Marketing Articles: Sales

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The Blue Ocean and Business Models: How to Go Blue and Stay Blue

by Len Gingerella

Sales
Even if you business can carve out a Blue Ocean spot—avoiding the cutthroat, backstabbing bloody Red Ocean by making the competition irrelevant rather than trying to beat it—how do you stay in the Blue Ocean for long-term prosperity? Enter the need for the business model! more
It's Different, but the Same

Sales
The social-media revolution has undoubtedly altered the way you generate leads. On a given morning, for instance, you might write a compelling blog post, tweet about it, summarize the contents for your LinkedIn group and join a relevant conversation at Facebook. All of these actions spark activity at your website, ... more
C'mon and Do the Social Slide!

Sales
OK, let's admit it. We've all sat through slide presentations monopolized by the tyranny of one conviction-ridden idea. They make us kind of crazy, right? And doesn't a more social world merit a more social PowerPoint? Well, here's some good news: Now you can breathe real-time life into your next ... more
Ask the Magic Question

Sales
Is there a sure-fire way to generate interest from each and every B2B lead you contact? There sure is, says Neil Baron, writing at the Fast Company blog: Just ask the Magic Question. "The Magic Question is that one question you need to ask to get the prospect to say 'please ... more
Stepping out (of Your Comfort Zone)

Sales
It's hard enough to keep up with new technology, so when it comes to selling IT, you might find yourself stuck using familiar tactics, even when business challenges signal otherwise. "Seriously ask yourself if you have faced the economic changes by selling the same things in the same way, but ... more
You Can't Phone It In

Sales
"A lot of marketers say they are 'nurturing' their prospects when in reality all they are doing is sending out nice brochures or marketing copy focused on product releases or company announcements," writes Brian Carroll at the B2B Lead Generation Blog. With that in mind, he discusses activities that do—and ... more
Business Tech Buyers Up Social Media Use

Sales
Technology buyers are aggressively adopting social technologies to help them make business decisions—most often using new social channels to complement traditional decision-making approaches and information sources, according to a survey from Forrester. more
Why Must You Be So Difficult?

Sales
The Brooks Group, where Tony Smith serves as national accounts manager, recently analyzed more than 12,000 sales interactions and concluded: "Selling is like being blindfolded, everything is pitch-black, and you have a dart in your hand. Your job: Just hit the target," says Smith. Well, that's just great. But lucky for ... more
Eight Reasons for Small Businesses to Dip Their Toes in the Email Marketing Pond

by Wendy Lowe

Sales
When Shop.org surveyed retailers for its State of Retailing Online 2009 report, it found that email was the most-mentioned successful tactic overall. What are you waiting for...? more
Access to Customer Data = Retention, Sales

Sales
Companies that have access to a holistic view of customer data achieve better customer service and efficiency, improved loyalty, and more repeat business from their established customers, according to a study by Aberdeen Group and VeraCentra. more
Around Here, Everybody's a Player

Sales
It's no secret that link-building can help boost your bottom line and make your SEO efforts a whole lot easier. So, here's a thought: To help improve your site's organic visibility, why not leverage the power of your entire company and have everyone contribute to active link-building? That's what Mark Thomson ... more
Mastering SEO in a Digital World

Sales
In a recent post at the Online Marketing Blog, Lee Odden explains how a better understanding of search-engine optimization can help PR and communications professionals boost their results in a digital world by making it easier for various search engines to find, index and rank their content. "If content can ... more
Return to Sender

Sales
You probably protect your "real" email addresses—those where you receive emails from significant others, friends and colleagues—with the ferocity of a mother bear. You might give them to trusted sources when downloading a whitepaper or subscribing to a newsletter, but there's a good chance you have temporary "fake" accounts for ... more
Gotta Have It: Web Registration Form

Sales
Now that you have your marketing-automation system in place, is it really necessary to use those sorry Web registration forms when collecting leads? After all, you already know who these people are, since you can track their click-throughs when they download your whitepapers or data sheets, right? Not so, says ... more
Not so Fast!

Sales
In the rush to grow leads, B2B marketers are often tempted to use "quick-fix" lead-generation tactics, says Jep Castelein in a post at the Connected Marketer blog. Bad idea, he writes. Instead, B2B pros should take a step back, breathe deeply and "look at the big picture" to determine the ... more
Recession-Proof Marketing: From Cutting to Growing Your Budget in a Down Economy

by Paul Stein

Sales
Saving your budget (and keeping your team employed) in a down economy really boils down to one word: profit. If you're not making money, you're losing money—and that's never good for business. And when it comes to profit, ROI (return on investment) is everything. more
Is That Really a Lead?

Sales
"Ask any salesperson if all inbound inquires are leads," writes Mac McIntosh at Sales Leads Insights, "and when he or she stops laughing, you will probably get an earful about how inquiries, unless they have been prequalified, are a waste of salespeople's time." So why is there confusion over the ... more
Just Say No

Sales
Thought leaders in the email marketing industry are just about unanimous on the subject of randomly purchased lists. Their advice to marketers? Avoid them like the plague. You may, however, still encounter those who push the buying of email lists as a perfectly legal alternative to building lists through opt-in subscription. ... more
Direct Digital Marketing: Powerful B2C Tools for B2B Marketers

by Josh Gordon

Sales
Direct digital marketing solutions are no longer exclusive to B2C marketers. B2B marketers must demand more from their marketing partnerships because the transference of traditionally B2C marketing approaches to B2B is possible—and direct digital marketing is the key. more
Law and Order Must Prevail

Sales
You have an HR handbook, departmental training materials and documented procedures. But do you have standards and rules for your marketing and sales database? That's the question Lauren Kincke asks in a post at The B2B Lead Blog. "Without some law and order, your database will start looking like the ... more
iPad Matches Kindle in Awareness, Purchase Intent

Sales
Less than a week before iPad's April 3 ship date, nearly two-thirds (65%) of consumers are aware of Apple's tablet device and 15% are already thinking about buying it in the next three months, according to comScore. more
Small Biz Search Spend Surges in 4Q09

Sales
Small business advertisers spent on average $2,149 on search advertising in the fourth quarter of 2009, up 111% from $1,018 spent in the same period a year earlier, and up 30% from the $1,658 spent in the third quarter of 2009, according to a study by WebVisible based on its ... more
Increasing Sales Effectiveness: The Art and Science of Win/Loss Analysis

by Rachel Corn, Robin Kahn

Sales
Do you really know why you lost the recent deal or why some customers keep coming back? Customers have the answers, but they rarely provide them in an unfiltered manner to your sales and service teams. more
Problem Solved: How Can We Map Social Media to B2B Sales?

by Claire Coyne

Sales
You've made a couple of forays into social media, and you like what you see! But what tactics are really working out there to draw prospects in—and not turn them off? What are some cool ways to match social with selling? more
Taken for a Ride

Sales
We've all fallen for something when we should have known better. Gullibility is bad enough in our personal lives—but when it happens at work, jobs and profits might be on the line. Stephen Greenspan's book, Annals of Gullibility: Why We Get Duped and How to Avoid It, might help you ... more