[Posted by Christine Overby]

2008 was tumultuous year for Interactive Marketing professionals. You had to promote digital efforts internally, make the case for emerging channels, and re-evaluate your plans as the economy soured -- all while continuing to deliver exciting interactive campaigns to your customers. You've told us that the hurdles will still be there in 2009. At Forrester, we're committed to helping you address them. Tell us your biggest challenge, and we'll write research to help you overcome it.

• Demonstrating ROI
• Integrating Channels
• Handling budget scrutiny

Click on the "vote now"button below and see what your peers say is the top hurdle they face, while helping us pick the topic so that we write the research that matters most to you!

[Posted by Shar VanBoskirk]

***Updated with new registration information***

With an economic crisis looming, marketers must find new means to cut costs and deliver returns.  Many interactive marketing tools can actually provide cost-effective ways for firms to increase sales and deepen customer relationships. 

I hope you will join me for a  complimentary Webinar where we discuss how interactive marketing can help you battle budget cuts or slagging sales due to the slowing economy.  In this Webinar, I'm planning to define how interactive marketing should be a mandate for all marketers to stay relevant to their end consumers.  I'm also going to tackle why interactive marketing matters, how your firm should approach it and how Forrester can help you craft meaningful interactive marketing strategies.

[Posted by Shar VanBoskirk]

This just in: Microsoft announced at its annual financial analyst meeting today that it has extended its existing relationship with Facebook.  Official MS release indicates "Microsoft will work with Facebook to bring its customers Live Search-powered web search and search ads by the end of the calendar year." 

[Posted by Dave Frankland]

While much of the world paints itself green today in observance of Earth Day (being Irish I thought that was a March 17 initiative), it seems like an appropriate occasion to stop and ask “how green is your interactive marketing”?  Last Friday, we published a report Direct Marketing Needs A Green Wake-up Call– but what about interactive marketers?