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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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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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

More than Swag: Why Branded Premiums are Smart Marketing

Branded premiums and promotional products can be an extremely effective tactic in a smart marketing strategy, especially for business-to-business (B2B) marketers. Here’s why you should be using branded premiums and seven tips for selecting a premium for your business.

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

10 New Year’s Resolutions for Smart Marketers

At the beginning of a new year, most of us will resolve to live healthier lives and clean out our closets.New Year’s resolutions also can extend to marketing – and many smart marketers use the turning of the calendar page to make some long-overdue changes to their marketing strategies.Here are 10 resolutions to make your marketing more effective in the New Year.

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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.

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B2B Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Websites B2B Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Websites

Getting Started with B2B Marketing: The First 5 Steps

Companies that sell to businesses often rely on referrals to find new customers.But the day may come when referrals aren’t enough. New competitors, new technologies, new types of customers, or new sales territories can create new challenges for your business. To achieve your goals – and capitalize on your opportunities – you need marketing.If you’ve relied primarily on word of mouth to promote your business and you haven’t done much marketing, where do you begin?Here’s advice on the first five things to do to create a smart business-to-business (B2B) marketing strategy.

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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.

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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.

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B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

How to Create a White Paper to Market Your Business, Part 1

If you market to business decision-makers, there’s a powerful marketing tool that can help you stand out from competitors and demonstrate your expertise: A white paper.Part 1 of a three-part blog post explains why white papers are so effective in business-to-business marketing and how to create a high-impact white paper for your smart marketing strategy.

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