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If you look at creating an effective presentation as a process rather than as an event, you'll quickly realize that it isn't a Sisyphean task. A process has the advantages of being both learnable and repeatable, so once you master it you can streamline development time and increase the returns. more
In a recent post at the Retail Email blog, Chad White highlights a host of interesting takeaways from this month's Winter Email Insider Summit. Among them are some hot email marketing tactics you may want to consider implementing, such as these: Give email credit where credit is due. "By withholding emails and monitoring sales," ... more
What growth strategy is your sales organization pursuing as the economy begins to show signs of recovery? As the business climate improves, so do the opportunities for shifting from survival mode to growth mode. Frozen budgets are beginning to thaw, and companies are considering to fund projects that were deferred ... more
PayPal made it possible to start an online business that transcends physical boundaries. Square takes that notion a step further, making it easier for you to process credit cards or debit cards wherever you are—right from your mobile phone. Here's how it works: Apply to use Square. The company sends you ... more
The number of leads generated by an outbound-marketing campaign should closely resemble the number of real customer opportunities you have waiting for follow-up, and the type of leads should mirror your ideal customer. As Dom Lindars writes at the Marketbright Blog, "Knowing exactly what you're looking for in a prospect ... more
You wouldn't add random people to your email list without their permission—you know better than that—but perhaps you're willing to take liberties with the email addresses of prominent bloggers like Chris Brogan. After all, you might reason, if he likes what he sees, he might forgive the spam you sent—and share the ... more
If there's anything Second Life has taught us, it's that people like having a place to come back to—a virtual hideaway where you're always well-coiffed and surrounded by friends, and everybody knows your (avatar's) name. Well, here's some good news for mobile marketers: virtual living just got a whole lot ... more
According to DIRECT's Ken Magill, a recent announcement from AOL hints at where Internet service providers' spam-filtering techniques are headed, and "what marketers had better start doing if they want their email lists to continue to perform." Here's the scenario: Until now, senders with consistently low complaint rates earned a coveted ... more
It's become standard fare for software vendors to offer free trials to their prospects when they land on Web pages via search or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. This approach makes sense, since most software packages can't be appreciated fully unless they are experienced first-hand. It's also a super-efficient touch point—one that ... more
You might not have the big-time marketing budget of a major retailer—but as the holiday season peaks, don't forget there's a secret weapon in your arsenal. "Email marketing campaigns are affordable, and can help small retailers to compete with the big boys during this crucial sales period, " says Wendy Lowe ... more
Few companies have been spared the ravages of the recession, but some strategies seem to be working to help small businesses stay afloat. In a recent article at Inc., Elizabeth Wasserman suggests tactics that small retailers might employ to add some ho-ho-ho to the late-holiday sales season—and boost results in the ... more
"Every once in a while," writes Ardath Albee at the Marketing Interactions blog, "I get a bit irked at the irresponsible email practices of companies that play fast and free with their databases." In this case, an email from a marketing solutions company raised her ire by lying to her. Repeatedly. ... more
Marketers need to establish and institutionalize the processes for drawing and communicating Marketing's impact, consistently and repeatedly. That means running with the "big dogs" in Finance, Sales, and the chief executive's seat... and speaking their language, and framing decisions in their terminology. more
Peruse the blogosphere for email marketing guidance, and you'll discover a number of seemingly inviolate dictums—rules that must not be broken if you aspire to a successful email program. But in a post at the Email Marketing Reports blog, Mark Brownlow argues that many "best" practices are in fact simply ... more
"This call may be monitored for training purposes." We've all heard that message, or something similar, when calling for tech support or customer service. Generally, we accept it. But what if your company prefaced its outbound B2B sales calls with that kind of disclaimer? "This call may be recorded for ... more
"Before the current recession," writes Mark Dolliver in an article at Adweek, "popular wisdom said wealthy people tended to be relatively untouched by the ups and downs of the economy and would keep buying high-end products and services no matter what." Well, times have changed. If your business serves the luxury ... more
Business owner Fran Murdy presented all the symptoms of full-blown Search Overload Syndrome (SOS), Microsoft's term coined in its recent commercials for Bing, when he fessed up in a forum discussion not too long ago at InboundMarketing.com: "I'm in desperate need of help to find keywords for my business." Soon afterward, fellow ... more
Few things are as irresistible as a mobile game that lets players rack points up during waiting-room or bus-ride lulls. But if you're a brick-and-mortar shop, or a restaurant, there isn't much incentive for throwing another branded version of Tetris out into the ether. What to do, what to do? Solution: Hook up ... more
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