MarketingProfs Daily: Sales

Marketing Automation: The Need for a Behavior-Based Program

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Now, more than ever, buyers have more control over the sales cycle. Marketers must therefore evolve with the buying cycle and find new ways to own the early part of the sales process. How? Here are a few steps in the journey toward a buyer-centric marketing automation strategy. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Social Media Lags Search, Email in E-commerce Conversions

Mon, 3 Jun 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Social media is lagging as a traffic source to e-commerce websites and as a driver of online purchases, despite increased brand investment, according to a recent report. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Companies Unaware of Slow Sales Response Times to Online Leads

Thu, 30 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Companies have very optimistic views as to how fast they deal with Web leads--with nearly 25% saying that they respond by phone to online leads within five minutes. However, in reality only 5% actually do respond that quickly, according to a recent study. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

How to Properly Close the Loop... and the Sale

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

First impressions matter a great deal. That's why you need to structure your sales calls to establish rapport and drive toward a sense of trust and camaraderie with your prospects. Here are three tips for success on that first call. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Four Foundational Elements of Marketing Analytics Success

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

A lot of marketing organizations today think that they are on the path to greater insight because they now have analytics technology. The reality is that it takes a significant investment in four foundational areas to ensure analytics success. Here's a look at each area. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

A New Don: How the Sales Profession Has Evolved Since the Mad Men Era [Infographic]

Sat, 11 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

How has the sales profession changed since the martini-soaked Mad Men era? In the following infographic, Lead360 explores how fundamental sales strategies have evolved in the world of sales since the 1960s. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Build a Customer-Centric Marketing Automation Strategy

Wed, 1 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

The if-then logic of the marketing automation process can lead to a snarl of over-communication, with only a loose relevance to the recipient's true interests and needs. It doesn't have to be that way. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Five Compelling Insights From HubSpot's 2013 State of Inbound Marketing Survey

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:00 GMT

The inbound marketing industry, though still emerging, is playing a vital role in how marketers are doing their jobs, although challenges remain, according to the just-released fifth annual State of Inbound Marketing Survey from HubSpot. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

#SocialSkim: Social Media This Week, Including a PowerPoint Alternative

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Find yourself some Yelp killers, LinkedIn stats, a delicious social alternative to PowerPoint, Twitter #ComedyFest, scratch-and-sniff banner ads, and GIFs... for TV! Skim to get caught up on the week's social goings on. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Four Tips for Building Fail-Proof Buyer Personas

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Whether you think it, believe it, or discard it... the truth is that buyer personas are the start of every successful campaign. Every marketer knows that understanding your buyer is key, but every smart marketer knows that standard demographics just won't cut it anymore. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Marketing Training: How to Make E-Learning Effective

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

When the need arises to train a large department within your organization on a new marketing campaign, or you find yourself having to relay crucial marketing information to partners or associates in a short amount of time, traditional e-learning methods just won't cut it. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

The Importance and ROI of Events: Marketers Still Face Challenges

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Even as events remain a vital part of the marketing mix, and a key channel for direct one-to-one customer engagement, marketing executives--lacking visibility into the conversion pipeline--don't have sufficiently effective methods for measuring the impact of events and tradeshows on sales and revenue (and therefore can't prove ROI). Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Why Lead Nurturing Is Like Hosting a Dinner Party (and Nine Ways to Do It Right)

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Lead nurturing and dinner parties require the host (marketer) to build and maintain relationships through conversation, rapport, and trust. And both involve careful planning... Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Three Steps to Using Instagram for E-Commerce (Without Sharing a Single Photo)

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

If Pinterest is great for driving referral traffic, Instagram takes the lead in customer retention and engagement. The practices outlined here are only just starting to spread, and they will continue to do so as more brands adopt Instagram. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Sales and Marketing at War: The Game of Thrones [Infographic]

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Though not competing for the Iron Throne, Sales and Marketing have long warred against one another in struggles worthy of a "Game of Thrones" TV episode. Pardot has mapped out the battle between the House of Sales and the House of Marketing. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Mobile Innovation (Part 3): Innovating Sales Channels Through Mobile

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

As any marketer knows, sales are mission-critical to the success and survival of all companies. But what many a marketer doesn't yet fully understand is how many ways mobile can be wielded to stimulate sales... more so than via any other medium. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

B2Bs Struggling With Online Marketing Mix; Sales Cycle Gets Longer

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:00:00 GMT

US B2B marketers are struggling to optimize their online marketing mix, with many unable to segment and target the right decision-makers or measure program success across the entire marketing funnel, according to the results of a survey developed and fielded by Crain's BtoB magazine and business audience marketing company Bizo. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Connect Customer Experience, Convenience, and Differentiation to Business Results

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Understanding how the customer behavior you can monitor influences the buying process... is key. Here are three areas to monitor and how to tie them to more outcome-based metrics. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Helpful Conversion Optimization Advice From Rich Page: Get Started, Get Results

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Conversion-rate optimization can be intimidating, especially since marketers don't have many sources of clear advice on how to avoid common pitfalls, generate strong ideas, and run tests that get real results. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Omnichannel Loyalty: The New Customer Connection [Infographic]

Sat, 6 Apr 2013 13:00:00 GMT

With omnichannel loyalty, companies engage customers with personalized messages at each touchpoint across various channels; businesses also offer rewards for customers' loyalty, which often results in lifelong brand loyalty. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

The 7 Biggest Misconceptions of Successful B2B Marketing

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

What really drives success in B2B marketing can be hard to decipher. Here are seven misconceptions about what makes for truly successful B2B marketing--and how you can steer your efforts in the right direction. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Half of Financial Advisers Have Used Social Media to Convert Clients

Tue, 2 Apr 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Social media has become an important way for financial advisers to engage with clients and grow their business, according to survey from Accenture: 48% of financial advisers say they interact daily with clients via social media and 74% say social media helps them increase the financial assets under their management. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

The Magic Behind the Curtain: Marketing Automation [Infographic]

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:00:00 GMT

How is marketing automation like the Wizard of Oz? Without being noticed, both work furiously behind the scenes to produce an experience that works like magic. Check out the following infographic to find out just what marketing automation can do for your business. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

The Evolution of Modern Marketing Automation [Infographic]

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:00:00 GMT

To illustrate the technological advancements that changed the course of marketing, Marketo put together the following infographic based on The Definitive Guide to Marketing Automation. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

Grow Revenue With Big Data: Get Sales and Marketing on the Same Page [Infographic]

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 14:00:00 GMT

To meet revenue goals, Sales and Marketing should work together. Unfortunately, they often don't. Why is that? Check out this infographic to learn about reasons for the clash and some ways Marketing can help Sales. Read the full article at MarketingProfs