<img width="1" height="1" style="display:none;" src="//ib.adnxs.com/pixie?pi=da3765fe-b89e-4d68-a777-4ef35def16e2&amp;e=PageView&amp;script=0">
Oct 4, 2018 9:33:00 AM

Eight Agency-Recommended Tools For Analyzing Your Data - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPost written by Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

Good data is important for any business to have. What's even more essential is the ability to analyze and draw actionable insights from that data. Otherwise, that valuable information becomes nothing more than numbers on a spreadsheet.

There are tons of third-party tools and methods available to help you use your business data to its fullest potential, but with so many options, it's hard to know which ones to try. While you ultimately need to choose the solutions that work best for your business, the experts at Forbes Agency Council highly recommend the following based on experience.

Read More
Sep 27, 2018 12:28:00 PM

12 Strategies That Will Improve Your Account-Based Marketing Efforts - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPost written by Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

Marketing was once viewed as a "one size fits all" activity, where businesses broadcast the same message to every single customer. In recent years, marketers have gained access to a wealth of individual consumer data and insights, making it easier to personalize their efforts for maximum effectiveness.

In the business-to-business world, these personalized campaigns happen in the form of account-based marketing (ABM). By marketing individually to each client based on their needs, you can demonstrate your value and ultimately increase sales with that account.

Read More
Sep 18, 2018 9:34:00 AM

12 Important Storytelling Lessons That Came From Unexpected Places - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPost written by Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

One of the most important lessons a marketer can learn is how to tell a compelling story. It's a critical job skill if they want to effectively connect with and influence their audience; however, this skill isn't necessarily gained in the workplace. Sometimes, the most profound lessons about how to tell your story originate in the most unlikely of places.

We asked a panel of Forbes Agency Council members to share their top storytelling lessons learned from unexpected sources. From a high school orchestra to an equestrian workshop, here's what these seemingly unrelated experiences taught our experts.

Read More
Sep 12, 2018 9:36:00 AM

Fall Into Your Autumn Marketing Campaigns: 13 Ways To Get Ahead - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPost written by Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

With the season of long holiday weekends and summer vacations coming to a close, marketers are gearing up to launch their fall campaigns and move toward their Q3 goals. 
 
Despite those lazy, hazy days of summer, many teams have been hard at work all season preparing for upcoming autumn projects. That's because successful agencies know they should always be a season ahead. But with so much creative work to be done, it can be challenging to stay on top of current projects while looking ahead to the future.
 
Here's how 13 members of   Forbes Agency Council   recommend keeping your team organized and ready to tackle the new season well in advance.
Read More
Sep 6, 2018 1:42:00 PM

10 Ways Agencies Are Using VR And AR For Business - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPost written by Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

Virtual and augmented reality are two hot topics right now in marketing and business, and they're slowly making their way into the mainstream. Many people want to be a part of implementing exciting technologies like these but don't know where to start, especially in a business setting.

To help better understand how agencies are putting this tech to use, we asked members of the Forbes Agency Council how their companies do so. Their best answers are below.

Read More
Aug 28, 2018 9:01:00 AM

12 Planning Strategies To Keep Your Editorial Calendar On Track - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPOST WRITTEN BY: Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

Creating content has quickly become one of the core activities for most brands' marketing teams. Blog posts, social media, videos and other assets serve to establish a company's expertise while building trust and interest with their current and potential customer base.

As the demand for unique, original content continues to grow, the best way to keep up is a solid, well-organized editorial calendar. Whether it's a simple spreadsheet or a formal project management tool, planning out your content in advance can help you stay on top of long-lead deadlines for "evergreen" pieces. Here's how 12 Forbes Agency Council members recommend preparing for those deadlines on your editorial calendar.

Read More
Aug 10, 2018 9:02:00 AM

It's Time To Increase Transparency In Online Advertising

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recent article posted on Forbes.comWritten by  Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

 

Online advertising is a crucial component of the modern world. It’s how consumers get the help they need to make important purchasing decisions. Additionally, it’s also how businesses improve their chances of earning sustainable revenue streams. Unfortunately, shady practices in the digital environment have led to some controversy over how ethical certain online advertising solutions might be.

Read More
Jul 25, 2018 9:01:00 AM

17 Self-Promotional Marketing Tactics Agencies Should Stop Using - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPOST WRITTEN BY: Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

Modern marketers really have their work cut out for them. Consumers are savvier and have higher expectations than ever, and the traditional "hard sell" approach to advertising lost its effectiveness years ago.

Brands have caught onto this trend and adjusted their tactics accordingly, but the customer is still one step ahead: They know instantly when a company is attempting to win them over with disingenuous relationship-building tactics, and they simply won't fall for it anymore.

Instead of trying to trick people with "customer-savvy" strategies, brands should simply treat them as human beings and work toward forging authentic, valuable relationships. Here are some self-promotional tactics the experts at Forbes Agency Council recommend avoiding at all costs.

Read More
Jul 18, 2018 9:05:00 AM

Do You Know Your Brand Values? 13 Things To Consider When Taking A Stand - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPOST WRITTEN BY: Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

America is in the midst of a great cultural shift. At the center of this change is a new brand of social activism -- a technology-enabled wave of consumer consciousness and support for deeply-held values and beliefs, on all points of the political spectrum.

A new study by Backslash found that 85% of Americans participated in cultural protests in 2017, and, as author Mark Manson noted in the report, "everybody feels like their values are under attack." Brands need to tread very carefully in this type of social environment if they want to avoid alienating their customer base.

Read More
Jul 11, 2018 9:03:00 AM

Want To Prevent A Full-Blown PR Crisis? Follow These 12 Agency-Recommended Rules - Forbes.com

ExactDrive is excited to be included in a recently article posted on Forbes.comPOST WRITTEN BY: Tim Nichols, co-founder of ExactDrive Inc.

No brand wants to get bad press, but sooner or later, some negative feedback is bound to pop up. It might be a disgruntled customer complaining on social media or a review website, or a litigious employee suing the company for a perceived injustice. Either way, it's easy for an isolated incident like this to gather steam and explode into a full-blown public relations crisis.

While you can't prevent or predict unfavorable media attention, you can mitigate the damage and stop it from ruining your reputation by having the right preparation and response strategies in place. Follow this advice from 12 Forbes Agency Council members if you want to stop a massive PR crisis before it happens.

Read More