Know-How News by MarketingProfs.com

Issue 3 | January 19, 2007

Dear Small Business Marketers,

Our cover story today, by MarketingProfs' own Roy Young, warns against adopting innovation for innovation's sake. Then learn sales secrets and budget tips in our next two feature stories.

Curious what's new in the discussion forum? In This Week in KHE you can click to check out the hottest topics. Then access a seminar recording and join in the fun with Last Laugh.

I hope you enjoy this newsletter!

Best wishes,

:: Valerie Frazee
:: Know-How News Editor
:: MarketingProfs.com
:: An online community of 231,000 marketers

The 10 Biggest Mistakes Marketers Make—No. 8: Swallowing Fads Unthinkingly

Sales Secrets of an Interactive Biz-Dev Guy

Top 13 Marketing Budget Wastes—and How to Avoid Them

The 10 Biggest Mistakes Marketers Make—No. 8: Swallowing Fads Unthinkingly

By Roy Young

New opportunities for marketers sometimes come quickly and take many forms: marketing technologies, "best practices" applied by leading-edge organizations, new services and products offered by vendors. And marketers may be tempted to jump onto the closest bandwagon.

But to reinforce marketing's role as a generator of cash flow, you need to separate fads from the real deal. How? Follow these guidelines.

Get the full story.

Note: This article is available to our Premium Members only.

Sales Secrets of an Interactive Biz-Dev Guy

By Kevin Arthur

If you're able to just snap your fingers and make work appear on command, more power to you. If not, and you ever find yourself having to make some sales, what follows are some musings from a business development department about preparation, organization, getting and staying in touch, and keeping it all going.

Get the full story.

Top 13 Marketing Budget Wastes—and How to Avoid Them

By Eran Livneh

Once again, it is that time of year ... when marketing departments are busily preparing their budgets. As we all know, chances are you won't be able to get everything you're asking for. But, believe it or not, this may actually be a good thing.

Get the full story.

Emma, email marketing
in style.

Emma helps small businesses, non-profits & agencies create stylish email campaigns & track the response in real time.

Request your (free!) Emma tour & test drive now.

Here are this week's hottest topics. These have been the most active discussions in KHE over the last seven days.

These are this week’s superstars! The Most Stimulating started the hottest discussions. The Most Active contributed the most posts (questions + answers). And the Most Expert earned the most points.

Most Stimulating	Most Active	Most Expert
ASVP/ChrisB tricitypsy laburns1 AriRose Deremiah, *CPE dsteiner anitamcphillips telemoxie Krystaldraddy G Renner	W.M.M.A. marketingriot rjohnni shghosh bigstarnow Papadoc (Steve) stevea Frank Hurtte plarson peanutpeanut	Papadoc (Steve) mgoodman W.M.M.A. marketingriot Mushfique Manzoor rockyboy2 skoobie99 fred.ramstedt bigstarnow Eric

MarketingProfs member, AriRose, gets the community going with an important discussion about SEO and keywords. What do you do when it seems like all your competitors are targeting the same keywords you are? Read on for some expert advice.

Discussion: The Best Choice of Keywords

Have something to add? Please do! You could win points.

Today's perk for KHN subscribers is our seminar: How to Craft a Compelling Call To Action. Click to read the description. Then use the link below to replay the seminar before next Friday. (The time limit is just for non-Premium Plus members. Premium Plus members may replay the seminar any time.)

Here's what one attendee told us about this seminar: "Good ideas presented, as well as what NOT to do. A good way to check up on ourselves and our efforst in direct marketing." Don't miss the chance to replay it. (Normally $99.)

Resource: How To Craft a Compelling Call to Action

Or browse 397 resources posted in our Resource Library.

Earlier this week brand-new MarketingProfs member, anitamcphillips, asked a naming question. We are really enjoying the responses to this one. "Lovely Lady Gunk" is Val's favorite, so far. What's yours?

Discussion: Funky Catchy Name for Hair and Beauty Salon

Have something to add? Please do! You could win points.

Want to share the news? Invite your colleagues to participate in our online discussion forum, Know-How Exchange.

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Strategy: Roy Young (roy@marketingprofs.com)
Editorial: Val Frazee (val@marketingProfs.com)
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