Recently I downloaded a report from The Bridge Group, Inc. "2009 Lead Generation Metrics & Compensation Report for Technology Companies." The topic was of interest to me for a number of reasons. First, we are growing our sales force and thinking about structure and process best suited for our clients. Secondly, we have a large percentage of technology clients who use our services at Imaginar Gifts.
The Bridge Group surveyed over 125 technology companies on inside sales implementations and assembled some very interesting findings in their report which I believe will still be relevant in 2010.
A few key Marketing Takeaways from The Bridge Group report:
1. On average 45% of outbound calls placed by the sales staff are in response to a marketing lead.
2. On average 17% of leads convert to qualified opportunities.
3. On average it takes seven touches from sales and marketing to convert a "suspect" to a prospective client.
"Vanilla/one -size- fits all marketing is dead. Marketing to buyer personas is the wave of the future."
Personally, I believe that future is here now and what we will see more of in 2010 is organizations becoming more sophisticated in persona marketing. A great example of persona marketing success is Amazon.com in the business to consumer market. They frequently recommend books I might like and expect soon they will be recommending books I might like for others I purchase for.
If you are developing or refining your marketing messaging to become more personal for your prospective buyers you might enjoy reading our "Key Account Kit Marketing Guide". This paper speaks to developing a content strategy using drip marketing and kits for client education that is customized to your campaign. This is not B2C marketing to the masses, but rather B2B marketing to the select and invited.
Target decision makers on large key accounts are bombarded with cold calls and emails and have become skilled at tuning them out. They are more interested in thought leadership messaging that helps them achieve better results for their own organizations. If your organization is hunting whales the same way you netted fish you are working too hard. The hand-shake between marketing and sales departments is becoming vital to not only success but survival.
We confess we are not like most marketing agencies or promotional product suppliers. Our services at Imaginar Gifts are often the bridge between marketing and sales. We look to assist you with important relationships and campaign fulfillment services that enhance your reach and offer personal messaging to the selected and invited key accounts on your list.
For a complimentary consultation on enhancing your marketing message and brand with Imaginar Gifts fulfillment services email us at contactus@imaginargifts.com
We source over 700,000 products for logo branding but can show you a new twist on persona marketing fulfillment. We save you time and enhance campaigns for effectiveness when personal messaging is important.
I was pleased to be included in Emma Johnson's recent article in Forbes.com. "Business Trips: Make The Most Of Every Minute"
Emma collected some great time saving tips from business leaders and experienced road warrior travelers on how to make the most of every minute.
Work no longer has clear boundaries of when we start and stop activities. Really we can't manage time it will pass no matter what we do. But we can make the most of every minute when our priorities are clear and we have a plan.
Here are a few additional tips for staying productive on the road:
1. Have a task list for the day. Think about what you can accomplish during down-time. If you have a long drive or flight delayed what exactly could you be doing. I often have key contacts I plan to touch base with while on the road. With cell phones, PDA's, netbooks and mobile access to CRM tools like salesforce.com we can keep in touch with important contacts from almost anywhere. The important point is to know in advance exactly who you plan to call or what you plan to do in these off moments.
2. Check lists are great for staying organized. I keep a "what to pack list" of key must have items right in my suitcase. While I might add or subtract from the list for a particular trip I don't need to stop and think about core items again and again. I already know what I need to take with me for most items. The check list stays in my luggage and is ready for the next trip.
3. If you are traveling a long distance can you arrange additional meetings while you are in town? Vendors or partners are often open to meeting with you at a place of your choosing. If you know you will have an extra hour or so between scheduled events key partners often are happy to see you when you're in their town.
If you like to travel in style, check out our travel section at Imaginar Gifts. We carry classic leather overnight bags, laptop bags and unique accessories for the business traveler. Perfect for yourself or business gifts.
In an overcrowded marketplace, the key to sales generation is capturing the attention of your target customers. One way to do just that is with eye-catching design. So what makes the difference between good design and bad? Here are a few simple suggestions.
Type Good looking type is the cornerstone of good looking design. Appropriate font choice, type size, color choice, placement, spacing-all of these choices can dramatically affect the look of your design.
Image Resolution These days many people look to the Internet as a source for free or cheap images. One thing often overlooked however is the quality and size of these images. Many people don't realize that an image that looks perfectly fine on the web is usually way too small to be reproduced properly in print. Just because it looks good on your screen doesn't mean it will print well. If you don't know what resolution to use, ask your printer.
Bleeds and Safe Margins Many printers require a bleed area or safe zone around a design. This is to give wiggle room so images and text won't be cut off during printing. You should always check with your printer before beginning a design to find out how far from the edge to place your images and text. Adding a bleed at the end of a project usually results in having to reformat and adds a lot of time to a project.
Color and Contrast Use color wisely and always be aware of how the color of text interacts with the color of your background images.
Get a Second Opinion Finding out how your design will be perceived by others is an important part of the process. These are just a few tips for creating a design success story. All things considered, however, the most important thing about any design is that it gets the message across and drives your business.
Have a great idea for a marketing piece? Imaginar Gifts can handle the graphic design for you. We even do the printing or print on demand. Our print on demand service allows you to run campaigns with ease. With print on demand services you can modify your campaigns over time and we print just what you need when you need it. Our graphic design specialists work with you to bring your creative vision to life.
For more information on Imaginar Gifts graphic design and printing services view the link below to our directory of services.
Imaginar Gifts Services Directory
History
- One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men - his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Another legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl - who may have been his jailor's daughter - who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death, it may be that the Christian church celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in conjunction with the pagan Lupercalia festival. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D.
During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February - Valentine's Day - should be a day for romance.
The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, in 1415 to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt.
In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes.
Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
Thinking about celebrating Valentine's Day with your clients? It's not too late! Contact us here at Imaginar Gifts for some creative ideas. Your business gifts can carry a special marketing message.
Contact Us
It's not too late to send your best clients a little hug for Valentine's Day. Let's face it today's business environment is extremely competitive and there is plenty of competitors lined up outside your clients door looking for an opportunity. Are you staying in touch just to ask for more business? Consider adding a more personal touch to your communication plans.
Years ago when I was leading a sales team for a national technology VAR we did not have budget for special client programs. But I found my technology partners where happy to help. We crafted a special Valentine Card with a promotional offer on laptops and the history of Valentine's Day was printed on the back of the card. We selected the Top 10 Clients for each sales rep and sent the card with hand-made chocolates for Valentine's Day. Each sales rep received a shipping tracking report so they knew exactly when their gifts would arrive.
The program was very successful and our clients where delighted with the wonderful chocolates. So much so that they would start hinting we should do this again and please make sure we stay on your Valentine's list!
No budget? No problem if you are creative! Think about who can sponsor your programs. If probably have more investors than you might originally think. No time? No problem, Imaginar Gifts can help you design your program. We do custom graphics, print and help with gift selection. You provide the mailing list and we take care of all the details.
Give us a call to learn more about Imaginar Gifts marketing fulfillment services. We would love to hear from you!
Contact Us
Business buyers are experts in what they do and like expert-level advice in the content they read from you. To fortify your marketing message your content strategy needs to be remarkable and better than the ideas they are getting from your competition. Buyers quickly evaluate information to decide if it is worth their time.
When you're putting together your content campaign strategy, you know you're going to be including key ideas about your company. But what is going to make that information stand out? What about your offer is significant, noteworthy and memorable?
Check out our five tips to help make your content messages great:
Know Your Target Audience
Is the content meaningful to this group?
Easy to read and scan what you are looking for in the document is important to the reader.
Does it address the specific challenges and pain points of the buyer?
Know Your Competition
What does your competition send out? Find out! Make sure you feature your points of difference. Those key core competencies that set you apart and above your competition are important to your audience. What is that one single statement that will single you out amongst the competition?
Include a Call to Action
You've probably put your website on your documents, but what about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other social outlets your company participates in? Give your prospect many ways to reach out to you, visit you, and be informed by you.
Make sure you have clearly identified the action goal for your reader. Exactly what do you hope to get from the buyer? Make it easy for them to do so.
Consistency
Everything should "flow." Your photos, your fonts, your coloring, your story. Between each different item you add to your campaigns, a constant thread of consistency needs to remain. Even though each piece might be explaining a different facet of your business, they all need to tie in together to show one cohesive company.
Proof, Proof, Proof
Reviewing your copy is one of the most critical things you can do and is critical to successful communication. If numbers get transposed in a phone number, how will the prospect call you? And how many times have you seen spelling and grammar errors show up in newspapers and flyers you receive? It reflects poorly on the company. Either they didn't care to take the time to check their work, or they thought it was okay to send out as is. And that tells a potential client that you are sub-par. Have several of your staff proof your documents. The more sets of eyes you can have on a document, the better that document will be.
Would it be as sweet? I doubt it, at least, not when you're comparing it to the amazing chocolates we've got in the Desserts and Sweets section of our store from Schakolad Chocolate Factory.
If you've never had the pleasure to walk into a Schakolad store, you're missing out on an amazing trip. My first experience walking into Schakolad was met with the most wonderful smell of chocolate wafting through the air. Schakolad chocolates are not made in some huge factory and shipped to retail stores. Oh no - they are lovingly made by hand right there. And your nose, and eyes and grumbling stomach will know it as soon as you walk in. Just a few blocks from Imaginar Gifts these handmade creations delight and amuse. We can make your corporate logo in chocolate or just about anything else you can imagine.
Thinking of sending chocolate to clients for Valentine's Day this year? Give us a call we can share some amazing ideas! Imaginar Gifts helps you incorporate your message, print, package design and handles all the shipping. Our process is a bit better than Lucy's shown in the video below.
I normally don't go all gooey about non-fiction books, but in the spirit of inspiration (is that redundant?), I wanted to sing the praises of an old (1996) book. Buy it, read it, become inspired to greatness because of it (I am, each time I open it).
"On the Brink - The Life and Leadership of Norman Brinker" by Norman Brinker and Donald T. Phillips
This book found its way into my life accidentally but has been the most significant source of "I can do it-ism" that I've ever been confronted with. There isn't a person out there that couldn't benefit from reading a true "American rags to riches" story, complete with life or death situations, money lost and money gained, and plenty of world wisdom that we can all relate to.
Norm died a couple of months ago. I was heartbroken. I felt completely awful about the death of a multi-million dollar stranger because of this book. Because of his story.
It makes me want to be a better co-worker, boss, entrepreneur and person in general. It continues to teach me how I can build a business that will last through motivational leadership. I think it can do the same for you.
From "On the Brink:"
The Brinker Leadership Philosophy
The Foundation
Dream the Idea
"There's nothing more valuable in the world than an idea - especially when it involved creating and perpetuating something of lasting value."
A Sense of Achievement
Take Risks
"Don't be afraid to risk everything to pursue your passion in life. Allow people to try and fail. Mistakes can be tolerated, inertia cannot."
Care About the Human Side of Life
Inspire Rather Than Coerce
"If I tell you what to do, then the task is my responsibility, not yours. But if I inspire you to act on your own, the responsibility and results are yours. The difference in dedication is phenomenal."
Common Threads
Self-Confidence and Optimism
Know yourself. Believe in yourself. Trust your judgment. And always remember that happiness is a habit - as is attitude.
This is a great time of year to pick up some motivational new thought food. What are you reading?
See books from Imaginar
Getting in the door is harder today than it was a few years ago. Meeting with key clients is fundamental to our success. First time clients on major accounts get hundreds of voicemails, emails and offers. Understanding the clients buying cycle and keeping in touch without being a pest or a stranger is a recipe for a relationship.
B2B clients often do research well before they agree to meet with you. They have reviewed your website, checked you out on Linkedin as well as your competition. Large account contracts require nurturing over time.
Performing progressively clients get to know and trust you. Hitting your audience to hard and too often just gets you kicked out of the game.
Consider some soft touch marketing to improve your 2010 Sales Strategy.
1. Do your research on what's happening inside their organization. What can you read about them before you make the first call? Who do you know who can give you some key ideas on hot topics and projects currently on your client mind? Can you think of someone who can introduce you?
2. When you do connect and transfer knowledge on a complex long term opportunity think of creative ways to stay in-touch over time.
3. Make sure you understand your clients pain points and areas of interest. Not only about the project but about them. How can you provide useful information and delight your client every time you have contact?
Consider doing more than you did last year. Imaginar Gifts can help. Ask us about our nurture campaigns where we send out your kit messaging. Whether you are looking to get in the door or renew an important contract we can help. Your company message is incorporated in a soft touch marketing kits we design just for you. Using drip marketing that delights your clients with useful information and gifts of appreciation helps you maintain a favorable contact frequency.
Contact us today for conversation about how we can help you achieve better results in 2010!
Contact Us
We have just a few short weeks to get our cards in order, our gifts wrapped and our sanity in check. In the spirit of the season, I'm passing along my four favorite gifts that are currently in our store. (Clicking on the photos will take you right to them in the store!)
Flowers that Last
I love to buy flowers, but it pains me to pay so much for something that has already started to wilt before it even gets delivered. Our floral arrangements will look fantastic forever. This is one of my favorites, with beautiful white roses, red berry and pussy willow branches.
Hand-Made Pottery
When I first saw these, I knew I had to have them. I love wine, and there is just something so rustic and charming about sipping wine out of a cup rather than a standard stemmed glass. You won't believe how light they are. These are hand-made in the USA, too. (And yes, we sell the carafe, too!)
Office Fun
I'm a sucker for silly gifts that make my office space a little brighter or a little zanier. This Decision Kit is a fun and inexpensive gift to give to your office and cubemates. It contains a variety of whimsical office fare to lighten the mood on trying work days.
Treats Abound
It would be completely wrong of me to leave off a tasty treat from my "Favorites" list. This bear cookie happens to be my favorite. There is just something so silly yet stoic about a bear holding a candy cane. These cookies are made in a peanut-free environment, are huge, and are TASTY. Ingredients for the cookie? Flour, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla!
What are some of your favorite items in the store?