Here’s an interesting post by Juan Gutierrez of Pandemic Labs, Viral Marketing: Is it the Flu or are we Infected?:

Viral marketing, a colloquial name given to a subset of social media marketing, is growing like a wild weed. Traditional marketing giants like Unilever and Comcast, to name a few, are increasingly active in using the SMM tools to promote their brands and interact with consumers.

One has to wonder: is it just a flu or has the virus spread so deep as to become a reality?

I firmly believe we are on the way to a pandemic, and SMM will rule modern marketing. Yes, we are infected (in a good way) and there is no vaccination. However, I still feel the virus is just showing its symptoms, and a few things need to happen before it settles in and becomes reality. Let me give you the reasons why I believe we will get irremediably sick, why that is a very good thing, and what I think will have to happen for us to get there.

There are plenty of reasons to explain why SMM will be huge. I know everyone has favorites, so I will dare to give you mine…

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Here’s a synopsis of an excellent post by Dan Schwabel, a Social Media Specialist and publisher of the Personal Branding Blog, 10 Ways Personal Branding Can Save You From Getting Fired.  Be sure to check out the complete post for more detail on each of the following tips:

Instead of scaring you with the harsh reality of the economy, I would much rather give you hope and advice on how to tackle it head on! The solution I’m proposing is “personal branding,” which is the process by which we market ourselves to others.

As a Mashable reader and social media connoisseur, realize that the difference between the branding of the past, and that of the present, is that social media has handed you the keys and a microphone to your future success. What I mean is that you are empowered, and are given the opportunity to let your voice be heard, at the cost of your time. OK, now for the tips…

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Here is an insightful post from one of my favorite marketing bloggers, Ardath Albee,  Lead Nurturing Belongs in Your Recession Strategy:

I’ve seen so many posts about how to fight the negative impacts of a recession on  business success that it’s making me crazy. Why is it that people wait until it’s announced that we’re finally in a recession before they start doing what they could’ve been doing all along?

Customer-focused lead nurturing is one of the best ways to prevent experiencing an adverse impact to customer acquisition during a recession.

Here are a few meaty reasons why lead nurturing is a recession buster…

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Here are several excerpts from an interesting article by Joshua Weinberger, Managing Editor of CRM Magazine, The Litany of Retail Woe: 50 Chains Shutting Stores:

A frighteningly long list of retail closures came across the transom during the last few days, and while I haven’t yet fact-checked every point (stay tuned for links, chronology, etc.), I quickly found enough supporting material to merit republishing and amending the list.

The sheer breadth of the damage here is breathtaking. The bloodbath crosses every kind of retail sector, and is clearly not just a reflection of the tough times we’re in, but a harbinger of worse times to come.

Every closed retail location may represent eventual savings for the company involved (after shouldering the actual costs of the close itself, that is), but also represents dozens or even hundreds of out-of-work employees (who are, after all, someone else’s customers), reductions up the supply chain, and rent and taxes removed from that store’s local economy.

In other words, this is bad news with ripple effects that will be felt for months and years to come. (For starters? According to one report, “Consumers will lose $100 million this year on worthless gift cards, from restaurants and stores that have gone belly up.”)

Things don’t look like they’re going to be getting better any time soon given the following news reported in an AP article today…

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Here are several excerpts from an excellent article by Shay Young, Senior Database Analyst with Euro RSCG Discovery, What Is A World-Class Marketing Database?:

A world-class marketing database is an environment that has the ability to change and adapt in lock-step with your corporation’s changes while also enabling you to learn from the data within itself. This allows for better marketing decision-making capabilities which, in turn, will inform you on how to adjust your database.

A world-class marketing database is not just software; rather, it is a dynamic, living organism comprised of marketing database strategist(s), architect(s), and developers who are constantly in-touch with the direction of your corporation’s marketing efforts, sales initiatives and goals.

Here’s the truth: There is no turnkey, world-class database that will handle any and all of your marketing needs and will maximize the ROI of all “your” marketing efforts. That said, the name of the game IS maximization of profit, not just increased response. In order to achieve that, a customized marketing database that can grow, change and adapt to your business’ needs is crucial.

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