MarketingSherpa’s New Benchmark Guides Offer Budget Planning Help

Warren, RI, September 29, 2008 --(PR.com)-- During an economic downturn, businesses are often quick to slash their marketing budgets. However, with the right marketing plan, savvy marketers can capitalize on this opportunity and take market share from their competitors. MarketingSherpa, a research firm publishing Case Studies and Benchmark data for marketing professionals, announced the release of four new Benchmark Guides that will help companies bring focus to their marketing efforts.

MarketingSherpa’s guides (http://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/marketing_plan?9642) will provide practical research-based help for marketers in the midst of planning their 2009 marketing budgets:

· 2009 Search Marketing Benchmark Guide
· 2008 Online Advertising Handbook + Benchmarks
· 2008-09 Business Technology Benchmark Guide
· 2009 Email Marketing Benchmark Guide

MarketingSherpa Publisher Todd Lebo said: “If marketers want to flourish regardless of the economy, they need to justify each and every marketing tactic. There is a surprising amount of change in how companies plan to spend their marketing dollars in 2009. These four books will bring clarity to the budgeting process, and give marketers that edge they need to succeed during this rough economy. MarketingSherpa created these books to help marketers justify spending by tactic, and evaluate their budgets in relation to current economic conditions. These books will help companies compare budget allocations with the rest of the market, as well as plan new programs for 2009 based on actual trends.”

Here’s a look at the four new Benchmark Guides from MarketingSherpa:

· The 2009 Search Marketing Benchmark Guide is the biggest ever, with 1,928 search marketers surveyed and research from more than 50 respected sources. The 275 pages include 170 all-new charts, 45 new tables, 12 eyetracking heat maps, six real-world Case Studies, 15 images, and more. In addition, the 2009 Search Marketing Benchmark Guide provides the top five insights for the coming year. Download the executive summary at: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/exs/Search09Excerpt.pdf .

· The 2008 Online Advertising Handbook + Benchmarks is designed to make sure marketers maximize the effectiveness of their online advertising. The 2008 Online Advertising Handbook + Benchmarks is fact-based data for online advertising strategy, tactics, and general know-how with 577 advertisers and marketers surveyed, 30 images or creative samples, and over 100 tables and charts. Down load the executive summary at http://www.marketingsherpa.com/exs/OnlineAdvertising08Excerpt.pdf.

· MarketingSherpa’s Business Technology Benchmark Guide is the largest ever. It’s designed to be one-half yardstick with benchmarks and standards for success and one-half inspiration with explorations of what’s working, what’s not, and what’s on the horizon. The fifth annual Business Technology Benchmark Guide features all new primary research gathered from more than 10,000 business technology buyers, surveys from nearly 1,000 marketers, 216 charts, tables, and eyetracking heatmaps, and six new Special Reports. For instant access to the executive summary visit: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/exs/BizTech08_09Excerpt.pdf.

· The sixth annual edition of MarketingSherpa’s Email Marketing Benchmark Guide will be completed by October 2008. It is being completely re-researched and rewritten to accurately reflect today’s insight into effective Email marketing campaigns. This real data will help marketers compare their email campaigns with others as well as justify 2009 budgets for email marketing. To be placed on the 2009 Email Marketing Benchmark Guide waitlist sign up and receive a $100 discount when the new edition is published (http://www.sherpastore.com/EmailBMG09.html).

For more information on all four books, visit http://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/marketing_plan?9642.

About MarketingSherpa
MarketingSherpa (http://www.marketingsherpa.com) is a research firm publishing Case Studies, benchmark guides and handbooks, how-to newsletters, special reports, and exclusive data, and metrics for an international community of hundreds of thousands of marketing, advertising, and PR professionals. The firm is distinguished by its results-based and practical marketing information researched and written by a staff of in-house reporters and researchers who track what works (and what doesn’t) in all aspects of marketing, including email.

MarketingSherpa is regarded as the practical research network for marketers. Offering more than the research publications, MarketingSherpa hosts six annual summits attended by thousands of marketers worldwide, and offers its paid membership full access to its complete library of results-based marketing information

The name “Sherpa” refers to the legendary Sherpas of Nepal who guide climbers up Mount Everest. MarketingSherpa’s mission is to be the guide who can help marketers make the tough climb toward great results easier by researching and reporting on what works.

MarketingSherpa (http://www.marketingsherpa.com), along with MarketingExperiments (http://www.marketingexperiments.com) and InTouch (http://www.startwithalead.com), is part of the MECLABS Group, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.

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