teachthe4ps.com - For instructors of marketing.

I want to direct your attention to a great post from Bob Gilbreath over at his Marketing With Meaning blog- “Nordstrom Email Gets It Right” (March 9, 2011).  Gilbreath relays a personal experience that is so spot on about what marketing managers should strive for when communicating with customers.  Given them something they find useful.  When companies develop meaningful content — it engages customers — and then drives sales.  Think first about helping customers and sales will follow.  Marketing research can help you uncover the needs of your target market.  Then a good database goes a long way toward understanding that different customers have different needs.

I have mentioned it here at T4Ps before, but Gilbreath’s book, Marketing With Meaning is a great read.  The book had a big influence on revisions to the consumer needs section in our text book – and in others places, too.

This article in BtoB (January 21, 2010)  “Case study: How IT company increased response on U.K. e-mail campaign,” offers instructors several benefits.  While the article is short, it shows how an American firm had to adapt its communications approach to get a better response from UK buyers.  The case study includes the adaptations made in an e-mail campaign and the before and after click-through rate.  It is also a good example of the use of e-mail, an important component of the promotion blend in B2B.  Check it out.