Many companies are disappointed in the results they get
from their Web site. They spent a lot of money on design
and content...there may be thousands of unique visits
recorded, but very few calls are resulting. Most companies
have Web sites that reflect an "inside-out" orientation,
what we in the search engine marketing business call
"brochure ware." The original purpose was met, to provide
information, but as a result, the Web site is like a flyer
that is skimmed once and then thrown away.
All the money spent on attracting interest from prospects
is wasted if the interest isn't reciprocated. Reaching far
beyond a brochure, the Web provides a rich media
environment and two-way data-driven communication. This
should drive a Web site with an "outside-in" approach, one
that is wrapped around the wants and needs of the prospect.
Your web site is the most valuable real estate you own. The
web provides a single point of access between you and your
market--it can offer 360-degree visual tours, audio or
video testimonials, brochures on demand, discount coupons,
and client references--at the same time it can gather
information about your prospect and deliver instantaneous,
completely free follow-up.
Especially on the web, successful marketers anticipate the
needs of the prospect, and they work constantly to
understand "the mind of the market." Search engine
optimization helps your site focus on attracting prospects,
giving them exactly what they are looking for. Once
prospects get to your site, the images and words you use
are important, but they have to be part of a larger sales
strategy, one that incorporates powerful, motivating
messages and two-way methods of communication. This "sales
flow optimization" is just as important to your success as
SEO.
Sales Flow: The Secret to Successful Search Engine Marketing
Historically, sales organizations have been very poor at
converting leads into sales. They have asked the marketing
team to give them only hot leads: prospects with budget, a
timetable, and a list of people involved in the decision.
Marketing was expected to "qualify" each prospect and
deliver the hot leads to sales. Today, the prospect
qualifies YOU, not the other way around. One of our largest
clients was using a lead form with 19 fields...not just
name and phone number, but size of the expected order and
time-to-decision! We told the marketing team that their
"sales" department ought to be renamed the "order taker"
department! This form was used by prospects only 3% of the
time...meaning, 97% abandoned the site rather than fill out
the form. Now, this company gets the information
incrementally, over a few weeks...but they are closing over
200% more business from the web.
Converting a prospect into an active lead on the web takes
courtship. You are wooing, building a relationship. That
takes really trying to learn what people are looking for,
to get into the customer's head. Knowing that most
prospects are looking for specifications and pricing, you
can make your data sheets easy to find, and maybe even have
a downloadable price list. When they print out the price
list or the data sheet, they get the contact information to
follow up. These days, companies find out they are on the
short list just a short time before the customer buys.
That's the power of effective search engine marketing, but
it's a brave new world for the sales person who thinks he
or she is in control of the relationship with the prospect.
----------------------------------------------------
Specializing in marketing technology-based companies since
1987, and active in Internet marketing since 1992, John
Rasco's skills as a marketer, team leader and strategist
are key to successful client engagements. Founder of
RefreshWeb, John has an entrepreneurial gene, a creative
bent and a passion for challenging projects. More at
http://www.refreshweb.com
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