“Business decision makers are more influenced by advertising on the Web than on any other medium, according to a study released [9 Sep 2002] by washingtonpost.com, Nielsen//NetRatings’ @plan and MORI Research.”

“This original article by Pat Friesen was first published in one of my favorite marketing publications, Target Marketing magazine, June 2002 issue and is partially reprinted here with her permission. As creative professionals, we must constantly look outside our industry for new — and renewed — ideas for finding and keeping clients. Though Pat is often talking about marketing of products, there is always crossover to the selling of services.”

“There’s more to obtaining testimonials than just asking your customers for their comments and feedback. If you want to have powerful testimonials that catch your prospects attention and build a relationship of trust, consider the following testimonial strategies.”

“In this age of increasing privacy awareness and regulation, the message is finally starting to filter through to the snake-oil salesmen that they actually need your permission before they send you junk by email. This is why you’ll more often than not see an ‘opt-in’ box adjacent to most forms that require you to enter your email address… They provide you with this choice so as to comply with data protection laws, but be warned that their main priority is to get as many email addresses as they can (to use or sell as they wish). Because of this, they use a number of tricks to make you opt-in when you have no intention of doing so. My favourites are listed here for your entertainment and awareness.”

“There are few career moments as exciting — and these days, as perilous — as taking over the top job at a company, business unit, or department. But what exactly do you do once you’re in charge? This online guide provides 18 tactics — and case studies — to help you take the reigns running.”

“My goal when I interview a candidate for a position is threefold: 1) to get a strong feel for the quality, personality, and style of the person, 2) to assess how well he or she lines up with the requirements for the job, and 3) to sell the opportunity. I feel that I am simultaneously ‘buying,’ in the sense of evaluating the individual, and ’selling,’ in the sense of making the candidate more interested in the job.”

“There’s more to obtaining testimonials than just asking your customers for their comments and feedback. If you want to have powerful testimonials that catch your prospects attention and build a relationship of trust, consider the following testimonial strategies.”