BeTuitive: grow relationships

Six Productivity Tips

Posted on August 02, 2007 by Kathryn Regina.

I love that Brazen Careerist. Really, I just love her title. But I think her article on productivity offers some helpful insights as well. If you want to get more done in less time--and who doesn't?--you should check it out. My favorite tip is "focus on outcome."

Six Productivity Tips to Put Time on Your Side

August 2, 2007 in award winning blog, Blogs, build credibility, business credibility, Business editorial, business magazine, company blog, company newsletter, Corporate Blogging, corporate magazine, Corporate publications, create newsletter, Custom publisher, Custom publishing, E-Marketing, e-newsletter, e-zine, Email Marketing, email service, ezine, ezine marketing, grow relationships, how to publish online, magazine design, magazine outsourcing, marketing newsletter, newsletter design | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

3 Keys to Cultivating a Successful Blog: Relevant, Consistent, Transparent

Posted on June 21, 2007 by Kevin G.

Ok, we get it. We (marketers, business owners, the general public) all know that blogs are great tools to use. They spread awareness, knowledge and ideas behind a name, brand, or identity to the world on a personal level. But it takes more effort than you think to cultivate a bussling active blog. In the pursuit of spreading my knowledge (or my two cents), here are my three qualities any successful blog should have:

1) Relevancy is Key

Successful bloggers don't throw everything at the wall to see what sticks – that's just lazy. If bloggers are able to pick topics that ring clear to their intended audience, it shows they get it. Show that you know what your audience is concerned about. Be an expert through research and sharing experiences that people can benefit from. A blog with relevant conent will spark engagement and enhance interaction.

2) Keep it Consistent

Consistency is key to developing readership. When you pick days to post (whether it be daily, weekly, or even monthly) stick to them. This shows that you care about the flow of your blog. Consider the way you write about topics, present media or comment on fellow bloggers' postings. A consistent blog is a reliable resource for your audience.

3) Maintain Transparency

Face it, your blog is open to readers all over the world. It is easy to get burned if done dishonestly. Savvy blog readers can see right through a fake and can make it a personal quest to expose the good, the bad, and the ugly. Make sincere posts with honest intent to connect with your audience on a personal level. Also, allow your readers to get in touch with you through email or be open to answer back on posts.

Here are some good tips to make a smashing start for your new blog. Now blog away!

June 21, 2007 in award winning blog, award winning design, Blog Outsourcing, blog publish, Blogging Tools, Blogs, Brand enhancement, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, Business relationships, company blog, Corporate Blogging, Custom publication, customer retention, Educating Clients, Educating Prospects, grow relationships, how to publish and promote online, how to publish online, marketing solutions, nurturing relationships, web publish, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Feed the Burn or It's the Results, Stupid

Posted on June 04, 2007 by Vinnie Lacey.

Looks like Google is giving Chicago-based company FeedBurner 100 million reasons to rejoice.

At least, that's the word on the street this week as FeedBurner is expected to rake in $100 million from its sale to information giant Google. (Note to self: Google self. Make sure clone has not been created from aggregated information. If clone exists, destroy clone.)

To those not familiar with the business, FeedBurner is a hybrid of a publisher's service and advertising company. By optimizing distribution of feed-based (ie, regularly updated) content--blogs, commercial news sites, RSS, podcasts, etc.--and analyzing the traffic around such content, FeedBurner helps the authoring companies better reach their ideal audience. Advertisers get into 'Burner by having their offerings stapled to these targeted, optimized feeds. Content feeders can even make money, as FeedBurner offers them a slice of the advertising pie.

So how did a company less than three years old with less than 30 employees entice the voracious Google monster? The answer is in the technology. As Susan Wojcicki, a Google vice president for advertising products, puts it, FeedBurner is a good fit because both companies focus on selling advertising that is "very measurable," meaning publishers can track each time a computer user looks at content.

That's good news as advertisers struggle to reach a fragmented audience with increasing control over when, where, and how information (including ads) hits their radar.

The potency behind a marketing campaign with targeted info--wrapping the information that readers find useful around promotional content--is, of course, no stranger to BeTuitive. We're convinced that's what keeps our clients top-of-mind, relevant and a returning choice for their users and consumers. And we continue to refine our tools in measuring and analyzing our clients' results each time they publish.

But don't take our word for it.

Google just gave 100 million reasons to decide for yourself.

June 4, 2007 in blog publish, Blogging Tools, Blogs, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, Building Customer Community, Business relationships, company blog, Custom publishing, grow relationships, nurturing relationships, online marketing, online publishing, publications management, publish, publish a rss, publish writing, publishing outsourcing, publishing solution, web publish | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Keep Your Company On Target: Top 3 Lessons Learned from the Target Corporation

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Kathryn Regina.

The Target Corporation has a loyal customer base whose enthusiasm has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon. From the pet name Tarzhay (a “French” pronunciation of Target) to the scores of shoppers professing their love for the red bull’s-eye, Target is a force to be reckoned with in the discount retail industry.

In her book On Target: How the World’s Hottest Retailer Hit a Bull’s-eye, author Laura Rowley expounds on Target’s business and marketing strategies. And although the book is retail-centric (and at times a bit promotional), I think it offers some valuable insight into what makes a business—any business—successful. The following are my top three lessons learned from the Target Corporation.

Lesson One: Take the best of both worlds

Die-hard Target shoppers will adamantly dispute the idea that Target is “just another discount store” like Walmart or Kmart. How has Target so effectively differentiated itself from its competitors? They did it by taking the best elements of a high-end department store--a clean well-lit sales floor, stylish products and friendly customer service--and tailoring those elements to fit a discount store.

“’Before I was a professor, I worked at a housewares distribution company which sold to Target,’ said Michael Levy, a professor of retailing at Babson College in Massachusetts and co-editor of the Journal of Retailing. ‘They always paid a lot of attention to detail. Their stores always looked a lot better than the discount store competition. Even though the shelves were stacked a little higher and the displays were not as slick as department stores, they looked more like department stores in those days than the sort of dark, dingy look of a discount store (On Target, p11).’”

Consider your chief competitors, and companies that provide high-end services in your industry. What are the most attractive elements of their offers, and how can you integrate those elements into your business in a realistic, manageable way? Take the best of both worlds and you’ll make your customers feel like they’ve hit the jackpot.

Lesson Two: Design is king

From the basics of product selection to larger decisions about its marketing campaigns, Target takes design very seriously.

Tupperware chairman and CEO Rick Goings: “I think they are looking for brands that really draw people into Target stores. If you compare them to some other retailers, they have a fairly narrow product line that they show in any category in Target, but it’s usually brands or product categories where there’s a panache to it, or a design element (On Target, p23).”

Following the iMac model of “show, don’t tell” Target ads and commercials are visually compelling, with very little text. The bulls-eye logo is so strongly branded that the Target name is usually not even included in advertisements.

“This is the ultimate emotional connection,” says Mark Gobe, founder of the branding and design firm Desgrippes Gobe Group, “when your message is so powerful and so unique that visual expressions can stand alone (On Target, p58).”

Lesson Three: Partner with people who are experts in their fields

The “do-it-yourself” method seems like a frugal choice for home owners, but it isn’t always the best financial decision for a business. So when Target decided to join the e-commerce market, it turned over its Web operations to Amazon.com.

“’I think [the Amazon deal] gives them an edge,’ said Cynthia Cohen of Strategic Mindshare. ‘You can create your own infrastructure for e-commerce, hire people, teach them—but that is expensive and time-consuming, versus going to somebody whose core competency is e-commerce. Amazon already has this knowledge—so [Target is] buying the knowledge—their dollars versus their time frame, their risk. This isn’t entirely risk-free, but Target is reducing risk by using knowledge from a company whose core competency is e-commerce (On Target, p76).’”

Whether you’re trying to break into e-commerce or start a custom publication, partnering with an expert can increase efficiency, reduce risk and optimize results while sparing your company the cost of internal time and resources.

Visit Laura Rowley.com

What's a tag?

May 31, 2007 in award winning blog, award winning design, blog publish, Blogs, Brand enhancement, build credibility, Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, business credibility, Business Marketing, Business relationships, Corporate Blogging, Customer Intuition, customer retention, E-Marketing, Email Marketing, email marketing solution, grow relationships, Marketing Communication, marketing solutions, nurturing relationships, online marketing, publish, Strategic Internet Marketing | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Obama Focuses Attention on Telemarketing and the FTC

Posted on May 23, 2007 by Kevin G.

It may not be the topic of global warming or the war in Iraq, but presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama, offered his concern on telemarketing to the elderly. The FTC and databases like Infousa.com are mentioned in his statement. Read the full article here.

May 23, 2007 in blog publish, Brand enhancement, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, Building Customer Community, Building Customer Intuition, Business editorial, Business relationships, Company publication, Corporate Blogging, create a newsletter, creating newsletter, Custom email, Custom publishing, Customizable publication, electronic newsletter, email marketing solution, email service, grow relationships | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Reinforcement and Challenge: The Components of Strong Branding

Posted on May 16, 2007 by Kevin G.

I have been thinking a lot about branding lately and came up with a couple ideas about it. Branding is all about the relationship a consumer has to a company and its products. This relationship is enhanced through new experiences, better quality, and improved reputation.

Often a relationship is strengthened by reinforcing the positive qualities. This is found in reward points for a certain amount of purchases, excellent customer service around trusted products, or improved stores or website to better serve customers.

Brands are also strengthened when they challenge their consumers into thinking differently about their product, service or company. Apple did it with computers and Starbucks did it with coffee. By challenging the consumers, they learn to refocus their view of a brand in an effort to improve the relationship.

These two commercials for BMW seem to do just that. Watch both and see which is more effective for you and how you see BMW as a brand.

May 16, 2007 in award winning design, Blogging Tools, Building B2B Relationships, Building Customer Community, bulk email marketing, business credibility, business magazine, Business relationships, CMO, Company publication, Corporate Blogging, Corporate newsletter, creating company newsletter, Creative emails, Custom publisher, Customer Intuition, Educating Clients, Educating Prospects, forbes magazine, grow relationships, magazine design, Strategic Internet Marketing | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Google Improves Web Analytics

Posted on May 09, 2007 by Kevin G.

So it appears that Google has updated there web analytics tools. After considering many of the suggestions from businesses, the tools are more intuitive, expansive and customizable. Enhancing your SEO just got a whole lot easier.

May 9, 2007 in Blogging Tools, Brand enhancement, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, custom newsletter, Custom publication, customer retention, E-Marketing, e-newsletter, e-zine, Educating Clients, Educating Prospects, grow relationships, mass email, nurturing relationships, opt-in email, Thought leadership newsletter | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Brand Origins

Posted on May 02, 2007 by Kevin G.

Have you ever been curious about the origins of some of the most recognizable companies worldwide? I found a great site that explains the history of brands like Mercedes, NASA, Red Bull, or FedEx. Feed your curiosity.

May 2, 2007 in Brand enhancement, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, business credibility, Business relationships, E-Marketing, Email Marketing, grow relationships, Interactive Marketing, newsletter, newsletter article, nurturing relationships, online marketing, Outsourcing publication, prospect newsletter, Strategic Internet Marketing, Thought leadership newsletter | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Latest Strategy for Spam: Hijacking

Posted on April 25, 2007 by Kevin G.

Spam messages infest our inboxes and inundate filters on a daily basis. It seems to be a continuous war of programmers vs. spammers.

According to Commtouch’s 2007 Spam Trend Report, 85-90 percent of all emails are sneaky spam messages. According to the report, the newest and most prominent form of spam aims to hijack the likeness of a legitimate email message.

The early forms of spam were easy to spot from subject lines using the seven words never to use in email marketing. Now they carry the likeness of a normal message with a mixture of images and text. Since most email service providers track an opened message from images populating, the average spam will now have an image at the top to fool spam filters.

When the newest methods of filtering are developed and integrated, they are already outdated by the continuous cycle of spam sophistication. It seems like an endless rat race to stay on top. You can read more about the newest trend in spam messages here.

April 25, 2007 in build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, bulk email marketing, Business relationships, create newsletter, Creative emails, direct email marketing, E-Marketing, e-newsletter, Educating Clients, Email blast, email marketing campaign, email marketing solution, grow relationships, How to do a Newsletter, html email newsletter, Interactive Marketing, opt-in email, Opt-in Email Marketing, Strategic Internet Marketing | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Let's Get Personal

Posted on March 26, 2007 by Vinnie Lacey.

Custom publishing is what we do here at BeTuitive, so its no surprise custom tools for the internet get our motors running. Customization, especially in the information-bombarded electronic arena, can transform a relatively detached experience (cyberspace floating) into a personal one (still floating, but with purpose). It's part of the same brainstorming strategy we use in our B2B publications to determine what kind of content a company's readers will find attract and actually useful. And useful can certainly be a commodity on the internet these days.

That's why I found today's Lifehacker posting quite helpful. As far as customizing my own internet experience, I have been sorely lacking in the most intimate area: my homepage; instead relying on several different websites for, admittedly, very small, targeted bits of information. If you need some help on the wealth of homepage choices out there, Rick Broida provides you with a good place to start getting personal.

March 26, 2007 in blog publish, Blogging Tools, Blogs, Brand enhancement, build credibility, Building B2B Relationships, business credibility, Business publications, Business relationships, company blog, Custom email, Custom publication, Custom publications, Custom publisher, Custom publishing, Customer Intuition, Customizable publication, grow relationships, publish online, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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