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    • 5 marketing lessons from Rudolph
      The Marketing Minute | Dec 23, 2009
      We've sung the song, teared up at the movie...but have we really considered what marketing messages are woven into the classic Christmas story -- Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? I think not. So let's correct that mistake right now. (And enjoy the film's original trailer) Marketing lesson #1: You can't hide the truth. Rudolph did not embrace the fact that he was different from all the other reindeer. He just wanted to have a cute little black nose and the chance to play some reindeer games. You can fool people...
    • Beth Harte: Planning for 2010? Don’t Forget To Include Measurement & ROI!
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 23, 2009
      Measurement is on everyone’s minds these days, isn’t it? It’s tough not to bump into a marketing or PR pro that isn’t under the gun for proof of lead generation, ROI, and more. Since it’s the time of year when marketing and PR professionals are gearing up for the New Year and all that comes with it, I thought it might be helpful to provide a recap. (If not, be sure to get the discussion ball rolling in the comments.)By the way, don’t confuse these plans with an overall marketing plan, which includes fun stuff like a situation analysis, marketing strategy, financials, etc. If you need to write a full-blown marketing plan, head here. For industry specific marketing plan samples, go straight here. If you’re a MarketingProfs Premium or Premium Plus member, we have developed a marketing plan SmartTool just for you. During the past year and a half I’ve written a bunch of posts on how to write solid campaign plans that are measurable and can lead to ROI... Here’s a recap: Writing a Plan: The Basic Elements A goal (One. If you find yourself writing “and” in your goal, you’ll probably need two plans) Objectives (as many as needed) Strategies (every objective gets its own strategies) Tactics (every strategy gets its own tactics) A way to measure (Hint: It’s partly in the way you write your objectives) Mapping Out a Basic Campaign Plan Goal Objective 1.1 Strategy 1.1 Tactic 1.1 Strategy 1.2 Tactic 1.2 Objective 2.1 Strategy 2.1 Tactic 2.1 Strategy 2.2 Tactic 2.2 Objective Writing: Four MUST-HAVE Simple Steps To Measurement
        A specific desire communication or behavioral effect; A designated market(s) or public(s) among whom the effect is to be achieved; The expected level of attainment; and The timeframe in which those attainments are to occur.
      Examples: Objective 1: Generate 30% more website contact us leads from target Market X within 60 days. Objective 2: Grow the Facebook Fan page by 20% in 30-days solely targeting female teens ages 12-16. Objective 3: To reduce negative sentiment of Brand A within target Market X by 15% within six months. The MAJOR item here is the market... You need to know that or your efforts will be in vain. What do I mean by that? Well, it’s great to say increase website leads by 30%, but what if they are the wrong leads? What if they are people who will never buy your product or service? Another key to success with objectives and measurement is it to first benchmark your previous marketing efforts. If you know that your web traffic for 2009 has been typically X each month, and then you’ll have a sense that increasing it by 30% should be about Y. Planning That Leads to ROI If your CFO gives you or your department $10 million dollars, they are going to want to know how you spend it and what the return was...it’s their job. Just like if you give your money to an investor, you want to know what they made for you, right? The CFO is investing in marketing, so let’s help him/her out! Remember the above tactics? That’s where your expenditures come in to play. Simply, tactics cost money. Even if you think social media is free (the tools that is), your time, your agencies’ time, etc. isn’t free. Let’s take a look at a simple campaign: Goal: To increase sales in 60 days Objective 1: Generate 30% more website contact us leads from target Market X within 60 days. Strategy 1: Drive traffic to our website via online banner ads, direct mail, Facebook ads and sharing links on Twitter. Tactic 1a: Banner ads on XYZ Site Tactic 1b: Direct Mail to ABC List Tactic 1c: Facebook Ads Tactic 1d: Twitter Calculating expenditures: Banner ads - $5,500 (2 months = $11,000) Direct Mail (agency time, printing, postage, employee time) - $50,000 Facebook Ads - $2,500/month (2 months = $5,000) Employee’s Facebook Time - $40/hour ($50/hr * 10 hrs/wk * 8 weeks = $4,000) Twitter Tool - Free Employee’s Twitter Time - $40/hour ($50/hr * 10 hrs/wk * 8 weeks = $4,000) TOTAL Costs: $74,000.00 Total Contact Us Leads: 100 (Cost: $740.00 per lead) Total Sales: 10 totaling $100,000 (Assumption: Product is $10,000 per sale) ROI: 35% Simple ROI Calculation: Gain from Investment minus Cost of Investment divided by Cost of Investment (Note: always expressed as a percentage) $100,000 minus $74,000 divided by $74,000 (35%) Detailed Management ROI Calculation: Net Profit divided by Sales times Sales divided by Investment (Note: Two different equations based on rate of profit on sales and rate of capital turnover. Hey, if you can’t trust a Marketing textbook, what can you trust?!) BIG Assumptions: First this is basic and simple–marketers know it gets way more complicated than this! Also, to be able to track sales based on this particular campaign, a CRM system is needed. It's also a good idea to have a system in place to track that the specific tactics in this campaign lead to sales...one way to do that is to use codes, Adrefs, etc. And finally, there's the issue of weighting which tactics (if any) actually lead to a particular sale, that's the tricky part. We know as marketers there are a TON of variable that go into why someone decised to buy...this isn't the post for determining that level of detail. Planning is easy, right?! The point here? Just get started. Take small steps and learn along the way. It’s better than not having a plan at all. And more importantly, a plan that's measurable gets you one step closed to proving marketing's value. What do you think? What would you add/change? How have you written plans or proved ROI? ************* If you have time on your hands or want specifics, here’s a collection of all my posts, slides and/or seminar: Want to Figure Out Your Social Media ROI? Consider a Plan. (November 24, 2008) Why Writing Plans Can Be SMART (December 22, 2008) Logistics of Integrating Twitter into your Existing Marketing & PR (June 15, 2009) *Includes planning, objectives and ROI Implementing & Measuring Public Relationships…You can do it! (May 15, 2009) *Major kudos to Katie Paine here, she’s the go-to-source for this topic. Outputs, Outtakes, Outcomes…Oh, my! (June 29, 2009) *How to get over everything you feared about writing objectives. Getting Buy-in with Social Media Measurement: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (August 20, 2009) *This is a MarketingProfs seminar that gets into the nitty gritty. (FREE for Premium Plus Members) Social Media Planning & Measurement (August 21, 2009) Ten Basic Steps To an Easy AND Effective Crisis Plan (August 27, 2009) *Throwing this one in for good measure... ‘cause you never know when a crisis might hit!
    • Fire your Director of Social Media!
      Buzz Marketing for Technology | Dec 22, 2009
      At a recent ANA conference I was interviewing Brian Wallace VP of Digital Marketing and Media for RIM when I heard him say “2 years from now- if I still have a Director of Social Media – I should be fired!” and after thinking about that I can’t help but agree with him. The theory here [...] Related posts:
        Social Media makes for Better Interviews After reading Chip and Dan heath’s article in Fast Company... Use Social Media to spot issues before they hit the Contact Center! Firey laptop batteries, defective chips, tainted foods, toothpaste that stains... Why is measuring Lead Gen in Social Media so hard? This isn’t a new problem – how to measure lead...
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    • Case Study:: Product Q&A Emails Get 7.5% Conversion Rate: 5 Steps to Turn Visitors into Buyers
      Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Dec 22, 2009
      Any time a visitor leaves your ecommerce site to research a product, your odds of converting them decline. It's important to provide information to keep visitors on your site – or bring them back to complete a purchase. Read how an online electronics retailer launched a Q&A feature that let visitors post product questions on the site, and then sent notification emails when other customers had provided answers. The notification emails were strong performers, delivering a conversion rate 114% higher than their email newsletters.
    • Case Study:: Attributing Conversions to Assisting Keywords Lowers CPA: 5 Steps to Optimize Bids
      Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Dec 22, 2009
      Although the last click before a conversion is the metric most search marketers use for attribution, it's often just as important to understand the preliminary keywords that assist that final click. Read how a marketer uncovered the non-branded and long-tail keywords that assisted their search conversions. By attributing revenue to these preliminary searches, they've optimized their keyword bidding strategy and reduced cost-per-acquisition 25.6% while increasing sales.
    • 5 Ways to Guarantee Your Marketing Works
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 22, 2009
      5 Ways to Guarantee Your Marketing WorksThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing 5 Ways to Guarantee Your Marketing WorksThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing can, at times, be part art, part science, part intuition. Toss into that the fact that traditional market research produces results that are often misleading and sometimes flat out wrong because people don’t tell the truth in the traditional survey or focus group [...]
    • 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Operationalize Social Media
      CRM Mastery Blog | Dec 22, 2009
      Here are several excerpts from a post that was originally written for Valeria Maltoni’s excellent new ebook about marketing in 2010. As Joe Buhler notes, the ebook includes terrific, thoughtful insights from Shannon Paul, Olivier Blanchard, Danny Brown, Amber Naslund, Jackie Huba, Gavin Heaton, Mark Earls, Rachel Happe, Jonathan MacDonald, and of course Valeria [...]
    • Do the Work!
      Better Closer | Dec 22, 2009
      Doyle Slayton, from Sales Blogcast, is my kinda sales guy! One of my most popular posts on Better Closer is 5 Tips for Sales Improvement This Week. It message is similar to Doyle’s, but I bet it is popular because of the luring title. One that might intimate a short-cut, not the tough love I [...]
    • Fire your Director of Social Media!
      Buzz Marketing for Technology | Dec 22, 2009
      At a recent ANA conference I was interviewing Brian Wallace VP of Digital Marketing and Media for RIM when I heard him say “2 years from now- if I still have a Director of Social Media - I should be fired!" and after thinking about that I can’t help but agree with him.The theory here is as CMO’s appoint a head of social media in their organizations, it fosters silo-like behavior and departmentalizes social which by definition runs counter to the behavior within the organization you are trying to instill!As the “lightning rod” for all things social at Avaya – I have tried not to accept the mantle of being the head of social media and instead be more of a caretaker of social activity across the company. I agree you need someone to know what is going on across the company socially but you should not confine social to just a few select people.My social media team has grown from 7 people at the start to now over 75 people as part of a “virtual cross discipline team” that meets weekly about social activity. And I often wonder how will I push the barriers of that team out - to be more like 15,000 people acting socially in a coordinated, passionate way about our brand. Said differently how do we make social part of the very DNA of the firm?Ideally, I think you need to treat the role of the Director of Social Media as a way to activate the entire organization socially and then when that's complete - move on to something else. What’s your view?
    • Beth Harte: The Future of Public Relations
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 22, 2009
      This month at Search Engine Strategies in Chicago I was on a panel called “Online PR: Where to Next?” Specifically, ten years after the Cluetrain Manifesto, where are we heading? The panel included smart folks like Sally Falkow, Duncan Alney, Andy Beal and Marty Weintraub. I kicked off the panel with “The Future of Public Relations: What’s Old is New Again” because I felt it was really important in this day and age of online communications that organizations and people understood that public relations (PR) is NOT media relations/blogger relations alone. In fact, that is only 1/7 of the management activities that are associated with PR. Let’s look at the definition of PR from “Effective Public Relations” by Cutlip, Center and Broom (8th edition, 1999): “Public relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and the publics on whom its success or failure depends.” The key phrase here that has been forgotten during the age of mass marketing and consumerism is “the publics on whom its success or failure depends.” If publics can make or break your business, wouldn’t it be wise to tap into that? The Future of Public RelationsView more presentations from Beth Harte. What is PR? I mentioned above that media relations (i.e. publicity) was only 1/7 of management activities that are associated with PR. So what are all of the PR activities? Publicity (non-controlled media placement) Advertising (controlled media placement) Press Agentry Public Affairs (i.e. Community Relations) Issues Management Lobbying Investor Relations Media/blogger relations equates to “publicity,” not public relations. Most organizations don’t have any issues with getting publicity because they have a well-oiled machine in place. But where they do struggle (or what they’ve forgotten) is the part about establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. I bet you are surprised (and probably disagree) with advertising being listed. That’s because the first thing people think of when they hear “advertising” is a way to push products, services, etc. In public relations, advertising is used for things like: announcing recalls, class-action lawsuit settlements, or to provide corrective information that the media or bloggers have not provided to the public. But today, in the online world, a lot of these things can be handled on a website or blog, saving a lot of expense. It really depends on who an organization is trying to reach or what’s been mandated by the government. The Past Is Still With Us. The idea of people gathering together or being social isn’t anything new. For ages that’s been the case and it’s not going to change anytime soon. If we look back at the 18th century (and, of course, many centuries before), citizens gathered together and spread the word about their causes, politics or store-owners via word of mouth, pamphlets, and demonstrations. Today, people do the same thing, they’ve just moved online. How PR Can Work For You In Today’s Online World. Stop broadcasting. Listen to your publics. Be found online. Communicate with your publics. Partner with your publics. Tell your story. Get people talking. Don’t rely on tools. Rely on people. Words of Wisdom. “He that speaks much is much mistaken.” – Benjamin Franklin (18th Century) “Learning to speak like a human isn’t a parlor trick.” – Cluetrain Manifesto (20th Century) Questions: How will you 'speak' in the 21st Century? Will you look at PR differently or will you continue to only focus on the media? Will you engage your publics online (and off)? Have you always engaged in all aspects of PR? Will PR become the frontrunner of marketing? What else would you add or ask? P.S. If you haven’t read the Cluetrain Manifesto RUN and pick up a copy soon or read the free online version. You won’t regret it! David Weinberger, co-author, will be joining MarketingProfs as our B2B Forum Keynote Speaker in May 2010 to discuss "What Marketers Are Still Missing: The Power of the New Digital Disorder."
    • Interview:: Consumer Behavior in the Mobile Channel: 4 Trends Marketers Should Note
      Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Dec 21, 2009
      Consumer use of advanced mobile technologies is on the rise, and marketers need to understand this behavior to develop their mobile marketing strategies. See the data that an analyst says are driving four key trends in the mobile sector. We highlight age-specific statistics on mobile social networking, smartphone usage, SMS adoption, and offer tips on what those numbers mean for your 2010 mobile marketing plans.
    • Article:: New Chart: 2010 Social Marketing Budgets Defy Economic Concerns
      Marketing: Case Studies & Know-How from MarketingSherpa | Dec 21, 2009
      Chances are your overall marketing budget was hit hard by the economy in 2009 and the prospect of recovering a substantial portion of these funds in 2010 is not very likely. Still, there is good news for social media marketers.
    • $600 Discount to Attend MarketingSherpa's Email Summit
      B2B Lead Generation Blog | Dec 21, 2009
      I’m looking forward to heading down to Miami for the upcoming MarketingSherpa Email Summit 2010. Besides giving me a valid business reason to leave Minnesota in the winter (and if you’ve been here in January, you know why I'd want...
    • How Local Businesses Use Social Media
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 21, 2009
      How Local Businesses Use Social MediaThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing How Local Businesses Use Social MediaThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing So many local businesses assume social media is just for people wanting to reach the masses around the world – right, just like using email and having a web site used to be. Using social media to grow your local business is one of the most [...]
    • Annual Technology Predictions for 2010 – From Nucleus Research
      CRM Mastery Blog | Dec 21, 2009
      Nucleus Research analysts have examined the technology industry’s most aggressively growing segments and have forecast the driving economic forces and faltering trends for next year. Nucleus predictions are based on analysis of both vendors and thousands of corporate end-user case studies. Nucleus predicts the following for 2010: 1. The cloud adoption trend will continue, and [...]
    • Book Review: Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity
      Better Closer | Dec 21, 2009
      I love books. I love to read. Unfortunately, the two passions don’t always run on the same timeline. So, although I pre-ordered Hugh MacLeod’s Ignore Everybody I just recently plucked it off the bookshelf. It was wonderful, as expected. With Hugh MacLeod you get a bonus over most authors—not only do you get insightful writing, but also [...]
    • Stephanie Miller: A Real Blind Spot For Too Many Email Marketers
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 21, 2009
      Do you know how much of your email marketing actually reaches the inbox? Seems like a simple question, right? I'm finding, however, that this is a real blind spot that is significantly hurting many email marketers' results and revenue.Please take this 3-question survey, and then come back and read the rest of this post. Here's the rub. I've had this conversation several times over just the past few days, but it occurs nearly weekly all year long. A smart markter will say, "We get 98% of our email marketing in the inbox." I say, "Great! How do you know?" Marketer: "We get a report from our ESP/MTA vendor/IT guy." Me, "Are you sure that means inbox placement? Sounds like it might be your bounce rate." Marketer: "No, it's reported to me as 'delivered' or 'deliverability.' Doesn't that mean inbox?" Me: "Not always. Let's check it out." In every case, it turns out that the number being reported is the bounce rate. Bounces are a good number to track, but they have nothing to do with inbox placement. “Bounce rate” and “inbox placement” are not even really related to each other. The first is a measure of list quality and the second is your opportunity index. If you don’t reach the inbox, you cannot earn a response. Inbox placement is the first line of opportunity for response and revenue. You can’t manage and optimize it if you aren’t tracking it. It's critical that every email marketer know both numbers. The survey will help me try to assess how widely held is this misunderstanding. I'll be sure to report the results back via the MarketingProfs blog. Pass the survey along via Twitter (I'm @StephanieSAM) or in your own blog. And please give me feedback in the comments section below.
    • Stocking Stuffers for Sellers
      Jill Konrath - Selling to Big Companies | Dec 19, 2009
      Yesterday Nancy Nardin of Smart Selling Tools posted a list of six stocking stuffers (free - $29) you can give to your favorite seller this holiday season. You'll find tools you can use to: Set up appointments more easil y. Better organize your travel. Save time on Outlook. Send big files to clients. Find out who visits your website. Don't...
    • Weekend Favs December Nineteen
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 19, 2009
      Weekend Favs December NineteenThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Weekend Favs December NineteenThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I’ve added a weekend post routine that I hope you enjoy. Each weekend I write a post that features 3-4 things I read during the week that I found interesting. Generally speaking it won’t involve much analysis and may range widely in topic. (Flickr image included here [...]
    • History of Legal Pads, A Sales Persons’ Trusty Sidekick
      Better Closer | Dec 19, 2009
      If you are like most sales people, your first lead management system was (maybe still is) a yellow legal pad. Do you ever wonder where this trusty friend can from? I uncovered who we have to thank here: The History of the Yellow Legal Pad. (Hat tip to Will Kelly and his Rediscovery of Outlines as a [...]
    • Lead Generation Check list – Part 7: Effective lead management
      B2B Lead Generation Blog | Dec 18, 2009
      My checklist for optimizing the lead generation process so far has included six steps: the mindset of not pushing; repairing the rift between sales and marketing; creating the ideal customer profile (and the un-ideal customer profile as well); agreeing upon...
    • Yourl Very Own Branded Link Shortener
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 18, 2009
      Yourl Very Own Branded Link ShortenerThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Yourl Very Own Branded Link ShortenerThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Google and Facebook both announced link shortening services this week – Google’s – goog.gl and Facebook’s fb.me (mostly used in twitter and mobile shares, but fb.me/ducttapemarketing takes you to my Fan page.) Link shorteners have been around for years, but they are certainly getting hot right [...]
    • Why Sales Organizations Rarely Grow.
      Better Closer | Dec 18, 2009
      I received a lot of feedback on my post encouraging you not to buy lead management software. That may sound a bit peculiar from a guy that earns his living selling lead management software. However, as I said, numbers don’t lie. Chris Johnson, one of my favorite freelancers and sales cold callers, and I got [...]
    • Keep tweaking your website
      B2Blog | Dec 18, 2009
      Its way to easy to ’set it and forget it’ when it comes to your website. But constantly tweaking it can make for sizable gains in effectiveness. Here are two tools to help you: 1. Browser size visualization tool Google just released a screen overlay tool that shows you what percentage of average users can see what [...]
    • Are you good enough to even try it?
      The Marketing Minute | Dec 18, 2009
      I've been both hustling and bustling to get my Christmas shopping done. One of the items I have purchased at many different retailers is a gift card. I'm guessing most of you have bought more than one this holiday season so you know how easy it is. You select the card design of your choice, you carry it up to the check out, you request a dollar amount and voila, you have a gift card. Pretty standard. But not always. I was at my bank earlier this week, making a...
    • Paul Williams: Delight Your Customers: Be a Sock-Knocker-Offer
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 18, 2009
      Have you ever wished someone... Or perhaps someone has offered you the words of encouragement... "Knock their socks off!" It means to wow or amaze someone. To go beyond what is expected. The saying originates from boxing - when you bop your opponent so hard you nearly knock them out of their socks.
      Unfortunately - and far too often - experiences are delivered short of expectations. The meal was great but the service was slow. The camera takes great pictures, but the battery doesn't last very long. I'm having trouble with my credit card - luckily they have a 24-hour service number. When I called it the recording said it would be a 32 minute wait. I'm sure you have many similar examples. As a customer - we love to have our socks knocked off. And, the good news as a marketer, business owner, or customer experience manager is that customers rarely expect it. However, fixing the restaurant service, creating a battery power system that works, or properly staffing customer hotlines is NOT knocking someone's socks off. Those actions are simply doing your job... Delivering what you're supposed to deliver. Sock-knocking-offing goes beyond. To knock their socks off, you provide more than the required "AND" - you go beyond with two or three ANDs. The food was great AND the service was very friendly, AND they knew it was our anniversary AND treated us to free wine and a dessert. With this camera it is easy to take great pictures AND the battery lasts forever AND it came with a cleaning kit and case. The credit card company has a hotline AND it is open 24-hours AND you immediately reach a human. Here... try to complete the below sentence, and see for yourself. "We provide ________________ AND ________________, the full experience for our customers. We don't stop there, however... AND we ________________. That's how we knock their socks off." Is your company being a sock-knocker-offer? Are you doing both part one AND part two - the basic requirements? Do you go beyond with more than one AND?
    • Practical Guide to Social Media
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 17, 2009
      Practical Guide to Social MediaThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Practical Guide to Social MediaThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing podcast with OpenForum (Click to listen, right click and Save As to download – subscribe now via iTunes The above podcast is an interview I conducted with OPEN Mic, hosted by Monocle editor Tyler Brûlé, as part of a social media special. Guests also include [...]
    • How to Deliver A True Branded Experience
      CRM Mastery Blog | Dec 17, 2009
      Here are just a few excerpts from an excellent article by Sampson Lee, Deliver a branded experience that reflects your most valuable customer segments—and their needs. Check out the complete source article for much more, including numerous “real-life” examples: Figuring out who your own business’s target customers are is the first—and probably the most important— [...]
    • Lauren Fernandez: Vanilla Ice Marketing: Stop and Listen
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 17, 2009
      As marketers, we should always be listening. Listening to the consumer, listening to trends and engaging (ugh, buzz word) with those around us. I tend to put collaboration and listening above anything else—there is so much out there that I don’t know, and there is always something to learn. I collaborate on my blog and with my Twitter chat #u30pro. I surround myself with smart people so that I can have high-level conversations on a daily basis that make me think. They help me to think outside my comfort zone.When did some stop listening? And why? Some might call Gen Y entitled—but I’d rather call the ones I call good friends goal-oriented. They are always working toward the next big thing. We just graduated college and got the degree, and many are working hard in their careers to advance. Is this everyone? No. But somewhere along the way, many thought they knew it all, were already savvy and smart, and are too focused on competing to learn from those around them. Shameless self-promoters are everywhere in social media. In fields such as public relations and marketing, where much is done behind the scenes, validation for work is more apparent in this space. But the listening principle still applies. So, stop every once and awhile. Listen to those around you. Talk to those who challenge you on a daily basis. Those that advocate this philosophy—I know a few in Gen Y that do—they are succeeding by leaps and bounds. What are your steps? Do you find competition driving, or do you listen? Is there a balance?
    • Turning Problems into Marketing Strategies
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 16, 2009
      Turning Problems into Marketing StrategiesThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Turning Problems into Marketing StrategiesThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Most industries impose an unseen tax on participants trying to stand out, go against that grain or do the right thing or hard thing. The tax isn’t something regulated by an agency it comes in the form of higher costs, more steps, education, higher wages – all [...]
    • Tips for Selecting the Right Enterprise Marketing Platform
      CRM Mastery Blog | Dec 16, 2009
      Here are several excerpts from an article by Kris Tufto, President and CEO of Marketing Bridge, Tips for Selecting the Right Enterprise Marketing Platform. Be sure to check out the complete source article for much more on this topic. The urgency to meet the timely needs of a company’s sales reps, resellers, franchises, and [...]
    • Don’t Buy Lead Management Software
      Better Closer | Dec 16, 2009
      Seriously do not waste your time or money on lead management software, if: You are not going to put your leads in the software You don’t intend to work sales leads in the software You don’t plan on using email campaign feature to stay top of mind You are a sales team of 1-5 This isn’t a rant, but simple [...]
    • Ted Mininni: The Beverage Glass: Half Empty Or Half Full?
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 16, 2009
      Brandweek recently published an excellent article concerning the beverage industry. “Soda Entrepreneur Jonesing for a New Opportunity” gave valuable insights on how one entrepreneur and his ideas might create new opportunities in the crowded, highly competitive beverage category. In a nutshell: the article demonstrates how a perfect storm has come together to rock the beverage category for many wholesalers or distributors. Intense competition in every category--water, juice, soft drinks, bottled teas, energy drinks--for shrinking dollars. And then there is the issue of distribution rights... Many superstar brands in today’s marketplace started out by getting distribution thanks to small to mid-sized regional wholesalers. Manufacturers would thank them by routinely dropping them to give the now-famous brands smaller wholesalers worked so hard to build to larger distributors. Or by selling out to global players like Coke. Therein lies the foundation to this story. Gone: major revenue streams, profits and sometimes years of hard work for the middle man. Enter: Peter van Stolk, founder and former CEO of Jones Soda Co. Whatever happened between Jones Soda and van Stolk is a matter of intense debate and conjecture. Van Stolk himself is quoted in the article as saying: “...it was just like a bad divorce.” Regardless, with the founding of his new company, Box B, van Stolk is now focusing on helping wholesalers develop their own beverage brands. Given his track record for innovative product development and creative, van Stolk might generate some excitement in a currently unexciting atmosphere for consumer products. Apparently, some wholesalers think so, too. Five have currently signed van Stolk on to help them launch their own custom beverage brands. Creating house brands is nothing new for wholesalers. Some have even enjoyed moderate success with their own beverage brands. However, tapping into the expertise of someone like van Stolk is new. “I made a lot of mistakes at Jones, but I learned how to make an emotional connection with consumers,” van Stolk commented for Brandweek. Exactly what’s currently needed in the beverage biz. “We’ve got some really cool designers who can do different styles and approaches. It’s not the same thing over and over again,” van Stolk said. So what can be done to bottled water now to jazz it up for a jaded consumer? He’s helped Steve Gress of Exclusive Beverage Distributors of New York to launch its own water brand. “Water Street” has debuted with VH20-vapor-distilled electrolyte enhanced water. Duane Reade and local retailers in NY have picked it up. How successful will this private brand launch be? The jury is still out on this. But distributors like Gress are pleased. As Gress points out in the article: “It’s a lot more gratifying to own the brand versus playing the middle man...the margins are definitely better.” This article raises many interesting questions: Remembering that wholesalers built brands like Vitaminwater, Smartwater, Red Bull and Monster into major brands, do you think they can do the same with their own house brands? What advantages do you think distributors can enjoy in producing and placing their own beverage brands on retail shelves? What about the disadvantages? What do you think of the idea of distributors outsourcing their product and design creative to van Stolk to develop their own beverage brands? What are the advantages? Disadvantages? Do you think there’s room in the marketplace for more beverages and more beverage brands? Or have we reached the saturation point (pun intended)? I’d love to hear from you.
    • 10 BtoB Marketers Predictions for 2010
      Buzz Marketing for Technology | Dec 15, 2009
      Around this time last year I wrote about some Predictions for 2009 and while I would say 8 out of 10 have already materialized and the other 2 are on their way, it has become clear that this year was the year we past the point of no return on Social Media. Recession or not [...] Related posts:
        Ways to spend your Social Capital If you read the last two blog posts on Social... With Facebook Pages – Who needs a Website? I was talking to a small business owner last night.... Social Search could it be a Google Killer? This morning I typed into Google the search term: VoIP...
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    • In 2010, I Predict Salespeople Will ...
      Jill Konrath - Selling to Big Companies | Dec 15, 2009
      I was just asked to make my #1 prediction for salespeople in the upcoming year by Nancy Bleeke, from Sales Pro Insider. She's compiling a list from top sales experts. Here's my #1 prediction ... (drum roll) ... In 2010, a seller's ability to personally bring value to the relationship will become the primary factor in determining which company wins...
    • 5 Ways to Make Culture a Marketing Strategy
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 15, 2009
      5 Ways to Make Culture a Marketing StrategyThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing 5 Ways to Make Culture a Marketing StrategyThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing An effective marketing strategy is the most important marketing consideration your small business can employ. Bar none it’s the difference between companies that get by and those that get buy. Silly pun aside, there are many ways of landing on a marketing strategy, [...]
    • How to Measure Social Media Like a Scientist
      Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing | Dec 15, 2009
      How to Measure Social Media Like a ScientistThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing How to Measure Social Media Like a ScientistThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing podcast with Dan Zarrella (Click to listen, right click and Save As to download – subscribe now via iTunes There are a lot of social media marketing books out there telling you what to do. Dan Zarrella’s The Social Media Marketing Book tells [...]
    • Five Rules for Understanding a New Breed of Consumers
      CRM Mastery Blog | Dec 15, 2009
      Here are several excerpts from an article by Strats Inc, a leader in developing strategic solutions for businesses and brands, Five rules for understanding a new breed of consumers: Do you need to understand the mindset of the ever-evolving consumer? “Not changing with the times is a fatal mistake for any company or brand,” says Philip [...]
    • 10 BtoB Marketers Predictions for 2010
      Buzz Marketing for Technology | Dec 15, 2009
      Around this time last year I wrote about some Predictions for 2009 and while I would say 8 out of 10 have already materialized and the other 2 are on their way, it has become clear that this year was the year we past the point of no return on Social Media. Recession or not Social Media was on a roll ignited by the visibility of events like Obama’s win and Iran’s election protests.So that begs the question - what’s on the horizon specifically for BtoB for marketers next year? Here are 10 concrete ways I think the environment in which BtoB Marketers operate will evolve in 2010. Enjoy!
        Facebook Advertising will take off – This year Facebook saw their advertiser base triple! Facebook ads today remind me of Google AdWords in 2001 with low CPC’s on topics and segments many marketers will want to reach. I believe Facebook Ads will become the close “cousin” of Google AdWords – just with a more targeted and behavioral way to dial in your ads. BtoB Marketers should try it out for recruiting or even brand advertising – also don’t forget my book Facebook Marketing for Dummies comes with a credit for $50 Free Facebook ads (thanks to the good folks at Facebook and Wiley for agreeing to publish the book with that credit in it).Mobile Marketing – Frankly I think Social Media is just a warm up for Mobile Marketing. Years ago we talked about how we didn’t want Mobile ads popping up just as you walked in front of Starbucks for example. But now new applications enabled by social such as Location Based Services (LBS) have arrived and give context to mobile marketing – I think you will see more of these applications enabled by your Social Graph become more important in the next year. For BtoB Marketers you might begin to experiment with Location Based Services especially at live events.Social will leave Marketing – This year Marketing and Communications totally “got” social media but next year is the year it starts to transform the rest of your BtoB organization from Product Development and R&D, to Billing and Finance, to HR and Recruiting, to Customer Service and the Contact Center. Social Media is not like the dotcom rush to build a website and have a group of long haired people running it in a corner of your organization. Social is a process that has the power to transform your entire organization. Its time next year to embrace it!Corporate Websites will become less important – As every company gets more experienced with Social Media you will see more consumption of content off of the corporate website in places like Facebook, YouTube, and relevant Communities and Forums. “Away games” will be the norm for your more opinion related content and the corporate website will be the place where you go to get just the more official product or service related content. Lead Generation tools must combine with Social Media tools – Right now we have tools to listen, tools to monitor, tools to track clicks to the corporate website, tools to track leads that are being nurtured. But this has to change – its impossible to optimize based on each of these silos – BtoB Marketers need lead gen tools with social media built in so we can optimize effectively. There is a huge opportunity here that some company needs to fill fast.Listening tools will also get much stronger – Another tool opportunity is for listening tools to do better sentiment analysis and routing of the real opportunities both positive and negative directly to the sources in the organization. The routing is key and having done this manually all year - it is just not a scalable model.How to handle Advocates will become more important – having spoken directly with tons of customers this year and dare I say made (or at least identified) advocates in the socialsphere, we need a place to put them to collect them to harness them and energize them when we have something cool to talk about. This will increasingly become a challenge for most marketers. Having spoken recently to Pepsi, HBO, RIM, Warners Bros, and American Express about their challenges in this space – BtoB or BtoC this is an area where they want to focus on next year. MicroVideo shops will start popping up – video is just still to expensive for many BtoB Marketers and with the advent of some cheaper high definition video cams – I think you are going to see many small video shops popping up. Young college students that are fluent in Video or creative types from ad agencies that might be out of a job can and should start up solo practioners video shops.Businesses will demand Intelligence not Social Media - Next year I think you will see vendors announce tools that deliver intelligence from social media right where it is contextually needed - we saw a glimmer of this with SalesForce.com and the introduction of their new product Chatter. This is an early indication of the need for more contextually related Social Media data that can provide the type of intelligence that the business demands.Facebook will surpass Google for the #1 site online – This one I have been tracking since the beginning of last year. Whether you know it our not Facebook has been inching closer to the #1 spot this year beating out Yahoo for the #2 spot in November (according to Alexa.com). The delta for #1 with Google is just 14 Million visits per month (18 Million if you ask Compete.com) which is nothing in the grand scheme of things! I predict you will see Facebook surpass Google by Valentines day 2010. Mark it down people ;-)
    • Trends that will influence 2010 and beyond
      The Marketing Minute | Dec 15, 2009
      Ad giant JWT has done a year-end forecast for the past several years and has just released their thoughts on what 2010 will bring. Here's a glance at the 10 trends they believe will shape this next year. Searching for Stability While many indicators point to the beginnings of an economic recovery, consumers will continue to exercise restraint until they see more clear, dependable and closer-to-home signs of stability. Unemployment lifting will be a key barometer for consumers. (Example: People are still delaying big-ticket purchases.) Reading the Fine Print Consumers...
    • Ted Page: Thermo Scientific Sends Direct Mail Piece To Dead Science Fiction Writer
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 15, 2009
      10 years ago I picked the name of my favorite science fiction writer, the late Frank Herbert, to be a virtual employee who I could direct cold callers to contact. He got onto every DM list on the planet. And even after moving my office twice, Thermo Scientific still sends him mail with special offers. It all started when in 1999 when I was sharing an office on Newbury street in Boston with my future business partner, Fred Surr. I was a freelance copywriter, and even though I was a solo operator I named my company Captains of Industry (modest, that’s me). Soon after moving in I started to get a lot of sales calls. They’d ask, “Who’s in charge of your photocopier?” Or “Who’s in charge of your insurance?” It was all me, of course, and I quickly grew tired of telling them that. So, one particularly frantic day when I was asked, “Who manages your bookkeeping?” I blurted out someone else’s name, someone who didn’t work for me, someone who was, in fact, deceased: Frank Herbert. Frank was my favorite science fiction writer, famous for his Dune series of books. I don’t know why I picked Frank at that moment, but I did, and soon I put him in charge of everything. I gave his name in response to every sales call, and gave him his own voicemail account. Within a few months, the list brokers for direct marketing companies got hold of Frank’s name and address, and Frank started to get mail. A lot of mail. After all, Frank was a very versatile fellow, and was managing everything from my 401k investments to my phone service, to my printing, insurance, copier, office furniture, office supplies, events, and everything else under the sun that’s part of running a small business. Frank’s star at Captains of Industry rose steadily over a two-year period. When people called and asked to speak with him, I’d reply that he was unavailable, and since Frank Herbert had passed away in 1986, this was entirely true. Just when I was thinking poor Frank couldn’t be any more popular, I found a very curious voicemail for Frank from Senator Trent Lott’s office. Frank had apparently been nominated for an American Citizenship award. Hmm. I called the Senator’s office and explained that Frank could not respond personally (true), and he was really buried with work (sort of true), but I as the owner of the company would be happy to accept the award on Frank’s behalf, and would they mind sending it along. It turns out that it was a fundraising scheme. Frank would have to make a donation to the Senator’s reelection campaign in order to get his reward. I explained that this was not possible (true) and wished the Senator good luck in his campaign. Years passed, and Captains of Industry grew. In time, I grew tired of the joke and removed Frank’s voicemail box. Today, December 9th, 2009, a full 10 years after I had started delegating work to Frank, he received a piece of direct mail from Thermo Scientific. Bear in mind that Frank “worked” for Captains when we were on Newbury street 10 years previous, and we’d since moved twice. But Frank still stayed on the direct mail list. The direct mail piece proudly announced to Frank that Thermo Scientific’s NeutrAvidin Products provided “ultra low nonspecific binding compared to avidin or streptavidin!,” and that Frank could now save 15% on his purchase. Needless to say, Frank did not jump at this offer. Now, the whole point of spending money on direct mail, of course, is that it’s very direct and targeted. You don’t waste money on a shotgun approach that sends your message to millions of people who don’t care about nonspecific binding. Curiously, Thermo’s marketing agency had determined that Frank, a deceased writer working for an ad agency called Captains of Industry, was an ideal candidate for NeutrAvidin. Perhaps – in some cosmic way – Frank’s science fiction background somehow related to scientific products, but I can’t think of anything in the Dune series that related to things like Lysine residues. If I were Thermo’s marketing manager, I would certainly have some tough questions for my ad agency – not the least of which would be why they are spending my money trying to get leads from the deceased. I would think it would be much more effective to use an inbound marketing approach with web videos and blog outreach, because trying to “reach targets” who are six feet under is not a recipe for success. As for Frank, he has nothing to say about it.
    • Beth Harte: Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino: Social Media, FUN and ROI
      Marketing Profs Daily Fix | Dec 15, 2009
      As a marketer, I love to see case studies unfold right before my eyes and, thankfully, social media tools give me that 'fly on the wall' view to analyze how top-notch companies interact with their customers and potential customers. One company I've been watching closely is Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. When I saw that they were engaging with their customers (and potential customers) and having FUN doing so, I thought why bother analyzing...let's just go right to the source! And that source is Brandie Feuer, Director of Interactive Marketing for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.BH: There are a lot of B2B marketers out there investigating social media. What advice would you have for them? BF: Have FUN, be personable, make sure to share and say “thank you” when others provide feedback (positive or negative). BH: Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is doing a great job using Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube to stay connected with customers and potential customers...what would you say is the most effective tool(s) for you and why? BF: We also use Posterous, Foursquare and are in the process of launching a blog. Because of Vegas’ popularity, all of these tools are valuable to us. We’re very lucky in that aspect. Where your audience is and what your goals are will determine what tools are most effective for your brand. BH: You and I had chatted about Foursquare being a key tool for Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. Can you share how you use it? BF: For businesses, Foursquare is fantastic! We’re currently incorporating it into more of our on-property collateral and strategies. Currently, we provide specials for people checking-in as well as “insider tips” on how to receive additional offers. As Foursquare continues to innovate and more people join, we’ll roll it into additional efforts. MP: When it comes to social media and time management what 3-4 tips would you offer? BF: 1. Set up alerts that come in a platform you frequent often (i.e. email, text message). 2. Don’t get bogged down in the minutiae – make sure what you’re doing links back to your larger goals. 3. Sometimes, it’s okay not to keep up with the latest and greatest. There’s always ways to make your current platforms more effective. 4. Most importantly, make sure you’re always having FUN! If not, it shows. BH: And we can’t forget about measurement... How do you measure your success? Is ROI a factor right now? BF: ROI is absolutely a factor in everything we do, not just social media. We measure success in various ways depending on the specific goals of each project. Planet Hollywood is lucky in that we have e-commerce opportunities (and promo codes). However, we also measure other things. For example, the PHamous Flash Mob (http://tr.im/phmob) was more about leveraging social media to not only make a memorable experience take place in the “real world” but to also take it back to interactive channels and share a PH Experience with others. Brandie, we know you can't give too much information (competition and all that!), but we appreciate you taking the time to chat with us to provide details around Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino's social media and marketing efforts. Marketer to marketer...what questions would you ask Brandie? * * * * * Brandie Feuer is Director of Interactive Marketing for Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Prior to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, she worked with top tier brands like Cirque du Soleil, Luxor Hotel & Casino, MGM MIRAGE and the UFC. While in Vegas, Brandie launched several innovative programs, including the first hotel desktop application, Vegas’ first viral game and mobile marketing program. In addition, Brandie has garnered top awards, like Mashable’s Top 40 Brands that Twitter, for her efforts in social media.
    • Protecting CRM Customer Data Requires Vigilance
      CRM Mastery Blog | Dec 14, 2009
      Here are several excerpts from an excellent article by Jennifer LeClaire, Protecting CRM Customer Data Requires Vigilance.  For much more on this topic, check out the complete source article. Keeping CRM customer data secure isn’t a one-size-fits-all task. Indeed, tackling security issues around CRM data demands close examination of vendors as well as internal and [...]
    • Insights into logo design
      The Marketing Minute | Dec 14, 2009
      My goal was simple....write a series of blog posts talking about the art and science of logo design and selection. We got the company LogoInn to donate logo design time. We ran a contest and the city of Colfax became the lucky recipient of the free logo design...and it went haywire from there! Which honestly, is a great example of how logo design works. It isn't always neat and pretty. Sometimes, it is painful. And you need to choose a partner who knows the ropes and will stick with you....

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