{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-news-post-list-js","path":"/news/3/","result":{"pageContext":{"posts":[{"node":{"wordpress_id":2545,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/strategic-alliance-professionals-email-still-works/","title":"Strategic Alliance Professionals – Email Still Works!","slug":"strategic-alliance-professionals-email-still-works","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Thu Sep 5th 2019","modified":"Wed Feb 15th 2023","excerpt":"

The way we communicate with our consumers online is continuously evolving. And while it’s important to include channels such as social media, SEO, and video in your strategic alliance marketing plan, email is still a top choice for generating conversions.

\n","author":{"name":"Scott Lindars"},"yoast":{"title":"Email Still Works for Strategic Alliances!","metadesc":"Discover how an email nurture campaign can be created for a strategic alliance goldmine opportunity.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"Email Still Works for Strategic Alliances!","opengraph_description":"Discover how an email nurture campaign can be created for a strategic alliance goldmine opportunity.","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/1.jpg"},"twitter_title":"Email Still Works for Strategic Alliances!","twitter_description":"Discover how an email nurture campaign can be created for a strategic alliance goldmine opportunity.","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/brainstorming-branding-businesspeople-1162968-1.jpg"}},"content":"
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The way we communicate with our consumers online is continuously evolving. And while it’s important to include channels such as social media, SEO, and video in your strategic alliance marketing plan, email is still a top choice for generating conversions. On average, email has an ROI of $38 for each $1 spent, and now that you have the power of two you can combine resources and even prospect lists for a highly qualified marketing audience!

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Starting with an email nurture campaign will allow you to focus your efforts on a strategic, behavior-based campaign that is designed to continuously nudge these prospects toward your desired action. For example, did a user click the CTA in the first email? If so then you can send them the next email in the series, if not, you can try a different version of them same email to try to get them to act.

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How to create a successful nurture campaign for your strategic alliance

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1. Set your goals and objectives

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Start with what your strategic alliance brings to the table. Typically, this will be a complimentary product or service to one that already exists between your two companies, such as a security service for a cloud platform.

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2. Define your audience

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We already know the advantage of having access to two companies’ prospect lists, but it’s still important to segment this list into a smaller, more qualified audience. In the case of the example from the first step, you and your partner would use a list of existing cloud platform customers since they are low-hanging fruit to upsell them on your new complimentary service.

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3. Decide which partner will manage and execute the emails

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An important step before building out the content is to decide which partner will project manage and send the emails upon completion. There are many considerations here such as marketing platforms, project management software, third-party agencies, and more.

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There are also cloud-based software platforms such as Workspan which allows you and your partner to meet in the middle and collaborate throughout each step of the process.

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4. Co-brand your design and copy

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It’s most likely that you and your partner have different branding, and that’s ok! If one brand has better recognition or reputation it may be an easy decision to make. You and your partner should work together to decide if one brand will carry the main voice and visuals but be sure that it is obvious this is a partnership initiative. Use logo-lockups, include both brand names in the copy, and so on.

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You may also find a benefit in creating an alliance landing page that matches your campaign creative theme that uses a co-branded vanity URL. These are all considerations that should be agreed upon by both partners.

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5. Don’t forget to A/B test!

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As is important in all marketing campaigns, don’t forget to A/B test. It’s even expected in a nurture series – if someone doesn’t click on an email the first time, try a different version with the same CTA the next time. This can be done seamlessly with a marketing automation platform.

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Test using each brand name in the same subject line to see if one generates more engagement. Test your hero images, CTAs, and everything else you can think of! You can even make it a friendly challenge by having the marketing teams from both companies come up with different things to test and see how they compare.

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A real-world example: A tale of two tech giants

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Citrix and Microsoft have one of the largest alliances in the world, partnering to create cloud-based workspace services for business of any size and industry. Our team at Merit Mile created an eight-part email nurture series to promote Citrix Workspace on Microsoft Azure, a powerful combination of technology, to business and IT decision makers.

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When it came to creation of the emails Citrix was determined as the main voice and branding but supported the alliance by utilizing Microsoft logo lockups and co-branded case studies and assets. To create a bit more visual interest we also animated the hero banners which is something that should be explored by your marketing teams as an option to generate higher engagement.

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Your alliance needs a trusted partner

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Even with this guidance, the reality is that pulling it off is easier said than done. Recent research shows that 80% of alliance marketing professionals are facing challenges such as time constraints and content creation. The research also showed that those professionals who worked with marketing agencies saw up to a 33% in marketing leads! Reach out to our team of experts today to learn how we can help you with your strategic alliance marketing needs.

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\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":2530,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/the-true-power-of-earned-media-for-brands/","title":"The true power of earned media for brands","slug":"the-true-power-of-earned-media-for-brands","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Aug 30th 2019","modified":"Thu Mar 19th 2020","excerpt":"Public relations professionals regularly educate their management teams on what a proper PR campaign can do for their brand or organization.","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"The True Power of Earned Media for Brands | Merit Mile","metadesc":"Discovery why it’s important that companies of every size demonstrate the value of public relations in front of senior management.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"The True Power of Earned Media for Brands | Merit Mile","opengraph_description":"Discovery why it’s important that companies of every size demonstrate the value of public relations in front of senior management.","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/true-power-of-earned-media-for-brands.jpg"},"twitter_title":"The True Power of Earned Media for Brands | Merit Mile","twitter_description":"Discovery why it’s important that companies of every size demonstrate the value of public relations in front of senior management.","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/true-power-of-earned-media-for-brands.jpg"}},"content":"
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Public relations professionals regularly educate their management teams on what a proper PR campaign can do for their brand or organization. This includes internal corporate communicators who work with their organizations’ thought leaders and stakeholders. Often, the right PR agency partner can add great value here in helping to demonstrate impactful ROI for this type of earned media.

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Media relations form the core of what a PR communicator does, and audiences trust earned media more than paid-for coverage because of its penchant for third-party credibility. In an age of shrinking newsrooms, product or service promotion is becoming more valuable but clients are continually asking to see the value of PR.

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Is it worth it?

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Earned media is challenging to measure true ROI because it is difficult to see how a placement truly impacts an organization’s mission and bottom-line. Instead, specific metrics should be agreed upon to measure success. The number of links or share of voice over time against competitors, the domain authority of the site, social shares as well as views can be used to measure the impact of an earned media piece.

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What reporters want

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News has changed. It’s a 24-hour news cycle now, heavily visual, breakneck and the traditional newspaper are constantly in heavy decline. What kinds of stories do journalists in the industry want?\r\n\t\tHuman interest stories or those based on proprietary data are in demand. Anything that can be easily shared on social media will be a success. Infographics or striking visuals, either images or video, will boost engagement on Facebook or Twitter. Thus, investing in producing these will reap rewards for any brand.

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Human interest stories or those based on proprietary data are in demand. Anything that can be easily shared on social media will be a success. Infographics or striking visuals, either images or video, will boost engagement on Facebook or Twitter. Thus, investing in producing these will reap rewards for any brand.

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Stories showcasing the social good a company does are also in demand. Many consumers want to read about brands doing more positive things in their communities, so it can lead to quite an impact to get such a story in the media.

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Finding and pitching journalists

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There are plenty of online resources that can be used to compile lists of journalists, but relationships are still needed with reporters covering a specific topic. \r\n\t\tOnce a journalist is identified, pitching a story today takes place mainly through email. Content, timing and spokespeople must all be considered when pitching. A new or contradictory story will be picked up faster than an old or tired storyline. Brands must always ask how their story is different from one that was previously reported on.

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Boosting a hit

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A plan must be in place before a media hit to boost its visibility. Distribution can take place on a firm’s social media profile, to employees through an internal newsletter or even with paid influencers. A media hit must be capitalised upon in a timely manner and failing to do so undermines a lot of earned media campaigns.

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Feature or op-ed?

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PR professionals agree that getting a feature written by a journalist about the company or quoting one of the subject-matter experts in a story can have great value. It’s also impactful to have a well-penned, thought-leadership-style opinion column written that gets the company’s message across in an informative way.

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The authority from being quoted in a feature piece can easily transition into that person, say the CEO of a firm, writing their own opinion piece that could be featured in a newspaper.

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Keep clients happy

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A good public relations team must work hard to ensure that their clients understand the process of earned media placement and manage their expectations as the process moves forward. \r\n\t\tDoes your senior leadership see the value of earned media? How can we help you communicate this value and then demonstrate great results each month so that your brand’s mission is reached? Schedule a consultative session today with Merit Mile’s award-winning PR team to learn more.

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About The Author: John Sternal is a partner with Merit Mile, a full-service, integrated marketing communications firm that specializes in PR and social media, lead-gen and marketing campaigns, interactive development, and market research.

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Do you have additional questions on the topic? Click here to email Merit Mile and schedule a short consultative session with our team to discuss how we can help your brand get more results.

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\r\n
\r\n\r\nCompanies large and small leverage the power of two to get more done. In fact, strategic alliances (and ecosystems) are on the rise. Recent insights from Merit Mile Research shows that 54% of organizations will maintain or increase the number of alliance partners they support in 2020.\r\n\r\nAnd the benefits of alliances are clear. It’s all about growing the top line. The research shows that the top three goals are all sales-focused:\r\n\r\n
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\r\n\r\nSpreading the word\r\n\r\nSo how do you get the word out about all the greatness you and your strategic alliance partners are doing together. I think one of the strongest messages to send is real-world evidence that backs up your claims. I’m talking case studies, testimonials, tapping customers for guest speakers, and, last but not least, video.\r\n\r\nEveryone loves video because it’s short, memorable, and perfect for on-the-go consumption – think mobile devices, social media, and LinkedIn. But video is equally great for the more traditional formats like meetings and briefing centers, all the way to the big screen at conferences and keynotes.\r\n\r\nProcess makes perfect\r\n\r\nWe recently helped our friends at Microsoft and two of their alliance partners, Atos and T-Systems, bring their joint strengths to life with video.\r\n
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\r\n \r\n\r\nBeyond the actual video production, which was efficiently and expertly scripted, story-boarded and produced by our talented creative team, I want to touch on the methodology we use when creating videos.\r\n
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  1. Define a singular goal – at the very start, Merit Mile, Microsoft, and the alliance partner agreed on what these videos needed to accomplish. I.e., was it alliance awareness, technical know-how, customer success stories, showcasing joint solutions, and the list goes on. But a video that tries to do three different things is probably not going to do any one of them well. Pick a focus and avoid the temptation to stray.
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  2. Find the right storyline – Once we defined the overarching goal, we could focus on finding the most suitable specific storyline that supports the goal. In our case, we zeroed in on Azure-powered services developed by the partners. This stage requires input from product managers, account managers, and customers.
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  3. Capture the story – With the storyline identified, we interviewed subject matter experts and digested relevant source material. Hearing the narrative directly from the teams closest to the story helps bring the message to life. We find that a 1:1 interview brings us closer to the substance of the story and its most salient points to cover.
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  4. Script – At this stage, it’s time for nuts and bolts video development. We start with the script, absent of any creative so the stakeholders can focus solely on the message. One thing we always keep in mind and leave room for is that no matter the medium – video, presentation, infographics, etc. – once the words that looked perfect on paper come to life with creative, this copy can change.
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  5. Storyboarding – Script in hand, we move onto a storyboard, which pairs sections of copy with a vignette of what is happening on screen. I liken it to hitting pause on a video every 10 seconds and taking a screenshot. This critical step lets our clients understand the visual direction, color pallet, and on-screen words before diving into production. All these checks and balances along the way ensure everyone is agreement where the video is going.
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  6. Production – Finally it’s time to bring it all together – lights, camera, action! The creative team dives into Adobe Premier and gets to work. Designers create custom artwork, lay down professional voice over and music tracks, sourced b-roll selected, and make the magic happen.
    7. \r\n
\r\nNow that the videos are completed, it’s time to turn your attention to spreading the word. Don’t let this critical step fall through the cracks by creating a communications, distribution and social sharing plan prior to posting.\r\n\r\n
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\r\n\r\nNow it’s your turn\r\n\r\nAs you think about embarking on your next video project – in-house or outsourced – try applying this methodology. While it’s tempting to want to jump right into the exciting stuff, trust me these upfront steps 1, 2, and 3 will ensure your video hits the mark for your strategic alliances. If you need a little help along the way, drop us a note. We’re here to help.\r\n\r\nFinally, tell us what your video production methodology looks like. Do you take different steps? Are there any special tools you like using?\r\n\r\n
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"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":2430,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/pardot-salesforce-management-for-marketers/","title":"Pardot and Salesforce Management for Marketers","slug":"pardot-salesforce-management-for-marketers","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Jul 30th 2019","modified":"Thu Mar 19th 2020","excerpt":"

If your marketing team’s hard work is bringing in a lot of new leads through Salesforce’s CRM but you want to better understand their buying journey and qualification, then implementing a marketing automation tool is one of the most logical solutions for scoring and managing your new leads.

\n","author":{"name":"Jeremy Wilson"},"yoast":{"title":"Pardot and Salesforce Management for Marketers | Merit Mile","metadesc":"If you already have a solid CRM platform like Salesforce but your marketing and sales teams are not in sync, then it’s time to consider adding Pardot. Read how!","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"Pardot and Salesforce Management for Marketers | Merit Mile","opengraph_description":"If you already have a solid CRM platform like Salesforce but your marketing and sales teams are not in sync, then it’s time to consider adding Pardot. Read how!","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/salesforce-pardot-integration.jpg"},"twitter_title":"Pardot and Salesforce Management for Marketers | Merit Mile","twitter_description":"If you already have a solid CRM platform like Salesforce but your marketing and sales teams are not in sync, then it’s time to consider adding Pardot. Read how!","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/salesforce-pardot-integration.jpg"}},"content":"
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If your marketing team’s hard work is bringing in a lot of new leads through Salesforce’s CRM but you want to better understand their buying journey and qualification, then implementing a marketing automation tool is one of the most logical solutions for scoring and managing your new leads. By integrating Salesforce CRM with Pardot, marketers have the data and automation capabilities to build an intelligent marketing pipeline that allows companies to achieve their marketing goals more efficiently, resulting in a better user experience and increased ROI.

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Pardot’s marketing automation capabilities will assist marketers in the execution of their marketing strategies while providing valuable analytics into their user’s behaviors throughout their journey. When connecting Salesforce to Pardot the best option is to use the Salesforce/Pardot connector app. With the built-in support that this tool offers the marketing team can more easily track and measure the user’s behavior across campaigns and apply lead scoring/nurturing best practices and then are able to direct contacts to the appropriate team.

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To start, the marketing team will typically define the target audience and user personas, then using Pardot’s tools they can easily build out landing pages, emails, and assets that will be used to target the audiences and personas. Using the automated lead scoring features of Pardot the leads can be easily qualified as they are entered based on the criteria that were specified during the setup phase. Once the lead has met the scoring goals based on their behavior they can then automatically be identified by the sales team using the Salesforce backend, keeping the lead moving along the sales pipeline in the process.

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When selecting a marketing partner, it is important to make sure your chosen team knows the marketing platform you are working on and how to craft workflows. Most Salesforce Admins will have the experience to be able to help you achieve your marketing goals using those tools, however, there are a couple of certifications you can look for when selecting a Pardot partner, Pardot Specialist and Pardot Consultant, the latter having a wider breadth of training.

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Our team at Merit Mile offers management and development support in the setup and creation of your Pardot and Salesforce integration, including Pardot campaigns, emails, landing pages, and assets before, during and after the campaign to help achieve the goals you have set. In fact, we helped one of the country’s largest telehealth providers on their road to full marketing automation by consulting on their Salesforce + Pardot landscape and creating emails and landing pages that are optimized for their pipeline within Pardot.

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Pardot and Salesforce, when used together may offer the best marketing intelligence and automation for your organizations’ needs, allowing your sales team to focus in on the hottest leads, resulting in more sales, and an increased ROI. With extensive training for Salesforce and Pardot, our experts at Merit Mile can assist you at any level, from content creation and development to campaign creation and management. Contact us to get started on your Salesforce/Pardot integrations.

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While working on the internal communications team of a Fortune-500 technology distributor, I was tasked with several initiatives – many of which I was solely responsible for, and for the others, I was part of a team.

\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"6 Reasons to Hire a PR Agency","metadesc":"Even the largest of companies don’t have the resources to generate publicity. Here’s what you need to know when hiring a PR and marketing agency for your brand.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":null},"content":"
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While working on the internal communications team of a Fortune-500 technology distributor, I was tasked with several initiatives – many of which I was solely responsible for, and for the others I was part of a team.

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These included, in no particular order of importance: communicating organizational initiatives to internal staff, arranging events for internal town hall events as well as customer gatherings, creating presentations for a variety of sales- and corporate-focused meetings, and participating in an endless number of meetings that, well, I’m still not sure what the outcomes were.

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One key element of the communications process that was missing was external communications of critical organizational objectives and missions on a regular basis.

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Sure, we had plenty of product launches that were well-planned. And sometimes, they even generated the occasional article in a trade publication; but our understaffed team never made it a priority to proactively engage with the media – trade, business, or consumer – on a regular cadence to push an ongoing dialogue that would’ve shaped a leadership position in the industry.

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Mind you, the kick in the gut we collectively experienced came from watching competitor after competitor repeatedly grab the spotlight in the press with a steady stream of stories. This left us constantly on the defensive with both senior management and sales teams who all saw competitors in the foreground of industry news.

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It’s not that we weren’t capable, but that our internal team was regularly faced with prioritizing everything else on our plate, and external media always took a back seat.

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Today I have different optics. I’m now leading a team of well-trained professionals who are tasked with helping our corporate clients obtain this publicity. We’re able to serve as an extension of the PR team for corporations and mid-level enterprise organizations who see great value in retaining the services of a PR agency that can handle and execute a number of critical communications initiatives:

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Strategic Planning – The right PR and Marketing agency can sprint out of the gate and not only understand an organization’s message, but also add the right value to enhance the message and shape the narrative.

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Audience Identification – Today, well qualified PR agencies have access to databases of millions of journalists. However, these marketers can now go beyond the databases to curate the right journalist at the right outlet for specific stories and initiatives.

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Press Relations – This is one that’s truly critical. Many organizations, even some of today’s largest multinational companies, have a difficult time building relationships with the press because, like my prior company, they have too much on their plate. The right PR agency is focused on building and maintaining these relationships every day.

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Storytelling – Even though we’re all communicators, internal comms teams tend to tell their own message in a way that comes off as promotional. The right PR agency doesn’t have this internal filter. They’re strictly focused on developing and sharing a story that will resonate with the needs of a journalist and their audience. The additional benefit is that they’re also adding data and research to the message.

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Lead-Gen: PR agencies have traditionally been guided by an awareness-gen strategy. But today, qualified agencies with an integrated reach can build programs that combine awareness-gen strategies with lead-gen, so that the communications effort can contribute to the sales funnel.

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Measurement – Our agency does not rely on an out-of-the-box measurement platform for communications results. We’ve built our own platform, which allows us to fully customize measurement to the unique needs of every client. Besides publicity results, it also has the scalability to include additional components such as lead-gen and marketing campaigns. As a result of this platform, we’ve been able to track a quantifiable PR return on investment (ROI) level of 11X for client expenditures. This means the average value of PR our clients receive is $11 for every $1 they invest with us. This metric is significantly important in helping our client PR teams report success up to the C-Level.

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Considering whether it’s time to hire a PR and Marketing agency is never an easy task. It will always be a budget-based decision no matter how large the organization. However, the intangibles that come from knowing your brand has ripple effects that last for years. Plus, they impact every facet of an organization, from sales and overall employee morale, to analyst calls that give executives bragging rights on brand exposure. Knowing this, can you really afford NOT to hire the right PR agency?

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About The Author: John Sternal is a partner with Merit Mile, a full-service, integrated marketing communications firm that specializes in PR and social media, lead-gen and marketing campaigns, interactive development, and market research.

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Do you have additional questions on the topic? Click here to email Merit Mile and schedule a short consultative session with our team to discuss how we can help your brand get more results.

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\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":2034,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/staying-ahead-of-the-curve/","title":"Staying Ahead of the Curve, PR Best Practices for B2B Automotive Brands","slug":"staying-ahead-of-the-curve","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Jun 25th 2019","modified":"Wed Feb 15th 2023","excerpt":"

In the competitive automotive industry, how can your B2B automotive brand continue to thrive? Truthfully, it comes down to the application of various practices. Considering this, we have given some of the best Public Relations practices you can apply to your brand.

\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"","metadesc":"In the competitive automotive industry, here are some of the best PR practices to apply or help your B2B automotive brand.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"PR Best Practices for B2B Automotive Brands","opengraph_description":"In the competitive automotive industry, here are some of the best PR practices to apply or help your B2B automotive brand","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"},"twitter_title":"PR Best Practices for B2B Automotive Brands","twitter_description":"In the competitive automotive industry, here are some of the best PR practices to apply or help your B2B automotive brand","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"}},"content":"
\n
\"MicrosoftIn the competitive automotive industry, how can your B2B automotive brand continue to thrive? Truthfully, it comes down to the application of various practices. Considering this, we have given some of the best Public Relations practices you can apply to your brand.

\n

Identify your niche and differentiate with unique story ideation:

\n

In a market full of competing B2B automotive brands, it is important to stand out; convincing others your brand is the best choice. One way to do this through PR is by identifying your niche and differentiating yourself with unique story ideation. A niche is a specialized area that caters to a particular, usually small set of the market or population. Unlike a generalized audience, those that are a part of a niche are knowledgeable, selective, and critical. While this may seem like an unnecessary challenge for your brand, these niche members and market bring unique benefits: brand loyalty, fewer competitors, and distinction.

\n

When you have a brand involved in a niche market, it is essential to present your audience with unique storylines. As previously stated, niche audiences are demanding, and the old, run-of-the-mill article that tries to please a wide range of consumers will not suffice. Besides your niche market, in general, captivating articles bring awareness, interest, and prominence into the mind of your consumers.

\n

Use editorial calendars and trade shows:

\n

If your brand wants widespread media coverage, it is essential to understand and use editorial calendars to your advantage. An editorial calendar is a media outlet’s outline; guiding brands as to what they plan to write about over a certain period. By closely monitoring these editorial calendars, your brand can plan relevant articles that will likely get published by the desired media outlet.

\n

Trade shows are so much more than social events for B2B automotive brands and are one of the best PR best practices. At trade shows, your brand can not only promote itself but learn about all the new trends of the industry. It is crucial to stay on top of trends; allowing your brand to have a competitive edge over other brands and an appealing factor to consumers.

\n

Go on roadshows/media tours:

\n

It can be frustrating to face endless rejection or ignorance of your brand from the media. However, there is a solution: Roadshows or media tours. With roadshows or media tours, your brand simply takes whatever it’s trying to convey directly to the media. This means as a brand you are picking a spokesperson, setting up multiple face-to-face media interviews, and traveling to relay your message. While this PR best practice may be one of the more demanding ones, the impact it brings makes the hard work worth it.

\n

Integrate with demand-gen activities:

\n

What are demand generation activities? Demand gen activities are personable activities geared toward your brand’s consumers; including projects like weekly blog newsletters and meet-up events. These activities deviate from the common promotional tactics and result in long-term consumer relationships, which is why it is so important to integrate this PR best practice into your brand strategy.

\n

Learn more about other B2B practices/strategies at https://www.meritmile.com/news/b2b-content-marketing-expert-strategies. And reach out to our PR experts at Merit Mile to get started today!

\n
\n
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":1978,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/pro-tips-for-maximizing-your-microsoft-inspire-experience/","title":"Pro Tips for Maximizing Your Microsoft Inspire Experience","slug":"pro-tips-for-maximizing-your-microsoft-inspire-experience","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Jun 18th 2019","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"Whether you’re a first timer this year or have attended dozens of events, Inspire (formerly WWPC), is nothing short of an immersion into the intricacies of information technology, and a veritable cloud computing bonanza. Having attended, presented …","author":{"name":"Mark Reino"},"yoast":{"title":"Maximizing Your Microsoft Inspire Experience | Merit Mile","metadesc":"Merit Mile's CEO and resident trade show expert shares his tips for maximizing your experience at one of the industry's largest events: Microsoft Inspire.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/inspire-microsoft-tahoe.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/inspire-microsoft-tahoe.jpg"}},"content":"
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Microsoft\r\n\t\t

Whether you’re a first timer this year or have attended dozens of events, Inspire (formerly WWPC), is nothing short of an immersion into the intricacies of information technology, and a veritable cloud computing bonanza. Having attended, presented, and sent a multitude of teammates to Inspire for over a decade now, I thought it would be useful and fun to gather and share tips and insights for those heading to the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas between July 14-18, 2019. If you’re one of the nearly 20,000 attendees this year, we’ve also included some fun, experiential recommendations and for you and your team in Las Vegas!

\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Microsoft\r\n\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t

Pre-Game Preparation: Although it can be overwhelming, especially your first time around, Inspire is quite simply about getting business done while absorbing Microsoft’s vision, and taking business-building insights back to your team, company and clients. With highly specialized tracks dedicated to the technical community as well as the sales and marketing aspects of the Microsoft channel community, there is plenty (sometimes too much) for everyone. Our first pro tip is to invest time into pre-event planning. It may seem like a lot, but we suggest blocking the equivalent of a full business day ahead of your trip (sooner than later) for scheduling your time in Vegas for maximum return on investment.

\r\n\t\t

Download the MSFT Events app in either the Android Play Store or in Apple iTunes and fill your calendar with all sessions you’d like to attend (you can even take notes in each session within the app). When you’re on your desktop be sure to absorb the content on the main Inspire site, and review and follow Inspire social media handles. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Similarly, you can extend meeting invites to colleagues, partners, vendors and friends during this important pre-event scheduled time.

\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t

Microsoft Inspire is a city within a city, and the last thing you want to do is show up without an action plan or an onsite itinerary. And don’t worry, meetings, sessions or scheduled events will likely change. Being agile after you’ve pre-booked your week may seem contradictory, but schedule flexibility is a must. Considering the mission, putting quality time into your show-week schedule, including your meetings, will allow you to not only manage your time but also ensure you’re getting the most bang for your investment.

\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\"...\"\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t

Experiential Recommendation #1:

\r\n\t\t\t\t

When landing in Las Vegas, no matter the time, it’s hard not to immediately feel the energy of The Strip. If you’re a sports fan, you may want to take a little time after check-in to stroll down to the sports book and place a few friendly wagers on your favorite teams and events. Getting this out of the way early will throw you square into your new habitat quickly. It will also afford you some interesting people watching ahead of the frantic pace of the rest of the week! What’s more, placing a wager on behalf of your team, department or work colleagues is a fun way to make everyone a part of your Vegas experience. We enjoy the sports book at Caesar’s Palace if you need a recommendation.

\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t

Game Time: With your schedule locked and your sessions outlined, it’s time to get in the game and in your zone. Nobody knows your business and your company’s value proposition as well as you but consider the realities: there are nearly 20,000 people attending Inspire this year and they aren’t aware of the minutia that drives your daily business. Nor do they have time in the hotel lobby to absorb your twenty-minute pitch. Our second pro tip is to have a few elevator pitches ready, refined and rehearsed.

\r\n\t\t

So, you’re an Indirect CSP partner and have experienced double digit growth the last two years? Great, but what’s your differentiator? Do you have a vertical focus—is your IP in market—do you have a lead-gen program or a video, or a wildly successful use case that demonstrates uniqueness in this hyper-competitive market? Remember, at Inspire you’re amongst the most respected and knowledgeable leaders in the cloud computing industry. Knowing the hot buttons of your audience and using your small windows of conversation effectively will make your meetings memorable and actionable for post-event follow up.

\r\n\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Merit\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\"...\"\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t

Experiential Recommendation #2:

\r\n\t\t\t\t

Food (and drink)! The experience should always be about the relationships and the company, but the memories are cemented by the setting and the venue. Do you remember when they practically gave away hotel rooms and offered complimentary dinners in Las Vegas for simply sitting at a low stakes table? Well, those days are long gone but thankfully the Las Vegas dinner scene is a foodie’s delight and offers options for the most discriminating palettes. Here are a few of our favorite eating and drinking recommendations: For Italian, try the Parpadelle Bolognese at Lupo Wolfgang Puck; for steak and large groups, share the Australian Tomahawk at StripSteak; and for steak, oysters and small groups, definitely head to Charlie Palmer Steak and get the Porterhouse (for two or three!). If the day or night call for less formality and a heightened sense of, eh um, jocularity, try O’Sheas where you can drink, wager, and even play team beer pong!

\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t

Post-Game Debrief: By now you’re exhausted, your brain hurts, your throat is sore from talking, and you’re jet lagged! But, unfortunately, your work isn’t over. As a matter of fact, it’s just starting. Bookending our pre-game planning ritual, the third Microsoft Inspire pro tip is to block time to share your learnings and assemble your post event action planning go-do’s.

\r\n\t\t

You now have the insights, the research, and the experiences under your belt. From AI to Azure cloud migration to transforming the modern workplace, it’s time to implement and execute. If you’re reading this and are proactive by nature, here’s a friendly reminder to give your contacts at least a week before probing and following up. This may be mid-year for many of us, but in Microsoft-land this is the beginning of the new fiscal year and the height of worldwide vacation season.

\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\"...\"\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t

Experiential Recommendation #3:

\r\n\t\t\t\t

Bright lights, great restaurants, and a bit of debauchery is what comes to everyone’s mind when thinking about Las Vegas. But, there’s more to this city and this part of the world. A Merit Miler’s favorite childhood memory was on a Vegas trip with his Dad. After spending a couple of nights teaching him the tables and seeing shows, they spent their (dad’s) winnings and extended their stay by a day… Dad hired a small craft private plane and father and son had a transcendent aerial tour of Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. Yeah, that one won’t soon be forgotten! Nonetheless, on this trip or a future visit, consider going off The Strip for day or more. The golf course at Bali Hai is a green playground in the desert. And Red Rock Canyon is great for hiking, mountain-biking and wildlife-watching.

\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Partners\r\n\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t

Lastly, when you unpack your Inspire experience and catch up on your Las Vegas sleep deprivation, think about how lucky you are to work in an exciting and ever-evolving industry and to be a part of a global partner ecosystem that generates $10 for every $1 in top-line Microsoft revenue annually. Your opportunities are limitless.

\r\n\t\t

To connect at Inspire, or to learn more about Merit Mile and how we can craft, produce and deliver game-changing marketing solutions for your organization, please drop us a line at Hello@MeritMile.com.

\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":1973,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/4-tips-for-stellar-product-demo-videos/","title":"4 Tips for Stellar Product Demo Videos","slug":"4-tips-for-stellar-product-demo-videos","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Jun 11th 2019","modified":"Thu Mar 19th 2020","excerpt":"Not all product demo videos are created equally, and unfortunately, many fall short of captivating their audience. What does it take to ensure your demo videos have the right amount of how-to and context to keep viewers engaged? Consider these four tips to create interesting and useful product demo videos.","author":{"name":"Taylor Karben"},"yoast":{"title":"4 Tips for Stellar Product Demo Videos | Merit Mile","metadesc":"How do you create a product demo video that speaks to your audience and provides the right amount of information? Read these four tips from our experts and find out!","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/shoot-indoors-crop.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/shoot-indoors-crop.jpg"}},"content":"\"The\r\n\r\n

Not all product demo videos are created equally, and unfortunately, many fall short of captivating their audience.

\r\n\r\n

What does it take to ensure your demo videos have the right amount of how-to and context to keep viewers engaged? Consider these four tips to create interesting and useful product demo videos.

\r\n\r\n
    \r\n\t
  1. Understand your audience\r\n\t\t

    Ask yourself, “who does this video need to speak to?” Are you trying to influence their buying decision, or do they already own your product and need to learn more about how to use it?

    \r\n\t\t

    For example, if your product is a new high-tech gadget, then you know you can dive deeper into feeds and speeds. And if your product is for C-level executives you know you need to get to the point quickly and succinctly.

    \r\n\t\t

    You get the gist. Don’t try to reach everyone. Narrow your audience down so you can focus your video on their needs.

    \r\n\t
    2. \r\n\t
  2. Focus on consumer outcomes\r\n\t\t

    Is your product so unique that there are no competitors? Probably not. But I’ll bet that your product does something better or different than your competitors, and that’s how you’ll set yourself apart from the crowd.

    \r\n\t\t

    Even if your product has fifteen new and incredible options, your audience will appreciate not having to sit through a twenty-minute video that walks through them all. Choose the best features that will not only provide the best outcome to your audience but will also look good on camera.

    \r\n\t\t

    Just be sure that you don’t dive too deep when it comes to your product specifics. The level of detail should be enough to interest the viewer by explaining the benefits of each feature but shouldn’t require a college degree to understand.

    \r\n\t
    3. \r\n\t
  3. Showcase a real-life scenario\r\n\t\t

    When someone is using your product, they are most likely trying to solve a problem or make their life easier. If you don’t show how your product works in the real world your viewer may not fully understand how it will impact them.

    \r\n\t\t

    If you already have a successful case study, then use it! Now more than ever, consumers desire proof that they are making the right purchase decision and you will have a greater influence on their choices with a real-life use case.

    \r\n\t\t

    And if you don’t have a case study yet then consider how your product will be used in an everyday scenario and create a story around it. Storytelling is the best way to communicate with every audience so be creative!

    \r\n\t
    4. \r\n\t
  4. Use B-roll footage of people and scenes\r\n\t\t

    Changing it up with people and scenery will provide added visual interest and tie together the real-life scenario, which will keep your audience from getting bored. This is especially true if you’re showcasing a product that requires a lot of static screenshots or close-ups.

    \r\n\t\t

    Consider using scenes that a viewer would want to see themselves in; i.e. use relevant industry shots that frame the context of the real-life scenario. The goal is to show viewers that they’re not just learning about a product, but that the product itself is useful and will improve their life.

    \r\n\t
    5. \r\n
\r\n\r\n\"Stock\r\n \r\n

Let’s take a look at how we put these principles into practice…

\r\n\r\n

When Citrix needed a product video demoing their collaborative productivity tool, Citrix Content Collaboration, they turned to our experts at Merit Mile. Working together, we determined the following to create a successful video:

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

View the final result here.

\r\n\r\n

There are millions of products out there and one size does not fit all when it comes to product demo videos. However, considering these four tips will help ensure you are providing the right level of communication and visuals to keep your audience engaged and informed. Reach out to our team of experts at Merit Mile to get started today!

\r\n\r\n\"Still"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":1952,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/the-survey-results-are-in-now-what/","title":"The Survey Results Are In, Now What?","slug":"the-survey-results-are-in-now-what","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Thu May 23rd 2019","modified":"Tue Feb 14th 2023","excerpt":"

We all love surveys. From real-time polling on Instagram Stories to participating in an in-depth research study, everyone wants to have their voice counted and to see how they stack up against their peers. In the IT channel and tech industry, it seems like we can’t get enough of them. But nobody runs a survey just for a sake of it, it’s the results and what we do with them that we are after.

\n","author":{"name":"Scott Lindars"},"yoast":{"title":"","metadesc":"We all love surveys. From real-time polling on Instagram Stories to participating in an in-depth research study, everyone wants to have their voice counted and to see how they stack up against their peers.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/generic-survey-results-presented-in-a-pie-chart.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/generic-survey-results-presented-in-a-pie-chart.jpg"}},"content":"

We all love surveys. From real-time polling on Instagram Stories to participating in an in-depth research study, everyone wants to have their voice counted and to see how they stack up against their peers. In the IT channel and tech industry, it seems like we can’t get enough of them. But nobody runs a survey just for a sake of it, it’s the results and what we do with them that we are after.

\n

Results Are Good, Findings Are Great

\n

Let’s say you wanted to learn more about your customers or partners thoughts on a technology trend or new offering you want to take to market. You run your survey, get a great response rate, and start drooling over the results. Your next step is probably going to be putting sharp looking charts into a PowerPoint presentation and sharing them during your next team call.

\n

From there, you might spiff up a few highlights from the survey and present it on your next external webinar. Chances are it might look something like this.

\n

 

\n

\"Generic

\n

 

\n

As a marketer, you’ve accurately presented your results, but that’s about it. Results like this are:

\n\n

If Not This, Then What?

\n

If we all agree that presenting your survey results like we just showed are not the best approach, then what can you do? We recommend turning those results – and more importantly – your analysis and point of view, into an external facing piece of thought leadership content. This could be an infographic, an email nurture campaign, a whitepaper, a series of digital ads, and more.

\n

Merit Mile recently did just that with Citrix using the results of their annual Citrix Service Provider partner survey. In full transparency, we too started with a set of boring “results” slides like the one above. But from there we:

\n
    \n
  1. Applied our own findings and studied year-over-year trends
    2. \n
  2. Wove it all together into an orderly story
    3. \n
  3. Brought it to life with engaging creative
    4. \n
\n

What came out of this was the Citrix Workspace Services Global Market Trends for 2019: The Service Provider Perspective.

\n

 

\n

\"Exciting,

\n

 

\n

Inside, readers find a deep narrative that does more than just present the results. It explains what they mean to the reader and gives them actional insights.

\n

 

\n

\"Survey

\n

 

\n

Now let’s compare how a piece of thought leadership content based on that very same survey data compares to the first example.

\n\n

Shout it From the Rooftops!

\n

\n

The last thing to consider is how to get your amazing, eye-popping, and engaging findings into the hands of your audience. No need to reinvent the wheel here, as this is calls for classic in-bound and out-bound marketing. Social media, sponsored content, earned media, blogs, webinar, emails – all the usual suspects will work here. What’s important is ensuring you have a measurable plan for demand-generation and tracking performance. Don’t just hope your audience picks it up.

\n

Need Some Help?/

\n

By now you might be saying, this all sounds great, but I have neither the time or creative team to pull this off. Merit Mile can help. Whether it’s running a survey, authoring a report, designing an infographic or everything in between, we’re here to help.

\n

Good luck and happy marketing.

\n

Learn more at https://www.meritmile.com/technology-marketing

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":956,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/hospitality-advertising-smart-approaches-for-putting-heads-in-beds-and-butts-in-seats/","title":"Hospitality Advertising: Smart Approaches for Putting Heads in Beds and Butts in Seats","slug":"hospitality-advertising-smart-approaches-for-putting-heads-in-beds-and-butts-in-seats","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Nov 30th 2018","modified":"Thu Mar 19th 2020","excerpt":"

If you are in the hospitality sector you recognize that coming up with fresh ideas to fill rooms, seats and tables is paramount to your success week in and week out.

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Four Smart Approaches to Hospitality Marketing","metadesc":"Get back to the new basics when challenged with booking tables, and selling rooms, seats or vacations","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/holiday-hospitality-merit-mile.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/holiday-hospitality-merit-mile.jpg"}},"content":"

\"\"

\n

If you are in the hospitality sector you recognize that coming up with fresh ideas to fill rooms, seats and tables is paramount to your success week in and week out.

\n

Whether you run an airline marketing department or a small bistro, you must know how to get your message across effectively – and positioning your business as a category thought leader is a great place to start. The good news is that these days you do not need to invest much time or money advertising your hospitality business if you know what you are doing, and you’ve cultivated a bit of an online following. Here are a few starter approaches that can help you achieve more success in your hospitality advertising strategies.

\n

Have an appealing website: Yes, everyone has a website these days. That is why it is important to go the extra mile and making sure yours is useful and optimized for search engines and conversions – there is a big difference between the two. And of course, measure and track each campaign as granularly as possible.

\n

Short and succinct: Bigger is not always better when you are talking about advertising for the hospitality industry. Make your message catchy and easy to remember and share online. This can help your advertising campaign go viral. Everyone wants to “go viral” but remember to publish aggressive offers and think about the big picture: you may not make record profits on a single customer, but aggressive offers entice the masses. Make up for your per seat/table/room profitability with high volume.

\n

Geo-Targeting: This type of advertising allows you to broadcast a certain message to people in a certain geographical area. It is a good idea to have separate ad campaigns for different regions. Laser targeting as many demographic points as possible is an excellent advertising approach.

\n

Capitalize on social media: This has become one of the fastest ways to strike up a market presence. One click and your business could be hosting the best party in town… or have the more aggressive vacation sale! Having identified your particular niche — you can then use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Groupon, SMS/Text, email marketing and blogging to truly tap in to your audiences with offers that resonate with them.

\n

If you want to be a business that seems impervious to financial peaks and valley fluctuations, you have to be on the ball. The answer is advertising — but not just any old advertising — to be effective, it has to be compelling, attractive and memorable.

\n

For more insights, set up a call with a Merit Mile associate today.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":950,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/four-social-media-marketing-tips-to-boost-your-holiday-sales-this-year/","title":"Four Social Media Marketing Tips to Boost Your Holiday Sales This Year","slug":"four-social-media-marketing-tips-to-boost-your-holiday-sales-this-year","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Nov 30th 2018","modified":"Thu Mar 19th 2020","excerpt":"

Social media will drive more holiday purchase decisions this year than ever before as shoppers are flocking online in search of gift ideas. In fact, according to Mashable, about 65% of shoppers embark upon their gift search on social media.

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Four Social Media Marketing Tips to Boost Your Holiday Sales This Year","metadesc":"As we get further into the holiday season, don't forget to think about the impact social media has on your potential buyers. Read our blog to learn how you can influence their purchase decisions.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/social-media-marketing-tips.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/social-media-marketing-tips.jpg"}},"content":"

\"\"

\n

Social media will drive more holiday purchase decisions this year than ever before as shoppers are flocking online in search of gift ideas. In fact, according to Mashable, about 65% of shoppers embark upon their gift search on social media.

\n

How can you – as a local retailer – cash in on this trend? Here are four tips to help you start off the holiday shopping season with a social media kick.

\n

Learn from the past

\n

Analyze metrics from last year’s holiday sales. What products were bestsellers? Which promotions generated the biggest lift in sales? What special offers were absolute bombs? Discover what worked and what did not so you can plan this year’s campaigns accordingly.

\n

Offer value

\n

The more value you offer to your customers, the more they will want to connect with you. There are several ways to offer value, including coupons, posting discounts, free shipping, etc. Of course, in order to get people interested enough to want to buy what you are selling, you must write about more than just your products and/or services.

\n

This is the perfect opportunity to offer valuable and educational information in the form of blogs, tweets, and Facebook posts. As you think about 2018 social media best practices, recognize that people love to learn new things… and by offering information with no strings attached, you are reinforcing your relationship with them and building trust and credibility in the relationship.

\n

Reward loyal customers

\n

Offer to give a $100 Gift Card to a randomly chosen customer. Set up a campaign having your audience post pictures with your products on social media using a special hashtag like #christmascountdown. This can help your promotional campaigns to go viral in no time.

\n

Interact as much as possible

\n

Think about your interactions with your customers as though you are at a holiday party and are mingling with various people. Start discussions, get involved in debates, promote discussions, and respond to feedback. That is exactly how you achieve success for your business through social media.

\n

Using social media to create a buzz during the holiday season is special and will really do a great deal to end the year in a wonderful way and pave the way for a successful new year for your retail business.

\n

For more insights, set up a call with a Merit Mile associate today.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":928,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/three-essential-year-end-healthcare-marketing-strategies-to-consider/","title":"Three Essential Year-End Healthcare Marketing Strategies to Consider","slug":"three-essential-year-end-healthcare-marketing-strategies-to-consider","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Nov 30th 2018","modified":"Tue Feb 14th 2023","excerpt":"

Competition is tough out there, especially in the healthcare industry. With this economic climate, we’re all scrounging to beat out fierce competitors for our customer’s business. What are you doing to stay on top?

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Three Essential Year-End Healthcare Marketing Strategies","metadesc":"Does your marketing plan include a strong year-end strategy?? Read more about how you can ensure your healthcare company is not missing out any opportunities during the busy holiday season.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/essential-healthcare-marketing.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/essential-healthcare-marketing.jpg"}},"content":"

\"\"

\n

Competition is tough out there, especially in the healthcare industry. With this economic climate, we’re all scrounging to beat out fierce competitors for our customer’s business. What are you doing to stay on top?

\n

With 2018 coming to an end, there’s no better time than now to design a robust marketing plan for the New Year. We know your healthcare business isn’t the type to typically do well out of holiday sales, but there are marketing strategies you can implement during this time of the year to stay one step ahead of the competition in 2019. In addition to the below tips, take a look at this Merit Mile marketing planning blog that provides guidance on how to balance awareness and lead generation in your marketing mix.

\n

Send holiday gifts to your clients and top prospects

\n

This may not be something you want to do as it can be expensive, but from a marketing perspective, it’s an idea you can’t afford to leave out of consideration. From healthy fruit baskets to free health checkups, what you gift doesn’t matter as much as who you gift it to. Your goal is to keep your current clients happy while attracting business from top prospects in the near future.

\n

Create a holiday-inspired video

\n

This idea may be “outside the box” when compared to what you’ve done in the past, but it can go a long way in setting you apart from the competition during this time of the year. Just make sure the video has information pertaining to your target market.

\n

Sponsor a holiday contest or giveaway

\n

Talk about a great way to draw the attention of your clients and your clients to be to your organization. Imagine this: you put together a quit smoking contest or perhaps a weight loss challenge in which the winner takes home an assortment of items. Maybe you throw in a big prize, such as an iPad, or a flat screen television. These types of contests have the tendency to go viral in a hurry, especially when you market through social media.

\n

Do not shut down your healthcare marketing for the year just yet. Instead, consider the above-mentioned strategies during the month of December. The return on investment could knock your socks off for the New Year.

\n

For more insights, set up a call with a Merit Mile associate today.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":919,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/boca-jets-lacrosse-announces-new-branding-and-agency-of-record-partnership/","title":"Boca Jets Lacrosse Announces New Branding and Agency of Record Partnership","slug":"boca-jets-lacrosse-announces-new-branding-and-agency-of-record-partnership","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Nov 30th 2018","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"

Boca Jets Lacrosse, a 501(c)3 non-profit youth lacrosse entity entering its 15th season in the community, announced today a strategic branding and marketing partnership with Merit Mile—a full-service, Boca Raton-based advertising and public relations firm established in 2007.

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Boca Jets Lacrosse Announces New Branding and Agency of Record Partnership","metadesc":"Boca Jets Lacrosse and Merit Mile Partner to produce new brand identity, team uniforms, merchandise, website and social media platforms. Read about it now!","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/boca-jets-lacrosse-header.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/boca-jets-lacrosse-header.jpg"}},"content":"

\"\"
\nBoca Jets Lacrosse and Merit Mile Partner to Produce New Brand Identity, Team Uniforms, Merchandise, Website and Social Media Platforms

\n

Boca Raton, FL – Boca Jets Lacrosse, a 501(c)3 non-profit youth lacrosse entity entering its 15th season in the community, announced today a strategic branding and marketing partnership with Merit Mile—a full-service, Boca Raton-based advertising and public relations firm established in 2007.

\n

Boca Jets Lacrosse was founded in 2004 by veteran lacrosse pioneers Don and Brian Clinton, and in the inaugural season over 200 children (grades K-8) signed on to play. Today, Boca Jets Lacrosse is led by President, Steven Finver, and currently has over 350 boys and girls on the active roster. Boca Jets Lacrosse is one of several organizations playing within the SFYLL (South Florida Youth Lacrosse League) which fields teams from Miami to Jupiter.

\n

“We are beyond thrilled for this branding partnership with Merit Mile,” President Steven Finver noted. “Lacrosse is arguably the fastest-growing sport in the country. In our Boca Raton backyard we are fortunate to have Palm Beach County’s only professional sports team, the Florida Launch, representing Major League Lacrosse. Lacrosse has never been more popular in this area. I am especially excited for this opportunity as it relates to the kids, the families, and the Boca Jets Lacrosse sponsors. This is a very exciting time for the Boca Jets community,” continued Finver.

\n

The partnership with Merit Mile includes a complete rebranding program involving a new Boca Jets Lacrosse logo, updated website, signage, and new merchandise. In addition, there are refreshed social media platforms consisting of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and SnapChat.

\n

Mark Reino, CEO of Merit Mile, commented, “This initiative has been something many of us have been working toward for well over a year now. I believe we’ve launched a fun, confident, and geographically relevant brand identity for Boca Jets Lacrosse. This updated look and feel reflects values in competition, sportsmanship and community; as well as a youth sports brand that puts Boca Jets Lacrosse on the same footing as the leading youth sports associations nationwide,” continued Reino.

\n

Registration for the upcoming Boca Jets Lacrosse season is well underway and only a few spots for boys and girls remain open for the upcoming season which starts in January 2019. To learn more about registration and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.BocaJetsLacrosse.com, and to see the new branding and learn more please visit www.MeritMile.com/case-studies/BocaJetsLacrosse.

\n



\n

About Boca Jets Lacrosse

\n

Boca Jets Lacrosse was founded in 2004 by veteran lacrosse pioneers Don and Brian Clinton. The Clintons have spent over 40 years involved in the game of lacrosse as players, coaches, mentors and referees. Their love of the game and the distinct need for youth lacrosse programs in the Boca Raton area led them to form Boca Jets Lacrosse. Boca Jets Lacrosse proudly enters its 16th season in 2019 and remains steadfast in its commitment as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The continued goal is to provide the highest quality coaching and instruction for our players. This year’s coaching staff boasts former national collegiate lacrosse champions, former MLL (Major League Lacrosse) All-Stars, and men and women who have had storied lacrosse careers at both the high school and collegiate levels. Boca Raton is fast becoming the hotbed of lacrosse activity in South Florida. Among the fundamental goals is a commitment to sportsmanship and the true meaning of being a team player. Additionally, through fundraising and community service endeavors players and parents have an opportunity to positively impact the community. For more information please visit www.BocaJetsLacrosse.com

\n



\n

About Merit Mile

\n

Established in 2007, Merit Mile is a full-service, award-winning advertising, public relations and interactive agency. The independent firm has built the Merit Mile brand on a commitment to leading-edge marketing strategy development for its clients while achieving measurable business results. As a team, Merit Mile is a resourceful and energetic collection of business-minded strategists, eccentric artists, and technology enthusiasts that are passionate about building brands, generating leads, creating awareness, and providing a level of service that strives for excellence every day. Headquartered in downtown Boca Raton FL, Merit Mile maintains an international client base—from start-ups to Fortune 500 brands—in a variety of business sectors including technology, financial services, healthcare, automotive and more.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":237,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/finding-balance-in-the-awareness-and-lead-generation-mix/","title":"Finding Balance in the Awareness and Lead Generation Mix","slug":"finding-balance-in-the-awareness-and-lead-generation-mix","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Thu May 10th 2018","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"

There comes a point in time when every brand faces the difficulty of prioritizing investments for the greater good of the mission. What's more important, awareness or demand generation?

\n","author":{"name":"Mark Reino"},"yoast":{"title":"Balance in Awareness and Lead Generation Mix","metadesc":"How to balance your marketing budget across brand awareness and lead generation investments.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/air-ground-cover-4-merit-mile.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/air-ground-cover-4-merit-mile.jpg"}},"content":"

\"\"

\n

There comes a point in time when every brand faces the difficulty of prioritizing investments for the greater good of the mission. What's more important, awareness or demand generation?

\n

Ideally, these important pursuits are equally supported, balanced, and their contributions to marketing plan success is measured. Awareness of your brand is chiefly related to increasing the size of your audience whereas lead generation targets or limits those people or entities down to different levels of action or buy-ready prospects.

\n

At Merit Mile, our approach to the awareness and lead generation mix is rooted largely in the concept of integrated marketing communications. The formula is unique to every brand, but we have had considerable success applying integrated “air-cover” and “ground cover” formulas. 

\n

Air cover marketing focuses on awareness strategies including product or service launch communications, media relations, and editorial pursuits within the mass media or trade media. Ground cover marketing focuses on lead generation activities that fill the sales funnel with some mix of marketing qualified leads (MQLs) or sales qualified leads (SQLs). 

\n

A key aspect of finding balance between these two critical marketing pillars is striving to be sure they are not silo'd or stand-alone initiatives. An air-cover awareness campaign can provide lift for a lead generation campaign and vice-versa. For example, that public relations publicity within a trade magazine, industry portal or even a TV interview can drive traffic to various direct marketing vehicles such as a social media hashtag initiative or, more conventially, a conversion-focused landing page. And of course, your email marketing efforts can use third-party air-cover coverage to build trust and credibility with your prospect audiences. Analytics and marketing measurement techniques are no longer nice-to-have, they are “musts”… and proper pivots can make or break your marketing ROI. Altogether, success in this type of top-down and bottom-up approach hinges on timing of exection. Similarly, having the business and marketing agility to move and edit marketing communications chess pieces among tactics in real-time bolsters even small budget campaigns.

\n

For more insights, set up a call with a Merit Mile associate today.
\n 

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":220,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/five-reasons-to-expand-your-var-business-with-cloud-services/","title":"Five Reasons to Expand Your VAR Business with Cloud Services","slug":"five-reasons-to-expand-your-var-business-with-cloud-services","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue May 16th 2017","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"

After all the talk and all the hype, the proof is finally out.  Cloud revenues for the four quarters ended September 30, 2016, grew 25% over the previous year, according to a recent Synergy Research Group report.

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Five Reasons to Expand Your VAR Business with Cloud Services","metadesc":"After all the talk and all the hype, the proof is finally out.  Cloud revenues for the four quarters ended September 30, 2016, grew 25% over the previous year, according to a recent Synergy Research Group report","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"

Cloud services are here to stay

\n

After all the talk and all the hype, the proof is finally out.  Cloud revenues for the four quarters ended September 30, 2016, grew 25% over the previous year, according to a recent Synergy Research Group report.  While the gorillas in the room drove revenues to an impressive $148 billion, the more significant milestone in 2016 is that spending on cloud services exceeded cloud infrastructure hardware and software for the first time ever. This is great news for value-added resellers (VARs) who are looking to grow revenues by offering cloud-based services. 

\n

The other compelling news is that providing cloud services is no longer just a play for enterprises by enterprises. From Amazon, Citrix and Dell to HPE, IBM and Microsoft, many industry leaders are now offering enterprise-grade cloud services to mid-size and smaller businesses through the VAR channel.  As a trusted marketing partner in the VAR community, Merit Mile understands the complexities—and nuances—of the channel and the cloud services opportunity for VARs.

\n

What are the benefits to you?

\n

Offering cloud services to small and mid-size businesses enables you, as a VAR, to grow faster, shed some outdated baggage, and enjoy some highly strategic benefits:

\n
    \n
  1. For starters, you can avoid the low margins, time consumption, and constant churn of hardware and software/app sales.  
    2. \n
  2. By adopting a Platform as a Service (PaaS) cloud strategy, for example, you can grow business quickly and achieve economies of scale by hosting multiple customers on a single, robust platform.  
    3. \n
  3. Security has become a universal concern, and enterprise-grade cloud services that have demonstrated effective, multilayered security for large corporations now deliver that same security to smaller businesses.
    4. \n
  4. If you have the resources and the savvy, you can also leverage opportunities to further brand your business, differentiate your service, and simplify the cloud message for your customers.
    5. \n
  5. Finally, as the competition to offer cloud services continues to heat up, opportunities to profit and grow will be met by those VARs who capitalize on the cloud movement. If you intend to get in the game, now’s the time!
    6. \n
\n

The cloud spectrum

\n

Cloud services come in all shapes and sizes. Some, like Citrix ShareFile, offer secure, convenient file and document sharing, signing and maintenance in the cloud.  Others, like Salesforce, provide full-featured CRM services. This brief white paper from HPE offers additional insights for VARs interested in cloud services.

\n

How to get started

\n

Have questions about how to get started providing cloud services?  Want some help with messaging, materials, and marketing?  No worries. Contact Merit Mile today.  We’re writing the book on cloud services in the channel.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":219,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/using-emojis-effectively-in-your-marketing-campaign/","title":"Using Emojis Effectively In Your Marketing Campaign","slug":"using-emojis-effectively-in-your-marketing-campaign","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Mar 14th 2017","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"

Emojis are of popular use amongst millennials and marketers are realizing the advantage of incorporating them into their marketing campaigns. These icons can help marketers make a positive connection with the younger generations.  Here are some tips on how brands can incorporate emojis into their next campaign.

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Using Emojis Effectively In Your Marketing Campaign","metadesc":"Emojis are of popular use amongst millennials and marketers are realizing the advantage of incorporating them into their marketing campaigns. These icons can help marketers make a positive connection with the younger generations.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"

Emojis are of popular use amongst millennials and marketers are realizing the advantage of incorporating them into their marketing campaigns. These icons can help marketers make a positive connection with the younger generations.  Here are some tips on how brands can incorporate emojis into their next campaign.

\n

Emojis and Target Audiences

\n

While emojis are fun and can add some humor or spice to marketing efforts, it is not advised that brands use too many as it may be overwhelming or confusing to the audience. In general, brands use marketing campaigns to convince consumer’s that their brand is more valuable or interesting that the competition. By engaging with consumers in a way that they are familiar with, brands can get and edge on the competition that may not be using this strategy yet. But brands should be careful when selecting the emojis that they use in their campaigns. Emojis should match the brand’s message and be relevant to the product or service that they are promoting.

\n

Persuade and Encourage Audience Interaction

\n

The friendly face of a smiling emoji might be just what your brands needs to better engage with its target audience. If a business were to advertise to a target market with a bland photo of the beach and a long caption, it may not catch the eye of a millennial customer. However, if the photo of the beach had a sun emoji inserted in the corner and a beach umbrella inserted into the sand, that photo holds a creative element and the eyes of a younger audience may stop to look. Even better is making the caption short, sweet and informative about how the brand connects to the beach and inserting the smiley face with sunglasses emoji. It becomes relatable and increases traffic to a brand.

\n

When and Where To Use Emojis and What to Avoid

\n

Nothing is worse than leaving a bad representation of a brand in the minds of the target audience. Depending on the business, marketers need to be aware of what part of the scale their brand falls on. Is the business laid-back like a bakery or is to be taken more seriously like an engineering company? There is a line of disrespect and distaste brands should avoid. Which is why it is considered a strategy when using emojis. You want to promote your brand for what it is and not confuse your target market or put them off with irrelevant emojis.

\n

Need help navigating your next emoji campaign? Contact a Merit Mile professional today.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":218,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-artificial-intelligence-can-help-b2b-marketing-campaigns/","title":"How Artificial Intelligence Can Help B2B Marketing Campaigns","slug":"how-artificial-intelligence-can-help-b2b-marketing-campaigns","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Mon Jan 23rd 2017","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming a major component in all things promotional and technological, marketers are acknowledging the changes that are likely to happen in the marketing industry.

\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"How Artificial Intelligence Can Help B2B Marketing Campaigns","metadesc":"With Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming a major component in all things promotional and technological, marketers are acknowledging the changes that are likely to happen in the marketing industry.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming a major component in all things promotional and technological, marketers are acknowledging the changes that are likely to happen in the marketing industry. Over the next few years, B2B marketing executives are realizing that AI can help improve their marketing efforts and bring their businesses to their full potential. So how can AI assist brands in their B2B marketing campaigns?

\n

Dynamic Campaigns

\n

Utilizing AI technology can help brand marketers create more ingenious campaigns with highly creative elements and originality. AI technology paired with human brainpower creates authentic campaigns will maximize the value of both. It also helps any B2B advertiser through the onboarding procedure or set up a database of past customers. Better lead era and enhanced perceivability are only a couple points of interest where automation is promoting change within the marketing industry.

\n

Interpersonal Emailing

\n

AI technology can help personalize communication between brand and consumer. The technology behind AI can determine a specific audience and tailor a brand’s message to speak directly to that unique customer or customer group. This strategy diminishes the time wasted on back-to-back drafting and revisions when trying to craft personal emails to many clients.

\n

See into the Future

\n

What better way to know where your business is heading than having that information available to you? AI technology can show a business whether its marketing efforts are have a positive or negative impact on the overall marketing strategy by predicting how the campaign or specific marketing effort will perform. This predictive analysis gives brands the insight they need to understand the target market’s demand, ways to improve and enhance the pricing of products and creative assistance to innovate new applications. Trusting in this AI also gives brands the benefit of giving continued satisfaction to your lapsed customers and bring attraction to emails that you want to be opened.

\n

Over the next few years, marketers will be making their move into new and innovative marketing strategies. They are comprehending that through calculations, machine learning, and prescient models AI can give a showcasing backbone in the marketing industry. Become part of the revolution today by contacting a Merit Mile professional.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":215,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/tips-for-successful-b2b-thought-leadership/","title":"Tips for Successful B2B Thought Leadership","slug":"tips-for-successful-b2b-thought-leadership","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Nov 18th 2016","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"

Thought leadership is the key to a successful content marketing strategy. But thought leadership doesn't mean just writing any kind of articles or blogs.

\n","author":{"name":"Amanda Molitor"},"yoast":{"title":"Tips for Successful B2B Thought Leadership","metadesc":"Thought leadership is the key to a successful content marketing strategy. But thought leadership doesn't mean just writing any kind of articles or blogs.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"

Thought leadership is the key to a successful content marketing strategy. But thought leadership doesn't mean just writing any kind of articles or blogs. In order to be a thought leader you or your brand need to be educating and influencing other business men and women in your industry. When used properly, B2B thought leadership can add value to your marketing strategy.

\n

1. Be Responsive to the Questions of the Audience

\n

Don't just publish content to show members of your industry that you are knowledgeable about a certain topic. Listen to the questions being asked and do your best to provide answer. Perhaps you or your brand can offer insight or bring light to a new solution. In return, people will find value in your words and look to you or your brand for guidance.

\n

2. Create a Platform for Your Knowledge

\n

A blog is a great way to start sharing your wisdom. By publishing a couple blogs a month you can start to establish yourself or your brand as a B2B thought leader. Don't forget to promote your blog on social media platforms, that's one way you can get more people to read your content. Additionally, some sites will allow “guest bloggers” to publish their pieces online. Use those opportunities whenever possible to reach a wider audience.

\n

3. Using Social Media as a Soapbox

\n

LinkedIn is an easy way to promote your B2B marketing content and thought leadership. As a social network for professionals, LinkedIn allows you to share your content with fellow business men and women. This ensures that you are going to reach your intended audience and your message will have a better chance of making an impact with readers. You also have the ability to join groups within LinkedIn and have pointed discussions with people also interested in your chosen topic.

\n

Other social networks are also useful when promoting your content. Personal or business pages can be great places to post blogs for more exposure.

\n

The goal of B2B thought leadership is to drive your content marketing strategy and create opportunities for your business. By being responsive to your audience's questions, creating your own blog and using social media to boost your content's visibility you can position yourself or your business as an industry thought leader in no time.

\n

If you need help creating meaningful content that will grab reader's attention, contact a Merit Mile professional today.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":214,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-to-generate-profit-from-b2b-content-marketing/","title":"How to Generate Profit from B2B Content Marketing","slug":"how-to-generate-profit-from-b2b-content-marketing","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Nov 9th 2016","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"

B2B content marketing, when done the right way, can become a profit generators. Some businesses view content marketing as a cost center, expecting low returns on investments. However, this is not true. Many successful businesses have learned how to turn content marketing into mainstream revenue generator.

\n","author":{"name":"Amanda Molitor"},"yoast":{"title":"How to Generate Profit from B2B Content Marketing","metadesc":"When used correctly, content can generate money for a company. Through fresh ideas, proper email subscription lists and a good understanding of the audience businesses can begin to make money from their content.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"

B2B content marketing, when done the right way, can become a profit generators. Some businesses view content marketing as a cost center, expecting low returns on investments. However, this is not true. Many successful businesses have learned how to turn content marketing into mainstream revenue generator.

\n

Monetization of your B2B marketing content has advantages. Not only are you spreading the word about your brand via content, you are also passively earning from it through monetization. There is a catch, though. Apparent monetization of content is often viewed negatively by the audience. Before you think of monetizing your content, it is essential to build a respectable audience first. Do not jump on the monetization bandwagon if the size of your audience is too low or unstable, as it can turn away potential customers on first impression. Make a reputable name for your brand, one that people can trust, so that when you begin monetization opportunities for your content marketing platform, your audience list remains stable.

\n

How to monetize your content

\n

There are several methods to monetize content based on your business model. Apart from selling products, either sponsored or self-owned, there are other ideas which do not require the content to be sales-based. For instance, your business can provide educational content bundled in the form of videos, tutorials, webinars, seminars etc. on topics that are related to your business, or on which your business can provide experts. If your business does not sell products, you can weave content for sponsors related to your ongoing B2B strategies as well. Since content marketing entails a lot of research, you can use wrap your marketing team’s hard work into valuable reports and guide books.

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Add fresh flavors to your content

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Nowadays, it can be difficult to differentiate content from one company to another. If you’re looking for more growth opportunities, especially if your business is in its infancy, ensure that your content stories stand out from the crowd. Deliver something fresh to your customers on a regular basis to eliminate competition. Additionally, offering a new spin on a hot topic in the media can bring new insights to an already popular story.  Also consider publishing content that showcases how your customers have benefitted from your products and services, which is a softer way of promoting your specialties.

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Align your content with your business mission

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Your strategies must have a visible benefit not just for your company, but for your audience as well.

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Build your email list

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Subscribers often comprise a more stable and positive audience than those from social media platforms. A social media platform like Facebook or Twitter cannot guarantee that your content reaches all your followers. However, with direct email subscriptions, you can manage content feeds to your audience more easily and efficiently. There is a reason that email marketing remains among the best forms of reaching customers. You have complete control over your list. Having more email subscribers is a sign of trust from your audience, as they believed that your content was worthy enough of giving up their email address in the first place.

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Using these tips, businesses can start to earn more through the creation on content marketing. If you need help creating content that will generate more profit, contact a Merit Mile professional today.

\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":210,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/the-importance-of-thought-leadership/","title":"The Importance of Thought Leadership","slug":"the-importance-of-thought-leadership","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Sep 21st 2016","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"

In a world where the internet is flooded with content marketing meant to drive business back to a brand, thought leadership is a way to stand out from the crowd and have your brand’s message really make an impact.

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In a world where the internet is flooded with content marketing meant to drive business back to a brand, thought leadership is a way to stand out from the crowd and have your brand’s message really make an impact.

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Thought leadership is about inspiring the industry in which the leader presides. The content of the article or piece written should revolve around new ideas and points of view that others have potentially not been exposed to before. 

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The Difference Between Thought Leadership and Content Marketing

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Thought leadership is defined as the opinions of informed leaders within their field of expertise. According to Thought Leadership Lab, thought leaders are “trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas.”

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The difference between thought leadership and content marketing is the intent of the author. Whether the author knows it or not, readers are able to tell what the goal of the piece is fairly easily. Content marketing will usually have phrases or even paragraphs devoted to detailing the value of the author’s product or service to the reader. Many times this can come off as being too promotional. This can be a turn off for consumers and often times may keep editors from publishing your content.

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Writing an Effective Thought Leadership Article

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In a thought leadership piece, the author appears to want nothing more than to share their wealth of knowledge with the audience. This gives the audience a more sincere feeling as opposed to feeling like they are being sold something. Now, if the audience feels compelled to do business with the leader’s brand afterward, that’s just an added bonus.

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Start by finding a topic that you are passionate about, have a wide knowledge of and that will be interesting to others in your field. By offering your own take on the subject you may be able to show your audience a side of the story that they weren’t aware of. This is what will make you stand out from the rest.

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Leaders Should Have a Presence on Social Media

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Thought leaders are looking to make an impact on the industry, and what is more impactful than social media right now? For leaders looking to grasp their audience’s attention, look to social media to help.

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Social media networks are a place for consumers and other business leaders to connect with the brands they love and admire. Thought leaders should take full advantage of this opportunity. Start by choosing one or more social networking sites to have a presence on. The ideal social network for thought leadership is the one that the desired audience is most active on.

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You can build credibility on those sites by sharing articles written by yourself, articles written by others within your industry or just helpful tips. Thought leaders can also begin a rapport with their audience by answering questions personally. Social media has made this an easy task via direct or private messaging.

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Become a Thought Leader Today

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Becoming a person of influence in your area of expertise can only help boost both your own and your brands credibility. If you need help finding your voice and getting your message out to the world, contact a Merit Mile professional today.

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