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How To Help Your Client Figure Out Their Customer Acquisition Cost

In the business world, counting costs is all part of the game, there's no way around it. Whether it's the cost of paper clips, replacing chairs or buying new computers, every dime you spend can make or break your bottom line. Some of these costs are easy to calculate but others... not so much.

The cost of customer acquisition (COCA) or more commonly known as the customer acquisition cost (CAC) falls into the "not-so-easy to calculate" category because the process involves more than just reading the price tag.

Whether you're a business owner, a marketing agency or a B2C company looking to better inform your clients, the more you know about CAC and how to calculate it, the better off you'll be!

Okay, I know what you're thinking... it's hard enough to keep up with all the business acronyms and now they expect me to learn a formula to go with it?? But stop worrying, that's why we're here!

Topics: Startups

Chat Software for Agencies

How are you connecting with your colleagues in the workplace? You could stop working, get up and walk to their station to interrupt what they’re doing to talk to them. Or, you could incorporate internal chat software throughout your organization.

Topics: Apps

Halloween Costume Ideas For Marketers

Time is running out as it draws closer and closer to Halloween. You want to go out to a friends costume party but can't think of any costume ideas. Don't try to squeeze into that Robin Hood or Cinderella costume you got 10 years ago. Instead, consider one of these 10 Halloween costumes for marketers and let your creativity shine! 

Topics: Creative

Marketing Automation Strategy: Over 100 Ideas

Marketing automation has been gaining traction lately. Not because it’s trendy and fun, but because marketing agencies who use the technology properly see noticeable upticks in their lead conversion, forecasting and customer segmentation. Marketing automation relies on software or other technologies to help organizations adopt an “autopilot” approach to engaging their audience across various platforms.

This process is by far the best way to nurture leads and lessen the chaos and inconsistency that’s often caused by managing things by hand. With marketing automation, you can improve the quality of your leads and close deals without manhandling bulk emails or posting incessantly on social media platforms.

Topics: Content Marketing

Tips For Writing A Great Meta Description

First, let's take a look at what a meta description is..

A meta description is a (generally) short paragraph that gives a brief (or not so brief) explanation of the website or blog. They are most commonly used on search engine result pages (SERPs) to display a preview of any given page. 

Topics: Culture

The DSM Group Internship: What Surprised Me The Most

It's not everyday you come across a marketing agency like The DSM Group, but let me tell you, when you do... you should definitely stick around!

My name is Caitlyn (I go by the nickname Smalls in the office), and I'm one of the newest interns here. The DSM Group internship program has definitely offered me a very different learning experience.

I can honestly say that this past month has been full of surprises and I'm about to let you in on all the secrets of The DSM Group. Here's what surprised me the most during my first month interning here!

Topics: Culture

What Coaching Kids Football Taught Me About Running An Agency

As the founder and CEO of The DSM Group, a full-service agency in Bergen County, I'm typically pressed for time. However, I've carved out enough time over the past years to serve my community as a youth football coach. I've always wanted to coach kids in the context of athletics but I didn't anticipate that doing so would actually help me run my agency.

Topics: Culture

How To Run A SWOT Analysis For Your Marketing Agency

Do you want to maximize your marketing agency's potential for success? (Of course you do!) We suggest that you start off by positioning yourself accordingly. One way to accomplish this is to do a SWOT analysis on your marketing agency.

While the name SWOT may sound like something to chase away gnats, it’s actually an acronym that stands for “Strengths,” “Weaknesses,” “Opportunities” and “Threats.

This method is one of the easiest ways for you to analyze the internal and external factors that can affect your marketing agency’s future performance as well as help you plan for and accomplish future goals.

Topics: Marketing

8 Inbound Marketing Blog Posts That Were Ahead Of Their Time

When the concept of inbound marketing hit the scene, people laughed at forward-thinking business owners who toiled over their websites, blogs and social media pages. The in-your-face marketing of yesteryear has dwindled down but so many are still unaware of what makes inbound marketing tick and where it is headed.

But here's what we found: The most effective and savvy inbound marketers study industry trends and think ahead. The authors of these inbound marketing blogs didn't need a crystal ball to leverage what they learned from trend-tracking.

Clearly, their takes on the direction of content, lead generation, social media and other inbound marketing tactics were way ahead of their time. Check them out!

Topics: Inbound Marketing

Inbound Marketing Agency Names & The Stories Behind Them

Coming up with a name for your inbound marketing agency can be a challenge.

Several inbound marketing agencies have shared their stories with us on how they decided their names. 

Some agency names are creative, have a special meaning or just state what their expertise is. But one thing that holds true for all of them is that they are all unique. 



Topics: Culture

Inbound Marketing: 50 Best Slideshare Presentations

Inbound marketing has flipped the script and now the customer is in control of the type of marketing messages they see and hear.

If your business is slow to embrace inbound marketing, it’s missing out on the opportunity to earn big. Especially if you're a marketing agency, you should jump on board (we did and it's great!)

Learn all you need to know about inbound marketing with these 50 informative Slideshares.
Topics: Inbound Marketing

Basecamp vs. TeamworkPM: Our 2015 Review

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the main event of the night…In the red corner we have Basecamp, and its opponent in the blue corner is TeamworkPM. We've updated this review to include stats as of October 2014, which should give it value well into 2015.

A review of Basecamp and TeamworkPM is important if you want to determine which project management software best suits your agency's needs. In this matchup, you'll see that Basecamp handles project management and that it focuses mainly on collaboration and communication, while TeamworkPM was created to allow you to run your business in a much leaner manner, especially when your existing software is too basic.

Let the battle begin...Ding, Ding.

Topics: Agency Life

How to Learn Inbound Marketing: 20 Epic Resources

Word on the street is that inbound marketing is the new black in the marketing world. Problem is, inbound marketing wasn’t (and still isn't) taught in school. So how can you learn this great, fantastic, cool, lead generating, innovative marketing style?

Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of the top 20 best resources on the internet that will help you learn the ins and outs of inbound marketing.

You can find the resources grouped together by: 

  • Courses
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • E-books.
Try a few or try them all and start building a better marketing plan for your business.
Topics: Inbound Marketing

Marketing Agency Social Media Mistakes: The Bottom 20

Marketing agencies everywhere are hopping on the social media bandwagon. It's a very powerful marketing tool, but you don't want to be the marketing agency caught using it in the wrong way.

Over and over again, the same mistakes are being made on popular social media sites and it's costing these marketing agencies their prospective clients.

Well thankfully, we're here to help you kick these bad habits. Listed below are the 20 most common social media mistakes marketing agencies are making. Let's just hope you aren't one of them! Check out our list of The Bottom 20.

Topics: Social Media

Yellow Page Ad Statistics in 2015: What Your Client Needs To Know

Do you remember the Yellow Pages? The huge yellow book that had more information that you knew what to do with... yea, that one. But then ask yourself this, "When was the last time I actually looked at it?" 

The Yellow Pages, just like many other things, is becoming obsolete. It once was a great place to advertise your business, but not so much anymore. Other bigger and better ways to market a business came about, like the Internet and search engine optimization, for example. 

Topics: Marketing Content Marketing

Marketing Calendar 2015

Having trouble coming up with marketing content for the upcoming year? Need a little help making a marketing calendar that fits with your company’s vision? Check out our 2015 Marketing Calendar to get a head’s up on all upcoming holidays and events.

While everyone is making their New Year’s resolutions to get back into the gym or finally quit that nasty habit, think about what you can do to improve your business. Just like any successful resolution, planning is key. Maybe offer a spring kickoff promotion or simply wish your customers a Happy Independence Day. 

There are events for every day of the year, and you’re likely to find great ways to connect with your customers!

Topics: Marketing

How To Hire The Best PR Agency

So you're looking to hire the best public relations agency in New Jersey, but might be a little stuck as to where to begin. Well you've come to the right place!

It's not easy and we get it! It's a lot more than just searching for a PR agency; you're looking for a close partner.

Working with the best PR agency in New Jersey is a key ingredient for a successful marketing program.

Here's how we're going to help... Listed below are the 20 best questions to ask a public relations agency in your search for finding the best one.

Topics: Public Relations