As social networking channels gain more and more momentum, there's a good chance you've seen a serious uptick in new inbound leads. "[W]hat happens once you get them?" asks Sammy James at MarketingProfs. "Do your lead-response efforts take advantage of your lead flow? Could your lead-conversion rates use a boost?" ... more

No matter who your customers are or what they desire, 13 human motivators, or "hot buttons," are ultimately responsible for driving sales. To boost sales, learn which motivators and human desires to tap into—and when. more

Customers today are actively engaged buyers, so your approach to the sales and marketing pipeline must evolve. Learn six revised stages for implementing and measuring Marketing's contribution to the pipeline. more

Effectively managing sales leads today is tricky, but not if you understand the problems between Marketing and Sales. Learn which four lead-management strategies could be hindering your success. more

There's more to social networking than just chatting online. Sometimes, you'll want to actively promote your great work live—all while courting new clients and making useful new contacts! Andy Lopata provides tips for launching a successful social business event without breaking the bank or encountering unpleasant surprises along the way. Get ... more

Informative and persuasive sales letters might be difficult to write—but they can pay off big time. Learn five tips for writing engaging, informative, and concise sales letters that'll produce results. more

Though 88% of B2B companies say they understand their target audiences at least moderately well, they still struggle to translate that understanding into new business leads via their corporate websites, according to a new study by Demandbase and Focus. more

To significantly boost sales, you've got to understand base sales drivers and marketing's impact on them. Learn from examples that illustrate how factor analysis can help you yield consistently high ROI. more

Though overall global marketing budgets in the tech sector are increasing 3.5% in 2011, they are not keeping pace with annual revenues in the sector, which are expected to grow 6.5% over 2010 levels, according to a report by IDC. more

"Many have pronounced tradeshow marketing dead," writes Bob Hebeisen at MarketingProfs. "But with the right strategy, hard work, and flawless execution, tradeshows can still be a productive part of your marketing plan." To make the most of your lead-generating budget, he suggests a twelve-step process that takes you from pre-show ... more

Both face-to-face and virtual marketing are essential components of any company's communications strategy. Learn the benefits of both approaches and how they can be combined to maximize return on investment. more

Effective B2B lead generation, lead qualification, and lead nurturing programs are built on a rock-solid messaging platform—your offer. The most important aspect of a great offer is a deep understanding of what motivates potential buyers. more

Raw leads are neutral entities at first, but you can turn them into real prospects. Learn how to qualify those with high-value potential and move them to closed-deal status. more

Buyers are now driving the buy/sell process once controlled by field sales, causing sales teams to miss their targets. But high-volume lead generation won't help. Here's why a "less is more" approach is the answer. more

"Some people would say that nurturing is based on a marketer's goal such as building brand awareness or your company's reputation for thought leadership," writes Ardath Albee at Marketing Interactions. "I say those are integral parts of lead nurturing but that neither is valid as a standalone goal." In other words, ... more

The key to achieving high rankings in search and creating buzz in social media is solid content. Fortunately, the Web provides free marketing data that can help you create relevant subject matter and learn about your customers. more

B2B marketers who describe their organizations as "highly effective and efficient" are more likely than other marketers to measure the ROI of their marketing campaigns and report stronger growth than their competitors, according to a study by The Lenskold Group and The Pedowitz Group. more

Up until the mid '80s and early '90s, salespersons held most of the trump cards. To make decisions, buyers had to rely on the information that sellers brought to the table. But the buying/selling process has changed. more

We all know it: Content rules in today's digital marketplace. Prospects expect to find information about any product or service that strikes their fancy—in a matter of seconds. As a result, the function of the salesperson in this "content-driven environment" has "changed dramatically," John Jatsch writes in an article at ... more

One of those reassuring little white lies we tell ourselves as marketers is this: People make linear decisions. It's simpler to draw straight lines about people's behavior, so to date we have typically pushed people through carefully scripted marketing processes. But, especially today, it just ain't so. more

Right now, in countless corporate conference rooms, otherwise productive professionals are quietly snoring during yet another PowerPoint presentation. Such presentations are costly, ineffective, and distracting. more

A customized prospecting list is a great resource for your cold calling, direct mail, and email marketing efforts. If you prefer to "do it yourself," here are nine steps for building a free B2B marketing database for your outbound marketing campaigns. more

Though word-of-mouth recommendations still have the greatest influence on purchasing decisions among small and medium-sized businesses, online forums and blogs play a huge role in the process, too—and a more influential one than advertisements or consultations with salespeople, according to a new survey from Ivy Worldwide. more

Many companies have referral programs, but how many can say theirs converts at about three times the rate of other online campaigns and brings in over 500 product sales each month? Learn how one company did just that. more

One-to-one marketing is time-consuming, but as any sales professional can tell you, the personal touch—communicating directly with the decision maker—can be very effective. more