Bill Rice Internet Marketing > online marketing

Generating Sales Leads With Facebook

June 16, 2009 By

Online marketing has opened up an entire new world for companies, giving them instant access to targeted consumers that are ready, willing and able to buy. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds and far too many companies fall prey to common pitfalls that frustrate their marketing efforts. If you are interested in utilizing social marketing, and in particular Facebook for sales leads or lead generation, there are a few things you need to know ahead of time.

Social Networking is Tricky

Social networking is incredibly powerful, but you have to use the right technique if you want to be successful. You can’t run in with your marketing guns blazing and hope to see increased sales and new customers. Today’s internet users are far too savvy for these techniques and your efforts will be for naught.

This requires a good deal of finesse and it is important to understand this or to work with someone that does when you are first starting out. Online marketing is not a one size fits all industry and you’re going to need to do a little modifying along the way if you want to stay on top and reap the rewards it can bring.

Lead generation on Facebook is remarkably easy, if you go about it the right way. The most important thing to remember is twofold. First, you have to consider your brand and second, you have to consider your clientele.

The Power of Facebook

Facebook is an application that quickly skyrocketed into popularity once it was opened to the general public. While most people use it to keep in touch with their friends, there are numerous ways that companies can utilize it for lead generation. The first is by actually connecting with consumers and building your own group.

This helps you achieve two goals at the same time. First, you’ll be establishing yourself and your brand as an authority and this will translate into increased sales down the road. Second, you are setting up direct lead generation that is highly targeted to your industry, making your sales job even easier.

The second way you can utilize Facebook for online marketing and lead generation is through the use of their advertising system. This is a great way to get new sales leads, and again you are dealing with highly targeted results. Millions of people are using this application on a daily basis and you can easily find new customers without much effort.

The Right Approach

We mentioned this briefly earlier in this article, but it bears repeating. Your online marketing approach needs to be different. You need to work on subtly and focus first on providing value and building a relationship with your new leads. This is not the time to hit them hard with a sales pitch – you’ll only alienate them and make a bad name for your company.

Remember, the internet is an incredibly small space and once you have a black mark on your company it is very difficult to recover. Take the time to build those relationship and work slowly and you’ll see much better results.

Filed Under: Lead Generation Tagged With: facebook, Lead Generation, online marketing, sales leads, Social Media, social networking

Getting Started With Social Media

June 12, 2009 By

Social networking has evolved to the point where it’s not just for friends and non commercial uses any more. Now, businesses are finding that it is the perfect solution for online marketing and although many are abusing its potential, there is still plenty of room to take advantage of all that this medium has to offer.

Social Media Setup

If you are not familiar with online social media, it is a good idea to take a week to familiarize yourself with the different sites. Each one serves a specific purpose. For example, Digg.com is used to help promote useful or interesting pages, while Facebook is more for traditional networking. Twitter is a new service that allows you to collect followers and communicate with them in 140 character posts.

Even though these services are typically used for personal reasons, with the right marketing touch, they can be modified to suit marketing needs. The key to making social networking work for your company is how you approach it, and how you carry out your marketing plan.

Building a Plan

As with any form of networking, finesse is necessary. Online users of social media are incredibly savvy and they don’t appreciate blatant advertising. In order to be successful with social networking, you need to develop a plan, keeping this in mind.

For example, if you plan to use Twitter, it is best to keep blatant marketing posts to a minimum, and intersperse them with useful posts that provide your followers with useful information. In a nutshell, that is the absolute key to making any form of social media work for your company.

Useful Information = Devoted Followers = New Clients

Branding Made Easy

Social networking has made branding incredibly easy and incredibly perilous. With one wrong post, you can tank your company’s image and it can be very difficult to rise again. Although even today’s largest companies are using Twitter and Facebook, they still keep this in mind. The founder of Zappos, one of the world’s most successful shoe stores, uses Twitter daily, and there is much that can be learned from his approach.

Branding your company through sites like Facebook or Twitter can be accomplished in the way you interact with your followers, and the value that you provide them in exchange for following you. If you give them information that they can use, and you maintain a aura of professionalism, you will see results.

Making Your Network a Success

The best way to see how beneficial social media can be is to get out there and give it a try. Observe what other people are doing and find the approach that will work for your company. Take the time to develop relationships with your followers and you’ll be building a foundation for permanent growth for your company.

Although there are a few downsides to this form of marketing, by far it is the most cost effective means that small businesses can use to get their message across, build their brands, and increase their sales.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: branding, facebook, online marketing, Social Media, social networking, twitter

Building a Sales Process

June 8, 2009 By

Whether you are just starting out, or you are looking for ways to increase your sales, a sales process is a vital path to your success. There are many different ways that you can go about building a sales system that will work for your company, but there are some basic guidelines that will make the process much easier and more effective for you.

Before you start, you will need to have some idea of sales management, or you will need to hire someone that can handle this for you. Many company owners simply do not have the time to manage every facet of their business and as a result, sales can suffer. It is better to spend the extra money on a manager which in turn will be repaid through increased sales.

The Basics

First, you’ll need to figure out your target audience and what they are looking for. If you have a product that you feel confident will be a big hit with your audience, a period of testing is necessary to see if this is going to bear out. While you can always hope for the best, it is far better to be prepared and to target your audience correctly.

Next, you will need to come up with a general plan of the different types of marketing avenues that you are going to pursue. Will you be relying on radio, print or online marketing to promote your product? Most find that a mix is the best way to go, but if your promotion funds are limited, online marketing will be the most cost effective method.

Your sales process will depend heavily on the path you decide to take and will need to be customized for each one. While there are similarities in all forms of marketing, there are also inherent differences that will need to be understood if you want to have a sales system that is effective.

Online Marketing Sales Process

In order to take advantage of all that online marketing has to offer, you will need to create a sales process that will allow you to use as many as possible without losing your focus. For example, social networking is incredibly powerful, but pay per click marketing can also be effective.

Never put all of your online eggs into one basket and take the time to test out different varieties of online marketing before settling on the one that is going to work the best for your unique product or service. This will help you build a strong sales system that you can rely on.

Using the Right Tools

Sales management for online marketing campaigns can be made easier by utilizing specific tools, such as analytic programs to gauge overall effectiveness. Since many of these are free or low cost, like Google Analytics, there is no excuse to avoid using them. Often, they can mean the difference between success and failure.

By utilizing all of these techniques, your sales management will be made easier and more effective and your ROI will improve.

Filed Under: Social Selling Tagged With: online marketing, Sales Management, Social Selling

The Basics of Setting Up PPC Marketing

June 5, 2009 By

When it comes to ROI and overall ease, PPC marketing is the choice of many businesses, both offline and online. However, there are a few pitfalls that can make this type of marketing a headache. By following some basic rules, you’ll be able to ensure that your next online marketing campaign is a success, no matter what industry you’re in.

Getting Started with PPC

First, let’s discuss what pay-per-click marketing is and what you can expect. Unlike other forms of advertising, where you generally pay a set price to be viewed by a set amount of people, your ad will be visible throughout the duration of your campaign, until you reach the set amount of clicks you have agreed upon.

It is a good idea to start by setting a budget of what you plan to spend on your ppc campaign. Most services, such as AdWords allow you to set not only a total ad budget, but also what you would prefer to spend for each day. Your ad will then show until you hit that marker. Be forewarned, if you do not set a budget, you may end up spending a good deal more than you planned to with your campaign.

PPC marketing requires testing before you commit to spending a large budget. Ideally, you should have at least three versions of your ad for testing purposes. Set a small budget and run the ads for a few days. See which one performs the best and then use that for your campaign. You will need to monitor its effectiveness however, and you may need to change the ad in mid-campaign if it’s not performing well.

Secrets to Your Campaign Success

Having more than one ad is not the only secret to your success. You will also need to have at least one landing page set up that gives your visitors an instant look at what you have to offer. You may want to have two of these pages, and just like before, test them to see which one is the most effective.

By far, one of the best tools that you can use for testing purposes is Google’s analytics feature. This will integrate with your AdWords account and allow you to get precise testing data on not only the ad, but also the landing page. You may also want to consider using a service like CrazyEgg.com that offers mapping of your page to see where people are clicking.

What Should You Offer?

While you can promote nearly anything with a pay-per-click marketing campaign, most businesses find that it is ideal for either giving away small products, or promoting inexpensive products that have an upsell. You will need to factor this in when you are creating your campaign.

This will also have an effect on your budget, and the range of cost per acquisition that you are comfortable with. Although PPC is cheaper in the long run, and more effective, there are no guarantees. Approach pay-per-click marketing like you would any new marketing campaign. Be careful, test the waters and never get in over your head.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: AdWords, marketing, online marketing, PPC Marketing

Measuring Campaigns Effectiveness in Online Marketing

June 4, 2009 By

There are many different types of online marketing that you can utilize to promote your business or service, but that does not mean that all will be equally successful. If you are just getting started in online marketing, or you are looking for ways to maximize your marketing ROI, here are some basic tips to get you started.

1.    Start Small. Never overspend on a marketing campaign, whether it’s your first, or your hundredth. No matter what type of marketing you are using, it is vital to test its effectiveness first. Unlike traditional advertising, the online marketing world allows you this luxury and it is very important to make use of it.

2.    Measuring Campaigns. In order to get a true idea of just how effective a test is, or an entire campaign, you will need to have plenty of data to analyze and a way to interpret that data. Google Analytics is the premier choice of many online businesses, particularly those who use AdWords for their promotion. This analytics tool allows you to track a variety of different data, from the text of your ads, positioning on landing pages, and even the overall effectiveness of a page.

There are also many other forms of marketing metrics that can help you succeed. From heat maps that will tell you where people are clicking (and where they aren’t) on your site, to side by side comparison of landing page effectiveness, this data is your view into your target audience – don’t waste it.

3.    Be Realistic. Many people are under the impression that online marketing is the way of salvation for a small business and can make everyone a millionaire. The truth is, while thousands of people have made their fortunes online, it is more than just a matter of luck, and most experienced plenty of failures along the way.

Set goals for your marketing ROI and what you would like to see in a perfect world, and then scale that back to a more realistic number. It’s better to count on a smaller ROI and be pleasantly surprised than to devote too much time and money to a failing campaign.  Measuring campaigns is a big part of being realistic and successful in online marketing.

4.    Stay on Your Toes. Online marketing can change from day to day and the ad that worked wonders yesterday may be met with indifference today. You cannot stay stagnant and hope to win the internet marketing game. That is the main reason that analytics are so vital to your survival.

You need to have plans in place, and alternate versions of ads, landing pages, and even color schemes before you begin. This reduces down time and helps you laterally shift a marketing campaign without missing a beat.

By combining the right amount of marketing metrics, the willingness to change and the right product or service, you can be a success and your marketing ROI will skyrocket. While it is entirely possible to have a hit without knowing what you’re doing, it is far better to take the time to plan ahead and cover all of the bases ahead of time.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: marketing campaign, Marketing ROI, online marketing

Four Easy Steps Towards Building an Effective Online Marketing Team

May 26, 2009 By

Your business is only as effective as your marketing team, and without the right mix, your online marketing efforts can suffer. While it can take time and a concerted effort to get the right people on your team, this is an investment that will return many times.

Here are four easy steps that will help you build a team of online marketing experts for your company.

1.    Find the right creative designers. While most business owners have the ability to be creative, they may not have the knowledge that comes with being a professional designer. There are certain design principles that will impact your customers and literally induce them to make a purchase, and you need to take advantage of that.

Hiring professional creative designers may not be cheap, but in the long run, you will able to utilize their work to increase your sales. Whether it is for simple web design, or more complex projects, a professional will be able to assist you in getting it right the first time.

2.    Hire Copywriters. Just as designers are an integral part of building a powerful website, copywriters play an important role as well. Their expertise in the psychology of selling will help you reach out to your customers in a new way.

Many business owners make the mistake of scrimping on their budget for writing, but again, this is an investment that will pay off. Writing effective sales copy is a science, and there is no replacement for compelling copy.

3.    Don’t Forget Public Relations. Marketing is one thing, but public relations is an entirely different story. These professionals are not marketing just your product – they are creating a brand that will be recognizable to the general public.

Marketing is more product centric, while public relations focuses on the big picture and public perception. They can assist you in reaching out to the media for greater coverage of your events and products, and they can also manage public perception.

4.    Put it All Together. All three of the above professions are a vital part of a successful business. Ideally, you should have all three present, working together. You may want to consider hiring a project manager that will coordinate their efforts into one cohesive strategy.

Is This Necessary for Online Marketing?

Selling online is very similar to selling in the real world, but you will need to find professionals that understand the inherent differences. It is an easy mistake to want to try to do it all on your own, or cut corners to save money.
However, if you put together a strong team, this can mean the difference between failure, or at best, meager success, and stellar success.
Each team member, whether they’re in charge of creative design, copywriters, or public relations plays a pivotal role in your company. You may be able to find one person that is capable of all three disciplines, but it is best to spread the work around if at all possible.

How do I Build a Team?

Finding freelance professionals is the easiest way to get your team off the ground. You can visit job boards such as Elance.com or even Craigslist to find qualified applicants. Most will require at least some compensation, but many may be willing to work for a share of your profits.

In order to find the best person for the job, you may need to go through several people. It is best to devise a simple test that will help you narrow down the applicants into a select group that can fulfill your project requirements.
Once you have everything put together, your business will be prepared for online success.

Filed Under: Lead Generation Tagged With: online marketing, public relations
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