When social media first became all the rage, it was touted as being a great free way to earn some buzz and the resultant awareness. While it is free to open up a social media account, set up a profile, and start networking and sharing links, that is not the whole story. A lot of […]
Hidden Costs of Social Media, Part 1 Read More »
When I first started Return On Now back in 2009, social media was still on the upswing as a channel for marketing and lead generation. Since that time, it has evolved in many ways. Businesses are driving not only leads but sales from leading social networking services. But not all services are the same, and
Intriguing Social Media Statistics for 2012 Read More »
Many of us like to give back to charities, schools, and other organizations that help make the world and our locales a better place to live. A lot of businesses do this via philanthropy, donating funds to any of the thousands of good non-profit organizations who fight diseases, injustices, and poverty. While philanthropy is a
Cause Related Marketing: Using Social Media For The Greater Good Read More »
I’ve been working on a new ebook that highlights 10 big mistakes businesses make when building out their online marketing programs. The book is now available, and I wanted to share a quick excerpt from the beginning of the book here. Before I get to it, I have to fess up… the book actually includes
Are You Dropping the Ball with Online Marketing? Read More »
2010 has been quite a year so far, with its fair share of good developments, curve balls, and surprises. I’ve been a bit spotty on updating Return On Now, primarily because of a couple of nasty curve balls that have come my way. But onward and upward, and let’s get ready for 2011.
But first, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the good things, those things which have been both fortunate and welcomed, over the recent months.
10 Reasons to Give Thanks Read More »
This week I offer you the first of a series of guest posts, this one focused on using social media to drive successful events IRL. Thanks to my good friend Francisco Garcia (no, not the one who plays for the Sacramento Kings) for taking time to share his experiences here on the blog.
Social Media Success With Events Read More »
Since I have been unable to generate any new content for two weeks due to a personal situation that has taken up nearly all of my attention, I share with you another fine post by my friend and colleague Julie Hunt. The following post originally appeared on Highly Competitive just last month.
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For the past several years, multiple studies by different research firms have been conducted to evaluate the most sought-out and influential content for B2B technology customers during decision-making buying cycles, and every time, in every study, the #1 preferred content is the White Paper.
The white paper is the #1 most influential piece of collateral that technology purchasers consult when making or influencing a buying decision for their company, according to a recent survey by Eccolo Media
However, many B2B software vendors still are missing the boat with their use of white papers and have not employed them in ways to engage potential buyers, let alone convert them to customers.
Content Marketing Strategy for B2B Software Vendors: Starring the ‘New’ White Paper Read More »
The past couple of years have changed things in our modern work world quite a bit. Generation X was raised to believe that, if we just get an education and land a corporate job, we’d have security for years to come. Think again my friends, because those days are long gone.
With our economy running on life support, the dollar in the tank, and fast-rising inflation, companies had to pinch pennies wherever possible to keep the ship afloat. The results have been widespread and severe…significant loss of jobs, budgets slashed to levels we haven’t seen in years, and even a slew of companies going belly up during the prolonged recession.
Marketing: 4 Scenarios for Hiring an Outside Consulting Resource Read More »
The following article was written by my colleague Julie Hunt, after we had quite a few conversations about my ongoing CMS / WEM evaluation project I’ve mentioned here previously. I really enjoyed the opportunity to exchange ideas with her, particularly given her vast understanding of the global B2B software market as a whole.
Goodbye Corporate Website – Hello Web Presence Management Framework? Read More »
As I’ve mentioned in this space previously, I have spent a great deal of time of late evaluating various marketing related technologies to build out some efficiencies and adopt some of the newer tricks out there. Last months I dug into my view on the content management space. As it turns out, several of the content management and WEM vendors also include Marketing Automation. So I thought I’d talk a little how to use it to nurture leads.
Marketing Automation: The Importance of Lead Scoring in B2B Read More »
