The 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing Blog

No One Wants To Read Your Whitepaper, by Lauren Carlson April 1, 2011 – 9:00 am				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Digital marketing professionals get them in our box daily.  We have learned to delete at first sight.  Usually, that is the wisest strategy since some have been marked with viruses which put your laptop in the emergency room (Tekserve). The uninitiated wonder what I am talking about right now. I’m talking about white papers.  White papers are supposedly authoritative sales pitches detailing the value of a strategy.  They talk about the research methodology. Sometimes the papers are deeply critical. Sometimes they offer antidotes to industry market trends.

Either way, my industry colleague Lauren Carlson talked about the white paper on her corporate blog.  She speaks about marketers continuing to use the white paper as a sales tool when integrated CRM solutions offer a lot more reach in real-time.  Consumers don’t have time to sit and read about unfamiliar items.  She also breaks down the value of Twitter hashtags for chat rolls and microsites. Here is her introductory paragraph….

“I have no interest in reading a War and Peace-style sales pitch — and, let’s face it, that’s what most whitepapers are these days. Once scholarly in their ambition, whitepapers have devolved into thinly-veiled, lengthy sales pitches that no longer appeal to the educated buyer’s shortened attention span. Companies need to find new and more direct ways to reach the buyer 2.0 without going all Tolstoy on them.”

Read more: http://bit.ly/hNPvSY

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Content Marketing, CRM, Email Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, crm news, CRM Solutions, lauren carlson, marketing automation software, Social Media Marketing, software advice

A CRM Revolution? Verizon, SAP Mobilize Forces March 23, 2011 – 5:36 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

In an article which ran last week, Verizon and SAP have partnered to take on Salesforce.com in the burgeoning smartphone industry.  CRM has yet to take foothold in enterprise applications for several reasons.  There is hope that the unification of Verizon’s network prowess with its new Managed Mobility platform can pay dividends.  SAP supplies business software solutions and support across the globe.  They are looking to penetrate enterprise solutions in the mobile marketplace, and Verizon’s superior network coverage could present a solutions boom.  Other applications have tried to offer solutions while gathering data in real-time.

As mentioned before, cloud technology is only as good with the proper integration of sales and marketing teams who have the skill set to manage the operations.  Data mining is critical for efficiency, and one issue where the financial and marketing teams often run into conflict.  Their competitor, salesforce.com, is reaching more into social media, according to the host piece. The race here is on a smaller niche, but important nonetheless.

Secondly, Verizon holds a wide portfolio of Android devices that contain open source platforms from Google. They now also have the iPhone and iPads to campaign for ravenous tech consumers. It’ll be interesting to see the fit for SAP-based enterprise applications.  Do they have a chance to gain traction? Thinking on a cursory level, I’m surprised that RIM did not express interest due to their storage of business data and subsequent Playbook release.  It is unclear whether the companies explored a possibility, but that would have been intriguing. I say this simply because of product differentiation. Verizon has mobilized a wide portfolio of consumer technology. With the burgeoning union of AT&T/T-Mobile, cries of a duopoly are loud. And real.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, CRM, Marketing, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, crm news, crm software, crm solutions news, digital marketing agency nyc, new york interactive marketing agency, verizon sap crm technology

Should Employees Build Their Personal Brands For Your Company? March 17, 2011 – 10:15 am				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Many of us are aware of the shifting traditions in communication amongst citizens.  Many of us also recognize that corporate strategies in offering goods and services to customers has a different dynamic than in the past.  Some have argued that social media has given undeserved credibility to the voices of few.  Corporations, curious about social media, are unsure which route to take in this digital frontier.  Some believe in maintaining steadfast principles aligned with the traditional mission.  Others have been more flexible in tailoring strategy for loyal customer bases.  In some industries, the flexibility can be a boon. In others, shifting due to social media discussion symbolizes weakness.

In my last post, Joe Chernov of Eloqua sat down with our friends at Software Advice to discuss the importance of personal branding and personal media.  He continues on this theme by discussing personal brand’s integration into corporate strategy. Should corporations fully invest in their brands on a traditional level? Should they have employees with knowledge of digital networks represent the corporate mission? The discussion continues here.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Content Marketing, CRM, Interactive Marketing, Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, crm software, CRM Solutions, crm solutions news, digital marketing agency nyc, lauren carlson, marketing automation software group

Joe Chernov of Eloqua Discusses Personal Branding March 16, 2011 – 1:06 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Our friends at Software Advice are based down in Austin, Texas. As many of you know, the South By Southwest Interactive Conference just concluded on Monday. Amidst all of the networking and gift bags, they started a video series with Joe Chernov, the Director of Content Marketing at Eloqua.  Eloqua specializes in Revenue Performance Management to improve production from your marketing and sales systems.  

In a three-part series, Chernov talks with Software Advice about personal brands and media.  He talks about their value and how Eloqua can assist with corporations through their integration of personal branding.

You can follow the first part below.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, CRM, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Agencies | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, CRM, digital marketing agency nyc, marketing automation software guide, new york interactive marketing agency, software advice

How Management Can Use Google Analytics March 14, 2011 – 10:44 am				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Web analytics flesh out into traditional corporate strategy every day.  The Google Analytics program develops at light speed, gaining participants.  A short article from a blog called Analytics Talk discusses some tips for executive management to use when integrating the dashboard. I’ll include the answers left by writer Justin Cutroni.

1.  Is Google Analytics really free?

Yes, the product is free for your company, large or small. As Cutroni mentions, it is an investment regardless.  The product has calculated risk and return value.  Similar to CRM databases and social media, your personnel must have sufficient skill to implement stored data for maximal success.  This would come in the form of marketers, IT, and database analysts.

2. We’ve got a BI (business intelligence) team.  What can they do with Google Analytics?

At the moment, Google has an official data export API.  You can take the needed data out of storage and mine for relationships. These relationships then can be measured for more advanced metrics that fit the objective of your mission.

Cutroni goes on to state one big drawback which Google Analytics has yet to cover.  No primary key exists that can link data from Google Analytics to other sources, particularly at customer level.  Therefore, individual viewers cannot be tracked to observe profile habits. Companies cannot push e-mail addresses into a Google Analytics data set.  Retailers clearly would bristle at this, since leading ones are driving traffic to their stores through social media and direct marketing campaigns.  They would not be able to observe metrics for individual searches, page views, and the like.

These are just a couple of questions I pulled from the article. Cutroni also explores topics such as customer service and Google’s ownership of stored data.  Marketing executives should click here to gain more insight.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, CRM, eCommerce, Small Business, Social Media Marketing, Website Analytics | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, crm software, google analytics, web analytics, web analytics agency new york

Microsoft Dynamics Speaks With Software Advice March 2, 2011 – 5:32 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Our friends at Software Advice made a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest for an executive video series with Microsoft Dynamics CRM.  They met with Brad Wilson, a general manager within the company, to discuss the CRM Software market amongst other trends.  Underneath this paragraph is a video with Mr. Wilson.

The series is a seven-part installment where marketing automation is discussed along with the latest features and functionality of Microsoft Dynamics’ new CRM software package.  Again, Mr. Wilson discusses in further detail:

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, CRM, Small Business | No Comments »
Tags: CRM, crm software, CRM Solutions, lauren carlson, microsoft dynamics crm, software advice

The End Of The Captcha Era February 16, 2011 – 6:59 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

You may not know the name of it, but they have surfaced when you are going through security prompts on websites. They become more irritating when you need to revise a password on a Google Network service. You know for a fact that you typed it correctly, but the algorithm says incorrect. I’m discussing the squiggly words known as the captcha. The captcha is a security test aimed to prevent hackers from creating false user accounts. In short, it is another line of defense. CRM software integration must have sufficient security protocols to maintain the integrity of databases. Security protocols are also important to maintain strong morale between departments where execution of responsibilities is critical. In a time where personal engagement runs digital strategy, the captcha shifts purpose.

As this article from CRM Daily notes, the days of captcha as solely a squiggle are becoming numbered. Corporations are developing them to have a duality of functions.  They are becoming ad spots.  Two companies named Solve Media and NuCaptcha are having users type in a slogan.  You can also watch a video advertisement before typing in a word or phrase.

It’s a comforting way to engage a user with a brand along with ensuring that security protocols are maintained to protect the user experience.  Online advertising is slowly but surely developing some new tricks.  This trend deserves more surveillance.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, CRM, Interactive Marketing, Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, CRM, crm solutions news, digital marketing agency nyc, internet marketing ny, new york online advertising agency, Social CRM

The State Of The Marketing Automation Industry February 2, 2011 – 4:47 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

I have spoken in this column a few times about marketing automation software.  I was surprised about the length of its history in providing cloud solutions for corporations and organizations.  The industry is embarking on its 13th year, and has an emerging customer base in CRM. Marketing automation systems have the ability to coallate lead generation reports and host content like your landing pages.  They can also filter them to meet the mission of your organizational objectives, depending on the quarter.

Despite the industry’s effort, wide-scale notoriety as a respectable industry remains fleeting.  Some of this involves the synergy between the main CRM system and the marketing automation software.  Jeff Pedowitz, CEO of The Pedowitz Group, lists some other reasons that the industry is underperforming.  I’ll extract a few for your convenience.

1.  Economic Pricing Model – According to Mr. Pedowitz, the industry has largely adopted a subscription pricing model based upon contact size database.  Customers, however, see a larger ROI when they purchase a user license. The subscription model has a lot of variances which hinder revenue growth. Expenses rise unexpectedly and misjudgement of value by prospects internally are just a couple themes.

2.  Too Much Competition, Not Enough Education – The market has a cap of $150 million, which pales compared to Sales Performance Management, CRM, Online Marketing, and Social Media. Few people have strong education about the industry. The marketplace is very competitive, with vendors not seeing eye to eye.  Nobody is paying attention regardless.

For more details and insight on this piece from Marketing Automation Software Guide, click here.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, CRM, Interactive Marketing, Marketing | 1 Comment »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, CRM, CRM Solutions, digital marketing agency nyc, lauren carlson, marketing automation software guide, new york interactive marketing agency, software advice

Discovery Crucial For CRM Success January 26, 2011 – 4:31 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Implementation with customer relationship management (CRM) is more than simply installing software onto your small business network. Management must use tangible objectives in which employees can execute responsibilities to the fullest, maximizing return on investment. As this article from CRM Buyer points out, the experience is dynamic, meaning that an open mind is required at all times.    

Here are some themes from the article which management should consider with their CRM solutions:

If It Ain’t Broke….

We all know about this adage.  In the business world, if strategy is being executed on a satisfactory level, it should run its course. At the same time, management must be accurate in forecasting a possible drop-off in production.  This is difficult to do when things are moving along, but can save the company from atrophy when malfunctions do hit.

Thinking It Through

Technology is a tool that can only solve our problems in life when used correctly.  It is the same principle in business management.  A vision of the product methodology must take place in the conference room.  Leading features must be mapped out with clear goals and objectives.  You must also have the personnel capable of using features such as lead sourcing, data mining, and timestamps.

These are just a couple of themes necessary to bring success to your CRM applications.  Heed them today!

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, CRM | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, CRM, CRM Solutions, new york interactive media agency, small business solutions

Annuitas Group CEO Carlos Hidalgo talks about Marketing Automation Software January 19, 2011 – 3:10 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Marketing automation software is becoming a critical part of the CRM solutions portfolio.  Nevertheless, only 25% of firms are getting full value out of their software, according to this report from CRM Market Analyst Lauren Carlson. Once a lead is secured, it is critical to ensure that bond is nurtured through a strong management system where marketing, sales, and finance are properly unified.  Marketing automation, along with other CRM software, can only be an asset for businesses when quality data is extracted from prospects. A company must have this data organized to develop a discernible strategy.  If not, then finding solutions for your customers, tracking sales, and analyzing website performance is futile. Carlos Hidalgo, CEO of Annuitas Group, talks at length about his own company’s adjustments with vendor agnosticism and how to find the best automation software in the marketplace.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, CRM, Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, carlos hidalgo, CRM, crm software, CRM Solutions, lauren carlson, marketing automation software guide, software advice