7 Ways to Use Your Value Proposition in a Marketing Strategy
B2B Marketing, branding strategy, Content Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, branding strategy, Content Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

7 Ways to Use Your Value Proposition in a Marketing Strategy

Understanding and articulating the unique value your organization delivers to your customers – your value proposition – is crucial for smart marketing. Here are seven ways to use the value proposition insights gleaned from customer interviews in a smart marketing strategy.

Read More
What’s Your Value Proposition? Ask Your Customers
B2B Marketing, Blog, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Blog, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

What’s Your Value Proposition? Ask Your Customers

Understanding the unique value your business delivers to customers is essential for a smart marketing strategy. Yet many businesses struggle to define their value proposition, especially B2B marketers that sell intangible business services.But defining your value proposition is easier than you think: Just ask your customers.In part one of a two-part post, here’s how Cleveland marketing consultant Jean Gianfagna recommends conducting customer interviews to determine a value proposition.

Read More
Marketing Best Practices: Using a CRM System for Marketing
B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

Marketing Best Practices: Using a CRM System for Marketing

A customer relationship management (CRM) system enables you to store, manage, and use your customer and prospect data for sales and marketing. Here are five best practices for using the capabilities of your CRM system in a smart B2B marketing strategy from my experience as a B2B marketing consultant.

Read More
7 Ways Your Best Customers Can Help You Market Your Business
B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

7 Ways Your Best Customers Can Help You Market Your Business

Loyal customers are essential to a successful business. But in addition to helping you reach your sales goals, your best customers can also play a powerful role in a smart marketing strategy. Here are seven ways to capitalize on the value of your best customers in marketing.

Read More
Big News: How to Tell Clients about Changes to Your Business
B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

Big News: How to Tell Clients about Changes to Your Business

At some point, almost every business has important news to share with clients about major changes. Communicating big news is a pivotal moment in the customer relationship and it’s essential to do it right.Here are 12 tips for delivering important news to clients about your business from B2B marketing consultant Jean Gianfagna.

Read More
6 Reasons You Still Need Print in a Smart Marketing Strategy
B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

6 Reasons You Still Need Print in a Smart Marketing Strategy

Do marketers still need printed promotional materials in a tech-driven world? The answer is yes. Here are six reasons why print still packs a punch in a smart marketing strategy.

Read More
7 Reasons Why You (Still) Need a Blog for B2B Marketing
B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Websites B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Websites

7 Reasons Why You (Still) Need a Blog for B2B Marketing

Here are seven reasons why you still need a blog in a smart B2B marketing strategy, plus a compelling B2B blogging success story shared by Rick Short of Indium Corporation at Content Marketing World 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. #CMWorld

Read More
5 New Rules and 5 Proven Principles for Marketing Success
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Social Media Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Social Media

5 New Rules and 5 Proven Principles for Marketing Success

In this new, technology-driven world of marketing, do the proven principles of marketing strategy still apply? Or are there new rules for marketing success? Here are five new marketing rules created by the enormous impact of technology plus five time-tested marketing principles -- and the reasons to consider both in a smart marketing strategy.

Read More
Why It’s a Mistake to Take a Break from Blogging
B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Social Media, Websites B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Social Media, Websites

Why It’s a Mistake to Take a Break from Blogging

If content marketing is part of your smart marketing strategy, consistent blogging is essential. In fact, letting your blog lapse can be a big marketing mistake. How do I know? I just did it. Here’s why a break in blogging can be bad for your business – and five ways to get your blog back on track.

Read More
B2B Marketing Strategy: 10 Goals that Belong in Every Plan
B2B Marketing, CRM, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media B2B Marketing, CRM, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media

B2B Marketing Strategy: 10 Goals that Belong in Every Plan

The most important step in developing a business-to-business marketing strategy is the first one: Setting your goals. Why are you investing in marketing? What do you want that investment to achieve for your business? For B2B marketers, the answer to these questions can be surprisingly straightforward. In fact, in my experience as a B2B marketing consultant, there are 10 critical goals that apply to almost every B2B marketing strategy, whether you’re selling manufactured products, professional services, or commodities. Here are the 10 goals that belong in a smart B2B marketing strategy and why they matter:

Read More
B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

Big Ideas in a Blue Box: A B2B Direct Marketer Gets It Right

Direct mail is a powerful tool in a B2B marketing strategy. Here are 12 lessons for using direct mail effectively in B2B marketing from a campaign by 4imprint, a Wisconsin ad specialties marketer.

Read More
Advertising, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

A Peek Inside the C-Suite: CMOs Re-define Marketing’s Role

Chief marketing officers at top companies are using customer insights and passion to build brand equity and increase the strategic value of marketing within their companies, according to new research by Dr. Rachel Talton, an award-winning marketing and branding consultant, researcher, and author in Cleveland, Ohio. Here’s what Talton has learned about today’s CMOs and some tips for how marketing agencies can help clients create smarter marketing strategies.

Read More
B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media

10 Ways to Start Off on the Right Foot with a New Client

Landing a new client is always great news for business-to-business marketers.But once the celebrating is over, it’s time to get serious. The way you begin a new client relationship can have a big impact on how long you keep the customer.Here are 10 ways to start off on the right foot with a new client in a smart business-to-business marketing strategy.

Read More
Advertising, B2B Marketing, CRM, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, CRM, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites

11 Ideas for Using White Papers in a B2B Marketing Strategy

If you’re a business-to-business (B2B) marketer, white papers can be a powerful way to demonstrate your expertise and differentiate your company from competitors. In part three of a three-part series, here are 11 ideas for using white papers as marketing tactics in a smart B2B marketing strategy.

Read More
B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, CRM, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

How to Create a Great White Paper: 10 Tips for Success

White papers are one of the best ways to market a business or professional services company. But there's more to developing an effective white paper than just writing about what you know. To create a white paper that supports a smart marketing strategy by establishing your credibility as an expert in your marketplace and positioning your company as a preferred solution provider, you need to plan carefully and think strategically. In part two of a three-part blog post, here are 10 tips for creating a great white paper from my experience as a business-to-business marketing consultant.

Read More