I have really enjoyed the Winter Olympics this year. Perhaps it is because of the especially cold and snowy winter we have endured – or perhaps it is that I am truly in awe of the athletes who can spin, jump and fly on skis. And it is easier than in years past to indulge in Olympic fever, with a multitude of media channels providing in-depth exposure. Television and online dominate the coverage, and corporate sponsors have embraced both. Visa or other sponsors go beyond logo inclusion and running tv spots, many have very extensive integrated campaigns – including social media.

Social media has played a big part of these games. Even companies who are not officially sponsors have tried to get in on the action
---More---

If you have already read J.Leigh Brown’s post about adapting your thinking regarding social media, but are still not convinced that you should include a social media strategy as part of your 2010 marketing initiatives, please consider the following:

Ten Reasons to develop a social media strategy in 2010

1. Real time search results – Google and other major search engines have incorporated Twitter into the results. You could potentially be bumped in the rankings by an outside party tweeting about your company or products.

2. Reduced marketing spend in 2009 – If budget cuts forced you to go dark in 2009, a social media strategy can help you reconnect with your customers and prospects.
---More---

One of the key tenants of strategy is choice. As we recover from this ugly recession, management in virtually every B2B company, large, medium and small faces BIG choices, like how they should position their company for future marketing success. Make no mistake, the consequences of these choices are BIG. They will have a much larger impact than next quarter's sales results.

What will guide decision making for such big choices? Relying on input from the sales force? Good, but not good enough all by itself for getting a true understanding of the market and audience information needed. Secondary Research? Probably some good information can be gleaned, but the information may be too general and, perhaps, not timely. Research done through publications is limiting and often lacks actionable information and insight.

Management needs solid, timely empirical information to guide informed decision making based on the reality of today's
---More---

When a B2B marketer is asked about measuring brand equity, they usually have a pretty good idea about what folks are trying to glean or understand. But, if you dig a little and start asking what makes up this thing we call "brand equity" you might start to get a few puzzled looks. Dig even deeper and ask how they are leveraging what they know about their B2B brand equity that will have meaningful strategic impact on their marketing decisions in 2010 and you might see a little color drain from their face.

Is your company stuck in the old paradigm of brand equity measurement that offers little more than awareness and perception? Are you ready (and is your management) to develop a deeper more meaningful understanding about brand equity measurement that can be used for more effective 2010 planning?

Research that extends beyond knowledge, but through the use of advanced analytics, modeling and simulation, provides valuable real-time insights on how to build better
---More---

Chances are your audience won’t be waiting patiently for you to return as the economy flips its frown upside-down. As marketers, we are challenged to reach our audiences where they want us to reach them, not where we think they’ll be. Listening and researching are imperative in order to offer a successful and relevant campaign.

Here are a few tips to consider:

Think like your audience. Could it be that they are no longer flipping page by page through your industry trade publications but rather reading an online version? Or do they prefer
---More---

While nobody is certain, it is likely that as 2010 approaches, many B-to-B marketers will be in a recovery mode. Rather than looking for ways to cut spending, it will be time to make decisions about where to invest to move the company forward.

Management will be looking for solid answers to questions such as: Where should resources be allocated for maximum effectiveness? What actions should be taken to have the greatest impact on customers choosing our brand? What will be the impact of these actions on our competitors?

But the marketing landscape in 2010 will be different. Things have changed. So the answers to these questions won't be the same as they were before the downturn.

Among the significant changes just might be changes in your own company...or your markets or competitors. So late this year or early in 2010, it could be an ideal time to do a reassessment of your brand equity and that of your competitors.
---More---

The list of potential media channels that you can use today to reach your customers and prospects can be exhausting. Blogs, wikis, podcasts, vodcasts, social networks, mobile, web portals, webinars, e-newsletters, traditional print magazines, trade shows, RSS feeds, industry web sites, on and on and on.

How do you know which are the right channels to reach your audience? In the B to B market, it varies widely and can change often. Mechanical Engineers in the HVAC market are probably utilizing a different media mix than Interior Designers that specialize in the Healthcare field.

Where do you start? Here are 8 ideas for getting a good handle on where your audience lives online:

1. Check your web site analytics to determine the top referring sources to your website.
2. Utilize sites like www.technorati.com or www.blogpulse.com to search your
---More---

A recent article in the b-to-b space bemoaned the dizzying pace of change in the Web 2.0 world. Just as marketers try (let alone get comfortable with) a new technology, technique or tool, another one comes out and catches fire. Among the mind-boggling technologies are micro-blogging tools, personal aggregation sites, do-it-yourself social network site builders, niche video distribution vehicles, vote-for-content sites and virtual 3D worlds. It is an unsettling time for mapping strategy or making long-term decisions. A fad mentality seems to be taking over, and nobody can say which tool, toy or technique is going to win…or survive. The key, the article says, is putting the customer first. What a novel idea! But seriously, thanks to the revolution in digital marketing, media and Web 2.0, market and customer research are making a comeback. Some would say it has always been important, and it has.
---More---