International companies such as Toms Shoes or Burt’s Bees have led by example and made social responsibility a vital part of their marketing strategy. Talking about it is key – and pays off. But beware: Social responsibility must be more than a marketing tool in order to promote real trust and brand loyalty. Here are the four most important questions you should ask yourself for successful social responsibility marketing beyond the hype.
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For some time now, the trend has been going away from the traditional sales funnel towards an integrated customer experience approach. However, sales and marketing teams still too often work alongside each other in data and information silos, the lack of communication between them causing redundancies and overlaps, stifling customer experience. In the following article, we are taking a closer look at 4 ways to intensify the collaboration between sales and marketing, from first touch to closing the deal.

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Digital development needs rules
Perspectives, advances & dangers of AI live from the SXSW 2018
By ANDREAS HLADKY
A guest article from the founder of point of origin Marketing Consulting & Consumer Intelligence GmbH
Almost all major technology companies are working on solutions for the coming “screenless” age, the moment when we do not need a tablet, phone, or other thing to do our digital business.

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Many managers regard the idea of standardizing marketing as “unsexy”. They prefer to consider it a creative discipline. But well-targeted standardization leaves more time to come up with better ideas. Read on to learn about the 5 areas that lend themselves best to standardization.

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Marketing is becoming increasingly international, and more and more channels are being used, resulting in a growing need for standards and consistent processes. But does the standardization of marketing spell the end of creative campaigns?

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Storytelling as the new SEO definitely was the Online Marketing Hype over the last couple of years. But becoming more and more established as a marketing instrument, it’s also under a lot more scrutiny: Is storytelling enough? Do the usual rules of return on investment apply to content marketing? Does it actually pay off? We sure think so. And offer some guidance on how content can learn to sell …

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Marketing Strategy
HBO’s Game of Thrones is at the forefront of the booming business of producing series for both classic TV and streaming channels. Six years since the series, which is set in a fictional medieval world, first went on air, the US private channel’s show is the most successful TV production of all times. GoT has long gone viral and dominates conversations on social media, in the family home and at watercoolers. Game of Thrones and shows such as Mad Men utilize – and break – some basic storytelling principles in order to achieve marketing success, providing marketers with some valuable lessons…

Press Release image
(C) Picture by Kelvin Boyes | Press Eye | HBO
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peter_Robinson,_Emilia_Clarke,_Richard_Plepler,_Martin_McGuinness_(2013).jpg.

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There are many different types of marketing software out there. But how do you find the one that’s right for your business goals? Before you start looking for marketing software, ask yourself these 10 basic questions that cover everything from reliability to support.

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89% of all companies still use Microsoft Excel for their marketing or business planning (Aberdeen Group, January 2013). Business marketing software promises to make work more effective, more efficient and thus more creative. But in what way must a dedicated software solution be better than Excel? Here 6 key considerations:

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Multi-channel-campaigns, aligning collaborating departments as well as service vendors, and the pressure of constantly measuring your success against your strategy and goals. How to confidently navigate the ever more complex waters of modern marketing project management? First, start thinking of it as an integrated process rather than a string of projects …

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