Whether your new-business prospecting list is purchased or homegrown, your business can improve sales 100% or more. The key isn't just about how companies effectively work the phone but, rather, how they work the list. more

After several years of making cuts, B2B marketing leaders are increasing their budgets 6.7% in 2011 over 2010 levels, with tech-services companies driving much of the expansion, according to a report by Forrester Research. more

Dealing with prospective clients, including the inconsiderate ones, is just part of the job for many of us. Fortunately, you can make the experience a little less frustrating and time-consuming. Here are a few tips I've picked up. more

Nearly one in four visitors to B2B websites referred by LinkedIn are enterprise visitors—those arriving at sites via corporate IP addresses—according to a report by LeadFormix. Among such leads, those referred by LinkedIn "groups" are the most likely to complete a form-fill, or convert. more

Like a good meal with good friends, great presentations encourage sharing, interaction, and conversation. So sharpen your knives, oil your pans, and think like a top chef preparing a meal that will stimulate the senses, invite conversation, and demand involvement. more

One out of ten presentations is now viewed via mobile device, up 640% over 2010 levels, with Apple devices the top choice for viewing such presentations, according to a report by SlideRocket. more

"A drip campaign is a series of emails that are sent in a specific order at predefined intervals," writes Liz McInnis at BuyerZone. You might use campaigns to educate, nurture new leads or cross-sell to customers. Whatever your goal, her bits of advice, like the following, are likely to be ... more

Sales letters are powerful selling tools. They are a simple, direct way to generate sales leads and orders. But for many businesspeople, they present a daunting writing challenge. Use these 10 tips to write a winning sales letter. more

When I saw this ad, I thought it was a joke. A parody, a satire, a lampoon... anything but what it really is—totally legit and serious. If ever there was a marketing message completely unaware of the modern zeitgeist (and offensive), this ad is it! Here's what not to do ... more

How do customer service champs maintain their loyal following? Three key speakers at this week's annual Customer Experience Leadership conference preview their talks and share best-practices on customer-centric cultures. more

Market research surveys, though expensive and out of reach for many, have been around for ages. But there is now a revolution brewing in MR that makes it something even the smaller players can fully participate in. more

Does your business spend time and money generating leads that languish neglected in a pipeline? "The industry wide statistic of 70% of leads never receiving effective sales follow-up is astounding," writes Maria Pergolino at Marketo. "With the mass amount of resources devoted to lead generation, the act of following up ... more

In a post at the Lunch Pail blog, bride-to-be Casey Barto recounts a visit to a bridal expo. "On the day of the show with pen in hand, I scribbled my email address and name on the contact lists of vendors who interested me most," she says. What happened next ... more

With sales growth the biggest challenge for business leaders in 2011, many say they are planning to deploy cloud technologies this year, hoping to shorten sales cycles and acquire new business, according to a survey from Hatsize. more

So far in our crash course on conversion, we covered the economics of conversion, why homepages aren't the best way to get results, and how to effectively use landing pages and calls to action to boost conversion. Our final installment covers page optimization and testing. more

Previously in our five-day crash course on conversion, we covered why homepages aren't the best choice for conversion success. Now, learn the five benefits of landing pages—and how to keep ad-to-page message alignment. more

In part three of our five-day crash course on conversion, you'll learn why your homepage is likely not the right choice for conversion success—and four reasons why you might want to forego using it as your landing page. more

Mobile Web traffic to high-traffic e-commerce sites grew more than 300% during the 2010 online holiday shopping season over levels registered during the same period a year earlier, according to a report by Conductor. more

How do people convert? In simple terms, they interact at a designated conversion point. They do this—and are triggered to do this—by a call to action. In part two of our five-day crash course in conversion, learn how to effectively use a call to action. more

Conversion is the mechanism and process of pouring targeted consumers into, through, and out the other side of the marketing funnel. That is the essence of "Clicking Me Softly." Convince, don't coerce. Guide, don't deceive. In day one of this crash course, we'll explore the economics of conversion. more

Rebalancing your marketing investments is the way to sustainable, predictable, and profitable growth. That's why it's crucial to analyze where your budgets are going and identify where the biggest returns on spend are. more

With Valentine's Day here, I'm reminded that marketing is like dating. You have to attract leads and differentiate yourself from the competition. Steer clear of these five mistakes, and build long-term relationships with your customers. more

It's that time of year again. Valentine's Day is looming, and you're still alone. But are you marketing yourself well enough? Make these simple tweaks to any website—including your online dating profile—to improve success. more

Any successful B2B marketing strategy "involves the integration of email marketing," Maria Pergolino asserts in a post at the Marketo blog. Whether designed for lead generation or nurturing leads and repeat buyers, carefully crafted email campaigns and messages can still achieve optimal results, she notes. To help B2B marketers keep email as a ... more

Tradeshows remain one of the most effective ways to market your brand. But it's essential to understand who your key targets are—and aren't. Implementing a well-thought-out engagement strategy will lead to qualified customers and increased event ROI. more