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30 things you can do today to start seeing results tomorrow
A Guidebook to Small Business Success
3 Introduction
4 Website Effectiveness
8 Traffic Generation
18 List Building
22 Contact Management
25 Email Marketing
30 Conclusion
3
Growing a small business takes time. You can’t expect
to jump right in and start making millions of dollars (despite
what you may have heard on late-night television). It takes
a sustainable, comprehensive marketing approach to build
your leads, your sales, and ultimately, your bottom line.
Many of the successful businesses you see (especially the
larger ones) have a highly specialized marketing staff running
their daily operations. Most small business owners can’t
afford such a staff. You are on their own.
But with the right focus, you can become that specialized
marketing department. You can get leads flowing in the
door all by yourself … even though it will require a little bit
of work up front. Invest some time in educating yourself on
simple marketing strategies and resources. You will discover
a whole new level of business growth you never thought
possible.
Nobody’s asking you to get a graduate degree in marketing.
If you can become proficient in a few simple areas, you
will be well on your way to success.
We’ve put together a resource guide with the most important
things you can be doing to grow your small business, starting
right now! Don’t try to implement all of these steps at once
… that would be way too overwhelming. Take them one
step at a time and build as you go. Just choose a few of
the strategies you want to work on now and start there.
Then, little by little, you’ll build up your marketing efforts until
you can just sit back and watch the sales come rolling in.
Let’s get to it!
4
Pull up your website. Pretend you are a new prospect and ask yourself
the following questions. Or better yet, find someone who has never seen
your site before and ask them to answer these questions:
1. Where do your eyes go first?
A visitor to your website typically has an attention span of only a few
seconds. That means your website must “hook” them in that amount
of time. Make sure the first thing they see/notice is something
interesting enough to buy you more time.
2. Do you know right away what this website is about?
Again, you have limited time to get your message across. If there are
too many distractions, a site visitor may not ever know what you are
selling.
3. Is the important information “above the fold?”
Most site visitors want to know the details without doing a lot of
work. If they have to scroll down to find the main idea, they will
likely leave earlier than you’d like. Make sure that your Unique
Selling Proposition (USP) is clearly spelled out. This is a piece of
information that says in one sentence or less why someone should
do business with you. Make it clear and prominent on your site.
4. Can you easily find the benefits of the product/service?
A visitor to your site wants to learn as much as possible about the
benefits of your product or service. Features are important too, but
the most important thing a visitor can take away is a sense that this
product or service will make an impact in their life … for the better.
5. Is there a clear call to action?
If customers like what they see, it is important to move them along
quickly. There should be a prominent, clear call to action on your
Your website is your “storefront.” You should put as much
thought into your virtual storefront as you would to the front
window display at a traditional store on Main Street. Your
website needs to attract customers and keep them coming back
for more.
Website Evaluati on | Total time: 1–3 hours
WEBSITE EFFECTIVENESS
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website. Your call to action may be to buy now, start a free trial,
learn more, or something else. Make sure that you are not sending
mixed messages with too many calls to action. Choose the one or
two that matter most and make them easy to find.
6. Are the colors and images aesthetically pleasing?
If your website is too busy or jarring, you will lose visitors. Take a
little time to coordinate colors and to implement high-quality images
that add to your message.
7. Is the font easy to read?
Make sure your font is easy to read and is not distracting. Don’t
get fancy; just stick with a simple, sans-serif font in a color that
contrasts with the background.
8. Are there bulky sections of writing anywhere on the page?
Long, bulky paragraphs are likely to get skipped. Try breaking up
your copy into smaller sections that get the point across quickly.
9. Do the menu items clearly tell you where they will take you?
Site design and usability are important considerations that often get
overlooked. Think about what information you would want to find if
you visited this site and plan your menus accordingly. There should
almost always be an “about us” and a “contact us” page.
10. Is there an easy way to contact the business?
If your website does its job, you will likely have interested prospects
who want to learn more or who simply have a few questions. Make
sure they have an easy way to find you. Potential customers also
want to know that they will be able to get a hold of you if needed in
the future, whether for warranty service or support.
11. Can you find out more about the owner or employees of the
company?
Visitors often want to know that they are dealing with real people.
Having an “about us” page is a great way to show the world why you
are the best one to handle the job. Include photos too—everyone
likes to associate a face to the business.
12. Do you feel personally connected?
Visitors who feel personally connected will be more likely to stick
around and/or become a customer. Tell your story and tell them
why you are the right choice. You can personally connect with your
visitors by being honest, using a conversational writing style, and
including real testimonials from other customers.
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13. Is the writing corporate or conversational?
Corporate writing is good for … well, big corporations. But a
small business shouldn’t pretend to be a big, formal entity that is
disconnected from the public. Your ability to relate to your customers
is a big reason why they will eventually choose you—start right away
with an engaging, conversational tone in your writing.
14. Is there a webform above the fold?
A webform is really the only way to capture leads from your website
visitors. Make sure that it is in a visible place above the fold. The
better it looks, the more people will fill it out.
15. Is the offering appealing enough to make you want to give your
email address?
Your webform should also offer an incentive piece to spark a
visitor’s interest and convince them to give you their information.
Make sure that this incentive piece is appealing—offer real tips,
actionable advice, or special deals that will immediately help
your prospects.
16. Is there multimedia?
Multimedia is a great way to add character and interest to your
website. Videos, podcasts, tutorials, and other multimedia options
allow you to present your message to your visitors in a way that
appeals to them.
17. Are there links to social media?
Social media allows you to communicate with your prospects, and
it allows them to communicate with each other. Include links to your
blog, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts. Make it
easy for everyone to find you on social media … even if they don’t fill
out your webform, they may choose to follow you in some fashion.
A Little Help from Your Friends …
Infusionsoft Courtesy Evaluation | Time: 15 minutes
At Infusionsoft, our purpose is to revolutionize the way small
businesses grow. We understand the importance of having a great
website, and we’re happy to help you get on the right track. Our
Small Business Growth Experts are standing by to give you a free,
no-strings-attached review of your website. They’ll give you their
opinion as an unbiased, objective observer.
Give us a call today at 1 (866) 800-0004 Ext. 1
7
Once you determine the areas of your website that need improvement,
develop a plan to start implementing changes. You don’t have to do
them all at once. Do a few at a time until you have a website that you
can be proud of (and one that consistently brings in sales).
The Next Step | Setup time: Ongoing
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The first step is a simple one, but it is one that may make all the
difference. Before you do anything else, you need to set up a way to
track website traffic and statistics. We recommend using Google
Analytics—it is free, easy to set up, and easy to use.
To set up your analytics, you must first
sign up for a Google account (a Gmail
account works just fine). Go to
http://www.google.com/analytics and
click on the “sign up now” button on the
top right corner of the page. You will have
the option to sign up for a Google account
(if necessary) or proceed with the setup.
You’ll be asked for your website address
and will be given a snippet of code to insert
into your site.
Once you are set up with Analytics, the sky
is the limit. You can track everything from unique visitors to time-on-site
to PPC ad success. At the beginning, you’ll probably want to focus on
how much traffic you are getting and where it is coming from.
You will be able to tell if you are getting traffic from referring sites (such
as your blog, social media posts, or affiliates) or from organic traffic
(searches for your name or other keywords). This data will be crucial as
you move forward with specific marketing campaigns and tactics.
Traffic analysis is the foundationupon which to successfully manage
your marketing efforts. You’ll know what is working and what isn’t. Go
install Google Analytics right now!
ANALYTICS | Setup time: 1 hour
TRAFFIC GENERATION
A great website won’t do you any good unless you can get
some traffic flowing to it. A few simple steps can get people
to your website. The more you put into traffic generation,
the better your chances of converting the general public into
paying customers.
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SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of getting your website
recognized more frequently when people perform searches on sites such
as Google or Yahoo. Better SEO rankings mean you get seen by more
people … and that’s a free way to increase traffic to your website.
There are three easy ways you can increase your SEO rankings:
keywords, inbound links, and local search listings.
Keywords
The first thing you should do is write down all of the keywords
associated with your business. Try to think like someone who needs
your product or service, but doesn’t know where to go. What would
they type into their search engine? If I were looking for a local plumber,
I might type in “plumber Gilbert Arizona.” If I were searching for a
reasonably priced webmaster, I might type in “cheap websites.” Try to
determine all of the possible (intuitive) combinations you might get.
The next step is to go to the Google Keyword Tool:
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
Enter in the keyword phrases you
thought of when you were listing possible
combinations. You’ll be able to see how
many people searched for those phrases
and how much competition there is
surrounding those keywords. You’ll also
see similar keywords that you might want
to target in your SEO strategy.
Once you know the best keywords to use
on your site, it’s time to put them to work
for you. Search engines like to see your
keywords in important places—places
like the title (the text that appears in the browser tab at the top of
your screen), headlines, sub-headlines, and even the content that is
toward the top of the page.
The more keywords you use, the more search engines will take notice.
But be sure to integrate your keywords into readable sentences and
avoid “keyword stuffing.” If I have a headline of “Gilbert plumber
plumbing Mesa toilet repair broken pipes Arizona,” visitors to my site will
not be impressed (and neither will the search engines, by the way).
SEO | Setup time: 2 – 5 hours, then minimal ongoing maintenance
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Another good way to implement keywords into your site is by posting
articles or other relevant pieces of content that are keyword rich. Search
engines also love updated content, so don’t hesitate to add new articles
regularly that will bring more keywords to your site.
Inbound Links
Inbound links build your reputation and credibility among search engines
(and potential customers, for that matter). These inbound links (often
called backlinks) also allow search engines to more easily find you, rank
you, and get you on the search lists. Not all backlinks are created equal,
however.
Links that come from legitimate sites are best. If you are linked from a
very popular site—even better. But purchased links from “link farms”
might actually do more harm than good. It may sound daunting, but you
can build a solid base of backlinks the right way if you are patient and
consistent in your efforts.
The first step is to set up links from all of your own domains. Your blog,
Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and any other social media
outlets should all include links to your website. When you post
entries on these outlets, include links to your site, as appropriate. When
others “retweet” these links, you get exponential exposure.
You can also ask partners and affiliates to add links to their websites.
It’s probably a good idea to return the favor too. Consider a section
on your website that highlights the “products I use” or “services I
recommend.” You’ll be amazed at how this will not only help your SEO
rank, but it will increase your referrals too.
When possible, try to insert keywords into the anchor text (the text
that acts as the link, such as click here or learn more). A keyword-rich
link might read The Gilbert Plumber or My Web Design Business. This
will greatly increase your keyword credibility and skyrocket your search
engine rankings.
Local Search Listings
If you provide products or services to local customers, a local search
listing is a great way to increase your search engine exposure. When
someone is looking for a localized provider, Google will often send them
to their local listings.
To put your business on the map (literally), go to
www.google.com/places. Select “Add New Business” to enter your
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business address, details, category,
photos, and more. Google will have to
confirm your address with a phone call
or a postcard sent to your address. Once
confirmed, you’ll begin appearing in local
searches … and your rankings will improve
significantly.
Keywords, inbound links, and local search
listings are great ways to get your website
recognized in organic searches. And the
best part? They’re totally free!
Paid advertising is the next step once you have organic traffic coming to
your site. When we say “paid advertising,” we’re not talking about hiring
a Madison Avenue firm to get your company recognized during the
Super Bowl. But you can still work a little advertising magic of your own
... for a fraction of the cost.
The best ways to get started in paid advertising are through Google
Adwords and Facebook Ads.
Google Adwords
There are certainly other platforms on
which you may purchase Pay-Per-Click
(PPC) ads, but Google is the simplest and
most prominent. To set up your account,
go to www.google.com/adwords.
You can then move on to create your
first campaign. Basically, you will bid on
keywords that are most relevant to your
business and then pay Google a certain
amount for each time someone clicks on
your ad. You’ll need to decide an overall
budget and a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) rate
that you are willing to pay.
For example, if you decide that you would like to spend $100 a day, and
you are willing to pay $5 for each click, then Google will run your ad
until you reach 20 visitors. You can easily track results and determine
v
PAID ADVERTISING | Setup time: 1–3 hours
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how/when you need to change your ad—it will take a little fine-tuning to
find the optimum results.
Be sure to watch the videos or even download the beginner’s guide—
they are great resources for you as you get started with Adwords.
Another great resource for your Adwords
campaigns is the Google Ad Planner.
You can access the tool at
www.google.com/adplanner. You’ll be able
to research specific sites to see what type
of traffic is visiting them. You can choose
your target audience, for example, and then
see what types of sites they are visiting.
This data will help you decide where your
ads will bring you the most bang for your
buck.
Facebook Ads
Another great avenue for paid advertising
is on Facebook—with dedicated Facebook
Ads. Facebook is second only to Google
in terms of site visitors per day … that’s a
LOT of people who can be reached through
a simple Facebook ad.
To get set up, you obviously need a
Facebook account. Once you log in, you
can get started right away. To set up an ad
that will send people to your website, click
on the “Create an ad” link on the righthand
side of your home screen.
You will be directed to a design tool to get started on your ad. You will
be asked for your website URL, a title for your ad, an image, and
some body text. You can even see suggested ideas by clicking the
“Suggest an Ad” button during your ad creation.
Once you are happy with the way your ad looks, you will choose a target
demographic and see your ad’s estimated reach. You can choose a
budget and time period for your ad as well.
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NOTE: With Google, you choose words that people will be searching for.
With Facebook, you choose what type of people you will send your ad
to. If you are sending out an ad about dentistry supplies, for example,
you can choose to send it to people with “dentist” or “oral surgeon”
somewhere in their profile. Facebook Ads are a great way to pinpoint
groups or individuals that fit your target market.
That’s it! It’s just that simple. Take advantage of Google Adwords and
Facebook Ads to generate a constant flow of traffic to your website.
Yes, it’s time you hopped onto the social media bandwagon. Over
75% of consumers use social media in some format to learn about
products and services … so unless your target market is clearly not
using social media, you can’t afford to miss out on the action.
But before we get into the details, you must remember this one thing:
Don’t sell on social media. Social media is about your becoming a part
of the community. Companies that try to sell on social media are usually
met with harsh responses. Concentrate on getting your name out there
and building your likability and expertise. You’ll be able to sell to them
later … from your website.
Getting started in social media isn’t as daunting as it may seem at first.
There are a few simple things you can do to make a splash in the online
community.
Start and Maintain a Blog
Blogs are easy to create and easy to
maintain—you don’t even need to
consult a webmaster. One of the
easiest tools to use is WordPress. Go to
www.wordpress.com and click on the “sign
up” tab in the upper right-hand corner. You
will be asked to create your account and
then begin designing your blog. Choose a
name for your blog that is relevant to your
company/industry and is inviting to readers.
Once you set up your blog, it’s time to start creating content. Content
can be anything you want it to be, but it should obviously be relevant to
your target audience.
SOCIAL MEDIA | Setup time: 1 – 8 hours
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Some suggestions for blog posts include:
• Industry-specific tips
• Special offers/new product features
• Book reviews
• Tutorials and how-to’s
• Interviews with employees, customers, or partners
• Giveaways, contests, surveys
Encourage your readers to interact through questions, comments, or
feedback. If they leave a comment, be sure to respond to them—
everyone likes to be noticed.
It is also important to contribute to your blog regularly (at least once a
week). This will ensure that your content is fresh and that your visitors
keep coming back. Keep it consistent and keep it real. Other than
that, just have fun with it!
Get a Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn account
Each of these services will get your brand more exposure and allow
you to communicate with prospects and customers. They are all free,
easy to set up, and widely used. There are many different social media
options once you get your feet wet, but focus on these three services to
get started.
Once you set up the accounts, get active! Start posting links to your
blog, your website, or to other related stories that you come across. If
you get responses/messages from customers, respond to them quickly.
It doesn’t take much to stay on top of the social media scene once you
get set up.
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If you’d like to consolidate your social
media dashboard, consider using a service
like Hootsuite—www.hootsuite.com. You
can keep tabs on all of your accounts,
schedule updates ahead of time, and even
monitor conversations about your brand.
Comment
Can you imagine a dinner party where
everybody only told their own stories,
but never responded to others? The
conversation might sound like this: “I went to Europe last week.” “I got a
new car.” “My wife had a baby.” “Dinosaurs are cool.”
Hopefully you haven’t been to any dinner parties like that. Social media
shouldn’t be any different from a good dinner party—conversations
should develop, expand, educate, and entertain.
That means that you have to become involved. The best way to engage
in meaningful conversations is to participate! Leave comments on blogs
that you read. Reply to Tweets and Facebook posts. Answer LinkedIn
questions. And, occasionally, you might want to link back to a blog post
or article that would be relevant to the conversation.
The more you participate in social media, the more you establish
yourself as a trusted expert. Eventually, that will lead to sales … just be
patient—and ready!
Article marketing, if done correctly, is an easy (and free) way to drive
traffic to your site. Most likely, you have plenty of content about your
business/industry compiled in articles, blog posts, ebooks, white
papers, reports, or other media. (If not, now is a good time to start
creating a few.)
You can put your content into article form (usually between 300–600
words) and distribute it to free article-hosting sites. As the author, you
will usually get a byline that includes your name, bio, and a link to your
website. You get instant credibility, exposure, and a little help with your
search engine ranking too.
Start compiling your content into articles that will be ready for
distribution. Each hosting site has different requirements, so you may
ARTICLE MARKETING | Setup time: 1 – 2 hours (excluding article)
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need to tweak the articles just a bit to
make them work. One thing should remain
consistent, however: Don’t sell in these
articles. Just inform, educate, entertain …
and then send them to your site to learn
more.
Some popular article sites are:
• www.ezinearticles.com
• www.goarticles.com
• www.articledashboard.com
• www.isnare.com
• www.articlebiz.com
Video marketing is simply publishing your message online through
videos. Videos could be just about anything—you talking, a product
demo, a promotional campaign, or anything that highlights your
company or product/service.
These videos don’t have to be professionally made—even inexpensive
cameras will work. The key is to create buzz around your video. If it is
clever, funny, interesting, relevant, or unique in any way, it will get
traffic. Get creative … and have fun!
Once you create your video, post it to
YouTube. Be sure to include a robust
description of your video including
keywords. Link the video back to your
website too. Then you can promote the
video on your blog, Facebook page, Twitter,
etc. Encourage others to share it too.
A few simple videos can dramatically
increase your exposure on the Internet
and help drive more traffic to your
website.
VIDEO MARKETING | Setup time: 1 hour (excluding video creation)
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Don’t Throw Away Your Leads
Your leads will be rolling in before you know it. Don’t let those potential
sales go to waste.
Use Infusionsoft to manage your leads, automate your marketing, and
make your life a whole lot easier. Watch a demo to see Infusionsoft
in action.
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No matter how you get your leads, you need to have a way to organize
them. Organization is the key to effectively marketing to these leads
in the future.
Your lead organization can be done in a variety of ways. You can use
a spreadsheet, such as Excel, to list your leads and include a few vital
pieces of information. You might choose to use an organizational tool
like Outlook or Gmail’s Contact Manager. Whatever you choose, you’ll
want to keep your leads organized and accessible.
Once you have a system in place for organizing your leads, it’s time to
start capturing some more leads. The best way to capture a lead from
the Internet is through a webform. These forms, which usually ask for
a visitor’s name and email address, allow you to build up a list of leads
who have given you permission to market your product or service
to them.
Your webform should be placed “above the fold” of your website. If the
webform is hidden or hard to get to, site visitors will not be compelled to
fill it out. The webform should also contain as few fields as possible.
Typically, “first name,” “last name,” and “email address” are sufficient.
When a visitor sees a webform with fields like “home address,” “phone
number,” or “mother’s maiden name,” they start to get suspicious. Keep
it simple and relevant to your purposes.
ORGANIZATION—CONTACT MANAGEMENT | Total time: 1–4 hours
LIST BUILDING
Building up a list of leads is an important part of marketing.
Whether you capture them through your website, incoming
phone calls, speaking engagements, or simply a business
card, leads are what eventually bring in sales. These tips
will help you build a great list of prospects that will accept
your marketing messages and hopefully buy your products/
services.
WEBFORMS | Total time: 1–3 hours
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You should also be sure to set the expectations for your marketing
practices and explain that you will honor their privacy. If you are
clear about what will happen, they will be more willing to give their
information.
So it is time to get a webform on your site. If you don’t want to consult a
webmaster, you can make one yourself at a free site such as
www.wufoo.com or www.emailmeform.com. You will be able to
customize fields and receive reports of new leads that you can then
import into your database.
You can use a webform for event registration, newsletter sign-ups,
contests, surveys, polls, refer-a-friend programs, comments, or anything
else that will help you gather information. And webforms shouldn’t be
confined to your home page.
You can also put a webform on your Facebook Fan Page to capture
leads. For a detailed video explaining how to do this, visit our blog.
Now that you have a webform in place, you need to offer something in
exchange for your leads’ information. An incentive piece is something of
value that you offer website visitors, but only if they fill out a webform.
This piece can be many things: an exclusive video, an ebook, a
white paper, or a free consultation. But it must have value. Take your
time in creating a piece that will really appeal to your target market.
LEAD-GENERATION INCENTIVE PIECES | Total time: 2–8 hours
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Here are a few ideas for lead-generation pieces that you could offer:
• Free pricing quote
• Coupons
• Contest
• Drawings
• Free webinar (use a site like
www.gotomeeting.com to host a
great webinar)
• Free trial
• Special discounts
Make your lead-generation piece so appealing and your webform so
easy to fill out that visitors can’t (and won’t) pass up the opportunity.
Your list will be bursting at the seams in no time.
A great way to build your list is through refer-a-friend programs. Getting
others to promote your product or services greatly expands your reach.
Plus, when your current customers recommend you, you gain instant
credibility.
A good referral program must make it worthwhile for the person doing
the referring. Offering incentives, such as free products, monetary
“commissions,” or other rewards will give them a little extra motivation.
You should also give them collateral to use when they “sell” your
product, such as brochures, special landing pages, or other advertising
pieces.
You will also need a system in place to track the new leads coming in
and to pay those who made the referral. You can create a special field
in your organizational system, whether it be a spreadsheet or another
contact management tool. When your affiliate program gains traction,
you should consider using a more robust affiliate module like the one
found in Infusionsoft.
REFER-A-FRIEND PROGRAMS | Total time: 2–5 hours
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The Ultimate Multi Tasker
Lead capturing and list building can require a lot of work … and a lot
of different systems.
But Infusionsoft can do the work for you—and it will eliminate the
“multisystem chaos” that comes from running a bunch of separate
applications. You’ll be able to capture and organize your leads, create
customized webforms, and start targeting your prospects with the
right message.
Watch a demo to see Infusionsoft in action.
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We spend a lot of time trying to get prospects to our website,
making sure it looks appealing when they get there, and
capturing their information. But unless we have a good place
to store this information and an easy way to retrieve it, the
leads won’t do us much good.
We’ve discussed the importance of using some sort of database to
organize your leads, prospects, and customers. As your business
grows, you will likely need to switch to a more robust organizational
tool. A customer relationship manager (CRM) is a necessity for most
businesses.
These databases store all of your information in a system that facilitates
easy retrieval and accurate reporting. You can add notes, tasks, and a
variety of other details that will help you lead your prospects through the
sales cycle and your customers through the retention cycle.
There are many benefits that come with a good CRM.
EASY DATA ENTRY
A good CRM should allow you to easily input data. Your CRM should
be linked to your webform, for example, to minimize manual data entry.
Many times, a CRM will be a good storage facility for your information,
but getting it into and out of storage takes more work.
A Powerful CRM … and so much more!
Infusionsoft uses technology that allows you to capture information
about a contact every time he/she takes any action relating to
your website, emails, shopping cart, order forms, and more. It also
combines a powerful CRM with a flexible email marketing application.
To see how Infusionsoft can be the best contact management system
for your business, watch a demo today!
CONTACT MANAGEMENT
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Make sure that the CRM you use allows you to easily capture
information. Manually entering information is okay at first, but once
your list starts growing it will be difficult, if not impossible, to keep
up with the demand.
GET MORE DETAILS
It is also important to put your CRM to work in labeling your prospects
and customers with as many details as possible. You should be able
to add data that will help you know them better. Depending on your
business, you may want to know and track details such as age, gender,
marital status, location, propensity to read emails, purchase history,
time spent on your website, webinar attendance, and more.
The more details you know about someone, the better your marketing
will be. So how do you collect more data about your prospects and
customers?
Here are a few ideas:
• Do a survey
• Take a poll
• Hold a contest
• Give something away
• Jot down notes when you have a
conversation with someone
• Send an email asking contacts to
update their info
• Invite them to take part in your
new email series
Real-time information can also be very helpful in marketing to your
prospects. Would it be helpful to know when a prospect is watching
your demo, for example, and call them immediately? Or to know which
products have piqued the interest of a certain prospect? Think of the
things you can do with accurate, real-time information. That’s where a
powerful system comes into play.
BEYOND ORGANIZATION
A CRM will host all of the information about your prospects and
customers you need to see. Using a CRM for a static list of information,
however, is greatly underutilizing the power of a central database.
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Utilizing a CRM to segment your prospect list into targeted groups will
help your marketing process. You should be able to, for instance,
categorize your list by the actions they’ve taken (such as watching
an online demo or ordering an ebook), what they’ve purchased,
when they last talked to you, where they live, etc. With this
information, you can easily send out targeted marketing campaigns that
speak directly to the individual and his/her interests.
TARGETED MARKETING
Once you know details about your prospects, it’s time to send out
targeted messages. Use this information to send out emails, direct
mail, invitations, coupons, or whatever else will encourage them
to act. Set up automatic sequences that can be applied to prospects
who fit certain criteria. (Until you have Infusionsoft, you’ll have to use
autoresponders.)
If your CRM has the capability to communicate with your marketing
activities (such as email marketing), that’s even better.
NO MORE MASS-MAILERS OR EMAIL BLASTS
With a good CRM, you’ll know what interests your prospects and what
information they’ve already received. There’s no need to send out
generic email blasts or postcards to your entire list. Work on sending out
different messages depending on the group. Pinpointing your marketing
will get you a much greater return for your efforts.
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Email marketing is a great, inexpensive way to reach the
people on your list. If done correctly, this type of marketing
will take your business to the next level and bring a great ROI
for years to come. Here are the most important things you
can do to improve your email marketing.
GET BETTER OPEN RATES
Are your emails getting opened? Before we get there, it might be good
to know if you’re even tracking your email open rates. If not, start
doing so immediately. Your email marketing provider should have this
information available, and you should definitely start paying attention.
Once you determine your open rates, you’ll probably want to improve
them. There are several reasons why your emails might not be getting to
the inboxes of your prospects and/or not being getting opened.
Avoid Spam words
If your emails contain a lot of spamrelated
words (such as free, cheap, %,
work-from-home, click here, discount,
coupon, special offer, limited time),
chances are slim that your prospects
are even getting them. Spam filters are
becoming more and more sensitive,
and they can remove your email before
it even gets to the inbox. Try to avoid
words that might sound like spam, even
if you think you’ll be safe this time.
Subject Lines and Sender
Once your email gets through the spam filters, your readers have to
decide whether or not to open it. The subject line and “from” address
will be big factors in leading them to make that decision.
Make sure that your subject lines are intriguing, but that they don’t
overpromise. Consumers have been jaded by companies promising
the world and not delivering. Avoid sensational subject lines that claim
“800% increase in sales” or “I lost 200 pounds in 1 week.” Besides
being unbelievable, these subject lines probably wouldn’t make it past
EMAIL MARKETING
26
the spam filters. Be real, be convincing, be a little mysterious.
Subject lines are only half of the equation. Be sure that the “from” field
is full of useful information too. Typically, your company name is a good
way to ensure recognition and trust. Personal names work too, provided
that they are recognizable. Don’t insert a name that your prospects or
customers won’t recognize.
Avoid using “noreply” or “systems” addresses—these are not at all
personal and are less likely to be opened.
Send Relevant Content
When you send an email, make sure the content is of value to your
prospects. A valuable email could contain a special offer that appeals
to the buyer, useful educational content, entertainment, or content that
gives requested information.
Emails should also be sent to current lists. And your marketing isn’t
relevant to people who didn’t ask for it. Don’t use outdated lists,
purchased lists, or lists that aren’t yours ... that is a sure-fire recipe for
spam complaints and poor open rates.
Frequency
Sending out too many emails will make you a nuisance that ends up in
the trash bin almost immediately. Waiting too long in between emails
might cause your prospects to forget you and will also land your
“unrecognizable” email in the trash bin. Find a happy medium where you
can stay in touch with prospects without bombarding them with daily
emails.
But the only way to know how often you should be sending is to ask
your contacts. You may be in an industry where they want an email a
day. Or maybe once a week is appropriate. Take a survey and find out
what your contacts are looking for.
Make Sure Your Emails Are Interesting
Your emails should be interesting. This starts with the subject line, but
it also includes the headline, design, and content. It is important to
be personal—think of your target audience as if they were sitting in a
room with you. Be yourself and be different. You have to differentiate
yourself from the other emails sitting in that inbox.
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You don’t have to include everything in the email. Build anticipation by
offering a brief explanation and then sending them to a landing page,
blog post, product page, or other destination that can give them more
information.
If you are promoting an event, build anticipation by sending reminder
emails or emails that prepare your prospects for the big day. Send a little
bit at a time and gain their trust by offering valuable information each
time.
To get your contacts looking forward to more emails, try this technique:
Tell them you’re sending them a gift in the mail … so keep an eye out.
Then when that gift arrives, you can bet your contacts will be looking
forward to the next email from you—to see what other surprises you
have in store.
Your content should also walk your
customers down the path toward a
sale. Everything you write should help
the prospect get answers, clarify
misconceptions, climb over stumbling
blocks, and otherwise help them
arrive at your product/service, ready
to buy. For an in-depth look at how to
accomplish this, read The Mountain Man
Method for Writing Copy.
Use Permission-Based Marketing
Prospects need to opt-in in order to receive email communications
from you. This is called permission-based marketing, and it is crucial
if you want to do it the right way. When a prospect opts-in to your list,
he/she should know what to expect from your future communications.
Tell them whether you are going to be sending weekly tips, occasional
promotions, or daily offers. Be sure to spell out both the frequency and
content matter of your future emails.
It is also important to allow your prospects to easily opt-out of
communications when they desire. Allow them to manage their data,
including the option to stop receiving all communication.
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Create an Email Strategy
Sending one-off emails to friends and family works great, but it doesn’t
work well for marketing. Each email you send out should fit into a
greater scheme, and they should all work toward a common goal.
For example, you can create an email series that highlights the “3
secrets to success in cold weather gardening.” Each week, you can
send out another email packed with data, stories, and links relating to
one of the secrets. At the end of the series, you can ask recipients to
buy your book, attend your garden show, or come in for a special
discount on tulip bulbs. The emails work together, building anticipation
along the way, and culminate with a call to action.
You can do the same thing with long-term follow-up sequences, newlead
education, or any other marketing campaign. Best of all, you can
write, create, and load these emails ahead of time. As you get new
leads, you can put them into whichever sequence is most appropriate.
Use Multime dia and Links
Email marketing is a good way to
communicate with your list, but it
isn’t always the best way to educate,
entertain, or sell. Including links to
videos, podcasts, entertaining
articles, social media campaigns,
contests, or surveys, however, is a
great way to reinforce your message in
a unique way.
Don’t try to say it all in the email … use
all of your resources together. Email is
just a great way to get the word out.
Different prospects respond to different
forms of communication, so don’t be
afraid to try different strategies.
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Consistent Follow-Up
One of the major reasons small businesses fail is that they don’t follow
up with leads and prospects. In general, it takes several communications
with a prospect before he/she is ready to buy. But most businesses give
up after one or two emails. That won’t get the job done.
Stop leaving money on the table and start following up with all of your
prospects. If you can stay in front of them, educating and building trust
along the way, they’ll come to you when they are ready to buy.
One of the best ways to have consistent follow-up is through an email
sequence. If you put a new-lead campaign, a long-term nurture
sequence, and a new-customer campaign into place, you will see
dramatic improvement in your conversion rates. The best part? You have
to write these campaigns only once.
Automate and Grow
With an application like Infusionsoft, you can automatically coordinate
these campaigns and provide outstanding follow-up without having
to use your valuable time every day.
Let the power of automation handle the work behind the scenes.
To see Infusionsoft in action, check out our demo.
You can begin to implement these steps in your business
today! Don’t try to do them all at once. Take your time. Do it
right. You will be seeing the results you want (and deserve)
soon.
Many of these marketing strategies suggest using a variety
of companies or resources. As you grow, you may begin to
experience what we call “multisystem chaos.” Infusionsoft
was created to combine many of the tools small business
owners use into one application. While it may not be time for
your business to begin using Infusionsoft, we hope you will
take advantage of our unique software when you’re ready.
We’re here to help, every step of the way.
You can always find us at www.infusionsoft.com or
866 (800) 0004. We’d love to hear how things are going. Feel
free to check in at www.facebook.com/infusionsoft so we
can stay in touch.
To your success! Best of luck in growing your business.
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Conclusion
Don’t wait until tomorrow!
www.infusionsoft.com
© 2011 Infusionsoft. All rights reserved.
Credit article By http://www.tourismtechnology.com/tourismtechnology/cms/documents/files/Internet-Marketing.pdf
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