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Around the globe, more and more countries are starting to invest in big data centers, including Ireland, UK, and the Netherlands. But it’s the US that has a remarkably fast-growing market for big data as due to its great infrastructure, connectivity, and low corporate tax rates. Most of the well-known data centers in the US are located in northern Virginia, New York, Silicon Valley, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles. However, Atlanta is jumping up in rank with its 13,000 tech companies.
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It's been a long time coming, but the moment is finally here. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had great videos to share with my LinkedIn network, but haven’t been able to post them until today!
We can thank LinkedIn, as they just released the newest update, allowing users to directly upload videos to their newsfeed. So, if there’s a surplus of exclamation marks on this blog, just know that I’ve been waiting for this for a while now.
We can thank LinkedIn, as they just released the newest update, allowing users to directly upload videos to their newsfeed. So, if there’s a surplus of exclamation marks on this blog, just know that I’ve been waiting for this for a while now.
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People are in search for the next best place to start their business, the next city to be crowned the title of “the next Silicon Valley.” In the coming years, there has been one consistently outstanding city that has been displaying strong entrepreneurial and technological growth that has the potential to become the next tech hub – and that city is Dallas.
Published in Small Business Marketing
It was Monday 26th of June 2017 - the big day where I will start my first day at my first internship at an outsourced marketing firm. I remember coming here on Sunday afternoon, the day before to take a peek at where the beginning of my marketing career will start. Though it is a long distance away from home, I was excited to travel here every morning for the next few months. It has been three weeks since that Sunday afternoon, though it may sound a long time already, it has been going by in a flash.
Published in Marketing
We always want what’s best for our business, however, we aren’t all-rounders and competent in every aspect of our business. That’s why there is a growing trend in outsourcing – companies are now more inclined to subcontract their IT department, HR department or even their marketing department to external companies. But with all these choices in the market, you are sure to be overwhelmed with the sea of potential partnerships.
Published in Marketing
In the world of business and economics, there is the Pareto Principle – it describes that 20% of our actions contributes to 80% of our results. Generally speaking, this applies in the marketing industry too! Small marketing tasks and fixes can definitely make a big difference or build up to create a greater impact.
Published in Marketing
Pinterest for B2B Companies: Reach More Customers & Build a Loyal Following
May 18, 2016 Written by Darla Cullen
There are 100 million active users on Pinterest and a 176 million registered users, according to DMR. You may be familiar with using Pinterest as a user, pinning your favorite DIY and cooking recipes, but have you considered using the site to promote your B2B business?
Aside from the sheer number of users on Pinterest, you will be reaching a market that is engaged with this tool. As a B2B service firm you can begin sharing a culture, a lifestyle a philosophy that are more difficult to communicate through other digital platforms.
Aside from the sheer number of users on Pinterest, you will be reaching a market that is engaged with this tool. As a B2B service firm you can begin sharing a culture, a lifestyle a philosophy that are more difficult to communicate through other digital platforms.
Do you remember in business school when you learned about the four Ps: Product, Place, Price and Promotion in your Marketing 101 class? A lot has changed since I was sitting in my first Marketing class 20+ years ago, however the 4 Ps are still relevant. While marketing professors still refer to the 4 Ps, the implementation is quite different.
Remember the days when you thought 'Place' referred to real estate, a good a visible store front? Then we hit the "dot.com era" and began to think beyond brick and mortar to having a website. In today's fast moving digital economy you need even more than just a digital presence.
Now you need a website that is mobile-friendly. The computer that we use the most, is the one that fits in the palm of our hand. In fact, by 2018, according to eMarketer, global smartphone users will reach the 2.5 billion mark. And nearly 86 million consumers will make a purchase on their device in 2016.
Remember the days when you thought 'Place' referred to real estate, a good a visible store front? Then we hit the "dot.com era" and began to think beyond brick and mortar to having a website. In today's fast moving digital economy you need even more than just a digital presence.
Now you need a website that is mobile-friendly. The computer that we use the most, is the one that fits in the palm of our hand. In fact, by 2018, according to eMarketer, global smartphone users will reach the 2.5 billion mark. And nearly 86 million consumers will make a purchase on their device in 2016.
I've been blogging a lot lately about lead generation. For most businesses it is the hot topic because, if you are not generating leads, little else matters. I my previous blog I discussed content creation, but today I'd like to focus on one specific form of content and that is blogging.
Writing a blog can be easy, fast and effective for generating leads. It can also be a complete waste of time if not done well, with no real purpose. You know the adage, "If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it fall, does it make a sound?" Think of your blog as a tree in the woods, if no one reads and responds to your blog, does it make an impact on your business?
Here are things you must consider to write a blog that makes an impact:
Writing a blog can be easy, fast and effective for generating leads. It can also be a complete waste of time if not done well, with no real purpose. You know the adage, "If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it fall, does it make a sound?" Think of your blog as a tree in the woods, if no one reads and responds to your blog, does it make an impact on your business?
Here are things you must consider to write a blog that makes an impact:
"How far do you live from Waco, TX?" "Do you watch HGTV?" "Have you seen Chip and Joanna?" These are questions I've heard from California to Pennsylvania and Kansas to Tennessee.
People are just obsessed with Chip and Joanna Gaines, a couple living on a farm in central Texas who spends their days remodeling dilapidated homes. These are just normal folks, flipping inexpensive houses in a small town. They decorate the homes with vintage farm items, decorate with painted exposed paneling (now called shiplap), and have their friend repurpose some old wood into a dining room table.
If I told you five years ago that this would have people glued to their TV waiting for the big reveal, or traveling to a town plagued by bad press to shop at a store in an abandoned rusty silo, you would think I was truly crazy. If I told you this was big business, including real estate, a Bed and Breakfast, a store front, a bakery and branded items, you would want on-board.
People are just obsessed with Chip and Joanna Gaines, a couple living on a farm in central Texas who spends their days remodeling dilapidated homes. These are just normal folks, flipping inexpensive houses in a small town. They decorate the homes with vintage farm items, decorate with painted exposed paneling (now called shiplap), and have their friend repurpose some old wood into a dining room table.
If I told you five years ago that this would have people glued to their TV waiting for the big reveal, or traveling to a town plagued by bad press to shop at a store in an abandoned rusty silo, you would think I was truly crazy. If I told you this was big business, including real estate, a Bed and Breakfast, a store front, a bakery and branded items, you would want on-board.
When I meet with prospects and discuss the need for a content strategy, they either...
· Admit they don't know what I'm talking about
· Glaze over, nod and agree (though I know we are not on the same page)
· Or say they've tried content marketing, but in reality they have not or have not done it well, to say the least
While the marketing world is all abuzz about content marketing, it is very difficult to put together a well thought-out, custom designed, highly effective strategy. Before I jump into how to create an effective content marketing strategy, let's first start with the definition.
· Admit they don't know what I'm talking about
· Glaze over, nod and agree (though I know we are not on the same page)
· Or say they've tried content marketing, but in reality they have not or have not done it well, to say the least
While the marketing world is all abuzz about content marketing, it is very difficult to put together a well thought-out, custom designed, highly effective strategy. Before I jump into how to create an effective content marketing strategy, let's first start with the definition.
If you thought email marketing was dead, think again. To show the modern value of email marketing ,Adestra completed a study measuring consumer opinions and behavior when it comes to email. The researchers surveyed more than 1,200 respondents, from teenagers to Baby Boomers and asked how they interacted with, and think about, the email messages they receive.
Here are just a few important facts taken from this study:
Buying lists are unreliable and legally you can't email people who have not willingly given you their email address.
Here is what your need to do to ensure a successful email marketing campaign.
Here are just a few important facts taken from this study:
- 43% of consumers give a real email address when they come to a website that asks for an email before continuing
- 80% of consumers (across all demos) actually unsubscribe from emails they no longer wish to receive
- 59% of consumers leave an email unread if they plan to read it later, 33% flag it
Buying lists are unreliable and legally you can't email people who have not willingly given you their email address.
Here is what your need to do to ensure a successful email marketing campaign.
Published in Marketing
Landing pages are one of the most important elements of a lead generation campaign. In fact, according to MarketingSherpa’s research, landing pages are effective for 94% of B2B and B2C companies. So why are so few companies using them?
A landing Page is a single page within your website where you can direct visitors to one particular offer without the distractions of everything else on your website. Visitors are on a landing page for one and only purpose: to complete the lead capture form.
A landing Page is a single page within your website where you can direct visitors to one particular offer without the distractions of everything else on your website. Visitors are on a landing page for one and only purpose: to complete the lead capture form.
Published in Small Business Marketing
If you have been following my blog series on Lead Generation, you know that you need to have an offer to engage your prospects. If you missed that blog, you can check it how HERE.
The offer is basically the carrot, now what you need is the pole and string from which to dangle that well-crafted carrot and to get your prospects to act or engage.
What gets our audience to reach for the carrot is your call-to-action (CTA). When effectively crafted, they will capture people’s attention and persuading them to act.
Not all CTAs are effective or will result in action. It's important to consider what your competitors are offering and then determine why someone may choose your offer over the competition.
Once you have your offer decided, now it's time to get the word out. Here's how:
The offer is basically the carrot, now what you need is the pole and string from which to dangle that well-crafted carrot and to get your prospects to act or engage.
What gets our audience to reach for the carrot is your call-to-action (CTA). When effectively crafted, they will capture people’s attention and persuading them to act.
Not all CTAs are effective or will result in action. It's important to consider what your competitors are offering and then determine why someone may choose your offer over the competition.
Once you have your offer decided, now it's time to get the word out. Here's how:
As business owners our primary goal is to make money so we are focused on revenue, product pricing and billing of our services. To think about giving something away for free seems counter-intuitive. However, giving away something that your audience views as exclusive, scarce, or in high demand is a good way to open the door to engaging a new customer.
Returning from a spring break trip to visit family my daughter realized she had not downloaded any new movies on her lap top. Six hours in the back seat of a car, to a modern eleven year old, was going to be a strain on everyone in the car. Reading is out of the question, because she gets car sick. I grabbed my phone, signed up for a free month of Audible, bought her a book on Amazon and it was amazingly quiet for the entire trip. Even better, she loved listening to the book so much we are considering continuing our subscription.
I'm not sure I would have even considered Audible if it wasn't for the free subscription. If it is fitting for your business to give away a free trial, it is a great way to allow new customers to try your product. For a subscription service a free month is a good option, for other product companies a sample size may be appropriate.
For B2B companies deciding on an incentive is a more difficult decision. Think about your clients' pain points and what does your company offer that may help your target audience. Consider white papers or a free analysis as a means of engaging with a new customer.
Returning from a spring break trip to visit family my daughter realized she had not downloaded any new movies on her lap top. Six hours in the back seat of a car, to a modern eleven year old, was going to be a strain on everyone in the car. Reading is out of the question, because she gets car sick. I grabbed my phone, signed up for a free month of Audible, bought her a book on Amazon and it was amazingly quiet for the entire trip. Even better, she loved listening to the book so much we are considering continuing our subscription.
I'm not sure I would have even considered Audible if it wasn't for the free subscription. If it is fitting for your business to give away a free trial, it is a great way to allow new customers to try your product. For a subscription service a free month is a good option, for other product companies a sample size may be appropriate.
For B2B companies deciding on an incentive is a more difficult decision. Think about your clients' pain points and what does your company offer that may help your target audience. Consider white papers or a free analysis as a means of engaging with a new customer.
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