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Creating e-newsletters, creating a warm glow

Posted on December 22, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

So, in calling all of my old friends and family and contacts over the last couple of days, I started thinking about B2B holiday relations.  How (besides that best-of e-newsletter) are you reaching out to your customers and prospects?

Fruit basket?  Fruit cake?  Happy Holidays card sporting the big boss's signature? 

Aren't those all kind of impersonal?

The holidays are an opportunity to humanize your company, be that in the form of a gift, or a card, or even an e-card. 

It doesn't matter what it is as long as it somehow touches its recipient, and isn't something obviously exactly the same thing as was sent to the other 200 million people on your list.

Or, if you do have an insanely unmanageable amount of corporate holiday gifting to do, try getting a little more creative and showcasing the personality of your company through your gift or card.  Be one of the cool kids who sends out offbeat messages that really get noticed. 

December 22, 2004 in Business relationships, CMO, Corporate newsletter | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tracking Personal Data

Posted on December 17, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

There are a couple of things that are given about January.  1: you are given a (figurative) clean slate, and  2: the gym is going to be way more crowded than usual.

Probably there are all kinds of things you're trying to clean up, tie up, and wrap up right now.  Me, too.  And aside from all the things I have to do, I'm also thinking of all of the people I haven't spoken to in a long time.

Here's my plan to catch up: every morning while brewing my coffee over the next two weeks, I'm going to think of three people that I am definitely, no matter what, going to talk to that day.  I will make sure I've got the contact info for each of those people, and, when I've got a couple of minutes, I will call them.  Easy enough.

I know they'll be busy, too, but a few minutes is all each of us needs.

December 17, 2004 in award winning magazine, Blogs, Building Customer Community, Business Marketing | Permalink | Comments (0)

Email Marketing: Ripen Your Leads

Posted on December 15, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Great article today by fellow blogger, Brian Carroll of the B2B Lead Generation blog, published on MarketingProfs.

He has some excellent points about nurturing business relationships, and even does us the courtesy of creating a systematization graph. 

Go bananas.

December 15, 2004 in Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, bulk email marketing, business magazine, Corporate publications | Permalink | Comments (0)

Newsletter Service: what are people saying about you?

Posted on December 14, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Do you have any idea what your clients and prospects are saying behind your back? 

Just the other day I heard one of your clients mentioning to his assistant that he thinks your new hairstyle is frumpy and that you only call him when he's behind on invoice payments.

Let's face it--both of those things are true.  That haircut sort of makes you look like your mom, and you only call people when you need something.  I know these aren't things you want to hear, but wouldn't you rather find out now, instead of after your client has left because he doesn't feel like you care about him?

Good news: you can find out what your clients are thinking.  How?  By asking.  With a survey!

Link to MarketingProfs article.

December 14, 2004 in award winning newsletter, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, Business editorial, business magazine, Company publication | Permalink | Comments (0)

Those "Creative-types"

Posted on December 10, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Ah....the dreaded creative-type, who breezes into work three hours late with a new tattoo and an aura of depression.  But the things she can do (and under pressure!)--she can turn a concept into a website and back again; she can turn a piece of paper into a crane.

Yeah.  As with most stereotypes, it turns out this one's not entirely true.  This Fast Company article dispels the six myths of creativity, which you can take to heart to turn your team into sunny, fearless, creative collaborators.  And then watch your e-marketing efforts bloom.

 

December 10, 2004 in award winning newsletter, Blog Outsourcing, bulk email marketing, company blog, company magazine | Permalink | Comments (2)

Brass Tacks, Nuts & Bolts

Posted on December 09, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Even the smartest of smarty-pants marketers needs a refresher course every now and again.

So here's a concise list of mostly dos and a few don'ts for producing your e-newsletter, courtesy of Buzz!Words.

December 9, 2004 in award winning magazine, award winning newsletter, Blog Outsourcing, Blogs, Brand enhancement, Building B2B Relationships, Business newsletter, CMO, company blog, company magazine, company newsletter | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gaze into my Crystal Ball

Posted on December 08, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Have you ever noticed that right around mid-December everyone turns psychic? 

Not only are we all looking back and remembering the bests and worsts, but we're also squinting into the foggy future with high hopes. 

Here's an article I like because--sports metaphors aside--Drew Neisser lends some credibility to his conjecture by reviewing his forecasts from last year.  Looks like he's right about half the time, so you're bound to get some good information.  And some bad information.  You be the judge.

As for me, in your future I see a dark stranger and a trip across the sea.  Now cross my palm with silver.

December 8, 2004 in build credibility, Building Customer Community, Business publications, Corporate publications | Permalink | Comments (0)

Introduction to a marketing genius

Posted on December 07, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

I think of all of you out there in the blogosphere as my invisible friends. 

And I like it when all of my friends know each other, so here's a link to the marketing genius blog, which is replete with, as they say, "Marketing tips, observations & philosophy, plus a few rants and random musings - from those who practice, preach and teach marketing, research, advertising, public relations and business strategy."

The rants and random musings are particularly amusing--Skip, Andy, and Emily keep it fresh and sassy, just the way I like it.

December 7, 2004 in Blogging Tools, Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, bulk email marketing | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are You Boring?

Posted on December 02, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Take a long hard look at yourself, my friends.  Are you boring?  Or do you enjoy having what the young people call "fun"?  And what about your e-newsletter?  Is it jam-packed with valuable information that is somehow simultaneously drier than the driest dust? 

I'm not advocating anything too out there; I mean, there is a reason why B2B communication is formal, but there's nothing wrong with adding some personality, which can lead to fun, which can lead to response.

Case in point: we just sent out one of our own company newsletters yesterday.  The title of the article that has generated the most click-throughs? If the Headline Sucks, You're History.  Fun.

Here's a ClickZ article on the subject.

December 2, 2004 in award winning newsletter, build credibility, Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, Business publications, company newsletter, Corporate publications | Permalink | Comments (1)

Blog: Number One

Posted on December 01, 2004 by Sarah Eaton.

Check this out:  "blog" is at the top of the Merriam-Webster top-ten definition list for 2004, with hits galore (tens of thousands/month) since this summer.

Hooray!  Everybody's interested in blogging!  But also not so hooray--nobody knows what it means.  But hooray again!  Everybody cares enough about blogging to look it up!

It's only a matter of time before your grandma's got an RSS reader.

The whole list.

December 1, 2004 in Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, bulk email marketing | Permalink | Comments (0)