digMarketing was created to shed light on the science of internet marketing and to give online businesses control over their own destinies.
digology is a results-driven approach to internet marketing that turns marketing budgets into an investment instead of an expense. It's a complete e-commerce and lead generation program with a predictable monthly budget that puts you in control of your results. We give you a lens into what's happening with your marketing dollars and insight into what to do about it.
That's digology in a nutshell: one contact, one budget, one goal, customized for each unique online business. Simple, right? If you would like to learn more about digology, you can email Deb Jones at deb@digmktg.com. Or go to digMktg.com.
This is the direction we need to see for print media. What a huge opportunity they have to revitalize their industry and make it exciting. The "hands-on," intuitive interface of devices like the iPad will fuel this revolution. Also check out the Vook at http://www.vook.com.
"The Fold." It sounds like some sort of a cult. Or maybe it's a hidden force that contains the reality of life, like the Matrix. Internet marketers talk a lot about "the Fold" as if it holds some mystical power over them. "That won't work! Your call-to-action is below the Fold!" And, as in many walks of life, there are two types of marketers: those who talk about what must be above the Fold and those who talk about what must be below the Fold.
Extra! Extra!
I worked in the newspaper industry, so I understand intimately the fervent hand-wringing that accompanies discussion of the fold. For a newspaper, it mostly matters for "single-copy" sales, where all the customer can see in the box on the street is above the Fold until he/she actually purchases the paper. In urban areas, single-copy sales can be quite a significant portion of overall circulation. And in the newspaper world, circulation is everything.
As a service provider, this is a subject that pulls at me every day. As Seth Godin might say in Linchpin, this is the hard emotional work of selling services. Delivering a strong and differentiated value proposition is at the very foundation of every successful business, period. It's what keeps you from becoming a statistic and in this economy, there's no room for mediocrity. Only the strong will survive.
The conundrum of a competitive value proposition is that it is forged at the crucible of your customers' needs. You don't just get to make it up in an ivory tower and unveil it to the world: you have to propose, test, tweak, throw it away and start over. There just isn't any other way to figure out exactly what will resonate with the marketplace. This is a process that requires a willingness to subjugate your ego and be vulnerable to feedback...not always easy to do when it's your business we're talking about, your baby.
What's almost more difficult is communicating that value proposition. Again, beating the tired economic drum: your prospects have to believe that it's worth their while to part with their hard-earned cash, their security, in favor of the value you have to offer them. Not an easy task.
RT @KrisColvin: I wish someone would invent a gourmet salad truck that would come rolling around KC everyday at lunch. Like a snowcone truck. :-)
Of all my digital marketing subscriptions (and a couple of blogs slipped in) here are my favorites. If you're not getting these in your inbox, you're missing out on a master-class in digital marketing. Here, in no particular order, are my picks.
The eMarketer Daily - Great statistics, insightful articles and clean graphs dominate this mailbox missive. I have yet to find better PowerPoint fodder.
iMedia Connection - This newsletter boasts multiple authorities delivering relevant, smart articles. Organized so you can quickly identify the material that is of interest to you and click through.
Chris Brogan - Okay, this is actually the daily update on his blog, but how do you not read what this guy has to say? He is in the trenches, blazing the trails, and he's a Daddy, for heaven's sake. I love his folksy approach to instructing on social media.
Marketing Charts - A little broader in subject matter than eMarketer, nonetheless their articles are interesting and data graphically presented wherever possible.
SmartBrief on Social Media - Culling social media articles from reputable sites all over the web, this email organizes the most relevant info all in one spot.
Watershed Marketing Digest - Another article aggregating newsletter, Watershed is broader in scope than SmartBrief and and is published by the same folks who bring you Marketing Charts.
Marketing Sherpa - Sherpa offers several newsletters but I just get the the weekly digest. You can click through on some of the articles for free, but many are part of their premium subscription service.
Inbound Marketing Newsletter - Published by the smarties at Hubspot, I'm a fan of everything these guys have to say. They give away a ton of useful information.
Seth Godin's Blog - 'Nuff said.
If you aren't subscribed to Larry Chase's email newsletter, I highly recommend it. It's unfailingly useful.
