The Point

FEBRUARY 10, 2010

Marketing pundits have been proclaiming that direct mail is making a comeback ever since I first cut my teeth in direct marketing back in the late 80s. I can only report that whereas the heady days of mail are long gone, far more B2B clients are utilizing direct mail today compared to say, five years ago.

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Microsite Demand Generation Trade Show CAN-SPAM 100

The Point

AUGUST 17, 2010

Direct mail is tangible, personal, and gives you a measure of creative license that’s increasingly difficult with email, where even minor graphics can be a sure-fire trigger for spam filters. Here are 5 areas that make ideal candidates for including direct mail in the marketing mix: 1. Lead Nurturing.

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Marketing Mix Planning Lead Nurturing Demand Generation 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

Most of that resurgence is due to the benefits of using direct mail on its own merits, but there’s another factor: the greatly diminished effectiveness of rented email lists. But list managers have priced themselves out of the market. Are you having success with email lists, and if so, why? Anyone in the list business care to comment?

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The Point

SEPTEMBER 17, 2009

Newly updated, revised, and now available for the first time in convenient ebook format: The High Tech Direct Marketing Handbook. This is the 5th edition of the handbook, a compilation of 65+ tips and techniques on direct marketing strategy, creative, offers, media, and just about everything in between. [.].

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Demand Generation Demand Generation Tips 100

The Point

APRIL 8, 2010

*As long ago as 2002, the Direct Marketing Association was reporting that fully 33% of people change their email address once per year. That figure has almost certainly increased in the 8 years since. Has anyone seen more recent statistics? If so, please include a link or reference in the comments.

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Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Marketo Lead Nurturing 100

The Point

APRIL 30, 2013

Call it lead nurturing. Call it content marketing. B2B Marketing Branding Demand Generation direct marketing Lead Nurturing b2b demand generation' Call it demand generation. Just don’t call it branding.

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Demand Generation Agencies Demand Generation Demand Top of Funnel 100

The Point

OCTOBER 7, 2010

(It’s for this reason that industry benchmarks for metrics like response rates from the likes of Marketing Sherpa (otherwise a fine and reputable organization) don’t really mean much.). It’s the oldest direct marketing rule in the book that list quality is the #1 ingredient in a successful campaign.

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Response Rate Campaigns Broadcasting Direct Marketing 100

The Point

JULY 21, 2009

As I have often lectured in this space, much of what makes for an effective email has less to do with deliverability, mobile compatibility, social media functionality, and all the technical bells and whistles that most people fret about, and more about basic direct response principles such as a strong subject line and a compelling [.].

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Webinar Metrics Demand Generation Deliverability Lead Generation 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

A client asks: “Now that we have our marketing automation system in place, is it really necessary to use registration forms in our lead nurturing (follow-up) campaigns? After all, we already know who these people are, correct?

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Landing Pages Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Lead Nurturing 100

The Point

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

First, there’s the leading candidate for Most Frequently Used Email Opening of 2009: “In these challenging economic times …”. Tags: B2B Marketing Demand Generation E-mail direct marketing email design email marketing b2b demand generation b2b direct marketing b2b lead generation.

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Email Campaigns Demand Generation Agencies Campaigns Demand Generation 100

The Point

APRIL 5, 2011

Remember: a key factor in direct mail effectiveness is deliverability, not just what gets read once the mailer is in front of the intended recipient. Why Focus Groups Don’t Work for Direct Marketing. But for direct mail, they’re notoriously unreliable. To download a free copy, click here.

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The Point

JANUARY 9, 2015

One of the basic rules of good, direct marketing copywriting is that a call to action should always be specific. B2B Marketing Cold Calling Copywriting Creative Demand Generation E-mail email marketing inside sales lead generation Offer Strategy Sales 2.0 So, for example: “Click to download our free white paper”.

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Demand Generation Agencies Copywriting Cold Calling Telemarketing 100

The Point

AUGUST 25, 2017

How does the agency generate new leads, and how do they nurture those leads when they arrive? 3 tough questions to ask your next marketing agency via @spearmktg. Don’t settle for “it depends.” Today, virtually everything in marketing is measurable in some way or form. What’s their social media strategy? Click To Tweet.

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Demand Generation Agencies Paid Search Agency Advertising Agencies Ad Agencies 198

The Point

NOVEMBER 16, 2012

Confession: as a died-in-the-wool direct marketer, I am a branding cynic. What makes branding even more irrelevant for most B2B companies today is the very nature of modern demand generation : namely, content marketing. Where brand might yet have a role to play is in lead nurturing. Starbucks is a successful brand.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Brand Identity Branding Content Marketing 100

The Point

JUNE 28, 2011

It’s a rule I quote often, one repeated to me ad nauseum many years ago by an early mentor and long-time direct marketing veteran. “Always show an image of the offer.” The logic: whatever it is you want your reader to download, request, order, or register for, a visual image of that offer makes it seem more “real,” more tangible.

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Paper Creativity Landing Pages Cost per Lead 100

The Point

DECEMBER 3, 2013

There’s simply no context for any of the topics listed (or any relation to Content Marketing) that would lead me to believe I’m signing up for anything more than a product pitch. The sidebar sings the promise of “The leading innovators”. Who’s speaking? Great – who are they? Great – who are they?

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Webcast Eloqua B2B Thought Leadership Webinar Metrics 100

The Point

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

The following is an excerpt from an interview I conducted recently with the folks at TechnologyAdvice , a leading online provider of information resources to help IT professionals make informed buying decisions. For the complete interview, see the TechnologyAdvice marketing blog. Are leads shared or re-sold?

Paid Search Agency 0

Paid Search Agency Demand Generation Agencies Advertising Agencies B2B Marketing 0

The Point

MARCH 17, 2014

Excerpted from “The High Tech Direct Marketing Handbook” To download your free copy, click here. .” It could be the one thing that saves your campaign from imminent disaster.

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Demand Generation Agencies Demand Campaigns Copywriting 100

The Point

JULY 19, 2010

However, in my view, relying too heavily on Webinars as a lead generation tool is simply setting the proverbial bar too high, and doing so can eliminate a large subset of prospects who may have a genuine interest in your product or service but just don’t have the time or the inclination to attend an event. Simply put: not selling the event.

Webinar Metrics 100

Webinar Metrics Demand Generation Agencies BtoB Demand Generation 100

The Point

MARCH 11, 2010

Lead with compelling benefits, not just facts. Tags: B2B Marketing Copywriting Event Promotion Webinar Invitations email design email marketing b2b demand generation b2b lead generation Demand Generation direct marketing.

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Webinar Metrics Demand Generation Copywriting Display 100

The Point

JUNE 26, 2013

From a marketing perspective, does it matter if prospects actually attend Webinars once they register? Some would argue: no, especially if those who register are net new leads, where the real value is simply getting the person to sign up in the first place. Use action phrases like “don’t miss” or “don’t forget.” Comments welcome.

Webinar Metrics 100

Webinar Metrics B2B Thought Leadership Lead Nurturing Telemarketing 100

The Point

MARCH 18, 2014

And marketing automation – the technology that empowers more personal, timely, relevant emails – just may be the best thing to happen to marketing since the Sears Catalog. Full disclaimer: my firm, Spear Marketing Group , is a leading Marketo partner.). It just needs to be used intelligently, sparingly, and strategically.

Demand Generation Agencies 100

Demand Generation Agencies Advertising Agencies Marketo Demand Generation 100

The Point

AUGUST 18, 2011

The registration won’t tally as a lead from the campaign, but it’s a lead nonetheless. Don’t bother removing the content from your Website, but don’t let the misfits off the hook either: require the same registration that you would if the person were responding to the campaign.

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Landing Pages Marketing Websites Campaigns Demand Generation 100

The Point

FEBRUARY 22, 2010

One more reason to make LinkedIn participation a part of your daily social media ritual is that when you answer questions, or comment on group discussions, your network of contacts is alerted via email in the form of a status update, as in: “Howard Sewell answered a question on Lead Generation.”

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Linkedin Peer-to-peer Tips Advertising Agencies 100

The Point

OCTOBER 30, 2018

Just as B2B marketing has evolved rapidly in the last decade, so too have the marketing agencies who service those B2B companies. Demand creation agencies not only design and build content, but can help define and deploy sales and marketing processes, and ensure clients get the most from technologies like marketing automation.

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Demand Generation Agencies Advertising Agencies Paid Search Agency Ad Agencies 124

The Point

JUNE 11, 2012

iPad drawings are a dime a dozen, they don’t make your event stand out (in fact, they do exactly the opposite), and worst case they can cheapen your brand, reduce lead quality, or devalue your event. (If In theory, this means you’ll attract fewer unqualified leads who may only be interested in the free gadget.

Webinar Metrics 100

Webinar Metrics Landing Pages Paper Lead Scoring 100