One of the themes for marketers in 2009 is “doing more with less”. It’s at times like this when you need a bounce in your step and powerful tools that will make it easy to keep you engaged with customers and prospects but allow you to leave work at a reasonable hour. While some marketing teams are facing cut backs and spending freezes or reductions, they still need to hit their goals which may include generating X number of leads, Y amount of influenced pipeline and/or Z amount of influenced sales. key part of “doing more with less” is automating your email marketing campaigns. MORE >>

have invited our Panel of B2B Marketing Experts to reflect on 2009 and answer the following question: What was your aha moment in 2009 ? B2B Lead Generation Benchmark Study 2009. In much of the work I’ve done this year with corporate marketers, it’s become clear that much of what they think they know about their prospects is limited or has become outdated. Customer service insights can help you learn what’s working and what’s not, as well as what may be of increasing importance in the future. Read on to get their insights. Blogs. Books. MORE >>

Marketers who think this way, and truly work to provide valuable information to their audience, will do well. 2) Relationships, Education, and Nurturing: The trend in data becoming free (prediction 1) will work in parallel with a trend in information, of relevance to buyers, being expected to be free. It’s coming around to that time of year again when we all offer up predictions for what the coming year will offer. As with any of these, it’s a guess, and entirely my own opinion. Here are some of the trends and changes I think we’ll see in the coming year. Sort of. MORE >>

It's kind of like getting a puppy - exciting at first, but hard work thereafter! Assume the members will do all the work from the start and they don't need content or assistance after they have joined. Assume they will want to visit your community during their busy work day and will remember to do so independently. Believe when you launch the community that your work is done. There has been a lot of buzz lately about how many empty or failed online communities litter the web. So, the question at hand is how to keep your community alive and thriving. MORE >>

Although social media currently gather under 3% of online advertising, this will surely change as marketers work to find ways to exploit its potential. Summary: marketing has shifted steadily over time from passive to active consumer engagement. Social media is the latest stage in this evolution. Marketers need to master new skills at each stage; as they do, advertising budgets will shift to take advantage of the new medium's increased effectiveness. Of all that research I mentioned last week , two pairs of facts stood out. Today it is represented primarily by television. authority. MORE >>