Marketing Tips

Use these marketing tips and tricks to better position and sell your products and services to customers:

Brand Marketing: The Importance of the Millennial Influencer

April 2, 2020 By Joe Rawlinson

Millennials, while many of their habits and routines may annoy the older generations, are vital to brand marketing. Even the term “˜millennial’ may sound a little clichÃ©, but this generation is the most technologically savvy group of people in our society.

Millennials are generally referenced as being self-centered, self-serving, and obsessed with technology. Imagine gathering those characteristics of this group of people and focusing their energy on a specific company brand. This generation of the workforce can either be utilized as an employee or as a digital format influencer. This generation can also be easily targeted as new and potential customers with creative brand marketing.

For example, an SEO agency promotes a company’s products or services focusing on what specifically the company’s core identity is. This includes the company’s moral code and values. Consistency is key. The company’s brand creates a bond between the product and the customer.

Brand marketing identifies who the company is, and works to create a personal attachment between the customer and the company. Brand marketing’s goal is for consumers to easily recognize a brand, and to also relate to the specific company’s mission.

Companies should create strategies to think outside the box. Millennials will almost always find a new and creative way to meet the needs of consumers. They can be utilized when creating a brand marketing plan.

Millennials know how to tap into every social media channel to promote any company’s brand. For example, many shoppers go to Instagram to search for unique buying experiences. These shoppers often rely on the influencers they follow to make their purchasing decisions.

Millennials, as employees of a company, can assist through Instagram stories by creating authentic brand messages to help consumers understand the company’s specific goals, and what the company stands for. Companies can also tap into influencers to promote their products and services through their personal accounts.

Social media influencers are individuals who have the power to affect the purchasing decisions of consumers. The person of influence may have specific knowledge of a niche area, a coveted position in pop culture, or a unique relation with a specific audience.

Social media influencers are more than marketing mechanisms. These people have virtual relationships with their followers, making them able to subliminally direct their followers’ purchasing decisions. These influencers are seen frequently in the media. Having just one on board with a brand can bring in many customers a company may not have had access to previously.

Millennials spend their hard-earned money in a different way than generations before them. Most of them shop online. Many of them only target companies whose mission statements align with their own belief system. Millennials are even more political than previous generations and will target companies to shop with who share the same political biases.

When a company’s philosophies match that of the millennial consumer, they are more apt to support and promote the brand. This younger generation will work indirectly as a brand ambassador to keep the company’s brand relevant. Relevancy and a clearly defined mission will help a brand continue to grow.

5 Most Effective Ways To Increase Retail Sales

January 13, 2020 By Joe Rawlinson

Many businesses struggle to survive in the retail industry’s competitive market. With over one million retail companies in the United States, business owners have a hard time increasing retail sales. In the past, retailers only had to compete with brick-and-mortar locations in their areas. In contrast, retailers today need to out-do their neighboring stores as well as thousands of ecommerce stores online. Fortunately, you can still achieve your sales goals despite this growing level of competition. Here are the most effective ways to increase retail sales.

Create A Simple Loyalty Program

You can increase retail sales by creating a simple loyalty program. As the name suggests, these programsÂ increase loyalty between stores and customers. The best loyalty programs do not make it difficult for shoppers to earn rewards. Instead, effective programs allow consumers to earn points each time they make a purchase.

Consider implementing a loyalty program based on a “dollars for purchases” format. When a consumer buys an item from your store, they earn dollars that they can use for their next purchase. This system persuades shoppers to buy more products. It also makes customers feel good about spending money in your store. Hence, this is an effective way to increase retail sales.

Optimize Product Merchandising Strategies

Another great way to boost your retail store’s sales is to implement the best merchandising strategies. Retail merchandising entails strategically positioning products to attract shoppers. You can easily engage in-person and online customersÂ through product merchandising.

To boost in-person sales, use signage to showcase great deals. Create signs for “Under $20” bins and “SALE” sections. Increase your online sales by telling a story through product images and collections. Use detailed yet concise text to get your story across online as well. With the right product merchandising strategies, you can boost sales both online and in-person quickly.

Advertise On Social Media

Additionally, use social media channels to advertise your products. The majority of today’s shoppers use at least oneÂ social media platform regularly. Therefore, you can reach more consumers and build brand recognition through popular channels. One of the best channels for retail businesses is Facebook.

You can drive foot traffic to your store through Facebook’s accurate consumer targeting options. Simply choose the demographic that you want to target with your advertisement. Facebook maintains large data banks of user information. You can use this data to target users based on gender, age and location easily. Take advantage of social media tools like this one to drive traffic to your retail store. Then, you can increase sales online and offline.

Use The Feel, Felt, Found Method

Many retail stores also find success through the feel, felt, found method. This strategy focuses on communicating with in-store customers effectively. It particularly works well for retailers trying to sell more expensive items.

Begin by telling customers that you know how they feel. Show that you understand that the price could be an issue. This is a great way to start building a connection with shoppers.

Then, provide an example of someone else who felt the same way. Tell a story about another shopper who was in the same position.

Complete the method by explaining how that other shopper found what they needed in your product. Most shoppers want to find comfort and longevity in a product. Highlight these qualities to close more sales in your retail store.

Create A Sense Of Urgency

Finally, create a sense of urgency to boost retail sales. This strategy increases impulse buys for retail shops. The key to this tactic is to focus on time limits. Advertize sales by highlighting their end dates. Offer discounts that only last a certain amount of time as well. Use phrases like “Don’t miss out!” and “Last chance!” in your emails and store signage. This will put pressure on consumers to take advantage of your deals immediately. Many shoppers do not only purchase products quickly when they feel pressured. They also often end up spending more than they normally would without a special deal. Therefore, this is a great strategy for retailers trying to increase their sales.

In order to thrive in theÂ highly competitive industry of retail, you need to constantly increase your sales. Create a loyalty program that allows customers to earn rewards quickly and easily. You can also boost sales by optimizing your product merchandising strategies both online and in-store. Use social media to reach more consumers as well. Moreover, use the feel, felt, found method to convince in-person customers to purchase expensive products. In addition to these strategies, create a sense of urgency to boost impulse buys. Use these methods to increase your retail sales effectively.

How To Create An Automated Sales Funnel

September 4, 2019 By Joe Rawlinson

Ever had that moment where you’re working your fingers to the bone to follow all these marketing trends, building your email lists, publishing share-worthy content and basically rocking your customers’ world”¦

But then, when you look at the revenue and the money you put in, you think “Where did all the money go?” You get frustrated and fret that you’re doing all the wrong things.

Have you been there? Admit it, because I have.

You’ve worked so hard to build a credible business, to follow all the suggested strategies, and for what? To end up with little to no profit.

The problem here is that real-world marketing takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight, and without professional support, expect to spend money testing stuff in the early stages.

If you’re looking for a way to market your business that will deliver a strong ROI, then you need a sales funnel.

What is a sales funnel?

A sales funnel is an automated journey that your customers take from discovering your business to making a purchase. Some funnels are more complicated than others and will include retargeting and email marketing, but we’ll get to that later.

Set your goals.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s establish what it is you are looking to promote and how you will reach people. There’s nothing worse than setting up a sales funnel with no real goal in mind.

For example, let’s say you’re looking to promote SEO services to business owners and marketing managers. There are thousands of companies out there selling the same service – all with testimonials and five-star ratings. What makes you any different?

Establish what matters to your audience, and hit them with that right away! Don’t start with something generic like, “Benefit from our award-winning marketing services.” It’s okay, but doesn’t pack a punch.

If you’re struggling to find a unique selling point, then opt for a giveaway.

People love free stuff. If you start your funnel with a free resource that can be downloaded in exchange for personal data, that’s a win. People get something free that has your branding all over it and showcases your credibility. And you receive precious data (name, email, phone number, company, etc.) that can be used to retarget them once you’ve gained their trust.

Send follow-up emails.

Once you have captured interest – and data – you can start hitting people with promotions. There are many different approaches when it comes to following up with emails. This will depend on the nature of your business and your relationship with prospects.

Here are just some of the ways to can follow up with prospects:

Offer:

Having an offer will put you ahead of the competition. That’s an offer, not a product. What you have to understand is that everyone has a product to sell. You will forever be battling it out on the price.

Having an offer will significantly increase your conversion rate.

The definition of an offer is a bundle of products that, once packaged together, create an attractive deal.

For example, let’s take a mobile phone company selling an identical phone to another provider. This strategy is like gold dust. Instead of promoting a phone like all other providers, why not throw in some freebies? So, not only are you giving people a phone but also a screen protector, headset and manual. That’s a quick example that can be applied to any industry.

Just ensure that you keep production costs low and the perceived value high so that you profit from your bundle deal. Pretty neat, right?

Story:

Are you a business owner with a story to tell? If so, incorporate that into your sales funnel.

Remember, these people have just entered your funnel and may need to know more before parting with their hard-earned cash. A lot of that comes from getting to know the business owner.

Think about the popular UK talent show, The X Factor. You will probably hear the term’ likeability factor’ thrown around a lot. Basically, someone could be a rubbish singer but they have an infectious personality. The audience loves them and, therefore, they will sell records. It should be about talent, but likeability comes first every time.

The same goes for your business. You could be promoting the most innovative service or product but without the personality to sell it, you won’t get far.

Let’s say you’re a public speaker who routinely confronts crowds of thousands. You have to be bold, daring and confident. But did you always feel like that? Oh, no! Your confidence has grown, matured, over time.

Teach people that feeling nervous is perfectly normal. Make them aware of your story. You will appear relatable, which helps build trust and confidence in your abilities as a business owner.

The important thing to remember is that all of the above is automated. Once set up, you don’t have to lift a finger. Your sales funnel will bring in leads at all hours of the day and night.

How do you set up a sales funnel?

Use a funnel creation and automation tool, like Clickfunnels.

Clickfunnels will give you everything needed to create high-converting landing pages and follow-up emails. Here you can automate everything in your funnel, keeping all marketing and costs with one provider. You don’t need external email software, a coding expert or content writer to craft funnels. Clickfunnels will include templates with design and content elements. What’s more, there’s even video tutorials to help if you get stuck.

Where do I promote my sales funnel?

You need a little bait to lure people into your funnel. That bait is paid advertising. Unlike a website with organic rankings, a sales funnel is all about targeted marketing. Both websites and funnels are essential. They help you drum up revenue through multiple marketing methods.

Ask yourself, “where does my audience spend time?” That location is where you need to promote your sales funnel.

I can recommend both Facebook ads and Google AdWords as exceptional ways to generate clicks from potential customers. The targeting options are laser-focused on location, interests and even behaviors to help you reach your ideal customer.

About the author:
Mark Woodcock is the Managing Director of the online marketing company, Bigfoot Digital. He specializes in the creation of high-converting sales funnels and advertising with exceptional results. If you are looking for support in creating an automated sales funnel that bring in sales, even as you sleep, get in touch on 01226 720 755.

Look Beyond The Web: 7 Ways To Promote Your Small Business Offline

August 7, 2019 By Joe Rawlinson

While smartphones and screens of various sizes permeate our lives, it can actually be detrimental to think that all of your business marketing needs to be digital. By relying entirely on social media and online search results, you’re limiting a huge potential to reach your consumers.

Your company will need to invest in online marketing, however, every small business can benefit from strong offline promotions in order to grab the attention of potential customers.

What is Offline Promotion?

Offline promotion is a huge area of marketing that showcases your company in the tangible real world, as opposed to on the Internet. Offline marketing can include everything from flyers to business cards, and even more creative means such as hosting a local event.

The purpose of using offline promotion is to help build trust with your brand. There is still some apprehension in the market from purchasing from an online-only store that isn’t one of the giant e-commerce retailers.

By having a real-world presence, you can build rapport with your clients and help to spread the word about your brand. These offline methods can be executed easily and cost-effectively.

1. Flyers and Coupons

Ok, so you have a small business and a computer with a design program that can make professional flyers, coupons, and handouts, what’s next?

This first thing you want to keep in mind before you start handing out flyers or coupons, is who will be your target audience. This will narrow down the message on the flyer and narrow down the areas you will distribute your flyer.

If your company offers home remodeling service, then targeting 10,000 cars at the local university dorms may not be a wise application of time and money. You want to make sure that your flyers end up in the hands of strong potential clients otherwise you may as well place the flyers in the trash for them.

If you know where your target audience is located, then you need to choose how to get the flyers to them. If there is a point of congregation, then you can either hang them in community areas or you can hand it to people directly. If your potential clientele is spread out, then you may have to hire some canvassers to deliver flyers door-to-door.

2. Networking

Every business small or large can benefit from personal contacts. You can either join various clubs and organizations, attend local and international events. If these aren’t a good fit, then you may even consider hosting an event yourself.

The goal of these events is to get to know people and see if there is a way that a mutual benefit can be achieved with each others’ network. This benefit can come in a variety of forms; maybe a new contact has access to a distribution channel, and with a quick introduction, can cut down on some of your logistics.

It’s also possible that even if your products or services are different, you may have the same target audience, and can help integrate your current network together.

3. Cross Promotions

After networking, you find that you can benefit from some cross-promotion. Cross-promotion involves two or more companies that cooperate by promoting each-others product or service. If you’re a guitar teacher then you may utilize cross-promotion with a local music store, whereby promoting each other, you enter a win-win situation.

By finding a company with a related product or service, then come up with creative ways to promote each other’s business, at a fraction of the cost of direct marketing.

4. Vendor Trade Shows

Vendor trade shows offer a low-cost solution to spread brand awareness and even make direct sales. With only a booth and a smile, you have a cheap solution to target marketing.

Trade shows bring in a highly targeted market that will be interested in your product because they’ve already traveled to a specific location knowing what the trade show or expo will be focused on. If the event is a week-long affair or only an afternoon, you know that thousands of people attending are inside your target demographic.

If your product is new to the market, then you have an even better chance at converting sales. This is because the audience attending the event is looking to learn about new products, brands, and solutions.

If you’re personable this also gives you a chance to put a face to your company. In the modern era where there is always a screen between people, just seeing that there is a real human behind a product can do wonders for your brand.

Just remember to make your booth presentable. You want to make sure that your brand is properly displayed, and you may benefit by attracting prospective clients with a sign that stands out.

5. Trade Publications

Whether your small business is dealing in repopulating hamsters in the American Northwest or weaving wicker baskets, there is a trade publication for every industry.

By using print advertising, you are targeting readers who have a direct interest in what they’re reading. If your product is an unbreakable fishing line, then a perfect place to advertise it would be in a fishing magazine.

These publications are always looking to showcase new products or services, and love to print interesting stories about the people guiding the industry.

This can also be a cost-effective measure to get your brand out there due to the decline in demand for print media. If the publication comes out quarterly, then shortly before the release of the next issue, you may be able to negotiate a better price than what they list in the press kit.

6. Educational Workshops

One way to market offline is to host or speak at a workshop that has educational value for potential customers. This gives you an opportunity to show how your products and services can solve potential problems that your client will face.

Hosting or speaking at an educational workshop can benefit you in multiple ways. As a speaker, you automatically build the impression that you’re an industry expert that can be relied upon. This allows you to effectively promote your brand and builds trust with the audience that you’re someone they can recommend.

You can also take advantage of the event by recording the seminar and using snippets of it on your website, in both video and written format.

7. Branded Merchandise

While of course, you want to have your company’s brand on the product and packaging, by branded merchandising, we mean swag.

Swag is the little gifts that can be handed out at trade shows, charity events, conferences, or can be used as little gifts included with the purchase of your product. Swag is just branded merchandise that is cheap and easy to distribute, such as key chains, mousepads, phone cases, mugs, pens, and pencils, or anything that can be mass-produced with your logo.

About the Author

Lara Douglas is a young woman who loves interior designing and home decor. She is passionate about new trends and fashion forward home decor ideas. She regularly posts at Neon Signs Depot.

4 Strategies to Boost Your Email Marketing

April 3, 2019 By Joe Rawlinson

When Microsoft did some research on the average person’s attention span, they discovered that it has significantly shortened since the year 2000. It now just lasts about 8 seconds — that’s even shorter than that of a goldfish!

Speaking of attention span, users nowadays spend about a split-second scanning through their emails. As a business owner, you need to ensure that you not only capture their attention but also sustain their interest.

Email marketing is still one of the most successful ways to convert readers, nurture leads, and raise revenue for your business. It also helps increase brand awareness for your company while providing you with the tools to monitor the performance of your campaigns, such as click-through rates, brand mentions, and profile visits.

Here are 4 strategies to boost your website’s email marketing:

Study your audience.

Knowing your audience is an important step in optimizing your marketing emails before sending it out to your subscribers. You can get a clear idea of who they are by creating target personas. Identify the age, gender, address, occupation, and income of your ideal customer or target audience. By having a clear target persona, it’s easier for you to plan out the content of the email you’re going to send.

Be Concise.

Another key to successful email marketing is to keep your messages short and simple. If you cram a ton of information into a single newsletter, your recipients might feel overwhelmed and confused. As a result, it’s difficult for them to determine your message or retain any information from your email.

By keeping your message concise yet relevant, your readers will have a better idea of what you’re really trying to say. If they’re interested in knowing more about your business, they’ll click-through to visit your website.

Bear in mind that most users check their emails from their smartphones, mainly due to the portability and convenience it provides. Just be sure to measure the right amount of content, determine how many CTAs you’ll include, and customize your image format. These steps help prevent mobile devices from truncating much of your content. Bottom line — optimize your email for mobile devices.

Make it personal.

Now that you’ve created a concise message, it’s time to check how you address your readers. Avoid sending a generic marketing email with a “Dear Customer” greeting. It will only give them the impression that they got the same email that everyone else did.

But, when your emails have a personal approach, your readers will feel that you sincerely want to provide the best solution that’s personalized for them. Think about it — would you rather be called by your first name or by “miss” or “mister”? Calling subscribers by their first name makes your email sound friendlier.

Always include a CTA.

Lastly, always include a Call-to-Action in your marketing emails. Encourage them to subscribe to your newsletter or explore your website to discover what else your business has to offer.

With attention spans becoming shorter and competition getting tighter, knowing the fundamental principles behind email marketing gives you the edge to stay at the top of your industry.