<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="0.92">
<channel>
	<title>MarketingForecast</title>
	<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com</link>
	<description>Fast Forward Findings for Strategic Advertising+Marketing</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:30:11 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss092</docs>
	<language>en</language>
	<!-- generator="WordPress/3.0" -->

	<item>
		<title>Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges Ahead for Accounting Services</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Accounting Services. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6578</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Insurance Brokers Promote Vision Coverage to Employers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Earlier this month, I blogged about a MetLife report that discussed how small and medium size businesses can compete for employees by improving their benefits packages.  A new study on the topic of vision benefits indicates that more insurance companies and brokers will be promoting this specialty package to employers of all sizes, as well. The report comes at a time when more employees, especially those over age 45, are reaching for corrective lenses to see what’s on the computer screen.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6586</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Critical Skills Survey Points to Employee Training Need</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Back-to-school season is right around the corner. But this year, consumers under the age of 21 might not be the only ones working on their reading, writing and math skills. The latest American Management Association survey finds that businesses require excellence in basic skills along with other competencies that fewer employees seem to have these days.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6582</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Artisan Food Trend Growing, Redefining Quality for Consumers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In a time when many people feel increasingly distant from the means of production for what they eat, artisan foods carry inherent value by granting consumers an opportunity to know where their food comes from, to see the hands that made it and to understand how it is made.  Powering this artisan food trend are several important drivers that revolve around local and seasonal eating, a love of handmade and authentic food, a quest for exciting new flavors, a desire to engage with food and producers, and eco-consciousness, according to a new report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts.  "Consumers, manufacturers, and restaurant operators all recognize that artisan is synonymous with quality when it comes to ingredients and preparation," says Kimberly Egan, CEO of CCD. "The appeal lies in the stories that connect products to consumers which in turn offer deeper meaning and connects to personal values."]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6591</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Prescription Drug Market Growing</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Between 2004 and 2009, the U.S. prescription pharmaceutical market witnessed annual growth rates that averaged 5.2%. Looking ahead, IMS Health expects the growth rate for 2010 to come in somewhere between 3% and 5%. The long range forecast contains a bit more upside. Forecasters are projecting annual growth rates in the range of 3-6% in the U.S. market. By comparison, annual growth rates of 12-15% are expected in the emerging countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6528</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Home Remodeling to Pick Up in 2011</title>
		<description><![CDATA[During the recession, home sales slowed significantly. At the same time, homeowners put the brakes on remodeling expenditures. High-end kitchen and bathroom remodeling went out of style, especially since homeowners were afraid they wouldn’t recoup any of their investment in the stalled housing market. Expenditures that did take place during the recessing were largely related to replacement of worn out items or energy efficiency improvements.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6524</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Baby Boomer Women Shop Online to Avoid Poor In-Store Service</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Two in three Baby Boomer women (65%) prefer to purchase apparel online because they dislike the service they receive in department stores and 13% only buy their clothes online in order to avoid the in-person hassle, according to Vibrant Nation.  More than eight in 10 (84%) find sales staff are indifferent, inexperienced, invisible, and "outright rude." An additional 32% claim an "age bias," pointing out that younger sales associates ignore older consumers. ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6572</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>NASCAR Seeks Grocery Partners for Promotions</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Tight household budgets might have consumers cutting back on entertainment. But NASCAR fans appear to be motivated by ticket price discounts. And when the incentive for obtaining these discounted tickets is combined with the required purchase of their favorite CPGs, the marketing campaign can turn into a win for all vendors.  Late last year, NASCAR ran a test promotion combining the efforts of local speedways, grocers and CPG vendors. This spring, a larger program proved highly successful in Texas so NASCAR is looking to expand on its success.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6519</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges Ahead for Parking Lots and Garages</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Parking Lots and Garages. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

    * Seniors aged 65 and older and Americans aged 25 to 34 years old-rank security as the most important factor when selecting where to park.
    * More builders are seeking certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. "Green" efforts include turning concrete rooftops into green surfaces to reduce storm-water runoff.
    * Pay-on-foot kiosks and signs that alert drivers to open spaces are just two examples of new technologies emerging in the industry. ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6554</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Destination Marketing Organizations Move Spending Online</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Most major cities, especially those with convention centers, maintain a visitor’s bureau. Often, these organizations are called destination marketing organizations (DMOs). Historically, DMOs have spent a large portion of their operating budgets advertising to attract both business and leisure travelers to their region. But recent budget pressures have caused some changes in the way DMOs reach out to potential clients.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6512</link>
			</item>
</channel>
</rss>
