Driving sales. It’s the No. 1 goal of any inbound marketing plan. But it takes more than big budgets, lots of time, great writers or even sheer luck to deliver quality prospects to your sales team. In fact, 80 percent of marketers report their lead-generation efforts are only slightly or somewhat effective (BrightTALK, 2015). To deliver quality prospects, you must define what a “quality, qualified lead” is. And that begins with understanding and developing a lead scoring system. What is a lead? Let’s start with…
Read MoreThere are two very important things that you should take some time and do before you pick up any communication strategy, whether it be earned, owned or paid. The first is figure out what you want to say. What are the three to five things that you want to say over and over again to cement those messages into the minds of your targets. And then the second thing is figure out who those targets are. You know, you think you know who they are,…
Read MoreIf your content program is working right, the number of followers who are hanging on every word of your blog posts should be growing month in and month out. By providing expert insights, delivering tips to customers and prospects alike on ways to enhance their business and educating readers about new trends and products – and all without shamelessly promoting your own amazing self – you should be moving the needle on increasing your base of followers. (And if not, let’s talk. You may not…
Read MoreThe right tone really needs to be something that is educational, something that shows your expertise. You really want to balance that against every bone in your body wanting to sell. People don’t really respond well to sales right off the bat. So what you want to do is educate them and again show your expertise as a way to start a relationship with them, and then look for opportunities to sell maybe a little bit further down the line. Whether it’s through specific offers…
Read MoreIf there were coupons for social media advertising, I’d be sharpening my scissors ready to clip away. Unfortunately, the world of online advertising doesn’t have the same perks as other sectors of commerce, so being a good steward of your organization’s ad budget is important. That means designing a plan that balances your organization’s budget and goals. To give yourself the best chance at achieving your objectives, lay your advertising plan over your editorial strategy. Doing so will ensure that you’re spending your dollars at…
Read MoreIf you already subscribe to our monthly newsletter, aptly named the Press Box, you might’ve noticed we’re doing things a little differently this year. Don’t worry, we’re still sharing some of our latest client news and celebrating our office culture, but we’ve added a section we’re calling “The Rundown” which will keep you informed of the latest media relations, content marketing and social media trends we’re seeing. We like to think of it as the Skimm or NextDraft for PR (and marketing) folks (or at…
Read MoreEarlier this year, an innovative new project launched within the Washington Monthly’s website to highlight the good work of foundations across the U.S. Successes of Philanthropy isn’t just a new column from the D.C.-based magazine that traditionally covers politics and government. It’s a stellar example of brand journalism, one that is funded entirely by nine foundations. The project’s founder and curator Jeff Hamond explained the reason for the effort in a Successes of Philanthropy post: In America, more so than in other countries, philanthropies play…
Read MoreContent creation goes beyond sharing your own personal insights and expertise. When blogging for your business, it’s not all about you. Sharing industry-wide news, tips and trends and taking advantage of your company’s subject-matter experts (read: Owning Your Story) are essential elements to build your blog’s credibility and brand. After all, whatever your expertise, there is always more to learn beyond your own insights and experiences. And so, aggregating relevant content can go a long way toward building your blog’s readership. Another vital resource, of…
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