Ben & Jerry’s seemingly knee-jerk decision to drop email marketing made waves across the marketing industry last week. As it turns out the rumours were hugely exaggerated and far from cutting email communication altogether, the ice-cream giant had simply switched off its monthly newsletter to UK fans in favour of social media. According to the company’s PR Director, Sean Greenwood, it would still be using email to inform subscribers of special events and opportunities and – like any savvy marketing department – sees absolute merit in combining traditional and new channels effectively to make maximum impact.
Still, the reaction that reached ...
As a 9 to 5 worker I’ve always found it frustrating that the banks are only open during week days and that I have to have my hair done on a Saturday when it’s nigh impossible to get an appointment at short notice. This led me to think about how difficult it must be for the SME and SoHo community who notoriously work unsociable hours and consequently can’t get the service they need from their suppliers exactly when they need it.
Recently I’ve been looking at the online registrations and buying patterns on our website to see who our online customers ...
It could be argued that B2B marketers have come to love email as a customer acquisition tool, but it has taken time. At first, email was seen purely as a retention tool, useful for communicating with existing customers, but less so for generating new ones. Then, the theory was that it was best for warm prospects and less effective at engaging truly cold prospects – those with whom we have had no prior relationship.
Now, most B2B marketers realise that email marketing is not only a good way of warming up these cold business prospects – it is also great for ...
I recently wrote a very cynical column about direct mail being one of The Government’s cash cows. As a nice little earner, I’d be shocked if it doesn’t end up being the very last direct marketing channel standing – whilst all other forms get legislated away.
Yes, it’s a view that flies in the face of the ‘death of direct mail’ obituaries but with even junk mail now on the rise (not that it ever went away – some industries just had less money to throw at it) as a revenue generator – am I the only cynic? Why have unaddressed ...
I don’t think I’m the only one aware that as we turn out of recession there seems to be a forgetfulness of what went before. I’m not talking about remembering or returning to the so called ‘good old days’ of extravagant marketing budgets, but memories seem remarkably short when it comes to recalling and putting back into action marketing that actually worked, and worked well.
In some sectors, marketing was cut right across the board whether it was successful or not. Yet, as many businesses pulled down the barricades and reduced marketing spend at the start of the recession, others beefed ...
According to the latest economic survey issued by the Forum of Private Business, poor payment tops the list of business owners’ concerns with late payment causing small businesses the biggest headaches.
There are certainly no surprises in these findings or nothing new – either in the extent of the problem itself or the same old solutions put forward to address the issue:
• Charging interest on late payment – isn’t this just a potentially great way to lose a customer?
• Naming and shaming the worst offenders – so you’re going to stop supplying Carlsberg UK because they’re on the list…no didn’t think so
• ...
I’m in the mood for dancing. Yes the Nolan Sisters are back and my U shaped recession prediction with a long flat bottom (well sort of prediction) wasn’t far wrong.
However, using the replacement of an anticipated, but sadly lacking Smiths reunion, with a coming together of the sibling kind isn’t probably the most accurate way to proclaim that maybe the worst is over. But, like The Nolans, B2B marketing is looking like it’s got its confidence back.
How is it for you? What are you finding? More than seven months ago I posed the question on B2B Marketing: are we ...
When you turn up to listen to experts exposing real-life examples of their social media prowess, the last thing you expect is the technology to be the biggest let down.
When the Mic says NO, and the PowerPoint says NO too (both of which unfortunately happened at the B2B Marketing/Mardev Social Media Revolution seminar in Manchester), it’s a timely reminder even as the social media revolution is upon us that the Billy basics shouldn’t be forgotten.
Without exception all those speaking at the event heralded positive results from their use of social networking for business. Whether it was Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, ...
Did we really need another survey to tell us that almost one in five SMEs have breached the Data Protection Act (DPA)? Or, that in half of all SMEs there is no one assigned with responsibility for data protection?
Being little or not is no excuse to ignore the DPA but do B2B firms, in particular, always take into account that the DPA also applies to them? In the media the focus is always on the personal and individual. So much so, many forget that business data is also at a personal level – when have you ever met someone within ...
Can’t say I’m a fan of the supposedly cult 80s TV programme Why Don't You Just Switch Off Your Television Set And Go Out And Do Something Less Boring Instead? But switching off – shouldn’t that become a more popular pastime?
I ask this question as news of yet another new advice site for small businesses reaches me. Joining the likes of Smarta to bring advice and guidance to the SME masses, it got me thinking 80s nostalgia. Well, not really but certainly whether it’s about time we just switched off?
As an ex small business owner myself, I’m not saying that ...