I had a call with a partner this morning about how to best leverage SEO (search engine optimization) for their blog post. They had essentially one page for their website. This is not ideal for a number of reasons too numerous to dive into for this post, but specifically not ideal for blogging.

Did you know that Google only “counts” each link in a blog post once? So if you link to your home page 5 times within your blog, you’re essentially wasting 4 other opportunities to get links to other pages of your website, wasting essential keywords that could bring in prospects...and losing potential traffic to your website.

This is why enhancing your website is very important if your company is blogging. In order to increase search engine optimization, it is best to have your blog post link to multiple (different) pages within your website, otherwise you may be missing potential business opportunities.

Las Vegas will host the first "extreme 2010" this November 7th-10th, the premier partner event focused solely on Microsoft Dynamics CRM and dedicated to advancing best practices and strategies for Microsoft Dynamics CRM partner organizations around the world.

extreme 2010 is organized around four distinct tracks (Developer, Implementer, Business Leadership and Sales & Marketing) that will provide in-depth learning opportunities across various roles within your organization. Each track will focus on a core role through presentations from industry experts as well as partner discussions. There are also sponsorship opportunities for ISVs with complementary products as well as other vendors who market to the Microsoft partner channel.

Check it out at http://extremecrm.com/default.aspx and register TODAY. You’ll get your name entered in a monthly drawing to win a complimentary Jacuzzi Suite upgrade at the Tropicana all 4 nights of the conference! If you register before July 31st, you will have 3 chances to win, if you register before August 31st, you will have 2 chances, etc.

If you’re sending emails to your installed base of customers, the answer had better be a resounding YES! It’s your best audience – after all, you already have a relationship with them, you have their email address, and you certainly have their permission to send information to them. Right?

What about prospect communications? Do your emails generate any leads for you? If not, check out this article from btobonline at http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100524/FREE/305189995. In essence, you should treat your prospects as you do your customers:

-          Send relevant information, not just the “hard sell” of your product.

-          Tailor your message to their needs and the business issues they’re trying to resolve.

-          Remind the reader where or how their email address was obtained. “Thank you for visiting our website” or “I enjoyed meeting you at the tradeshow booth.”

After all, you don’t want your time wasted with irrelevant emails that flood your inbox asking you to buy something you don

Check out the Industry Canada web site (www.ic.gc.ca).  The site is a virtual gold mine of information.  It features several online directories that allow you to search for companies by industrial category or NAICS, and then provides you with comprehensive details about each business, including history, mailing address, phone number, names of key executives AND email addresses.  The site also offers a wealth of statistical information.  While you’re visiting,  find out how many companies are established in a particular geography by NAICS, or learn which industries are performing better than others.  

For more great tips and ideas, subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter from The Partner Marketing Group at www.ThePartnerMarketingGroup.com, your Microsoft-focused partner marketing resource.

I spent much of the weekend working on a project called the Microsoft Dynamics Distinction in Marketing awards. As a judge I have the opportunity to read the award applications and (not that this is new), the power of nurturing the relationship with the prospect became very obvious. In many of the applications, you could clearly see how the partner built a long term relationship with the client. In fact, some of these relationships go back 4-5 years with the prospect (who has yet to become a customer).

I realize it can be easy to give up and just write off that prospect as “dead”. True – sometimes they are. But does it cost a lot to include that person on your monthly e-newsletter? Or send them a direct mail letter when you send your others? Or to invite them to join your LinkedIn group or read your blog? When I look at these applications from some of the best marketers in the Microsoft Dynamics channel, I can see how their persistence and commitment to nurturing a relationship with customers and prospects pays off for their organizations. The sale doesn

This headline in the May 3^rd issue of BtoB magazine recently caught my eye – ‘BtoB’ survey reveals marketer skills, challenges.

I’m always curious about what other marketers in my space might be experiencing. (Aren't you?) This survey found that marketers generally rank their mission as….

• To drive qualified leads (52%)
• To raise awareness (40%)
• To serve as the voice of the company (31%)
• To nurture leads (21%)

I was a bit surprised to see “to nurture leads” as the lowest ranked goal of the four presented. Maybe that’s indicative of the type of business these marketers are in but in the technology industry that we all inhabit today, I believe marketers would rank lead nurturing as much higher. For example, it’s great to “serve as the voice of the company” but without leads in the pipeline being nurtured to the closing stage, there won

Over the years, marketers have often used a variety of methods to track the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. Whether you’re using the rudimentary “sticky note” technique to the more sophisticated software programs (and everything in between), you’ve probably struggled with consistency, with reporting, and with calculating the return-on-investment your organization expects.

If you would like to learn how to effectively use Microsoft Dynamics CRM to enter, track and report on your marketing campaigns, and prove to your leadership team that marketing is REALLY important, register for this two-part webcast series on the Microsoft partner learning center!

Webcast 1 on June 10th at 11:00am PDT: Effectively Track Your Marketing Campaigns and Results Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Introduction to the Marketing Module of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 

(https://training.partner.microsoft.com/learning/app/management/registrationex/LMS_Registration.aspx?UserMode=0&Mode=0&ActivityID=580817)

Webcast 2 on June 15^th at 11:00am PDT: Effectively Track Your Marketing Campaigns and Results Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Detailed Campaign Management

 Admittedly, this is my least favorite part of marketing. I love the creative ideas, the development of new programs, the execution of each element of the campaign. What I don’t love as much, but realize it’s an important and necessary part, is the tracking of the ROI. But here are a few ideas, as well as an easy – and free – toolkit to accomplish just that from http://www.tradeshowmarketing.com/how-to-determine-the-roi-of-a-trade-show.shtml.  

Every marketing dollar needs to be squeezed fully in order to produce results, or to evaluate which of those dollars contributes to the sales process.  All too often this thorough analysis has been deferred because marketing is unsure of the best methodology for analyzing the results. Determining ROI on trade shows is daunting, especially for those new to investing in exhibitions.  How does one go about it?  What are the best practices for it? 

Exhibit Surveys, along with several trade show industry organizations (IAEE, CEIR and PCMA) have created an ROI Tool Kit that any exhibitor can use to determine the effectiveness of their trade show program.

Earth Day is on April 22^nd and this year we will be celebrating its 40^th anniversary. So what changes have you seen take place in your business to help the environment? The obvious answer is that there is a lot less waste of paper due to electronic documents and emails. Some companies have implemented recycling programs for paper, toner cartridges, plastic bottles etc. 

But how has this affected the decisions you have made with your marketing? Perhaps you have decided to send fewer mailers, print less brochures or not purchase give away items that could be just tossed in the landfill. The next time you are wishing for a giveaway for an event or campaign without being wasteful, check out some of the great eco-friendly, recycled or biodegradable promotional items at www.ecomarketingsolutions.com. You can find fun things like recycled reusable shopping bags, pencils made from recycled newspapers and gift cards that allow your receiver to plant a tree.

With Microsoft Convergence only one month away, if you are an exhibitor, you are finalizing brochures, give-aways, company shirts and booth logistics, but have you put much time into your pre-show marketing?

Consider these trade show industry facts:

·         The average trade show attendee will visit approximately 26 exhibitors

·         76% of attendees come to a trade show with an agenda of exhibitors they plan to visit

With this in mind you will want to make sure you are on the attendees' agenda to visit your booth.  You should invest 15% or more of your trade show budget into this pre-show marketing.  So, what can you do to increase traffic? Here are 2 easy things you can do before you ever leave the office for Atlanta:

1.       Identify who you want to visit your exhibit. Start by working with your sales staff to build a list of customers and prospects you would like have stop by your booth.