To view this issue on the Web, use this link: http://www.marketingprofs.com/webnews/7/news12-27-07_0.asp ============================================================== MARKETINGPROFS - TODAY ============================================================== December 27, 2007 Volume 6, No. 52 ============================================================== sponsored by: SETH GODIN http://www.marketingprofs.com/marketing/online-seminars/149/ =============================================================== THIS ISSUE'S ARTICLES: 1 - How Social Media Is Changing the 4Ps of Marketing: Stories From Real Companies http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-collier.asp 2 - Three Powerful Press Kits (and Why They Work) http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-martin.asp 3 - MarketingProfs Video: A Tutorial on the Subtleties of LinkedIn http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-dickman.asp 4 - Lessons From Warren Buffett: Getting the CEO to (Willingly) Write Checks for Marketing http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-barsch.asp 5 - The Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say in Email Subject Lines (Plus 100 Others You Shouldn't Use, Either) http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-ayan.asp A NOTE TO READERS: Seth's New Book (and MarketingProfs Seminar!) Today Seth Godin releases his new book, Meatball Sundae, in which he questions: Is Your Marketing Out of Sync? Here at MarketingProfs, we are lucky enough to be featuring the author himself in a virtual seminar based on his new release, in which he coaches marketers on "how to avoid the meatball sundae". I recently had a chance to chat with Seth briefly about his new book. In it, he challenges marketers to sync up their marketing with their products, rather than simply rushing to embrace the shiny and new (like blogs, YouTube, Facebook, whatever). Q: So what is a meatball sundae? A: Well, what's a meatball? It's a commodity, something we need, something made in quantity, something where the cheapest often wins. And the sundae toppings? They are the whipped cream and cherry, the fun stuff. They are new marketing - YouTube and MySpace and blogs and Google and the rest. Sundae toppings work great. Except when you put them on meatballs. A meatball sundae is the unfortunate combination of perfectly good average products for average people with the exciting growth opportunities of the new marketing. They're a disaster. Not very successful, nor very appetizing. Q: So what needs to change here? The meatballs? Or what's going on them? A. I think the solution is to make a choice: either make meatballs, make them really well, accept lower growth and ignore the new marketing or realize that this is a new industrial revolution and get out of the meatball business just as fast as you can. It's the chasm in the middle that'll chew you up. Q: Which is the way to go, based on your advice in the book? A: Both ways are fine. But be in sync. When Henry Ford came along, artisans continued to do fine. But without the assembly line, they couldn’t grow to compete. That didn’t mean that being Rolls Royce was bad. It was just different. The horrible mistake was to be out of sync, to not match. My advice is: this is the biggest revolution of our lifetimes. If you want that sort of ride, go for it, but go all the way to the base of your pyramid, not just as window dressing. Please join us next Thursday and hear Seth in person. P.S. Enjoy this special bonus "best of" newsletter, which hightlights just a fraction of our great content from 2007! Happy New Year! ============================================================== sponsored by: HOUSE http://www.marketingprofs.com/cmp/ipod.asp ================================================================ 1 - HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS CHANGING THE 4PS OF MARKETING: STORIES FROM REAL COMPANIES Increasingly, companies are beginning to reach out to their customers to help them with their marketing. http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-collier.asp **************************************************************** 2 - THREE POWERFUL PRESS KITS (AND WHY THEY WORK) By putting the power of your press kit to work, your company can enjoy more accurate media coverage, among other things. http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-martin.asp **************************************************************** 3 - MARKETINGPROFS VIDEO: A TUTORIAL ON THE SUBTLETIES OF LINKEDIN In the face of mounting competition from rival networks, LinkedIn has stayed true to its mission of creating a network for business professionals. http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-dickman.asp ============================================================== ================================================================ 4 - LESSONS FROM WARREN BUFFETT: GETTING THE CEO TO (WILLINGLY) WRITE CHECKS FOR MARKETING For his marketing programs, Warren Buffett has an open checkbook. http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-barsch.asp **************************************************************** 5 - THE SEVEN DIRTY WORDS YOU CAN'T SAY IN EMAIL SUBJECT LINES (PLUS 100 OTHERS YOU SHOULDN'T USE, EITHER) If you've ever heard George Carlin's famous "Seven Dirty Words," you can safely avoid using all in your email marketing. Plus these 93 more. http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/best-of-mp-2007-ayan.asp **************************************************************** ============================================================== ================================================================ TOP ARTICLES FROM OUR LAST NEWSLETTER THE SEVEN DIRTY WORDS YOU CAN'T SAY IN EMAIL SUBJECT LINES (PLUS 100 OTHERS YOU SHOULDN'T USE, EITHER) http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/seven-dirty-words-email-subject-lines-ayan.asp SOCIAL MEDIA STARTER KIT: THE TOOLS YOU NEED http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/social-media-starter-kit-tools-you-need-brogan.asp FIVE KEYS TO USING INNOVATION TO ACQUIRE AND RETAIN CUSTOMERS (PART 3 OF 3) http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/five-keys-innovation-acquire-retain-customers-part-3-shaeffer.asp THE 10 BIGGEST BUSINESS BLUNDERS (AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID THEM) http://www.marketingprofs.com/7/10-biggest-business-blunders-maui-millionaires-finkel-kennedy.asp **************************************************************** SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FUTURE NEWSLETTERS Not a subscriber? Get the latest web and off-line marketing know-how delivered bi-weekly. Solid ideas backed by theory, experience and understanding. We give it to you free without the hype and self-promotion found elsewhere. http://www.MarketingProfs.com/Newsletter/signup/subscribepage.asp?t=MPnews **************************************************************** INFO ABOUT MARKETINGPROFS.COM MarketingProfs.com is an online publishing company that specializes in providing both strategic and tactical marketing know-how to Internet and offline marketing professionals through a combination of provocative articles and commentary. Get original, not recycled ideas. ADVERTISING INFO If you want to reach a marketing audience, won't find a better place to advertise on the web. 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