The From Line
Sending, Managing & Monetizing Email
Tracking conversion optimization results is just part of online marketing, but most marketers make it more difficult than it needs to be.
Data is an important asset to every marketer. Data tells us when we are succeeding and when we are not. But most marketers get lost in the data and forget that those numbers represent real people.
Marketers get lost in their data when they relying heavily on search engines for traffic. When traffic comes from lead generation instead of search engine results, data is more meaningful. In turn, meaningful data can be used to further increase conversion rates.
Let's take a look at three popular conversion techniques and see how marketers are failing to use them to their fullest potential by relying solely on search engine results.
A/B Tests - Marketers live and die by A/B tests. A valid A/B tells the marketer what changes will produce positive results. Unfortunately, most marketers perform these tests when they are receiving traffic from only search engine results. A/B tests conducted on search engine traffic predict what will work for most visitors researching the topic. Tests on lead generated traffic predicts what will work for those visitors looking to buy.
Simplified Landing Pages - Short and simple landing pages perform better than more complicated landing pages. But all landing pages work better when traffic is lead generated. Most random web searchers that land on landing pages aren't really that close to buying yet. That is why most landing pages are longer and filled with ad copy. Lead generated traffic makes the landing page's job easier. All the landing page should do is tell them how to buy, not try to convince them that they should.
Promotional Content - Every landing page is a sales pages but customers don't want to be sold. The more promotional a landing page is, the better chance it has to convert a random web searcher into a paying customer. But it also increases the chances of turning off a ready-to-buy lead generated visitor.
Crunching data in order to figure out what works is part of online marketing. But data obtained from lead generated traffic will produce better results than that from random web searchers.
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Content marketing in its simplest terms is the creation and distribution of relevant and valuable content to attract and engage a defined target audience. If your business has an established website or blog and you send email messages to prospects, you already have a content marketing strategy, but how well is it meeting your goals of attracting new customers? Let’s take a look at some key factors that can help your business establish a content marketing strategy that actually works.
Content Marketing Must Be Defined By Business Goals
Before any business can establish an effective marketing strategy, it must first understand its overall objectives and missions. For example, is your business objective to attract new customers or build awareness of your brand? By understanding your own needs before trying to focus on the needs of your readers, you will be able to take advantage of the right marketing platforms and be able to develop relevant and valuable content your readers will want to receive. Obviously, the ultimate goal of any business is to make a profit, but unfortunately, many businesses totally ignore the word “quality”. If your current content marketing strategy involves forcing your message on consumers, you are headed in the wrong direction. A well-developed and tested permission-based marketing system will accomplish your intended goals and build the credibility you need.
Content Marketing Demands Great Content
Remember, the key definition of successful content marketing is delivering “relevant” and “valuable” content. We all receive unwanted emails everyday filled with nothing but garbage trying to sell us “stuff”. Effective relevant content will set your business apart from the other guys. To design an effective content marketing strategy, you must stop, think, and behave differently. It is great content that the major search engines want to rank well in search results. Great content is what generates word-of-mouth exposure on social networks. Great content can achieve the same results of traditional advertising – getting people to know and trust the brand of your business.
Prospects Don’t Want To Be Sold – They Want To Buy
Customers and prospective customers seem to be no longer interested in the world of marketing. Many people record their favorite shows or movies so they can just skip over all the commercials. People go online with the hopes of finding meaningful information that they can use to make an informed decision, without being bombarded with buttons and banners that are totally irrelevant. By delivering consistent, valuable information to potential buyers, they will ultimately reward you with their loyalty and their business.
Delivering your message to those who have requested it, by means of an established permission-based marketing system, will allow you to execute sales messages that are needed, even requested, by your potential and existing customers.
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Opt-in marketing is a process of obtaining permission from willing customers to subscribe to a service offered by your company. This service could come in any number of forms, be it newsletters, catalogs or other promotional materials. Permission-based marketing provides the opportunity of building pure opt-in marketing lists that have the power to take your business to a new level.
Opt-in marketing is not difficult to master; however, it does take a good deal of patience and a well thought out strategy. With a little effort, you can open your business to a whole new world of opportunities through target marketing. You will build a more targeted list of prospects, since they have already shown an interest in what you have to offer and they have willingly signed up. There are many different approaches in building marketing lists, but no matter what approach you use, important elements should include the following:
Effective Marketing Begins With Web Design
A business website must be designed from the customer’s point of view. It must be impressive, yet at the same time simple, intuitive and easy to use. The homepage must capture the visitor’s attention quickly, so load time is very important. Useless graphics and flash objects will slow down the load time and should be used sparingly. Visitors will normally begin by scanning the web page instead of reading every word, so it is important to have short paragraphs with interesting, bold content.
An Effective Sign-Up Form
Opinions differ as to whether a sign-up form should be placed on the homepage or a separate individual page. The homepage is usually the only page where you will have the chance of establishing a good first impression of your business. If the visitor is impressed, a simple sign-up form beneath the page content might be very appropriate. If the sign-up form is to be placed on a separate page, that page must be focused entirely on the form. Unnecessary links and graphics could distract visitors and cause them to forget exactly why they came to this page.
Provide Good Service and Products
Visitors must see some value for themselves in order to give out their names and e-mail addresses. Your goal in permission-based marketing is to build relationships based on trust, transparency and value. If customers are satisfied with your product or service, they will likely tell others. Word of mouth advertising is extremely valuable and can enhance your marketing efforts, so it is important to always be mindful of how others view the product or service you provide.
Keep Marketing List Private
Establishing trust is critical in building an opt-in marketing list. If people can’t trust you, they will not buy from you. Sharing marketing lists with others can lead to your customers receiving many unwanted e-mails. Inevitably, as a result they just might unsubscribe from you. A good reputation will not only drive more traffic and subscribers, but it will also strengthen the loyalty of your current customers. The key to using an opt-in marketing list effectively is to develop a large base of subscribers who have given you permission to contact them. The competition on the internet is fierce, and visitors must have an incentive to sign-up for your service.
RegReady is a transparent, fair and balanced customer acquisition community helping you to develop true opt-in marketing lists and sales leads. We are advocates of quality customer relationships developed through permission-based marketing and education. We help you find prospects motivated to ask for more information. Contact us today to see how it works.
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RegReady will be attending the LeadsCon Conference from March 13-20 at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. We will be at booth #438 in the exhibit hall where you can meet the great folks behind the company and play with our magic candy machine (always a hit!). We look forward to meeting you.
About LeadsCon
Founded in 2007, LeadsCon showcases the best people and companies in vertical media media and engagement advertising. 5000+ people rely each year on LeadsCon for unparalleled insights and access to marketing leaders.
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There has been a lot of buzz these days about information privacy. People generally want their information to be, and assume it will remain, private. However, in today's digital age that is not always the case. The result? Unhappy customers.
One of the ways in which this can happen is inappropriate lead sharing. This happens when a company collects information on a customer, then sells or gives away that information after having led the customer to believe that their information will be kept private. It's a startlingly common practice, but it can and should be prevented.
One fool proof way to prevent this from happening is to abstain from lead sharing all together. If someone opts into your email or physical mailing list, do not share or sell this information. Unfortunately, this isn't always a feasible option. Some companies need to share their leads to get more leads themselves.
The next best option, in that case, is to only conduct lead sharing with other related companies who share your same set of business ethics. Don't go giving your leads out to just anyone who asks. This will not settle well with customers, as it shows a lack of respect for their trust and privacy. Instead, only share leads with partners or closely related companies with whom you have a mutual understanding of best practices.
One additional tip: Never sell leads. Money can be made by selling people's contact information, but the practice is widely considered unethical. The simple solution is to not engage in this practice to begin with. Sharing leads with related companies is one thing. Selling them to anyone who asks is entirely another.
So there you have it, a few easy tips to keep your lead sharing ethical and well-managed. Doing things right is a sure-fire way to build a customer base...and doing them wrong, inversely, can ruin your business.
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