Author Archives: Howard Sewell

deliverability rules

The Impact of New Google & Yahoo Deliverability Rules on Purchased Lists

A client asks: “We recently purchased a list of email addresses from a reputable vendor for use in a campaign targeting competitive installations.  Do the new Google/Yahoo deliverability rules make using a third-party list too risky?  How should we approach the campaign differently?” My response: First, whereas the new rules… Read More

creative brief

10 Must-Haves for Your Next Creative Brief

A good creative brief is the foundation for an effective marketing campaign. In the face of deadlines, however, and at the normal, torrid pace of modern marketing, creative briefs are often viewed as an extra step, an annoyance, and an unnecessary obstacle to getting content in market. Why are briefs… Read More

gated content

In Defense of Gated Content

According to the blogosphere, and based on conversations with clients, there appears to be a movement afoot to free marketing content from the shackles of registration forms and offer everything from white papers to Webinars ungated. Arguments from those who oppose gated content vary, but typically are variations of the… Read More

8 Tips for Working with a Smaller Marketing Budget

When a marketing budget get cut, certain line items tend to get immediate scrutiny: media spend, headcount, events. However, simply slashing spend – while quick and dramatic – can have a detrimental effect on leads, pipeline, and revenue. There are more creative methods for achieving marketing efficiency without sacrificing ad… Read More

CRO

Improving Demand Gen Performance with CRO

One way to increase marketing ROI in a “do more with less” economy is to integrate Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) into demand gen strategy and planning.  CRO isn’t a new concept, but traditionally has been more often the province of Web teams and SEO specialists.  Increasingly, however, it’s being leveraged… Read More

MDF funds

MDF Funds & How to Use Them

In uncertain economic times, Market Development Funds (MDF) can be a precious resource for channel partners (resellers, distributors, ISVs) looking for budget to fund sales and marketing activity.  Yet industry surveys report that as much as 60 percent of available MDF funds go unused.  By some measures, that may add… Read More