ExactTarget’s Route 1-to-1 Seminar is serving as a terrific classroom to see first-hand how marketers are using email, CRM and web analytics technologies to automate the lead nurturing process, drive sales, and improve sales force productivity. This seminar is focused on current and future trends in digital one-to-one marketing and if you have been fortunate enough to attend one of these seminars, you know what I am talking about.

In addition to presentations from ExactTarget, speakers include executives from ExactTarget partners Omniture and Salesforce.com, as well as Jeanniey Mullen from the Email Experience Council of the DMA, Aaron Kahlow, Executive Producer of the Online Marketing Summit, and Jeanne Jennings of Jeanne Jennings.com, noted email marketing consultant and ClickZ columnist. And in special “case study” tracks devoted to B-to-B and B-to-C marketing, ExactTarget clients discuss how they use email marketing in their organizations.

We’re at the half-way mark in this year’s tour and already we have seen some pretty impressive examples of B-to-B email marketing at its best

In Atlanta, Michelle McMahon, VP of On Demand Operations for Ariba explained how Ariba uses email to provide industry-specific information and thought leadership to C-level executives regarding the company’s technology solutions that help organizations manage spending and ensure contract compliance.

In Cincinnati, Stephanie Jenkins, VP marketing Communications  of Conseco and Troy Burk of Right On Interactive took attendees on a “behind the curtain” tour of Conseco’s highly successful email strategy for on-boarding new agents. The strategy uses and integrated technology solution that includes ExactTarget for email creation, delivery and tracking, Salesforce.com for customer relationship management (CRM), and 5 Buckets from Right On Interactive to automate the execution of email based on the needs of individual agents.

In Toronto, Dave Wieneke, Interactive Marketing Manager of Thomson Compumark, a global leader in data services for attorneys specializing in brand and copyright protection, described how they have accelerated click through rates by delivering content relevant to the attorney’s area of specialization and sending email “on behalf” of the client’s account executive.

And as the tour rolls into Dallas on June 10th, Nicole Buraglio of Hanley Wood Exhibitions will explain how email has become their main channel for delivering relevant information to trade show exhibitors and attendees, and in Denver on June 12th, Conrad Hall of Conrad Hall & Associates will describe how his client Worksoft has implemented an automated system for lead nurturing that has reduced lead management cost, improved marketing ROI, and led to increased sales.

If you want to see how smart marketers use permission-based email for B-to-B marketing, plan to attend one of the remaining Route 1-to-1 Seminars in your area that run through July. You won’t be disappointed.