=============================================================
INDUSTRIALMARKETINGTALK
=============================================================
A monthly newsletter for industrial marketing managers, from Pro-Talk,
publishers of:
Buildingtalk - Electronicstalk - Engineeringtalk
Laboratorytalk - Marketingservicestalk
Manufacturingtalk - Printingtalk - Processingtalk
=============================================================
Pro-Talk - harnessing the power of the internet for business
=============================================================
Issue 32: 29 August 2008
Published from the UK
=============================================================
Industrialmarketingtalk online:
http://www.industrialmarketingtalk.com
=============================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
Jackie's message
[1] From the desk of the managing editor
[2] Pro-Talk FAQ's: "I'm still not convinced that publication is
free..."
[3] The Long View: Podcasting facts and figures
[4] Pro-Talk Sites: Visitor stats
[5] Email Marketing: Four common assumptions
[6] Laboratorytalk: Advertising offer
[7] EXTRA newsletters: Upcoming themed issues
[8] SEO: What's the big deal?
[9] Search for marketing jobs
[10] Competition: Win something useful?
=============================================================
Hello!
Once again we hear that yet another computer, this time sold on Ebay,
has been found to contain millions of customer records - having
'escaped' from the security of its proper environment.
We all ask ourselves 'how does this happen' but do we take the
opportunity to ensure that our own company data is secure? And, the
answer is 'I think so...' because we all think it's someone else's
responsibility to police. We tell staff that regardless of what their
actual job is that they are all PR and sales people for the company,
and guardians of its reputation, and in my (humble) opinion the
same stance should be taken with company data - we are all guardians
of the lifeblood of our company, aren't we?
"Security experts said too many employees were not aware of the risks
involved in transferring sensitive data to portable devices such as
memory sticks." Read more at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7576572.stm
If you're not registered under the Data Protection Act, or you
have a query about the Act, go to the Information Commissioners Office
at http://www.ico.gov.uk/ - don't be afraid to call them with
questions. I have. I've spoken to real human beings who have (without
jargon - hurray!) assisted me with all types of queries about the Act
and other related issues. Highly recommended.
Talking of guidance, there's lots of good sites online to visit for
help with keywords, and Microsoft Adcenter is possibly one place you
might go to find that help, or not, after reading this tongue-in-cheek
article from Andy Brice:
http://successfulsoftware.net/2008/08/19/unlock-new-customers/
Finally, on a sad note, we say farewell to editor Laurence Marchini,
who has edited, and contributed greatly to the success of,
Electronicstalk - Lyndon White has more about this in item 1. However,
I know everyone here at Pro-Talk towers wishes Laurence every success
for the future. We'll miss you Laurence.
Until next month.
With kind regards,
Jackie
mailto:jackie.west@pro-talk.com
===================================================
[1] From the desk of the managing editor
===================================================
Lyndon White writes:
Seven-and-a-half years is a long time in publishing. That's how long
Laurence Marchini has been at the helm at Electronicstalk. Laurence
leaves us on 29 August and we sincerely wish him all the best. He has
worked very hard down the years to establish the profile of
Electronicstalk in the market and I'm sure Laurence's concise and
interesting weekly editorial newsletters will be missed.
Our new editor is Dave Wilson, who takes the helm in mid-September. Of
course, Dave is also editor of Engineeringtalk, as well as Centaur's
The Engineer Online and Technology Horizons. So, he'll be a busy chap.
However, Dave tells me that electronics has been something of a
lifelong passion.
His CV includes a decade working in the USA as Editor of titles such
as Electronic Systems Design and The OEM Integrator. He has also been
editor of Design Engineering and e4engineering here in the UK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Lyndon White mailto:lyndon.white@pro-talk.com
Dave Wilson mailto:news@electronicstalk.com
===================================================
[2] Pro-Talk FAQ's: 'I'm still not convinced that publication is free.
There HAS to be a catch?'
===================================================
* Yes, it IS free... and always has been. No catches.
* The reason why we can do it for free is that the more relevant pages
we have on the site, especially original content, the better the
search engines look upon us.
* More stories = more visitors = more leads (for those that
subscribe). We don't have a restricted number of pages like a
magazine.
* We are selective in terms of type of content, but still publish lots
more than traditional media.
Fundamentally, we are about new products and services, new and
interesting applications or technical background articles.
We tend to avoid using stories about personnel announcements,
exhibition attendance and general company news, unless it is
relevant to something else that we are doing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> If you have further questions on the above subject do call and
discuss with either:
Lyndon White on 0207 970 4920 mailto:lyndon.white@pro-talk.com
James Hancock on 0207 970 4941 mailto:james.hancock@pro-talk.com
++Next month: "I've never written a press release and wouldn't know
where to start."
===================================================
[3] The Long View: Podcasting facts and figures
===================================================
Following on from two recent features about Podcasts, I thought I'd
round off this subject by looking at a few interesting facts and
figures:
Google estimated that as of the Autumn of 2006 there were 20 million
podcasts logged in cyberspace at that time. Early in 2008, eMarketer
estimated that there was a 285% increase in size of the US podcast
audience in 2007, meaning a substantial growth and a new figure of
18.5 million people.
The research group expects that audiences will increase to 65 million
by 2012, with 25 million 'active' users who will tune in at least once
per week...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Continue reading Andrew's article at:
http://tinyurl.com/5w88be
> Andrew Long is a freelance advertising sales manager for Pro-talk
and also offers advertising services at
http://www.selling-advertising.com
===================================================
[4] Pro-Talk Sites: visitor stats
===================================================
Page views for July - another excellent month!
Buildingtalk: 248,107
Electronicstalk: 186,057
Engineeringtalk: 342,819
Laboratorytalk: 108,080
Manufacturingtalk: 317,649
Marketingservicestalk: 44,225
Printingtalk: 77,864
Processingtalk: 123,501
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Talk to us about advertising on a 'talk' site, or ramping up your
existing campaign: 0207 970 4941
===================================================
[5] Email Marketing: four common assumptions
===================================================
Stefan Pollard, writes: "Your mileage may vary... you hear that
qualifier whenever carmakers boast about their high-mileage cars. It
also applies to the advice you hear from all the email experts (me
included) who publish articles, newsletters, white papers and slide
shows, and give presentations and workshops..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Click on the link to read Stefan's article:
http://www.lyrishq.com/content/view/383/96/
Courtesy of Lyris Hq:
http://www.lyrishq.com
===================================================
[6] Laboratorytalk: Advertising offer
===================================================
If you've been thinking about advertising on Laboratorytalk, why not
take advantage of this offer:
15 months for the price of 12 months on the Value Advertising package.
The Value package is a great introduction to online advertising and
with an extra three months it certainly ensures a great return on
investment.
This is what you get:
* Banner advertisement in solus position (minimum 100 pages)
* Banner advertisement on all your own pages
* Advertisement design/creation, if required
* Your logo on Laboratorytalk homepage
* 3 EXTRA newsletter entries - (Laboratorytalk circulation: over
18,000)
* Lead generation service
* Monthly statistics update
But you'll have to be quick - this offer closes on the 5 September!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Call 0207 970 3941
Deadline: close of business on the 5 September.
===================================================
[7] EXTRA newsletters: upcoming themed issues
===================================================
Hot off the press, four themes focusing on forthcoming exhibitions,
scheduled for September and October - sponsorship packages
available:
* Processingtalk - circulation over 13,000:
PPMA: Sept 17
WWEM: Oct 29
* Buildingtalk - circulation over 15,000:
Interbuild: Oct 21
* Manufacturingtalk - circulation over 42,000:
Inspex: Oct 19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Call 0207 970 4941 to book your slot and/or secure your sponsorship
of one or more of these newsletters. Don't forget to enquire about
series discounts.
===================================================
[8] SEO: What's the big deal?
===================================================
In 'Optimise your website...and they will come' by Susan L Reid (c)
2008, the author says, "What's the big deal about search engine
optimisation? Isn't it enough that you've put up a website, purchased
some Google AdWords, and sent out an email to everyone you know
announcing your site? In short, no. There is an art and science to
search engine optimisation (SEO), and it is critical for web-based
businesses to know, understand and utilise if they want to drive
quality traffic to their website via the Internet..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Continue reading at:
http://tinyurl.com/5uura8
Courtesy of SiteProNews:
http://www.sitepronews.com
> An excellent alternative is to request a daily email from Online
Lead Generation: An Article A Day:
http://www.bmon.co.uk/leadgeneration/
===================================================
[9] Search for marketing jobs
===================================================
> Marketing Week
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk
> Marketing Job Board
http://www.marketingjobboard.co.uk
> Brand Republic
http://jobs.brandrepublic.com
> B2B Marketing Jobs
http://www.b2bmarketingjobs.co.uk
===================================================
[10] COMPETITION: win something useful?
===================================================
Congratulations to Gary Elliott of Sprint-Electric, who was the first
correct entry, to last month's competition, to be pulled from the hat.
And, the answer to the question ("Who, in this newsletter, says that
Podcasting shouldn't be just for the geeks?") was Ryan Irelan - a copy
of 'Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability'
by Steve Krug, is on it's way to Gary.
Thanks to everyone who entered the competition.
The competition book this month comes highly recommended by
www.bmon.co.uk - "The Dip by Seth Godin: 'Being the Best in the World
Is Seriously Underrated' is the first sentence of this book. It's
perhaps the most convincing argument we've seen for why a company (or
a person) must position themselves. And it's only 80-ish pages long."
And the question:
"What's the big deal?"
The answer's up there!
Answers via email, by 15 September, please. Winner to be announced
next issue.
===================================================
Email competition entries to mailto:jackie.west@pro-talk.com
===================================================
Next issue of Industrialmarketingtalk: 26 September 2008
Want to contribute?
Deadlines for contributions: 15 September 2008
===================================================
Have you seen our other newsletters?
Industrialmarketingtalk is one of a number of free email newsletters
for technical professionals. See what else we have to offer, and sign
up today: http://www.pro-talk.com/more/15293/
===================================================
Pro-Talk is part of Centaur Media plc:
http://www.centaur.co.uk
Pro-Talk Ltd. 50 Poland St, London W1F 7AX. United Kingdom
===================================================
The Long View: Podcasting facts and figures
Following on from two recent features about Podcasts, I thought I'd round off this
subject by looking at a few interesting facts and figures.
Google estimated that as of the Autumn of 2006 there were 20 million podcasts logged in cyberspace at that time. Early in 2008, eMarketer estimated that there was a 285% increase in size of the U.S. podcast audience in 2007, meaning a substantial growth and a new figure of 18.5 million people.
The research group expects that audiences will increase to 65 million by 2012, with 25 million "active" users who will tune in at least once per week.
The Computer Desktop Encyclopedia defines a podcast as "recording a non-music audio broadcast (news, sports, discussion, etc.) in the MP3 format for playback in a digital music player." But the reference manual also elaborates and says: "(iPOD broadCAST) [is] an audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback in a digital music player or computer. The 'pod' in
podcast was coined from 'iPod', the predominant portable, digital music player, and although podcasts are mostly verbal, they may contain music."
Clearly, then, this is a rapidly advancing medium. Podcasts can be used to store dynamic information on a website, to be sent as a live feed, to be looped, and to be sent as the medium of an opt-in subscription instead of an e-newsletter. In fact the websites you contribute to in the Pro-Talk family will also be looking into the power of podcasts by the end of the year.
Podcasts can, needless to say, be listened to from direct online downloads without being saved and stored as recordings in a portable player. But their downloadable and portable audio quality makes them perfect marketing solutions for people who want to make their products stand out with more dynamic media and who want to reach a target audience of movers and shakers who are always on the go.
Podcasts are also ideal for viral marketing. Their links can be forwarded for someone else to download or listen to online. If you create a podcast and break the show down with a list of clock-run times and the new topics or sub-headings that get talked about at that point, people will enjoy the ability to fast forward
within the cast and get to topics of the most interest to them.
"How much is this going to cost me?" you may ask. Well, here's what you need to be able to put together and distribute podcasts:
1) Software for recording and editing MP3s;
2) Software for distribution of and 'other people' accessing the podcast;
3) a computer-compatible microphone.
That's it. None of these things is very expensive and you only need to buy them once. You can distribute a podcast for nothing on the Internet and you can make them for almost nothing, too!
As with all online marketing tools, you'll need to try to get your podcasts accessed by more people than your competitors' are. Opt-in, auto responder, social bookmarking, and having the podcasts archived at a great website or blog will make a huge difference in how many of those many millions of people you get tuning into you.
Remember, if you have a great deal of knowledge and expertise in the Engineering, Manufacturing or Scientific fields, then you need to shout about how good you are. There are loads of people looking for top quality information out there and when you can articulate your business well, you have a very big advantage over the competition. Everyone loves an expert and your credibility will go through the roof.
Andrew Long is a freelance advertising sales manager for Pro-talk and also offers advertising services at
http://www.selling-advertising.com
subject by looking at a few interesting facts and figures.
Google estimated that as of the Autumn of 2006 there were 20 million podcasts logged in cyberspace at that time. Early in 2008, eMarketer estimated that there was a 285% increase in size of the U.S. podcast audience in 2007, meaning a substantial growth and a new figure of 18.5 million people.
The research group expects that audiences will increase to 65 million by 2012, with 25 million "active" users who will tune in at least once per week.
The Computer Desktop Encyclopedia defines a podcast as "recording a non-music audio broadcast (news, sports, discussion, etc.) in the MP3 format for playback in a digital music player." But the reference manual also elaborates and says: "(iPOD broadCAST) [is] an audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback in a digital music player or computer. The 'pod' in
podcast was coined from 'iPod', the predominant portable, digital music player, and although podcasts are mostly verbal, they may contain music."
Clearly, then, this is a rapidly advancing medium. Podcasts can be used to store dynamic information on a website, to be sent as a live feed, to be looped, and to be sent as the medium of an opt-in subscription instead of an e-newsletter. In fact the websites you contribute to in the Pro-Talk family will also be looking into the power of podcasts by the end of the year.
Podcasts can, needless to say, be listened to from direct online downloads without being saved and stored as recordings in a portable player. But their downloadable and portable audio quality makes them perfect marketing solutions for people who want to make their products stand out with more dynamic media and who want to reach a target audience of movers and shakers who are always on the go.
Podcasts are also ideal for viral marketing. Their links can be forwarded for someone else to download or listen to online. If you create a podcast and break the show down with a list of clock-run times and the new topics or sub-headings that get talked about at that point, people will enjoy the ability to fast forward
within the cast and get to topics of the most interest to them.
"How much is this going to cost me?" you may ask. Well, here's what you need to be able to put together and distribute podcasts:
1) Software for recording and editing MP3s;
2) Software for distribution of and 'other people' accessing the podcast;
3) a computer-compatible microphone.
That's it. None of these things is very expensive and you only need to buy them once. You can distribute a podcast for nothing on the Internet and you can make them for almost nothing, too!
As with all online marketing tools, you'll need to try to get your podcasts accessed by more people than your competitors' are. Opt-in, auto responder, social bookmarking, and having the podcasts archived at a great website or blog will make a huge difference in how many of those many millions of people you get tuning into you.
Remember, if you have a great deal of knowledge and expertise in the Engineering, Manufacturing or Scientific fields, then you need to shout about how good you are. There are loads of people looking for top quality information out there and when you can articulate your business well, you have a very big advantage over the competition. Everyone loves an expert and your credibility will go through the roof.
Andrew Long is a freelance advertising sales manager for Pro-talk and also offers advertising services at
http://www.selling-advertising.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
