"Effective one-to-one marketing is more than just email," R.J. Talyor states in an article at MarketingProfs. "[Y]our subscribers and customers aren't always staring at their email inboxes. Rather, they're also posting, texting, watching, commenting, and they step away from the computer sometimes, too." Because of this, he recommends the development ... more

The news is out: consumers are changing their buying—and search—habits. SearchIgnite reports that users are taking longer to make purchase decisions online: the average time between when they click on an ad and convert on a marketer's website increased by 32.4% in Q1 2009 compared with Q1 2008. Ouch. In addition, ... more

Just because an email strategy works for one company—even one very like yours—that doesn't mean it will automatically work for you. "This is due to different cultures and expectations," says Debra Ellis in an article at MarketingProfs. "The only way you will know the best strategy for your organization is ... more

The iPhone and iPod touch positively swept the Engadget Awards, winning Gadget of the Year, Smartphone of the Year, Handheld of the Year, Portable Media Device of the Year, and, finally, a spot in Editors' Choice. So, what's this mean for you? It means you need to be ... more

The best email offer in the world won't accomplish much if it never reaches your intended recipient. Beware:  there are strong forces at work these days trying their best to block your messages! In a recent MarketingProfs article, Debra Ellis discusses three distinct deliverability hurdles faced by today's email marketers. Meet the spaminators: ... more

"We all like the comfort of the crowd," says Mark Brownlow in a post at the Email Marketing Reports blog. "The knowledge that others went here before us tells us we're on the right path." Because of this tendency to trust the wisdom of crowds, he argues, you can encourage opt-ins ... more

When writing copy for email messages, landing pages and a host of product descriptions, marketers need to be more than clear and concise; they must also persuade readers to click through and take action. To help you achieve this goal of engaging—and gently goading—readers, Brian Clark of Copyblogger offers tips like these: Say ... more

While most of the email you send contains stand-alone content, it's worth considering an ongoing campaign that engages your customers with multiple messages. "A series of emails is a great opportunity to build top-of-mind awareness and recall for your brand," says Keri Palasz in a post at the Listrak email ... more

"Trigger-based email is when you email a message to a customer in response to certain [behavior] or preferences," Valerie Khoo reminds us in a post at the Sydney Morning Herald's Enterprise blog. "The email is literally triggered by something the customer says or does, or is based on other information ... more

"OK, so 'digital-or-print' is the new 'paper-or-plastic,'" says Doug Stern in an article at MarketingProfs. "[So, when is it] more appropriate to stick a stamp on [a marketing message] … than hit the Send button?" Before you make your decision, he recommends asking questions like these: What does this customer ... more

Under normal circumstances, Dylan Boyd believes email copy should be clear and concise. He explains his straightforward rationale in a post at the Email Wars blog: "[I]f I get 500-700 emails a day in my inbox, then I need to know WHO, WHAT, WHY and What's in it for me. ... more

"A great way to capitalize on the democratic medium of email is to put your burning questions, late-night hunches, and out-of-the-box ideas to the test with an A/B split test," says Megan Walsh in a post at the Email Experience Council blog. Here's some of her advice for using split ... more

"A good opt-in procedure lays the foundation for a strong email program," writes Loren McDonald in an article at MarketingProfs, "but a well-thought-out series of welcome emails will help turn your newcomer into a long-term subscriber." A proper welcome program speeds up engagement, notes McDonald, and reduces list churn "because ... more

For nonprofits like the Acumen Fund, which uses philanthropic capital to help finance foreign entrepreneurs, the human story is key for capturing the attention of would-be volunteers and investors. Here's how a site redesign helped in a big way. more

"In these stressful economic times, it is more important than ever to build messages that resonate with your audience," says Winston Bowden in an article at MarketingProfs. "Like retailers, nonprofits should be thinking about how they can tell their story and leverage the holiday season." Here's some of his advice ... more

Retailers have been aggressively planning their holiday marketing strategies for months. In these stressful economic times, it is more important than ever to build messages that resonate with your audience. Like retailers, nonprofits should be thinking about how they can tell their story and leverage the holiday season. In this article, ... more

Founded in 1897, the Blue Cross is one of the UK's oldest animal welfare charities. It built an online community of pet owners - then launched a viral campaign, including rich media, that had people flocking to the social network. more

"At some point just about every marketer is bound to look at something that Apple is doing and wish they could have done it for their own brands," says Rohit Bhargava in a post at the Influential Marketing Blog. But, he argues, the company's success relies on more than the ... more

How does a university up its visibility with an increasingly wired target market of both students of alumni? By orchestrating a Web 2.0-focused Web site redesign that set the foundation for an ongoing social media campaign. more

Goodwill Industries receives generous donations of clothing, many in good shape and by popular brands, but is perceived as a purveyor of low-quality, outdated merchandise. With a social-media marketing campaign, the nonprofit was able to change that perception and connect with young professional women who buy vintage clothing. more

One of the more successful tobacco control programs is the "Own Your C" campaign commissioned by the state of Colorado, which has effectively found ways to resonate with this hard-to-reach demographic. more

The MarketingProfs Book Club is back! "Robin Hood Marketing" shows how to sell your cause as successfully as the great marketers of corporate America sell their brands and products. Here's how nonprofits can "steal" tactics from the big brands. more

When the clients of SalesTrac, Inc., were looking for more in-depth consumer insight to determine the effectiveness of their promotional events, SalesTrac seized the opportunity to provide increased value through an all-in-one system that added survey management and real-time reporting of consumer feedback to its services. Check out the results. more

For more than a century, Boston's Museum of Science has depended on government grants and donors to finance its stated goal of encouraging "interest in and further understanding of science and technology and their importance for individuals and for society." The Museum attracts about 1.6 million visitors a year, including ... more

As one of the 4 Ps of marketing, pricing is the most direct way of communicating value to customers. It has the most direct impact on bottom-line performance. At the same time, price as a marketing instrument is tricky. Here's the basics of pricing from both a strategic and tactical ... more