Search Our Marketing Resources

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Most marketers have heard by now of the kerfuffle about an internal memo, leaked through a popular Starbucks fan blogsite, penned by Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz. The blogosphere is abuzz with the come-to-Jesus nature of Schultz's revelation that Starbucks may have lost its mystique. So what's next for the brand?

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Marketing operations enables an organization to run the marketing function as a fully accountable business. Marketing operations is about performance, financial management, strategic planning, marketing resource, and skills assessment and management. If you are considering developing a marketing operations function, this article outlines some the five primary responsibilities.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

An annual review of your brand can take several forms. The full-blown brand audit, in many cases, is complete overkill. Unless there are obvious signs that your brand is under performing, a quick checkup will likely suffice.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Most of us dread unproductive business meetings. Here's several ways to improve their efficiency and usefulness.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

"Text mining" enables a company to harvest and analyze the array of unstructured textual information available to it. Early-adopter organizations in industries such as consumer goods, healthcare/pharmaceutical, retail, hospitality, and government are already successfully leveraging the practice to get closer to their customers—and add distance between themselves and their competition.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Women love fashion. But fashion doesn't love them. Not real women, at least. Most women aren't supermodels—in fact, the average American woman is 5'4", weighs 140 lbs., and wears a size 14. So most American women find the fashion industry a bit out of touch. Who is in touch with the millions of American women with billions of dollars to spend? Savvy companies like Target, Chico's, and J.C. Penney, that's who.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Getting your site to rank high in the search engine results and getting searchers to click through to your site are among the foremost objectives of B2B search engine optimization. But that's just the beginning. You still have to turn the visitor into a customer or client.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

It's the first week of the quarter. You're on deadline to get new programs and sales tools in gear. Meanwhile, the sales team is having its kickoff—and changing the success criteria for your lead machine! They're not deliberately changing the game on you. They're in "New Quarter's Resolutions" mode. If they made goal last quarter, their quotas are higher. If they didn't, they're in the hot seat. Either way, they're re-evaluating and retooling the sales model—and now your carefully planned lead-generation programs are out of alignment.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

There are many market research firms out there, from tiny consulting firms to huge multinational corporations. With all those choices, how do you find one that will best fit your company's needs? Don't be intimidated. Be inquisitive. Ask these four questions of your next research supplier.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Case studies are like condensed action films—full of characters, plot, and conflict—in which, thanks to your help, the clients get what they want. Part of a case study's persuasive power comes from its energy. It should be exciting to tell and hear. Many of us, though, bore with ours. The reason? We use the standard problem-solution-result formula—and fumble "the solution" part.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

This week: Do you compensate a sales team on gross sales or gross profit for services? See if you agree with our experts. Coming up: Hate meetings? How can you make them productive? Add your two pesos.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

A lump of coal in your Christmas stocking—that's what the most recent holiday mailing you managed may have felt like. So while the pain and memory are relatively fresh, let's take a look at some smarter ways to get out a holiday mailing, assuming that angst of holiday mailings is a fact of life for most businesses.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Google's search engine is a widely used tool for locating information or items on the Internet. On any given search, in mere seconds it offers up a vast set of relevant links for the user to sift through. A new environment termed "Virtual Worlds" has created a similar challenge—finding a vast range of items in a timely manner.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Attending networking events can be frustrating and ultimately a waste of time for many business owners and professionals. Here are three ways to make them pay off for you.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Marketers can no longer rely on only quantitative data to address an issue. Qualitative tools, such as advanced video analytics and "day-in-the-life" sketches, are needed to unearth the deeper insights—the where, when, and how much—to make decisions that stick.

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: None

Tradeshows can be one of the most expensive forms of marketing. Paying to act as an event sponsor (complete with a booth and travel for employees) often runs into the tens of thousands of dollars. But there are options to tradeshow sponsorships that will still get you out in front of the same prospects, but cost much less and provide more value.