Paying for Performance

We're on Hiatus

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:53:38 GMT

"We're on Hiatus"

Hi, everyone. The Paying for Performance team is taking a short break for a few weeks and returning soon. Thanks for your continued support!

Podcast - Educational Resources for Web Marketers

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:36:07 GMT

"Podcast - Educational Resources for Web Marketers"

(46 MINUTES)

Move over MarketingSherpa because here comes MarketMotive and HowCast. Never heard of 'em? Most haven't so don't feel bad! Let's talk discover and critique new educational resources for Web marketers ranging from certification programs to Webinars. Let's examine those 'dirt world' conferences that offer top notch educational opportunities. Listen in to the gang's candid assessments of what rocks and what sucks in the world of education for e-marketers & e-commerce professionals.

- What makes one conference better than another?
- How can you best go about selecting conferences... or what ROI methods should be used to measure them?
- What makes one Webinar and/or online conference better than another?
- What are some of the newer, lesser known, yet high quality resources out there?

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Thanks to Joe Yaker for writing in this week:

"I listened to the podcast -- It was very good. In fact, I listened to a couple of the previous podcasts and was probably up until 2am. Your discussion panel is quite knowledgeable. I'm looking forward to listening to more shows as they're published."

Paying for Performance - Lead Generation at Leadscon

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:19:10 GMT

"Lead Generation at Leadscon 2008"

(30 MINUTES)

The gang was tied up with travel and work this week with Lee the "Lead Man" Gientke and Jeff Molander attending Leadscon. We intended to record at the show but things were really hopping! So... on Saturday we decided to quickly re-cap the newest of performance marketing conferences for listeners. Join us as we give you the skinny on Jay Weintraub's Leadscon which took place this week in Las Vegas. Also, don't miss Brook Schaaf's take on the event. Lee and I look forward to meeting YOU at the NEXT Leadscon!

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We’ll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - Trending Toward Profit

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:21:48 GMT

"Trending Toward Profit"

(45 MINUTES)

Let's face it -- in the digital marketing world, there are as many trends as there are points on a compass. Every time I turn around it's a new press release or blog proclaiming a new shift in the tectonic digital plates. Better watch out! Better pay attention or your lunch will get eaten! It's not Web 2.0 anymore it's 3.0... no it's "conversational marketing"... wait, no it's "consumer empowerment"... wait they're not "consumers" anymore they're "producers!" UGH! Trend watching can be a great hobby but it's more likely to distract us from good business -- getting things done.

That stated, we DO need to keep ourselves educated and with an ear to the track. Digital does move fast and users of digital adopt quickly but in ways that are highly predictable if you think about it. In the words of 'alternate reality' advertising guru, Brian Clark, "It was never about the computers. It was never about the applications. It was never about the sales channels. The Internet was always about the people, which is why email, IM, multi-player gaming and similar developments have always been the "killer apps" of the social Web." In the words of Deborah Schultz, "Technology changes, people don't." So what's all the noise about? More importantly, what are the trends that we should NOT be watching or investing our time in? Where does the digital marketing/ad industry house its most well-crafted hooey? Let's separate the wheat from the chaff and decide on what trends aren't worth our time.

Join us!

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Happy Easter from All of Us to All of You

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:05:22 GMT

"Happy Easter!"

From the Paying for Performance Gang

Wishing you a peaceful, restful Easter Holiday. We'll be back next week!

Jeff, Michael, Lorrie, Lee and Amanda

Millennials Fact, Fiction, Freakout

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:17:56 GMT

"Millennials Fact, Fiction, Freakout"

(43 MINUTES)

A new breed of American worker is challenging everything the old guard holds sacred: from giving orders, to dress codes. They are called "millennials." According to media reports, there are about 80 million of them — born between 1980 and 1995, and they're rapidly taking over from aging baby boomers. For the most part, they were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers… or all winners. They're given trophies just for participating and they think that a business-as-usual ethic is a waste of time. They have little time for employers with old school thinking and rules.

Corporate America is so unnerved by all this that they're hiring consultants to teach them how to deal with this generation -- one that only takes "yes" for an answer. The workplace has become a psychological battlefield. The millennials seem to have the upper hand. Why? They're are tech savvy, with every gadget imaginable almost becoming an extension of their bodies. They multitask, talk, walk, listen and type, and text. And their priorities are simple: THEY come first.

So who are these people and is what we hear in the media really true? To what degree and to what degree is this being over-sensationalized? What ARE the expectations of the people entering our workforce and are they out of line with those who are in need of hiring them?

Joining is special guest, Sam Harrelson!

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - The Social Media Job Market

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:16:48 GMT

"The Social Media Job Market"

(35 MINUTES)

The job market for social media and marketing is taking off. Yet what the hell is social media to begin with and are marketers well-equipped to staff up and get the job of.... of... uhh... what's the task at hand again? Oh yes -- "Engage, Engage!" Today, "customer empowerment" is the new buzz term -- supplanting "word-of-mouth" and "buzz" marketing. What is this all about anyway and, more importantly, how can a business owner or marketing steward actually hire talent to get the job of engaging and empowering done? Should they hire talent?

Marketers are being told to 'engage' their customers, form digital communities and participate in a 'conversation' in highly 'authentic' ways using this thing called social media. Problem is 'social' isn't clearly defined and appears to have serious interdisciplinary considerations -- it seems to straddle PR, mar com, promotions, customer service just to name a few. Marketers seem ill-equipped to get the job done on the strategic (organizational) and tactical (human resources) sides. Social marketing is emerging and marketers are practicing as they pioneer. They're trying to chase down customers that are increasingly immersed in all things digital.

But is what we're talking about marketing at all... really? Do customers really want honest-to-goodness 'relationships' with marketers or do they just want more control over what and how they buy or consume? A new breed of social media agencies and service providers claim to have all the answers and, yes, they've convinced a good number of marketers to steam ahead rather blindly. But we know better.

So how should an organization go about hiring social marketing staff?

How should they organize and staff up?

Is it too early to even talk about this kind of thing for most companies and if so why?

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - Episode 8

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:38:47 GMT

"Tips and Tricks to Get S*!% Done in a Hyper-Connected World"

(43 MINUTES)

I once worked for a CEO who called it "GSD" -- Getting Shit Done. Everyone on the team of our startup Web marketing company had to come up with our own systems to GSD each week. For me that meant creating systems that kept me focused and productive. It also meant being able to close the deal -- earning commitment from clients.

Much like we're always selling we're always needing to GSD to earn our keep -- whether we're working for ourselves or for others as employees.

This week I asked the gang -- a group of successful professionals -- to reveal their secret sauce behind the systems they use (the games they play with themselves) to keep on track while at home, at the office (or at this thing called a "home office").

How do you manage priorities? What decision-making process do you use in a hyper-connected, always on world where everything seems to be a priority? How do you actually Get Shit Done each week? Do you GSD?! What are common hurdles that must be cleared and how do you clear them?

What are some good resources for people who are seeking help in getting organized and Getting Shit Done in their lives?

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - Episode 7

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:24:19 GMT

Paying for Performance - Episode 7

"How to Create Good a Web Site That Sells"

(30 MINUTES)

Here's what I posed to the gang this week: Give me an ugly Web site and I'll give you a winner! Sure, brains like Rex Briggs tell us that "What Sticks" is what sells but at the end of the day, it's not about ideas and positioning -- it's about execution and getting people to dig deep. The buck stops with people and Web sites that SELL by convincing people to instinctively slap down the charge card and push BUY IT NOW.

As I see it... on the Web, the uglier the site the better it sells. Yet is it myth or is it true? If it's true how is it that these single pages filled with text and an occasional audio or video testimonial are sooooo ugly yet wildly effective? Heck, what is "good design" or a "good user interface?" Is it changing? Do "human-computer interaction" gurus like Jakob Nielsen hold the answers? Are there multiple best practices and how can one choose which is right for them?

Let's try to understand the choices. Let's figure how to actually make the Web design decision -- whether you're building their own Web site, using a template or outsourcing it to a tech-savvy helper. What is the process of creating a "good Web site" that sells?!

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying For Performance - Episode 6

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:59:16 GMT

"Everyone Sells: It's Just a Question of How Well!"

(37 MINUTES)

For most people, the word "salesperson" gives them the willies. It nearly implies deceit. Why? We ALL know what it's like to be pitched and pitched poorly. Yet in today's work environment -- no matter what industry we work in -- we are always selling. It permeates our daily lives and is programmed into our subconscious habits. Don't believe me? You have to convince your boss that it's ok for you to take a week off; you have to get your colleagues to support a project or you have to convince a company to use your company. Heck, if you're single and out at the bar you're pretty much selling! See, I told ya so. But there ARE different approaches out there -- some more effective than others. What's the secret sauce? I might suggest to you: authenticity or connecting emotionally. Is this, in fact, what's behind Microsoft's $45 BILLION attempt to woo Yahoo?

Bottom line is YOU are, indeed, a brand. Sounds trite but it's worth considering -- since we live in an increasingly "marketing-oriented" world. You may think you're 'above all that selling nonsense'. Selling is for dummies who didn't go to college and can't do anything else, right? Wrong! We all MUST sell and sell well to live fulfilled lives.

This week the gang discusses/debates how to...
- Improve our batting averages with person-to-person selling
- Understand the secret sauce that GOOD sales people have (those who have remarkable influence)
- Get are arms around what constitutes "a Web site that can sell"

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - Episode 5

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:16:41 GMT

"New Social Marketing, New Engagement Measures: Or Is This All Useless Hype?"

(35 MINUTES)

The Internet is every direct marketer's dream. Users'/customers' actions can be defined, measured, saved and compared with ease. Many companies intuitively understand they have gobs of data available to them -- yet few actively collect it or they've constrained their data gathering to revenue generating paths. This is Web Analytics 101. But in today's world of social media, conversational marketing and user generated content, might merchants be missing something? How deep down the rabbit hole should one go with analytics and is revenue generation really the Holy Grail?

There are many things users do that relate back to a merchant in a non-revenue producing, yet beneficial, way. They may post on their Facebook profile they bought from Company X. They may write a blog... or leave a review about a product on the merchant's site. Some are calling this "consumer engagement" and while it is non-revenue producing, they suggest this kind of activity should be collected and measured. Why? By analyzing THIS kind of data a merchant will be able to better nurture prospects, identify key "mavens and connectors" -- consumers who influence other people's purchases. The gang helps listeners answer questions like:
* What are the tech and people obstacles marketers face if they track "consumer engagement"?

* What about in the lead-gen space? If a mortgage broker buys a lead, how should he/she interact with the data? How does standardization fit it?

* Is all this tracking necessary? Can -- and do -- merchants get a big enough lift to justify the costs?

* At what point does this "devaluation" of hard-core direct marketing ROI begin to promote "old fashioned", somewhat sloppy, advertising practices?! OR are new "holistic" measures and analysis practices in order?

Share your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip here on our blog! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - Episode 4

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:20:58 GMT

"Recession, Layoffs & Salary Cuts - Oh My!"

(34 MINUTES)

In light of all the news about salary cuts, layoffs, market fluctuations and general economic slow-down this week the gang discusses 'what's next for digital marketing & media?' Who will win, who stands to lose and how will the landscape change -- if at all?

Paying for Performance - Episode 3

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:22:26 GMT

"Social Media & Marketing: Where's the Beef?"

(31 MINUTES)

In light of a venture capital investment valuing social media 'bling service' Slide.com at a half billion dollars AND research indicating trust of search engines is declining, the gang discusses trust on the Web and the elements that feed into it: authenticity. What do the social aspects of the Web mean to marketers? What's the opportunity at a strategic and tactical level? The Web turns out to be experiential after all -- perhaps more than anything else.

Email us at jeff@jeffmolander.com and with feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips or saucy gossip! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying For Performance - Episode 2

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:38:59 GMT

Social Media Goliaths Ink Pact: What's Next for Web Users & Marketers?"

(34 minutes)

The gang discusses the implications of major social and business networking media players getting together (Plaxo, LinkedIn, Google, Sixapart, Facebook, Flickr, etc.). What does this mean for Web users? Marketers? Does it mean anything at all? Also, are teens the "super communicators" they appear to be?

Don't miss Jeff getting slapped with his own big wet sock at the end!

eMail us at jeff@jeffmolander.com with your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips, saucy gossip! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.

Paying for Performance - Episode 1

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:34:48 GMT

"Walmart Providing Search Marketing Services & Sears.com Privacy Debacle"

(32 MINUTES)

The gang discusses the implications of Walmart (via Sam's Club Online Services) extending its services to small business owners -- by entering the search marketing support business. As well, Sears.com partners up with comScore to distribute its application in very sneaky ways (a la spyware) and exposes customer purchase data to anyone who wants it.

eMail us at jeff@jeffmolander.com with your feedback, comments, suggestions, news tips, saucy gossip! We'll consider sharing it with listeners on our next program.