It used to be that if you were going to make a large purchase like a piece of heavy duty machinery or a car, the information that influenced your decision the most was obtained from face-to-face interactions with sellers or info you learned at trade shows. But all that has changed as the Web has become the central hub of information. According to MarketingSherpa the information sources that have experienced the largest increase are virtual trade shows and events, search engines, and business info/news Web sites. These info sources play the most influential role on purchasing decisions ...

It's interesting to think about what makes your customers bail on you at the last minute. They've come 90% of the way by putting items in the shopping cart or filling out the majority of a contact form. But before they commit they've  gotten cold feet and jumped ship. One theory points to the unscrupulous troll of fear. There is the fear of wasting money, fear of mockery, and the fear of looking stupid. While I agree that fear does play a role, especially the fear of the unknown, I think there are more reasons behind customers lack of follow through. Failure to Convey What's In It for ...

The change in media consumption combined with a down economy have shifted the power further away from sellers and thrust more into the hands of the buyers. Consumers and decision makers have more voltage than ever before. Smart marketers are well aware of this fundamental shift and have and will continue adapting their strategic efforts to reflect this. Louis Gray, an innovative thinker, created the 10 Rules for Today's Consumers in a recent post on his blog. I've taken Louis' 10 Rules and applied them to how your customers may feel about your Web site or online presence. 1. We Want ...