Software and software as a service (SaaS) companies are often so enamored with the features of their technologies that they're prepared to shout them from the nearest rooftop, calling out the advanced capabilities that distinguish their product or service from their competitors'. But that's the easy part, writes Douglas ... more

"Hey!" says comedian Sarah Haskins, as she dumps an array of Yoplait, Activia and Dannon onto a table at the beginning of a viral video. "Why am I holding all this yogurt? Because I'm a woman. And yogurt is the official food of women." Marisa Meltzer uses a post ... more

"I predicted back in January that 2009 would be the year of the email marketer," says Stephanie Miller in a post at the Daily Fix blog. "Times got rough mid-last year, and executives were scrambling to maintain revenue and keep customers happy." As a result, she thought, the low investment ... more

One reason social media sites have caught on like wildfire among users is that, by and large, they operate on basic principles of social decency. Now, be honest: Do your social-media skills match the subtle standards set at sites like Twitter and YouTube? Not sure? Well, here are a few site-inspired rules ... more

Avid users of mobile video constitute a unique audience that may not be reachable via other digital media, according to a study of mobile-phone users that measures consumers' reactions and feedback to mobile video advertising and their reliance on mobile for information. more

Surefire lead nurturing may well be the Holy Grail of B2B marketing. Marketers remain in constant pursuit of the golden tactics that will consistently convert prospects into paying customers. Well, sound the trumpets! A recent whitepaper from DemandGen Report and Marketo, "Calculating the Real ROI from Lead Nurturing," may help ... more

Let's say you visit a site like Yelp.com and discover scathingly negative reviews of your product or service. Making matters worse, only a few of your happy customers have balanced the harsh criticism with their praise. In such a scenario, you might be tempted to pose as a customer and ... more

In an article at MarketingProfs, Christian Shea challenges the conventional wisdom that those who maintain a robust marketing budget are more likely to power their company through the recession. "Massive consumer-based brands such as BMW, Dell, and Wal-Mart are so tied to marketing as part of their business strategies," he ... more

Good news for those marketers who seek to advertise aggressively and creatively to Baby Boomers: You are right on track! New research is finding that for many Boomers "aging is not about the inevitable end, but rather about the evolving self." It seems this age group is redefining retirement as ... more

In an article at MarketingProfs, Josh Nason suggests you might be letting valuable customer data go to waste. "In every campaign that you send out," he says, "you should have direct links to specific pages on your website, helping you gauge and track what's moving the meter in your emails ... more

"At his prime," says Jeff Sexton in an article at FutureNow, "Dennis [Rodman] was pulling down a truly astonishing 18.7 rebounds per game." Impressive indeed, but you'd probably form an entirely different opinion of Rodman's prowess if you looked only at his scoring. "Comparing [his] 8-9 points per game ... more

Becoming a source for journalists has gotten a little easier thanks to Peter Shankman's site Help a Reporter Out. "I built this list because a lot of my friends are reporters, and they call me all the time for sources," he explains. "Rather than go through my contact lists each ... more

How would you answer the question, "What do you see as number-one untapped marketing opportunity for business-to-business marketers today?" more

You just sent out a request for proposal (RFP). Will it give you the responses you want? Will it set the stage for a great long-term relationship? An RFP is a key step in engaging an outside marketing partner. Don't underestimate its importance. It's not simply a straightforward business communication; it's ... more

It's tough out there. Budgets are being cut. Markets are shrinking. Prospects aren't buying the way they used to. But you can still sell effectively. You just have to think differently. The message is important, but it's effective only if the right people read it. The process that you use to ... more

In every email campaign, you should have direct links to specific pages on your website, helping you gauge and track what's moving the meter in your emails. If you're using a proper email service provider (ESP), you should be able to easily see in real time who clicked on those ... more

Facebook Pages are good for building your brand and creating conversations, allowing users to get more deeply connected with your business. Recent changes have improved their functionality. Check out the following strategies for leveraging some of the key features. more

How Jelly Belly earned double-digit growth in Web traffic, conversions, and sales. (And you can, too.) more

It seems almost inevitable these days: You run a search on your company's name or product and a negative review, remark or blog post appears in the top listings. What do you do? "Don't  ... lose your cool and try to retaliate," says Internet Marketing Consultant Jeremy Martin in a recent ... more

At Book Soup on West Hollywood's Sunset Strip, you'll pay full retail for the latest bestseller, and you won't find an exhaustive midlist inventory. But the small, independent bookseller competes with heavyweights like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble by providing its loyal customers an experience they're unlikely to find elsewhere. ... more

More than half of Americans—56%—report having used wireless means to gain online access, according to a Pew Research report that examines how Americans are accessing the Internet by wireless means using a range of devices. more

Anyone who works in email marketing will have occasional nightmares about a campaign that goes horribly, horribly wrong. And in a post at Don't Drink the Kool-Aid, Jon Bailey tells the story of one retailer who found himself at the center of a technological disaster. "The problem," says Bailey, "was a ... more

B2B buying has changed: Customers have more control than ever over what information they see—and choose to dismiss. They're also using social media to learn about technology and solution providers. In an interview posted on the Modern B2B Marketing blog, Kristin Zhivago offers insights to help marketing and sales organizations ... more

You don't get to be a social-networking superstar without paying your dues. "The way I look at it," says Jay Baer in a video at his blog, "you ought to try to maximize the value of the time spent." His tips for reaching that goal include: Remembering the Eight-to-One ... more

"In the world of multi-channel and [multi]-location opt-in and opt-out, how do you keep your lists in sync?" asks Dylan Boyd in a post at the Email Wars blog. "Can you?" To explain what he means, he outlines the ways that one client—a retailer—builds its email list: Customers opt in ... more