Want More Results from Your Call to Action? Get on the Action Train!

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Want More Results from Your Call to Action? Get on the Action Train!

Better calls to action start with understanding the action train. Here’s what you need to know.

At Advantage Marketing, we work with clients to develop a call to action for each content item we create together – whether it is a website page, white paper, blog post, webinar, or video. Calls to action offer a prospect a next step. For instance, if someone is on your website, good calls to action can be to register for a free assessment or to download a whitepaper or eBook with valuable content. Calls to action serve to bring the prospect along through what we marketers call “Know – Like – Trust,” so that they view you as a credible expert and become comfortable with the thought of buying from you.

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For Best Results, Just Add Video

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For Best Results, Just Add Video

Small businesses can boost their lead generation by adding video to their marketing mix – and they don’t need to resort to grumpy cats

My kids are hooked on YouTube. Even my husband is on YouTube almost every night. Turns out my family is not alone. YouTube, the leading Internet-based video distribution platform, gets over 1 billion unique visitors per month.  People are watching a staggering 6 billion hours of YouTube videos every 30 days — which is almost one hour for every person on Earth. Not surprisingly, YouTube reaches more U.S. adults ages 18-34 than any cable network, according to Nielsen ratings, and not all of them are watching Grumpy Cat videos.

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An Update on 7 Marketing Plan Must-Haves: Setting a Realistic Budget

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An Update on 7 Marketing Plan Must-Haves: Setting a Realistic Budget

Use these investment guidelines to set a marketing budget that will pay off in higher quality leads for your company.

Must-have #7 in the 7 Marketing Plan Must-Haves is the marketing budget. We’re finding, however, that many small business owners are reluctant to set a budget. As a result, they’re taking a haphazard approach to marketing their company, if they’re marketing at all. The result? Their sales reps often have to work harder and longer to close business.

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6 Keys to Selling to the C-Suite – It Starts with Personal Brand & Thought Leadership

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6 Keys to Selling to the C-Suite – It Starts with Personal Brand & Thought Leadership

Personal branding and thought leadership are among the 6 keys that can help you sell more effectively to the C-Suite.

Selling to the C-Suite has changed dramatically in recent years. It’s no longer about knowing – and golfing – with the right people. Buyers expect more (and different) things from sales and service professionals.

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Are Your Email Messages Getting Opened?

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Effective email marketing tactics to use now

Are Your Email Messages Getting Opened?

These tips, based on MailerMailer’s email metrics report, will help you use this powerful marketing tactic more effectively.

Email marketing shows no signs of slowing down, according to an email marketing metrics report by MailerMailer, an email marketing software service. Email remains the top way individuals share information, and over 90% of Americans use it every day. One top email trend: mobile. ClickZ reports that four out of 10 individuals regularly check email with a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.

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Soup, or Why I Became an Entrepreneur

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I’ve been part of a Mastermind Group since 2012. A recent homework assignment was to write “our” story. Since I’m not one to be satisfied with a standard bio, here’s what I wrote:

Soup, or Why I Became an EntrepreneurI’m not a Soup Nazi, but lately I’ve become obsessed with soup. Now soup may seem like a simple thing: you open a can of Campbell’s – or if you’re fitness obsessed, Progresso Lite – and then pour it into a pot and heat. But when you make soup from scratch, it becomes a whole ‘nother ballgame. It is fresh with a deep flavor that’s way better than the canned stuff.

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Insights from the Career Corner

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As a gift to my readers, I’m sharing the Career Corner columns I’m writing for Chemical Engineering Progress magazine.

These articles are great resources, whether you are a young professional or are a mid-career expert. Business owners will find useful insights as well.

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Building Your Company’s Brand

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Building Your Company's BrandI recently had a conversation with a sales director of a New Jersey-based emerging tech firm. He asked me whether or not the company should be paying attention to branding. Here’s what I told him:

Branding is a distillation – and often a visualization (think: logos) – of what your clients value about working with you. A good brand sets you apart from the crowd in your prospects’ minds (this is also known as your brand’s strategic positioning).

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