An individual's purchasing decision can be influenced by a large number of factors. Are you considering how influential social proof can be in that mix? According to Goog le , 70% of Americans now say they look at product reviews before making a purchase. Furthermore, a CompUSA and iPerceptions study revealed that 63% of consumers indicate they are more likely to purchase from a site if it has product ratings and reviews. While product reviews are only one type of social proof, those are some pretty persuasive statistics to consider. What Is Social Proof? Categories of Social Proof. MORE >>

According to CSO Insights , companies that adopt a ‘Dynamic Process’ experience 35% higher win rates than those that follow a ‘Random Process.’ ’ Yes, that is correct 35%. That is a very substantial number. However, when you look at most company’s sales and lead generation programs, everything is very linear and very forced. No wonder most companies have so many prospects falling out of their pipeline. So if having a dynamic process can have such a dramatic effect, why don’t more companies do it? The simple answer is, “They don’t know how.” MORE >>

by Christina Pappas | Tweet this Marketing might be in my blood. My father was a marketer before me, back in the 80’s and 90’s on the cusp of the personal computer and the birth of the Internet. Back then, brands spent their budgets on print ads, the biggest, baddest trade shows and fancy corporate retreats. No matter the tactic, my dad delivered, ending up a VP in a few short years. While I tried to convince my father to start a blog, he tried to convince me glossy magazine ads were better. There’s a lesson here: The marketing skills gap is very real. The reasons for it are numerous. MORE >>

James Obermayer, Executive Director and CEO of the Sales Lead Management Association and President of Sales Leakage Consulting is a regular guest blogger with ViewPoint. know what you’re thinking, you’re saying to yourself, “Is he serious?” ” But in a recent post on the Sales Lead Management Group on LinkedIn, Kevin McArdle, the regional sales manager for Eloqua (Chicago), advocated that sales departments should take over lead gen and he makes the following points: Sales departments are responsible for revenue. Marketing’s plate is full. Kate Maddox. MORE >>

During the 2000 presidential election, massive problems with voter data quality resulted in national anxiety because there was no clear winner. Poor presentation on ballots led to errors in data processing, which, in turn, led to flawed predictions, recounts and lawsuits. Nike’s 2001 switch to a new demand and supply inventory MORE >>