Whether you run a state-of-the-art recording and engineering studio, sell and service everything from school band xylophones to concert-quality amps, are launching a solo project or group and it’s Billboard or Bust, or in any other way provide goods/services in the multi-billion dollar music industry, this much is undoubtedly true: the worst thing that can happen to your business is that you become the “best kept secret in your marketplace.”

Let’s start with this: peer to peer marketing isn’t new. In fact, it’s ancient and probably goes back to the time when cavemen recommended saber-tooth tiger attack insurance to their neighbors.

And closer to our era, celebrity endorsements are also a form of peer to peer marketing, with companies seeking to associate their brand with a personality – and ultimately drive sales.

As you make your way across the inbound marketing landscape, you’ve likely come across the phrase “editorial calendar” a few times -- and may be wondering what the heck this is, and if it means that you need to start wearing one of those old fashioned editor's outfits (you know, those wacky green eyeshade hats, pinstripe shirts with rolled up sleeves, pencil behind your ear, etc.).

If you’re in charge of marketing in an environmental services company, we’d like to offer you our sincere condolences. In fact, if we could, we’d give you a hug, a bowl of soup, and wrap you in one of those shock blankets that the paramedics use. We know what you’re going through.

Ask any elite athlete about how they consistently out-perform their peers and they’ll invariably all say the same thing in one way or another: it’s all about the game plan. 

What they mean is that their success isn’t dependent on their ability to execute or their world-class athleticism. It’s their approach and preparation to their craft – a.k.a. their game plan – that makes all of the difference. It tells them everything they need to know about moving forward: what to do, how to do it, when to do is, and even why to do it. Without a game plan, they’re just guessing. With a game plan, they’re on a mission!

There are essentially two kinds of online marketing out there today: targeted online marketing and un-targeted online marketing.

As the owner of a digital marketing company and a HubSpot Platinum Agency Partner, it comes as no surprise that I help business owners and marketing managers understand what inbound marketing is, and how it differs from traditional outbound marketing, on a daily basis. Learning the differences between inbound marketing and outbound marketing is truly the key to business success in this digital age. The way consumers find products and services is changing so we have to change the way we market to our potential customers. With that being said, let’s jump right into the specifics:

Today’s manufacturers are facing an enormous, and frankly daunting series of marketing challenges that are more than enough to keep sales executives, managers and specialists up at night worrying about the future. These challenges include: 

The ancient sage Lao Tzu observed that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (and perhaps with some light stretching first).

As a content marketer, you know how important it is to get ahead of the curve, and see what your peers are thinking, doing, advising, and warning.