Most of the discussion around the Brian Solis article on PR has been from each individual's personal perspective, instead of a general discussion of a start-up's strategic marketing plan ( [link] ). Answers to two questions can give some guidance on the best ways start-ups can use PR: Does the business sell products (or services), or is it a free Web site? Does the business provide a truly innovative product or service, or is it a "me too" product that depends on taking market share from existing companies? So, it takes an experienced marketing team to figure out what's best for the company. MORE >>

Marketers are always looking for the next hot technique to get in front of prospective customers, which is why there is a continual shift of ad budgets to all things digital. Unfortunately, many marketers are a still a bit behind in fully understanding how to take advantage of today's digital environment to maximize revenues. First, marketers need to do away with the notion of "getting in front of customers" because it's so easy for prospects to go around marketing messages that block or interrupt their path to satisfaction. sell to). This means collaborating with prospective customers. MORE >>

While the economy in 2009 looks challenging for most companies, the outlook of marketing executives is rather bright and upbeat. Deborah Kania and her team at Brightworks Interactive have just released results of their survey of marketing executives' plans for 2009. The survey covered both B-to-B and B-to-C companies, as well as a mix of large, medium, and small businesses, so the survey results represent a good cross-section of marketers. Marketing Trend #2: Increased use of quality, targeted content (textual and video) that tells a company's story well and engages the prospective customer. MORE >>

While the economy in 2009 looks challenging for most companies, the outlook of marketing executives is rather bright and upbeat. Deborah Kania and her team at Brightworks Interactive have just released results of their survey of marketing executives' plans for 2009. The survey covered both B-to-B and B-to-C companies, as well as a mix of large, medium, and small businesses, so the survey results represent a good cross-section of marketers. Marketing Trend #2: Increased use of quality, targeted content (textual and video) that tells a company's story well and engages the prospective customer. MORE >>

We all know that marketing is a process -- a never ending process of generating awareness, interest, leads and, of course, sales. Periodically we need to step back and review our online marketing strategy to make sure that our day-to-day tactics are the best uses of our resources. Michael Ortner at Capterra has written a short, but very valuable free e-book for online marketers about the best ways to generate traffic, leads, and customers. In short, it outlines the keys to success for any of your online marketing campaigns. 2) How to accurately measure your online campaigns. MORE >>