Doug Camplejohn says, “Data-driven marketing is on the rise. And no wonder: marketers would be six times as likely to report higher profits if they use data-driven strategies, a recent report by Turn and Forbes Insight discovered. That’s not surprising to those already harnessing the power of data, but the proliferation and availability of Big Data has not yet been translated into revenue for all marketers. Why? Many organizations still struggle to make sense of their data because of the massive volume and high velocity at which data is produced. Furthermore, because data is dispersed... [...]

Murray Newlands says, “A pitch deck has many moving parts, and one of the most important pieces is building an opportunity that an investor can’t pass up.  Creating an alluring opportunity takes finesse, research, number crunching and the ability to tell a compelling story while showing investors you have an empathetic understanding of your target customer. Here are six steps to achieve just that… Step 1: Research Determining your market opportunity should have been done in conjunction with building your product, to know if it’s actually viable. Good research takes one... [...]

Dan Tyre says, “Closing calls are a big deal. And because they’re so important, they’ve acquired a certain mystique. Just saying the phrase “closing call” evokes all kinds of emotions for sales reps. You never want to fumble a sales call, but running a bad closing call might be one of the most painful mistakes a rep can make. But you’re in luck — below is the eight-step closing call sequence that’s served me well for years. 1) Set an agenda. Establish at the very beginning of the call that this will be a closing call. You should have already set the expectation in... [...]

Alesia Hsiao says, “Instagram is one of the leading social media platforms for image-based content. We know that. However, what people don’t always think about is whether it can be used as a viable advertising platform. Engagement rates are high, as Forrester states that the 4.21 percent engagement rate makes Instagram the king of social media. That’s incredible, and this reason, along with others, makes this an advertising platform you have to begin considering. How Does Advertising Work on Instagram? Instagram advertising is simple to spot. At the top of each sponsored image, it will... [...]

Martin Beck says, “It’s hip to be beyond square. Or something like that. Instagram, the visual social network with the famously rigid equal-sided format, announced today that it’s now allowing people to post rectangular photos and videos, in either landscape and portrait orientation. “It turns out that nearly one in five photos or videos people post aren’t in the square format, and we know that it hasn’t been easy to share this type of content on Instagram: friends get cut out of group shots, the subject of your video feels cramped and you can’t capture the Golden Gate Bridge... [...]

Eric Samson says, “Marketing is essential to any company’s bottom line. However, traditional advertising channels such as newspapers, radio and television can get expensive really quick. Furthermore, they may produce little or no ROI. Contrary to these earlier practices, your own marketing strategy does not need to break the bank. Here are several tactics for saving money on marketing while still ensuring that your message reaches your target audience. 1. Do partnered giveaways. Team up with other brands to generate large contests with grand prizes instead of organizing small, standalone... [...]

Kevin Lee says, “These three tips will help you connect with your audience on social media. Are you putting these guidelines to use? While there’s no single formula for writing an article that will resonate with your social media audience, there are guidelines that can increase your chance of success. Here’s a formula that’s worked very well for my content team: 1. 300 to 500 Words of Text. Yes, the words in this text should contain a modicum of keywords you’re shooting for, but my advice is not to obsess about keyword density or even word count. Google, especially post-Hummingbird,... [...]

Monica Montesa says, “Meet Emily. She’s the blogger and designer behind Jones Design Company.Jones Design Company began in 2002 as a custom stationery business and transitioned into a blog in 2009. On the blog, readers can find topics like home decorating, crafting, organizing, beauty and fashion, combined with Emily’s incredible design skills. Emily uses AWeber as her email marketing platform of choice, as email marketing is a top priority for Jones Design Company. “Because we are primarily a blog, it is important to develop a relationship with our readers,” Emily said. “Using... [...]

Rainmaker team says, “In this new series on The Mainframe, hosts Tony Clark and Chris Garrett discuss the importance of the right metrics in growing your business, and why you should not be paralyzed by math. In this episode of The Mainframe, Chris Garrett and Tony Clark discuss: How you can determine the correct metrics for your business Where to start, and what you need to focus on Why the big Silicon Valley tech companies are not the right businesses to model“. The Zen of Measurement, Optimization, and Focus ‘Copyblogger’ Blog  [...]

Jerry Low says, “As any marketer knows, there’s no point in creating something if it doesn’t have a purpose, and that purpose should aim to garner a response, and to garner that response, you a CTA (call to action). But not all CTAs are created equal—and inferior CTAs are bound to get inferior responses. Think of it this way: if you go to McDonald’s and don’t tell the cashier what you want, you’re bound to get ignored. Putting a marketing message out there without a CTA will have the same effect. That call to action is the single most important element of your landing page—and... [...]