Comments for The Top Line http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog Attract better business, shorten the sales cycle, and accelerate revenues Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:13:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Twitter tidbits by Kerry Mahdi http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2009/10/19/twitter-tidbits/comment-page-1/#comment-6177 Kerry Mahdi Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:13:49 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=128#comment-6177 excellent !! quite powerful article excellent !! quite powerful article

]]> Comment on What are your marketing priorities for 2010? by Delia Touton http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2009/12/30/what-are-your-marketing-priorities-for-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-6063 Delia Touton Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:58:35 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=147#comment-6063 Hi, this is greate site. Just bookmarked it. Hi, this is greate site. Just bookmarked it.

]]> Comment on Social media: Insights from an in-house specialist by Excerpted Interview with Barbara Bix at BB Marketing Plus | Subjectively Speaking http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2010/01/18/social-media-insights-from-an-in-house-specialist/comment-page-1/#comment-5900 Excerpted Interview with Barbara Bix at BB Marketing Plus | Subjectively Speaking Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:46:46 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=162#comment-5900 [...] as a principal over at BB Marketing Plus) was kind enough to publish  an interview with me on her blog a little while back.  I’ve selected a few excerpts and re-posted them here.  Use the links [...] [...] as a principal over at BB Marketing Plus) was kind enough to publish  an interview with me on her blog a little while back.  I’ve selected a few excerpts and re-posted them here.  Use the links [...]

]]> Comment on What can businesses learn from the recent Massachusetts US Senatorial Race? by bbmarketingplus http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2010/01/25/what-can-businesses-learn-from-the-recent-massachusetts-us-senatorial-race/comment-page-1/#comment-5838 bbmarketingplus Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:38:57 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=167#comment-5838 Hi, Thanks Dan! You make a number of good points that other marketers will find useful. Hi,

Thanks Dan! You make a number of good points that other marketers will find useful.

]]> Comment on What can businesses learn from the recent Massachusetts US Senatorial Race? by Dan Greenberg http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2010/01/25/what-can-businesses-learn-from-the-recent-massachusetts-us-senatorial-race/comment-page-1/#comment-5837 Dan Greenberg Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:34:36 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=167#comment-5837 I think you touch on some important points. You should add a few about marketing: 1) She was positioned as a filler for "Ted Kennedy's seat." Hence the national endorsements and the heavy emphasis early on for national programs. The problem with this positioning is that any warm body can fill a seat... just as any of your competitors can probably serve your customer. Undifferentiated product lose. 2) He was positioned as running for "the people's seat." This overtly populist position played very well against the acrimonious debate in Congress on HC. Good positioning wins in business too. 3) He carried through the brand promise implied by the positioning. He drove his truck, as you said. He also beat her 3-to-1 on Twitter and Facebook. A candidate of the people and for the people needs to demonstrate he listens to the people... in the venues they want to communicate. This is also true in business. As you say, companies need to listen hard for feedback, both good and bad... and they need to listen where the customers are talking, not where it's convenient. 4) Her campaign went sharply negative. Everyone knows negative advertising comes from weakness. McDonalds never mentioned BK; Coke never mentioned Pepsi. If you are in the lead, negative ads give the impression that you're not. They may energize your already-supporters, but they leave undecideds with a view that, if you're so threatened, perhaps they should check the competition. Against the backdrop of the positioning, above, this was a poor choice. 5) He took the high road in responding to the negative ads. The high road comes from strength and only reinforces that perception. Companies need to respond to direct challenges and they certainly need to correct misinformation. However, the response will be tied into the brand image. A strong brand makes a strong response, without feeling the need to respond in kind. I think you touch on some important points. You should add a few about marketing:

1) She was positioned as a filler for “Ted Kennedy’s seat.” Hence the national endorsements and the heavy emphasis early on for national programs. The problem with this positioning is that any warm body can fill a seat… just as any of your competitors can probably serve your customer. Undifferentiated product lose.

2) He was positioned as running for “the people’s seat.” This overtly populist position played very well against the acrimonious debate in Congress on HC. Good positioning wins in business too.

3) He carried through the brand promise implied by the positioning. He drove his truck, as you said. He also beat her 3-to-1 on Twitter and Facebook. A candidate of the people and for the people needs to demonstrate he listens to the people… in the venues they want to communicate. This is also true in business. As you say, companies need to listen hard for feedback, both good and bad… and they need to listen where the customers are talking, not where it’s convenient.

4) Her campaign went sharply negative. Everyone knows negative advertising comes from weakness. McDonalds never mentioned BK; Coke never mentioned Pepsi. If you are in the lead, negative ads give the impression that you’re not. They may energize your already-supporters, but they leave undecideds with a view that, if you’re so threatened, perhaps they should check the competition. Against the backdrop of the positioning, above, this was a poor choice.

5) He took the high road in responding to the negative ads. The high road comes from strength and only reinforces that perception. Companies need to respond to direct challenges and they certainly need to correct misinformation. However, the response will be tied into the brand image. A strong brand makes a strong response, without feeling the need to respond in kind.

]]> Comment on What are your marketing priorities for 2010? by Twitter marketing http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2009/12/30/what-are-your-marketing-priorities-for-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-5819 Twitter marketing Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:13:22 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=147#comment-5819 The information presented is top notch. I've been doing some research on the topic and this post answered several questions. The information presented is top notch. I’ve been doing some research on the topic and this post answered several questions.

]]> Comment on Social media: Insights from an in-house specialist by Bob Mannal http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2010/01/18/social-media-insights-from-an-in-house-specialist/comment-page-1/#comment-5769 Bob Mannal Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:35:50 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=162#comment-5769 Barbara, Great write-up. I especially agree with the "listening" aspect that Alan discusses. I would take it a step further, beyond potential sales, and listen to what people are saying about the company. A reputation is so fragile, and can change so rapidly due to the speed of the Internet, that listening is now mandatory. Thanks. Bob Barbara,

Great write-up. I especially agree with the “listening” aspect that Alan discusses. I would take it a step further, beyond potential sales, and listen to what people are saying about the company. A reputation is so fragile, and can change so rapidly due to the speed of the Internet, that listening is now mandatory.

Thanks.

Bob

]]> Comment on SaaS distribution model challenges vendors to take customer service to the next level by bbmarketingplus http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2010/01/07/saas-distribution-model-challenges-vendors-to-take-customer-service-to-the-next-level/comment-page-1/#comment-5728 bbmarketingplus Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:12:36 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=155#comment-5728 And, then of course, if you lose them, you lose repeat business, and all the people that they might have referred. So the higher your Average Sale Price is the more costly this cycle becomes. Thanks for your comment, Dick! And, then of course, if you lose them, you lose repeat business, and all the people that they might have referred. So the higher your Average Sale Price is the more costly this cycle becomes. Thanks for your comment, Dick!

]]> Comment on SaaS distribution model challenges vendors to take customer service to the next level by Dick http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2010/01/07/saas-distribution-model-challenges-vendors-to-take-customer-service-to-the-next-level/comment-page-1/#comment-5727 Dick Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:29:45 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=155#comment-5727 Barbara: I believe that customer satisfaction is critical in tody's environment. Having the customer experience a "good" feeling from the vendor is one of the key "benefits"! I would also add that losing a customer is costly, thus again critical to have customer satisfaction Cheers Barbara:
I believe that customer satisfaction is critical in tody’s environment. Having the customer experience a “good” feeling from the vendor is one of the key “benefits”! I would also add that losing a customer is costly, thus again critical to have customer satisfaction
Cheers

]]> Comment on Use of Social Media for Marketing Medical Devices by bbmarketingplus http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/2009/11/24/use-of-social-media-for-marketing-medical-devices/comment-page-1/#comment-5710 bbmarketingplus Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:05:01 +0000 http://www.bbmarketingplus.com/blog/?p=139#comment-5710 It sounds as if you've had good experiences with agencies. How have they helped you? It sounds as if you’ve had good experiences with agencies. How have they helped you?

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