With the growing significance of the Web as an integral part of the long B2B sales process, companies are more aware of the value of content: meaningful communications material that attracts and holds prospect attention. But... where will that content come from? It can (and should) come from you and your employees. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Blogging takes advances in marketing one step further by allowing businesses to initiate conversations with their audience. Gaining a better understanding of your customers allows you to more effectively and efficiently market to them. This, of course, lowers your marketing costs. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

A company's chief communications officer (CCO) and its chief marketing officer (CMO) play vital roles that are very different from each other but can intersect in powerful ways. By understanding what your firm's CCO does, you can gain insights into how to build a relationship that benefits not only the two of you but also your company overall. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

The best communications strategies will envelop not only authorities in new and traditional media, but also those voices in the "Magic Middle," who help carry information and discussions among your customers directly. Here's the foundation that will help you and your company engage with bloggers more effectively and genuinely. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Case studies are a marketer's secret weapon for creating an emotional link with valuable prospects, because compelling case studies invite prospects to place themselves in the story and imagine the rewards of their own successful outcome. A well-told case study makes "getting to yes" easier. Here's how to create one. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

A "press kit" is a collection of a few vital pieces of information that makes it easier for the media to tell your story accurately and with full details. By putting the power of your press kit to work, your company can enjoy more accurate media coverage, more exposure for story ideas, and more complete information through press coverage. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

The advent of new media poses some challenges for even the best PR professional. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Given the ease of online publishing, there's no excuse for a company not to have a current, effective press kit. But why are press kits missing from so many Web sites? What's their real value? What must absolutely must be in your press kit? And what should you leave out? Here are the details that make all the difference. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Is pay-per-click losing momentum? Are people numbing to pay-per-click ads as they have to banner ads? Is growth in the channel waning, or is it just maturing? Hear Steve Rubel and Alan Rimm-Kaufman debate the issue; Alan is a fan of pay-per-click, while Steve has his doubts. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Do you know what your customers are saying about you? If not, you (and your brand!) are at a distinct disadvantage. Take the opportunity to participate in the blogosphere -- even if only on a small scale -- and you'll help shape your brand, rather than having it be shaped exclusively by your customers. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Press kits are like business cards. If you don't have one, you have no way to make an introduction and no way to provide valuable information to people with whom you want to do business. A press kit is a collection of a few vital pieces of information that makes it easier for the media to tell your story accurately and with full details. By putting the power of your press kit to work, your company can enjoy more accurate media coverage, more exposure for story ideas, and more complete information through press coverage. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Anyone who has taken Marketing 101 knows the 4 Ps of Marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. But what you may not know is that some companies - including these four - are turning these Ps over completely to customers. (Graphic: David Armano.) [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

This past weekend, Nike hosted its 4th annual Women's Marathon in San Francisco... and, friends, this is no ordinary marathon. Yes, it's still 26.2 miles of courage and pain, but this course is also full of female-friendly delights and surprises. Specifically designed with women in mind, the Nike Women's Marathon motivates women to bring their body, mind, spirit, and camaraderie to run their best race. Let's take a look at the core marketing-to-women strategies that Nike is using to elevate the impact of this event. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Your reputation can be greatly enhanced and reinforced by speaking at industry events. This article provides a checklist to help you win valuable speaking gigs. Invest some time in getting on the stage, and it will pay off many times over in helping you build your business. Follow the tips and tricks herein to maximize the benefits. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Should a marketer simply start blogging or wait instead until all of the blogging policies and procedures are established before beginning? In other words: Which comes first the policy or the blog? [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

The MarketingProfs Book Club is back! "Robin Hood Marketing" shows how to sell your cause as successfully as the great marketers of corporate America sell their brands and products. Here's how nonprofits can "steal" tactics from the big brands. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

At a time when business and marketing strategy changes at the speed of light, and competitors, partners and customers have instant access to information, the days of the handler the publicist are numbered. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Paul has earned his keep over the past 20 years by building buzz for heavyweights like Google, IBM, and Microsoft. These days he's immersed himself in social media, which serves him well as the director of Global Field & Interactive Marketing for BearingPoint. In this one-on-one, he gives us the lowdown on how to use social media to kick-start your buzz marketing efforts. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Many companies have by now launched initial social media initiatives and are looking to move their efforts to the next step. This is where social media experts such as Josh Hallett come in. Here, Hallett helps demystify this form of "new marketing," particularly for those companies who have dipped their toes in the social media waters and are wondering, "What now?" [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Blogging is a phenomenon that can no longer be ignored by today's competitive companies. So how does your company best harness the power of blogs? Here are common-use cases for any organization. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Without working too hard, company management can cultivate a cadre of enemies within the press. To do the task well, however, you should follow a set of 13 simple guidelines that will ensure that you alienate many, or most, of the Fourth Estate. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Online social communities are all the rage. Sites such as MySpace, YouTube, and Facebook have grabbed headlines over the past year or so as examples of how to create successful communities. As a result, many businesses have tried to emulate these sites and create vibrant online networks... with mixed results. If you aim to create a successful online community, follow these key steps to ensure your success. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Whether you're attempting to position a company or product as a category leader, gain permission from a community to make changes, or push a law through the legislature, PR needs to tell interesting yet believable stories that make the target audience consider a new perspective or see the sponsor in a new light. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

Suppose you survey a company's employees and ask them to select just one tune that expressed their true feelings about their company's culture, their work experience, and their satisfaction as employees. What song would each of them choose? And what employee behaviors would likely parallel such a song choice? Frivolous questions? Hardly. Some theme already plays in each employee's head right now, directly affecting job performance and the ultimate experience delivered to customers. Here are three song possibilities, and some lessons they can teach us. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

An effective online content strategy, artfully executed, drives action. Organizations that use online content well have a clearly defined goal—to sell products, generate leads, or get people to join a community, vote, or donate money—and they deploy a content strategy that directly contributes to reaching that goal. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Public Relations

By hiring an outside expert in lead optimization and leveraging its full range of data, San Francisco-based Objectivity increased turnout for its webinars an average of 10%. The quality of the leads is high as well: More than 30% of the leads typically score high enough to be handed off to sales.[Read the full story]
Marketing Case Studies: Public Relations

Atlanta management consultant Brent Leary launched a radio show in 2006 to help small and mid-sized businesses understand technology. It proved so popular that he evolved the show into a series of online podcasts, bringing new business and (ultimately) new revenue to his 15-year-old consulting business.[Read the full story]
Marketing Case Studies: Public Relations

Guinness, the top-selling stout in the world, is facing competition as the beer industry consolidates. It also needs to diversify its customer base, as about 95% of its sales volume comes from four markets. Here's how Guinness maintains its distinctive brand reputation.[Read the full story]
Marketing Case Studies: Public Relations

Wi-Gear, an independent manufacturer formed in 2004, was focused on one product—a wireless Bluetooth headset—geared toward the Apple iPod. It had a tiny sales and marketing budget and no outside capital. It needed to grow its distribution from just online sales to other retail outlets, preferably Apple Stores. But plenty of competitors also made wireless headphones for iPods, and they too wanted to get into Apple's stores.[Read the full story]
Marketing Case Studies: Public Relations

You probably know the approach pattern at your home airport very well. So what would you think if your plane were about to touch down when it suddenly jerked skyward, overshot the runway and headed out toward the ocean? Even non-nervous flyers would know something was wrong.... [Read the full story]
Marketing Quick Read: Public Relations

After reading an article at CareerBuilder.com about things you should avoid in a job interview, Nettie Hartsock was inspired to come up with her own list of dos and don'ts for media interviews. Here's a peek at her advice: Do your homework. Says Hartsock, "Make sure... [Read the full story]
Marketing Quick Read: Public Relations

When you work with the media, your first priority is probably figuring out what they can do for you. But Christina Kerley—widely known as CK—says the greater long-term payoff lies in flipping the equation around. She argues that concentrating on what a journalist gets out of the... [Read the full story]
Marketing Quick Read: Public Relations

At his blog Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That!, Andy Sernovitz discusses something unusual he noticed on the refrigerator at his office. A colleague had gone to the trouble of posting a commercial-services flyer from Lowe's with a coupon promising "$10 off your next $25... [Read the full story]
Marketing Quick Read: Public Relations

In a post at his Web Ink Now blog, David Meerman Scott links to this video of Al Gore's recent appearance on 60 Minutes, and opines on the former vice president's mad PR skills. Scott argues we can all learn something from Gore—regardless of... [Read the full story]
Marketing Quick Read: Public Relations