B2B Marketing Blog
March 2009 Archives

No win, no fee. If you can't stand the heat, get out the kitchen!

March 31, 2009 11:42 AM | By Richard Lloyd
I want to know what others think about lead generation ‘hot’ sales-ready data. We’ve been hit with an increase in calls from businesses demanding data that has been prepared, cooked and served up on a plate, steaming hot. In fact, all ready for them to get sales without having to lift so much as a finger to qualify the prospects themselves.So I’d really love to hear about other people’s experiences of this sea change in B2B marketing.  The simple model of the past – where clients would come to you for a list of names and pay for a straightforward...
3 comments | Full story

Analytics uncovers green shoots

March 31, 2009 9:31 AM | By Iain Lovatt
Clearly it would be foolish to think that marketing budgets have not been affected by the recent downturn or to ignore companies have also had to reduce the headcount within marketing departments. Regardless of these developments however, should we all not be looking forward and stop continually focusing on the negatives? I actually believe that for those companies that remain optimistic and focused, there are still opportunities available. To discover where these lie and how to capitalise on them will be the key to businesses success. The answer to finding these will ultimately be found in the raft of customer...
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Marketing is a science

March 31, 2009 9:15 AM | By Stuart Small
I recently participated at a round table discussion to debate the issues and challenges of the day. One topic area covered the dramatic decline of revenues of our TV and Press media industries. I was asked my opinion on how the digital media market would fare this year, and although it’s hard and dangerous to predict in these extraordinary times I remain bullish for the outlook for both direct marketing in general and digital in particular.Not surprisingly marketers are consistently telling me they need to show tangible ROI for their investments, deliver results quickly and that the plans and finances...
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Analytics uncovers green shoots as not all customers are King

March 30, 2009 4:29 PM | By Iain Lovatt
Carrying on from my last blog I would like to start with the summary that clearly it would be foolish to think that marketing budgets have not been affected by the recent downturn or to ignore companies have also had to reduce the headcount within marketing departments. Regardless of these developments however, should we all not be looking forward and stop continually focusing on the negatives? and we should be focussing our efforts where they are liley to get a bigger and better return. I actually believe that for those companies that remain optimistic and focused, there are still opportunities available....
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Data costs - but can someone tell me how much?

March 25, 2009 11:21 AM | By Richard Lloyd
I’ve been re-reading the replies to Joel’s question on: what factors should B2B marketers consider when seeking to buy data for business marketing campaigns? Should cost per order be the primary concern? As it’s a subject so close to my heart, I thought I’d try to kick-off a new debate – there’s an important discussion that still needs to be had here.What’s blindingly obvious to me, but hasn’t yet come up in the responses, is that there’s a real and, I believe, unacceptable lack of transparency in the industry over how much data should actually cost and what high-quality data...
1 comments | Full story

Customer service doesn't (always) matter

March 19, 2009 10:59 AM | By Andrew Dalglish
I recently visited a major carpet retailer and had perhaps the worst customer experience of my life. I was in a rush…they were just going to finish their coffee. I had found the perfect carpet…they strongly disagreed. I needed the carpet fitted, as soon as possible they might be able to do something in six weeks.  'Vote with your feet', I thought. And I did. I walked down the street to a conveniently placed competitor whose customer service was the polar opposite. 'Outstanding', I thought. Then I walked straight back up the street, swallowed my pride and struck a deal with my tormenter. You see, they had the...
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TFM&A - some like it hot

March 9, 2009 9:18 AM | By Richard Lloyd
Now it’s all over for another year, how was TFM&A for you? I found the show really upbeat, and surprisingly so with a great turn-out in terms of volume and quality of traffic.  With all the recession doom and gloom pundits’ prophesising the end of the marketing world, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that no one would actually turn up.  But they did, and in their droves.  Looking around at all the other exhibitors you really got the feeling that TFM&A did deliver, but for many this success was crucial.  In such a charged and heightened atmosphere the ‘Dunkirk spirit’...
6 comments | Full story

Will email percentages keep your job safe?

March 5, 2009 3:05 PM | By Edward Weatherall
I attended an industry event yesterday where an agency presenting talked about great view and click through rates. This is fine in a room full of marketers and agency folk who made approving noises, but would it have been enough for those outside of marketing who hold the purse strings? Are too many marketers obsessed with the percentages and numbers rather than the actual result? Is a 25% view and 8% click-through rate something that is going to make sure you have a job in 3 months time? Marketers out there need to get serious and understand the value of...
1 comments | Full story

Want to be measurable? Start a blog

March 4, 2009 12:36 PM | By Scot McKee
I recently had ‘a fair and frank exchange of views’ about the relative merits of business blogging. For some inexplicable reason, the woman I was discussing it with remained fixated throughout our conversation on ‘lines’. She wanted to talk about ‘above-the-line activity’ then ‘below-the-line activities’ and then, without respite or reprise, we had to go ‘through-the-line’ as well. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for lines – but at least a decade ago we started applying our devious, wicked and somewhat warped marketing minds to the application of the Internet as a marketing tool. Or was that just me? At...
5 comments | Full story

Is there any point to Twitter?

March 4, 2009 10:41 AM | By Joel Harrison
It’s all ‘Vanessa7’ from Nottingham’s fault. There I was, minding my own business (in a social media sense) when I get an email out of the blue from someone called Vanessa7 inviting me to join Twitter. Obviously I was aware of the hype, but to date had not taken the plunge. But this email intrigued me – you see, I didn’t know anyone called Vanessa... although I had gone to university in Nottingham.So I went online and joined up, set up a profile, uploaded a photo, started ‘tweeting’, as I gather its called. Very quickly, I found a few other...
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Data Q&A: Data management

March 3, 2009 5:51 PM | By Joel Harrison
Data is a company’s best asset, but what is best practice in terms of keeping it fit for purpose? What steps should companies take to maintain its viability? ...
11 comments | Full story
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