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Although companies have for years relied on marketing research to better serve customers and identify new markets, the way they are seeking research today has changed. For those of you who (for better or worse) are becoming involved in research requests concerning customer, employee and/or general marketing issues, consider the following primer as a way for you to move through the process more confidently and efficiently.

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Is there a better way to support sales? Is there something you can leave with prospects that's just a bit more memorable—and more effective—than the standard brochure with its forced march through company "visions," product descriptions, and corporate bios? Yes, indeed. Here are eight suggestions, not as comprehensive answers to every sales-communications situation, but as inspiration and provocation for creating material less likely to gather dust—and more likely to draw your company closer to a sale.

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As an alternative to email, RSS is becoming an increasingly important content delivery channel that allows marketers to deliver all of their content, fully upgrade all of their marketing initiatives and establish lasting client relationships. From direct marketing, PR, e-commerce, internal communications and online publishing to SEO, traffic generation and customer relationship management, RSS brings the power of delivery back to the hands of marketers. But most marketers still do not know how to actually get started with RSS, especially when trying to take its power beyond basic blogging. Here's a seven-step plan to help get you started.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Communications

If your sales cycles seem to be dragging, it may be time to revamp your communications plan. Done well, your communications programs can generate demand for your solutions, create a sense of urgency, attract prospective buyers' attention, and keep you high on their radar—all without sales intervention. Your communications program can even encourage prospective buyers to "raise their hands" when they are finally ready to purchase by offering the right enticement. The key is getting the right message to the right person at the right time.

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While business executives quite correctly view that innovation built into new products and services is important, few have understood that the cornerstone of groundbreaking innovation is design. And even more importantly, design encompasses far more than the development of innovative features to products.

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Turning online lookers into buyers takes work. You have to ensure the site is intuitive, in that visitors can find what they want and there's a clear path of for them to follow.

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Link building is arguably the most challenging aspect to search engine optimization. It's anything but straightforward; the process is fraught with landmines; and the outcome is largely outside of your control—since you can't dictate who links to you and who doesn't. Here's where to start.

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Never before in history has such a large demographic group as the Baby Boom generation experienced major life-stage transitions en masse. Now in their 40s and 50s, Boomer women are grappling with one of the most challenging stages they have faced to date: the empty nest. A critical juncture in a mother's lifecycle, the empty-nest phenomenon represents an opportunity for marketers sensitive to the evolving needs, challenges and aspirations of this demographic. Not just a one-time marketing opportunity, the emptying of the family's nest is often a layered experience across the coming of age of several children, and their progressive separation from college to graduation and beyond.

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Media training is hot. With the growing awareness that PR is a potent marketing tool, many companies are using media training to strengthen their communication capabilities. Media training can be a complex, expensive undertaking. But with a little planning, it can make your organization's message clearer and more compelling.

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There has been a flurry of RSS activity in the last two years, including countless startups that are hitting the new technology from every angle. These companies are doing everything they can to get RSS ready for prime time. Unfortunately, it's not quite there yet, but we're getting closer. What will it take to get RSS ready for wholesale embrace?

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Acquiring new customers is the "show biz" side of direct marketing: The budgets are much larger, and you get to be more creative and perhaps use a broader variety of media. There's this problem, though: It costs five times as much to find a new customer as it does to keep an existing one. That's why smart organizations are focusing more of their resources on keeping and growing current customers. The key is to exceed customers' expectations. Here are 10 ways to accomplish that.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

In a world of mental clutter, information anxiety and narrow attention spans, your Web voice could become the next big weapon in Web media presentation and marketing. So how do you effectively implement voice on the Web?

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Marketers are much more aware of the significant opportunity that varying demographic groups present. What's more, they realize that they can no longer afford to neglect the combined buying power of ethnic Americans who, according to estimates, make up $1.3 trillion or 18.5 percent of all US buying. To appeal to these highly lucrative and diverse audiences, marketers are now abandoning traditional mass-marketing practices in favor of laser-focused, multicultural marketing efforts.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

Since its inception, the Do Not Call Registry has had a profound impact on the telemarketing industry, just as it has on individual organizations relying on outbound telemarketing in their marketing strategy. The challenge now facing these businesses is to find creative ways to still make telemarketing work.

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The sound of the human voice is powerful. It connects to a prospect on a whole different level. Online, it breaks through that liquid crystal barrier and says, "Listen to me, I'm here, I'm human, and I have something real to talk to you about." It's time to bring a human voice to your own site.

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Aside from server logs, clickstream tracking and a host of analytics tools, it's necessary to consider customer experience and customer satisfaction. This is the art of peering into the hearts and minds of visitors rather than simply following them around. It's time to ask them for their opinion.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

You're sitting on a hard chair, constantly shifting position, trying to get comfortable. The speaker doesn't keep your mind off your discomfort, since he is reading precisely exactly what's on the slides. Unfortunately, you have to squint to follow along, because he squeezed two pages of content in 10-point type on each slide. Sound familiar? Here's how to avoid the same ol', same ol' boring presentations.

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This is the first in a series of point/counterpoint articles by Bill Babcock and Bill Rozier. Babcock is CEO of a direct and relationship marketing agency. Rozier is on the client side. This week, the pair discuss relevance: How long do you have to convince prospects that your message has importance, value, truth and, most important, personal resonance?

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Savvy marketing professionals understand that sales and marketing must work together to move prospects through the sales pipeline. This is especially important in the complex sale with long decision making cycles and multiple buyers that need to be influenced. The good news is that Web content drives people through and shortens the sales cycle for any product or service—especially complex ones, that have many steps and take months or even years to complete.

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You wouldn't go on a date with the next person that walked through your door, and yet, you have no qualms in accepting any client that comes your way. The result? Your customers will push you around; not pay the invoices on time; and end up being the most pedantic, irritating pests on the planet. The way out is to create barriers. Create a system that filters out customers, before they become headache clients. Here's how.