Vol. 4 , No. 48     December 6, 2005

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Premium Content

Tom Nagle and John Hogan
Stop the Madness: The Formula for More Profitable Pricing

One of the most difficult pricing challenges facing marketers is how to maintain consistent, value-based street prices in highly competitive markets where every deal is seemingly at risk.

For many of us, the temptation to maintain flexible pricing policies in order to negotiate customer-specific deals is too much to resist. Like a dieter trying to lose weight, these marketers try to "cheat" by treating themselves to a one-time price discount to close a particular deal. However, just like the dieter who must face the reality of the scale at the end of the week, price cheaters must face the reality of their bottom line. Unfortunately, that reality, all too often, is increased price erosion and decreasing margins.

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Tim Kitchin
The Value Chain: From Building Brand to Building Integrity

Value chains are replacing brands are the most powerful weapon in the marketing arsenal.

While still widely perceived as source of risk, value-chain transparency actually offers brand owners an opportunity to create new forms of value for customers at an emotional and ethical level—the level where brands have traditionally operated.

In contrast to brands, the equity currently locked within value chains is real, testable and valuable to end-users. Learning to release this value is the key to sustainable competitive advantage.

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Stephen Shaw
All That Should Ever Matter Is What Really Matters to Customers

A commitment to pleasing customers should be much more than a marketing claim (or an interface that can be capriciously switched off) but a core principle that guides every decision.

All that should ever matter is what really matters to customers.

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A Note to Readers

The Skinny on Substance

Greetings, discerning readers.

Later this week, Boss Content Guru Gerry McGovern is pitching a double-header of virtual seminars that truly speak to the heart of anyone who publishes a Web site.

On Thursday, December 8, Gerry leads a session on "How to Be an Unrelenting Web Manager." And, a day later, he follows up with "What Your Boss Should Know About Your Web Site." Those aren't the actual seminar titles, but they serve as shorthand for the meat of both sessions.

I've known Gerry for a very long time—before he was a Big Deal Content Guru, back a lifetime ago, when he was one of the first to start writing about something called Web content and I first published his articles on ClickZ.

One thing is certain: Gerry knows Web content cold. He knows how to write it, produce it, shape it, package it, sell it, quantify it... and how to convince senior management of its critical, inherent value to an organization.

In Gerry's view, senior managers usually don't "get" the Web, so you need to influence their ideas gently but relentlessly. This Thursday, December 8, at 12 PM (EDT), he shows how in his first seminar, "Keys to Success as a Web Manager: People, Politics and Content."

Then, on Friday, December 9, at noon again, comes the chaser, "Maximizing Value with Killer Web Content," during which Gerry reveals the metrics that matter and explains why counting visitors, pageviews, and (worst of all) hits is a pretty useless approach.

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Until next week,

Ann Handley
ann@marketingprofs.com
Chief Content Officer
MarketingProfs

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Last Issue's Top 5

Recent Know-How Exchange Questions/Answers

Barry Silverstein
The Breakaway Brand Process: How Great Brands Are Built to Win

A breakaway brand is a great brand that is built to be a winner over the long term. Time after time, a breakaway brand leads its category, generates high awareness and grows market share, despite intense competition. Nike, Apple's iPod, and JetBlue exemplify breakaway brands.

While the approach may vary from one marketer to another, the process is essentially the same. Ultimately, the goal is to reach the brand truth.

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Michael J. Webb
Three Strategies (and How to Use Them) to Make Your Sales Funnel Flow Faster

When your company is well synchronized with market needs, prospects buy and money flows. Unfortunately, few companies can maintain a constant flow. Salespeople churn out demonstrations, samples and proposals. Marketing departments churn out newsletters, ad copy and brochures. But not enough prospects close.

What makes the sales funnel flow faster?

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Nathan Kaiser
Q&A With Jimmy Wales: From Encyclopedias to Wikipedia

Jimmy Wales is the founder of Wikipedia, the world's largest free online encyclopedia. In its development, Wales created a community of volunteers who have published over 800,000 articles.

Here, Wales offers some insights to his business and its philosophy, and he talks about what's next in the wiki world.

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Scott Buresh
Which Guarantees Really Matter in SEO

A good guarantee should not only appeal to the base emotion of a potential purchaser but also afford some real protection that the purchase he or she is making will provide meaningful results.

Unfortunately, many of the most popular types of guaranteed SEO do not. Here's what really matters.

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Contact

Publisher:Allen Weiss
amw@MarketingProfs.com

Content: Ann Handley
ann@MarketingProfs.com

Strategy and Development:
Roy Young
roy@MarketingProfs.com

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Val Frazee
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