Archive for the ‘How to’ Category
Thursday, April 21st, 2011
By Barbara Bix
Shortly after I got up this morning, I strolled over to Marketing Over Coffee for a quick shot before heading off to work and found this great article, entitled How to restore the faded luster to marketing by Rich Guha. In my opinion, it’s a “must read” for anyone looking to build a business or aiming to build a career in marketing.
It’s about the big picture
Referencing management heroes such as Peter Drucker and Ted Leavitt, the article discusses what companies have lost as marketing becomes more specialized. Guha advises marketers that wish to add significant value to the business to:
Tags: 6 Ps, behavior, branding, buyer personae, click stream, customer, customer needs, Drucker, Leavitt, market intelligence, market value, Marketing, Marketing Over Coffee, marketing research, marketing specialization, priorities, strategy, tactics, value of marketing, value proposition, voice of the customer
Posted in Framework, How to, Internet marketing, market intelligence, Marketing communications programs, Marketing strategy, Pricing, Uncategorized, value propositions | No Comments »
Monday, March 14th, 2011
By Barbara Bix
I have a friend with a son who is a sophomore in high school. This morning, she told me that she can’t believe how many money colleges waste precious funds on expensive direct mail communications. She described the quality of the paper, the outsized packaging, and the heft of the packages they’ve been receiving–all of which she tosses in the waste bin.
Direct marketing mail campaigns are often cost-effective
This is a preview of
Good lead generation campaigns are much more than a shot in the dark
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Read the full post (872 words, 4 images, estimated 3:29 mins reading time)
Tags: call to action, campaign, direct mail, direct marketing, lead generation, marketing communication, marketing message, target audience, timing, value proposition
Posted in How to, Marketing strategy, Uncategorized, value propositions | 3 Comments »
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010
Yesterday’s Journal of Participatory Medicine published an article entitled Evidence that Engagement Does Make A Difference. The study found that “patients’ decisions not to have the operation were associated with lack of confidence in the accuracy of the diagnosis, poor communication with their doctors and fear that the operation would erode their quality of life”.
Evidence shows that patients often forego treatment that could save their lives
This is a preview of
Can B2B marketing strategies for the complex sale help improve health outcomes?
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Read the full post (458 words, 2 images, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)
Tags: B2B marketing, behavior, communication, complex sale, credible, engagement, evidence, health care, health outcomes, healthcare behavior, patient behavior, powerful
Posted in health care, How to, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
By Barbara Bix, B2B Marketing Consultant
Here’s an example of how a professional service provider can apply the do-it-yourself guide for creating value propositions in 3 steps. It uses the same formula as the green value proposition example I posted last week (immediately below). This time, I’ve used it to describe the value I offer my clients as a B2B strategic marketing consultant (below the value proposition formula).
The value proposition formula
We help [your most promising prospects] that [need help with the pressing concern you address] succeed by [providing the material improvement you will deliver]. Unlike [the alternative solution], [your solution] [describe the reason why your company is a better choice] as demonstrated by [evidence that you will deliver as promised].
This is a preview of
Value proposition example for a professional service provider
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Read the full post (590 words, 4 images, estimated 2:22 mins reading time)
Tags: B2B strategic marketing consultant, call to action, compelling value proposition, sales productivity, value proposition, value proposition formula
Posted in How to, Internet marketing, Marketing communications programs, Uncategorized, value propositions | 8 Comments »
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
By Barbara Bix, B to B marketing consultant
In a previous post, I provided a do-it-yourself guide for creating compelling value propositions in 3 steps using the following formula:
The value proposition formula
We help [your most promising prospects] that [need help with the pressing concern you address] succeed by [providing the material improvement you will deliver]. Unlike [the alternative solution], [your solution] [describe the reason why your company is a better choice] as demonstrated by [evidence that you will deliver as promised].
A service provider’s “green” value proposition
Tags: capture attention, distinguish your company from the competition, green, qualified prospects, service provider, value proposition example
Posted in How to | 1 Comment »
Monday, October 18th, 2010
By Barbara Bix, B2B Marketing Consultant
Businesses today are seeking products, services, and solutions that will directly or indirectly improve their competitive advantage. As part of the sales process, buyers expect to hear how sellers’ products or services will materially contribute to the buying organization’s success–and why the seller is uniquely qualified to deliver that value. This post outlines how to step into buyers’ minds, and create value propositions that compel them to buy.
What is a value proposition?
This is a preview of
How to create a compelling value proposition: Do it yourself in 3 steps
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Read the full post (769 words, 2 images, estimated 3:05 mins reading time)
Tags: B2B buyers, business-to-business, call to action, compelling value proposition, competitive advantage, justify the investment, offer, position, products, quantifiable outcomes, reduce risk, services, value proposition
Posted in How to, Marketing communications programs, Marketing strategy | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Why do some posts get retweeted more than others? Here are the results of a recent experiment.
The experiment: Same article, different results
Last week, Marketing Profs published my article entitled Accelerate Referrals: 9 steps to success and their readers retweeted it 73 times! This week I began publicizing the article and it was retweeted at least once. Same article, different results…
So what can we learn from this? Here are some of my conclusions. Please chime in with yours!
1. Publish where others will see your article
This is a preview of
Want more retweets? 5 secrets to success + an example
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Read the full post (716 words, 4 images, estimated 2:52 mins reading time)
Tags: accelerate, community, content, content is king, email, followers, marketing consulting firm, newsletters, referrals, retweet, sharing
Posted in How to, Marketing communications programs, Marketing strategy, social media, social media marketing | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
How do you stay top of mind when everyone is head’s down trying to get their own jobs done? How do you ensure that prospective customers think of you when problems arise?
The short answer: you need to stay in touch, talk about things that really matter to those you want to remember you, and remind them that your business is a valuable resource they can tap in each of the areas where you’d like to work with them.
Drip campaigns reinforce your brand
This is a preview of
Drip campaigns keep your company top of mind: 5 steps for success + an example
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Read the full post (899 words, 4 images, estimated 3:36 mins reading time)
Tags: brand, branding, call to action, case example, drip campaign, market disruption
Posted in health care, How to, Marketing communications programs, Marketing strategy | No Comments »
Friday, August 13th, 2010
Last night, 50 Wharton alums gathered in downtown Boston to hear Professor Peter Fader speak about “The Paradoxes of Interactive Media”. Of special interest were Dr. Fader’s comments on how target marketing has changed. His message: when profiling your most promising prospects, focus on differences in behavior rather than demographics.
To illustrate his point, Dr. Fader looked at the data underlying a study that concluded that Hispanics were more likely to purchase DVDs than Caucasians. He began by acknowledging that the conclusion was accurate–but not particularly useful.
Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics
Tags: Boston, demographics, market segmentation, market segments, marketing campaigns, purchasing behavior, target marketing, trigger events, Wharton
Posted in Buying process model, How to, Internet marketing, market intelligence, Marketing communications programs, Marketing strategy | No Comments »
Monday, June 14th, 2010
In today’s guest post, fellow Wharton alum , Craig James, offers tips for leveraging Linked In to generate sales. Craig is the founder of Sales Solutions, a sales productivity improvement business located in suburban Boston. Contact him directly toll-free at 877-862-8631, or by e-mail at craig@sales-solutions.biz
Sales people and others responsible generating business for their organizations will find LinkedIn a valuable tool. Unlike sites such as Facebook and MySpace, LinkedIn tends to attract those looking to develop business relationships, as opposed to friendships.
Tags: "premium LinkedIn", "sales results", Boston, LinkedIn, LinkedIn applications, Marketing, Marketing consultant, marketing materials, personal brand, sales, sales presentation, sales productivity, targeted message, thought leadership, top of mind, trusted advisor, value, Wharton
Posted in How to, Internet marketing, Marketing communications programs, social media, social media marketing | 2 Comments »
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