Thursday, December 26, 2013

2013 in Review: Multi-Platform, Content Marketing Rule

A marketing review seems in order as 2013 closes, and MarketingProfs shares a convenient Uberflip infographic of some key trends. One takeaway: Content marketing definitely dominates, with 90% of B2C and 93% of B2B marketers using content marketing this year, which is up from 85% in 2012. Marketers are using an average of 12 content tactics -- such as social media, webinars and newsletters -- but watch for videos to blossom further in 2014, since 59% of brands say they would like to share more videos in the next 12 months. Meanwhile, 2013 marked a turning point in terms of multi-platform digital: Now 54% of American consumers use more than one content platform (desktop, smartphone and tablet), up from 10% in 2012. Mobile is clearly a key driver; compare the mobile commerce of $4.7 million in the second quarter of 2013 with the mere $0.6 million in the second quarter of 2010. For more on 2013 marketing landmarks, see
http://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2013/12346/marketing-trends-stats-and-events-that-made-the-news-in-2013-infographic

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Study Shows Outbound Marketing's Continuing Power

Outbound marketing is still a potent lead generator despite today's focus on inbound strategies like social media and SEO. A recent MarketingProfs article highlighted a new survey by DiscoverOrg of 1,000 IT executives at a variety of firms, from Fortune-ranked companies to small and medium-sized businesses. The results may surprise: 60% of the top IT executives said outbound calls or e-mails have led to an IT vendor being evaluated, and 75% said they decided to attend an event or take an appointment after receiving a cold call or e-mail. The article goes on to provide advice on outbound campaigning, including basics such as scripts, incentive offers, and call-to-action landing pages. Outbound touches are inherently personal, so campaigns can rev the impact with pitch personalization, using targeted lists and social media research to turn up personal details. Of course, timing is everything, so cold calls should be placed when they will garner attention without annoying: Morning calls between 8 AM and 9 AM catch folks before they get caught up in the work of the day, while 4 PM to 5 PM calls present your case as the workday is winding down. And don't forget to invest in tracking and database management to measure results for both outbound and inbound efforts! For more, see the article at http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2013/11994/outbound-marketing-strategies-are-still-effective