If you’re a savvy entrepreneur, you will always look for tips and advice on how to be better. Sadly, not every businessperson is an expert, so we all need a helping hand from time to time. But, in your quest for knowledge, you come across lots of tidbits that pass through your ears and out the other side. Sure, everyone would like to remember each piece of info no matter how small, but it isn’t possible. In reality, you have to focus on the things that seem the most important and implement them into your strategy.
However, and this isn’t supposed to offend, you might not be doing it properly. In your mission to improve your marketing wisdom, it is possible to assume wrongly that some advice isn’t worth considering. And, that has terrible side-effects.
To help you cherry pick the best tips, below are some of the most frequently omitted marketing guidelines. Yep, they might be weird and unpopular, but they are effective.
Read Between The Lines
Social media platforms are an essential marketing tool in 2017 – fact. Still, that doesn’t mean that you’re proactive because you have a variety of accounts. All it means is that you are ‘online’ and surfing the web at any time of the day. Well, your marketing strategy shouldn’t revolve around this tactic because it isn’t proactive. Waiting for people to ask questions or respond to criticism isn’t helpful for you or the customer. What is useful is listening to the chatter and responding with a solution. Then, you can provide your customers with what they want instead of taking an estimated guess. As you probably know, this should result in more leads and greater sales opportunities. Plus, it shows the customers that you want to add value to their experience. So, instead of focusing on defense, you should concentrate on offense.
About Us Map Keep Access Hand Imprint Finger
Build A Comprehensive ‘About Us’ Page
You have just put together an incredible website that is going to lure in customer after customer. But, have you put as much effort into every page on the site? The answer, regarding the ‘about us’ page, is no. For some reason, businesses think that a few lines of arbitrary text are enough to fulfill the consumer when it isn’t. Whether you realize it or not, you should know that your customers invest in the company and the product nowadays. That means they want to hear more about who you are, what you do, and why you’re in the industry. Not only does it satiate their curiosity, but it also builds a sense of trust that lasts for a very long time. The more they trust you, the more they will take note when they see your adverts.
Invest In Middle Of The Funnel Content
What the hell does the term ‘middle of the funnel mean?’ It means the bit in between where companies slack off because they think they have everything covered. Let’s take a look at websites for a moment for more clarity. At the top end of the funnel are design graphics and conversion rates because these are the most important. And, at the bottom end is content as the effect of content is difficult to quantify. However, this tactic will hurt your marketing efforts because consumers love content. They don’t want half-baked posts that add zero value to the experience. Nope, they want funny, interesting and intelligent articles that make them come back for more. Hence, you need to middle out for the best balance so that your site isn’t top heavy.
Add All The Bells & Whistles
Speaking of content, let’s zero in a little bit more before we move away from the topic. Now, anyone that works in marketing knows about strategies such as SEO and PPC. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be in charge! The problem with these techniques is that they seem all encompassing, which takes your focus away from other areas. For example, all you might think about is optimizing your website for the sake of search engine rankings. Although it will help, it isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to success. To be successful, your content needs to include a range of tactics, some which you might not realize exists. Aesthetically pleasing content is a major draw for lots of users, as is interactive content. Indeed, video content is quickly becoming the king of all online content.
Measure Your Efforts
In the past, it was only the geeks and nerds that bothered about analytic software. They used to spend their lunch break fawning over facts and figures, and everyone thought they were a little weird. Maybe that was the case, but they were also ahead of the curve. It’s simple when you think about it, but there is no way to gauge the impact of your efforts with a measurement tool. After all, you’re only guessing that something is working if you don’t have the proof. The reason that analytic software is becoming more popular is that businesses want to understand and analyze every step. You should be the same because bounce and conversion rate are no jokes. Plus, no one wants to waste time and energy on a plan that isn’t effective.
And Use The Data
Once you have the data, you shouldn’t throw it in the bin or put it to one side. Simply put, the information you glean from your analytics holds all of the answers to your questions. In fact, it contains answers to questions you haven’t even asked yet! Okay, it might be hard to spot in the beginning, but once you have it you won’t look back. At least, you shouldn’t if the business uses it to its advantage. There is nothing more ignorant than making ‘gut’ decisions when the route is staring you straight in the face. Today, a modern business needs to be less gut feel and more data driven. Anyway, what’s the point in analyzing your strategy if you aren’t going to make tweaks?
Go Offline
Online, online, online! Everything is internet-based these days, and marketing is no different. If you’re going to make headway, there is no doubt that you’ll need an online presence. But, a strong online presence shouldn’t be your entire strategy because offline techniques still work. Indeed, when you merge online and offline together, they are almost unstoppable. Take lead generation as an example. In 2017, LinkedIn is one of the best tools to meet new people. However, the relationship starts to peter out once you make a connection. By getting in touch and arranging to meet face to face, you keep the spark alive. Not only that, but you make an impression that lasts a lifetime. The next time they are shopping in your industry, your business will be their first port of call.
Sharpen Your Calls To Action
Almost every piece of marketing has a common link: a call to action. As the name suggests, this is a term that instructs customers to act decisively without sounding like an order. It might be ‘click here’ or ‘follow this link’ or some other kind of command, but it exists. The issue is that the call to action might be too generic to work. ‘Click here’ is so popular that most people just gloss over it and continue on their merry way. You need them to act, which is why you need to be bolder. Try adding terms that pique their curiosity and make following your command worthwhile. A modern twist is ‘click here for your free’ as the word ‘free’ is a buzzword. Let’s face it – everyone loves a bargain!
Segment Your Audience
Targeting a customer base is a rule that every business should follow if they want to be successful. The problem with taking this at face value is that you class your base as one. Sorry to break it to you, but your audience is much more segmented than you think. The odds are that you appeal to a range of demographics, which means a one-size fits all policy won’t work. To engage all of your customers, you need to adjust the advert accordingly. Social media is a good place to start. Studies show that the average social media users are between the ages of 18-25. As such, you can Twitter and Facebook to appeal to this demographic. Then, you can use a modified version on the radio for your older customers. Targeting them all at the same time is pointless.
Remember That People Are Humans
Yep, forget what you heard because people are human beings. It’s true! What is also true is that businesses don’t act like people. Instead, they act like functioning adults that are controlled by computers. The amount of jargon and formal language that turns up in marketing campaigns is outright wrong. Customers just don’t want to see it because it is boring and confusing. They do want to see funny, charming and inspiring content that they can share with their friends. So, although it sounds stupid, don’t forget to be a human person.
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