Industrialmarketingtalk issue 38

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INDUSTRIALMARKETINGTALK
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A monthly newsletter for industrial marketing managers, from Pro-Talk,
publishers of:

Buildingtalk - Electronicstalk - Engineeringtalk
Laboratorytalk - Marketingservicestalk
Manufacturingtalk - Printingtalk - Processingtalk
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Pro-Talk websites - where buyers meet sellers
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Issue 38: 27 March 2009
Published from the UK
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Industrialmarketingtalk online:
http://www.industrialmarketingtalk.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Jackie's message
[1] More changes to the Pro-Talk sites
[2] Mission impossible?
[3] Trashing your reputation?
[4] How to create a bad website
[5] Back to basics: effective calls to action
[6] My office situation is perfect...
[7] Achema news?
[8] How relevant is Twitter to us?
[9] And there's more!
[10] Competition: win something useful?
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Hello!

Last month my comments about working from home (I blame Peter Mann!)
certainly moved a great deal of you to push your thoughts through the
ether. You should have seen my inbox! Thanks to you all, many comments
made me laugh out loud, others I've just smiled and nodded (sagely of
course), here's a sample, including some recommendations regarding
communications - enjoy!

Kathy Wilkinson, of Wilkinson PR said "Liked your list of working from
home advantages. I quite agree...and can add a few more, namely: Wear
what you like. Get the washing done while you work. Light the
logburner early - and cook stews on top! Nip out to the shops or Post
Office when it's quiet. Disadvantages: just where does the time go!!!"
Then goes on to say "I'm also of the firm belief that if more people
worked from home, there'd be a lot fewer vehicles on our horribly
congested roads."

"You missed out 'no communal kitchen', surely the biggest benefit of
them all!" says Fiona Rasburn of the Bespoke Agency.

Marketing Manager and Webmaster, Jim Daniels tells us about his
working arrangements "I go to the office, a 54 mile commute each way,
one day each week out of the four that I work. I have generally found
quite a few items to do that is more convenient at the office than
working from home. Some face to face time with associates is handy. If
I have some significant copy work the high speed Canon printers are a
lot better than my HP All-in-One inkjet at home. At times there are
meetings to attend and work to get scheduled on the day that I go in.
I still hate the commute though." Jim emailed again, a few days later
adding "...at the moment I am watching a large dove on the tree
outside my window. The tree has started its spring budding. The pines
are on the hillside." Jim lives in Carlsbad, CA "...about five miles
from that great air conditioner called the Pacific Ocean."

From Mike Castro, of Multilink Access Control Systems, Watford, "I
have run my own access control systems and equipment business from
home for 8 years. I use t'internet as Paul Kay would say as my main
communication. For messaging I have found Skype to be the best as it
allows everything, messaging, direct talk line to other users, direct
phone line to any phone in the world for a silly cost, £30 will last
for months, the call charge is so small you hardly notice it. You can
do video face-to-face and conferencing. All I am waiting for is a
method where they get customers to buy my goods, and pay me next day."

He continues, commenting, with tongue-in-cheek (I think), on
working from home "No commuting: still have to go to the
kitchen to make a cuppa. Never late for dinner: not in my house. Work
as long as I like: like 18 hours a day. No politics: who makes the tea
can be a problem. Not disturbed by water cooler chat: not disturbed
by water cooler. The wonderful view from my office window: wonderful
view on my screen saver. Having the heating set to the temperature
that's comfortable to you: having heating." And on the disadvantages -
"People can get you at weekends".

Finally, from Bob Frostholm* of Microbridge Technologies, Sunnyvale,
CA, whom I'm allowing to have the last say on working from home, "Yup,
tried working from home very briefly - with the emphasis on very. Only
found one disadvantage - the wife - constant interruptions for
"honey-dos".. that may not be a familiar term in the UK. It's - Honey?
Please do this.. Honey? Please do that.."

Never had that problem, myself, Bob - but I know what you mean (cats
can be demanding, too!)

Until next month!
All the very best,
Jackie
mailto:jackie.west@pro-talk.com

*See item 6 - Bob shares his current working environment with us - and
it sounds great!

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[1] More changes to the Pro-Talk sites
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Last year we overhauled the look and feel of all Pro-Talk sites to
improve the user experience. And, soon we will go one step further and
offer a radically new service to those companies who take our Sales
Lead Generation Service (or other advertising packages). Their company
pages will turn into a 'one-stop-shop' for their products and
services...
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> Continue reading at: http://tinyurl.com/ccv38o

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[2] Mission impossible?
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Thousands of specifiers and buyers are visiting the Pro-Talk websites
each and every day. We make it easy for these people to understand,
digest and search product/service information provided by contributing
companies, by giving a number of easy routes to enquire. However, if
you add the product news writing package to any of our advertising
options and you'll harness the expertise of our editorial staff as
well!

They will research and write four items of product and/or service
information for you, throughout the life of your booking (normally 12
months). This material could be taken from existing sales leaflets,
technical documents or case studies, all of which will be rewritten
and optimised for publishing on the web (plus it will be made
available to you for further use elsewhere).
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> We're here to help you generate the response you're seeking -
mission impossible? Not at all! It's our mission to match buyers with
sellers - do call us - +44(0)207 970 4941

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[3] Trashing your reputation?
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Lyris always comes up with some super help and advice - and this
article is no exception, they say "Remember when ISPs used to
determine which email was spam based on message content, like using
"free" in the subject line? These days, they pay more attention to who
you are than to what you say..."

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> Illuminating...read on...
http://www.lyrishq.com/content/view/514/96
Lyris home http://www.lyrishq.com

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[4] How to create a bad website
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Courtesy of SitePro News "If you're a sadistic kind of webmaster or
website owner and have a burning desire to royally frustrate and anger
your site visitors each and every time they visit your site, these
three lists are just for you. If you want to have a terrible website
that looks bad, works horribly and breaks fundamental marketing rules,
read on."
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> Read the printer-friendly article at:
http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/2009/jan/28prt.html
SitePro News home: http://www.sitepronews.com

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[5] Back to basics: effective calls to action
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Sometimes we need reminding.... and Whoast of Chicago have done us
proud with this checklist.
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> Just click http://tinyurl.com/c3ehaz
Whoast company page: http://www.whoast.com/company
Excellent blog, too: http://www.whoast.com/blog

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[6] "My office situation is perfect..."
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"...I'm in a facility in Sunnyvale, CA, the heart of Silicon Valley,
in a building called Plug and Play Tech Center. It’s run by a small VC
(Amidzad) and serves as an incubation center for over 200 small
companies. Check out the website. Might make for an interesting story
for your readers, maybe someone in the UK does something similar, or
will want to copy this model. Especially read the 4 or 5 sections
under funding - these guys do a tremendous job of introducing their
client companies to top tier investment firms.

Here I rent a cubicle for two, have phone, internet, IT services,
conference room (up to 16hrs per month) all for under $600/month. We
also have copy/fax services, FedEx and UPS pickup and drop off, free
coffee and tea kiosks throughout the building, with Starbucks products
(I figure I’m using close to $600 a month just in coffee : - ) ), a
professional front lobby to register guests and make them feel at
home, and a full lunch and dinner cafeteria."
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> http://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com
> Thanks to Bob Frostholm of Microbridge Technologies
mailto:bfrostholm@mbridgetech.com
http://www.microbridgetech.com

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[7] Achema news?
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Without breaking the bank (or your budget!) we will push out your
Achema product or service news in either, or both, show issues of the
Laboratorytalk and Processingtalk email newsletters on the 29 April.
They are ideal effective vehicles for pre and post show promotion -
you'll be reaching those people who are intending to visit Achema, as
well as those who are unable to attend.

We're offering you two opportunities to participate for the price of
one - the ratecard price is £400 per entry, for this we will give you
another entry free of charge. You can chose to have a presence in both
show issues, or just one and then use your outstanding entry in a
future issue of either newsletter, you can even transfer this one
entry to another Pro-Talk extra newsletter.
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> Call +44(0)207 970 4941

> Extra newsletter schedule information/forthcoming themes:
http://tinyurl.com/azblfh

> Meet Russ Swan, editor of Laboratorytalk at Achema - contact him
direct to make your arrangements at:
mailto:news@laboratorytalk.com
please add 'Meet at Achema' in the subject line.

> Visit the Pro-Talk stand at Achema - Hall 4.2 Stand M1.

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[8] How relevant is Twitter to us?
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I honestly don't know, really - all I know is that from a business
perspective some folk are saying this is the way forward. I think
you'll have to decide for yourself, and do let me know. However, I
have found an article which gives links to sites such as We Follow
(the Twitter Directory) - there's a category for marketing, business,
internet, SEO, inbound marketing, podcasting, web design and loads
more. My only problem is that there are not enough hours in the day to
spend any quality work-time on this subject. I think(?) I might be
missing a trick here... or am I? Is this a passing 'fad', or is it
here to stay, and can 'we' harness it effectively...answers on a
postcard please...
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> Take a look:
http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/03/twitter-user-discovery

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[9] And there's more!
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* The Chartered Institute of Marketing - events:
http://tinyurl.com/c8zqyp

* The BPMA, the official voice of over 700 accredited members within
the promotional merchandise industry:
http://www.bpma.co.uk

* Free Internet Marketing Workshops:
http://tinyurl.com/cfw63m

* Pro-Talk sites advertising information:
http://www.pro-talk.com/advertising

* Overview of Pro-Talk's Sales Lead Service:
http://www.pro-talk.com/sales_leads.html

* Search for b2b marketing jobs
http://tinyurl.com/6x238o

* Search for a conference in your sector
http://tinyurl.com/5873qa

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[10] COMPETITION: win something useful?
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Congratulations to Charlotte Anderson of OGP UK Ltd who won the
February competition, by correctly answering the question "What's
Peter Mann's company called?" (Buzz Associates, of course!).
Charlotte wins a copy of 'Marketing Strategy' by Paul Fifield.

Thanks to everyone who entered.

This month you've a chance to win: "Email Marketing by the Numbers:
How to Use the World's Greatest Marketing Tool to Take Any
Organization to the Next Level" by Chris Baggott.

"Baggott's wonderful new direct marketing book is loaded with
practical advice and recommendations from some of the best minds in
the industry. Email Marketing by the Numbers should be read by
everyone in the industry who wants to profit from acquiring and
retaining customers."

And the question: "What does Jim Daniels call 'the great air
conditioner'?"

The answer is up there!

Answers via email, by 15 April, please.
Winner to be announced next issue.
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Competition entries to mailto:jackie.west@pro-talk.com
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Next issue of Industrialmarketingtalk: 24 April 2009
Want to contribute? mailto:jackie.west@pro-talk.com
Deadlines for contributions: 15 April 2009
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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
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Pro-Talk is part of Centaur Media plc:
http://www.centaur.co.uk
Pro-Talk Ltd. 50 Poland St, London W1F 7AX. United Kingdom
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