By Tom Pick, Published October 26, 2014
In addition to providing original content for marketing and PR professionals, this blog frequently highlights “best of” content across a variety of topic areas including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, social PR, and web presence optimization (WPO)—the discipline that ties together these areas plus online advertising and content marketing.
In the process of curating noteworthy content from the industry’s best minds, some posts and articles are discovered which clearly merit recognition, but don’t fit neatly into any online marketing category.
Nevertheless, they answer important questions, such as: which old-school, offline marketing tactics are still most effective? What’s the best time to reach b2b sales prospects? How can you maximize results from event marketing (while minimizing the stress of travel)? And what really matters in life?
Find the answers to those questions and others here in almost a dozen of the best general marketing and hard-to-categorize articles and blogs posts of the past 18 months or so.
14 Simple Ways to Show Customers the Love by Blue Kite Marketing
Laura Click details more than a dozen ways to show your customers how much you appreciate them, from handwritten notes and and freebies to promoting their work: “As long as it’s not a conflict to do so, use your client’s products and services and look for ways to promote them. For instance, you could give them a shout out on social media channels, share their content, showcase their work at your office and talk them up to your other customers. Be their biggest advocate.”
19 Simple Marketing Tips That Won’t Break Your Advertising Budget by Branding Beat
Mandy Kilinskis details more than a dozen-and-a-half marketing tips categorized under social media, online advertising, offline advertising, networking, and referrals & customer service (e.g., partnering with other businesses for mutual referrals: “If you are a business coach then find some attorneys, bookkeepers, or website developers who are happy to refer you when they have clients who need what you have to offer. A nice 10% kick back will go a LONG way in the thank you department”).
5 Classic Marketing Tactics That Still Work by Millennial CEO
Guest author Steve Olenski explores a handful of old-school marketing practices that still generate results, including promotional gifts (a.k.a. tchotchkes, or trinkets & trash) bearing a company’s logo, mailing lists, and coupons and mailers (“The ability to send mailers to very specific locations, down to the zip code or neighborhood, allows many service companies to identify and target their best potential customers”).
B2B Buyer Behavior: Timing is Everything [INFOGRAPHIC] by salesforce Blog
Noting that “B2B buyer activity and research peaks at different times of the day, week, month and year,” Amanda Nelson showcases an infographic that reveals “when B2B buyers perform research on the web, when they convert on a website, and when you can get them on the phone.” For example, the best time to call is generally just before lunch time.
The 10 types of people you meet at marketing events by iMedia Connection
Josh Dreller offers a zoological “list of 10 common industry stereotypes you might encounter while attending industry events, along with the dos and don’ts for engaging with each animal personality,” for example, worker bees: “Don’t bother engaging with these people. Learn to recognize the worker bees early and know that they don’t want to be bothered. Killer bees might actually attack if provoked. Do ask them for their drink tickets to the cocktail party that they don’t need.”
13 more of the coolest hidden Google tricks by memeburn
As a followup to her post on 17 of the Coolest Google Tricks, Lauren Granger shares a baker’s dozen more Easter eggs and hidden tricks on Google — such as what happens when you search on the word “askew.” Sadly, Google appears to have “fixed” a few of these; for example, it no longer offers directions from Japan to China by jet ski.
6 Things I Bet You Didn’t Know You Could Do with Google by Mix The Net
Unlike the post above which is mostly for amusement, the tips presented here by Darko Johnson are (mostly) actually useful: for example, how to avoid spam by creating unlimited disposable email addresses with Gmail; how to quickly find beautiful wallpapers; and how to find alternatives to all types of products.
The Complete A to Z Guide to Personal Branding [Infographic] by MarketingProfs
***** 5 STARS
Seth Price highlights a brilliantly clever infographic illustrating the “A to Z” of personal branding, from authenticity, blogging and content through “you” phrasing and zeal (“a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes one determined to do something. Without it, there’s no point in building a personal brand”).
A Personal Marketing Plan for the New Job Search by The Savvy Intern
What used to work for job hunting and obtaining interviews no longer works, writes Scott Keenan, who recommends job seekers use social media to network and get noticed outside traditional channels, and also “find a way to stand out from the other candidates; to show recruiters you have the skills to solve their problems..those requirements can all easily be organized – and then satisfied – with a personal marketing plan” as he outlines.
Must-Have Gadgets For Carry-On Travel by Soulati-TUDE
The delightful Jayme Soulati reviews seven essential devices for the business traveler, including Tumi wheeled carry-on luggage, which she notes “are not cheap, but you’re not going to replace these bags for 20 years.” This post is from early 2013 so some of the models have been updated, but the brand recommendations remain solid.
(Infographic) The Top 10 Regrets In Life By Those About To Die by Addicted 2 Success
***** 5 STARS
This may sound horribly depressing but it’s well worth a look. We spend so much time focusing on our careers, we can forget what’s truly important. The perspective offered in this infographic showcased by Joel Brown is invaluable. Be excellent at what you do, yes—but take time to enjoy life and enrich the lives of others along the way.
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