June 15, 2008
Have you ever noticed that when someone is interviewed on
radio, television or in the newspapers about a particular
subject, it tends to be the same people? You may even be
saying - “Why don’t they ever ask me?”
Well the reason is - they don’t know about you. If they did
know that you were an expert on a particular subject, then
there’s a good chance you’ll be asked from time to time.
There are various ways to make yourself known to the media.
One way is to write a News Release. Send the media a news
release when you want to announce:
A new product or service -
A new marketing campaign -
A new address -
New staff or someone being promoted -
Any other newsworthy information about you, your business or
your people.
Editors, radio and TV producers receive tons of information
from individuals and companies trying to get publicity for
their business. However, they need information that is
newsworthy, relevant and interesting for their audience.
There are guidelines for writing and laying out a news
release - if you don’t meet these guidelines then your
release will probably get dumped immediately.
A News Release needs
A contact person - In the top left-hand corner of the first
page put the name and telephone number of a person who can
provide further information. If it’s your name then okay,
but an editor would expect to see someone else’s name rather
than the business owner. If you have an assistant, put their
name or your partner’s name - if they work with you.
Date - In the top right-hand corner. You also need to state
when it can be released, if it’s for immediate release then
- put those words. You may want it to be released on a
particular date - if so, give the details.
Headline - You need a headline that summarises the story and
grabs the editor’s attention. Write what you might expect to
see in the particular publication or hear someone say.
The Body - Write your news release on one page if you can;
two pages maximum. Up to 250 words double spaced and a
maximum of four paragraphs. Always write in the “third
person” not the first. Make your information exciting and
human, think about what would grab the attention of the
readers. Include a quotation from a customer if you can;
for example - Fred Smith, Chief Executive of Apex Software
said - “This is the most exciting new product to be
introduced to our industry this year!”
Here are a few other points to consider when writing a news
release:
It’s not a sales document - This is news information, it is
not an advertisement. You don’t want words like - “Wonderful
- Fantastic New Service. If an editor thinks you’re
just trying to get a free advertisement then it’ll be
dumped.
Think of questions - Be prepared for any questions you might
be asked if an editor phones for more information; you don’t
want to blow it if you get to this stage.
Get a name - Find out the name of the person to send it to,
if it’s aimed at the business community send it to - John
Brown, Business Editor, XYZ newspaper. If you can’t get the
name over the phone then, send it to the Business Editor or
the Lifestyle Editor. You can usually find the name of the
person you want from the latest edition of the publication
you’re sending it to. If it’s for radio or TV, phone and ask
- “Who should I send this to?”
Media services - There are media distribution services
that’ll send out your release to all the relevant people -
for a fee
PR Company - You could employ a PR company who’ll do the
whole News Release for you. They know how to write it and
who to send it to. They’ll also have contacts - journalists,
TV editors, producers. They can often get you an interview
with these people.
Here are a couple of books that could be useful:
One Step Ahead: Publicity, Newspapers and Press Releases -
by Alison Baverstock
Press Here! Managing the Media for Free Publicity - by Annie
Gurton
Discover how you can generate more business without having
to cold call!
Alan Fairweather is the author of “How to get More Sales
without Selling” This book is packed with practical things
that you can do to - get customers to come to you .
Click here now
http://www.howtogetmoresales.com
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
May 25, 2008
All Father’s Day Gifts Are Not Created Equal
For most of us, shopping for the perfect Father’s Day Gift can be a difficult, if not impossible
task. Father’s Day initiates the annual conundrum of what to buy the man who already has everything
he needs.
As a gift professional, I can assure you the last thing Dad wants or needs is another tie to
hang in the closet; and while the matching “World’s Greatest Dad” t-shirt and coffee mug was
a thoughtful gift, it doesn’t stick out in his mind for the right reasons. Finding the perfect
Father’s Day gift requires a little bit of effort and maybe a little bit of homework, but the
smile on Dad’s face when he opens the perfect gift is truly priceless.
Looking for the Perfect Gift for Dad? Think Backwards.
The perfect gift requires “reverse engineering.” In the gift business this means starting with the
recipients’ tastes, preferences and hobbies and working backwards towards the perfect gift. Instead
of finding the perfect gift and then trying to match it to the recipient, we start with the recipient
and work in reverse. Understanding this simple principal will instantaneously make you a better gift
buyer for any occasion.
When a regular client calls in frantically and says, “I need a gift for my Dad,” my first question
is always, “What can you tell me about him?” What kind of food does your father like? Is he big on
Barbequing? Does he love chocolate? Does he drink coffee? Does he love Italian food? Does he play
golf or fish? Is he a ‘Snack-a-holic?’ All these defining characteristics of Dad are paramount when
selecting the perfect gift. The more questions you can answer the better off you’ll be in making your
selection. When you get a gift that matches his preferences, your chances of him burying your gift in
the closet are significantly reduced.
A Good Father’s Day Gift versus the Perfect Father’s Day Gift
The difference between a “good gift” and the “perfect gift” is determined by how accurately you can
pinpoint Dad’s tastes, preferences and hobbies and then work backwards towards a gift that best fits
him. There really is no such thing as a bad gift. I believe all gifts are good at heart; but there
is a severe epidemic of giving Dad the wrong gift. And giving the wrong gift is exactly how a gift
goes bad!
A good gift is something that Dad sincerely appreciates. The perfect gift will stand out in his
mind for years!
Finding the perfect Father’s Day Gift might require you to talk to people around your Dad. Inquire
about any new hobbies or interests he has been pursuing and be sure to ask about things he’s thought
about, but hasn’t yet pursued. Whatever you decide to get Dad this year just follow our simple rules
and your gift will be a guaranteed success:
The Best Father’s Day Gifts are Properly Wrapped
Whether it is a power tool or a piece of fine jewelry, the perfect gift must be properly gift-wrapped.
In fact, I’ve seen a “good gift” transformed into a “perfect gift” with the proper presentation. (The
bag you get from the cashier does not count as gift-wrapping!) Personalized gift baskets for Father’s
Day are often a great choice because they are based on the recipient’s preferences, and are impeccably
packaged.
When it Comes to Gift Giving, Stick to Quality over Quantity
The perfect gift doesn’t have to be expensive, but it must fall within his realm of interests and it
should be of good quality. Successful gift givers always stick to the principal of “less is more.”
Get him what he would want even it means giving him less of it! For example, a chocolate lover might
politely accept a large box of chocolates from a grocery store, but one perfectly crafted with gourmet
chocolate would have a greater effect at a potentially equal cost.
It’s The Thought That Counts
When you take the extra time to “reverse engineer” the perfect gift, it clearly demonstrates to Dad
that you put time, effort and energy into your selection. It shows him that you really thought
about him, which is ultimately the true essence of gift giving.
Ryan Abood is President of GourmetGiftBaskets.com, an online purveyor of premium Father’s Day Gift Baskets (one of many perfect Father’s Day Gifts).
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
May 24, 2008
South Plainfield, New Jersey, February 2006 - Dallas Contracting
Co., Inc., (website: http://www.dallascontracting.com) a
specialized contractor providing demolition services, onsite
concrete aggregate crushing, equipment salvage and scrap metal
recycling to various industries, recently completed the purchase
and removal of a used Sonic Fellow Ultra Sonic 5 Bath Cleaner.
A client in Central New Jersey was moving their operations and
no longer needed their used Sonic Fellow Ultra Sonic 5 Bath
Cleaner. They contacted Dallas Contracting Co., Inc. (Dallas
Contracting) to possibly purchase and remove the used equipment.
After review of the condition of the equipment and possible
resale, Dallas Contracting decided to purchase the equipment.
The actual sale and removal of the equipment was done by
Environmental Aggregates and Surplus Equipment, LLC, which is a
subsidiary of Dallas Contracting.
The Sonic Fellow Ultra Sonic 5 Bath Cleaner is now being sold as
used equipment on Dallas’s website
http://www.dallascontracting.com
About Dallas Contracting Co., Inc.
Dallas Contracting Co., Inc. has been in business for 26 years,
is financially sound (D&B Rating of 3A2), is bondable, and works
on a nationwide basis. Dallas Contracting Co., Inc. offers a
turnkey approach to demolition, concrete recycling and
remediation projects by offering the following services under
one roof: Demolition, Onsite Concrete Aggregate Crushing and
Recycling, Environmental Remediation, Rigging, Brownfield
Redevelopment, Surplus and Used Equipment Sales, Interior
Demolition, Equipment Removals, Dismantlement, Equipment Salvage
and Scrap Metal Recycling.
Dallas Contracting Co. Inc. also sells used and surplus
equipment and inventory on their website at
http://www.dallascontracting.com
Contact:
Dallas Contracting Co., Inc. 1260 New Market Avenue South
Plainfield, New Jersey 07080 P: (908) 668-0600 F: (908) 668-0601
Contact: Damon Kozul, PE, CHMM Email:
dkozul@dallascontracting.com Website
http://www.dallascontracting.com
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
May 10, 2008
Ever heard or seen a radio or television commercial that you
really liked and actually looked forward to hearing or seeing
again only to be assaulted by another one so annoying it made
you want to heave your radio or television out the window?
What makes one commercial so enjoyable while others seem to be
so abysmal? It’s all in the ability to make the listener or
viewer remember the ad in a creative, clever way and I’m about
to give you some advice on how to do just that so read on!
One of the most successful ways of creating clever ads is to add
humor. Unfortunately that’s not an easy thing to do as you have
probably heard or seen many commercials try and fail. There is a
fine line between writing a spot people will laugh and identify
with and writing one that falls flat on its face and
unfortunately most spots fall into the latter category. The best
advice on using humor in ads that I can give you is this: hire a
professional who specializes in writing humorous ads. I say this
because the majority of advertisers that attempt to write their
own funny ads fail miserably. The main reason is because it
takes a trained writer to know how to create an ad that includes
not only genuinely funny copy, but also perfect timing and the
right amount of copy needed to pull it off. Having said this, if
you still insist you’ve written a funny spot for your business
the best way to find out is to read it to some unbiased ears
which means someone other than your wife, husband, or best
friend. Humor in itself is subjective but for the most part if
it’s funny they’ll laugh, and if they don’t get it, even if you
think it’s a real knee slapper, it’s time to try another
approach. I’ve written thousands of ads most containing humor
but even I don’t know for sure how well they will be received
once they hit the airwaves. Another tricky part about putting
humor in ads is that it takes more time to establish the bit,
which means you have less time for the rest of the copy.
The same rule goes for putting voice impersonations in your
radio ads. I tend to use voice impressions that I or others do
in radio spots from time to time and it can be a real attention
getter. However, this can also backfire as I’ve heard spots
where voice impersonations were used just for the sake of
putting them in the spot with no real message or tie-in to the
product or service. Once again, this is wasted ad dollars.
You may have heard or seen ads you thought were extremely
annoying and wondered why the advertiser even bothered. What
they’ve learned is that even bad spots will eventually stick in
the mind with enough repetition. The problem here lies with
whether what ends up sticking is a negative reinforcement.
There’s a national jeweler who comes to mind that likes to do
his own radio commercials. His nasally voice and dry as sand
delivery while quite annoying, have become his trademark. So in
essence his annoyance is part of his brand. Successful? Perhaps,
but you’d be hard pressed to get me to shop there.
Remember that besides being clever, your ad has to deliver the
goods. In other words, ads that are clever just for the sake of
being clever won’t accomplish much. Have you ever had someone
tell you about a funny spot but when you asked who the ad was
for, they can’t remember? That’s a case of the copywriter
indulging his or her own cleverness and missing the main point.
Your copy must also give the listener or viewer a reason to call
or come by and most important, remember your name!
Sometimes a “call to action” works well. This could be in the
form of a price point, a special time sensitive sale or a
“radio/TV coupon” in which the listener or viewer is told to
mention they heard or saw the spot for a special price. It could
also involve having the listener or viewer respond immediately
as in, “the first 25 people to call now receive…” however,
make sure your phone lines can handle the response.
In today’s world it takes a clever message to be heard, seen,
and remembered above all the mindless advertising banter. And if
done right, all the other ads can become “advertising wallpaper”
for your clever, stand out, ad campaign!
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
April 25, 2008
There are inevitable situations that we all must face regarding a friend or relative suffering from an illness or recovering from an unfortunate accident that has caused bodily harm. We are then presented with two choices on how to act. We can elect to stand-by idly and let life decide the outcome. The other option is to take the stand of offering our sincere support on behalf of our stricken partner and ally in this thing called life.
A decision for the latter would prove our level of selflessness in a selfish world. It would show that we have a bounty of kindness that we are willing to share with our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Our attention to the healing aspect of life can be expressed through the powerful spiritual tools of prayer and companionship. The predicament can also be attended to by the strategy of giving a solid, three-dimensional gift representing our concern for their well-being. How can the second option be accomplished especially if our afflicted comrade lives afar or is confined within a distant hospital?
Sending Get Well gifts by mail is a plan of action that can add your loving presence to the challenge of raising the spirits of someone in compromised health that you know of. The seeds of recovery can be planted by your thoughtful attention to another person in need of blessing and emotional reinforcement. Your impact can be felt this way no matter what distance you are from the target of your sympathetic heart.
The gift to be sent can have a simple “Get Well” theme or label to it. This sends a direct hit regarding your hopes pertaining to their quick biological recuperation. It would get to the point of your intention of wishing someone a swift rebound from the travail of recovery. This message would be your unmistakable testimony of your desire that your fallen partner in life makes a speedy comeback. The question remains, however, if other Get Well gifts by mail themes may bring about a more powerful healing effect.
What do I mean by this? Well, let’s say that the target of your intentions has a unique fondness for gardening or any other hobby. Likewise, what if he or she is a connoisseur of sorts who would melt in absolute thankfulness if presented a selection of gourmet Italian food or the finest variety of chocolate? Would soothing bath spa gifts be better suited to an expression of good cheer than those that might only go so far saying such? A sports related gift could also be another biggie to rouse someone’s downcast spirits. My point is that a “Get Well” message may be accomplished from different angles and other options are worthy of consideration.
So can Get Well gifts by mail help spur a speedy recovery? I have no doubt that they can certainly help because I believe that healing is advanced when an ailing person is convinced that others are supporting their quest to move forward in health and happiness. Your actions in response to someone’s unfortunate circumstances may just be the pivotal factor in that person’s transformation back to the fuller life that they once knew.
Allow yourself to get creative in the process. Look deep within the essential self of the stricken one and reach a conclusion as to what the best strategy would be for you to help boost their recovery effort. You can then take the steps of offering both spiritual support as well as the custom gift that you have carefully chosen. You would then have made your mark in the life of someone in need.
Brian is the owner of A Gift Basket Paradise and offers his suggestions on a strategy to assist in the recovery of those in our lives who have suffered sickness or injury. He invites you to visit http://www.agiftbasketparadise.com/getwell.html for ideas that may be of assistance.
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
April 16, 2008
Your small business needs an appealing and professional website but that is just the beginning. If no one visits your website and — more importantly — if it does not bring in new customers and allows you to sell more to your current customers, then your site is not effective. What do you need to improve your online marketing efforts?
The first step is to decide on a primary goal for your website. Is it to directly sell products or services through e-commerce? Or is the goal to capture leads so you can follow-up and make the sale by email and phone?
For e-commerce you need a website design with a shopping cart system, that encourages people to purchase products using the shopping cart. Both the design and written content should maintain this focus.
If your goal is to capture leads, the key is to have the content that provides initial information about your products and services that interests prospective customers. It should be easy for the prospective customer to fill out a contact form and hit the submit button or call your 800-number. The form should be submitted to a contact management system such as Salesforce or SugarCRM.
Getting it Done
Your business needs a professional website, which can cost between $2,000 — $15,000 to design. This is not only more than most small businesses want to spend but also unnecessary to succeed on the Web.
For small business there is usually little need for an elaborate, expensive website. You can get an appealing and professional website design for as little as $250.
The key to a professional website design is to work with a good designer who takes the time to listen to you and translate your vision into an effective website. Your designer must be as skilled in listening as in design.
Once the site is completed there must be an easy way for you - or someone on your behalf — to maintain the website. The designer should provide you with an easy-to-use content management system (CMS), enabling you to edit your website without having to contact your designer. This saves you money.
Once you have a professional website you have the foundation for marketing online. You can build on that foundation and use the Internet as an effective marketing tool.
Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing can be divided into two main categories: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC).
Please do a Google search right now for something pretty popular (e.g., coffee). The results on the left side of the browser window that reach down to the bottom of the page are the organic search results. The top results are generally the more popular sites. The highest ranking sites are those sites that have the most links from other websites (especially other high ranking sites). In a sense, other people have voted for the high ranking sites by linking to them. Often, the high ranking sites are the most popular but there is also a lot of gaming of the system. You cannot, however, pay Google to increase your site’s ranking.
On the right side of your search results and, sometimes, up at the top of the page are the “Sponsored Links.” These links are paid advertising through a system called Google Adwords. Look for the “Sponsored Links” heading and compare how these links look with the non-sponsored organic links.
Search Engine Optimization
To increase your search rankings in Google (and other search engines), you can do a number of things. We will focus on Google because of its dominant position as a search engine.
The truth is that it is a crowded field out there for most keywords. Your best bet is to find some niche keywords and work on those. It would be very difficult to achieve a high ranking for the keyword “coffee” but if you have a more specific niche you have a better chance of succeeding.
For example - and this is just an example for illustration, not necessarily a good keyword combination - “Guatemalan shade grown coffee” would be an easier space in which to compete. You would have a chance of rising to the top or at least getting on the first page of results.
The primary way to increase your ranking is to have other high ranking sites establish links to your site and have those links associated with specific keywords - such as “Guatemalan shade grown coffee” as in our example. What follows is a few ideas on how to do that in an ethically and effective way. Don’t be tempted by gimmicks because Google and other search engines are becoming more savvy, and can penalize sites that try to game the system too much.
First, submit your site to as many directories and other clearinghouse type sites in your industry as you can. That should probably be your first step in SEO. Again, use the keywords that you are most interested in associating with your site.
Submit your site to general directories that are organized by topic. Some sites charge money for fast consideration of your submission, and are probably worth it. For example, Yahoo Directory charges $300/year for expedited consideration of your submission. For other highly prized directories — such as the Open Directory Project — you just have to submit your site and hope it will be considered reasonably soon.
Next, talk to your vendors and people in related industries and see about arranging for link exchanges or perhaps even success stories that include a link. They link to you and, in exchange, you link to them.
Then start writing articles. The key to articles is to write about something you know and that has information that is genuinely interesting to your audience. Publish your article in publications that are related to your industry. If your article is published in web publications, you will not only get direct sales leads from your article but your article will also help your search engine position.
For example, our fictional coffee vendor could write an article on exactly why shade grown coffee is superior to non-shade grown coffee. Or, better yet, why “Guatemalan Shade Grown Coffee” is truly the best. The article would have to include facts to support this claim and not just fluff. Maybe the next article could be on how to make the perfect cup of coffee. I would be first in line to read that one.
The key thing to remember is that SEO is a long process. You rarely get instant results. It can take 8-12 months to see any significant progress. You have to keep at it.
Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising
There are a number of PPC providers but we will focus on Google Adwords as they are currently the dominant PPC system.
First, you decide on the goal (called a conversion) of your Adwords campaign. Is it a direct sign-up? Is it capturing sales leads?
A conversion when the goal is achieved and Google Adwords keeps a running tally of your conversions and the cost per conversion. You can see the cost of obtaining a lead or the cost of getting a customer. You can determine if Adwords is working for you, and whether you should make adjustments or discontinue it completely. Generally, it takes a bit of experimentation to get it right but it can be a steady source of business for you. It is worth some effort as once it is set up well it runs and can bring in a steady stream of business.
You set a daily budget (say $35) and a maximum bid on specific keywords (say $2.75). You only pay when someone clicks on your ad click. So if you are bidding $2.75 you might only pay an average of say $2.60 per click. It depends on the keywords and how much you want to bid. Spend some time choosing good keywords. Google Adwords has tools to help you choose the most powerful keywords. You will also need to embed some special code in your website to enable Google to track conversions.
Google Adwords really works. Try it and see if it will work for you. It does not require a big investment to get started. In fact, some web hosting and design companies offer a coupon so you can get started with Adwords for free. Google Adwords is easier to use than you might think.
Permission-Based E-mail Marketing
Spammers have given Email marketing a bad name in much the same way that unethical salespeople have given sales a bad name. This is unfortunate as a knowledgeable salesperson can be an essential part of making good buying decisions. The same is true of good email marketing.
With permission-based email marketing - as opposed to spam - the receiver of the email has expressed interest. Think of spam as the wily salesman in the polyester suit — and think of permission-based email as the knowledgeable salesperson we respect.
For example, I am on an email list at a bookstore that I frequent. I look forward to the e-newsletters as they often have interesting content and good discounts. I enjoy receiving this e-newsletter and the bookstore gets more business from me as a result. I rarely go anywhere else to buy books. They have retained me as a customer and I buy more often at least in part because of their e-newsletter.
Email marketing can help you increase customer retention and help you earn more revenue from each customer by cross-selling and up-selling to your current customer base. It can also help you expand your client base.
Email marketing is becoming crucial to online marketing and - when done ethically and well — can be extremely effective. Sign up for a free trial with an email marketing service and see if it works for you. If not, try another service. Find a service that meets your needs.
You can grow your own email newsletter list with a sign up form on your website, and by asking for opt-in in your sign-up and lead capture forms.
What to look for in an Email Marketing Provider
At a minimum an email marketing service should make it easy for you to create eye-catching emails, manage multiple email lists, and place newsletter sign-up forms on your website. There should be powerful list management, robust reporting, and reliability. Your provider must also have excellent customer service.
Your email marketing service should include an easy way to track the results of your email campaigns. Who opened your email, how many times, and when? Did they click on the link you provided? Did they purchase anything or submit a lead? The service should enable you to track message reads in real time, and read detailed reports online or export them to a spreadsheet.
In addition, your email marketing service should give you the ability to manage multiple lists and divide lists into multiple segments.
Conclusion
Obtaining a website and marketing your products or services online does not have to be expensive. An economical way to accomplish these goals is to hire a company to design your website and provide you with bundled web hosting and permission-based email marketing services. It would be an added bonus if they can get you started using Google Adwords with a free coupon.
Neil Anuskiewicz is the Marketing Manager for EZ Publishing.Shawn Hickman is a SEO expert. He can take your site to the next level of online marketing and place you at the top of the search engine results. Visit http://www.4cornersflorida.com for more information.
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
April 6, 2008
Do you want to make your website more profitable?
If you answer yes, here are web site advertising
secrets to help you:
1. Address your targeted audience on your business
site. Example: “Welcome Internet Marketers”. If
you have more than one, address them all.
2. Make sure your content and graphics are relevant
to your web site’s theme. You wouldn’t want to use
a bird graphic on a business web site.
3. Alert visitors by email when you add new content
to your web site. This will remind people to revisit
your web site.
4. Offer a way for visitors to contact you on each
web page. List your email address, fax number and
phone number.
5. Give people the option of viewing your web site
offline. Offer it by autoresponder or printer friendly
version.
6. Make sure a least 50% of your content is original.
The other option is to offer something else original
other than content, like software or an online utility.
7. Offer your visitors incentives for revisiting your
web site. You could give them new content, ebooks,
software, ezine, etc.
8. Publish a FAQs for your business, product and
web site. They could have questions about multiple
parts of your business.
9. Make sure all links on the navigational bar are
clickable. If people can’t get to where they want to
go, they will leave.
10. Organize you web site in logical and profitable
sequence. You don’t want to give a freebie before they
learn about the product(s) you’re selling.
May you succeed in your web site advertising and make
a lot of money.
Warmly,
I-key Benney, CEO
I-key, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of “Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System”, (internet income opportunity) program, which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.
Mscsrrr Millionaire Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000-$2000 free “cash”…
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
April 4, 2008
When I sit down with companies to talk about their web site strategy, one of the first questions that I ask is “Why did you originally develop your site?” Often, there’s a moment of uncomfortable silence before someone replies, “because our competitors all had one”, or “our customers kept asking for our web address”, or one of my personal favorites “to get our name out there”.
In addition, some companies build a web site for branding purposes, or to provide information to potential clients, thinking that one-way communication is a valid goal. I’m afraid that I disagree. Using a web site merely to provide information is like using an airplane to drive around town without ever leaving the ground - you’re missing the real opportunity to help your business ‘take-off’ by creating leads and sales.
After all, a web site is a corporate resource, and like any other resource it should provide a return on investment. That return should be immediate and measurable, meaning that the bottom line for any website is - how specifically has the web site grown my business today/this week/this month, and so on. Enter the concept of ‘conversion’.
What is Conversion?
For a business web site, there are three primary goals:
- generating leads
- selling products via e-commerce
- generating referrals
The reason that I say this is because these are the only actions that lead to real dollars. So, they’re the only way for your web site to produce a return-on-investment. When a visitor takes one of these actions, that is counted as a ‘conversion’ (as in converting visitors into leads and customers).
I do understand that websites can accomplish other less-tangible benefits. I call these secondary goals. Typical secondary goals might include:
- building credibility
- supporting existing customers
- recruiting partners or affiliates (this may be a primary goal if your business is largely affiliate based)
I consider these goals secondary because if this was ALL that your site did, then you’re probably missing the real potential of a company website.
Conversion Aids Site Development and Management
Deciding that you want/need a conversion web site is actually a tremendously empowering moment. For example, your new goals can actually help you to determine what should or shouldn’t be included on your site (removing much of the politics of website development). In a sense you build your site backwards - start with your site goals and then flesh out the structure and content from there. As you use your goals document as a set of criteria for determining site content, there’s much less room for disagreement.
Secondly, having specific web conversion goals allows you to measure the effectiveness of your site after it’s completed and live. That’s key because if you can’t measure web site performance, then improving it becomes much more problematic. So you’ll find that measurement and improvement are the keys to that ROI you’re looking for.
Tips for Improving Conversion Rate
Here are few tips to increase your conversion rate:
1. Give Direction
To build interest in a product or service, consider structuring your website as a logical sequence of information, rather than a smorgasbord. The way to accomplish this is to reduce the number of links, and identify the best next click for each page. Then provide a specific link which is essentially a signpost pointing where you want your visitor to click once they’ve read the page they’re currently on.
2. Trade Value for Value
For lead generation sites, collecting visitors contact information in exchange for something is the desired outcome. The exchange should be high perceived value to the recipient, low cost to the provider, and have a low perception of commitment. Typical on-line exchanges of this sort include free-trials, product demos, and whitepapers. Be careful not to ask for too much information in the exchange (this raises the perceived commitment level). Ask only for information that’s essential to you.
3. The Work’s Not Over
Once your web site is up and running, the work isn’t over! Pay careful attention to the results you’re getting. Establish a baseline of results and then begin making changes to impact your conversion rate. Make sure you allow enough time for changes to show an impact, if your site gets only a few visitors, each test element might be in place for a month or even longer.
About the Author
Mat Greenfield is the founder and CEO of Utah based Conversion Results, and has been in marketing since 1996. He is recognized as a website conversion expert by a number of industry organizations including Register.com and Constant Contact. He is a regular contributor to a number of print and e-magazines, and is a monthly columnist for Practical e-Commerce Magazine.
Visit www.conversionresults.com for a free eGuide to improving web site conversion rates.
Posted by admin under
Plugging |
Comments Off
