You really need to understand this: Drake Morton

Elongated Sales Cycles

Require Stronger Segmentation

by Stephanie Miller , Wednesday, May 7, 2008

THE INTERNET HAS MADE SALES cycles longer. “Selling now takes more time and resources then ever before. The sales cycle has become 22% longer as buyers are taking longer to consider their decisions. Plus, buying is being managed more professionally.” (Source: Sirius Decisions)

Is this true for you? What a great opportunity for email marketing segmentation strategies! Just by segmenting your prospects from other subscribers, you can boost revenue, improve conversion from email marketing, strengthen buyer satisfaction and build your brand.

(more…)

A MUST Read: Drake Morton

Stop It, You’re Killing Me

by Melinda Krueger , Monday, May 5, 2008

The Email Diva is beginning to feel that her days are numbered. A quick view of my three inboxes shows the reigning philosophy of email is “more is more.” As a result of this and the emergence of new communication media, I believe we are on the road to killing the email channel.

In the last 24 days, I have received 20 messages from WOMMA, the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, a group I’ve always held in high esteem. In the past 30 days, I have received 61 messages from DMA, the Direct Marketing Association. These are marketing organizations, so if they don’t “get” email, how can we expect anyone else to?

(more…)

Excellent Read: Drake Morton

Seeking Conversions In A

Discovery-Oriented World

by Gerry Bavaro , Monday, May 5, 2008

BECAUSE DAVID Berkowitz has been probing the issue of search vs. discovery in recent Search Insider columns (See: http://blogs.mediapost.com/search_insider/?p=770), I’d like to point out some thorny challenges faced by the search community as we move to a world where information is shared more freely via social networks and discovered through ways that might be termed “less active” — because they depart from traditional search query behavior. How exactly are agencies and marketers supposed to think about the idea of discovery as a critical component of consumer influence toward action/conversion?
(more…)

Need to Understand: Drake Morton

Search — Where Supply Meets Demand

by Janel Landis , Friday, May 2, 2008

WITHOUT DEMAND, THERE CAN BE no supply. When it comes to search engine marketing, demand must occur on one of your keywords in order for your ad to serve. As advertisers seek more volume in their search engine marketing (SEM) campaigns, typical tactics to accomplish this are to bid on more keywords or to improve click rates and conversion rates through ad copy and landing page testing. While these are essential tactics to employ, they usually only provide incremental lifts in volume. (more…)