30 of the Best Free (or Inexpensive) Marketing Tips to Drive Your Microsoft Dynamics RMS Pipeline

1. 30 of the Best Free (or Inexpensive) Marketing Tips to Drive Your Microsoft Dynamics RMS Pipeline

2. Your Presenters: The Partner Marketing Group is a marketing consulting resource for Microsoft Dynamics partner organizations. Cheryl Strege, Cheryl@thepartnermarketinggroup.com Virginia Weinstein, Virginia@thepartnermarketinggroup.com

3. List Building

4. Tip #1 There are many different list sources: complied lists, subscriber lists, association lists (www.asaecenter.org), Chamber of Commerce lists, Microsoft Ready-to-Go lists, and Manta (www.manta.com/mb) Best List – your own!Value: Lists don’t always have to be purchased. Some good lists are right in front of you and free.

5. Tip #1 – Search for Bicycle Shops Direct Marketing Association has a free list search tool at: http://lists.the-dma.org/

6. Tip #1 - Results

7. Tip #2 A good test to determine the quality of your mailing list is to ask yourself two questions for each address.1.Do they know what my company offers? 2. Will they care about what we are sending? Value: You will have a better success rate of making a impression on that individual.

8. Tip #3 Start building your own list with current customers, people who call your business for information, local media members, and members of professional organizations you belong to. Value: Start building your marketing list with your current in- house list. These are contacts you already have – they just might not be in an electronic format or combined into one.

9. Tip #4 Use a physical sign-up sheet, “fish bowl” or a lead retrieval scanner at trade shows or user conferences. Promote your newsletter at the show.Value: People are giving you permission to market to them. They have expressed interest, as they have already stopped by your booth or attended your conference.

10. Tip #5 Use Social Media to grow your list. When people become your fan on Facebook or a contact on LinkedIn – add them to your marketing list.Value: Social Media is big right now. You can build your list and build awareness by connecting to people in different networks or social circles.

11. Tip #6 Use “Cause Marketing” to drive people to sign up for your e-newsletter. Example: The Partner Marketing Group will donate $1 to one of the deserving charities on our Pay it Forward page on our website for each partner organization that signs up for our e-newsletter at www.thepartnermarketinggroup.com. Value: You give to a good cause while building your list and people feel they have helped to contribute.

12. Tip #7 Add an online sign up box on your website. Have a call to action and make them want to join. Make it visible (3 places on website). Value: You are capturing email addresses and/or addresses, allowing you to nurture those contacts through your marketing efforts.

13. Tip #8 Strike when the iron is hot! Make sure you send a thank you email acknowledging that someone has signed up for your newsletter. Give instant satisfaction and make them feel welcome. Value: This builds your relationship, and decreases your chances of being viewed as SPAM. Companies that do not communicate within the first 60 days of a new list subscriber increase their chances of being labeled as SPAM over 50%.

14. Tip #9 When building your list don’t forget about:1. Blog 2. Business cards and email signatures 3. Customer support calls 4. Webinars 5. Invoices 6. Last slide of presentation Value: Promote your newsletter as a value to your prospects and customers. If they don’t know about it, how can they sign up for it?

15. Tip #10 3 steps for good list hygiene.1. Identify addresses to remove immediately 2. Check for inactivity 3. Reactivate the inactiveValue: By keeping a clean list you will save costs, improve deliverability and improve stats.

16. Tip #11 Remember these five things when building your e-mail marketing list: 1. Ask permission 2. Use existing resources 3. Listen to your audience 4. Building a list is an on-going process 5. Bigger is not necessarily better Value: You will start to build a quality lead generation list.

17. Overall Marketing

18. Tip #13 Take advantage of your Local Engagement Resourceswww.mslocalpartner.comValue: The Local Engagement Team is a resource to help you successfully drive marketing and sales efforts such as web site content, business expos, seminars, radio programs, social marketing, etc. and is one of the strongest resources for partners that are looking to connect with complementary businesses and organizations in their area.

19. Tip #14 • Create a professional online video for your website or next tradeshow using Spot Mixer (www.spotmixer.com).Value: It’s affordable. Boost traffic to your website, use it at an important trade show, or publish it on YouTube.

20. Tip #15 Add your connections to Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook to your email signature. Value: This will show people where you are posted online and bring awareness to your profile on these sites.

21. Tip #16 Visit www.linkpopularity.com to view how many in-bound links you have coming into your site. You can also visit your competitors’ websites to see where they are getting in-bound links from. Value: In-bound links are an important factor in increasing your page ranking in search engines.

22. Tip #17 Three sites that are great for in-bound links to your company are: 1. Microsoft Solution Finder (https://solutionfinder.microsoft.com/) 2. PinPoint – A directory for Partners run by Microsoft (http://pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/) 3. Find your Genius – Site for Listing Training (http://members.training-classes.com/accesses/apply/)Value: These site have high search rankings and will provide strong links back to your website.

23. Tip #18 Create a new category in Google Local by setting up your company for Google “One Box” listings. Go to www.google.com/local/ad. Value: This is free advertising for your company. It will show your location and have a direct link back to your website.

24. Tip #19 Create small podcasts for your prospects or customers at www.gabcast.com. Try recording a personal invitation to your next event and send it to your customers or prospects! Value: You convey information in a new format and you can easily post these on your website or within your blogs.

25. Tip #20 Use Google Alerts (http://www.google.com/alerts) to give you the information you would be searching for on the web. Set up alerts for your company name, an industry keyword, your best customer, or even your competitors. Value: You spend less time looking for information that could automatically be emailed to you for free. You will also be alerted when your company name appears somewhere online.

26. Tradeshow Marketing

27. Tip #21 Check out PartnerSource for Microsoft Dynamics RMS resources to market your next tradeshow.1. Partner-Branded Pre-Tradeshow Postcard 2. Partner-Branded Pre-Tradeshow Ad 3. Partner-Branded Pre-Tradeshow Email Template 4. Partner-Branded Post-Tradeshow Postcard 5. Partner-Branded Post-Tradeshow Email TemplateValue: Professionally designed specifically for RMS partners. Just add your logo and contact information. Save time and money. Stay till the end of the webcast for a special promotion.

28. Tip #22 Use www.polleverywhere.com at your next tradeshow. Poll the attendees and project it at your booth. They will SMS text messages or Twitter their answers. The results update live in your PowerPoint.Value: Interact with attendees at the show, get them to come back to your booth to see results. Set yourself apart.

29. Tip #23 Print Special Business Cards Print up a special business card for major shows. Add the show name, logo and dates along with your regular information.Value: People may not remember you, but they will remember they were at the show.

30. Tip #24 Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Use the name of your company several times in the conversation.Value: Even though they are at your booth with your name everywhere, your name badge is on your shirt and you are talking about your business, chances are they will not remember your company name unless you repeat it multiple times.

31. E-Mail Marketing

32. Tip #25 Send out a monthly or bi-monthly e-newsletter to your prospects and clients.Value: Low cost marketing tool that is forward-able, linkable, and measurable. With good, relevant content, the e-newsletters will position your company as an industry leader. Stay to the end of the webcast to hear of a special promotion!

33. Tip #26 The three secrets to an effective e-newsletter are: 1. Focus on the content 2. Focus on relationships 3. Be genuineValue: Do this and you will be in the 5% of people that produce effective newsletters.

34. Tip #27 The email subject line is your opportunity to pique my interest.The Partner Marketing Group September Newsletter OrPartner Marketing Momentum: How to write an effective marketing plan Value: Giving them a reason to open your e-newsletter will increase your open rate and drive more interest.

35. Tip #26 Truth – the best day to send e-mails is a constantly moving target. Depending on your target audience you may have better luck on the weekends.Value – Start your campaigns on a Tuesday or Thursday and test the waters. Once your campaign is established, try a weekend and compare your results. You will see the highest results from this.

36. Tip #28 SPAM – Avoid Spam Line Content Text Design Sale White Background Free All Capital Letters No Charge Red Text Offer Excessive Punctuations Register Today Excessive use of $$$Value: Get your email through to readers. You don’t want your hard work ending up in the Junk folder.

37. Tip #29 Compare your open and click through rates to industry averages. Value: You’re grading yourself. It’s your report card. Know where you stand.

38. Tip #30 Archive your e-newsletters on your website. Value: 1. Gives people who are considering subscribing a chance to see an example. 2. Gives people who are not subscribing the information from past articles. 3. May help increase your website’s search rankings.

39. Offers – Part One!! E-newsletter pilot, sponsored by the Microsoft Dynamics Partner Community Team If interested, email newsletters@thepartnermarketinggroup.com Enroll by Wednesday, November 11th to see your first newsletter go out by Wednesday, November 25th. Registrations accepted until all 30 slots are filled or by December 1, 2009.

40. Offers – Part Two!! Tradeshow Booth Promotion for Microsoft Dynamics RMS Partners If interested, visithttps://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/sales/promotions/msdrmstradeshow.htm?printpage=false&stext=tradeshow

41. One More Thing… Microsoft Marketing Services Bureau • Marketing services listed include consulting, case studies, e-newsletter program, telemarketing and more. Check it out at www.mspartnerdirect.com. • Our Services listed at www.thepartnermarketingroup.com/rtg. • $500 rebate as well as 100% CDF reimbursement

42. Questions? You can email us at info@thepartnermarketinggroup.com