October 27, 2011
It is becoming more difficult to create an impact on consumers via the Internet. The market is so saturated with product and service offerings, that even with highly targeted niche marketing it can be difficult to start the conversions that businesses need. While online advertising is growing more difficult, it is not impossible to create a campaign that is effective. Demonstrating an individual corporate identity, and showing consumers what makes your company the best is the only way to truly distinguish your product/service offerings from any others. Below are three methods you can use to stand out from the generic market.
- Always include an extra gift. Many businesses are responding to the current economic down turn by minimising services and reducing give a ways. The best way to stand out is to increase your customer bonuses. Offer an extra discount or free gift. Package services together for extra discounts. The opportunities to add value to your products and services are endless.
- Personalise your interactions. Consumers respond favourably to businesses that send out birthday acknowledgements or personalised offers. Examples might include a coupon for a renewal product. When a customer purchases a product that gets used up. It is a nice touch to offer them a discount on a renewed supply. Consumers respond to this type of personalisation on two levels. First, they enjoy receiving discounts on products that they use regularly. Second, they like shopping at a company that remembers those details. Try to always tailor the shopping experience to the individual.
- Don’t just focus on what you can give; also look at what you can take away. If a product has many positive aspects, that often does not make up for a single glaring negative. For example, no matter how much someone likes a specific perfume, if they are allergic to the propellant they can not wear it. Consider offering products without chemicals, low in fat, safe for the environment and so on. Also think about how to eliminate wait times and reduce stress.
Being a successful Internet retailer is as much about what you choose not to carry as it is about what you do offer. Always consider new ways to make personal connections with your customers, and add value to their purchases.
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Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 25, 2011
One of the growing issues with online marketing and business success is customer reviews. More people look at reviews to determine where and what they will buy than ever before. Consumers use the Internet to decide if a company is reliable and to determine if a product is worth the investment. Even a single negative comment can have devastating effects on your business. Therefore, it is crucial for you to encourage satisfied customers to provide positive reviews and feedback. There are several strategies you can pursue to encourage positive reviews.
- Ask for Reviews. Many customers will be more than happy to provide a review upon request. If you send them a follow up email that requests a review, you can gain a considerable number of positive reviews with minimal effort.
- Offer discounts. When a customer completes a purchase, you can offer them a discount on a future purchase in return for a customer review. This has two immediate benefits. The first one is that your company gains an additional marketing piece that can help to increase sales. The second is that you are more likely to get an additional sale from the satisfied customer since they will have a discount to use toward another purchase.
A single negative review can drastically affect your business, but a lack of positive reviews can have a similar effect, though with less intensity. A single negative review without a multitude of positive reviews is very telling for many people, but a lack of reviews altogether implies that your company is new. When making online purchases, consumers prefer to deal with established businesses. Give them the assurance that your company is able to provide the service they need by gaining positive reviews.
If simply asking people or offering discounts does not have the desired effect, then you might try adding the request to your marketing efforts. Include a review box on your email blasts, and make reviews a part of the checkout process. While consumers will not be able to review the entire transaction, they will be able to provide insight into their purchase experience. Even this can be helpful for those seeking to expand their web presence. Don’t wait to begin collecting positive reviews, start immediately to get the maximum number of responses in the shortest amount of time.
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 20, 2011
Small businesses are often the last to effectively use the Internet as a marketing tool. Some of that comes from misconceptions about the public’s use of the Internet. There was a time, not long ago, when if someone needed a telephone number they would grab a phone book, but now most people turn to online listings. Businesses that do not take the time to make themselves visible on the Internet become invisible offline as well. There are three basic strategies that every business should make use of.
1. Create Local Listings
There are many local listing services online that allow consumers to quickly and easily locate businesses through keyword searches, location searches and name searches. If your business is not listed, the next time someone in your area is looking for a service, they will not find you. Listing services are free, unless you choose to buy a preferred listing, and it only takes a few minutes to fill out all of the information. Do take a few minutes to research the best tags, but otherwise it is only a matter of filling in contact information.
2. Get on Google Maps
By creating a Google local business listing, you will show up first anytime someone searches for your company name, along with a handy map showing your location. This allows existing customers to quickly locate your contact information if they should have a question, and makes your business more accessible
3. Put Up a Website
Even if you have no intention of selling from a website, it is a great place to market your business. As an informational tool it is one of the best, and if you wish to expand into online sales you will already have visitors. Creating a website can take only a couple of hours with all of the templates available for use, and the original investment is usually minimal. Many templates are less than £20 and domain names can be purchased annually for even less. All told, the cost to set up a website is less than your monthly telephone bill.
If your business does nothing else online, make sure you take the time to implement these three strategies. The phone book is becoming an anachronism, and Internet searches are replacing old fashioned methods of information gathering.
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 18, 2011
The marketing opportunities of social media are well established. Regardless of your industry, it will only become more important that you take part in these networking activities as time passes. Social media is not a passing fad, and it becomes more integrated in daily living each year. While Facebook took the social media network by storm and quickly rose to the top of the pyramid, these sites have existed for the past ten years or more. Blogging is also a form of social media, as it is practiced, and it has been around even longer. While it has only been in the past five years or so that social media has truly taken off, it can no longer be considered a passing trend.
Get Out There and Make Yourself Heard
The integration of mobile technology and social media makes it crucial that businesses interact with consumers via these networks. After all, when was the last time you opened a phone book to find something? It is much easier to look things up online. Since search results are partially determined by social networking sites, if you do not have a presence on these sites your company can be effectively invisible. Mobile phones are also making it more important to participate in social networks, as friends share favoured shopping locations and restaurants. The Microsoft commercials for Bing are not much off the mark with how consumers now shop the market place, paying attention to friends’ opinions. A sale can get more traction via social networking than it can through television advertising. All it takes is the right person making a Facebook post or a tweet, and your store can go viral in a matter of minutes.
What to Say and How to Say It?
Remember, social media posts should not be predominantly about your company. Get out there and start posting, but start with questions. Ask consumers lots of questions and respond to as many replies as you can. Also, share the humour. Many businesses have started cultivating super serious images, which can be off putting to the consumer. Make sure that your social media presence humanises your company. Do not be afraid to make edgy posts. While your views may not be the norm, a little controversy can get a lot of people talking. Do not be deliberately offensive, but do not be afraid to take a stand either. Consumers can respect an opinion backed up by fact, where they rarely respect a coward. Take a stand on important issues, and be prepared to defend them.
Interact with people as if they were your friends and neighbours. Treat them like respected guests in your network and like people that can take a joke. They will be more likely to share humorous posts, and you will gain greater exposure.
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 13, 2011
We have discussed email marketing before, but with the holiday season fast approaching, it may time for a quick update. Though email blasts are not famed for their response rate, they are still one of the least expensive and easiest online marketing methods. Email blasts can reach thousands of people in minutes, so they should still be included in your marketing efforts. Putting together a series of quality emails to advertise your holiday sales is a simple task. The truly difficult part is creating subject lines that drive sales. Most emails will be deleted without ever being read. The subject line is the key to getting people interested enough to open your mail. Follow the three step process outlined below to get people to open your mail.
1. Don’t Beat Around the Bush
A subject line should be as direct as possible. The body of your email can contain humour or subtlety, but the subject line needs to clearly communicate the purpose of the email. Always convey the content of your message. Let people know what they will be reading about, or when they open your message it will go directly into the trash. A subject line must provide enough information to be interesting, but stay true to the meaning of the email.
2. Take the time to Brainstorm Options
The body of email may take several hours to create. Take just as much time with the subject line; it is equally important. The two pieces must work together. The subject line draws people in, and the body sells the products. Here are some basic ideas to start with:
- State the content simply and clearly (i.e. 30% off sale or your order has been shipped)
- Ask a question
- Number the steps to a desired result, 3,5,and 7 are often effective as they are short and sweet.
- Start with a How To. Consumers are often interested in easy to understand guides.Focus on innovation. Include words like “new” “only” or “best”
- Set the stage for urgency. State the limited time frame.
3. Include a Call to Action
The subject line does not need to outright state the desired action, but it should drive in that direction. If you want consumers to by a specific product, mention the special sale or the fact that it is new. If you want them to respond to a questionnaire, include a question in your subject line.
Think through every aspect of each marketing effort to get the best results!
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 11, 2011
Social networking is the new basis for a lot of advertising efforts, either deliberate or by accident. Viral advertising is something that companies strive to achieve, but in many instances it is impossible to determine what concepts will go viral versus those that will fizzle. Instead of focusing on viral advertising, give-a-ways, coupons offers and contests are a great way to encourage shares and likes.
Give-a-Ways and other Promotional Gifts
Offering a promotional give away is a great way to get additional likes and page views. Personalised mugs or tote bags are a nice item that many people enjoy owning. Reusable water bottles are another solid choice from promotional items. People are always interested in freebie items, so offering free gifts is a good way to engage new customers for minimal cost.
Special Coupon Offers are Terrific for Customer Buy-In
Coupons are an expanding market that more people are interested in everyday. By offering customers coupons deals they can not get anywhere else, you can maximise your social media marketing efforts. If the coupon is only available after becoming a fan of the page, you can get incredible value from minimal outlay. A 20% off coupon is substantial enough for consumers to make the extra effort to track down your Facebook page. Then, they are motivated to become a fan to get the extra discount offer. If every fan has 100 friends, you get access to half a million people with only 5,000 coupon give aways. Best of all, there is no up front or cash cost to this marketing strategy. The only cost is a sales discount, which still allows for minimal profit.
Contests Engage and Delight Consumers
A contest is another way to encourage consumers to get involved with your company. The next time you need to revamp your company image with a new logo or kick off a new marketing campaign, opening up some of the design to the public can have phenomenal results. Asking for help and offering a couple of large prizes can save your company the cost of hiring a professional design team, while simultaneously getting solid value from campaign marketing efforts. A good prize will bring in hundreds of thousands of submissions, and a tiered competition with public opinion weighing in on the results makes the entire process a solid marketing effort.
Use these three strategies to maximise your usage of social media as a marketing tool. Online marketing requires a certain amount of customer interaction to be effective, and social media makes that easy. Developing relationships with consumers has never been easier, so fully utilise all the angles offered by social networking.
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 6, 2011
It has been a while since we have discussed search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques. However, with the Google Algorithm constantly changing it may be time to update some of your practices. Certain SEO methods are no longer effective and new methods are coming to the fore. Do not be left behind and see your page rankings drop simply due to inefficient and out-dated SEO marketing practices. Keep in mind that there is a certain amount of guess work to these recommendations, as no one has completely cracked the Google ranking algorithm, but the tracked trends give considerable information to online business owners.
Buying Domain Names to Get Improved Rankings
Historically, buying domain names that matched your targeted keyword phrase exactly would improve your page rankings and thus your position on a search engine results page (SERP). That is changing rapidly. Now, Google no longer uses the domain name as part of the calculation to determine your ranking. While buying the domain may still help gain a few customers, it is no longer the solid investment it was prior to the changes in the algorithm.
Social Media and Why You Need To Have a Facebook Page
If you have not started your social media marketing push, you may want to do so now, before your website drops into total obscurity. The new Google algorithm is placing more importance on social media than before and the number of fans and shares your page receives is having a big impact on your position on SERPs. Ensure that your business still gets first page position by fully participating in social media. Currently Facebook is given the most weight, but all social media is a part of the equation.
Analytics and Webpage Usage Numbers
Another facet of page rankings that is coming into new prominence is the usage numbers of your page. High bounce back numbers can cause a significant drop in your page ranking. Bounce backs are clicks to your site that immediately hit back to return to the search engine results page. The number of click throughs to other portions of the site and the length of time people stay on your site also impact your rankings.
Provide quality content to avoid high bounce backs and use solid marketing strategies to encourage click throughs. Advertise sales and new products on the home page to encourage consumers to explore your site before they search for other providers.
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
October 4, 2011
One of the big truths about the Internet and what is has done for society is that it has reinforced the NOW. Browsers want everything now, now, now. The accessibility of information and access to instant shopping and conversation has made the Internet all about speed. The biggest hurdle many businesses face with online sales is a slow loading web page. When you design a web page, it must be flawless and fast. Slow load times means that browsers have already closed the page. You have ten seconds or less to engage a customer, and if your page takes longer than that to load, say good bye to the sales opportunity. Businesses definitely don’t want to be the tortoise when it comes to web page load times, the cheetah would be a much better example. Slow and steady may get the job done in the end, but quick and complete is more in keeping with consumer demand. If you are unsure how to create a quick loading page below are some tips to help you get started.
- Optimise and Watch the Size of Graphics. There are ways to compress pictures for web display, and you can also chop an image so that it can load in pieces. Either method can improve your load times. Sometimes pictures are an essential part of web design, so good web programmers have created methods to give you quality images in record times. Chopping an image and loading the pieces as part of a table allow you to display the entire image much more quickly, and reducing the size of the image keeps quality high and load time low.
- Limit the Number of Graphics Per Page. Images are very slow to load. Even optimised and chopped images can create slow downs on page loading. To keep these delays minimal, it is important to keep the number of graphics displayed per page low.
- Avoid Special Effects. Yes, special effects can sometimes draw customer interest, but the fact is that most customers will be more interested in clean design, fast load times and quality content. If you have good content, you don’t need flashy effects.
Give your customers the maximum amount of time to browse your site. Online attention spans are very short, so maximise the time you have by reducing the load times for your pages.
Thanks!
Sean
Internet Marketing Academy
Internet Marketing Training – Internet Marketing Course – Internet Marketing Blog
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