These are two recent blog postings by marketing consultant - lecturer and author Scott Hornstein featuring his marketing observations, recommendations and opinions on S&MM SoundOff, an outlet for idea swapping and opinion sharing from Sales & Marketing Management magazine.

Google offers the following definitions of "blog":

• The word blog is derived from the combination of the two words, web and log.
• A Web site that contains dated entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first) about a particular topic, updated with the latest news, views and trends.
• A collaborative space either stand alone or within a website that visitors can post comments, link to, add to, or just read on a weekly, daily, hourly basis.

Scott Hornstein:  "Blog is a horrible term. It's so inelegant.  It sounds like an intestinal virus or perhaps an act of criminal mischief ("they blogged him from behind and took his wallet").  A blogger sounds like Cockney for creep.  But whatever the name, its potential to deliver meaningful ideas and be a conduit for dialog, whether with peers or customers, is virtually untapped. 

Blogs have an important future contributing to the maintenance of brand and competitive differentiation.  Its immediacy will become a powerful lever in establishing trust and respect in customer communications."

Scott's three most recent blog posts:

• Time for a Rant rages, "I was the only one in the office this holiday season and it was glacially slow. All except for online fraud…And I resent the hell out of it" And then, issues an industry challenge.

• Treat Your Best Customers Better suggests that marketers "do yourself a favor this holiday season: Be good to your customers, but be better to your best customers." Why, because this is the investment that pays the highest dividend.  "What to do? Here are two ideas…"

• You've Got to Deliver offers insight into marketing sleight-of-hand, "Here's the trick – you can't just promise value, you have to deliver.  While this seems to be from department duh, this is a trick some marketers haven't quite gotten the hang of".  A case in point is discussed.

Scott's postings and other entries can be viewed at S&MM SoundOff, from Sales & Marketing Management, www.smmsoundoff.com .

About Sales & Marketing Management

Sales & Marketing Management is the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field. In every issue of the magazine, and on their Web site, readers have easy access to the most relevant trends, strategies, exclusive research, expert voices, and cutting-edge case studies designed to help them sell more, manage better, and market smarter.  The magazine has received numerous awards for excellence in journalism.

For more information about Sales & Marketing Management, visit  salesandmarketing.com.

About Hornstein 

Scott Hornstein has over 30 years experience working with Fortune 100 clients and mid-sized businesses in all phases of marketing strategy, research and implementation. Scott Hornstein lectures regularly at universities, associations and international conventions, and writes for leading business and marketing publications.  He is the co-author of Opt-In Marketing: Increase Sales Exponentially with Consensual Marketing (McGraw-Hill, 2004). 

To learn more about Scott Hornstein and The Hornstein Method™, visit www.hornsteinassociates.com or contact Hornstein Associates directly at:

Scott Hornstein, Hornstein Associates, scott@hornsteinassociates.com