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....
View MoreBuilding 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....
View MoreContent marketing is essential to every smart marketing strategy. But what exactly is content marketing? And how do you do it right? The world’s expert on content marketing is right here in Cleveland: Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute, publisher of Chief Content Officer, noted author of a new book, and the genius behind Content Marketing World, the biggest global conference for content marketing practitioners. Pulizzi shared tangible steps to take in 2014 with content marketing at a recent meeting of the American Advertising Federation-Cleveland. Here’s what he had to...
View Moreven 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....
View MoreDan Malley is a third-generation chocolatier in Cleveland, Ohio with 21 bright pink and green retail candy stores across the region. He’s also one of the area’s most creative marketers. Here’s how a savvy retailer in Cleveland consistently comes up with fresh ideas for a smart marketing strategy....
View MoreBefore 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....
View MoreWhen business is good and sales are going well, it’s easy to get complacent about marketing. After all, if it ain’t broke, do you really need to fix it? Yes, you do. Complacency in marketing can be a costly mistake. Markets, competitors, and channels change fast. If you’re not keeping pace, you can fall a step behind. Sooner or later, your bottom line will show it. Here are 10 signs it’s time to give your marketing strategy a jolt: Looking dowdy at the tradeshow: Tradeshows are like a marketing face-off with your...
View MoreHow 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...
View MoreDirect 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....
View MoreHave you or your business won an award? Congratulations! Once you’ve toasted to your success, it’s time to capitalize on your honor to promote your business. Here are 13 ideas for showcasing business awards in a smart marketing strategy. Why Awards are Great for Marketing Awards offer your business powerful marketing advantages. Winning an award enables you to: Stand apart from your competitors; Position your company as tops in your field; Instill pride in your staff; Spotlight your staff’s capabilities and achievements; Remind clients and prospects of your commitment to excellence; Generate positive...
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