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Most bloggers don't know how to emotionally connect with readers and get them sucked into their blog posts and articles. Here, I want to give you five easy tactics to instantly transform an ordinary blog post into an empathetic work of art. more
In the show "Undercover Boss," senior execs go undercover as frontline employees to see how the company is really doing and what customers experience. CMOs should try that, too—with these outside-the-box ideas. more
Understanding the power of stories is one thing; knowing how to craft them is another. So, let's delve into some practical applications of story. I'll use case studies, annual reports, and video as examples. more
J. Peterman is a brand with far more personality than most. However, somehow, it got lost along the winding road to the social Web, and it's a tragedy that's costing the cataloger. Here are our ideas to engage the J. Peterman fan base. more![4 in 10 CMOs Feel Unprepared for Challenges Ahead [Infographic]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/daily-data-point/130515-ddp-lg.jpg)
Nearly four in 10 chief marketing officerssay they do not have the right people, tools, and resources to meet their marketing objectives, according to a recent report. more
First impressions matter a great deal. That's why you need to structure your sales calls to establish rapport and drive toward a sense of trust and camaraderie with your prospects. Here are three tips for success on that first call. more![When Did Social Media Lose Its Way? [Infographic]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/When-Did-Social-Media-Lose-Its-Way-peek.jpg)
In the early days of social media, users interacted like real people do. However, in time, social networks evolved into pits of broadcast messages. Here's how companies lost their way in social media, and how they can find a path back to its friendlier roots. more
Education, retail, and computer hardware/electronics are the best-performing verticals in email marketing, according to a new study that benchmarked open rates, click-through rates, and churn metrics across 14 industries. more
Many companies turn to newer, hotter media and technology when they want to increase profits. But being successful isn't about tech; it's about effectively engaging customers. Here are three ways to do that. more
Social networks were meant for real humans—for real-life conversations about real-life things. But, of course, we marketers saw an opportunity. Social media can become a powerful medium... so long as you preserve a human face while acting on behalf of your company. more
Unlike Twitter and Facebook, where brands drive engagement with their content through official accounts and pages, 70% of brand engagement on Pinterest is generated by the community itself, according to a new report, which also found the best day/time to pin for optimum community engagement for three industries. more
Moving from one-size-fits-all broadcasting to highly targeted communications that are personalized and timely, and in the consumers' preferred channel... that's the proven path to marketing success in today's world. more
The time has come for air travel and hospitality brands to address an existential threat to the travel industry: Customer loyalty has all but vanished. more
The if-then logic of the marketing automation process can lead to a snarl of over-communication, with only a loose relevance to the recipient's true interests and needs. It doesn't have to be that way. more
Mobile is a boon to the customer experience, because mobile provides myriad ways for marketers to delight customers and improve their experiences in ways previously unavailable. more
Millennials grew up with the Internet, and they are used to having everything at their fingertips. After interviews with 21 global marketing executives, we defined a five-step plan for improving your marketing to Gen-Y. more
Globalization brings exciting opportunities and enormous challenges for all parts of a business, but nowhere is that more apparent than in the marketing department. Here's how to avoid five common European marketing pitfalls. more
The retail industry has recognized that critical events in customers' lives can shift loyalties, or serve as opportunities to retain or upsell via event-driven marketing. That approach can also work with B2Bs... more
Though frequently at odds, marketing and IT executives agree that harnessing Big Data is imperative to building a customer-centric corporate culture; they also agree that a lack of alignment, rigid silos, unclear responsibilities, and a lack of leadership impede an organization from using Big Data to its full potential. more
Lead nurturing and dinner parties require the host (marketer) to build and maintain relationships through conversation, rapport, and trust. And both involve careful planning... more
If Pinterest is great for driving referral traffic, Instagram takes the lead in customer retention and engagement. The practices outlined here are only just starting to spread, and they will continue to do so as more brands adopt Instagram. more- As any marketer knows, sales are mission-critical to the success and survival of all companies. But what many a marketer doesn't yet fully understand is how many ways mobile can be wielded to stimulate sales... more so than via any other medium. more
Why do rock stars have fans but companies have customers? The short answer: that's what rock stars and companies want to have. But if you think like a rock star, you can cultivate an army of fans for your brand. Here are four steps you need to take. more
Understanding how the customer behavior you can monitor influences the buying process... is key. Here are three areas to monitor and how to tie them to more outcome-based metrics. more
In the '80s, in the days of Michael Milken and Gordon Gekko, the rule on the street was "eat your young." Nice guys finish last. Hold your information. Keep the rules to yourself. Win at all costs. No matter who or what you have to trample. But not anymore... more
![Trolls, Jerks, and 'Civility in the Digital Age': Author Andrea Weckerle Talks to Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/130501-podcast-Andrea-Weckerle-lg.jpg)
Online conflicts can cost businesses thousands of dollars (and hours) to resolve. Attorney Andrea Weckerle, author of Civility in the Digital Age, explains how you can protect yourself when a situation turns ugly. more![Content, Customer-Centricity, and the Power of Data: Acxiom's Tim Suther on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/130327-podcast-tim-suther-lg.jpg)
This week's guest on Marketing Smarts is Tim Suther, chief marketing and strategy officer for Acxiom, a firm that Tim referred to as "the original Big Data company"; FRONTLINE called it "one of the biggest companies you've never heard of." more![Put the Audience First: Sonia Simone of Copyblogger on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/130116-podcast-sonia-simone-lg.jpg)
"Search engine robots—the last time I checked—do not have credit cards to buy your product," says Sonia Simone of Copyblogger Media. Which is why, she adds, "It makes more sense for us to look at SEO as a function of content, rather than content as a function of SEO." more![Content, Social, Sales, and Community: Highlights From a Year of Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/matt-grant-lg.jpg)
We covered a range of topics on the Marketing Smarts podcast in 2012. In this episode we share some highlights on creating compelling content, allowing social media to humanize your organization, building community, and navigating the sometimes tricky relationship between marketing and sales. more![Achieving True Sales and Marketing Alignment: Constant Contact's Rick Jensen on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/102412_rich_jensen_podcast_lg.jpg)
Rick Jensen heads up both sales and marketing at Constant Contact, which is an interesting predicament to be in, considering the evolving relationship between Marketing and Sales. I thought he might have something interesting to say about the subject. I was not wrong. more![Three Customer Service Lessons From Dave 'United Breaks Guitars' Carroll on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/100212_dave_carroll_podcast_lg.jpg)
Dave Carroll is the man whose guitar United broke. He joined us to discuss his book, titled United Breaks Guitars, about the experiences that led up to his now famous music video, lessons he learned along the way about social media, and the keys to effective, meaningful customer service. I ... more![How Humor Can Humanize a B2B Brand: Tim Washer on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/091212_tim_washer_podcast_lg.jpg)
In this episode, we talk with Tim Washer, the man behind the IBM marketing video selected as a "Staff Pick" by Comedy Central, an honor not many B2B marketing pieces can claim. Tim is now social media manager at Cisco, and he talks about how to make comedy an effective ... more![Keys to Creating Effective Buyer Personas: Ardath Albee on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/090412_ardath_albee_podcast_lg.jpg)
Has your organization ever created buyer personas? If so, did you ever use them? Many don't—because they don't create truly useful personas in the first place. Ardath Abee lays out key elements of personas you can really use. more![Smart Marketers Road Show Rundown With Jeff Mayersohn and Lou Imbriano [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/072512_podcast_lg.jpg)
The final stop of the MarketingProfs Smart Marketers Tour was the beautiful deCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA, on July 10, and it was our best-attended. Our guests were Jeff Mayersohn, owner of the Harvard Bookstore in Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Lou Imbriano, CEO of TrinityOne and former CMO of the ... more![Nice Companies Make More Money: Andy Sernovitz on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/071712_andy_sernovitz_lg.jpg)
Getting people to talk about your company in a positive way is far simpler than you think. In the end, it's as obvious as being nice or providing thoughtful customer service. The problem is that many companies fail because they forget "to be human," says Andy Sernovitz in this podcast. more
Whether you are selling complex technical systems or burgers with fried pickles on them—like my guests in this week's Marketing Smarts—you need to understand your customers and interact with them face-to-face. more![The Easiest Way to Be Successful in Social: Jay Baer Talks to Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/120612_jay_baer_podcast_lg.jpg)
In this week's episode of Marketing Smarts, author and social media strategist Jay Baer explains why the easiest way to be successful in social is to "be social about content instead of being social about your company." more![Is Giving the Secret to Getting? Bob Burg Guests on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/051612_bob_burg_podcast_lg.jpg)
In this week's episode of Marketing Smarts, author Bob Burg explains why giving—consistently providing value to others—is not only a nice way to live life but also a financially profitable way that helps build valuable relationships. more![How Community Management Can Help Your Business Grow: Rachel Happe [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/041812_rachel_happe_podcast_lg.jpg)
There is no question that communities are going to play a bigger and bigger role in the way we all do business. The question is, Is your company ready for it? Rachel Happe of the Community Roundtable offers insights. more![Influencing the Influencers... With a Glock: Paul Barrett Talks About America's Gun on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/022212_paul_barrett_podcast_lg.jpg)
In the early '90s, more than a quarter million Glocks (a semiautomatic pistol) had been sold in the US. Marketers can learn a lot from the runaway success of this handgun, as Bloomberg Businessweek's Paul Barrett told us in this week's episode of Marketing Smarts. more![The Changing Agency/Client Relationship: Glenn Engler Talks to Marketing Smarts [Podcast]](http://i.marketingprofs.com/assets/images/articles/lg/020812_glenn_engler_podcast_lg.jpg)
Senior-level marketers don't seem to believe their digital partners are adequately extending their service capabilities in the digital age. So how does an agency demonstrate that it "gets" digital? Glenn Engler, CEO of Digital Influence Group, answers that question in this episode of Marketing Smarts. more
In this episode of Marketing Smarts, we talk with Scott Brinker of ion interactive about why marketing departments need marketing technologists and why software is the key to creating a memorable customer experience. more
"You guys are a bunch of clowns who just do arts and crafts all day!" Is that what your sales team says about the marketing folks? Ever wonder how you might get those two hearts to beat as one? more
For this, the maiden voyage of the MarketingProfs "Marketing Smarts" podcast, I spoke with Lou Imbriano, a former CMO of the New England Patriots. He offered a wealth of down-to-earth advice for any business owner. more
Customer Relationships online seminar broadcasts from the best minds in marketing
Be sure to check out our Upcoming Online Seminars. Tune in LIVE or watch the recordings at any time.
Broadcast on Apr 25, 2013 with Jackie Huba
This PRO seminar will share seven of Lady Gaga's success lessons that can be applied to any brand. Be sure to tune in, and learn how to build a strong and loyal base! more
Broadcast on Dec 13, 2012 with Cyndi W. Greenglass
This PRO seminar will teach you all about big data and provide you with a road map that you can use to capitalize on the opportunities it presents. more
Broadcast on Jun 21, 2012 with Tim RiestererDiscover how to develop content marketing messages that help your salespeople close the deal and convince prospects to choose you. more
Broadcast on Jun 7, 2012 with Tony Zambito
This PRO seminar and first class of MarketingProfs University's Digital Advertising Academy will get you inside the minds of your buyers and cover why understanding them is the first step to successful branding, marketing, and demand generation. more
Broadcast on Apr 26, 2012 with Scott Monty
Twitter can be a very difficult platform to master. It takes time, practice, patience, and gumption. In this PRO seminar, you'll learn how to effectively take advantage of this social platform in a way that will yield positive results for your brand.
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Broadcast on Apr 19, 2012 with Clay ShirkyIn this seminar, Clay Shirky will show you how to tap into your customers' cognitive surplus by providing a platform for customer collaboration—and how this collaboration can turn into big positive results for your business. Plus you'll discover how you, as a marketer, can become more valuable to your company through the insights you gain by fostering this collaboration. more
Broadcast on Mar 15, 2012 with Morgan StewartThis PRO seminar and first class of MarketingProfs University's Email Marketing Master Course will identify the critical strategic elements for successful email programs, tie those elements to your specific business objectives, and demonstrate how to continually optimize your email program based on customer feedback.
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Broadcast on Mar 8, 2012 with Sandy Carter
In this seminar, Sandy Carter of IBM will share how you can create your own social business agenda for greater competitive advantage. You'll discover how to use social tools to create new opportunities for growth, innovation and productivity across the business network—employees, customers and partners. more
Broadcast on Feb 23, 2012 with Adele RevellaJoin us February 23rd for a PRO seminar with B2B marketing expert Adelle Revella, and discover a simple step-by-step process for building buyer personas to help you deliver messages that persuade buyers at each stage in the buying process.
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Broadcast on Feb 9, 2012 with Jeff RohrsThis PRO seminar and first class of MarketingProfs University's Social Media Marketing: The Full Monty will teach you how to effectively grow your fans, followers and subscribers with integrated social media and email marketing.
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Broadcast on Jan 19, 2012 with Brian SolisPresented by Brian Solis: Stop addressing customer demands in business as usual mode and start understanding how technology influences customer behavior—and why. more
Broadcast on Sep 22, 2011 with Gary VaynerchukJoin us as we discuss the incredible tool that allows brands to show customers that they care: social media. Social media offers brands the opportunity to listen to and engage with anyone having a conversation on these networks. more
Broadcast on Jul 28, 2011 with Linda IrelandLinda Ireland leads this PRO seminar covering what customers expect from businesses on four social platforms, and how to create platform-specific strategies to get the most out of these online interactions. more
Broadcast on Jul 14, 2011 with Gerry McGovernYou don't need a website strategy; you need a task strategy. Manage the customer task, and measure website success based on task completion. more
Broadcast on Jun 2, 2011 with Guy KawasakiWith concepts taken from his popular new book, Guy Kawasaki explains how to influence people's hearts, minds, and actions. more
Broadcast on May 26, 2011 with Pete SavageWhether you're new to video or not, your ability to consistently generate and nurture leads with this medium comes down to one critical area—the ability to quickly and confidently map out and produce video content that prospects actually want to watch. Learn how to to keep turning out enough fresh, quality online video content to last the next 18 months. more
Broadcast on Apr 14, 2011 with Adrian OttLearn how to manage customer time to your advantage with the eight key triggers that drive customer time and attention. more
Broadcast on Apr 7, 2011 with Steve RubelAs the kick off of MarketingProfs University Social Media Marketing Fast Track, Edelman Digital's Steve Rubel and David Armano will share 11 digital trends to watch in 2011. Learn about these trends and their broader implications, and how you can use this information to design and modify effective marketing strategies for your organization. more
Broadcast on Mar 24, 2011 with Jay Baer, Amber NaslundIn this session, social strategists and authors, Jay Baer and Amber Naslund, will explain the key changes companies are making to succeed—and thrive—in a world where five minutes feels like an eternity. more
Broadcast on Mar 17, 2011 with Dan McDadeLearn the little-known secrets that focus your lead-generation efforts, align your sales and marketing organizations, and drive revenue growth. Seminar instructor Dan McDade will present 10 provocative questions to help you determine the effectiveness of your sales and marketing efforts. more
Customer Relationships Take 10 Webcasts—tactical marketing know-how in just 10 minutes from subject matter experts
In just 10 minutes, you'll learn six tips that will help you become a trusted brand with loyal customers! more
In just 10 minutes, you'll learn how to make your cause stand out by making it relatable; compelling donors to take action. more
In just 10 minutes, Brian tells you exactly what you need to do to become relevant and a go-to resource for your customer. more
In just 10 minutes, Sandy describes exactly what it takes to create a social business agenda. For companies hesitant to embrace social, she offers a lot of encouragement and practical suggestions on how to experiment. more
In this Take 10 Author Series webcast Guy Kawasaki walks you through the steps for building enchanting relationships. He talks about the importance of fast, flat, and frequent communication. more
In just 10 minutes, learn how to create killer home page content that engages your visitors and invites them to take action. more
In this Take 10 Author Series webcast, Sally Hogshead explains how people and brands become fascinating. She discusses how to capitalize on your competitive advantage and identify your most fascinating trait. more
During this 10-minute tactical webcast, you'll learn how to manage comments from your Facebook Page's admin panel, filter out certain words or phrases, and set permissions on what fans can and cannot post. more
In this Take 10, Verónica Maria Jarski takes you through the eight essential ingredients of a rockin' good Twitter chat. more
In this Take 10, social media expert Alan Belniak shares tips for using the most popular social media networks to build interest for special events. He also provides ideas for inspiring your business colleagues to use their social networks to promote conferences, forums, seminars, webinars, and much more. more
In this Take 10, Michael Miller, author of The Ultimate Web Marketing Guide, takes you through the steps of building an email list, including where (and how) to get the right folks on it. He also offers suggestions for providing an email preference center for subscribers. more
In this Take 10, social media expert John Haydon will teach you how to add a Facebook Like Box to your website. You'll also learn how to customize the look and feel of the Like Box so it matches your website. more
Broadcast on May 6, 2011 with Michael MillerIn this Take 10, Michael Miller gives you the skinny on how to create an online press room that generates publicity and new business. Learn what to include, how to promote it, and give investors and the press easy access to the news they're looking for. more
Broadcast on Apr 1, 2011 with Shelley RyanIn just 10 minutes, Shelley Ryan of Killer Webinars offers down-to-earth advice on getting your webinars off to a strong start, keeping them engaging, and ending them with focus and style. What's more, she tells you exactly what openings and closings are bound to put attendees to sleep—and which ones will keep them listening. more
Broadcast on Mar 25, 2011 with Douglas MetzgarIn this short webcast, community marketing principal Douglas Metzgar demonstrates how you can monitor conversations online for free. more
Broadcast on Mar 18, 2011 with Jesse Luna
This short webcast shows you how to add social links to your email. Jesse Luna, founder of JP Luna Media, has built and managed email-marketing systems for years. In this webcast, he walks you through the exact process of adding the necessary code to your email communications to help it run wild on the social web. more
Broadcast on Nov 26, 2010 with Jason AlbaFind out why Companies is LinkedIn expert Jason Alba's second favorite feature as he explains where to go on LinkedIn to find key data and how to use it for networking and prospecting. more
Broadcast on Nov 12, 2010 with Zach WelchDid you know that for every 100 people who visit a branded Facebook page, only an average of 23% convert into fans? In just 10 minutes, Facebook whiz Zach Welch will show you what to change, and how to change it, so that your fan conversion rates rise and you can effectively continue reaching out to those users. more
Broadcast on Oct 8, 2010 with Jason AlbaIn this Take 10, LinkedIn expert Jason Alba explains which 8 applications every marketer and business owner on LinkedIn should consider to use and why they're essential for positioning your brand. more
Broadcast on Sep 3, 2010 with Jeff WidmanTo help you decide whether to start a Facebook Group or Page (or both), Jeff Widman efficiently identifies and analyzes the differences between them. He highlights which businesses need a Group, which need a Page, and which ones don't need either. more
Customer Relationships marketing guides and reports for the busy professional
- Content Machine: The Street Guide to Building a Successful Content Marketing Program in 7 WeeksMarketingProfs' 30-page How-To Guide, CONTENT MACHINE: The Street Guide to Building a Successful Content Marketing Program in 7 Weeks, provides a week-by-week agenda for launching your content marketing program using a strategic, systematic process.
- Influencer Marketing Success StoriesInfluencer Marketing Success Stories features 13 companies that have leveraged the influence of outspoken opinion-makers and ordinary online reviewers to achieve their marketing objectives. With examples including Forbes Digital and Virgin America, this new Case Study Collection will show you how use influencer to boost brand awareness, introduce new products, increase sales, and more.
- Research Spotlight: TwitterA successful Twitter program requires extensive research on whether your audience is there, what everyone is interested in, and what they're doing. Lucky for you, MarketingProfs has done the work for Research Spotlight: Twitter. Download it now to access close to 70 pages of Twitter research from 30 unique sources.
- Social Media Integration Success StoriesTwitter. Facebook. LinkedIn. While these social media tools are all effective on their own, they work best when part of other marketing programs. See how 10 companies have maximized results by integrating social media into traditional marketing efforts.
- Website Conversion Success StoriesMany marketers spend too much time and money trying to get people to visit their sites, and not enough boosting the number of sales from the people already visiting. See how 11 companies, including Jelly Belly Candy Company and Kinaxis, are transforming their landing pages, and get great ideas for optimizing your own site to increase sales.
- Mobile Marketing Success StoriesMobile marketing campaigns can be inexpensive, easy to execute, and very profitable. See how 8 B2B and 11 B2C companies are using SMS, mobile websites, mobile ads, Smartphone applications, and Bluetooth marketing to achieve huge results.
- Facebook Success StoriesWhen it comes to social networking sites, Facebook boasts the most loyal visitors on the Web. So it's easy to see why successful brands are embracing it as a platform to connect with customers. Facebook Success Stories gives you the real scoop on how 21 companies, including Adobe and Dunkin' Donuts, are pushing the social media marketing envelope using Facebook's tools and apps.
- Social Media ROI Success StoriesLearn how social media is changing the way we market to consumers and businesses, and how 11 companies are measuring and monitoring the success of their social media campaigns.
- Customer-Centric Innovation: How Companies Engage Customers in Product Development and Radical InnovationEngaging your customers can help increase satisfaction, loyalty, and brand awareness. This research report will help you understand the role of customers in product development.
- Email Success Stories: How 11 companies are pushing the (electronic) envelopePropel your email marketing efforts beyond the subject line. Read Email Success Stories: How 11 companies are pushing the (electronic) envelope to learn how to convert your emails into money-making machines.
- Twitter Success Stories: How 11 Companies are Achieving Their Marketing Objectives—140 Characters at a TimeTwitter’s brief tweets let you communicate with friends and family. But did you know that those 140 characters can also build your business? Read Twitter Success Stories: How 11 companies are achieving their marketing objectives, 140 characters at a time.
- The Obama Playbook: How Digital Marketing and Social Media Won the ElectionWant to create a veritable army of customer-advocates to champion your brand? The Obama Playbook: How Digital Marketing and Social Media Won the Election shows you how the Obama campaign masterfully used new media to build awareness, engage prospects, and start a movement. It takes you step-by-step through the new media strategies of the campaign and provides actionable guidance on how you can modify each to benefit your business. Both entertaining and useful, it's an invaluable resource for the savvy marketer who wants to take full advantage of the amazing powers of new media.
- Web 2.0 Marketing GuideHere's a straight shooting guide on how Web 2.0 can help you grow your business
- E-Newsletter How-To GuideThe e-newsletter has become ubiquitous. Almost a dime a dozen. How do you make yours not only stand out in the inbox, but make a positive impact on your bottom line? This guide will show you how.
- SWOT Analysis How-To GuideThis comprehensive, step-by-step how-to guide will help you assess the position in the market of your product or firm, by identifying the product's Strengths and Weaknesses, by considering the potential Opportunities the product has in the marketingplace, and by assessing the potential Threats posed by either the competition or the marketplace.
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