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Lead prioritization and scoring not only tells Sales what leads to go after now, it also reduces the cost per lead by improving the odds of reaching the most appropriate lead and eliminating the least appropriate leads. In addition, it provides pivotal insight that tells Marketing, based on past results, who to target to keep the pipeline filled with the best and most pre-qualified leads, and how to position the message so that it best addresses the needs of this target audience. - Wednesday, 17 August 2011 12:08

A key metric to consider with online brand reputation management is time-to-brand-threat-information, defined as the time that transpires between the identification of a potential threat and the communication of that information to key decision-makers. Indeed, timing is everything. Using trigger alerts, companies may be able to prevent a spark of negative consumer opinion or other brand devaluation issue from igniting into a wildfire that threatens to erode profitability and shareholder value. - Friday, 12 August 2011 03:07

According to Top Performers, the surest way to maximize ROI in email marketing campaigns is to test and measure every component, from subject lines to offers to tone of voice, to ensure that every step has been taken to maximize and optimize campaigns. Analytics helps marketers increase the value of their personalization strategies. In fact, Top Performers are one and a half times more likely than All Companies to utilize targeting capabilities. For more, see the related benchmark report. - Thursday, 04 August 2011 09:37

Many companies use CRM as a marketing and sales force productivity and management tool, but then shift to a different order tracking, fulfillment and customer service platform once an actual order is placed. This has CRM providers scrambling to forward integrate with existing order fulfillment and ERP systems. This overall integration challenge is leading to the next evolution of CRM technology, what Gleanster calls iCRM. For more, see the related benchmark report. - Friday, 29 July 2011 16:47

In addition to affordability, open source BI solutions have some advantages in terms of flexibility. With source code availability comes the option to program in your own modifications or extension if need be, or find plugin modules created by the open source community. On the other hand, if you have an application that only requires one component of an open source product, you can carve out just that one piece to incorporate. To learn more, see the related Deep Dive analyst report. - Monday, 25 July 2011 11:14

In my recent book, Voice of the Customer Marketing, I praised Ford Motor Company for executing one of the great business turnarounds in recent business history. This year, however, there is disturbing evidence that Ford has gone off track. The firm slipped from fifth place in the 2010 J.D. Power survey of consumer satisfaction -- highest among non-luxury automakers -- to twenty-third in this year's survey. Read more at my blog: - Tuesday, 19 July 2011 03:23

When it comes to mobile marketing, Gleanster found that the most commonly used metrics by Top Performers involve measuring and counting the basics: number of responses to a call-to-action trigger; overall audience growth numbers; and the number of redemptions of unique mobile coupons or codes. In the absence of more sophisticated metrics, simply counting clicks or interactions is a great starting point. - Sunday, 17 July 2011 05:21

Low barriers to entry have led to an explosion of lead management solution providers. The technology that helped transform the B2B lead lifecycle is the core driver behind continued growth in lead management. Yet the technology is merely an enabler, and the organization can use it effectively only if some monumental changes are made to the sales and marketing culture. To understand why consultants play a critical role in extracting value, see the related Consultancy and Agency Selection Guide. - Tuesday, 12 July 2011 16:14

Social media as a whole can be looked at as a game of sorts, a popularity contest in which the most active participants compete to accumulate fans, followers, and friends. So no wonder online development and marketing teams are paying a lot of attention to gamification. But while there are many reasons to be excited about gamification, that doesn't mean it ought to be applied to every online experience. The art of application design is determining whether any feature adds or detracts. - Thursday, 23 June 2011 05:42

Marketing has always been a mix of voodoo and science, and the voodoo is just as important as the science. The challenge is, there just aren’t that many voodoo scientists out there. Hire a mix of creative and analytical talent in marketing. The roles that will support marketing analytics will likely have a background in operations, finance, and engineering, not creative excellence. But both roles are the key to revenue growth and market share. - Wednesday, 22 June 2011 05:54

The Tools You Need

At Gleanster, we make our survey-based research available at no cost. And because nobody has a monopoly on best practices, we offer access to external thought leadership, as well. We think this gives you the tools you need to make informed business decisions.

Gleansight Benchmark Reports™
Deep Dives
Webinars
Open Resource Library

Gleansight Benchmark Reports

Implementing a technology-related business initiative? Here’s your roadmap for success. Gleansights reveal best practices based on the experiences of hundreds of Top Performers. Sections include Reasons to Implement, Challenges, Value Drivers, Performance Metrics, and Core Technologies. Most Gleansights also contain a 15-page analysis of the vendor landscape.

Deep Dives

Deep Dive analyst reports look at a specific aspect of a technology-related initiative. A report may focus on, for example, a function within the organization, an industry vertical or a geographic region. The objective, as always, is to generate insights that can help industry practitioners make smart decisions.

Webinars

Gleanster analysts like to talk. And we have a lot to talk about when it comes to sharing the best practices of Top Performers. Our webinars and podcasts are informative, engaging and, often, quite entertaining. See (and hear) for yourself.

Open Resource Library

Looking for success stories, whitepapers and other content on specific technology-related business initiatives? Look no further. The Insight Exchange open resource library brings together thought leadership from numerous sources, including leading solution providers. And feel free to submit.

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