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
7 Reasons Banks Fail at B2B Direct Marketing
B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

7 Reasons Banks Fail at B2B Direct Marketing

Banks are spending big money marketing products and services to small businesses via direct mail. Most of these direct marketing campaigns are terrible. Here are seven reasons why so many banks fail at B2B direct marketing and some lessons for your smart marketing strategy.

Read More
Targeted Marketing Gone Wrong: No, I Didn’t Just Have a Baby
Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations

Targeted Marketing Gone Wrong: No, I Didn’t Just Have a Baby

Shutterfly.com made a big mistake with an email campaign. It's a classic reminder of the most fundamental rule of effective direct marketing: It’s all about the list. Here are some tips from Shutterfly’s example for your smart marketing strategy.

Read More
B2B Marketing Strategy: 7 Ways to Sell to Influencers
B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites

B2B Marketing Strategy: 7 Ways to Sell to Influencers

One of the trickiest aspects of business-to-business marketing is selling to influencers – people who are not end-users of a product or service but whose opinions influence the purchasing decision. Here are seven tips for marketing and selling to influencers in a smart B2B marketing strategy.

Read More
6 Reasons to Use Your Own Name in Your Company’s Branding
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

6 Reasons to Use Your Own Name in Your Company’s Branding

Building your company’s brand around your name can be a smart marketing strategy, especially for professional services companies. Here are six reasons why it’s smart to name your company after yourself, three ways it can be problematic, and some tips for branding success.

Read More
Is That Super Bowl Ad a Smart Marketing Strategy?
Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Is That Super Bowl Ad a Smart Marketing Strategy?

The Super Bowl is the most-watched event on live television. Marketers spend millions to buy 30-second ads.But many of those ads will fail. How can you tell if a Super Bowl ad is a smart marketing strategy? Here's an encore post about to evaluate the marketing effectiveness of Super Bowl advertising from my viewpoint as a marketing consultant. I'll be tweeting comments throughout the game; follow me on Twitter: @jeangianfagna

Read More
Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Mocking or Mean? When Ads Go Too Far to Be Funny

One of the most common creative approaches in advertising is making fun of someone or something.When it’s on point, an ad that mocks can engage and entertain. But when it goes too far, it feels mean, casting the marketer in a bad light and unsettling the audience.How do you know when funny goes too far in advertising? Here are five tips for developing a creative approach for your smart marketing strategy that mocks without being mean.

Read More
10 Bad Marketing Habits to Break in the New Year
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites

10 Bad Marketing Habits to Break in the New Year

Even the best marketers can find themselves stuck in bad habits – harmful behaviors that limit the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and waste valuable marketing resources.Like breaking any bad habit, the New Year is a good time to make a fresh start. Here are 10 ways you could be hurting your marketing and recommendations for a better approach from a Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant.

Read More
B2B Marketing, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Websites B2B Marketing, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Websites

7 Smart Reasons to Use Catalogs in B2B Product Marketing

Before the web, marketers of business products relied on direct mail catalogs as their primary selling tools. But now everyone shops online. In a web-based world, do B2B product marketers still need print catalogs? Yes: Here are seven reasons why print catalogs continue to play an essential role in a smart marketing strategy for marketers of business products.

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

Association Membership Marketing: 12 Steps for Success

Member acquisition is a constant challenge and a top priority for most trade associations. Who do you target? How do you reach prospective members? And how do you convince them to join your organization?Here’s how the American Advertising Federation-Cleveland (AAF-CLE) developed a successful membership marketing strategy and campaign that exceeded its goals and laid the foundation for future member acquisition.

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

11 More Timeless Tips for Smart Marketing

How to be a smarter marketer:11 more timeless tips for creating smart marketing strategies from Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant Jean Gianfagna -- part 2 of a 2-part post

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, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Social Media Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Social Media

When Does “Edgy” Marketing Go Over the Edge?

Have you seen the new “Ship My Pants?” ad campaign from Kmart?The TV spot is a viral sensation with nearly 16 million YouTube views. It’s been featured on CNN and The Today Show and it’s everywhere on social media.But just imagine the discussion that took place at Kmart when the company’s ad agency, Draftfcb Chicago, proposed an idea that sounds a lot like what happens when you don’t have time to make it to the bathroom.When is “edgy” marketing over the edge? Would you have said yes to “ship my pants?”Sometimes it's hard to know where to draw the creative line in marketing. Here are 10 tips for your smart marketing strategy.

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