Oh, I know, how about talk to someone! Meet a friend for coffee. Try visiting a neighbor you’ve been meaning to meet. What about an act of kindness like taking some homemade cookies to a local fire station or maybe even plan some quality time with your family. Or even better, put down that phone, refrain from texting, tweeting or even chatting on Facebook and intentionally connect face-to-face with someone.

Impossible you say? Not according to Facebook. Wednesday, August 25 is the National Facebook Fast. Facebook is encouraging everyone to do just that—connect face-to-face.

What does this have to do with B2B communications? It’s a new idea called ‘Personal Touch.’ Okay, so the idea might not be new, but when was the last time you took the time to reach out and connect with your clients in a new and personal way?

Not sure what you can do. Be creative and have fun with it. Still not sure? Then call Canyon, we’ve got plenty of great ideas for you to reach out to your current clients and prospects you’ve been trying to reach.

So don’t forget, no Facebook on August 25, 2010—call a friend or Canyon instead…480-775-8880. We would even love to meet for lunch.

The funny part about this is that you use Facebook to invite people to this. I guess we can’t live without it after all.

Being the phone junkie that I am, I love to know what’s new and exciting in mobile technology. Normally I feel fairly ahead of the curve on mobile phone-related news, so imagine my surprise when I experienced my very own mobile phone first—an advertisement delivered via text to my phone.

Text- or SMS-based marketing campaigns are something our industry has been implementing for awhile. But, I’ve never been on the receiving end of an ad via SMS before. I have to tell you—I was super annoyed. It felt intrusive to me. It also made me wonder if SMS marketing campaigns will ever truly take off in B2B, or even B2C space.

However, there have been some successful national text-based ad campaigns and, I did some research and found that many mobile marketing companies make this point:

97% of recipients who receive an ad via text are going to view it within twenty minutes.

Can any other marketing vehicle do that? Certainly not print. Maybe e-mail marketing…but 97% within 20 minutes? That is quite a stat.

I’m sure there is a right fit for an SMS-based marketing campaign, but I haven’t experienced it yet. What do you think of this marketing tactic? Have you ever experienced a SMS ad?

‘I love my cell phone so much it was almost included in my Canyon bio picture.’

Canyon Communications recently implemented a creative way for prospects to access information. Have you heard of USB laser pens? They are a great way to get people to access information. Rather than skimming a sell sheet or folder with materials, a USB laser pen forces people to insert a thumb drive to access your files. And, it’s easily accessible. No more searching through paperwork and folders to find information.

A USB laser pen can be used as:

• A pen
• A thumb drive
• A laser pointer for presentations

Interestingly enough, after we used these USB pens for a client, I received information from a company marketing its services. I expected to receive a folder with a sell sheet, brochure or a CD, but instead, I received a USB laser pointer pen! The accompanying note instructed me to look at the ‘media pen’ for more information. On the pen, the company incorporated a flash presentation on its service offerings. They forced me to insert the thumb drive to access the information.

Did their strategy work? Yes, it did and I will remember this company because they got my attention.

Now, I wouldn’t recommend mailing it in an a window envelope the way I received it but, I was tickled when I opened the piece and out “popped” three more pieces. I admit, I was startled at first but then I realized how fun, creative and attention grabbing this direct mailer is. It’s definitely a great idea to keep something like this in mind if you’re struggling with the same lackluster mailers.

Have you received any creative or fun direct mailers lately?

Speaking of money…in 2010 marketers will be looking for more ROI than in years past and are shifting budget investments to more trackable online media and search marketing. According to a recent study by ExactTarget and Econsultancy, marketers plan to increase their online marketing budgets by an average of 17% this year. Therefore it’s more important now than ever to implement a SEO strategy and create effective online campaigns that will resonate with your target audience.

Are you planning to shift more of your marketing budget to online media this year? Do you have a favorite president or amount of currency?

To help avoid the ‘junk e-mail’ folder, resist the following:

• Spam-type words
  i.e. – free, #1, no cost, guarantee, marketing, credit card, etc. To see a whole list, visit this helpful site: Mannix Marketing, Inc.
• Red text
• All capital letters
• Incomplete information
• Excessive punctuation !!!, ???
• Excessive use of “click here” especially in all capital letters
• No “From:” address
• Misleading (or missing) subject line

At Canyon, we use Constant Contact to distribute and track e-mail marketing campaigns. This web-based e-mail marketing service allows marketers to easily and efficiently develop HTML/Text-based e-mail marketing campaigns at the touch of a button. Plus, it allows you to instantly upload distribution lists, track progress and view on-demand reports to help measure campaign success and track ROI.

Following these helpful guidelines and suggestions will help you avoid the junk mail folder and make it into your customers’ and prospects’ inboxes.

Do you have any tips to add to this list?

1. Introduction/Credibility Building. It’s critical to introduce yourself and build credibility right off the bat.
2. Problem Identification. No matter why you’re calling, it is critical to discover a problem that you can help solve. Do some probing on your prospect’s pain points (now say that tongue-twister three times fast!).
3. Present Solution. Explain to your prospect that you have a solution for their biggest challenges. You know, the ones that keep them up at night.
4. Offer. This vital step is often overlooked. You must have a compelling offer for your prospect. A ‘free infrastructure analysis’ or ‘complimentary ROI assessment’ should do.
5. Close: Typically, you’re trying to set an appointment or asking your prospect to take some sort of action, right? Now is the time.

That’s the top-line stuff, but be sure to include some objection responses, a way to verify contact information and gather opt-in e-mail address. Did I leave anything out? Do you have any horror stories about bad call guides?

We’ve all seen it. Trade publications are getting thinner and thinner; media outlets are shutting down every day; readership is down; there’s even a Twitter feed dedicated to documenting media layoffs and closures. So, how are B2B marketers supposed to reach their target audiences effectively? 

1. Leverage the media’s online presence. Since more and more business professionals are going to the web, blogs and online news sites for information, it is a good idea to shift ad dollars and PR efforts toward the online versions of trade publications.
2. Can you say value-add? Advertisers are in a great position to negotiate value-added extras that include e-mail distributions, banner ads, special insert sections and, best of all, magazine subscriber lists.
3. Do it yourself. B2B companies that offer multiple products and services can position themselves as thought leaders and subject matter experts by publishing their own media in the form of print and e-newsletters, online resource libraries, blogs and more. This is a great way to reach your customers directly and build an ongoing, one-to-one relationship.

Have you cut your advertising budget, or shifted your funds elsewhere? What do you think of the trade publications getting thinner and thinner? What strategies have you used to maximize your B2B marketing budget?

Last week, the Arizona Technology Council and Business Marketing Association (BMA) joined forces to put on the Marketing Technology Summit in Phoenix. We participated in this event with our strategic partner, Loop Demand Gen.

This regional, summit-style event allowed Loop to network with marketing professionals in the tech industry, and learn more about their pain points. In comparison to a larger, all-out national tradeshow, the Marketing Technology Summit provided an inexpensive alternative and enabled us to showcase Loop’s services to a very targeted niche audience. Plus, we learned a thing or two by talking face-to-face with the attendees. There’s certainly demand for qualifying, nurturing, scoring and developing high-quality business leads.

Be sure to look out for the 2010 Marketing Technology Summit next year and remember, you can never network enough and you certainly never stop learning.

What trends have you noticed when attending networking events?

Recently, I received a birthday card in the mail, not from my parents or a friend, but from Southwest Airlines! They remember me every year and the card acts as a friendly reminder of why I choose the airline when traveling for work or pleasure.

Even though it was a generic card, this sort of personal touch with your customers is important, especially in the B2B world. Whether it’s via mail, phone or e-mail, staying in touch with both clients and prospects alike will let them know you are there and you care. Nurturing relationships ultimately helps to earn new and repeat business. Remember at the end of the day, we’re all people working with people to make our businesses profitable.

What are you doing to make your customers feel special? Want to send me some snail mail?