Technology Marketing by Tatum MarketingJust another WordPress weblog

It’s Thanksgiving week here in the US and like most Americans I’m thinking about all the things I’m thankful for. Naturally, the first things that pop to mind feature my family and friends. But there are a few marketing and business-related subjects for which I am genuinely happy. May not something I’d share with the loved ones around the table on Thanksgiving Day, but you might find them relevant.

Here’s my list.

• Awesome clients. At Clicks ‘n Conversions I have the privilege of working with truly remarkable people and their truly remarkable products. The intelligence, curiosity, talent and just plain goodness of our clients are energizing enough to get me up every morning eager to face the day. Working together with our clients and their products, we’re able to regularly and predictably produce the kind of results that put a smile on your face and let you sleep well at night. Thanks to all of you – you know who you are!
• Great team. If you ever want to make sure your business doesn’t get stale, just partner with someone young enough to be your son or daughter. (Maybe they really are your son or daughter). My business partner, Andy, has not only brought a 20-something successful entrepreneur’s view of marketing and business to my world, he’s assembled a world class team of experts and support staff to help us help our clients. Thanks Andy. And thanks Mona, Karen, Louie, Eric, Erica, Nina and Rizaldy!
• Transparency. Gone are the days when marketing performance was about as transparent as black magic. The curtain has lifted and now any marketer – no matter how small or how inexperienced or how rushed for time – can get a crystal clear view of what is happening with their marketing investment. I think accountability makes us all do a better job. Not sure who to thank for this one, but I’m thankful anyway.
• Data-Driven Decisions. As much as I hate math (and I really hate math), the ability to use numbers to guide marketing decisions has completely changed the way we market products. It has removed the “opinion” card from the table. We now have an opportunity to see – in nearly real time – what potential customers respond to best. As a result, we spend less time in meetings discussing what might work, and more time delivering measurable improvements to our clients. For this I thank the internet, Google Analytics and even the recession.
• Audio books and MP3 files. The amount of information we all must digest on any subject that remotely interests or affects us is astonishing. Even those of us who really like to read (and I count myself among them) have a hard time keeping up. With audio books, I can listen to the latest from the world’s great and near-great minds while I walk our dogs, sit in traffic or just try to ignore the people around me. Thank you audible.com, Apple and whoever invented the MP3 format.
• Social Networking. The truth is – like many of you – I get bored easily. If marketing was the same old same old all the time I’d have changed careers by now. But it’s not. And just as the internet changed how we relate to customers, social networking is doing the same thing all over again. Keeps us on our toes! Thank you Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and all the rest.
• Blog readers.  And last but certainly not least I thank the folks who read this blog. We share a common interest and it’s great to know you’re out there. Thank you all.

Whatever you’re doing this Thanksgiving. Whether you celebrate it or not. I hope you find many, many things to for which to be thankful.

P.S. If you’re reading this from the TM RSS feed, please go to the Clicks ‘n Conversions blog and subscribe there. The Tatum Marketing feed is going to cease to exist soon. Thanks!