Sales & Marketing Management - November/December 2007 - (Page 4)

the Editor’s Letter MICHAEL McCUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WWW.SALESANDMARKETINGMANAGEMENT.COM GROUP PUBLISHER DANIEL J. CORCORAN (646) 654-5107 (646) 654-7367, Fax Daniel.Corcoran@nielsen.com ADVERTISING SALES National Sales Director JASON WAFALOSKY (610) 792-2481 Jason.Wafalosky@nielsen.com Las Vegas Travel Sales Manager PETER V. EDMUNDS (714) 963-3499 Peter.Edmunds@nielsen.com Account Executive MIKE GANGEL (646) 654-5318 Mike.Gangel@nielsen.com It’s Business, Not Personal As a creative writing major in college, I always thought I’d be penning copy for mass consumption via books, TV or radio. But as fate would have it, I have been a trade press editor for most of my professional life,and I’m pretty glad things worked out this way. I think it’s a little less frustrating to serve the needs of a specific industry than it would be to chase the fickle whims of American consumers. That’s why I especially enjoyed my long visit with this month’s cover executive, Ralph Oliva. As the executive director of Penn State’s Institute for the Study of Busimal suit to trade shows.My company’s VP of sales told me how effective he thought it was because whenever people saw this monstrosity strolling around on the show floor, they thought of our competitor. In his eyes, that was good marketing. But what did it say about that company’s products or services? As a potential customer, I wouldn’t quite know what to make of such an off-the-wall approach. Communicating value takes a little more work and creativity, but if you truly have products and services that provide a competitive advantage, why would you want to weaken that message by focusing on outrageous stunts and corny humor? Contrary to popular belief, B2B marketing doesn’t have to be drab and boring. Oliva has a Doctorate in solid state physics, but talk to him for five minutes and you’ll be as impressed with his creativity and sense of humor as you are with his intelligence. Effectively selling to companies rather than consumers requires both art and science; combine them into a compelling pitch for your company and you’ll reap the rewards. I love funny commercials as much as the next person, but nothing makes me smile bigger than making the sale.So don’t be offended if people laugh at your witty slogan but buy from someone else. It’s business, not personal. MARKETING Group Marketing Director/Travel and Performance Group SHEREEN ABUZOBAA (703) 488-2809 Shereen.Abuzobaa@nielsen.com Marketing Director/Travel and Performance Group ROBERT KUWADA (646) 654-5159 Robert.Kuwada@nielsen.com Senior Marketing Manager JENNIFER PEPPER-STAM (646) 654-7263 Jennifer.PepperStam@nielsen.com PRODUCTION Group Production Director BERRYL SCHIFFER (646) 654-7302 Berryl.Schiffer@nielsen.com Production Director PHYLLIS JEFFERSON (646) 654-7297 Phyllis.Jefferson@nielsen.com TRAVEL AND PERFORMANCE DIVISION Group President BILL COOKE General Manager RHONDA LINOVITZ Sales & Marketing Management is published by Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Nielsen Business Media Chief Operating Officer: GREG FARRAR Senior Vice President, Human Resources: MICHAEL ALICEA Senior Vice President, Finance: DEREK IRWIN Senior Vice President, Travel, Performance & Marketing Services: WILLIAM J. COOKE Senior Vice President, Marketing & Media: SABRINA CROW Senior Vice President, Film & Performing Arts: JOHN KILCULLEN Senior Vice President, Music & Literary: JOHN KILCULLEN Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Planning: THOMAS KUCZYNSKI Senior Vice President, Retail: DAVID LOECHNER Senior Vice President, eMedia Strategy & Technology: LINDA McCUTCHEON Senior Vice President, Building Design: JOE RANDALL Senior Vice President, Central Services: MARY KAY SUSTEK Vice President, Licensing & Events: HOWARD APPELBAUM Vice President, Marketing Services: DREW DeSARLE Vice President/General Manager, Burrill Life Sciences Media Group, LLC: ZACHARY DICKER Vice President, Manufacturing & Distribution: JENNIFER GREGO Vice President, Audience Marketing: JOANNE WHEATLEY FINALIST FOR THE 2005 JESSE H. NEAL NATIONAL BUSINESS JOURNALISM AWARD FOR BEST SINGLE ISSUE, AND WINNER IN 2004 FOR BEST REGULARLY FEATURED DEPARTMENT WINNER OF NATIONAL AND REGIONAL EDITORIAL AWARDS AT THE 27TH ANNUAL AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BUSINESS PUBLICATION EDITORS AWARDS COMPETITION ness Markets,Oliva has spent years learning the best practices that drive B2B sales and marketing success. More than anything else, we talked about why so many companies fail when trying to communicate how their products and services deliver value to their customers. Earlier in my career I was director of marketing for a company whose competitor always brought an actor in a goofy ani- Michael McCue michael.mccue@nielsen.com www.salesandmarketing.com www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com 2004 WINNER OF TWO REGIONAL DESIGN AWARDS FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BUSINESS PUBLICATION EDITORS 4 SALES&MARKETING MANAGEMENT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 http://www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com http://www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sales & Marketing Management - November/December 2007

Sales & Marketing Management - November/December 2007 Contents Editor’s Letter Management Strategies What “Tell Me More,” Really Means Sales Strategy Marketing Management Motivation/Incentives Training Technology The Brains Behind the Brawn Are You a Bad Manager? Pipeline = Lifeline Feeling the Squeeze; The Foray Mobile Workmate; Seeking the Sights of Pittsburgh; Testing the Social Media Waters. Gadgets & Gear Books That Improve Strategic Thinking, People Skills and Sales Work/Life Take-Aways

Sales & Marketing Management - November/December 2007

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