Online marketers are increasingly using lead generation tactics to convert online leads into offline sales. This is an effective strategy that can be used by any business, regardless of industry.
If you were to ask most people what the greatest marketing trend of 2010 was, they would answer “Social Media.” On Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter, small and mid-sized companies were joining the ranks of big enterprises, frantically attempting to find out how to utilize these platforms to promote their goods and services.
Websites are no longer optional; they are required. Furthermore, social media is no longer a separate entity. These websites are just another way for you to stake your claim to online real estate. Website traffic are declining for the first time in history, as consumers depend increasingly on social media sites like Facebook and blogs to form connections and research businesses. Furthermore, current statistics indicate that 92 percent of customers do their product and service research online.
As we approach 2011, it’s only natural that internet marketing will play an even bigger role in helping small businesses acquire more quality leads. However, this year will witness the development of both traditional and new methods for converting internet connections into physical sales.
Here are a few methods to think about: a) TRACK — You need to get to know your prospects well, and the easiest method to do so is to keep track on their activities. It gets more difficult to customize content and remain efficient with your marketing if you aren’t monitoring where your leads originate from and what they react to.
On the market, there are several very strong solutions that make tracking a no-brainer. Google Analytics is a free tool that can be easily integrated into your website to monitor where visitors go, where they come from, and how much time they spend there. “Knowing how a consumer behaves on your site is critical,” says Shmuli Goldberg, head of marketing and communications at ClickTale, an online analytics company. For example, you may utilize analytics to see where people click the most on your site and what attracts and keeps their interest. You may learn a lot about how people respond to your online forms, including which ones they won’t fill out. Once you’ve identified where your visitors are leaving, you can make adjustments to your site to remove unnecessary content and provide a more user-friendly browsing experience.
My Next Customer is another excellent tracking tool that integrates your offline marketing efforts.
b) ATTRACT & QUALIFY – Make sure your online promotional efforts include a call to action, and invest some time making sure this call to action will attract qualified prospects. Companies simply redirected visitors to their home page in a recent survey of 130 advertisements, leaving it up to the prospect to navigate their way around the material. Sending them straight to a page with tailored content is much more successful.
b) ENGAGE – Reading fascinating and relevant material is one thing. But it’s much better if you can engage the prospect and learn more about their requirements in the process. Can they, for example, take a survey to learn more about their position or requirements? Can they view a film and answer questions about their abilities? Never underestimate the importance of having fun when it comes to establishing connections.
d) Reply – If you ask prospects to submit information or request information online, make sure you have a system in place to respond promptly – ideally within seconds with an automated email response. There are other businesses that can handle your phone follow-up, such as LeadQual, which can react to inquiries for as little as $5 per lead. Remember that the quicker you react to information, the better your outcomes will be.
e) USE A VARIATION OF MEDIUMS – It’s never a good idea to presume that everyone like to be reached in the same manner. Some individuals don’t answer their phones, some won’t respond to your emails, and still others prefer snail mail or face-to-face encounters. As a result, think of combining media with your possibilities. If they’ve signed up for your newsletter, consider sending them an offer like a free CD in exchange for their postal address. You may now send additional information or even Christmas cards on occasion. Consider making their phone number a required field, which will enable you to poll your subscribers about your ezine and their problems with your kinds of goods and services. By email, phone, and/or email, invite them to live events. The more media you use, the more likely you are to capture prospects’ attention and convert them to sales.
f) KEEP RESPONDING – If your leads aren’t converting after your first efforts, don’t give up. According to Leads360, a lead-management company, making a second phone contact improved the likelihood of making a sale by 87 percent. Furthermore, six calls were required to convert as many prospects as possible into customers. The six-call follow-up should take place within the first month of hearing from the prospect, according to Jeff Solomon, founder and Senior Vice President of Leads360. Consider “nurture emails or drip campaigns,” which include extra material like as manuals, online calculators, and other resources that may assist prospects better comprehend your interest in winning their company. Patience is required.
Remember that once a prospect knows, likes, and trusts you enough, they WILL purchase from you when the time comes.
Author Information… Cidnee Stephen is the founder of Strategies for Success, a marketing firm that caters to the requirements of small companies and professional services on a tight budget. She has assisted hundreds of small companies in breaking free from their peak and valley ruts, allowing them to reach the next critical level of success. Cidnee is also a sought-after speaker, author, and blogger on marketing issues affecting small companies and B2B service-based enterprises. Subscribing to her bi-weekly marketing advice for small companies is free, and you’ll also get a bonus report on the 7 Steps to Marketing Success.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I change online customers to offline?
You cant change online customers to offline.
How do you make leads offline?
You can make leads offline by using the free program called Audacity.
How do you convert online leads?
We find out what the product is, what it needs to be converted into, and then we go through a series of steps that will eventually convert the lead.