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7 Simple Principles of a Successful B2B Marketing Strategy

Business-to-business marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate to be effective. In fact, the most successful B2B marketing is often based on a simple strategy: Deliver clear, relevant messages consistently well over time to carefully selected prospects. Here are seven principles of a simple but smart B2B marketing strategy....

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How a Sloppy List Can Sabotage Your Email Marketing

Savvy direct marketers know that the list is the most important factor in the success of a direct marketing campaign. That’s why so much time and effort goes into keeping mailing list data current and complete. But too many direct marketers fail to pay this same kind of attention to the cleanliness of their email lists. Case in point: The Wall Street Journal. Here's how a major marketer's poor email list hygiene ruined their promotion, and five lessons you can apply to a smart marketing strategy....

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How to Select a New Logo: A Checklist for Branding Success

If you’re launching a new company, changing your company name, or revamping your brand identity, selecting a new logo will be one of your most important marketing decisions. The logo is the most visible element of your brand identity and the foundation of a smart marketing strategy. A great logo gets attention, sets you apart from competitors, and solidifies your position in the marketplace. A poor logo makes a permanently bad impression on prospects and confuses people about what your brand stands for. Here's a checklist of seven factors to...

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A Direct Mail List Mistake Lives On Forever

Ms. Jean Gianfagna is tired of getting Mr. Gean Gianfagna’s mail. When I started a marketing consulting business in Cleveland in the early 1990s, someone who was compiling a direct mail list of small businesses made a typo in my name. I became Gean Gianfagna on this list and the compiler assumed that I was a man. It’s hard to believe, but nearly 20 years later, I still get direct mail addressed to Mr. Gean Gianfagna. This address has been so wrong for so long that I instantly discard any...

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How to Create a Sales Proposal that Wins the Business

Creating a sales proposal is an essential step in business-to-business (B2B) marketing. It’s also an often-overlooked opportunity to differentiate your company from competitors and make a powerful case for your business. If a request for proposal (RFP) requires you to submit only barebones information, it’s hard to be creative. But when you have the opportunity to develop something exciting, a sales proposal is your chance to shine. Here are 7 tips to make the sales proposal an effective tool in your smart marketing strategy. ...

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Turn Leads into Sales with a Smart Marketing Strategy

The phones are ringing, web traffic is up, and the sales manager is telling everyone you’re a marketing genius. Your business-to-business lead generation campaign is a success! But before you break out the bubbly, remember that getting prospects to express interest in a product or service can be the easy part of business-to-business marketing. Converting those leads to sales is often a lengthy and complex process. Here's how to build a smart marketing strategy that engages B-to-B prospects and gets them to say "yes." ...

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New Benchmarks for Direct Marketing Response Rates: How Do Yours Compare?

The 2010 Response Rate Trends Report is out from the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), and if direct marketing is part of your smart marketing strategy, this report provides valuable response and cost metrics you can use to benchmark the success of your direct marketing campaigns. Here are the key findings. ...

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An E-Z Lesson in Creating Customer Loyalty from E-Z Pass

EZ Pass, the electronic toll collection system, finally has come to the Ohio Turnpike. Since I often drive the turnpike from Cleveland to Toledo, I was eager for EZ Pass to arrive in Ohio, and it was worth the wait. Every time I zip past those poor folks paying tolls with paper tickets and fumbling in their pockets for cash, I feel great about the time I’m saving. E-Z Pass has added huge value to my busy life, and therein lies a lesson for marketers about creating the type of customer...

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Ready for Your Close-up? 7 Tips for Success in the Media Spotlight

It can happen out of the blue, through a lucky coincidence, or because you’ve done something noteworthy to capture the attention of a reporter or news editor. Without much time to prepare, you could find yourself in the media spotlight. Positive media coverage can be an important part of a smart marketing strategy. Here’s how to capitalize on your close-up and achieve success when a media opportunity comes your way. ...

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