Marketing and Sales

Believe it or not, fictional newsman Ron Burgundy is slated to guest host ESPN's signature newscast "Sportscenter." If you don't like sports and haven't seen the 2004 classic comedy "Anchorman," then you may not know what I'm talking about. I can guarantee this will change over the next two weeks as the publicity machine for Will Ferrell's "Anchorman 2" hits full stride in ways that movie marketing has never seen before.

In advance of the movie's Dec. 18 release, Ferrell and "Anchorman 2" are changing the way movies are publicized by going far beyond action-packed trailers and media tours.

One of the biggest challenges distributors face is getting past the marketing department gatekeeper. Cleveland-based Proforma is now helping its owners and their sales representatives find another way in to valuable accounts through the human resources department.

Looking for a little extra motivation to get you through the rough months? Check out these six stress-killing, perfect-for-the-holiday-crunch quotes.

You've done the cold calls, the direct-mail introductions, the networking, the follow-ups and the email blasts. It's all led up to this: the sales presentation.

Jane Nelson-Halverson, owner of Dakota Promotions & Printing, describes her experiences volunteering for an abused adult resource center, which she also does some promotional work for. She details the services the center provides, as well as how she handles selling promotional products to an organization she also volunteers at.

DataSource Inc., Kansas City, has announced the launch of MarketNow, a comprehensive integrated marketing services solution. The company, which is now celebrating its 25^th year, has also unveiled its new corporate identity with the promise to "Power Your Brand," reflecting enhanced services and recent organizational growth.

I have a dear friend who spends much of her energy complaining about the same issues over and over again without taking action to improve the situation. After countless conversations covering the same matters, she kicked into her normal rant on the phone with me. 

Every sales organization, and every sales process, begins with identifying suspects—people and organizations you suspect may one day do business with you.

Social-media marketing: Everybody's doing it. Well, not everybody, but close—93 percent of marketers, according to The Website Marketing Group.

In life, or in business, if you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it happen. If not, you will find excuses as to why it can't (or won't) work.