This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
by Phil Fernandez. Being based in Silicon Valley – which has continued to burnish its reputation as a hotbed of US entrepreneurial growth and excitement – I frequently get asked how one builds a successful start-up. This question is even more urgent on a macroeconomic level as the US struggles to re-energize its job creating capacity, which has all but sputtered out in the past year.
These were some of the questions asked recently at the #profschat back on September 16 th by @MProfsEvents and the good folks @MarketingProfs. During the one-hour “tweetchat” that occurs every Friday from 12-1pm EST, there was a great dialogue on the definition, the need and the value of Thought Leadership. If you write a personal blog or help manage your company’s, you already know the value that blogging can provide as a tool for Thought Leadership.
7 Reasons Why Your Business Is Stuck This content from: Duct Tape Marketing. Ever feel like you’re in a rut. Or worse, that you keep pushing that boulder up the hill, all Sisyphus like, only to watch it roll back down, feeling that you are destined to repeat this throughout eternity. David Ensor via Flickr Okay, citing Greek and Roman mythology may be a bit dramatic, but I see it every day and work with small business owner every day that tell me they desperately want to take their business to t
by Maria Pergolino Infographic Art: The Types & Trends Marketers Must Know. There are many types of infographics on the web, all of which share a common goal: to portray interesting information in a compact and visually intriguing way. This can be done with the use of various charts, lists, graphs, symbols, numbers, and blurbs as well as a whole slew of other ways.
AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.
by Maria Pergolino Is cold calling dead? Patrick Donnelly said cold calling was in a blog post recently, but only if it has not evolved from the smile and dial of years past. Even as social media and web applications become mainstream B2B marketing platforms, cold calling remains one of the most effective ways to make contact with decision makers, but only if done right.
by Patrick Donnelley Like most sales professionals, I started my sales career in a job that required me to pick up the phone and cold call prospects in my territory. Leaving hundreds of voicemails and being consistently hung up on isn’t anyone’s favorite thing, but the sense of accomplishment from picking up the phone and getting someone interested in your product or service makes it all worth it.
by Maria Pergolino LinkedIn’s Newest Feature: InMaps. This Beta test from LinkedIn Labs has serious potential for B2B marketers. LinkedIn has a little-known, relatively new feature that may have the potential to increase the power of your professional network. A recent creation called InMaps offers a visual representation of what your LinkedIn network looks like.
by Maria Pergolino LinkedIn’s Newest Feature: InMaps. This Beta test from LinkedIn Labs has serious potential for B2B marketers. LinkedIn has a little-known, relatively new feature that may have the potential to increase the power of your professional network. A recent creation called InMaps offers a visual representation of what your LinkedIn network looks like.
by Maria Pergolino The fact that mobile web use is growing is not exactly breaking news. But the speed of mobile’s growth makes it clear that B2B marketers need to ramp up mobile marketing efforts. Embed this content marketing infographic on your web site: Attention B2B Marketers: Embrace the Mobile Web! [Infographic] was posted at Modern B2B Marketing - Marketo Best Practices Blog. | [link].
by Maria Pergolino B2B Marketing: The Evolution of a Marketer. According to Merriam Webster, by definition, evolution is “a process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex, or better state.” The world of marketing has been evolving from the beginning – changing from the simplicity of the first newspaper ad to appear in a French periodical in the 1700s to the complicated multi-platform integrated processes of today.
by Jon Miller Email marketing remains one of the most important marketing tactics, even as social media, mobile marketing, video, etc. transform the marketer’s landscape. According to MarketingSherpa’s 2011 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report, more B2B marketers rank email marketing as very effective or somewhat effective than any other tactic — higher than SEO, tradeshows, social media, and more.
by Rick Siegfried I finally did it. I lost my virginity. Having attended the largest conference in the enterprise software industry, I feel that I entered a boy and emerged a man of a marketer. With a record 45,000 registered to attend, the experience of Dreamforce can’t quite be put into words. However, I am happy to provide you with a visual experience of what has been described as half industry trade show, half rock concert.
Speaker: Aja Bradley Kemp, Founder & Chief Experience Officer at Conversate Collective
In a world where every brand is vying for attention, how do you make your events stand out? ✨ From creative swag strategies to immersive brand experiences, the key lies in fostering real connections that inspire action and leave a lasting impression. Whether you're planning a large-scale conference or an exclusive executive gathering, this session will explore how to elevate event engagement, strengthen brand perception, and maximize ROI.
by Maria Pergolino Data from Google Insights for Search suggests lead generation is starting to slide off the radar of marketers. Or is it? The truth is that marketers are becoming more focused on more specific topics like demand generation, lead scoring and lead nurturing. Take a look below to learn which marketing automation topics are becoming front of mind.
by Maria Pergolino Grabbing readers’ attention, making them think and stimulating them to act is the primary goal of content marketing. To that end, there is much the great writers of the past can teach modern B2B marketing professionals about connecting with readers. Because content marketing is all about influencing audiences, why not take some time to learn about writing from one of history’s most influential authors?
Are you tired of being badgered by sales people before you are ready to buy? In some organizations, the primary role of marketing is simply to help sales make a deal. How do you help them make a deal? You negotiate amazing offers like price reductions and special financing. You create flashy sales collateral. You book fancy events and cold call to get them appointments.
by Carol Fox As Dylan wrote, “The times, they are a-changing,&# and B2B sales cycles are no exception. In particular, social media and the dragging economy have caused major ripples in the business world. But regardless of the factors at play, it stands to reason that learning more about what’s happening to sales cycles can help sales and marketing departments figure out how to shorten them.
Today’s buyers expect more than generic outreach–they want relevant, personalized interactions that address their specific needs. For sales teams managing hundreds or thousands of prospects, however, delivering this level of personalization without automation is nearly impossible. The key is integrating AI in a way that enhances customer engagement rather than making it feel robotic.
by Fergus Gloster The best time to start discussing quota and pipeline with a salesperson is at the interview stage, not after the salesperson has started in the company. It’s also a good way to find out if the interview candidate really knows their business and their territory. The quota should be related to the on-target-earnings (OTE) of the salesperson.
Are your marketing activities aligned to business objectives or a list of “cool” ideas? Does your annual review include numbers, percentages and charts or paragraphs of subjective self-assessment? Does your weekly status meeting start with a dashboard view of progress toward your annual goal or a list of action items? If you answered “yes” to the latter option in each question, then you might be engaging in what I call “check-the-box” marketing… You see
by Phil Fernandez. During the past year, I have written frequently on this blog about the increasingly urgent global imperative for businesses to grow. Corporate executives have cut about as far as they can in overhead and expenses. At the same time they have drastically improved productivity. The one thing left to do now is to drive growth. And that means reeling in more revenues – more efficiently and profitably.
by Shonal Narayan A savvy marketer knows that they can find inspiration anywhere and that they can learn from anyone. With this ideal in mind, here are a look at quotes from five well known authors and the reasons they can inspire your B2B marketing mix. “It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems with just potatoes.”. - Douglas Adams.
Speaker: Alexa Acosta, Director of Growth Marketing & B2B Marketing Leader
Marketing is evolving at breakneck speed—new tools, AI-driven automation, and changing buyer behaviors are rewriting the playbook. With so many trends competing for attention, how do you cut through the noise and focus on what truly moves the needle? In this webinar, industry expert Alexa Acosta will break down the most impactful marketing trends shaping the industry today and how to turn them into real, revenue-generating strategies.
The most popular article I’ve written thus far posed the question: “ will content strategy save marketing? ” The question is being asked by marketing leaders at companies large and small. And it is being answered by thought leaders like Ardath Albee , Ann Handley and CC Chapman , by the emergence of experts like the folks at The Content Marketing Institute , and in blogs like Junta42 by Joe Pulizzi.
…is “ how are you doing? ” When I started my career as an account executive, I found out very quickly that customers and prospects rolled their eyes the moment I started talking about my company and our services. I would ask them if they’d like to hear about our new product release…crickets. I would ask if I could bring my sales manager in for a meeting with my main contact’s boss…crickets.
As an up-and-about professional, there’s likely little need to convince you that mobile is where the current wave of consumer product and behavior innovation is all headed. This should be cause for concern for sales and marketing professionals seeking to assimilate these innovations into their practice; if the past few years on the web have taught us anything, it’s that enterprise and business applications tend to lag, sometimes by several years, after consumer-centered innovations within the sa
by Carol Fox In The Rise of the Revenue Marketer , part of Marketo’s Revenue Masters webinar series, Pedowitz Group CRO Debbie Qaqish and Andrew Gaffney of the DemandGen Report come together to discuss what it takes to be a Revenue Marketer. Gaffney starts off by explaining how it’s not just about sales and marketing alignment anymore; being a Revenue Marketer also involves process, vision and collaboration.
Think creating impactful B2B video is intimidating, boring, or requires a Hollywood-level budget? Think again. Join our "B2B Growth Show" to uncover the secrets of building video strategies that drive ROI, captivate your audience, and leave your competition in the dust. What you’ll learn: Why video is non-negotiable for B2B in 2025 Storytelling tips to engage your target audience and keep them coming back Case studies from printing companies to telecom giants with jaw-dropping results Practical
Last week, Twitter announced it had reached One hundred million voices or active users. But what do these numbers really mean? The Week magazine recently helped answer the questions “who is doing all the tweeting…and how many people are really interested in what they have to say?&#. So here I will provide a snapshot of Twitter “by the numbers&# and explain how and why I use it.
I often talk here about the need for better alignment between marketing and sales. In fact, it is often cited as the biggest challenge for B2B marketers. It is because of this that I like to reach out to some of my friends in B2B Sales AND Marketing to provide their perspective. Recently we ran a guest post from Kenny Madden on how the line between Marketing and Sales is starting to blur and we are looking at a new partnership he called “SMarketing.&#.
by Carol Fox We recently reviewed Conversations that Win the Complex Sale , a book aimed at helping sales people rethink their messaging, as part of our B2B Sales and Marketing Book Club. The book stresses that differentiation is crucial in today’s market, and the best way a brand can differentiate itself is through customer engagement. How to engage customers more effectively?
by Shonal Narayan. Superficiality will get you nowhere these days. Pretending to be something you’re not isn’t good for anyone. It’s also not good for brands or the consumers that put their trust in them. Marketing is about making promises and it can be quite tempting to oversell a product. But writers can create content that makes them look like marketing geniuses if they take a little time to emulate George Bernard Shaw.
GrowthZone’s 11th annual survey highlights trends, challenges, and strategies shaping the membership industry through insights from U.S. and Canadian association professionals. Get your copy of the 2025 Association Survey Results Report to see how your organization measures up: The biggest challenges associations are facing Membership retention trends and non-renewal insights Strategies for automatic renewals and reinstatements Shifts in member engagement tactics Why members are joining (and sta
by Jon Miller. Our friends at Marketing Cloud recently posted a Brainshark about Marketo. For those of you who don’t know what a Brainshark is, it’s a cloud-based presentation I did on our lead nurturing process, conveniently segmented into eight pieces. Within the space of five minutes, it provides a useful introduction to the hows and whys of Marketo’s lead nurturing.
What the Heck Is Facebook Thinking? This content from: Duct Tape Marketing. That’s the question that Farmville and Mafia Wars players all over the world are asking today. Why are they changing my Facebook, don’t they care about their customers. Well, here’s the problem, while Facebook needs users, users aren’t their customers.
Facebook Promises to Revolutionize Social Networking Today This content from: Duct Tape Marketing. Rumor has it that Facebook will announce a radical change to its platform today and according to Mashable’s Ben Parr , who has seen the changes – “developers will be elated, users will be shellshocked and the competition will look ancient” “These changes will make Facebook a place where nearly everything in your life is enhanced by your social graph.
Facebook Should Stop Worrying So Much About Google Plus This content from: Duct Tape Marketing. Facebook made a couple moves last week that were immediately categorized as in reaction to Google+ features. They include easier group management and the ability to make personal profile posts public and let people subscribe to your publicly shared posts are clearly a nod to Google+ functionality, but here’s the deal – it’s not what Facebook is about and trying to copy Google+ is probably more of a th
ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 143,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content