The Internet has accelerated strategic target marketing to a new level. We have access to virtually any type of information at our fingertips. Combining this with expert analytics, marketers today can create, evaluate and redeploy targeted campaigns at light speed. In the “old” days, the best advertisers could hope for was to promote their company via media that created content designed to attract specific market segments. This resulted in high-cost lead generation. Today, technology gives advertisers the ability to direct their marketing dollars where they want while having the capability to instantly analyze and adjust, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of their investment.
This is the final installment in an educational series on how to get your products and services found on the Internet. Previous articles discussed website design that supports the sales process, and how to improve search rankings. Now that the fundamentals are in place, let’s take a look at target marketing and low-cost lead generation.
Grow Your Business with Low-Cost/High-Impact Lead Generation
Direct marketers have made it easy and cost-effective for companies to promote themselves on the Internet. It frequently begins with a landing page. A landing page (LP) is a one-page website that attracts keyword searchers. The LP contains links to either your website or online store. Driving traffic happens when prospects go from your LP to your website. The key is to make sure your LP is visible on Page 1 of the applicable search.
Fast and Easy — Finding Keywords & Phrases
Your first step is to identify key search words and phrases. If you want to know what keywords people use to find you, either ask your prospects directly or use a software tool. These tools rank and recommend the search terms most often used to locate your products and solutions. One of the most commonly used tools is Google Adwords — and it’s free!
Here’s an example using Google Adwords (which can be a keyword or a keyword phrase). Let’s say someone wants to learn more about the Affordable Care Act. If you’ve found a great tutorial that a corporate healthcare company’s website has on that subject, your landing page could briefly address the benefits of downloading or reading the tutorial. When the searcher enters “Impact of Obama Care on business” in her browser, your website will come up and she will click on the link that directs her to the applicable page on your website. This is what we call “driving traffic” to your site.
Getting on Page 1
How do you get on Page 1 of someone’s search? You advertise! Pay per click and pay per impression are two common paid alternatives that can get you on the first page of a search. In the end, the quickest way to get on Page 1 is to pay to be there.
Low-Cost Advertising Equals Low-Cost Lead Generation
The budget is set by you. When setting up an Adwords account, you determine how much you want to spend. You can increase or terminate the campaign online, and you receive email alerts if your account needs funding. We’ve seen sales explode using this simple and cost-effective technique. Aggressive campaigns can begin for as little at $50 per month. If a campaign isn’t working, you either cancel it and reinvest in a profitable campaign or test a new keyword strategy.
Leverage Existing Marketing Tools for More Low-Cost Sales
Do you utilize email, social, video or webinar marketing to communicate with clients and prospects? A low-cost but very effective sales tactic is to place links within these tools that drive traffic to your website. For example, Twitter posts can contain links for “additional” information. Webinar invites can pre-educate attendees by having them visit your site. Your email campaigns can include coupons or calls to action that require interaction with your website. If you’re already communicating with your clients and prospects, think of different ways that you can leverage your efforts to drive more traffic to your website.
Keep the Sales Rolling In — Test & Monitor
The Internet is a dynamic environment. It keeps marketers on their toes. After launching a campaign, we immediately evaluate what works and terminate what doesn’t. Then we begin planning the next campaign. You cannot “set it and forget it.” If you want a steady flow of new business, you’ll benefit from regularly testing new keywords and making sure that your marketing communications tools drive traffic to your website.
This concludes our three-part educational series on “getting found on the Internet.” Play an active role in the design of your website. Make sure it works for your customers and your marketing plan. Do the basics of Search Engine Optimization and turbocharge your results by integrating useful back links to your website. When your website is ready to support sales, then drive traffic to the site. Start with low-cost and simple strategies. As you monitor and experience sales growth, take the time to explore more expensive and aggressive strategies that will further ignite and explode your sales.
Thomas Beyer is president of Beyer Management Consulting, Inc., located in the Deer Valley Airpark. BMC assists business owners and executives to quickly increase sales and profits through cohesive integration of traditional and digital marketing strategies and tactics.
The Internet Marketing Series:
October: Base Website Design on Your Sales Process
November: Visitors Wanted – Get Your Website Found on the Internet
December: Explode Sales with Targeted Online Marketing
