How to Create a “Drip” Direct Marketing Campaign
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

How to Create a “Drip” Direct Marketing Campaign

"Drip" direct marketing can be a smart marketing strategy for business-to-business (B2B) marketers. Here’s why drip marketing works and how to create a drip direct marketing campaign, from Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant and strategist Jean Gianfagna.

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How Your Employees’ Public Behavior Can Damage Your Brand
B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations

How Your Employees’ Public Behavior Can Damage Your Brand

Marketers spend a lot of time and money building their brands. But nothing can hurt a brand faster than bad behavior by a company’s employees in public. Here’s why your employees’ behavior outside the workplace is an important factor in a smart marketing strategy – and how easily employees can hurt your brand and your business.

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How to Change Your Organization’s Name: A Marketer’s Guide
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Websites

How to Change Your Organization’s Name: A Marketer’s Guide

An identity change is a major undertaking with enormous marketing implications for any business. Where do you start? How do you do it? And how do you avoid mistakes? Here are the steps of planning a name change and selecting a new name for your organization.

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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.

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The Ultimate B2B Content Marketing Tactic? Publish a Book
B2B Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy

The Ultimate B2B Content Marketing Tactic? Publish a Book

If you’re a B2B marketer and an expert in your field, there’s a content marketing tactic you should seriously consider: Writing a book. Here’s what makes a book such a powerful element of a smart marketing strategy, as shared by an expert at Content Marketing World in Cleveland, Ohio.

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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

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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.

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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.

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6 Marketing Lessons I Learned as the Mother of the Bride
Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

6 Marketing Lessons I Learned as the Mother of the Bride

Brides are spending big money on weddings. According to the Wedding Report, the cost of an average wedding in the U.S. is $25,200. Market research firm IBISWorld estimates that the U.S. wedding industry has grown to $55 billion in annual sales.That’s a lot of cake, tulle, and flowers – and as the mother of the bride, I can tell you from personal experience that it’s also a fascinating example of what works (or doesn’t work) in sales and marketing. Here are six lessons for your smart marketing strategy that I learned as the mother of the bride.

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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 marketing nirvana for advertisers. Not only is it the most-viewed TV program of the year, but viewers are almost as interested in the ads as the game. But how do you know if a Super Bowl ad will be a winner -- and a smart marketing strategy? Here's my annual guide for how to evaluate the marketing effectiveness of Super Bowl advertising.

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Sales Pitch Fails: 7 Errors to Avoid in Your Next Presentation
B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

Sales Pitch Fails: 7 Errors to Avoid in Your Next Presentation

You’re about to make a sales presentation to a prospective customer. You have the right experience, the right products and services, and competitive pricing. You’re an ideal fit for the customer’s needs. This should be a winning sales formula. But too often, it isn’t, because vendors make dumb mistakes during presentations that cost them the business. Here are seven things NOT to do when making a sales pitch to a prospect.

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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