Wow! This is the hardest blog post I've had to start so far. Why? I have not written a blog post for Coombs Marketing in a year!! So, I ask myself why that is? How is it that others can post monthly, weekly, and even daily and I can't get one out in a YEAR for our business? I have however written many blog posts for clients this year. I'm sure we are not the only agency that neglects themselves when they get busy, or even convinces themselves that there's no time to write a post. And, the best way to nuture existing customers and gain new ones, is to put out valuable information that they can use. So here goes...I decided to break the writer's block and go for it. Let's call it Coombs Marketing's New Years Resolution. You can track how well we do with it.

This has been one of the quieter weeks of 2015.  Phones aren't ringing and emails are not flying at their normal daily rate!  This has given me time to think about the year (as many of us do at this time!)  I am thankful for so many things that we experienced and learned over the year. 

Year 2 of Katie Coombs, Director of Awesome, working with Mom and Dad. We have watched her grow as a talented marketer, with an eye for design, a HubSpot power user, and a great Inbound Marketer.  She has figured out how to maneuver the all powerful OZ of software to make it sing for our clients and for us!  She's now working on version 2 of "this" generation of Coombs Marketing's website!  (Some of you might remember other versions of Coombs Marketing websites, since our first one in 1997. Yes, we had a website before Google did!)

The year has brought a new group of clients that we really appreciate working with. Most are in Rochester, NY, so the ...

KPIs to watch in 2016 and why!

Now that the holiday dust has settled, I'm looking toward 2016 with an "analytical eye."  My thoughts turn to a new year of strategic marketing/sales campaigns. 

Any rational marketing/sales strategy needs to have a clear goal and be measured. Does it work? Is there a better way?

How do you know if you don't measure?

The right "sales approved" Key Performance Indicators (KPI) sharpen the strategic marketing plan. You probably don't have an actionable marketing plan... if you don't have clear KPI's that the the sales team REALLY aligns with.

Your website should be as effective as your best sales person.

Every business is different. But not THAT different. Here are a few KPI's for the "hub" of most good digital marketing: Your website. Your website should be as effective as your best sales person. Everyone who is interested in your ...

At Coombs Marketing we describe our inbound methodology as a “crockpot” not a “microwave” solution.

Inbound Marketing is not a solution that will pull a company that needs “quick sales” out of a crisis.  But, it is an essential solution for solid companies that want to grow in a sustainable way.

This means being a healthy company, which includes three critical approaches for marketing and sales: