How to Leverage LinkedIn for Lead Generation and Recruitment
Though it might lack the flair its younger siblings on social possess (Facebook, Twitter, et al.), LinkedIn remains the great stalwart of professional networks, regularly attracting some 81% of today’s B2B marketers (“How B2B Marketers Use Social Now,” Zachary Reiss-Davis, Forrester Research). The site has also made strides as a content hub, becoming in the […]
So, The Underdog is on Top Now?
Yesterday’s release of Forrester Research, Inc.’s report: “The Forrester Wave™: Lead-to-Revenue Management Platform Vendors, Q1 2014” is, in our opinion, an amazing milestone for this company – an objective validation of our status as a true leader in marketing automation. A “Forrester Wave™” is a meticulously researched evaluation of vendors in a software, hardware, or […]
Diversity: A Strategic Business Issue
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” Today is our national day to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He’s one of our country’s most inspiring heroes. He had vision and moral courage, and a rhetorical eloquence that held audiences spellbound. He spoke truth…to power, and to […]
Google Authorship 101
Because virtually all consumers do some amount of online research before making a purchase or visiting a store, and because the search engine of choice is Google most of the time, it’s simply crucial for marketers to understand ways to optimize Google performance. First, a bit of context: Search engine optimization, or SEO, is key […]
How to Win (Social) Friends & Influencers
As third-party review sites like Quora and Yelp come to play outsized roles in the brand-building process, and reviews figure into Google+, LinkedIn and other forums, it’s well worth marketers’ time to consider the influence today’s buyers wield online. You look really good when people who don’t even work for your company are talking you […]
2013 Roundup of Marketing Miscellany
Every day the inbox brings a flood of predictions for 2014 and best-of-2013 collections. We’ve grabbed a smattering of examples.
4 Tips for Maximizing Advocacy
One of the most effective ways to capitalize on these opportunities is to ensure that your best customers are also your brand advocates.
Inside Sales: The Rise of the Machines
On December 10th, TIME Magazine’s website published a story by Zeke Miller and Denver Nicks titled “Meet the Robot Telemarketer Who Denies She’s A Robot.” It all began when TIME Washington Bureau Chief Michael Scherer got a phone call from a pleasant woman offering a deal on health insurance. Scherer sniffed out that something wasn’t […]
3 Ways Online Marketing Forms Drive Conversions
It’s critical to use online marketing forms well. They are the one place on your website where you have the chance to capture contact data that a prospect willingly provides, in essence giving you permission to market to them. Of course, this works only if you offer something of value, such as access to an […]
The Gift of the Magi
They used to say “All roads lead to Rome.” In today’s politically correct climate, it’s bad manners to imbue holiday greetings with any sort of religious sentiment, unless you can be certain of being inclusive. But the one common denominator that applies across all religions (and non-religions, if that term applies) is love…that simple, complicated, […]
Peace on Earth, Good Will to All: Happy Holidays from Act-On!
Gentle Reader, we wish you a happy season, and a wonderful: Solstice, Hanukkah, Advent, Christmas, Kwanzaa, St. Nicholas Day, Epiphany, Bodhi Day, Las Posadas, Wigilia, Boxing Day, Saint Lucy’s Day, Chalica, Yule, Soyal, Yalda, Saturnalia, Pancha Ganapati, Dōngzhì, or Saint Stephen‘s Day. Herewith, a scattering of Act-On employees tell us a few of their favorite […]
Congratulations, Oracle & Responsys!
With the acquisition of Responsys, Oracle now has legitimate solutions for every stage of the complete customer lifecycle (B2B and B2C marketing, sales, support, and last but not least, billing & accounting). Oracle has long owned the enterprise back office. Now, they are signaling that they plan to own the enterprise front-office as well. This […]
Why Advocate Marketing Should Be Part of Your Lead Generation Strategy – Part 2 of 2
In our last post, we discussed what advocate marketing is, why it works and why marketers love it. Now let’s dive into how to motivate your advocates and keep them engaged for the long-term. Motivating through value and needs Let’s be honest. Happy customers will spread the word without much nudging. But you often can’t […]
Why Advocate Marketing Should Be Part of Your Lead Generation Strategy – Part I of 2
As sales prospects rely more on word of mouth, they’re quickly shifting the way business buying decisions are made. And smart B2B marketers are leveraging this customer influence to the max to drive and nurture leads. How are they doing this? With advocate marketing. If you’ve heard about it but aren’t sure how it works, […]
B2B Webinar: Why Customer Retention Matters More Than Acquisition
Until recently, B2B marketing has been all about the leads. Finding them. Qualifying them. Shipping them to sales (and hopefully converting them). Wash, rinse, repeat. Today, things have changed. To be sure, customer acquisition is still important. But just as important – arguably more important – is how customers are treated once they become … […]
Lead Lizard Breaks Down the Buyer Persona for More Effective Lead Nurturing
Learn how to map your nurturing process by tracking buyer personas to the stages of the buyer’s journey.
5 Ways to Promote Your Webinar
When you were a little kid, did you and your friends ever put on a show? Figure out a routine to perform or joke to tell or song to sing? Then build a stage and make some costumes – all for the thrill of performing in front of an audience? Did anybody come other than […]
Nurturing Relationships In A Long Sales Cycle
Here is the shortest sales cycle I can think of: You’re driving along a country road. You come to a small town. You park outside the antique shop you came to see, and browse its wares. When you walk outside you smell something delicious, and realize you’re hungry. You step next door into Red’s Pizza […]
Instagram for Marketing: Examples We Like
While it’s safe to say that Instagram isn’t for all businesses – and best practices say that you shouldn’t clog up your website with a dozen widgets leading to all sorts of social media sites – Instagram does have a place in marketing for certain types of companies. Plenty of big-name B2C and B2B companies […]