Marketing Drives Internet Strategy

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

Recently the Internet Strategy Forum released their 2009 Corporate Internet Executive Research Study. The study focused on issues faced by in-house corporate Internet executives. The survey data was gathered from 266 members of the Internet Strategy Forum. Here are some highlights from the study:

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Great Content Draws Great Customers

By Lee W. Frederiksen, Ph.D.

Every now and then someone makes an argument that really resonates with you.  That happened to me yesterday morning when I attended a presentation that PR firm SpeakerBox held at Viget Labs.  The featured speaker was Joe Pulizzi, author of Get Content. Get Customers.

Joe talked about how marketing has entered a new paradigm.  Talking at potential customers about how good you are is a dead end, not to mention a gigantic waste of resources.  A better approach is to engage in content marketing.  Content marketing is possible if you know what information your customers value.  In the professional services, content marketing usually revolves around helping clients find practical solutions to key problems — and that means pushing valuable information to clients and prospects.  As Joe so eloquently puts it, we should think of ourselves as publishers as much as marketers.

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Bringing Value To Client Relationships

By Lee W. Frederiksen, Ph.D.

Client relationships are one of the most misunderstood areas of professional services. Many professional services providers confuse friendliness with adding value.  Developing personal business friendships can be good — a golf outing or a restaurant meal can build rapport and trust. Real value, however, flows from one’s ability to understand a client’s business well enough to provide solutions to their pressing problems.  This requires proactive work.

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How Are Corporations Using Social Media?

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

It can be challenging to find great examples businesses using social media to further their marketing and brand initiatives. It’s tough to know what’s out there. So I took some time to do a little research and bring you a short list of social media practitioners so you can see how large and small corporations are successfully using social media.

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The Three Things Every Client Wants

By Lee. W. Frederiksen, Ph.D.

Some clients can be impossible to please. When you do exactly what they ask, they aren’t happy. When you offer your expert advice them, they ignore it. When you provide top quality work, they don’t appreciate it. What do clients really want?

That’s a question we’ve been pondering for some time. Now we have a clear answer.

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