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You worked hard on developing your strategy and designing great creative. Now you have to go to the CFO and get his approval to start rolling it out. But then he axes 25% out of plan, just because he could. Now you have to spend all night reworking your plan so you can begin executing in the morning. How often do marketers face this dilemma? Too often. Here are four steps that will help you gain approval on your next great strategy.

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Whether you are talking Harry Potter books or more complex products, the timing of release dates can be critical to your success—especially if those products or bundled services are being sold to businesses instead of consumers. So when do you announce a new product's release? See what readers have to say.

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Have you ever wondered why a competitor whose product isn't as good as yours always seems to outsell you? It's because either deliberately or by accident, they've discovered an opportunity gap that gives them a powerful competitive advantage. You could easily make up this lost ground by finding your own opportunity gaps that would allow you to capture far greater market share.

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Despite this age of information overload, buyers still need information to help them make the right choices. By incorporating some of these tips, you and your marketing staff can produce pieces that will stand out from your competition's—and guide the buyer to the close of the sale.

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You've probably already had dozens of reasons and seasons to create the accidental evangelist. And yes, you can play Santa in July, if only you'd listen. Here's how to recognize those "accidental" opportunities.

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It helps to define what "branding" is. Start here: A brand is like a person. And like a person, brands have relationships, and these relationships evolve, for better or worse, over time, and need to be constantly nurtured.

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This is an open letter to major advertisers and marketers from one of your own ranks who is also (like us all) a consumer. The author is unhappy, worn out, and ill-tempered. When you think of him from this point forward, he says, hear the words "diminishing returns."

CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: Writing

Content management has been a fuzzy, poorly respected discipline within many organizations. Its related discipline, communications, is often seen as peripheral and non-strategic. But the truth is, there are quantifiable benefits that a quality public Web site or intranet can deliver.

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Sometimes genius comes in the form of amazing innovation. Other times, genius is right under our noses—ripe for the picking. You just have to look.

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Having greatly benefited from my relationship with Google in the past several years, the author dedicated this article to the search engine superstar. Their friendship hasn't always been rosy. He got to know Google several years back, when it was just a small fish in a big pond. He started to analyze its every move and realized that Google is a fickle, clever and extremely mysterious being. Here are a few things he learned along the way.

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You can think of the case study as a cross between the testimonial and the business article. Like the testimonial, the case study features a satisfied customer who "speaks" on your behalf. Like the article, it's structured dramatically, with a clear beginning, middle and end, and holds your audience's attention through the tension of conflict and the anticipation of resolution.

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Read your ideas to solve this week's marketing challenge: What's the best way to educate clients about the sales process? Also this week, what strategies do you take to bring a new product to the marketplace? Add your own two cents.

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We use the word love a lot when it comes to our favorite brands. Similarly, talk about emotions and successful brands is music to the ears of career-minded professionals who want to get ahead. If it's the emotional brand attributes that are so critical to loyalty, then who better to build this type of loyalty than human beings? We too must inspire loyalty beyond reason if we want to be in control of our careers.

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Imagine a world where video, photography, text and music are all available from any device that can connect to the Internet at any time. Whether you're using your computer, iPod, television or mobile phone, you will have the information you need and the diversion you want. Such a fantasy world is closer than you think.

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Is it time for your company to jump on the in-house bandwagon? Managing a successful paid and organic SEO campaign takes a dedicated staff, a savvy SEO plan and the time to make it happen. If your company is sitting on the in-house versus outsourcing fence, here are some tips to help you decide. Get the full story.

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Few people would argue that a pilot should give up his preflight procedure in favor of a creative session. But there are those who argue that marketing professionals should always start from scratch and make their own mistakes, even if the exact same mistakes have been made a thousand times before. Why? Get the full story.

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How can marketers write "human" email messages, that truly speak to the hearts and souls of your clients? The first step is to figure out a way, by hook or by crook, to say something. Get the full story.

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In his new book, According to Kotler, Phil Kotler gives a summary of the key principles of marketing and how they relate to current events such as corporate accounting scandals, outsourcing, globalization, warehouse shopping and online marketing. Here is an excerpt of it, based on the thousands of questions Kotler has been asked over the years by clients, students, business audiences, and journalists. Get the full story.

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From Sales: "We need a robust set of customers for references!" From an executive: "I've got to have a customer join me for this speaking engagement!" From the new head of Marketing: "We've got to have higher-impact customer content!" Sound familiar? In the day-to-day scramble to satisfy tactical stakeholder demands, you must set aside time to focus on activities that build a successful customer program. Get the full story.

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What's wrong with most blogs? They're too chatty. Too rambling. They lack passion. If you're going to blog, become an expert on something. This is especially important for blogging in the business world. Think content, not rambling comment. Get the full story.