Blogs

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

While a marketer’s skills and expertise are critical to a campaign’s design and architecting process, for the sales funnel requiring a closer, marketers must turn to the experience of the sales and CSR teams to understand how they have historically—and successfully—converted leads to customers. If you, as a marketer, are asking the question, “How do I make sales do their job?” you are likely an organization where marketing and closers are firmly pitted against one another and conversations and collaboration are nonexistent. It’s a question that says much about how you see yourself and your department in the sales funnel. In this session, Cyndie Shaffstall explains how you can navigate the murky waters of sales and marketing collaboration for the good of the business.

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

2015 has become the year of the Digital Marketer. This holds true for professional salespeople and small business owners alike. To sell in a social media era, you must know and understand how to properly use social tools. The landscape for creating business relationships has also changed because of the way people connect and converse in social networks. Continue reading for Jasmine Sandler’s comprehensive, yet highly actionable presentation on the Best Practices for B2B Social Selling. You will walk away with knowledge of which are the best social channels for developing B2B sales relationships and why; how to meet the social buyer across his social media journey; and, how to craft, re-purpose and deliver target-engaging content in the social world.

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

Salespeople would love to believe that that their prospects are going to pick up the phone on the first call or reply to the first email. The reality is that rarely happens and a tight organized follow-up is critical to being successful. In this session, Chris Morra provides tips and tricks for making the most out of your follow-up efforts.

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

Finding the “perfect” service provider may seem like the cure-all for all of your email marketing objectives.  However, it’s critical to understand the impact and limitations of email service providers before investing in a particular service. Michael Kelly, Email Marketing Expert & Co-Founder of ClickMail Marketing, helps us understand why email service providers are a huge factor - but not the only factor - in your marketing campaigns. Join us as we discuss topics such as why switching email service providers will not fix deliverability problems, engagement problems, data problems, reporting issues, or unrealistic expectations.  Additionally, you will learn strategies for using tools other than your service provider to address these challenges.

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

Does your small business need to be on social media?  The answer is probably “yes.”  But what kind of social media activity is appropriate for you? Should social media take a priority position in your marketing planning?  Natascha Thomson, Social Media Marketing Consultant & Entrepreneur, answers these and other relevant questions, including: what social media channels you should be using; which tools can help manage your social media activity; how to measure success; how to predict costs of social campaigns; and how to understand the difference between social selling and social marketing. Continue reading for a simple framework to create your custom-designed social media marketing strategy for your SMB. Learn what can work for you and how to create real results!

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

Learn a step by step process for using Connect to map the who’s who at any company. In this session, Robert Wolfrum & Amanda Stam show you how to go from company name to intimate knowledge of all the key contacts that are important to you. The innovative approach can transform your career from tactical to strategic. No matter where you work or what you do you can amass and leverage an information base that others only dream about.

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

Email prospecting is different than your typical marketing automation program. It requires a different approach to messaging, targeting, and your technology stack. Josh Krafchin, online marketing veteran and Founder of CleverZebo, shows us proven tactics for yielding high quality first meetings with decision makers from your email prospecting efforts. Covered topics include recommended technology choices, requirements of an effective CTA, the keys to effective copy, timing of follow ups, and common mistakes to avoid when building your lists.

Missed out on ConnectCon this year but want to know what actually happens in Vegas? Get an insider's view with our new guest blogger series! This year, we picked a few attendees from the community to recap their experience at ConnectCon and share it with the community. Read below to find out what @HeadySteam1had to say about this year's event!

Missed out on ConnectCon? For the next few weeks, we’ll be posting session recaps from this year's industry leaders! Be sure to check the blog regularly for a summary and URL to the presentation.

Getting a prospective buyer to hear your pitch is no easy feat, so don't blow all that hard work once you get there!  Under-prepared, boring sales pitches that aren't relevant are a waste of your customers’ time and your own. Patrick Duggan, Strategic Sales Executive at Salesforce.com, shares his formula for creating successful customer pitches, and an insider's guide to what successful salespeople do differently.

What a week!  Monday marked the first day of our 3-day Data.com Connect annual event, dedicated to enabling Sales, Marketing and Recruiting professionals to do business better. Attendees from all over the country travelled to Las Vegas to network, learn, and share their experiences with using Connect, and spent most of the event at the fabulous Vdara Hotel.  We kicked off the day with a special luncheon to honor our most recent class of Connect Champions, and then began the night with a Welcome Reception for all attendees at Vice Versa, where members got to “connect” with our staff, reconvene with old buddies, and meet some new faces.  

Can you believe there are just a dozen days left until ConnectCon 2015?  Hope you’re all excited!  This week the Connect office has been filled with excitement, packing, and shipping all the gear that helps make the event possible.  We’ve got some great prizes and surprise goodies for all of you this year!

ConnectCon 2015 is only 33 Days away! Have you registered yet? It’s your last chance, so secure your spot now! Registration closes October 2nd at 11:59PM PST.

Why Should I Attend?

For the second year in a row, we are opening our annual event up to all Connect members.  Whether you just joined Connect yesterday or have been with us since Day 1, you’re sure to benefit from this year’s conference, full of learning sessions hosted by industry leaders, keynotes, giveaways and prizes, and networking opportunities.

You won’t want to miss our returning keynote speaker Tim Wackel, Founder of Wackel Group.  A ConnectCon veteran, Tim’s focus this year will be on helping you help your customers discover their true needs and meet their goals.  Learn how to foster thought-provoking dialogue with your clients, ask customized and important questions, use language to improve your customer relationships, and ultimately increase your sales revenue.  

The big event is just around the corner, and the Connect team is finalizing preparations for the member event of the year! Have you secured your spot yet?

Registration closes October 2nd! Save your spot today >

In less than six weeks the Connect team and members from across the country will descend on Las Vegas for the Connect event of the year. If you’ve been debating about attending, we have more than a few great reasons to convince you (or your boss) why you should register today.

1. Content: sessions from industry leaders packed with info you can easily and immediately begin benefiting from. Review the full agenda >

This month saw the last days of both our “Win Your Way to Vegas” and our the second chance, Rainmaker-only “Fly Me to Vegas” contests. Thanks to everyone who participated and for all your contributions!

“Win your Way to Vegas” winners

Every year we notice many of our conference attendees sharing news about ConnectCon on their social media channels. We decided to start a new contest to help reward you for spreading the excitement and letting your networks know about the event!  We hope that this contest will also help our current registrants learn more about the conference events, our speakers & sessions, and provide networking opportunities prior to Vegas.  

How fast have the last 12 week gone by?!?! Our final batch of weekly winners for Connect’s Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest are (drumroll, please)....

@LooseJam79@OuterPort7

For every 10 contacts whose title you update from now until September 3rd, you’ll receive one entry in our sweepstakes. The more contacts you update, the more entries you receive, the higher your chances of winning.* 

Calling all Rookie, Prospectors, Closers & Mavens!

There’s only one week left to get your adds in and qualify for our Win your Way to Vegas sweepstakes! Winners will fly to Vegas to attend our Connect’s annual member event, ConnectCon 2015 - all for FREE!

Can you believe it, there‘s only a week left for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens to get your adds in for Connect’s “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest?!? The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag this week are (drumroll, please)....

@briefcamp12
@DaffyImage77

Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens- only two weeks left to get your adds in for Connect’s “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest! The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag this week are (drumroll, please)....

@urbancadre81

@IFLYDELTA

Nine weeks down, three weeks to go! There’s still time to get your adds in for Connect’s “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens. The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag this week are (drumroll, please)....

@OmniHouse
@Tailwind

Window or aisle? Two lucky Rainmakers will be picking their seats on a FREE flight to ConnectCon 2015 when they win round 2 of our “fly me to Vegas” contest! 

I’m excited to announce the agenda for ConnectCon 2015 is now live on our event site!

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Keynotes from industry leaders Tim Wackel, founder of The Wackel Group; author and sales trainer, Steve Martin; and our own Michelle Huff, VP & GM, Data.com
• Sessions on email marketing, prospecting, cold calling, pitching, and social media 
• A user’s guide session for those new to or still getting to know Connect
• General sessions about the Connect roadmap and feature programs

Time’s flying - we’re just about at the halfway point in our “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens! The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag are (drumroll, please)....

@FrontTooth60

@snikerdoodle

The summer’s in full swing; picnics, hotdogs, sunshine, Amazon gift cards. Well, that is if you’re one of our lucky week 5 winners in the “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens! The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag are (drumroll, please)....

@EarlyCause45
@SusanEaton

I’m excited to announce the winners of the Rainmaker-only “Fly me to Vegas” contest!

In the Add category, winning a free flight to Las Vegas for ConnectCon 2015...

@TarheelUNC15

Our 5 runners up, winning some cool connect swag are:
@FancyAce93
@IdealHome99
@josh2415
@SweetTrip75
@walterjlg

Hopefully everyone's recovered from an overindulgence in 4th of July festivities! Don’t put those sparklers away just yet though, because we have something else to celebrate – the week four winners in the “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens! The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag are (drumroll, please)....

@longlane69

@BasicWedge55

Fourth of July is only a few days away, but here’s something to celebrate early – the third set of weekly winners in the “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens! The two lucky members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag are (drumroll, please)....

FairEase5

LostOven77

Our second weekly winners in the “Win Your Way to Vegas!” contest for Rookies, Prospectors, Closers, and Mavens have been chosen and the two lucky (and very active) members taking home a $25 Amazon gift card & some Connect swag are (drumroll, please)....

@OvalBatch1

@RapidSale78