Spencer Kollas says, “In recent weeks I have had a number of customers ask me about purchasing an e-append in order to increase their overall customer list size right before the holiday season. For those of you who are unfamiliar with an e-append, it is the process purchasing email addresses from a third party company and then matching them to your known customer demographic information, so that you may start emailing customers whose contact information you previously did not have. There are a number of potential issues with the use of e-appends so I want to caution anyone considering this... [...]

Derek Miller says, “Small Business Saturday (Nov. 26, 2016) is an American shopping holiday that aims to promote shopping at local businesses. Last year, it generated $16.2 billion in spending for small businesses which was a 14 percent increase from 2014. While it’s great to use Small Business Saturday as a way to increase sales, most small businesses need more consistency throughout the year to survive in the increasingly competitive marketplace. Fortunately, there are several ways small businesses can better position themselves to compete in the local market. 1. Small business tips... [...]

Jennifer Blackburn says, “Faster than marketing teams can keep up, today’s marketing content is often shared across social channels, in email campaigns, and on third-party sites. It’s a good problem to have… Why? Because with the abundance of the resulting digital insights available, modern marketers have become better equipped at proving campaign ROI to their bosses, clients, and stakeholders. The data from Google Analytics alone, such as clicks and conversions, is enough metrics to fill an Olympic-sized pool—and they’re easy to snag and display in a pretty graph. The... [...]

Roger C. Parker says, “There’s something for every content marketer and entrepreneur on your list in this year’s holiday gift book suggestions for content marketers. It’s our largest gift guide and contains 24 recently published books and eight old favorites and books that I overlooked. Included are: * Content marketing books, including overviews and training guides for newcomers, fresh perspectives for experienced content marketers, and advanced SEO techniques for experienced chief content officers and bloggers interested in attracting more traffic, building their lists, and increasing... [...]

Barry Levine says, “If you’ve noticed that more and more billboards have essentially become giant TV screens, then you’re watching the out-of-home (OOH) industry slowly grow into something resembling the online ad industry. This week, a Santa Monica, California-based startup called AdQuick launched its first product, a platform that is designed to manage the OOH ecosystem — including screens in bus shelters or displays on the sides of buildings, as well as billboards. But the industry still has a ways to go. Founder and CEO Matthew O’Connor told me that well over 90 percent of OOH... [...]

Brett Middleton says, “I’ve come to believe that the essence of PPC management can be boiled down to two things: 1. Never let one thing (keyword research, bid management, A/B testing ad copy and so on) take up so much of your attention that you let something else slip. 2. What you did yesterday probably needs to be changed, and failing to adapt your methodology is as bad as having an empty “Change History” log. As you gain more experience in PPC, you start to develop patterns and favorite tactics out of necessity. We bring tools that worked in the past to each new campaign or ad account.... [...]

Sophia Bernazzani says, “I have money in my savings account because my bank has a built-in auto-deposit process. I’m not logging into my account every day and moving money around, but when I do log in, I can see the progress I’ve made toward my goals by setting my account to automate deductions. Think of marketing automation like auto-deducting money from your checking account and putting it into savings: The automatic process lets you invest in your future goals in an easier way than if you did it manually. Marketing automation can play a significant role in the success of your inbound... [...]

MOZ team says, “hen it comes to certain kinds of backlinks, avoiding penalties can be a real gray area. How can you earn the benefits without gaining the scrutiny of Google? In this Whiteboard Friday, Rand will teach you which rules to follow to keep you safe and on the up-and-up, all while improving your link profile”. Backlinks from Client Sites, Sites You Own, Widgets, & Embedded Content: How to Maximize Benefits & Avoid Problems – Whiteboard Friday MOZ  [...]

Entrepreneur team says, “We’ve asked direct marketer and Entrepreneur Press author Craig Simpson for his favorite books that he believes our readers will enjoy. * Successful Direct Marketing Methods by Bob Stone and Ron Jacobs This seventh edition of one of the foundational books in the field of direct marketing has been updated to fully integrate web opportunities and methodology. Here you’ll discover all the basics of devising effective campaigns for finding new customers and nurturing existing ones for optimal lifetime value. Each chapter provides a Case Study and ideas for new... [...]

James Collins says, “It’s often assumed that coupon sites only drive value at the last click. Or they are seen as poachers of revenue that has actually been driven by other marketing channels earlier in the consumer journey. Nevertheless, shoppers now expect coupons and deals to be readily available for their online shopping. In fact, according to research published by Deloitte (PDF), one in three transactions will involve a coupon or promotion this holiday season. Should the myths associated with coupons stop brands from using them, potentially prompting them to miss out on business from... [...]