Archive October 17, 2025

Aretha Franklin Had It Right: Respect Is Key to Employee Engagement

By in Human Resources

By John Guaspari The concept of Employee Engagement has been a big deal since around the turn of the century, when studies done by several reputable sources showed a clear correlation between higher levels of Engagement and such critical business metrics as profitability, productivity, and—one that’s especially important to HR professionals—employee retention rates.  A lot of things have to happen to achieve such results, beginning with an understanding of the definition of Engagement upon which that research was based: “the extent to which employees invest incremental effort and energy while on the job.”  You also won’t reach your Engagement goals…

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3 Reasons Sales Managers Don’t Follow Up (And What To Do About It)

By in Business Management

BY GEORGE BRONTÉN In any kind of coaching, whether it’s weight loss, fitness, or complex sales, follow-up is key to success. If you hire a coach to help you lose weight, you expect them to follow up. You tell them how much weight you want to lose, and agree on a plan. When you come in for your coaching appointment the next time, you expect them to ask whether you followed the plan. If you hire a trainer to help you get in shape, same thing. You expect to collaborate on a plan and then report back to them at each session.…

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Work-Life Balance in 2025: What Employees Say Works 

By in Human Resources

By Lisa Wolf Work-life balance is not just a corporate catchphrase – it’s a defining factor in how employees effectively navigate between their careers and personal lives. A new study from ARAG® sheds light on what balance really means across workforce generations, and why it’s proving harder to achieve.  Drawing insights from 1,600 full-time workers – spanning Gen Z to Boomers – alongside perspectives from HR professionals, the 2025 Work-Life Balance Study reveals the pressures that disrupt equilibrium and the benefits that can help restore it. These findings offer HR professionals a clearer lens for designing programs that meet employees where they…

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Sales email vs. cold call: When to use each, according to data

By in Sales

Written by: Michael Welch Sales is about getting the right message in front of the right prospect. It’s as simple as it sounds, but over my career I’ve seen a substantial and accelerating evolution in the methodologies salespeople employ to accomplish that goal. Get Started with HubSpot's Free Sales Software Despite that change, one thing has remained the same in my mind: Successful cold outreach is built on strategy, not on chance. In this article, I’m going to look at two of the main outreach methods sales pros rely on to keep pipelines full. If you’re torn between cold email vs…

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AI search drives less than 1% of referrals, organic still dominates: Data

By in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Written by Danny Goodwin AI search is growing fast, but that hasn't translated into traffic or sales. Organic search remains critical for conversions and traffic. AI-powered search platforms are growing fast, but still account for less than 1% of referral traffic, according to new data from enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge. By the numbers. From January to August, AI-driven search referrals accounted for less than 1% of traffic. Organic search remains the primary driver of conversions across industries. AI search usage is still growing fast – with some platforms showing triple-digit month-over-month gains – but traffic isn’t translating into transactions. Why we…

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Microsoft Excel: Easy guide for beginners with formulas and more

By in Finance, Operations

Written by: AJ Beltis Microsoft Excel know-how is so expected that it hardly warrants a line on a resume anymore. But how well do you really know how to use it? Download Now: 50+ Excel Hacks Marketing is more data-driven than ever before. At any time you could be tracking growth rates, content analysis, or marketing ROI. You may know how to plug in numbers and add up cells in a column in Excel, but that's not going to get you far when it comes to metrics reporting. Do you want to understand what pivot tables are? Are you ready for your first VLOOKUP?…

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Employee Surveillance: Learn How Far You Can Go

By in Human Resources

By Ronda L. Harvey “Why does it feel like somebody’s watching me?” Remember the old song with Michael Jackson singing this lament in the chorus? Employees in our current technological age may share this sentiment. More and more employers are conducting various modes of surveillance in the workplace, including video cameras and cybersecurity that tracks email and website traffic. According to the American Management Association, nearly 80% of major employers in the United States monitor employees’ internet, phone, and email use. As this type of surveillance becomes more widespread in offices, factories, and even in at-home remote work sites, the…

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The Role of Blogging in a B2B Content Strategy

By in Content Marketing

By Lauren Basiura Publishing blog content is one of the most effective tools in a B2B content strategy. Unlike paid ads or outbound campaigns, blogs are a long-term asset that builds visibility, educates prospects, and supports every stage of the buyer journey. If you’re focused on improving SEO, building trust, or creating a steady stream of leads, blogging is a framework for sustainable content marketing. Quick Takeaways Blog content drives organic traffic by targeting long-tail keywords and answering common B2B search queries. A B2B blog builds trust by showcasing expertise, addressing buyer concerns, and offering useful information. Publishing consistently helps support…

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How to build an email list from scratch: 15 incredibly effective strategies

By in Email Marketing

Written by: Tom Orbach When I set out to build an email list from scratch for MarketingIdeas.com, I didn’t have a product. No pricing page. No polished brand. Just a one-liner and a waitlist. Use HubSpot's AI Campaign Assistant to Create Emails Within a few weeks, that waitlist had grown to hundreds of people, and that list became the foundation for everything that followed. Since then, I’ve helped others build email lists from scratch using straightforward, repeatable tactics that don’t rely on paid ads or massive audiences. Building an email list gives you something most platforms can’t: a direct, lasting relationship with…

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Employee Becomes Ill at Work: Now What?

By in Human Resources

By Michael P. Maslanka It will happen. Sooner or later, an employee becomes ill at work. What are your obligations legally? Ethically? Recently, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (the federal court of appeals covering Texas) adopted an earlier case from a Texas court. The answer—a manageable standard. Previous Texas Case David Welch worked as a desk clerk at Holiday Inn in Round Rock, Texas. One day, he felt ill, experiencing issues with his speech, motor skills, and walking ability. But he was lucid and able to continue working. His boss offered to drive him to his doctor when…

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