Heard and Overheard

"We do not believe in the myth of unprofitable customers in the name of market share. Customers who do not appreciate your value or price point should be sent to the competition." --Lior Arussy, president, Strativity Group "Acquisition campaigns are generally driven by a desire to consolidate a market or to help companies acquire new revenue streams. Strong corporate revenues are actually an antiacquisition force, because organically increasing revenue obviates some of the need for revenue through acquisition." --Greg Gianforte, CEO and founder, RightNow Technologies "If you're a business, don't waste your money marketing to the new affluent with expensive promotions." --Michael Weiss, president, Weiss Micromarketing Group "Small-business owners are more affluent--21 percent [more]--than the general population, so...are a very lucrative target market for many companies. Also, [small-business owners] are 42 percent more likely to be married, and 25 percent more likely to have children." ----Denise Hopkins, senior marketing director, Business Information Solutions Group at Experian "The executive suite has a big mandate to convert the call center from a cost center to something that generates revenue on a reliable basis. Some of the technologies on the sales force automation side, and analytics and marketing will play an increasing role in the call center." --Denis Pombriant, managing principal at Beagle Research Group "There's always a mechanism for getting into a premium [Web-search results] position. It's no different than trying to get a new album onto a playlist at a top-forty station...the tools have changed, but the concepts are still the same. And in the old days it was simple, you paid them." --Clay Rider, executive vice president, The Sageza Group