Well just a few more trips to the hammock for most of us and then it’s back to the trough for four months of Fun with Revenue. Here are a few things you might want to look at over that giant drink you’re already thinking about.
It’s Not Dead; It’s Sleeping:
Sometimes when you’re the only one in the office on a Friday, the boss notices and gives you credit. Other times the boss notices and gives you a giant dead woodchuck in the form of a strategic plan they need for Tuesday. If this is you, here is a great guide from ClientBridge on how to put a marketing strategy together. It’s geared for small and medium companies but I think the concepts apply to roadkill everywhere.
Sooner or Later the Music Always Stops:
And when it does, dear marketer, it’s not the one on the chair who stays in the game, it’s the one with all the numbers lined up nice and pretty on a slide. If you’re starting to pull your annual Existence Justification Plan together, then BaseOne’s BuyerSphere report has some great stats to get you started. This one is the 2011 edition so keep your eyes open for an updated version.
Then it Stops Again with Fewer Chairs:
And that’s where you get to roll once more with some handy Marketing ROI metrics. Wondering where you might get those? Here is a very good e-book about what to do when pretty pictures just don’t cut it anymore. Plus there’s a really cool infographic (if you are over 40, that’s what we used to call a picture).
What is the CMO Thinking?
If we believe the statistics about CMO tenures not quite outlasting the milk in their fridges, then probably they are thinking about stealing a few more rolls of tape from the supply cupboard. But when they aren’t, they’re worrying about all sorts of things and IBM is writing it down. Here’s the annual Global CMO Study from Big Blue released last fall. The next one isn’t due out until November so this will have to tide you over. You’ll want to freshen up that drink.
And Now Something You Can Actually Use:
How about some inspiration for your calls to action? This is a great guide from Hubspot full of visuals (but not infographics) and not so many words. A good little reference if you’re stuck. h
Two Reasons to Go to Starbucks:
One is to hide from your boss after she’s read too many Steve Jobs biographies and wants you to build a Customer Community for next week. The other is to get a Grande non-fat-soy-something to sip while you read Eloqua’s Grande Guide to Community Management.
And One Reason to Come Back from Starbucks:
If you have the unenviable task of setting up a marketing group or trying to figure out how marketing fits in with the other kids in the sandbox, this is a very good framework to use. It’s from a terrific B2B blog so make sure you subscribe while you’re there.
Hooray for Email! No, Seriously. Hooray.!
Whether we like it or not, the cool kids in consumer marketing get to play with Pinterest and our bread continues to be buttered by email marketing. If you’re having trouble defending this workhorse, or your self-esteem is feeling a little fragile, check out this succinct case for email marketing.
Envy is Such an Ugly Emotion:
And it’s a bit sad when all you can think of to covet is someone’s clever infographic. For those of us who are a little challenged with pictures, here are some free PowerPoint templates.
Where’s The Geek Squad when You Need Them?
Now I don’t like to kick a company when it’s down on its luck. So I’ll let Fast Company do it. Doesn’t it seem just last week that our marketing noses were being rubbed in Best Buy’s progressive social media policies and customer-centric feng shui newspaper flyers? From shining example to dire warning in no time flat. Here’s the link.
Happy Labour Day, Everyone!
Bizmarketer is Elizabeth Williams
Follow me on Twitter @bizmkter
or email escwilliams@gmail.com
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