My kind of discussion

I currently run on business.com, as well, so I am interested in others opinions.

Business.com.....a pro or con? - Free Search Engine Forums

Doing AdWords better

I'm just one step ahead of my competitors, by actually using AdWords. But I've judged it successful enough to not mess with it. The following article has some good advice on how I can try to boost its effectiveness. Then, when they join the game, I'll still be able to beat them.

Google AdWords: Best Practices

Messenger Spam

We run NT at work. When we get our new CRM software, we are looking at new PCs for everyone. Our sysops want Win2000 because they don't trust WinXP. Get over it, I say!

But, running XP at home, I find a potential problem. Even with the internal firewall on, an outside user (ie spammer) can essentially create a pop-up ad on my screen at will using a little used "Messenger" service. I'd hate to have 10 guys on my back about how to stop this spam, which would be the case if we had the XP machines already. Here's the straight dope:

TechTV-how to turn Messenger off

A personal favorite

My wife and I have been hooked on OwlCam for a couple years. The eggs are due to hatch next week. You can still catch up on what's been happening with Ward and June before the owlets arrive.

Owlcam for April 24, 2003

Paradigm shift

This article in my email from CyberAtlas leads off: "Professionals Prefer Typing To Talking". They didn't post this to their website yet and the source requires registration. The article tells it all, though. Think about what this means to your business (to me it affects how I will evaluate CRM software).

Hang up the phone and stop scheduling meetings — 80 percent of businesspeople prefer e-mail communication, according to a survey by META Group, Inc.

"These findings reveal a major tipping point in the evolution of communications," said Matt Cain, META Group senior vice president and an expert on e-mail and collaboration strategies. "While we had suspected that e-mail was becoming more popular than the phone, we were surprised by the magnitude of the ratio of those choosing e-mail over the phone. Clearly, e-mail best suits a changing business climate characterized by geographically distributed workgroups, extreme mobility, the need for rapid information dissemination, and a desire for reusable business records."

Conducted online among 387 organizations, the survey also found that nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents believe being without e-mail would present more of a hardship than being without phone service.

Reasons For Preferring E-mail Over Phone for Business:
Response flexibility 84%
Can communicate with multiple parties easily 83%
Paper trail is created 78%
Can communicate more quickly 40%
More productive 29%
Easier for global communications 25%
Proper context 24%
More targeted, less socializing 22%

Marketing measurement

I will defend small-time marketers like myself and our lack of measurement and ROI because we don't have the time or resources. Here is an online seminar that tries to attack the trend to be like me. This program is targeted at "technology marketers" which I think means the IT industry.

Centra Web Event Great lead off paragraph: Who has the time to measure the results of marketing programs when execution itself is resource constrained? But without further measurement, budgets could be further reduced. . .

Comparing CRM

Here is a down-to-earth comparison of Goldmine and SalesLogix. Its even up-to-date. Just another small clue in my decision process, but at least this covers much of the finer technical information.

For example: I found out I can add custom data tables in SalesLogix, but can only add custom fields in Goldmine. Good or bad, I don't know, but at least I understand more what I am buying.
A neutral CRM comparison table

Don't forget DMOZ

When I moved this blog, I forgot DMOZ (click if you don't remember). Getting your website in DMOZ is a major boost in the ranking Google gives you, because Google is interested in how others perceive your site. They remind you of that in their help for webmasters.

My problem is that my previous site location is listed in DMOZ, causing that URL to still come up under certain searches, while my current location is buried. I'm not sure who to fix the old URL, so I just submitted the new one again. Perhaps I did this once already, but didn't get listed. DMOZ listing is not reliable, which can be frustrating, too.

Happy Easter, my dear readers...A leave you with an "Easter Egg" from Google

Helpful hints

I'm not a SEO, but I like to know what its all about. Here is a list of 33 points someone posted at webmasterworld:

All I have learned from this Forum...

More classic advice...for trade ads

Photonics Spectra Magazine does a good job of sending monthly newsletters with worthwhile articles. They must know they are valuable, as the newsletter is hole-punched, ready to be saved. The lead article this month is titled "Does Ad Location Matter?", written by Cari Brennan of Readex, an independent readership survey company.

Her basic point is that the location of the ad in the magazine doesn't matter much. "Far front, right side" as being the ideal location isn't really true, she says, backing it up with her company's extensive research. What she does say in her conclusion is prime facts:

...the importance of content is neglected. The right mix of copy and illustration will grab the attention of readers. Well designed ads with compelling sales stories attract readership, even if they are in the back of a publication or next to another ad.

Classic advice

As a soon to be client of a yet to be selected brand of CRM software, I've gotten a couple emails offering advice. The truth is I feel I've done an effective job of educating myself. We aren't looking for pie-in-the-sky, we are just looking for a tool to keep our business going. I was frustrated when I first started shopping with software with very esoteric questions about our goals--our goals are to keep track of our clients and our "opportunities". After going to the CRM conference, I learned that many companies are looking for such software to solve a multititude of problems. I'd like to solve those problems too, but I doubt I will be given the time or resourses to do so. What I am looking at this week when I do "demos" is usability. Simplistic, yes; realistic, yes!

But, I promised classic advice, and here it is, followed with my comments:

I hope you're not Focusing Too Much On the Technology Side of the quation - That Would Be Like Buying a Car When You Don’t Even Know How to Drive; It Looks Good, But You Don’t Really End Up Getting Anywhere With It. I know how to drive, but I may buy an SUV when a Neon may do, just to give me some level of comfort and safety. But I don't realistically think I will be driving it off-road, but I may use it to haul a trailer once in a while.

Have You:
* Built a Business Case for your CRM Project - Without a CRM Vision, Strategies, Measurable Goals or Action Plans, There’s No Road Map for Achieving Anything Worthwhile. As other people have tried to pin on me for advertising, I don't have the resources to accurately measure the success. The benefit to us is apparent and needed, it doesn't need to be justified. If it becomes a competitive advantage, so much the better.

I do have a written plan and goals, divided into phases. I just hope my management sees the significance of the points it makes.

* Got Buy-in, Participation & Overt Support For Your Project From Top Mgmt - If Not, As Problems and Issues Continue to Add Up, it’s Easier to Give Up, then to Move Forward. We've got a software package right now that's broken. Its easy to get your wife excited about a new car when the old one shakes every time she steps on the brake, isn't it?

* Got Buy-in & Acceptance For Your CRM Plans From The People Who Will Become the Users of the New Software - If Not, You May End Up With a System That Isn’t Widely Used. Ditto previous comments.

* Focused Too Much on Company-Centric Rather then Customer-Centric Results - If so, You’ll Make All Kinds of Changes to Things That Will Have Absolutely No Impact on Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty, or Retention. I am the customer-centric person in our group. Yes, I've got to keep others focused on the customer.

Also, Make Sure You are NOT:

* Trying to Implement Change Without Managing its Impact on People.
* Trying to Do Way Too Much, Way Too Soon
* Underestimating the Time, Resources and Money Required
* Significantly Underestimating User Training and Support Requirements
The last four are good warnings for any implementation. I've done ERP implementation, so I understand these, but the CRM conference was a good refresher. And I fear that I will be trapped by these as my other job duties press on me and my energy wanes.

CRM selection process

I'm trying to wind-up the end of my CRM software selection process. Here is what I have done so far, to prepare me:

I've used the notes from the CRM conference to create a plan, including an implementation plan and selection guideline. Then I outlined our needs by identifying implementation phases and the goals for each phase--this keeps me focused on what we need and not the bells & whistles of the software. I have also made a list of the benefits of using a new CRM package for our company, making more specific definitions of the goals.

Next, I subscribed to www.ismcompare.com, which allowed me to put the software I am looking at head to head, feature for feature. I've not found this as helpful as would have hoped, as the descriptions are criteria are not uniform. It also tends not to make any negative statements. But it has made it easy for me to focus on certain functions related to my goals for analysis.

Today, I have written an RFQ to send to the three vendors. This lists our needs as it relates to a final quote. Then it also lists two typical processes that we want demonstrated to show the software's functionality and usability.

Why web advertising is limited

Why don't you see more traditional advertisers on the web? According to this interview with Jerry Back, it is because web works best as a direct-response medium. I would add that it is also an information medium. Radio and TV offer branding, which is valuable side-benefit of their direct-response messages.

MarketingFix: Why Aren't Traditional Advertisers Fully Embracing the Web

Always good advice

Its nice that Google understands their customers enough to post articles like this. Basic, yet comprehensive info on being in Google. Someone I know could use this, who's site is down to one page in Google. If he only knew!

Google Information for Webmasters

Boosting click-thrus

I am looking to use some help with my website's rankings for certain keywords. So, I found this site helpful to understand what to expect. (Found via SitePoint newsletter.)

Search Engine Optimization Organization and SEO consultants directory

Trade advertising at any price?

Here is a snip from an email I got today from a trade magazine:


For $30,000 gross ($25,500 net) you can run as many ads as you want, up to 3 pages an issue for 12 issues...

This program serves our members in supplementing their marketing budgets through Semiconductor Magazine. Our 45,000 global readers benefit by reading a healthy content rich editorial package and benefit from increased advertising messages from the industry's suppliers.

A very radical offer isn't it? If I felt this publication covered enough of our target market, it would be hard to pass up. But what would the readers think of a surge in advertising (3 pages per issue per advertiser)?