Frontline Perspectives

Most marketers know that having a database is important to their organization’s marketing efforts. But creating one, maintaining it and using it effectively are much easier said than done. To ensure you’re getting the most sales from your lead generation efforts, here are seven tactical things every marketer should do right now with their marketing database…followed by one piece of advice on strategy. Read more »

Last week, while working on a business letter here at MarketSense, we took a step back and asked ourselves if the old letter-writing rules still apply. Sure, a strong headline always adds value, but what about that pesky postscript? Traditionally, business letters mention the call to action three times, including once in the postscript, in hopes that the reader will notice at least one of them. But today, in the interest of brevity, is it better to mention your call to action in the body copy and be done with it?

The answer: It depends. Read more »

The Rolling Stones sang this well.  Life is full of unfulfilled dreams, wants and needs. And many of us get pretty darn crabby about it. For the sales and marketing teams:  “If we only had the resources to develop the website more, or the money to develop an SEM campaign, or hire five new sales people to develop the new verticals we’ve danced around.  And then there’s the video and green room that could take our video platform to a whole new planet.  We could be so much better, only if we hand X, Y, Z…” Read more »

Friday night, I tossed my disposable contact lenses into the trash after realizing I’d been wearing them way longer than the recommended period. When I reached for a new pair in the medicine cabinet the next morning, I came up empty. I’d just bought a year’s supply of lenses with my new, ever-stronger prescription, and they weren’t where I thought they were. Read more »

Gaining a prospect’s trust — and maintaining a customer’s — is key to making sales. But if you’re like a lot of busy marketers, you may be making some common writing mistakes in your various communications. Before long, it can make your company look less than professional … and that can erode your clients’ and prospects’ trust at a time when you need it most.

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We’re in the process of hiring right now, which means I’m spending a fair amount of time reviewing resumes. I’m continually amazed that the majority of people don’t include a cover letter with their resume. And those who do include one have serious grammar, spelling and clarity issues. What this means is that the majority (and I mean more than 75%) of these people have either made very little, or a terrible, first impression. And because of that, they’re not going to get to the interview stage. Read more »

I think every marketing person needs this written on a T-shirt to remind them what their customers are really thinking. Read more »

There’s an old saying that says you should never “assume” anything because it makes an “@$$ out of you and me.” While trite, this is particularly important for us marketing folks to remember. The best copy or the most powerful visuals won’t take the place of really understanding what your target market’s pain points are, and offering the solutions they need. And the best way to know this is to ask. Read more »

The B2B marketplace tends to slow down during the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean you have to postpone your marketing efforts till 2011. Just be sure your communications are purposeful. Here are a few ways to get in front of your prospect or customer one last time this calendar year: Read more »

Business writing is a lot like housebreaking a puppy. I came to this conclusion at four o’clock this morning while standing outside, coaxing my Wheaten Terrier, Red, to do his business. I filed the idea away for later, thinking there’s no way it would make sense during the decent hours of the day, but even now I think there’s something to it. At a basic level, business writing and potty training are both arts of persuasion.

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