CASE STUDIES

#1. How Online Video Series Lifted Subscriptions 40%

SUMMARY: Online video is one of the hottest areas on the Web, but ad-supported services epitomized by YouTube aren't the only model to follow. Publishers with high-quality products and targeted niches can generate ROI with video.

A software training company created a subscription-based online video platform with a complimentary trial that's attracting clients hungry for quality content. Includes 6 strategies to boost online subscriptions 40%.
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(Open access until March 20th)

#2. How to Score Customer Loyalty: 7 Steps to Double Satisfaction Rating

SUMMARY: B-to-B marketers need to not only generate the leads that will turn into new customers, but also retain the customers they've already landed. The key is knowing which customers are happy ... and which need a little more attention.

See how a marketer created an online survey and telemarketing strategy built on a scoring system. The strategy has added a new tool to its customer-retention effort while doubling their loyalty "score."
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(Open access until March 19th)

#3. 4 Simple Steps to Tweak Site Search Box & Lift Conversions 20%

SUMMARY: Most online marketers know that getting viewers to use onsite search usually lifts conversions. But how much impact does enlarging your search box really have?

Turns out quite a bit. A home decor eretailer boosted the size of its search box and saw conversions jump 20% and revenue
84%. The change was so simple that you could test or implement it in no time.
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(Open access until March 19th)

HOW-TO & INTERVIEWS

#4. How to Optimize Your PDFs to Increase Search Traffic: 10 Steps

SUMMARY: PDFs contain plenty of publishable content, but not all are created equal. If they're image-based, the content can't be indexed by search engines.

However, there are ways to get SEO benefits from PDFs. Here are 10 steps to optimize your PDFs so you can drive more traffic to your website.
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(Open access until March 18th)

#5. How to Target European Customers: 5 Tips on Subject Lines, Content, Translation, ISPs

SUMMARY: Are you just getting started with email marketing on the other side of the Atlantic? Or do your international email campaigns need to be tweaked to lift ROI?

An international hotelier has answers for email marketers setting their sights on customers abroad, including:
- Subject lines that work (and don't) in different countries
- How to mix global and local content for maximum impact
- Why text-only and HTML are needed
- International deliverability advice
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(Open access until March 18th)

#6. PR Interview: How to Get Featured in 'Inside the Marketer's Studio' Blog

SUMMARY: Inside the Marketer's Studio Blog is ranked in Advertising Age's Power 150 -- the top marketing and media blogs in the world. Creator David Berkowitz also writes a MediaPost column and speaks extensively about SEO and social media. Here's what to do to get him to notice you or your company, product, book, blog, website or articles.
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(Open access until March 21st)

#7. Fame: 2008 Bronze Anvil Awards

If you are a meticulous PR person who pays attention to every detail, you'll appreciate the Bronze Anvils. Unlike others, this competition rewards great PR tactics instead of entire campaigns and programs. So, if you would like to share your spectacular websites, speeches and media kits, now's the perfect time to enter any of their 36 categories for a chance at a bronze man for your shelf. One request from the judges: please craft a concise summary -- they say it's "the most important component of the Bronze Anvil entry." Hint: focus on planning, creativity, technical excellence and results. Don't forget about the new categories: Webcasts, Vodcasts, Blogger Campaigns and Word of Mouth.
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(Deadline: March 28th)

INTERACT

#8. Call for Speakers: MarketingSherpa's B-to-B Demand Generation Summit Seeks Presenters

More than 550 marketers will gather in October for Sherpa's 5th annual B-to-B Demand Generation Summit. If you want to be one of the speakers, now's your chance.

We are especially looking for B-to-B marketers who can share their own experiences, campaign war stories and lessons learned. Past speakers include marketers from Unisys, Oracle, Adobe and Novell. Nominate yourself, a boss or a client.
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(Deadline April 11th)

#9. SherpaBlog: Recession-Beating Marketing - Glories of Opt-in Checkbox Barters

I've been surfing through Sherpa Case Studies and interviews from the 2001-02 era. It was, we thought at the time, the Big Downturn. It was dark, stormy, scary. Several marketers lost their jobs.

Now, of course, we're in a new recession sooner than expected (aren't these things supposed to occur only every 15-20 years?) So, what worked last time that we can use to beat the odds this time around?
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(Open access=permanent)

#10. Help Wanteds: 51 New Jobs & 5 Seekers Available

The past week's new posts including 3 VPs & 5 Directors. Plus, learn how to post your own opening.
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(Complimentary service)

#11. Book Offer: 'Web Design for ROI: Turn Browsers into Buyers & Prospects into Leads'

Looking to make some real money from your website? Check out 'Web Design for ROI.' The 198-page soft cover focuses on designing a website that maximizes return on investment -- not just one that's pretty or includes the next big thing in technology.

Authors Lance Loveday and Sandra Niehaus, executives at Closed Loop Marketing and veteran Web experts, encourage readers to focus not only on attracting site visitors, but also on motivating them to take actions once they're there.

When building a website, they stress, marketers should make financial results a priority. Indeed, the authors emphasize that marketers need to devote as much attention to website planning as they do business planning. Your website is a business -- design it like one. Some advice: figure out what your goals are and set specific objectives. Research your audience and cater your offerings to ease their lives. Use metrics for a broad spectrum of factors. In short, make your website accountable.

Well-organized chapters are broken down into logical categories, such as homepages, landing pages and detail pages. Problems include proposed solutions, illustrated by plenty of full-color screenshots and case studies from real-life companies. Wide page margins give you space to jot down notes. A great resource list is included, too.

The authors donated five copies for Sherpa to give away.
Toss your name into the hat here to try for one.
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(Ends 03/23/08)

+ Last week's book offer: These five lucky marketers will get their own copies of 'Go Google: 20 Ways to Reach More Customers and Build Revenue with Google Business Tools' by Greg Holden:

• Jacquilyn Esparza, Western Capital Partners, Denver, CO
• Clayton McLaughlin, SMG Directory Marketing, Chicago, IL
• Drew Shiel, Fusioneer, Dublin, IRELAND
• Susan Stiles, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
• Caroline Watkins, AT&T, Decatur, GA

P.S. Did a friend send you this? Go Here for your own copy - it's award-winning, useful, and complimentary.

P.P.S. Got questions, comments, or ideas for editorial?
Email Editorial Director Tad Clarke at TadC(at)marketingsherpa(dot)com
or call Customer Service at (877) 895-1717 -- thanks!