Marketing and sales
Marketing spreads awareness of your organization to its potential customers, while sales transforms them into actual customers. Read about the latest advances in marketing and sales force technologies, the different strategies each requires and the ways the two fields intersect.
Top Stories
-
Feature
01 Dec 2022
How to efficiently measure customer loyalty
Most organizations don't measure customer loyalty often or thoroughly enough to improve CX. This book excerpt explores tips and suggestions to measure loyalty more efficiently. Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2022
In stunning move, Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor steps down
Salesforce is once again a single-CEO company. Bret Taylor has resigned, with plans to pursue a new venture. Continue Reading
-
Tip
18 Nov 2022
How to choose a customer data platform
CDPs centralize customer data, which can improve marketing insights. To choose the right CDP, CX leaders can create a team of stakeholders, identify goals and compare products. Continue Reading
-
Feature
09 Nov 2022
AI-powered CRM platforms compared
CRM vendors can apply fundamental AI capabilities in various ways. Learn about the similarities and differences between AI functionality in the major CRM platforms. Continue Reading
-
News
28 Oct 2022
How Musk's Twitter takeover could affect business accounts
Potential changes to Twitter's advertising and security policies are top issues for business owners who rely on the social media platform for brand visibility and sales. Continue Reading
-
News
19 Oct 2022
Oracle pushes forward with CX tech amid layoff cycle
Rumors of the demise of Oracle marketing, CRM and customer service turn out to be unfounded, as the company forges ahead with vertical-specific CX offerings. Continue Reading
-
News
12 Oct 2022
Microsoft adds conversational AI to Dynamics 365
At Ignite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 users get AI-based automation capabilities with emphasis on conversational intelligence for sales and customer service. Continue Reading
-
Feature
30 Sep 2022
Top 5 trends for the future of marketing
Text messaging, hybrid experiences and Web3 may play key roles in the future of marketing. Learn how to fit these trends into marketing strategies moving forward. Continue Reading
-
Tip
29 Sep 2022
How to create a zero-party data strategy
Zero-party data can enable better personalization and customer retention without tracking users across sites, like third-party cookies. These steps can kickstart your strategy. Continue Reading
-
News
22 Sep 2022
Microsoft Viva Sales CRM automation focuses on end users
Microsoft Viva Sales takes AI notes from calls and automates data entry and other routine tasks. It's the latest tech to improve the sales rep experience. Continue Reading
-
News
14 Sep 2022
Salesforce adds automation features across Customer 360
Salesforce's upcoming Customer 360 features include automation tied together with CDP data for sales, marketing, service and e-commerce. Continue Reading
-
Opinion
13 Sep 2022
NFTs can boost customer loyalty -- if people would chill out
Starbucks launched an NFT loyalty program, which could change the public's -- and marketers' -- attitude toward the technology. But most people still have reservations. Continue Reading
-
News
08 Sep 2022
HubSpot's growing CRM takes on Salesforce -- but not head-on
No one is saying that HubSpot is building a 'baby Salesforce' for small to medium-sized businesses. But it looks a lot like that is exactly what's happening. Continue Reading
-
Tip
30 Aug 2022
9 disadvantages of self-service options
Customer self-service platforms free up live agents for more complicated issues, but if organizations don't keep this software up to date, its disadvantages can frustrate users. Continue Reading
-
Tip
19 Aug 2022
4 types of loyalty programs and their benefits
Loyalty programs can improve brand recognition, increase sales and emphasize an organization's values. Get an in-depth look at four loyalty programs and what they offer. Continue Reading
-
News
17 Aug 2022
NI CMO: Marketing should lead corporate social responsibility
As Gen Z holds brands accountable for corporate social responsibility values, Ana Villegas, CMO at NI (National Instruments), makes the case that marketing teams should handle CSR. Continue Reading
-
Tip
16 Aug 2022
Key steps for an e-commerce planning process
E-commerce can help organizations grow their business online, but the venture brings the most success if planned properly. These steps can start organizations on the right path. Continue Reading
-
Answer
15 Aug 2022
Zero-party data vs. first-party data: What's the difference?
Zero-party data comes from customer surveys and polls, but first-party data comes from customer web activity. Marketers can use both data types to personalize their ad campaigns. Continue Reading
-
News
12 Aug 2022
Third-party cookies remain as Google advertising in DOJ's sights
If Google gets sued by U.S. antitrust authorities on the grounds its advertising network is a monopoly, marketers need to plan for how it may affect their operations. Continue Reading
-
Tip
04 Aug 2022
How to market a loyalty program effectively
Loyalty programs boost customer retention, but organizations must first convince customers to sign up. Marketers can incentivize referrals and use mobile apps to gain enrollment. Continue Reading
-
Feature
29 Jul 2022
Customer loyalty vs. brand loyalty: What's the difference?
Low prices can generate customer loyalty, whereas reliability and reputation foster brand loyalty. To maximize customer retention, organizations should strive for both. Continue Reading
-
News
25 Jul 2022
SAP green CX tech aids sustainable retail, B2B sales
SAP users can tackle sustainable e-commerce -- and be accountable to customers wary of 'greenwashing' -- with a bundle of Qualtrics, CDP, e-commerce and other tech tools. Continue Reading
-
Feature
20 Jul 2022
4 real-world examples of zero-party data
With zero-party data directly from consumers, marketing teams get better data to help retain customers and improve CX. These real-world examples highlight how this data works. Continue Reading
-
Tip
18 Jul 2022
How to create a customer loyalty program in 9 steps
A customer loyalty program can help organizations better retain and understand their current customers and target audiences. These nine steps can lead to a successful program. Continue Reading
-
News
12 Jul 2022
HubSpot releases free CMS with marketing, CRM integrations
HubSpot small-business users are the focus of free CMS, marketing automation and CRM features, after the company spent several release cycles wooing enterprise customers. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jul 2022
Optimizely CEO talks roadmap plans, A/B testing and DXP
Optimizely CEO explains why the company bet big on digital marketers' perpetual need for A/B testing. Also: how content management systems morphed into experience tech. Continue Reading
-
Tip
07 Jul 2022
5 best practices for customer journey mapping
As CX teams create customer journey maps, they must set clear goals, collect feedback and embrace creativity. Failure to follow best practices can leave teams with inaccurate data. Continue Reading
-
Answer
30 Jun 2022
Why are loyalty programs important?
Loyalty programs can help organizations retain their most valuable customers with special offers. Additionally, they can gather useful marketing data, increase referrals and more. Continue Reading
-
News
29 Jun 2022
Salesforce users get more low-code automation, including RPA
Salesforce integrates MuleSoft RPA and Composer with Salesforce Flow, which avails low-code process automation and bot creation to line-of-business users. Continue Reading
-
Guest Post
23 Jun 2022
How strong workplace values affect ethical marketing
Modern customers actively seek out companies with strong values that match their own, so brands should embrace ethical marketing strategies to ensure customers see their values. Continue Reading
-
News
20 Jun 2022
AWS Amazon Connect adds case management tools
The AWS contact center as a service, Amazon Connect, previews tools to manage cases. The features will drive more self-service workflows based on case data. Continue Reading
-
News
16 Jun 2022
Salesforce Sales Cloud Unlimited Edition adds AI, automation
Pricing stays the same for Salesforce Sales Cloud's highest-level subscription, but formerly a la carte tools are now included that span AI-powered analytics and automation. Continue Reading
-
News
14 Jun 2022
Adobe adds CDP functionality for B2B use cases
Adobe catches up with the competition with the release of new customer data platform features for marketers, including a 'data clean room' and tools for B2B users. Continue Reading
-
Opinion
31 May 2022
The Readability Consortium's lessons for marketing content
The University of Central Florida, Adobe and Google band together to study digital readability. Those who create marketing content can get an edge if they pay close attention. Continue Reading
-
News
25 May 2022
Lob launches direct mail automation platform
As direct mail makes a comeback, longtime API vendor Lob launches a web front end to automate physical mail campaigns directed by marketing automation data. Continue Reading
-
Tip
19 May 2022
The future of DMPs in a post-cookies world
DMPs are still important in marketers' jobs, but the move away from third-party cookies threatens the DMP's future. Here's what marketers and DMP providers need to know. Continue Reading
-
Opinion
28 Apr 2022
Smart brands will change approach to marketing email, cookies
You'd think marketers got the hint to move past third-party cookies and marketing emails once Google, Apple and regulators all stepped in to protect consumers. Not yet. Continue Reading
-
News
15 Apr 2022
Marketing to Gen Z takes new tech, channels, strategies
Gen Z consumers will change the world. Savvy, nimble brands know to give them digital platforms for sharing their values as corporate America catches up to their worldview. Continue Reading
-
News
12 Apr 2022
'CRM Analytics' Salesforce's new name for Tableau CRM
Salesforce refreshes the sales analytics package formerly known as Einstein Analytics by adding CRM-native features, a Slack app and vertical-specific integrations. Continue Reading
-
News
06 Apr 2022
Salesforce Marketing, Service Clouds add, rename features
Salesforce partners with Genesys, Google for telephony; adds AWS Contact Lens natively, among a raft of new features. Some are available now; some are coming in Summer '22 release. Continue Reading
-
Tip
22 Mar 2022
Will Google kill third-party cookies?
The end of third-party cookies has been on the horizon for years. For marketers, this termination means finding new strategies and alternatives to third-party data. Continue Reading
-
News
16 Mar 2022
Adobe Experience Cloud messaging collaboration in the works
Adobe reveals potential roadmap features in development, which include a chat client that might span Adobe Experience Cloud apps and foster collaboration across teams. Continue Reading
-
News
09 Mar 2022
Adobe Target adds more granular personalization features
Adobe's personalization engine adds AI tools and CDP connections for marketers to experiment with their cross-channel marketing campaigns for specific audiences. Continue Reading
-
Tip
03 Mar 2022
First-party vs. third-party cookies: What's the difference?
First-party cookies track user engagement, while third-party cookies are central to many marketing and sales strategies. Yet the two types are more similar than one might think. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Feb 2022
Google boosts AI customer experience
Two bits of CX news from Google: Cloud Platform expands customer success operations globally, and users find the search behemoth's AI a fit for customer experience deployments. Continue Reading
-
News
26 Jan 2022
Salesforce expands CRM maps for sales-team territories
New patterns for selling -- salespeople travel less and use more digital channels to meet with customers -- drive new map features for Salesforce Sales Cloud. Continue Reading
-
News
10 Jan 2022
IBM ports weather data to AWS Data Exchange feed
Marketers can now tap IBM's Weather Company data feed at the AWS Data Exchange. The question is, will they know how to use it proactively to execute timely campaigns? Continue Reading
-
Feature
29 Dec 2021
Why marketing personalization has yet to pay off
Forrester analyst discusses why personalization investments aren't paying off, what marketers can expect in 2022 in technology -- and in the job market. Continue Reading
-
News
02 Dec 2021
More marketing personalization from AWS, Pegasystems
AWS and Pegasystems add AI tools to their cloud offerings that enable deeper personalization and journey orchestration for marketers and e-commerce sellers. Continue Reading
-
News
20 Oct 2021
Twilio releases Engage marketing automation platform
Twilio's customer experience platform -- with the Segment CDP as a foundation -- adds a marketing component to its API-driven sales and service clouds popular with developers. Continue Reading
-
News
22 Sep 2021
Benioff: Salesforce-Slack merger supports hybrid workforce
Just 1,000 of the typical 180,000 Salesforce users attended Dreamforce 2021, but it was enough to get CEO Marc Benioff fired up about the future of hybrid work opportunities. Continue Reading
-
News
25 Aug 2021
Qualtrics adds BrandXM experience management tool
Qualtrics adds Brand Impact Simulator, which BrandXM users can use to model how changes in a customer experience might entice new customers to make purchases. Continue Reading
-
News
17 Aug 2021
Initial Salesforce-Slack integrations: Sales, service, marketing
Salesforce unveils the first Slack integrations. But it could be Slack Connect -- which extends Slack's reach outside the Salesforce user's organization -- that is the killer app. Continue Reading
-
News
03 Aug 2021
Salesforce automation strategy sharpens with acquisition
The CX giant plans to fold RPA technology from an acquisition into some of its platforms. The move comes after Microsoft and other big tech firms bought RPA vendors. Continue Reading
-
Tip
02 Aug 2021
5 popular revenue operations platforms to know
The right revenue operations platform can unite the sales and marketing teams and drive revenue growth. Continue Reading
-
Tip
03 Jun 2021
5 real-world multichannel marketing examples
Companies with effective multichannel marketing focus on brand reach, message, consistency, engagement and experience. It's important to meet customers on platforms they prefer. Continue Reading
-
News
24 May 2021
HubSpot embraces competitor CRM systems, adds RevOps features
With HubSpot Operations Hub, users -- typically small and medium-sized businesses -- can access cloud tools most often used by large enterprise sales teams. Continue Reading
-
News
14 May 2021
Salesforce rebrands CDP, adds marketing features
Salesforce finally calls its customer data platform a CDP with its latest release, adds marketer-friendly segmentation features and MuleSoft, Tableau integrations. Continue Reading
-
Feature
10 May 2021
7 benefits of a personalized marketing content strategy
Customers want companies to treat them as individuals, and personalized marketing can help accomplish that. Personalization can also improve customer retention and brand affinity. Continue Reading
-
Feature
30 Apr 2021
Apple iOS 14.5 App Tracking Transparency rewires martech
If your business strategy fully relied on iOS tracking for survival, your company was probably in trouble before 14.5 came out this week, marketing experts say. Continue Reading
-
Tip
30 Apr 2021
6 personalization software options to know in 2021
Personalization software enables marketing teams to customize experiences for customers. There are many options to choose from with varying capabilities. Continue Reading
-
News
16 Mar 2021
Salesforce users get Einstein ABM tools for Pardot
Salesforce adds Einstein AI tools for Pardot B2B account-based marketing to enable user sales teams to target entire customer account buying teams. Continue Reading
-
Tip
12 Mar 2021
Top 5 personalized marketing examples and their takeaways
Personalization is a marketing tactic that is easy to get wrong. Learn from the best with five examples of successful campaigns that used personalization. Continue Reading
-
Tip
10 Mar 2021
4 tips for creating a personalized marketing strategy
Companies must deliver relevant content and personalize their marketing strategies if they want to see an increase in revenue and brand loyalty. Continue Reading
-
Tip
01 Mar 2021
The future of personalization in marketing
One-size-fits-all messaging doesn't cut it anymore when it comes to CX. Companies need to personalize their experiences to keep up with the competition. Continue Reading
-
Tip
17 Feb 2021
10 lead scoring best practices to improve sales efficiency
Lead scoring helps sales and marketing teams identify which customers to pursue based on a points system. Lead scoring aims to develop sales-ready leads. Continue Reading
-
Feature
16 Feb 2021
Email marketing tools sustain old channel with personalization
Email is so 1990s. Yet as a marketing communications channel, it thrives into the 2020s with an assist from personalization technology and customer data platforms. Continue Reading
-
Feature
18 Dec 2020
Advanced upselling tactics, technologies expand bottom line
Upselling technologies that segment customers, predict buying habits, analyze emotions and target campaigns arm companies with the weapons to tap new revenue streams. Continue Reading
-
News
24 Nov 2020
Adobe CDP adds B2B-friendly features
Adobe CDP customers will get new features in 2021 that create workflows for marketing teams and connect to popular B2B marketing platforms -- starting with its own Marketo Engage. Continue Reading
-
Tip
17 Nov 2020
6 demand-generation strategies to drive business
Among the demand-generation activities to increase awareness of a business's products and services are creating buyer personas and investing in content creation. Continue Reading
-
Feature
11 Nov 2020
Customer data platform tools push personalization, privacy
Evolving CDPs help companies unify the flood of consumer data collected from disparate sources, resulting in better customer insights and compliance with privacy regulations. Continue Reading
-
News
10 Nov 2020
Adobe to acquire Workfront for $1.5 billion
Adobe plans to acquire Workfront for $1.5 billion to gain ground in the customer experience management market. Continue Reading
-
News
06 Nov 2020
Adobe forges data partnerships for Experience Platform
Adobe adds bidirectional feeds to Experience Platform to manage post-sale customer data from third-party sources such as customer service and loyalty program platforms. Continue Reading
-
Feature
02 Nov 2020
How to write a marketing email: 10 tips
There are a number of components that make up a compelling marketing email, including content readers want, photos and videos, calls to action and mobile optimization. Continue Reading
-
News
06 Oct 2020
Pega Value Finder marketing tool uses AI to find segments
The Pega Customer Decision Hub adds an AI tool for marketers to uncover new customer segments and test campaigns for audiences that humans may have written off as not viable. Continue Reading
-
Answer
29 Sep 2020
CDP vs. marketing automation: What's the difference?
CDPs and marketing automation software collect customer data, automate processes and increase efficiency, but they also have features that set them apart from each other. Continue Reading
-
Tip
28 Sep 2020
21 lead generation tools to fill the sales funnel
While live events are on hiatus, there are other tools that businesses can use to generate sales leads, such as email tracking, marketing automation and social media. Continue Reading
-
Tip
28 Aug 2020
4 e-commerce email marketing strategies to heed
Building a database, nurturing existing customers and using an email service provider are some e-commerce email marketing strategies to help businesses increase revenue. Continue Reading
-
Tip
26 Aug 2020
How businesses can align sales and marketing
Many organizations are moving away from siloed marketing and sales departments and instead choosing to work more closely, which can both grow a business and reduce costs. Continue Reading
-
News
03 Aug 2020
Adobe AI-based Predictive Audiences added to Marketo Engage
Adobe adds Predictive Audiences to Marketo Engage. The personalization tool is geared for users who manage marketing messaging to live and online event attendees. Continue Reading
-
Feature
29 Jul 2020
Combat event fatigue with a virtual event marketing strategy
Virtual events can be a great way to generate leads and improve customer retention -- but only when done right. Here are some ways that marketers can host a successful online event. Continue Reading
-
Tip
10 Jul 2020
9 strategies for email marketing segmentation
There are a number of strategies businesses can use to segment email marketing lists, including geographic location, purchase history, abandoned carts and forms, and gender. Continue Reading
-
Tip
01 Jul 2020
How to comprehensively personalize the customer experience
A personalization strategy can increase brand loyalty and customer retention by providing relevant content to customers when they need it. Here's how to get started. Continue Reading
-
Tip
29 Jun 2020
Here's how sales teams use AI to increase revenue
When a business incorporates AI into its sales processes, it may improve pricing optimization, contact analytics and forecasting, ultimately strengthening its sales department. Continue Reading
-
News
26 Jun 2020
Act-On now a growth marketing platform, launches upgrades
Act-On's product upgrades include a partnership with Zapier and enhancements to SMS and email messaging to customers, as well as new creation tools for edits on landing pages. Continue Reading
-
Tip
23 Jun 2020
Why hyper-personalization is an essential marketing strategy
Using AI to personalize marketing strategies can be a business's golden ticket to improved customer experience. As a result, hyper-personalized marketing is essential. Continue Reading
-
Tip
19 Jun 2020
10 ways to improve the customer experience today
Many organizations struggle with where and how to improve CX, as the focus shifts from CRM to customer experience. Here are 10 strategies to use for a successful journey. Continue Reading
-
News
17 Jun 2020
Magento e-commerce content tools get Adobe AI boost
Adobe connects its Product Recommendations engine to Magento Page Builder to give users a no-code AI tool that offers different products to different customer segments. Continue Reading
-
Tip
29 May 2020
4 tips for creating a content marketing SEO strategy
There are multiple components to a good SEO strategy, and it's important for businesses to stay plugged in and evolve with those strategies over time. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 May 2020
Brands focus on messaging, empathy in crisis marketing mode
There is no single way for businesses to approach marketing in a crisis, but no matter how they choose to address the situation, they must be sensitive to their customers. Continue Reading
-
News
20 May 2020
RevOps strategy keeps B2B sales moving during pandemic
Revenue operations purports to orchestrate the technologies governing marketing and sales and measure their effectiveness. During the pandemic, the strategy is put to the test. Continue Reading
-
News
30 Apr 2020
Live conferences shift to virtual events, yield surprising results
Digital events can't replace live conference experiences, but organizers who quickly shifted to virtual event platforms report surprising benefits and expect to use them long-term. Continue Reading
-
News
24 Apr 2020
Martech budgets slashed, more layoffs loom amid COVID-19
The COVID-19 economy has hit marketing jobs hard. As spending for advertising and martech stall, layoffs mount and still-employed marketers fear the worst. Continue Reading
-
Tip
22 Apr 2020
5 email marketing trends to follow in 2020
When done right, email marketing can reach the right customers and be engaging. Organizations should keep email design simple and easy to read and enclose a unique call to action. Continue Reading
-
Tip
27 Mar 2020
5 digital sales enablement tools to boost productivity
Sales enablement tools and processes can help sales agents be more productive. Some items in the toolbox include live chat, email automation and digital asset management. Continue Reading
-
News
13 Mar 2020
Direct mail automation spikes in wake of conference cancellations
Marketers are turning to CRM-ready e-gift and direct mail vendors to send postcards and swag boxes to prospective customers they would have met with at canceled conferences. Continue Reading
-
Feature
04 Mar 2020
4 ways to create an effective personalization strategy
Creating a personalization strategy can ensure that businesses offer the best possible experience to customers, with simple yet effective interactions. Continue Reading
-
News
27 Feb 2020
Aprimo partners with Templafy on digital asset management
The Aprimo Connector for Microsoft Office allows users to streamline data assets through a Templafy connector to applications like PowerPoint and Word. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 Feb 2020
5 terms to know before creating a sales enablement strategy
Sales enablement is important for companies to drive efficiency, maintain customer satisfaction and stay organized. Sales enablement uses different tools and strategies to do this. Continue Reading
-
Feature
25 Feb 2020
4 digital marketing best practices for businesses
Some digital marketing strategies for reaching customers include creating empathy and trust in marketing campaigns, personalizing content and having an omnichannel presence. Continue Reading
-
News
19 Feb 2020
Microsoft CDP leads 400-plus features in Dynamics 365 update
Microsoft's Dynamics 365 2020 Wave 1 release opens up the floodgates for outside data sources connecting to Customer Insights, its customer data platform. Continue Reading
-
Answer
13 Feb 2020
How does AI in sales improve staff performance?
AI can assist in many aspects of the sales process, including analyzing calls, making employees more productive and retaining talented representatives. Continue Reading