what someone has said or you want to connect with them to help develop a relationship then drop them a note. Relationships aren't going to happen unless you make them happen. Update the content on your page and interact with other people on their pages. If you have something to share, have a question to ask, or have some exciting piece of news to announce; then share it as a status update. If one of your friends has a birthday or shares an interesting piece of content then go interact with them.
  Is MySpace even relevant to marketers these days? If so, who should be paying attention to that space? MySpace traffic is plummeting these days and I don't know of any companies that are really successfully using MySpace to promote or market a product or service. MySpace has been more effective for musicians or media content creators. Personally, I see little value in MySpace as business or marketing tool. Marketers often look at Twitter as just people sharing what they had for breakfast or dinner. What tips would you offer to marketers to help them get past Twitter’s shiny surface? Twitter is and will always be one tool, if you're a marketer for Kraft then you might find it extremely relevant to find out what people are eating for breakfast but if you're an auto maker then that information might be useless for you. Marketers need to understand what they hope to achieve with Twitter and how they are going to achieve it. Again, it's just a tool and if they feel that there is no business value for what it is they are doing, then by all means, don't use it. Nobody should have to convince someone else of the value of Twitter, if they don't understand the value of being able to connect with people and listening to conversations in real time then that's their problem and a bigger issue they need to deal with. What other social applications do you think marketers need to be paying attention to and why? I think marketers need to start paying attention to applications such as Foursquare and Yelp (mobile and desktop version) which are really becoming more interactive for individuals. Take Foursquare, for example. Businesses can work with Foursquare to start rewarding users that frequent a particular location (i.e. you "check in" at restaurant or department store) and start receiving discount coupons of special offers based on the amount of times you frequent a location. Analysis and research tools such as Biz 360, Scout Labs, and Radian6 are going to become a must for marketers getting involved in social business. Internal collaboration tools such as Jive and SocialText are also things that marketers are going to have to start paying attention to as they are going to increase the efficiency of their marketing efforts. If you could offer one solid piece of social media advice that’s new and different, what would it be? As an organization that is looking to get involved in the social media space the very first they should be doing is establishing their measurement and ROI framework and foundation. This steps needs to come first in order for companies to be able to understand the value and the impact from their social media efforts. Companies are so focused on these three-month campaign spurts that their measurement approaches are subpar and have a very hard time justifying investment costs. Every social media effort needs to start with a measurement framework and foundation; everything else should be built on this measurement framework. Jacob, congratulations to you and Josh on your first book together! Thanks very much for making the time for the interview and for sharing a sneak peek of TwittFaced with me*! So...who out there is TwittFaced? I guess I am. You? About Jacob Morgan: Jacob is the principal and co-founder of Chess Media Group, a social business consultancy focused on strategy, creativity, and results. Jacob is also the author of Twittfaced, a social media 101 book for business. Jacob has a social media consulting blog and you can connect with him directly on Twitter @JacobM. *Jacob Morgan sent me a free digital version of TwittFaced to review for this interview.

• You Can't Vote if the Link is Wrong ... Try Again!
  Jill Konrath - Selling to Big Companies | Nov 08, 2009
  Last week I posted the link to vote for the 50 most influential people in sales lead management on the Sales Lead Management Association site. But, I gave you the wrong link. Click here to vote NOW. You only get five votes. And I'll keep my fingers crossed hoping you vote for me - even if they spelled my last...

• Some new words, and one surprisingly 'old' word
  B2Blog | Nov 06, 2009
  The InfoCommerce Group just wrapped up their annual “Data Content” conference. In their weekly email, a list of new key words for the online database industry was offered up: Embedment Aggregation Good Enough Curation Platforms Humans At the end of that list was this zinger: “There are other keywords that came out of DC09, but, surprisingly, one keyword was barely heard at all: Google. While [...]

• Steps for creating a true lead nurturing program
  B2B Lead Generation Blog | Nov 06, 2009
  Sometimes in an attempt to vamp up lead nurturing efforts, misguided and well-meaning organizations simply start sending out more emails. When email is misused in this manner, companies are really just training prospects to ignore or delete their messages. See...

• 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management
  Jill Konrath - Selling to Big Companies | Nov 06, 2009
  The Sales Lead Management Association wants to know who you think are the 50 most influential people in sales lead management. Here are some of my favorites on the list. • Trish Bertuzzi: The Bridge Group • Brian Carroll: InTouch • John Coe: B2B Marketing • Mary Dedrick: Performark Inc • John Doerr: Wellesly Hills Group • Susan Friedmann: Trade...

• The 1up Effect: How to undermine yourself by outdoing yourself
  MarketingExperiments Blog: Research-driven optimization, testing, and marketing ideas | Nov 06, 2009
  When you emphasize everything on a page, you emphasize nothing. Here is a deeper look at the 1up effect, referenced in our October 28 web clinic, and how to avoid overwhelming your visitors on the path to conversion…

• 3 Sources of Grammar Inspiration
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 06, 2009
  3 Sources of Grammar InspirationThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing 3 Sources of Grammar InspirationThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing About once a week I amuse the grammar troops by torturing some aspect of the language in my writing. Hey, I don’t do it on purpose and I love that I’m able to provide an otherwise cuddly group of individuals with a steady flow of chuckles. [...]

• Paul Williams: Catch More Fish With The Right Lure, In The Right Waters
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 06, 2009
  A couple of fishermen are hanging out in their local bait shop. One has a new product idea for out-of-town visitors. Sell a lake map and fishing lure combo. Take specific fishing lures and tape them to the different lakes on the map. This way the out-of-towner will know the proper bait to use at each particular lake, and will lead to a more successful fishing experience. If you're at Watermans Reservoir and want to catch a Northern Pike, you need a spinner lure. At Worden's Pond after Jackfish? Use a fish-imitation lure or cut bait.* Here comes the business segue... We marketers and business owners become frustrated and don't understand why the money we spent... on fishing poles and worms to catch Orange Roughy at the lake... hasn't paid off. If we did our homework, we would have known (a) orange roughy are a salt water fish, and (b) you get them with deep nets, not a fishin' pole. It is easy to miss your audience by not using the right venue (lake) or the right message (lure). Here's an example. I worked with a client who own a spa. Her customers include:
  women looking to be pampered, women looking for stress/muscle ache relief, men looking for pain relief (often sports related), and men looking to buy gifts certificates.
  A first approach would be to target the women and men differently. That's smart. But if you look deeper, you also realize that "woman wanting pampering" isn't necessarily the same person as "stressed woman." And "sporty man" has different habits than "gift-giving guy." They each have a different motivation for purchase - therefore will respond to a different message. They each have different lifestyles, and the vehicle/venue to reach each will differ. The more time you spend defining the who, what, where, when, how, and why the better your outreach / communication / advertising strategy. Don't simply "fish where the fist are." Fish for the right fish, with the right bait, in the right waters. *That scene takes place in the comedy, Best In Show. However, the fishing advice is mine, not from the movie.

• Good shows make lively marketplaces, even in suffering industries
  B2Blog | Nov 05, 2009
  Last week we were at an trade show for automotive test market. Sounds like a scary place to be in 2009. Or more likely, a scary place to be spending your marketing money. The show floor was probably 20-25% smaller, and our booth became the last booth in the far corner. And who wants [...]

• Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma
  Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Nov 05, 2009
  Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and CharismaThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and CharismaThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing podcast with Nick Morgan (Click to listen, right click and Save As to download – subscribe now via iTunes Trust – can’t get enough of that as a brand, business, or person these days. Everyone knows that, but what they may not know [...]

• 10 Ideas to Tame the Social Media Beast
  CRM Mastery Blog | Nov 05, 2009
  Here is a recap of the top 10 ideas recommended by Morris Sim, CEO of Circos Brand Karma for brands in the travel industry (but really apply to any Business to Consumer enterprise) who want to venture into social media, 10 Ideas to Tame the Social Media Beast: 1.    Understand your true differentiators. Sometimes what [...]

• How do you see your clients
  The Marketing Minute | Nov 05, 2009
  A client of ours, E-Myth Benchmark, who does excellent work with small business leaders (including yours truly) has this philosophy about their clients: "Our clients are much greater than they know. It's our honor to help them discover that truth about themselves." Imagine if every time you answered the phone, shot off an e-mail or met with a client, you were filled with that attitude. How might that change the dynamics of your relationship? How would a bit of reverence change your company's culture? I've said it before....if you can't...

• Ann Handley: What's New: Introducing Our New Mobile Marketing Newsletter
  Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Nov 05, 2009
  You know the end of every calendar year brings a bounty of blog posts and articles carrying business predictions for the New Year? Year after year for the past several years, pundits have prognosticated the rise of Mobile Marketing. And then year after year, it has failed to live up to its promise. Instead, Mobile seems stuck on the sidelines, perpetually benched. But with recent developments in the mobile space, it seems the prediction is now (finally) reality. I’ll even go out on a limb and make my own prediction: Mobile Marketing is here to stay. That’s why we’ve just launched a new snack-sized newsletter geared specifically to marketers looking to incorporate Mobile into their marketing mix. Get to the Po!nt: Mobile Marketing is a weekly pub that’s all about engaging on-the-move customers via their mobile devices, be they smart phones or not-so-smart phones. And like all of the newsletters in our Get to the Po!nt family of newsletters, they are “snack-sized,” which means you can consume them in one bite…. In about 60 seconds. (You can also access them via a MarketingProfs Get to the Po!nt iPhone app.) Check out the latest issue of Mobile Marketing here. Subscribe to the weekly Get to the Po!nt Mobile Marketing here. Or see all of the topic-specific snack-sized newsletters in the Get to the Po!nt family here.

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