BtoB articles from June 2006

BtoB archives from June 2006

Experts weigh pros and cons of online.(internet marketing described )(Interview)
June 12, 2006... Internet marketing has had a huge impact on b-to-b marketers, and database marketers are no different. BtoB convened a virtual roundtable of b-to-b database marketers conducted through e-mail to discuss the ways online has changed the way they...

Marketing 'growth champions' are in the minority.
June 12, 2006... Byline: KATE MADDOX ANA study shows direct connection between strategy involvement, corporate performance Marketing organizations that lead overall strategic direction and product innovation can help contribute to improved corporate...

B-to-b marketers carve out time for 'The Week'.(Dennis Publishing)
June 12, 2006... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ When The Week was launched in the U.S. in 2001, George Janson, managing partner and director of print media at mediaedge:cia, was less than enthusiastic. "I thought it was a dumb proposition: Take a newsweekly that...

Exploring the international market for data.
June 12, 2006... Byline: AMY SYRACUSE In "The Wizard of Oz,'' Dorothy famously remarks to Toto, "I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.'' It's the same feeling many U.S.-based direct marketers experience upon entering global markets. Why? Media...

Word-of-mouth: Ready to grow from whisper to shout?(word of mouth marketing is gaining market)
June 12, 2006... Byline: CAROL KROL Psst. Pass it on. Word-of-mouth marketing is hot. As momentum builds, a few leading-edge b-to-b marketers are poised to leverage that heat. "Our experience is that dialogue and entertainment-based content are the...

Cut to the Chase.(AT&T Inc. and Oki Data Americas Inc. promote)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Company: AT&T, San Antonio, Texas Agency: Rodgers Townsend, St. Louis Market: CRM professionals Quick chase: This ad lionizes a suit named Daniel who stares down the camera from the end of a runway. According to the text, which unfortunately...

Drawing attention with animation.(United Air Lines Inc.)
June 12, 2006... B-to-b advertising, with its emphasis on reality and hard sell, would seem an odd venue for animation, with its flair for drama and its ability to emotionally connect with an audience. But we've encountered several show-stopping animated b-to-b...

Companies are leveraging the trust in WOM marketing and the power of the Internet.(word of mouth marketing)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Gary Spangler There is growing interest in word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing. Advertising agencies are promoting new WOM practices, creative WOM tactics have emerged online and a trade association, the Word of Mouth Marketing...

Problem Solved.(email marketing not noticed much)
June 12, 2006... Problem: E-mail marketing response rates have declined. Solution: Many factors affect response rates; however, there are a few techniques for improving them that are often overlooked: 1) Success begins with the subject line. Keep your...

Google unveils online video ad platform; Search giant's new program could attract blue-chip advertising dollars away from TV.(television advertising)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: CAROL KROL After extending its online advertising model from search into areas such as print and radio, it was only a matter of time before Google took on the Goliath of advertising media: Television. Google announced last...

Goat or Gloat.(MGM Grand Hotel Inc. promotes)(Wyndham Hotel Company Ltd. promotes with Kirshenbaum Bond and Partners)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Company: MGM Grand, Las Vegas Market: Business travelers Agency: N/A Quick chase: With a look as garish as the Las Vegas Strip, the MGM Grand tries to lure the convention crowd into its luxurious digs. But the combination of the all-cap,...

Agenda.(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 12, 2006... June 15 Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum Washington Convention Center Washington, D.C. www.eceforum.com June 20-22 DM Days New York Direct Marketing Association Jacob K. Javits Convention Center ...

Tech Tools.(Tools & Metrics)(white paper syndication program)
June 12, 2006... Ziff Davis Web Buyer's Guide adds white paper syndication program The Ziff Davis Web Buyer's Guide last week announced the launch of its Lead Generation Showcase Program, a white paper-based program designed to drive sales by providing...

Make it transparent and predictable.(business travels )(Editorial)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Ellis Booker Like many of you, I've been traveling a lot lately, definitely more than I did a year ago. In my case, these are mostly shuttle trips between Chicago and New York. All frequent-fliers know this truth: These trips...

Aon Corp. creates unified, but still flexible, international Web presence.
June 12, 2006... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN Risk Management and insurance underwriting consulting company Aon Corp. services companies in 120 countries. Customers and prospects can find the company on the Web through more than 80 country sites, each of which...

Let Web visitors choose how to explore your site.(language and location both should be given priority)
June 12, 2006... Question: We are expanding the number of languages available on our Web site. Should I allow my visitors to choose "location'' or "language''? Answer: The answer is typically both. Language is most often determined automatically by the Web...

Quick Hits.(advertising expenditures for print and internet increases)(Yahoo! Inc. launches online video)
June 12, 2006... Online ad spending hits record $3.9 billion Internet advertising revenue totaled $3.9 billion in the first quarter, a record high that was up 38% from $2.8 billion a year earlier, according to a report released by the Interactive...

Search pros now specializing; Fast-growing ad channel demands attention, resources.
June 12, 2006... Byline: CAROL KROL Once upon a time, search marketing was handled by interactive marketing executives as one among many responsibilities. But the fast-growing channel now demands more attention and specialization, particularly in the area...

B-to-b marketers go green; Using energy conservation as a selling point, companies promote environmental conciousness.(business to business marketing)
June 12, 2006... Byline: SEAN CALLAHAN One interesting effect of the spike in energy costs is that it has made Jeffrey Immelt, General Electric Co.'s chairman-CEO, look prescient in championing the company's Ecomagination initiative, an ambitious strategy...

'Amusement Business' ends its 112-year ride.(VNU Business Media stops publishing trade magazine)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ Advertisers expressed both shock and sadness about last month's announcement by VNU Business Media that it was shuttering Amusement Business, a trade magazine that debuted in 1894. The May issue was its last. ...

WOM absorbed by other tools.(word-of-mouth)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Carol Krol Many different kinds of companies are finding ways to either partner with experts or launch tools and services around word-of-mouth. Pheedo, an RSS feed provider, said it is in the process of adding a "forward to a...

Xerox modernizes customer letter, cancel rates drop.
June 12, 2006... Byline: CAROL KROL Xerox Corp., a company with a brand so ubiquitous it has become the generic word for photocopy, realized one piece of its customer communications arsenal was not doing a very good job of "walking the walk.'' Xerox...

Lost in translation; Localizing your Web site for international users requires more than hurdling a few language barriers.
June 12, 2006... Byline: Karen J. Bannan It's a given that the Web makes it easier to take your business global. Why, then, according to JupiterResearch senior analyst W. Gregory Dowling, do many companies end up going back to their local default design...

Kitschy ads, long Web life, true viral impact.(EthicsCrisis.com encourages web visitors to write about the most unethical thing ever done)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Paul Gillin Over at EthicsCrisis.com, you're invited to write anonymously about the most unethical thing you've ever done in business. Visitors can then rate the gravity of your offense on a 1-to-10 scale. The site is...

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 12, 2006... The "Event marketing resources'' box in the Event Marketing special report (May 8, page 46) contained incorrect dates for the Exhibitor Show 2007. The correct dates are March 25-29, 2007.

Technologies bring new ways to measure online video ads.(Larry Allen )(Interview)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Kate Maddox As online video advertising technology evolves, companies providing ad serving, targeting and behavioral profiling are giving advertisers new ways to effectively reach their desired audiences. Last month,...

AABP presents annual awards.(Alliance of Area Business Publications')(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: John Obrecht Florida Trend, Baton Rouge Business Report and Mainebiz took top honors in the Alliance of Area Business Publications' 2006 Alliance Editorial Excellence Awards. Overall, there were 90 awards presented June 3 at...

BMA conference showcases innovation; Marsteller Award-winner Richardson presents Cisco's strategy for winning small business.(Business Marketing Association)
June 12, 2006... Byline: KATE MADDOX Marketers from leading b-to-b companies pulled the covers off their marketing strategies and shared in-depth information about campaigns and case studies at the Business Marketing Association's annual conference in San...

New Campaigns.(Hyperion Inc. signs Doremus and Co.)(Gordon Flesch Co. signs HSR Business to Business Inc. for new campaign)(AT&T Inc. targets information technology buyers with Sage Communications Corp.)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Hyperion "CIO Challenge'' Agency: Doremus, San Francisco Target audience: CIOs and senior IT decision-makers Campaign objective: Show how Hyperion's management system helps CIOs improve business performance. Media: Print...

Quick Hits.(Valcon Inc. to acquire Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeversbedrijven B.V.)(Yahoo! Inc. upgrades search advertising platform)(Apprise Media acquires Reed Elsevier PLC)
June 12, 2006... Yahoo! plans redesign of search ad platform Yahoo! announced plans for a redesigned search advertising platform that it said will give businesses more control over ad campaign management. The rollout is to begin in the third quarter. New...

Marketing services agencies take lead in CRM.(customer relationship management )
June 12, 2006... Byline: Richard Whitney In the late '90s, customer relationship management (CRM) emerged as a technological strategy for improving the way in which companies managed customer service and relations. New CRM software upgraded company...

Connecting the data dots; Predictive modeling, enterprise resource planning and CRM systems are helping marketers create rich, centralized databases.
June 12, 2006... Byline: Carol Krol While it's no surprise that the balance of marketing power has shifted, and customers are now firmly in the driver's seat, b-to-b marketers continue to grapple with the need to understand what those customers want so...

Hayzlett develops plan for Kodak GCG; CMO of commercial printing division seeks to strengthen brand.(Jeff Hayzlett of Eastman Kodak Co.'s Graphic Communications Group, chief marketing officer)(Interview)
June 12, 2006... Byline: KATE MADDOX In April, Jeff Hayzlett was named VP-chief marketing officer of Eastman Kodak Co.'s Graphic Communications Group (GCG), a 2-year-old division that provides technology and products for the commercial printing industry....

Web main focus of ABM meeting; Publishers urged to look online for future sources of revenue growth.(American Business Media )
June 12, 2006... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ Developing more sophisticated online sales programs took center stage at the American Business Media Spring Meeting last month in Scottsdale, Ariz. The annual conference, which drew about 350 attendees,...

Marketing to human resources execs; HR industry, job function become more crucial as baby boomers reach retirement.(human resource industry)
June 12, 2006... Byline: ROGER SLAVENS With an aging work force, more rapid advances in technology and increased competition for talent, the human resources industry-and job function-will play a much more vital role than ever in the next five to 10 years,...

Small firms' Web spending lags; Larger companies outpace smaller ones in boosting online advertising outlay.
June 12, 2006... Byline: Kate Maddox While companies of all sizes are increasing their online ad spending this year, small and midsize businesses lag larger enterprises in terms of the percentage increase, according to a new study by research firm Outsell...

New metrics for online video ads; IAB broadband guidelines will help to standardize video ad measurements.(Interactive Advertising Bureau)
June 12, 2006... Byline: KATE MADDOX As online video advertising becomes more widespread, marketers and industry organizations are defining which metrics to use to measure the effectiveness of the new medium. Last month, the Interactive Advertising...

Tough brake on presidential bike ride can't stop Wood.(Michael Wood of Hanley-Wood Inc. faces an accident)(Juan Valdez and the Geico Gecko are the favorite advertising icons)(Doremus honors retiring employees)
June 12, 2006... MICHAEL WOOD, THE CO-FOUNDER and former CEO of media company Hanley Wood, probably wanted to take a little break before starting his new gig as ambassador to Sweden. But not literally. While on a weekend bike ride a few weeks back with his...

Probe for real customer business needs.(ways to solve problem of business to business markets)(Column)
June 12, 2006... In today's continuing, though modest, economic growth, companies that develop ahead of the curve will be ones that concentrate on improving their knowledge of customer needs, market segments and the drivers of customer value. To unlock real...

New Events Calendar.(Calendar)
June 12, 2006... Visit BtoB's Web site, BtoBonline.com, to access our new Events Calendar of advertising, marketing and media-related events. The Events Calendar can be accessed free of charge and without registration. Visitors can search for events by month,...

Case Study: How Aon coordinated more than 80 international Web sites.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Objective: Five years ago, Aon Corp.'s international Web sites were disjointed. Each office location did its own design and represented the company in a different manner. The company's corporate marketing team wanted to create a single look and...

Yoh uses multichannel campaign to reach target.(Yoh Services a staffing agency)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Philadelphia-based Yoh Services provides temporary and managed staffing, talent outsourcing and payroll services to the human resources industry, specifically targeting highly skilled fields such as technology, health...

Case Study: How xerox kept customers with a redesigned renewal letter.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Objective: Update customer letter for service agreement renewals Strategy: Redesign letter, add color and segment the database in order to customize messaging Results: Cancel rate dropped 24%; trade-ins for new equipment increased 30%

Targeting execs at automakers; With troubles foreign competitorsat GM, Ford, suppliers court business from .(Automotive)(General Motors Corp.)(Ford Motor Co.)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The North American auto manufacturing market is expected to ship a little over 16 million cars and light trucks by the time 2006 draws to close, marking a fairly flat year compared with 2005. However, these...

Microsoft seeks notice in revelant vertical places.(Overview)(Mike Maas of Microsoft Corp.)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Kate Maddox Microsoft Corp., a diversified software company that targets more than 20 industry segments, continually evaluates and modifies its vertical marketing strategy. Mike Maas, general manager-enterprise and industry...

Insurers moved by real results; Industry looks for a competitive edge and effective solutions in a soft market.(Insurance)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Charlotte Woolard Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma ravaged property-casualty insurance profits in 2005, turning what would have been a successful year into a demonstration of what the industry does best: risk management. ...

A service-oriented approach is key to closing sales in insurance industry.(Insurance)(Marc Cecere of Forrester Research Inc.)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Charlotte Woolard BtoB: What is driving technology spending? Cecere: Insurance companies have a lot of really old systems. They're replacing them, they're renovating them and a lot of the money is going to legacy renewal. A lot...

Small-business market grows; Increased marketing spending gives marketers big opportunity in SMB arena.(small and medium business)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Kate Maddox Small business represents a big opportunity for b-to-b marketers, and many companies are investing more marketing dollars, people and effort into reaching this lucrative segment. According to a study by Visa USA,...

VERTICAL VARIETY; Marketers offer vertical segments specific messages in a number of ways.(Overview)(Johnson Controls Inc.)(Kalido Ltd.)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Kate Maddox B-to-b marketers are becoming extremely savvy in their approach to vertical marketing, from conducting extensive research with customers to using highly targeted communications to reach different industries. Many...

How to market to engineers; Electronics components companies must tout values and benefits, not just specs.(Electronics Engineering)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The global electronics industry will generate approximately $1.5 trillion in revenue in 2006, said Tim Avila, group marketing director for CMP Media's Electronics Group. It's a huge industry that's integrated into...

Start-up firm banks on vertical search to reach electronics pros.(Electronics Engineering)(Canyon Electronics & Cables)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Founded April 2002 in Grand Junction, Colo., Canyon Electronics & Cables entered the electronics component industry as a small start-up in a crowded manufacturing niche with entrenched competitors. The company...

How to market to financial services; Savvy marketers help brokerages build strong relationships with customers.(Financial Services)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The financial services industry continues to grow at a healthy clip due to the overall expanding economy, according to analysts and insiders. And with the baby boomer generation now reaching retirement age-though a...

Superior services, differentiation key to marketing to financial services industry.(Financial Services)(Michael Robinson, VP of Levick Strategic Communications)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Michael Robinson, VP of Washington, D.C.-based marketing communications agency Levick Strategic Communications, has a multifaceted insight on financial services marketing. During his more than two decades of...

Marketing to human resources execs; HR industry, job function become more crucial as baby boomers reach retirement.(Human Resources)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens With an aging work force, more rapid advances in technology and increased competition for talent, the human resources industry-and job function-will play a much more vital role than ever in the next five to 10 years,...

Marketing to building pros; Positive outlook for growth provides marketers with industry opportunities.(Construction)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The early returns for the year 2006 are in for the U.S. construction industry, and the outlook for growth continues to be good. Through the first four months of 2006, total construction-across all sectors-came in at...

How to market to physicians; Marketers must gain doctors' trust, provide useful data in multiple formats.(Health Care)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Doctors are a powerful group of professionals-and not just for their medical knowledge. Especially on the pharmaceutical front, physicians wield enormous influence over the success of a prescription drug. As a result,...

Breaking through to IT; Small, midsize businesses a tremendous opportunity; target specialized segments.(IT Managers)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Dynamic changes are taking place in how companies spend their IT dollars. And that means marketers must make dynamic changes, too. Forrester Research predicts that U.S. spending on information technology will...

Relationship building essential; Face-to-face interaction, tailored messaging are key to success.(Restaurants)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The U.S. restaurant industry is massive, and it continues to grow at a record pace. Annual industry direct sales are expected to reach $511 billion this year, originating from more than 925,000 restaurant locations,...

Marketing to hospitality; Marketers must send the right message at the right time to break through.(Meeting Planners/Hotel Managers)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Meeting planners and hotel executives have become two of the most lucrative audiences for marketers looking to break into or deepen their involvement with the hospitality and travel industry. According to Meetings...

Law firms gain business savvy; Marketers find opportunities to reach practices both large and small.(marketing)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Marketers are eager-even desperate-to reach and sell products to attorneys and the law firms that employee them. And they have good reason to be. According to the American Bar Association, the U.S. has more than 1...

Lenox hones marketing strategy to cut through commodity clutter.(Lenox Gold utility blade)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Lenox, a division of Newell Rubbermaid that has manufactured band saws and hand tools since 1915, needed some razor-sharp marketing to launch a new premium product in the summer of 2004. The Lenox Gold utility blade,...

Compelled to climb new vertical heights.(marketing)(Editorial)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Ellis Booker Someone once asked a famous mountain climber why he wanted to climb the mountain. His reply: "Because it is there.'' At first blush, this kind of thinking seems antithetical to business decision-making, where...

MapInfo wraps complex technology in language of insurers.(Insurance)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Charlotte Woolard In 2002, MapInfo Corp. still used technical terms such as "polygon analysis'' when marketing its location intelligence software to the insurance industry. Then the Troy, N.Y.-based company decided to switch to...

After long road, Microheat wins OEM status with major carmaker.(original-equipment manufacturer)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens In the hyper-competitive automotive industry, it often takes several years to take products to market, let alone to win original-equipment-supplier status with a major auto manufacturer. In 1994, Farmington Hills,...

Marketers must aim for credibility when targeting electronics engineers.(Susan Tatum of Tatum Consulting)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Susan Tatum has spent the past 10 years marketing products to engineers at such companies as Lucent Tech-nologies, Motorola Inc., Agere Systems and Alcatel. She's the president of Tatum Group, a marketing consultancy...

Mortgage technology company focuses on emotional messaging.(Advectis Inc. partners with Arketi Group)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Three years ago, Alpharetta, Ga.-based Advectis Inc., teamed up with its integrated marketing agency, nearby Atlanta-based Arketi Group, to introduce its paperless mortgage technology to the banking industry. The...

How Advectis launched its Blitzdocs suite; Case Study.(marketing)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Objective: Advectis Inc. wanted to claim market leadership for its paperless mortgage technology. Solution: The company worked with its agency, Arketi Group, to create an integrated marketing strategy that focused on relationship-building....

Marketing to government; Successfully reaching lucrative market requires tailored messaging, patience.(products and services)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The U.S. government spent, in total, $2.363 trillion on products and services in 2005, according to research and data company Global Insight. That spending is expected to increase to $2.5 trillion this year. "The...

AMS revamps brand, positions as go-to resource for doctors.(Applied Medical Services )
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Compared to industry leaders in the medical coding, billing, transcription and practice management services field, Durham, N.C.-based Applied Medical Services (AMS) was considered a smaller player despite 25 years of...

How AMS increased qualified leads; Case Study.(advertising)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Objective: AMS needed to increase its market share and its number of qualified leads. Strategy: AMS worked with a marketing agency to revamp brand positioning, develop a new logo and overhaul its Web site. It also expanded its media...

Yoh Services uses multichannel campaign to reach target.
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Philadelphia-based Yoh Services provides temporary and managed staffing, talent outsourcing and payroll services to the human resources industry, specifically targeting highly skilled fields such as technology, health...

How MapInfo's new look, focus sold insurers; Case Study.(web marketing)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Objective: Market existing technology as a solution to insurance-specific needs. Strategy: Learn to speak like insurers. Use Web marketing to link customers to case studies, demonstrations and Web seminars that allow interaction with the...

Use multiple media to reach IT pros in their channel of choice.(Barry Kessel, Wunderman Worldwide)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Barry Kessel has more than 30 years of experience helping companies market to information technology professionals. He joined marketing communications giant Wunderman in 2001 as global account director for its IBM...

Macrovision finds success with industry-focused event.(user conference)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens Santa Clara, Calif.-based Macrovision Corp. is probably best known for its technologies that combat digital entertainment piracy. However, the company has a much broader footprint in the IT space, offering products in...

How Macrovision uses conferences to connect; Case Study.(information technology)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Objective: Increase awareness of Macrovision and establish the company as a thought leader in the tech industry. Strategy: Revamp the company's SoftSummit user forum to be less company and more industry-focused, adding high-profile speakers...

Mergers/acquisitions lead to more prospects for marketers in legal field.(Gary Mirkin of ALM)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens For marketers, law firms and their lawyers are an exclusive and elusive catch. BtoB caught up with Gary Mirkin, VP-national advertising for ALM, a leading integrated media company that publishes The American Lawyer,...

Portland drives meeting planners online to show city's strengths.(Portland Oregon Visitors Association)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens The Portland Oregon Visitors Association wanted to put its city on meeting planners' short lists. Though the association had a high rate of sales conversion once planners had visited the city, it wanted to...

How Portland Oregon Visitors Association got on the map; Case Study.(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Objective: Establish preference with meeting planners; give prospects the Portland "experience" through content-rich messaging. Strategy: Drive prospects to the association's Web site, encouraging them to explore and register. ...

Use the Internet to keep up with trends in always-changing industry.(Jack Fordi of National Restaurant Association SmartBrief)(Interview)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Roger Slavens In June 2001, the National Restaurant Association turned over its primary news delivery duties to SmartBrief, publisher of industry vertical newsletters. The partnership has been successful: Circulation more than...

Radio still dials up small businesses at local level despite cable and Internet.(Unicco Service Co.)
June 26, 2006... Byline: Matthew Schwartz When facilities maintenance company UNICCO Service Co. decided to target small-business owners last year via the radio, the company didn't want to sing the same old marketing tune. Newton, Mass.-based UNICCO,...