I wanted to be sure to let you know that MarketingSherpa is gathering content for its seventh annual “wisdom report.” It’s a great opportunity for you to share your top 2008 story – and get back lessons learned from colleagues worldwide. Marketing Wisdom from the Field Report” will be published in January and distributed free to all MarketingSherpa readers. Here are a few suggestions for ‘wisdom’ stories: -Test campaign that worked better (or worse) than anticipated. Deadline for quotes for the ‘wisdom report’ is December 31. Here’s the link: [link MORE >>

Discovering and knowing what really works and what doesn’t for lead generation is essential for every marketer. The best way to discover this is through the process of testing. Personally, I’ve met only a handful of B2B marketers who are consistently testing their offers to optimize them and generate leads more effectively. think this is due to two things: the first is time (because marketers want to get their campaigns out there), and the second is knowledge of testing methods. MORE >>

Should you write a blog exclusively for search engine visibility? Business blogs can offer little-known companies name recognition, and the chance to boost traffic and generate leads well beyond what they'd get if they were simply offering a list of goods and services for sale on their website. Now it's pretty common advice to hear: launch a blog because the content will attract links and improve your search engine rank. Lee Odden over at the Online Marketing Blog shares a helpful perspective on why blogs written solely for SEO objectives will inevitably fail. MORE >>

I had a great time doing my webinar on putting the human touch into lead generation sponsored by Citrix Online and we had almost 1600 people register. In my presentation I emphasized how lead nurturing is about timing, consistency and relevance. Today (which happens to be my 38th birthday) I got this email with a personal video from Gary Anderson, CEO of NetBriefings. wanted to share this with you because I think it is a great example of lead nurturing by combining the human touch and timing in a personal and relevant way that connected with their business value proposition. You deserve it!! MORE >>

There are numerous tactics for generating leads these days - everything from the traditional email or phone call to the explosively popular social media craze. However, the real challenge is not necessarily in generating leads, but more in truly connecting with them. It doesn't matter how many leads you generate if they aren't willing to listen to what you have to say next. You need to develop and then engage in memorable and relevant conversations with prospects. You need to position your company as a thought leader and solution provider that understands your prospect's needs. PST)/ 2 p.m. MORE >>