Smart Marketing consist of these 5 steps
We live in a fast paced world where online advertising and lead generation tactics are popping up like Poptarts at a slumber party. It makes you anxious just trying to keep up with all the great ideas. But it is best to start with the basics to online marketing before you jump in to using the marketing tactic of the week!
I call the basics - smart marketing because they are tried and proven and they are the most effective way to drive more online business to your website.
Step 1: Evaluate you current marketing
The best way to start any marketing change is to evaluate your current marketing and establish a baseline to grow from. This entails:
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Looking at your customers (Demographics, Psychographic, and Geographic)
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Know your competitors (What are the top 5 to 7 competitors doing to stand out?)
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Evaluating your position (How are you different than your competitors)
Step 2: Form a strategy
Survey your good customers to better understand them and to attract more just like them. You know the customers and clients who:
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Are enjoyable to work with
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Pay well
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Repeat purchase and Refer you
Be different, be remarkable and it can’t be based on customer service, price or quality, those are expectations in the eyes of the consumer. Here are some ways to consider being different:
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Target a specific industry (Medical, B2B, contractors)
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Work with a specific consumer (Business gross sales over $1,000,000)
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Offer your product as a service or your service as a product
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A guarantee no one else would dare offer
Brand your difference with company colors and image, memorable taglines, unique offer and make sure it is on everything that touches the customer or the prospect.
Step 3: Develop materials that educate
Smart marketing reaches customer primarily through online marketing. Why? Because that is where the consumer is NOW, researching products and services (Before buying them) and it is where there is enough space to educate a potential client.
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Help your client make an informed decision
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Give them the tips to make a smart buy and
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Describe the pitfalls of your competitor
And they will reward you with their business!
Step 4: Lead customers to your website and trade valuable content for their contact information
How do you get prospects to your website? There are three ways:
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Referrals; Ask your referral partners or happy customers to send people to your website to learn more about you
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Run targeted direct mail, advertising content on your website
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Use SEO to be found online for keywords prospects use to search for your product, service or unique difference. Also, blog to establish expertise and build backlinks
Once prospects are on your website, develop a report, white paper or valuable tool your prospect wants so they will give you their email to receive a copy.
Step 5: Nurture leads until they need what you offer
Once they reach out to you to establish a relationship, and you have a potential customer email, you will want to nurture that relationship by sending them relevant information to follow up the report they asked for. Think of it as advancing the sales process. For example, if they ask for “7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success” report, they may also be interested in:
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Marketing newsletter or marketing tips
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Case study or two about how a small business experienced successful marketing response
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A tool e.g. a website grader to help them adjust and improve their website
I hope this helps you market your business better. If you have any questions I can be reached at shawn@redstarmarketing.com
