Blog - Page 41 of 55 - Bob Cargill

15Feb 2006 by Bob Cargill

Deval Patrick’s Online Fundraising Campaign

Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing

Not unlike Howard Dean did with his phenomenally successful – and groundbreaking – Web-based campaign in 2004, Massachusetts democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick is leveraging today’s new online marketing tools to bring in more donations and, ultimately, votes. According to an article that appeared in The Boston Globe on December 31, 2005 (the article in its entirety can be found in the Globe archives, which are free to home delivery subscribers), Patrick’s “Internet donations have topped $240,000, or about 15 percent of the $1.6 million Patrick has raised from donors since he began running early in 2005.” “Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick is bringing the Internet age to Massachusetts politics as never seen before, setting up an online fund-raising system that has brought in nearly a quarter-million dollars in the…

14Feb 2006 by Bob Cargill

Let’s Gather Together on, well, Gather

Blogging

If you’ve haven’t discovered Gather yet, it’s certainly an interesting concept and yet another testimony to the burgeoning blogosphere. “Gather is a place for you to connect with people who share your passions. It's a place where you can contribute thought, art, commentary, or inspiration. We will reward you for all the great things you will share with others in your communities of interest. And together, we think we will create a pretty special place to hang out online,” says Gather CEO, Tom Gerace, on the company’s Web site. I’ve already signed up as a member and published six of my articles on the site, all of which you can see -- and comment on -- by clicking here.

09Feb 2006 by Bob Cargill

Instead of the Black Door, It’s a New Blog

Blogging

Like Debbie Weil (a highly regarded online marketing consultant specializing in new media strategies), I couldn’t feel more strongly that fear is what’s keeping many Fortune 500 companies from staking a rightful – and long overdue – claim in the blogosphere. To blog or not to blog is largely a top-down, C-level decision, and those in the front offices, executive suites and boardrooms of corporate America are typically conservative and cautious about trying almost anything new. With that said, I’m reminded of a parable I’ve heard many times before (which you can read in its entirety here) about a spy who had been captured by the enemy and sentenced to death. To make a long story short, the condemned man was given the choice between the firing squad and the…

06Feb 2006 by Bob Cargill

George Mercer’s Marketing Professionals Network

Advertising, Direct Marketing, Marketing

Given that I’ve recently become a free agent (although keeping up with A New Marketing Commentator sometimes seems like a job in and of itself), I thought it would be a good time to write about my friend and fellow New England direct marketer, George Mercer, and the networking group he runs for job seekers called the Marketing Professionals Network (MPN). If you’ve ever met George, you know what I’m talking about when I say he’s as much a gentleman and a scholar as a humorist and raconteur. George has a warm heart, an engaging personality and a remarkable ability to both challenge and cheer on those who wish to gain a better foothold on the proverbial corporate ladder. George is not just a great career coach and meeting facilitator,…

01Feb 2006 by Bob Cargill

“Blogging for Business: Everything You Need to Know and Why You Should Care”

Blogging

“Savvy companies that leverage the power of blogging will have a competitive advantage…[and] those that don’t understand the potential of this valuable tool will lag behind,” say authors and blogging experts Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos. By way of their soon-to-be-published, new book, "Blogging for Business: Everything You Need to Know and Why You Should Care," Holtz and Demopoulos are out to help businesses create blogs that lead to heightened awareness, greater customer mindshare, increased product sales – and, ultimately, profits. I haven’t had the opportunity to read the entire book yet, but I have checked out some of it, and what I saw I liked – a lot. What particularly caught my attention were the following few paragraphs in the book’s introduction about blogs and the long tail... The…

30Jan 2006 by Bob Cargill

Running the Boston Marathon for Children’s Hospital Boston — Update

Boston Marathon, Cause-Related Marketing, Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing

As I first wrote in this space about three months ago, on April 17, I’ll be pounding the pavement once again from Hopkinton to Boston, determinedly putting one foot in front of another for more than 26 long, arduous miles. It’ll be the 8th time I’ve taken the same exhausting journey. And I’ll be tired and sore most of the way. But it doesn’t get any better than crossing the finish line of what is arguably the most prestigious road race in the world, the Boston Marathon, especially when you’re running as a member of Children’s Hospital’s Miles for Miracles Team Boston, raising funds for one of the best pediatric hospitals in the country, located right here in my home state of Massachusetts. This time around, I have committed to…

25Jan 2006 by Bob Cargill

A “Star-Spangled” Testimonial for Word of Mouth Marketing

Advertising, Direct Marketing, Marketing

If you live and breathe marketing so much that you make time to read about it here and elsewhere throughout the blogosphere, chances are you already know a thing or two about referral marketing. It's the idea of asking your customers and constituents to turn on their friends, relatives and colleagues to whatever it is you may have to offer. Book and CD clubs, auto dealerships, banks, professional services providers and many small businesses rely on such referrals, often bestowing deep discounts, cash incentives and free this-and-that upon those helping to extend their brands. In fact, asking your constituents to spread the word for you can be so effective, it really is quite surprising that more organizations haven't put referral marketing to work for them. But, according to a story…

23Jan 2006 by Bob Cargill

The New England Direct Marketing Association’s Brave New Conference Blog

Blogging, Direct Marketing, Marketing

I’m pleased to announce that the New England Direct Marketing Association has just launched a blog to help promote its upcoming conference, NEDMA ’06, It’s a Brave New World. And, in addition to my position as co-chair of the conference, I couldn’t be more excited – or, some might say, fanatical – to be taking on the responsibilities of moderating this blog. Yes, like any blog, it’ll be a labor of love for all involved, but the truth is that using a blog as an online propagation tool should almost be a requirement for anyone staging a major conference amidst today’s new marketing landscape. Not only will a blog enable NEDMA to post key news and information on the fly, but it’ll also allow us to engage our different audiences…

16Jan 2006 by Bob Cargill

The Ding Heard ‘Round the Marketing World

Advertising, Branding, Direct Marketing, Marketing

It’s not the first branded desktop application to be used for marketing purposes, but it has certainly struck a chord with consumers and marketers alike. DING, a simple, little desktop application used by Southwest Airlines to stimulate more ticket sales, has worked so well for the Dallas-based company that it’s only a matter of time before others follow suit – if they haven’t already – and launch similar initiatives of their own. In an article in DM News on December 5, 2005, Christine Blank wrote, “Online research firm Compete Inc., Boston, found that DING users are 45 percent more likely to book tickets through Southwest than the average visitor to Southwest.com. Sales driven through the services are estimated at $60 million a year.” “More than 900,000 consumers have downloaded the…