Resources

Content Marketing as a Lead-Generation Tool for RFID Vendors
The weak economy and uncertainty surrounding market demand for information technology in general and RFID in particular, can make it difficult for RFID companies to crack into large, corporate accounts and win big contracts.

Compounding these challenges is the gap between sales and marketing at most RFID technology companies. Traditionally, marketing has taken a "more is better" approach to lead generation. However, given today's sales challenges, many salespeople would prefer marketing to focus on generating high-quality leads—and to develop measurable and repeatable processes that result in improved communications, shorter sales cycles and higher revenues.

To address that gap, RFID Journal has invited Bob Basmadjian, founder and principal of Spectrum Marketing & Communications, and John Burnell, principal of Burnell Reports, to share key findings of two recent marketing studies, and to offer their insights for improving your company's lead-generation capabilities.

http://www.rfidjournal.com/videos/view/301

Eccolo Media 2009 B2B Technology Collateral Survey Report
What is marketing collateral? Is it just a piece of paper you leave behind after a sales call? A simple list of product specifications for potential customers to download from your Web site? Or is it a more strategic tool in your marketing communications toolbox?

The results of Eccolo Media’s second annual survey of U.S. business technology decision makers and influencers decidedly reinforce the later view. For the second year in a row, these important people in the technology purchasing cycle – your customers – told us in no uncertain terms that they regularly consume a broad range of content when making purchasing decisions. What’s more, a significant proportion of them find this content “very” or “highly” influential when making purchasing decisions.

http://www.spectrum-marketing.net/registrationinfo/registerpage.html

Marketing Strategies During an Economic Downturn
When the economy falters, many companies cut costs to help weather the economic downturn. Marketing and advertising budgets are often the first areas where companies make cuts and the last areas to be restored once business improves.

However, reducing a company's marketing presence during bad economic times can have dire ramifications for the company that last much longer than a recession.

In fact, companies that continue to invest in marketing can emerge from a recession with higher brand recognition, credibility and customer mindshare, contributing to a much stronger sales pipeline as the market picks back up. Marketing during a downturn can be even more effective than during a boom period, as long as companies are creative and selective about allocating their marketing dollars.

http://www.spectrum-marketing.net/registrationinfo/registerpage.html

Turning adversity into advantage: Does proactive marketing during a recession pay off?
Recessions can severely affect the performance of firms, and even their very survival. However, all firms are not equally affected by a recession. Some firms view recessions as opportunities to strengthen their businesses, invest aggressively and establish their advantage over their weaker competitors, whereas others cut back, waiting for the recession to pass. Why do some firms view the recession as an opportunity and develop an aggressive marketing response to it? What are the effects of such a marketing response on the performance of the firm? These are the two central questions addressed in this paper.

http://garylilien.info/publications/92%20-%20Marketing%20Spending%20in%20Recession.pdf

Marketing in a Down Market – Add Value and Visibility
Communicate more clearly about the value that you offer and offer value in every single communication. Don't spend a lot of time trying to sell and persuade. Spend most of the time sharing information your prospects can really use.

Everything about your business can be divided into two broad categories - Process and Solutions. Process is what you do; it's your "facilitation services" and your "executive coaching". Most of us fall into the trap of talking all about that stuff. After all, it's what we know best. But guess what? Your prospects couldn't care less about your processes. They’re thinking, "What's in it for me?" They want to know about your solutions. You're talking value when you're talking solutions.

http://www.biznetworknews.com/networking-article004.php

Marketing in a Down Economy
In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to separate yourself from the competition. In fact, as competitors fall, it becomes even easier than ever, if you choose to take advantage of it.

http://www.commercialinkonline.com/Down_Economy.pdf

Marketing Your Way Through a Recession
The signs of an imminent recession are all around us. The spillover from the subprime mortgage crisis is weakening both consumer confidence and the consumer spending—much of it on credit—that has been buoying the U.S. economy. Companies should bear eight factors in mind when making their marketing plans for 2008 and 2009.

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/cgi-bin/print?id=5878

Winners and Losers in the RFID Market
When technology companies sense the market is slowing, some reduce their investments in research and development of new products, marketing and staff in order to remain profitable, or to reduce their burn rate if they aren't profitable. But this strategy almost never works, and often puts the company in a hole. In the case of young companies that aren't profitable, this strategy is often one from which they never recover.

Here's how smart RFID companies will survive the current economic downturn.

http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/4450/1/2/