- The Funnel Sprung a LeakSmall Business
"Many senior sales executives are still looking for a predictable flow of leads at the end of a lead acquisition and nurturing 'funnel,'" says Francois Gossieaux in a post at ...
- Make Sure You Justify That SpendingMarketing in a Downturn
If you're planning a project that will move your company forward during this downturn but might appear more optional than necessary to your employees, consider how the City of Newport ...
- Refocus That FocusCustomer Insight
Sad but true: The use of focus groups to determine consumer preferences has lost favor in recent years. Why? Because "consumers have clear cognitive models of what to do when ...
- Low-Tech and Lovin' ItEmail Marketing
You probably invite customers to join your email list during their online activity, but do you have list-building strategies for offline interactions? Andy Sernovitz uses a post at Damn! I ...
- I'm Sold, but I Still Don't Get ItSmall Business
Even if you use the product or service you sell, that doesn't mean you know what it's like to be a customer. The reason, argues Rohit Bhargava in a post ...
- Form the Perfect SEO StormSearch Engine Marketing
Applying SEO best practices like keyword research and link-building is a surefire way to start increasing your search rankings. However, in a recent Search Engine Watch post, Chris Boggs warns ...
- That's RoughMarketing Inspiration
You've just presented a rough cut of your latest television ad when an executive begins asking questions that demonstrate he doesn't understand the concept of a rough cut.
"It isn't ...
- Selling in the Brave New EconomyHigh-Tech Mktg & Sales
Sales techniques that succeed in a strong economy can work against you in a weak one. The reason, says Bruce Wedderburn in the whitepaper "Five Questions Your Clients Are Asking," ...
- Avoid Back Alleys at All CostEmail Marketing
"Imagine if a customer in one of your stores asked a rep where to find a particular product and that rep directed [her] to a door that led to the ...
- This Business Ain't for the BirdsSocial Media
OK, we admit it: For a platform as popular as it's become, Twitter's surprisingly hard to understand to the untrained eye. What are all those messages? IMs? Forum discussions? Public ...
- Take a Deep BreathMarketing in a Downturn
"The business environment is shifting so fast these days that I'm continuously seeing companies jump from one idea to the next in some kind of frenzied attempt to force results ...
- Stop Being So MysteriousEmail Marketing
"In email marketing, we seem to tolerate a level of mystery that would not be acceptable in any other channel," says Stephanie Miller in a post at the Daily Fix ...
- Trust Us, This Is LegitEmail Marketing
"It must be tough to be a financial institution in 2009," says DJ Waldow in a post at the Email Experience Council blog. "I'm not referring to the current financial ...
- Get HorizontalEmail Marketing
If you worry that an email with a horizontal (left-to-right) scroll will confuse your subscribers, Dylan Boyd is prepared to disagree. Unless it tests well, he doesn't suggest using this type ...
- Quiet on the (Twitter) Set!Social Media
Recently, TubeMogul reported that Twitter refers some of the least-fickle viewers to video sites, with tweeties watching videos 36.91 percent longer than those referred by Facebook, and 49.98 percent longer than ...
- Avoid Gmail's Black HoleEmail Marketing
In a post at Copyblogger, Sonia Simone reports on a recent study from Return Path that found 23 percent of permission-based email never reaches the inbox of Gmail users.
"No, ...
- Stop! I'm Blushing!Marketing Inspiration
Most independent automotive repair shops yearn for a steady supply of positive reviews at sites like Yelp.com. But Yuki Import Service of Los Angeles has placed a few prominent signs ...
- How's This for Passing the Buck?Email Marketing
One year ago, Lynda Partner wrote—but did not publish—a blog post that eviscerated a software company for taking liberties with her email address, and then treating her complaint with stunning ...
- A Whole New Way to UnsubscribeEmail Marketing
As an email marketer, you'll be, well, interested in a new development at Gmail. "Some of you already use the 'Report Spam' button on all kinds of unwanted email," Brad ...
- Stellar Viral Videos, Pt. IISocial Media
Last week, we showed you some cool makeup vids as an example of how viral videos can rack in the mega-bucks. This time, we offer a sample of how a ...
- Look to Where the Sun Is ShiningMarketing in a Downturn
"The Hispanic market seems to be the only one still flourishing these days in the face of economic doom and gloom," says Blaire Borthayre in an article at MarketingProfs. And ...
- Beware the Two-Edged SwordCustomer Insight
"The [customer-relationship] sword has two edges," warns Jim Novo in a recent post at Marketing Productivity Blog. According to Novo, relationship marketing creates higher expectations in customers who engage: "If ...
- First Impressions Sure Do CountEmail Marketing
In an article at MarketingProfs, Louis Chatoff argues that the success of any email campaign largely comes down to creating a good first impression. To gain approval, he says, an ...
- Warts and AllSmall Business
In a move you wouldn't expect from a restaurant chain, Chipotle recently announced it would sponsor free screenings of the documentary Food Inc., an exposé of the American food industry. ...
- Don't Become a FrenemyEmail Marketing
"Refer-A-Friend campaigns can be tricky territory," says Kristen Gregory in a post at the Bronto blog. "Let's be very clear: just because someone gives you the email address of their ...