MarketingProfs = (really) smart thinking and worth your money, too!

A couple of days ago Shelley Ryan from MarketingProfs sent an email to MarketingProfs premium content subscribers with a list of top 10 17 MarketingProfs webinars of 2009. It was a long, yet impressive list, and it made me realize how important it is for me to have access to quality digital marketing resources and how much I get in return for paying $249 for MarketingProfs annual premium membership.

What do I get for $249 Membership?

• Access to very high quality webinars. And this is KEY FOR ME. Their #summersocial webinar series this summer was phenomenal w/ presenters of the highest caliber incl.: Sandy Carter, Charlene Li, Jay Baer, Chris Brogan and Beth Harte (just to name a few).
  MarketingProfs webinars are 1.5 hrs long. First hour is spent on going over a presentation (available to you in advance!) and the last 1/2 hr is spent on Q&A (this 1/2 hr is priceless!). The Q&A is skillfully moderated by one of MarketingProfs’ staff members with questions submitted through their Adobe Connect tool or via Twitter. Let’s not forget that all of their webinars are recorded and available on demand in case you miss it!
• Access to case studies and how to’s with new ones created at a rate of 5 articles a week. I will be honest with you though. I do not get to use this resource as much as I would like to but I do follow their blog “Daily Fix” religiously via RSS.
• Free online events and discounted admission to in-person events such as Digital Marketing Mixer or B2B Forum.
  These events have a boutique-like feel to them where it’s easy to gain one-to-one access to high quality presenters, there is plenty of networking time and they continue to innovate the format of these events conference after conference. See my slide show debrief from B2B Forum in Spring 2009 and Digital Mixer Best Tweets post in the Fall of 2009.
• Access to MarketingProfs staff who actively listens to their membership. I mentioned MarketingProfs in my Social Media channels a few times both in praise and while looking for info. and on all occasions I was enthusiastically thanked for my mentions and helped when needed. Can you say that about your online marketing resource provider?
  During all of their events MarketingProfs conducts focus groups and is very committed to gathering member feedback both the old-fashioned way, by filling out paper surveys and by rating & commenting on presentations online.
• But above all a group of people who practice what they preach in social media and who strive to become really close to their members through social channels. In the summer Beth Harte joined MarketingProfs as their official community manager, but even prior to that both Ann Handley, Shelley Ryan and Kathy Bushman went out of their way to help me find things, register for events, comment, etc.

NOTE: Nobody paid me for this post. I did it because I really like MarketingProfs!

DISCLAIMER: I did speak at two of MarketingProfs events, but otherwise I am not associated with them other than paying my dues for a premium membership 🙂

Can you say the same about your digital marketing resource provider?

Curious about what paid Social Media/marketing resources online do you use? Participate in the poll (below) or leave a comment.

Shelley”s MarketingProfs 2009 Webinar List

(you will need a premium membership to view them for free though)

1. The Art Of Social Media: It’s All About The Relationships, with Charlene Li
2. Bam! A Recipe to Add Social Media to your Marketing Mix, with Sandy Carter
3. The New Consumer and Social Media: Energizing Your Brand, with John Gerzema (don’t miss the Q&A!!)
4. Putting Why Before How: Seven Steps for Focusing Your Social Media Strategy, with Jason Baer
5. Social Media in the B2B Universe: What’s Working Now, with Sandy Carter
6. Getting Buy-in with Social Media Measurement: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, with Beth Harte
7. Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time, with Joel Comm (a good starter topic)
8. Kicking Butt with Twitter: Guy Kawasaki’s Marketing Tips and Tools (not for newbies!)
9. Building and Sustaining Brand Communities: This Ain’t Your Mama’s Discussion Forum, with Amber Naslund
10. Lose Control of your Marketing: The NEW New Rule of Marketing & PR, with David Meerman Scott
11. Summer Social Media Series: The Rewind, a fun 36-minute video with our favorite experts
12. Word Perfect: Rewrite Your Website to Engage Customers and Inspire Their Trust, with Erin Anderson
13. Content Marketing: How to Position Your Company as a Trusted Expert Resource, with Joe Pulizzi
14. Actionable Web Analytics: Unleash the Marketing Power of Your Web Data, with Avinash Kaushik
15. Monetizing the Long Tail of Search: Rethink Your Keyword Strategy, with Avinash Kaushik
16. What to Do When Growth Stalls, with Steve McKee
17. Behind the Online Curtain: Secrets for Building a Successful Webinar Program, with me and Ann Handley
18. Green to Gold: Why Smart Companies Are Going Green (Even in a Recession), with Andrew Winston
19. Getting Brand Exposure with an iPhone App: Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think, with Carla White