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Sales

Sales articles by the best and brightest in the field

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Four Overlooked Benefits of Telemarketing (and How to Make the Most of Them)by Michelle Palmer
Whenever I can, I include telemarketing as part of a comprehensive lead-generation program. When it comes to setting sales appointments, populating a database with decision-maker names, or filling seats at an event, there's no contact method that's more direct or more effective. The results of telemarketing are usually measurable, too, which is also a rare benefit for any campaign tactic. But, actually, you can expect more from your telemarketing programs than appointment-setting and seat-filling. In fact, telemarketing can lend tremendous support to helping you achieve other aspects sales and marketing initiatives. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
The Four Keys to Referral Successby Michael Beck
Don't you get tired of hearing about how great referrals are? Especially if you're not getting enough of them? It's worth taking the time to understand why most referral efforts don't work and to understand what keys need to be in place in order to get the results you want. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Maximizing Lead Generation Marketing ROI (Part 1): Lead Quality Countsby Jim Lenskold
Marketers responsible for lead generation are all too familiar with some common challenges—getting closed-loop feedback from the sales organization, measuring marketing effectiveness beyond just lead quantity and cost per lead, and building strong alignment with the sales organization. As presented in the MarketingProfs' research report, "B-to-B Lead Generation: Marketing ROI and Performance Evaluation Study," effective lead-generation marketing is very much tied to overcoming these challenges to prioritize lead quality over lead quantity. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Three Ways to Improve Your Lead-Nurturing Strategyby Kathy Rizzo
Although more than 80% of high-tech marketers say they have a lead-nurturing strategy, 64% say their strategy needs improvement, according to a February 2008 survey by TeleNet Marketing Solutions. As for which areas of overall lead-generation strategy tech marketers would like to improve in the next year, nurturing of long-term leads was the No. 1 response. Nurturing shortens the sales cycle and improves return on investment from lead-generation activities, so it is important to reconsider your nurturing strategy frequently. Consider the following three recommendations to enhance your strategy. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Has Your Telephone Become Your Sales Prevention System?by Todd Miechiels
Is your company guilty of throwing dollars at campaigns to increase Web traffic, only to turn around and squander sales opportunities due to poor telephone and email handling? Make sure that your telephone system isn't preventing prospects from reaching out and touching someone at your company. As soon as you finish reading this article, pick up the phone and call your company's sales lines and test the process for yourself. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
How to Generate Marketing Leads Efficiently and Increase Marketing Returnsby Zephrin Lasker
Marketers are under pressure to generate returns. Cost-per-lead lead-generation advertising allows online marketers to pay only for leads—not for clicks and impressions that might never convert. Here are four steps to generate leads and increase your returns. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Incentives: 5 Cardinal Rules, 10 Great Ideasby Kristin Zhivago
When the economy gets tight, customers can take forever to reach a buying decision. So, managers think up incentives that will encourage the customer to buy. Whatever lure you use should inspire the prospective customer to edge a little closer to a purchase, which is sometimes easier said than done. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Staying Up in a Down Economy: Eight Marketing-Strategy Tips from Best Buy and Wipro CMOsby Roy Young
Leading companies do not subscribe to the notion that marketing is a discretionary expense. They know that there is business opportunity during economic downturns, and marketing can lead the way. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Warning to Direct Marketers: Asking These Questions Will Kill Your Conversionsby Barry Densa
Can asking a question in an ad increase sales? Some will argue vehemently that the use of a question is a non-starter, a pre-ordained copywriting disaster. Craig Huey, founder and president of the award-winning Creative Direct Marketing Group, froths at the idea of a question in sales copy. Nevertheless, a question is a tool. And as with any tool, any copywriting strategy or tactic, if a question is not formulated and handled with proper caution it could indeed do immeasurably more harm than good. Well, let me correct that: If you're a direct marketer who tests, you can measure precisely how much harm a poorly phrased question will do... or how well a good one will convert. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Bringing New Color to the Gray World of Whitepapersby Jonathan Kranz
Whitepapers have been with us for a long time. But innovations in printing and distribution—and even in the way we conceive of whitepaper content—have dramatically changed the game. Let's take a look at the ways we can bring color to the whitepaper—and multiply the impact of our efforts. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Extending and Enhancing Closed-Loop Marketing via the Mobile Channelby Stephan Dietrich
While mobile marketing can be invasive on its own, integration with the larger marketing campaign mix and proper tracking of customer response can ensure that customers are drawn in, rather than turned off, by mobile messages. The mobile medium has achieved staying power as a gateway for marketers to reach customers in motion. For example, SMS can serve as the initial point of contact with customers, with the intention to drive the customer somewhere (to a store, kiosk, Web site, and so on). [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
The Power of Podcastsby Lisa Formica
Social marketing techniques such as blogging, wikis, podcasts, twitter, and virtual worlds have given marketers an extraordinary range of opportunities to reach out to audiences. But do these techniques really pay off—or are they just trendy alternatives that offer no measurable return on marketing investment? [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Boost Email Marketing Response With List Segmenting and Triggered Emailsby Neil Anuskiewickz
If you are an email marketer who is doing traditional "batch and blast" email marketing, now's a good time to start segmenting and sending triggered emails. Doing so allows you to send more relevant emails and achieves better response from your subscribers. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Getting 'Social' with Social Media—Q&A With Rohit Bhargavaby Mack Collier
Rohit Bhargava is a well-respected marketer and blogger and frequent speaker at conferences, including the upcoming MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer. Here, he shares advice on how to get the most from the conference experience and discusses where social media is headed, as well as how businesses can make the most of it. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Every Blue Ocean Will Eventually Turn Red; Create an Unfair Advantage Insteadby Dr. Dan Herman
The vast red and blue oceans of the marketing world tsunamied into our awareness and vocabulary a few years ago, when two professors, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, claimed that competition can be rendered irrelevant. Their book, Blue Ocean Strategy, heralded the news to marketing managers and CEOs all over the world: After years and years of surviving in red bloody oceans, swarming with murderous competitors, finally there's a better alternative! Let us consider an example of a company that supposedly followed the Blue Ocean strategy. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
What Do Your Marketing Communications Reveal About You?by Becky Carroll
Every touch from every department is marketing. Each customer interaction, whether via phone, email, direct mail, or Web, leaves an impression about your brand. Are your marketing communications self-serving, or are they serving customer needs? [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Tough Times Increase Pressure to Meet the Marketing Effectiveness Imperativeby Jay Milliken and Chiaki Nishino
Businesses today are hunkering down. With consumers clutching their wallets more tightly, companies are scrutinizing every budget item in an effort to maintain profitability even as revenues are flat and costs rise. And with marketing commonly viewed as a discretionary spend, it is one of the likeliest victims of the ax. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
The Power of Search Within a Complex Sales Cycleby Roxanne Lott
Now that we know that 85% of B2B customers use the Internet at some point during the buying process, why is it that so many business executives still contend that online marketing "doesn't work" for businesses with enterprise solutions or complex sales cycles? [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Twenty Questions to Ask When Crafting a Search Marketing RFPby Alan Rimm-Kaufman
Your organization has decided to outsource its search marketing, yet quickly realizes that one size doesn't fit all. In fact, finding the right search marketing vendor depends on your needs, preferences, site and budget. These 20 questions are a good place to start... [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales
Beyond YouTube: Getting Started With Video for Marketing and Salesby Gary Anderson
Do you want to record a video message for on-demand access? Do you want to do live video from a conference? Or do you have completely different objectives? For marketers who want to put video communication to good use, the key is finding the right tools. Here's a great place to start. [Read the full story] Marketing Articles: Sales

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Sales mini articles distilling bite-sized advice (from our Get to the Point newsletters)

How to Get Referrals GaloreSmall Business
Everybody loves referrals. They're easier to close than non-referrals, make quicker buying decisions and tend to be more loyal—in short, they can often become your most profitable customers. Trouble is,...
Staying on Top in a DownturnB2B Marketing
With the latest seismic shifts in the U.S. economy, it seemed a good time to check back to Jon Miller's "definitive guide to B2B marketing during a downturn," first presented...
OMG, that looks good!Email Marketing
If the popularity of the 3G iPhone is any indication—Apple sold over one million units during its first weekend on the market—the smartphone is here to stay. According to Loren...
Cut the Mystery Man ActCustomer Behavior
Is it more effective to tell customers your brand name right away in advertising? Or is it better to create a little mystery, and reveal the brand name only at...
Create a Customer Walk-a-ThonMarketing Inspiration
When we say "viral marketing" you know exactly what we mean. The question isn't whether to integrate viral elements into your marketing mix, but rather how—and to what degree. But...
Text Your Vote to ...Email Marketing
In late August, 2.9 million subscribers learned the identity of Barack Obama's running mate with a 26-word text message delivered via SMS (Short Message Service). The announcement joined a trend...
Cool Open-Rate StatsEmail Marketing
Even if your email campaigns meet goals and deliver great ROI, you probably wonder how you compare to industry standards. If so, you’re going to love the spreadsheet in a...
How to Blow It in Five Words or LessB2B Marketing
Nothing irks Steve Roesler more than when a speaker diminishes himself in five words or less. What may seem like courtesy when you're making that B2B sales pitch could actually...
Ditch the PitchB2B Marketing
According to Justin Hitt, B2B sales teams routinely get it wrong when seeking new customers. "The problem is, not every sales person knows who makes a good client," he explains....
Help Me, Guide Me, Grow My LeadsB2B Marketing
According to a recent white paper from Pontiflex, online lead generation grew 71% in the 2006-2007 timeframe, more than twice as fast as the online ad market. But conducting a...
Stick to the Script!B2B Marketing
To ease the pain of cold calling, "A good sales script is essential," says Christine Comaford-Lynch. The perfect script should contain four elements, she says: Start with who you are and...
Give Me a Digital SignNew Media
The days of static billboards, posters and traditional advertising signage are numbered. Marketers can now reach their audience in new places. Digital signage will be a $2.6B business by 2010....
Plug Those LeaksB2B Marketing
Marketing is making big strides in lead generation these days, "but how kinetic is their nurturing?" asks Ardath Albee. Passive lead generation tools just don't cut it anymore. Instead, marketers need...
We Were Meant to B2B TogetherB2B Marketing
Should you hire that smart prospect who only has B2C experience? Or does the B2B sales process require a different kind of person (like, say, one with endless patience and tenacity)? John...
No ReservationsSmall Business
In a recent post at his blog, Seth Godin recounts the experience of arriving at a trendy restaurant for his 6:30 reservation. "We were promptly seated at the worst table...
The Painless Way to Raise PricesSmall Business
Sooner or later, you're going to raise your prices. An intimidating prospect? Sure, but Drew McLellan says you can implement a price hike without alienating your customers. Just apply a...
Partner Your Product with CareCustomer Behavior
Marketers often entice customers to buy a product by offering a free gift with the purchase. They might, for example, offer a free half gallon of milk with the purchase...
Steering the Delicate SaleCustomer Behavior
Customers can be suspicious of salespeople because their motives are unclear. Do they have the customer's best interest at heart, or are they simply seeking a commission? Researchers have discovered...
Taking the Email PlungeEmail Marketing
We know that email marketing can add punch to a company's marketing efforts. Yet selling the solution to small business owners (SBO) can be a difficult task. Josh Nason of...
Did He Really Call It a 'Nymphomercial'?Marketing Inspiration
In a post at his blog, Drew's Marketing Minute, Drew McLellan presents the case of Jay Nussbaum, a novelist who figured he might as well use viral video to promote...

Sales: See all 35 quick reads

Sales marketing downloads for the busy professional

Lead Generation How-To Guide
Learn how you can generate leads, qualify and track them through the sales cycle!
Small Biz How-To Guide: Avoiding Key Pitfalls
Let's face it, more small businesses fail than succeed. Make sure yours is one of the winners with this guide to getting your small business off the ground and solidly on the road to success.
Lead Generation How-To Guide
Great product, great sales team, great marketing collateral - now what? People to sell to, of course. Put your lead generation tactics under the microscope with this enlightening how-to guide. Get more and better qualified leads, faster today.
B2B Direct Marketing How-To Guide
Direct marketing is one of the fastest changing disciplines within marketing today. What worked 10 years ago, isn't working today. Heck, what worked last week sometimes doesn't even work today, so keep your skills sharp with his How-To guide, focusing on the B2B market.
Trade Show Marketing Template
Trade show marketing is a high-risk, high-reward endeavor. This Template provides a sytematic look at trade show marketing. It walks you through selection and promotion, to follow-up and measurement. This step-by-step guide will insure your trade show marketing is effective, efficient, measurable, and successful.
Marketing ROI and the Sales Funnel
In this guide, you will learn how to structure, motivate and measure the marketing and sales functions to maximize profit. Topics include: 1) a high-level self-assessment to determine potential sources of profit leakage; 2) how to map out and improve strategies related to the buying cycle; 3) how to apply marketing ROI principles to create strategies to reduce and recycle leakage from the buying cycle; and 4) how to leverage insight on your key profit drivers and customer-level analysis to improve profitability.

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