How do you visualize viral?

We've heard about going viral for a long time now. Or at least it seems that way. Here is a pretty good infographic that helps visualize the phenomenon.

Are there risks to mobile CRM?

There's no stopping the mobile CRM revolution, but those who rush into it headlong with an eye only to the many benefits may be in for an unpleasant shock. As if we didn't have enough to worry about, mobile CRM is laden with risks, too -- from getting on the wrong side of the customer to getting on the wrong side of the federal government. Then there are the myriad security concerns that go along with making sensitive company data accessible on a device that may be woefully insecure.

More here: The Hidden Risks of Mobile CRM, Part 1 | Mobile CRM | CRM Buyer.

The only thing worse for a marketer than giving fundraisers no leads, is giving them bad ones

According to 1to1 Media, the only thing worse for a marketer than giving sales people no leads, is giving them bad ones. Lack of information on prospects such as their organization size, industry sector, job title, or just simple contact information can stop a record dead in its tracks, even though it may be a quality lead. Marketing processes like lead scoring, which prioritize the most important leads, are dependent upon correct information at the contact, demographic, and company level.

As a result, data quality is especially critical when every aspect of demand generation is under a microscope to prove its contribution to revenue. In the process-oriented world of marketing automation, every percentage point counts, and every factor that contributes to conversion must be scrutinized. Successful lead generation within both CRM systems and marketing automation relies on an abundance of good, clean data.

via Why the Data will Dictate CRM and Automation Success in 2013.

5 Social Media Marketing Tips for Nonprofits

According to David Bakke, a contributor for Money Crashers, there are a number of ways you can market your nonprofit, one method you shouldn’t ignore is using social media. Social media marketing allows you to reach a worldwide audience, and is very cost-effective. However, there are several “do’s” and “don’ts” you must keep in mind.

More here: 5 Social Media Marketing Tips for Nonprofits | GuideStar Blog.

What is the real cost of email?

Tom Cochran  believes that email is the most abused method of communication in every office environment. And the widespread perception that it has no incremental cost is chronically damaging workplace efficiency. According to Tom, the challenge we are facing isn't an aversion to technology, but change. I think that sums it up very well.

Tom suggests there is an entrenched level of comfort with email, making it habitual and a communications crutch. We have to take a holistic view and see email as one of many channels for collaboration. Adopt a breadth of tools to connect people, teach them the appropriate use of each and encourage smarter use of the right technology.

I also find that an open office environment creates less of a dependency on email as "literally" walls come down and teams naturally collaborate.

More here: Email Is Not Free - Tom Cochran - Harvard Business Review.

Powerful stories have impact. What are we telling our self?

Seth Godin has some great thoughts on the stories we tell. The ones we tell ourselves are so very important. What is our story? How frequently do we tell it to our self?

I know that marketers tell stories. We tell them to clients, prospects, bosses, suppliers, partners and voters. If the stories resonate and spread and seduce, then we succeed.

But what about the story you tell yourself?

Do you have an elevator pitch that reminds you that you're a struggling fraud, certain to be caught and destined to fail? Are you marketing a perspective and an attitude of generosity? When you talk to yourself, what do you say? Is anyone listening?

You've learned through experience that frequency works. That minds can be changed. That powerful stories have impact.

I guess, then, the challenge is to use those very same tools on yourself.

Customer experience trend: The rise of text analytics

Companies are learning that some of the richest insights from customers come from unstructured content like comments on surveys, calls into the contact center, social media conversations, and chat sessions with agents. Companies will shift more of their focus towards collecting and analyzing these types of feedback. Tidbit: Nearly three-quarters of large companies with Voice of Customer programs are using or considering text analytics.

There are also a lot of great solutions out there. It seems relatively cost effective to begin experimenting right now. You can select a tool to analyze comments captured in call center conversations and see the trends on a real time basis. It probably could be up and running withing 6 to 8 weeks.

What is the future of customer surveys in our brave new world of customer experience?

What is the future of customer surveys in our brave new world of customer experience?  As more companies thirst for customer feedback, the number of surveys has escalated. But there is a limit to customers’ willingness to complete surveys. I know, as a customer myself, that I am growing weary of completing the long, almost narcissistic surveys. 15 to 30 minutes, really???

As completion rates get more difficult to maintain, companies will become more efficient with the questions they ask, target questions at specific customers in specific situations, and stop relying as much on multiple-choice questions. Tidbit: When the Tempkin Group asked large companies with Voice of the Customer programs about the changing importance of eight listening posts, multiple choice survey questions were at the bottom of the list.

What is going away? That is where things are going.

Some days it is hard to fathom the speed at which things are changing. But changing they are. Seth Godin has some good advice on figuring it out. This makes perfect sense.

What is going away frames where things are going.

We remove shelf space as a limiting factor in books.

We remove the cost of polycarbonate as a cost factor in CDs.

We remove paper as an expense in magazines.

We remove the number of channels as a limiter in the broadcast of TV.

These are not small changes. These are revolutionary shifts in what’s scarce and what’s not.

If you are still organized around them, you will fail. If you embrace their removal, you’ve got a chance.

via When you focus on what’s being removed, it’s easier to understand the revolution - The Domino Project.

Related articles

• Seth Godin on Why You Need A Home Business (amokarts.wordpress.com)


• Crowdfunding 201: Seth Godin's Miracle Campaign is No Miracle (turnstylenews.com)


• Seth Godin's Kickstarter campaign for new book beats $40k goal in 3.5 hours (paidcontent.org)


• SETH GODIN: Here's The Problem With Competition (businessinsider.com)

Are you thinking customer experience?

Passion for our customers is what it is all about. Here are some recent articles focused on the customer experience.

Protecting Our Data-Driven Efforts In a world that's ever-more reliable on data, some proposed policies in front of Congress threaten to hamper companies' customer-experience efforts. If Congress passes some of the proposed data privacy bills, personalization in marketing and one-to-one communications will deteriorate.

Data, Data Everywhere The new reality of marketing is one in which consumers expect a sophisticated level of personalization in their communications, offers, and interactions with companies. At DMA2012 in Las Vegas, thought leaders from all aspects of the direct marketing industry will converge to discuss and share best practices about how to help organizations move forward on the path toward integrated, one-to-one communications.

Why Some Companies Succeed--For Now--Despite Their Poor Customer Experiences Recently there was a question via email from one of Forrester's clients, who asked: "How do you explain the success of companies that consistently provide a poor experience but perform well financially?"

Delivering Customer Service That Makes an Emotional Connection Many companies strive to provide great customer service. However, few companies deliver the kind of customer service that makes an emotional connection with customers - the kind of connection that fosters loyalty and willingness if not an eagerness among customers to recommend a company to a friend.

Related articles

• Moving from Customer Service to Customer Experience (customerthink.com)


• Customer Service Drives Sales (customerthink.com)


• Reverse Customer Service Strategy (smallbiztrends.com)

What is your cloud strategy?

Where is the Cloud going over the next few years? Have you defined your strategy to move there yet?

According to Forrester's projection, the global market for cloud computing will grow from $40.7 billion in 2011 to more than $241 billion in 2020. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) will play the most dominant role and will be an estimated market of about $80 billion in 2015. SaaS will especially disrupt the customer relationship management (CRM), HR, and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) software markets in coming years, and it has already disrupted other software categories such as content management and ePurchasing solutions.

Clearly the cloud isn't going away. Are you on board?

Related articles

• SaaS Sees Fastest Growth In Cloud Computing (misco.co.uk)


• Rackspace Cloud Defines Three Cla-SaaS-ic Mistakes (rackspace.com)


• Get ready for SaaS (rackspace.com)


• Software as a Service (SaaS), Security and Risk Management: Part 1 (websphere.sys-con.com)