According to recent reports, local SEM resellers targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face steep challenges stemming from high advertiser churn rates. SEM done right is a proven tool, so what's the real issue: Are these companies evaluating the right metrics? Have they been educated on what to look for?

Lead quality trumps lead quantity. These and other trends were uncovered by our fourth annual Industrial Marketing Trends Survey. Also key: 48% of industrial marketers are shifting a greater percentage of their budget online.

Want to double returns from your lead generation? It's simple: just identify your MVPs and focus your conversion marketing on them. Who are MVPs? They are your Most Valuable Prospects. They are like the best customers you have now or the ones you wish you had. They have the highest lifetime value to your business, and getting more of them would mean a major bump in your margins. And with the right blend of segmentation and lead generation technique, you can find them and convert them cost-effectively.

The new realities of our current economy have impacted many sectors, and the changes make it more important than ever to market smarter. Based on research into market trends and feedback from our customers, here are recommendations to achieve marketing success for the rest of 2009. All of these recommendations have something in common: better decision-making when it comes to marketing choices.