Podcast: “Everyone Sells: It’s Just a Question of How Well!”
(37 MINUTES)
MP3 File
For most people, the word “salesperson” gives them the willies. It nearly implies deceit. Why? We ALL know what it’s like to be pitched and pitched poorly. Yet in today’s work environment — no matter what industry we work in — we are always selling. It permeates our daily lives and is programmed into our subconscious habits. Don’t believe me? You have to convince your boss that it’s ok for you to take a week off; you have to get your colleagues to support a project or you have to convince a company to use your company. Heck, if you’re single and out at the bar you’re pretty much selling! See, I told ya so. But there ARE different approaches out there — some more effective than others. What’s the secret sauce? I might suggest to you: authenticity or connecting emotionally. Is this, in fact, what’s behind Microsoft’s $45 BILLION attempt to woo Yahoo?
Bottom line is YOU are, indeed, a brand. Sounds trite but it’s worth considering — since we live in an increasingly “marketing-oriented” world. You may think you’re ‘above all that selling nonsense’. Selling is for dummies who didn’t go to college and can’t do anything else, right? Wrong! We all MUST sell and sell well to live fulfilled lives.
This week the gang discusses/debates how to…
- Improve our batting averages with person-to-person selling
- Understand the secret sauce that GOOD sales people have (those who have remarkable influence)
- Get are arms around what constitutes “a Web site that can sell”
Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We’ll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.
Podcast: “New Social Marketing, New Engagement Measures: Or Is This All Useless Hype?”
(35 MINUTES)
MP3 File
The Internet is every direct marketer’s dream. Users’/customers’ actions can be defined, measured, saved and compared with ease. Many companies intuitively understand they have gobs of data available to them — yet few actively collect it or they’ve constrained their data gathering to revenue generating paths. This is Web Analytics 101. But in today’s world of social media, conversational marketing and user generated content, might merchants be missing something? How deep down the rabbit hole should one go with analytics and is revenue generation really the Holy Grail?
There are many things users do that relate back to a merchant in a non-revenue producing, yet beneficial, way. They may post on their Facebook profile they bought from Company X. They may write a blog… or leave a review about a product on the merchant’s site. Some are calling this “consumer engagement” and while it is non-revenue producing, they suggest this kind of activity should be collected and measured. Why? By analyzing THIS kind of data a merchant will be able to better nurture prospects, identify key “mavens and connectors” — consumers who influence other people’s purchases.
The gang helps listeners answer questions like:
* What are the tech and people obstacles marketers face if they track “consumer engagement”?
* What about in the lead-gen space? If a mortgage broker buys a lead, how should he/she interact with the data? How does standardization fit it?
* Is all this tracking necessary? Can — and do — merchants get a big enough lift to justify the costs?
* At what point does this “devaluation” of hard-core direct marketing ROI begin to promote “old fashioned”, somewhat sloppy, advertising practices?! OR are new “holistic” measures and analysis practices in order?
Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We’ll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.
Podcast: “Recession, Layoffs & Salary Cuts – Oh My!”
(34 MINUTES)
In light of all the news about salary cuts, layoffs, market fluctuations and general economic slow-down this week the gang discusses ‘what’s next for digital marketing & media?’ Who will win, who stands to lose and how will the landscape change — if at all?
Please give us your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips, saucy gossip by posting to this entry! We’ll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.
MP3 File
