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7 Keys to Unlocking Email Marketing Visibility & Conversions

7 Keys to Unlocking Email Marketing Visibility & Conversions

Email marketing is not just about sending messages; it's decoding the language of engagement. In every open, click, or unsubscribe, there's a narrative—unlocking it is the key to transforming your inbox into a strategic powerhouse.

Posted January 26th, 2024 by Jessica Granish


Do your email marketing messages vanish into the void, devoured by the black hole of unread inboxes? Is your email marketing lacking the essentials it needs to succeed? According to McKinsey, a staggering 70% of emails sent by B2B businesses never even get opened. 😱 It's enough to make you want to rip your hair out. But what if your inbox isn't a curse, but a treasure trove waiting to be unlocked? 📧✨

The truth is, within every inbox lies a buried map to explosive growth. Every unsubscribe, every open, every click whispers a story about your audience, a hidden pathway to skyrocketing ROI. But it's locked away, guarded by robotic blasts and generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns.

 
Forget the doldrums of uninspired spam. Today's email marketing thrives on strategic agility and personalized experiences. It's about cracking the code of your audience, building meaningful relationships, and transforming your inbox into a launchpad for success.


Lets decode the these
7 crucial keys:


1. Foundation in Analytics and Monitoring:

Drowning in data? You're not alone. 59% of marketers struggle to navigate the inbox analytics flood. Ditch the guesswork! Continuously monitor three key metrics:

Authentication records: Are your emails reaching inboxes or languishing in spam folders? Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to ensure your emails come from a trusted source.
Engagement metrics: Opens, clicks, and unsubscribes tell a story. Monitor these insights to understand what resonates with your audience and what falls flat. Use A/B testing to identify winning content and subject lines.
Deliverability performance: Are your emails bouncing back or hitting inboxes? Track bounce rates and delivery rates to assess your sender reputation and identify technical issues.

Actionable Steps:

Set up automated dashboards to track key metrics in real-time.
Invest in analytics tools that go beyond basic open rates and delve deeper into audience behavior.
Schedule regular reviews of your analytics data to identify areas for improvement.

2. Feedback Loops: Your Real-Time Radar:

Don't get lost in the inbox wilderness! Email service providers offer feedback loops, your real-time radar for spotting disengaged audiences and avoiding spam storms. These insights let you:

Tweak content: Ditch duds, amplify hits, and keep audiences hooked. Analyze unsubscribe reasons and negative feedback to identify content that turns people off. Refine your messaging and tailor it to different segments.
Dodge spam flags: Stay squeaky clean and land in coveted inboxes. Monitor spam complaint rates and implement best practices for email authentication and list hygiene.
Build sender cred: Deliver like a pro and watch your reputation soar. Respond promptly to unsubscribe requests and maintain a high engagement rate to improve your sender score.

Actionable Steps:

Enable feedback loops in your email service provider and review them regularly.
Create targeted segments based on feedback data to deliver more relevant content.
Implement double opt-in for email signups to ensure a clean and engaged list.

3. Adjusting the Sails: Metrics for Course Correction:

Like a ship adjusting its sails to navigate changing winds, your email strategy requires periodic adjustments. Analyzing key metrics such as bounce rates, open rates, and click-through rates guides your course correction. It ensures your emails not only reach the intended destination but also resonate with your audience.

 
Remember: Subject lines can make or break (64% open based solely on headline!). A/B test different subject lines and formats to find what grabs attention.

Actionable Steps:

Set benchmarks for your key metrics and track progress over time.
Identify areas where your performance is lagging and experiment with different strategies to improve.
Use heatmaps, and click tracking tools to, like Hotjar understand how recipients interact with your emails.

Hotjar is a freemium tool that is a web analytics and feedback tool that helps website owners understand user behavior through features like heatmaps, session recordings, surveys, and feedback forms. It provides valuable insights to optimize the user experience and improve website performance.


4. Adaptation in a Dynamic Landscape:

Email marketing is a living voyage, not a static map. Regularly rechart your course – authentication protocols, content formats, and engagement strategies – to navigate evolving currents. Embrace new technologies and adapt to changing audience preferences.

 
Remember: Security matters (85% of B2B buyers prioritize it!). Stay updated on the latest authentication protocols like DMARC and implement best practices for data security to build trust with your audience.

Actionable Steps:

Stay informed about emerging trends and technologies in email marketing.
Conduct competitor analysis to see what others are doing and identify opportunities for differentiation.
Regularly review your email strategy and adjust your approach based on new data and insights.

5. Looking Back to Move Forward: The Value of Hindsight:

Past campaigns hold buried treasure! Analyze them to identify winning strategies and avoid hidden reefs. This retrospective view steers your future emails towards profitable shores.

 
Remember: Personalized emails bring 6x the rewards! Analyze past campaigns to identify segments that responded well to personalization and replicate those successes in future campaigns.

Actionable Steps:

Conduct post-campaign reports to analyze performance and identify areas for improvement.
Look for patterns and correlations between specific content elements and engagement metrics.
Segment your audience based on past engagement data and tailor your messaging accordingly.

6. Beyond the Digital Sea: Tangible Impact Ahoy!

Robust email management extends beyond the digital realm; it has a tangible impact on your brand reputation, customer engagement, and regulatory compliance. Navigating the complexities of email regulations, ensuring data security, and maximizing deliverability fortify your business against potential pitfalls.

 
Remember: Customer churn costs! The average cost of losing a customer is 5 times the cost of acquiring a new one. Building strong customer relationships through effective email management reduces churn and boosts customer lifetime value.

Actionable Steps:

Align your email strategy with your overall brand story and voice to create a consistent experience across all channels. This fosters trust and brand recognition, leading to increased customer loyalty.
Nurture leads and customers through well-designed email sequences that educate, engage, and convert. Use automated workflows to trigger personalized emails based on specific actions or milestones, keeping your audience engaged and moving towards your desired outcomes.
Implement customer segmentation and personalization to deliver relevant content that resonates with individual preferences and needs. This can include welcome series, abandoned cart reminders, targeted product recommendations, and birthday greetings. Personalization not only increases engagement but also drives higher conversion rates and revenue.

7. Embracing a Holistic Approach:

In essence, email management is not merely a series of technical tasks; it's a holistic approach to fostering growth, building meaningful customer relationships, and ensuring a positive impact on your bottom line.

 
Remember: Omnichannel integration unlocks success! 72% of marketers report that integrating email with other marketing channels improves campaign performance. Aligning your email strategy with your overall marketing approach optimizes your reach and impact.

Actionable Steps:

Develop a unified marketing strategy that combines email with other channels like social media, content marketing, and paid advertising. Create consistent messaging and user experiences to maximize awareness and engagement.
Track and analyze the performance of your campaigns to identify areas for improvement and optimize your overall marketing strategy. By understanding how different channels work together, you can make data-driven decisions to increase ROI and achieve your marketing goals.
Invest in marketing automation tools that streamline your email marketing efforts and integrate with other channels.

In Conclusion

By embracing a holistic approach to email management and integrating it with your overall marketing strategy, you can unlock its true potential as a powerful tool for driving growth, building loyalty, and achieving lasting success.

As you navigate the evolving landscape of business communication, a strategic focus on effective email management stands as a key driver for your continued success. Embrace the future of your email marketing success by taking proactive steps today. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting, I'm committed to assisting you in seamlessly adapting to the evolving landscape of email standards.

Don't wait for email purgatory to strike! Take control of your deliverability TODAY with a FREE 20-minute no-strings consultation and email audit!

In just 20 minutes, you'll get:

Personalized feedback on your current email practices.
Expert insights to boost engagement and results.
Some actionable steps you can leave the call with to optimize and maximize your deliverability.

Book a Call Now and let us work with you towards a more robust and effective email marketing future.

Comments

Jessica Granish

The Wizard Behind The Curtain, Tech And Marketing Integrator

Meet Jessica Granish, a heart-centered trailblazer in the dynamic intersection of tech, marketing, and systems integration.

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit.

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit

After our Tech and Marketing 20-Min Rapid Audit, you'll walk away with immediate insights and actionable recommendations tailored to enhance your online visibility. Discover quick wins and unlock the potential for rapid growth in just a brief session!

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© Copyright Alpine Small Business Solutions, LLC.  All Rights Reserved

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10 Steps to Align with Google and Yahoo’s Email Requirements

While the new email requirements primarily target large bulk senders, it's essential for all email senders to take note. What applies to high-volume senders today may become a requirement for all in the future.

Posted January 12th, 2024 by Jessica Granish


In the ever-evolving realm of email marketing, 2024 promises to be a pivotal year as Google and Yahoo roll out mandatory email requirements that could impact the delivery of your emails. In this blog post, we'll explore why these changes are happening, why they matter to every email sender, and provide a comprehensive checklist of five crucial steps to ensure compliance.

Why Google and Yahoo are Changing the Rules for Bulk Email Senders

Authentication has always been a best practice in email marketing, but not all senders have embraced the necessary tools to safeguard their emails. Failure to authenticate emails leaves room for bad actors to impersonate domains and engage in phishing, which can significantly harm a sender's reputation.

Google and Yahoo are taking a proactive stance to protect their users from spam and unwanted emails. Recognizing the critical role of proper email authentication, they have elevated it from a best practice to a non-negotiable requirement. To ensure your emails continue reaching the inbox, compliance with key authentication and spam prevention practices is paramount.

This includes:

Authenticating emails using DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
Providing a one-click unsubscribe option and honoring unsubscribes within two days.
Reducing spam and maintaining a spam complaint rate under 0.3%

Why These Changes Matter for Every Email Sender

While the new requirements primarily target large bulk senders, it's essential for all email senders to take note. What applies to high-volume senders today may become a requirement for all in the future. Operating in the "barely compliant" zone is not a thoughtful or growth oriented strategy, even for smaller senders or those dealing primarily with transactional emails.

Whether you send a handful or millions of emails, prioritizing domain protection, spam prevention, and adherence to deliverability best practices is crucial for maintaining a healthy email program and keeping subscribers safe.

Avoiding the Spam Folder:
The infamous spam folder, a virtual purgatory for emails deemed unworthy by filters. Landing in this digital abyss means your message might never see the light of a recipient's inbox. It's the nemesis of email marketers, a place where even well-intentioned emails can find themselves, lost and unseen.

Navigating spam filters is crucial for ensuring your messages reach their destination. Understanding the factors of the dreaded spam folder is the first step in the battle for inbox visibility.


Checklist: 10 Steps to Ensure Compliance


Step 1: Understand Your Sending Domains

Before sending emails through Postmark, ensure your domains are authenticated. Validate individual email addresses or authenticate entire domains by making necessary DNS tweaks. Head to the Sender Signatures tab to review the status of each domain.

Step 2: Authenticate with Custom DKIM

Implement custom DKIM signatures to confirm your legitimacy as a sender and verify message integrity. Add a TXT record to your domain's DNS following Postmark's guidance.

Step 3: Authenticate with Custom SPF

Replace Postmark's default Return-Path domain with your own to enhance SPF authentication. Set up a custom Return-Path by adding a CNAME record to your DNS.

Step 4: Set Up DMARC

Implement DMARC to monitor email senders using your domain and instruct receivers on handling unauthenticated emails. Even if you're not a high-volume sender, setting up DMARC is recommended.

Step 5: Register with Google Postmaster Tools

Register your domain with Google Postmaster Tools to monitor spam complaint rates. Keep your spam complaint rate below 0.3% to maintain a positive sender reputation.

Step 6: Segment Your Email List Strategically

Divide your email list based on user demographics, preferences, and behavior. Implementing targeted segmentation allows for personalized content delivery, increasing the relevance and impact of your messages.

Step 7: Implement List Hygiene Practices

Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive or disengaged subscribers. A clean and focused list improves deliverability and reduces the risk of spam complaints.

Step 8: Monitor Email Deliverability Metrics

Regularly track key deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates, open rates, and click-through rates. Analyzing these metrics provides insights into the performance of your email campaigns and helps identify areas for improvement.

Step 9: Conduct A/B Testing

Implement A/B testing for different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, content, and call-to-action buttons. Analyzing the results allows you to refine your email strategy for improved engagement and effectiveness.

Step 9: Conduct A/B Testing

Review and optimize your unsubscribe process to make it as straightforward as possible for users. This not only ensures compliance with regulations but also contributes to a positive user experience.


Understanding DKIM, SPF, and DMARC

Email authentication methods—DKIM, SPF, and DMARC—are the foundation of securing your email communications.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This cryptographic authentication method adds a digital signature to your emails, verifying that they come from a legitimate source and have not been tampered with during transit.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF specifies which servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. It helps prevent spammers from forging your domain in the "From" address of their messages.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC builds upon DKIM and SPF by providing a policy framework for email authentication. It allows domain owners to specify how their emails should be handled if they fail authentication checks and provides reporting on these actions.

Impact on Email Deliverability and Engagement

Adhering to these email authentication standards directly impacts your email deliverability and engagement metrics.

Deliverability: Proper authentication signals to email service providers that your emails are legitimate, reducing the likelihood of your messages being marked as spam or ending up in recipients' junk folders.
Engagement: By following best practices, you enhance the overall user experience. Subscribers are more likely to engage positively with authenticated emails, leading to improved open rates and click-through rates.

In short, email authentication is not just about compliance; it's a fundamental strategy for ensuring your emails are delivered and well-received.


Email Marketing Software Compatibility

Ensure your email marketing software supports and facilitates the implementation of DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.

User-Friendly Interfaces: Look for platforms with user-friendly interfaces that simplify the process of setting up and managing authentication protocols.
Automated Configuration: Some platforms offer automated configuration options, streamlining the setup of DKIM and SPF records in your DNS.

Understanding how your chosen email marketing software integrates with these authentication methods can save time and make the implementation process smoother.


Continuous Monitoring and Adjustments

Implementing email authentication is not a one-time task; it requires continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Regular Audits: Periodically audit your authentication records and configurations to ensure they remain up-to-date and aligned with best practices.
Feedback Loops: Leverage feedback loops provided by email service providers to monitor recipient feedback, especially regarding spam complaints. Use this data to refine your email practices.

Regularly revisiting and adjusting your approach to email authentication ensures ongoing compliance and optimal performance.


Tips for Maintaining a Low Spam Complaint Rate

Maintaining a low spam complaint rate is crucial for sustaining a positive sender reputation.

Engaging Content: Craft engaging and relevant content to reduce the likelihood of recipients marking your emails as spam.
Segmentation: Segment your email list based on user preferences and behavior to send more targeted and personalized content.
List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive or disengaged subscribers to minimize the risk of spam complaints.

By implementing these tips, you not only improve your spam complaint rate but also foster a healthier relationship with your subscribers.


Upcoming Industry Trends and Predictions

Looking ahead to the future of email marketing, several trends and predictions are on the horizon:

Enhanced Personalization: Expect a continued emphasis on personalized and targeted email content to meet evolving customer expectations.
AI and Automation Integration: The integration of artificial intelligence and automation tools will become more prevalent, allowing for smarter and more efficient email campaigns.
Stricter Security Measures: Anticipate additional security measures and standards being introduced to combat evolving threats and protect user data.
Interactive Email Experiences: Email content will become more interactive, with the integration of quizzes, polls, and other engaging elements to enhance user interactivity.

Keeping an eye on these trends allows you to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring your email marketing strategies remain effective and innovative in the ever-changing digital landscape.


In Conclusion

Adapting to these changes is not just a necessity for compliance but a strategic move to safeguard your sender reputation and ensure the continued success of your email campaigns in 2024 and beyond.

In the dynamic landscape of email marketing, adapting to industry changes is not just a necessity but a strategic move to safeguard your sender reputation and ensure the continued success of your campaigns. As you embark on the journey to meet Google and Yahoo's new requirements, remember that the process of upgrading your email authentication practices can be complex, but you don't have to navigate it alone.

I'm here to help you seamlessly transition to the enhanced standards set by Gmail and Yahoo. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting, making these upgrades is a proactive step towards safeguarding your email program's health and ensuring your messages reach the right audience.

Don't wait until issues arise; take charge of your email deliverability now. If you have questions, need assistance, or want to ensure your email marketing practices are in top shape, I invite you to book a call with me. Let's collaborate to elevate your email marketing strategy and propel your business forward. Your success is just a call away.

Book a Call Now and let us work with you towards a more robust and effective email marketing future.

Comments

Jessica Granish

The Wizard Behind The Curtain, Tech And Marketing Integrator

Meet Jessica Granish, a heart-centered trailblazer in the dynamic intersection of tech, marketing, and systems integration.

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit.

Free Tech and Marketing Audit Session

How to Maximize Your Online Visibility with our Tech and Marketing 20 Min Rapid Audit

After our Tech and Marketing 20-Min Rapid Audit, you'll walk away with immediate insights and actionable recommendations tailored to enhance your online visibility. Discover quick wins and unlock the potential for rapid growth in just a brief session!

Keep Reading...

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© Copyright Alpine Small Business Solutions, LLC.  All Rights Reserved

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Complete The Form Below to get started...

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Top 12 Benefits of Hosting Webinars & Teleseminars and How It can Boost Your Online Business

Webinars and Teleseminars are fantastic business building tools that many marketers unnecessarily hesitate to take advantage of. They aren’t as daunting as they seem, and even the shyest of us can become confident in hosting them.

Webinars vs Teleseminars: What’s the Difference?

team-1480072__180Teleseminars came first as a way to share information between parties that are not in the same physical location. Teleseminars are fully audio based learning, with the audience listening in through a telephone or computer. Webinars, on the other hand, use audio and visual learning with the listening in through a computer. Each medium offers its own advantages and disadvantages.

The Benefits of Webinars and Teleseminars

  1. You’re immediately seen as the expert. You are in the position of a teacher, which comes with a certain amount of credibility at the start. As you speak and share great content, your credibility will grow. When you’re seen as an expert, consumers turn to your website, follow your social media pages and blogs, and purchase your products and services.
  2. Increase brand awareness. Some attendees of your presentation might’ve joined because of their interest in the topic without knowing about your organization. In your presentation, you can educate them on what your company does and how it can provide value to them.
  3. Gain reusable content. No need to reinvent the wheel! The information you gathered for your presentation can be reworked into blog posts, newsletters, e-books, social media posts, audio files, etc.
  4. system-1527680__180A large potential audience. Traditional seminars can cost more money to attend, plus require travel hassles and costs. This can keep individuals from attending. A webinar or teleseminar can be attended from the comfort of a home, making your potential consumer base significantly larger.
  5. Discover new contacts. Individuals who sign up for your presentation can be fellow industry experts to network with or potential customers to connect with.
  6. Distinguish yourself from your competition. Webinars and teleseminars are especially valuable if your competitors are not offering them. You’ll be set apart as an expert who offers more value to customers than your competitors.
  7. Direct more individuals to your site and social media profiles. In your presentation, draw attention to your website and social media profiles as a way for the audience to get more information after the presentation. If your presentation is received well, many people will want to check out your other pieces of content.
  8. Another avenue for sales. In your presentation, you can briefly mention different products or services offered by your organization. Even if only a few people make a purchase, it’s still revenue gained in addition to the other benefits.

Is a webinar or a teleseminar better for you?

It all depends on your audience. Asking yourself some key questions will help you decide which option is the best fit.

  1. Am I worried about audience attention span? If so, do a webinar. Webinars allow the use of visuals, which can not only improve audience learning but can help keep the audience engaged throughout your presentation.
  2. stress-540820_640Would I benefit from audience engagement/feedback in the presentation? Webinars offer tools, such as polls and chat rooms, to gain instant audience insight and encourage audience engagement. Not all presentations need this interaction though, and you can get feedback through post-presentation surveys.
  3. How much time do I have to prepare? Webinars require more time to create given the need to create engaging visuals that correlate to what you are saying without detracting from it. If you’re more limited on time, a teleseminar is the way to go.
  4. What technology does my target audience have? To access a webinar, audience members need a computer with a reliable connection. To access a teleseminar, audience members simply need a telephone or computer. Keep in mind technical difficulties are much more prevalent on webinars than teleseminars.

Worlds tend to collide. Webinars frequently offer a call in feature that will allow your audience to simply call in and listen as well. So you can experiment with what is best for your audience.

Keep in mind that sometimes when getting starting doing a webinar, it can be distracting trying to present with people chatting or trying to engage with the technology features. It might be best to have someone monitor the room while your focus on your presentation. Your monitor can interrupt at appropriate times for questions, or help read questions to give you a break in speaking.

You can try out both and see which better fits your teaching style. Remember that the different methods work better for different audiences, so by learning both you open yourself up to reaching more audiences. You’ll be most effective if you can do webinars for certain topics or audiences and teleseminars for others.

Want help crafting a webinar or teleseminar? Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you to help with any aspect of small business building. Just give us a call or shoot us an email today!

Why A Tripwire Is Just What Your Marketing Plan Needs

Ready to turn more leads into customers (and really, who isn’t?) Then you need to implement a tripwire into your marketing plan.

A tripwire is simply an enticing low-risk offer that provides low cost entry into your sales funnel. Leads and prospects are immediately turned into customers. These customers can then be turned into repeat customers through strategic upselling. And the best part? Customers who buy once are more likely to buy again…you just have to get that first sale.

The Psychology Behind Tripwire’s Effectiveness

sales1Tripwires utilize the persuasion principle of consistency. People have a need to rationalize their behavior as consistent, whether they are aware of its impact on their decisions or not. After they agree to a small request, they become more likely to agree to a similar but larger request. They start to feel safe with your company and products. It’s why you may find yourself picking your friend up from the airport a few weeks after you agreed to pick him up for a social outing. As long as the second larger request is similar in nature to the first smaller request, it’s likely individuals will comply.

So let’s apply this to sales. Buyer Bob buys a low priced guide to optimizing blog posts for SEO from a marketing business. A week later, they receive information on a thorough content marketing course. Because Buyer Bob already purchased the tripwire (the smaller request), he is more likely to purchase the service (the larger request).

The Components of a Tripwire

A tripwire needs to be enticing. Your buyer has a problem and is looking for a solution. You need to offer value to help ease her pain point. Leads should look at your tripwire offer and see how it’s perfectly tailored to meet their need, and how they can’t pass up this great resource.

sales2A tripwire also needs to be low risk. It’s great if a costly service meets the need of your leads, but if you can break that service in to something more low-risk for the buyer, they can dip their toes in the water before dunking their heads. The cost needs to be low to kickstart the lead-turning-into-a-customer process. A tripwire sale ideally is $20 or less (more if your services and products are on the high end of pricing). Rarely does a sale of a tripwire result in a profit (and can even show as a loss), but the value in a tripwire sale isn’t in the immediate financial gain, but it’s ability to form a foundation for an upsell. Many marketers think of this more as paying for a lead.

A small upfront cost usually works better than a free offer. This shows your leads are good and serious about what they need. People often question the quality of a free offer, while they view a lower priced product as a quality item on sale.

Making a Tripwire Sale

Begin by creating the tripwire, which meets the needs of Buyer Bob related to the larger product/service you’re wanting to sell. Find their pain point and how you can solve it. The tripwire can be physical or digital. You can sell a product/service that stands alone (a health food store selling a cookbook hoping to upsell high-end kitchen appliances) or use a fragment of your product/service (a yoga teacher selling a lesson from her course hoping to upsell the entire course).

Once you’ve got your tripwire, pitch the sale to leads. After the leads purchase the tripwire, you can either make the upsell pitch immediately or wait a set amount of time. salesWhichever way you choose the important piece is to follow up. You have a hot buyer…check in when him. Certain tripwires are set up well for an immediate pitch (while you’re buying this dog teeth cleaning, get your dog groomed and covered with flea and tick prevention at the same visit). Others work better as a follow-up (now that you’ve completed our first course, sign-up for the entire program). Find what meets your sale best.

Not all tripwire sales will result in repeating customers, just like not all lead pitches result in sales. The key is focusing on leads with the best possibility of converting from a tripwire sale to an upsale. You’ll be surprised, though, at how effective tripwires can be in creating new and lasting customers. This is where you are starting to build that bond with customers. Make them love you from the start and create a brand evangelist.

If you’re ready to implement tripwire sales into your marketing plan, but could use some guidance, we’re here for you! We can assist with any aspect of business building and strategy, including creating and marketing effective tripwire sales. Simply shoot us an email or give us a call today.

 

What Is a Sales Funnel and Why You Need to Apply It to Your Business Today

For businesses, sales are the foundation on which everything is based. Without a product or service to sell, your organization wouldn’t exist! An effective sales strategy is crucial to the survival (and hopefully thriving) of your organization, and guess what; a great tool to help is a sales funnel.

The Idea Behind the Sales Funnel

1397585A sales funnel is an analogy used to explain how the sales process works. It serves as a visual representation of how an individual moves from knowing nothing about your organization to becoming a loyal customer and hopefully brand evangelist for you. The mindset of a sales funnel views sales as a proactive process of making customers (as opposed to the more passive process of finding customers). The underlying goal of the sales funnel is to convert those who are unaware of your organization to happy customers by finding as many quality leads as possible and getting the percentage of people who go through the funnel as high as possible.

The Stages of the Sales Funnel

Many different takes on the sales funnel exist, but this is the simplest and (I think) most effective way of viewing it.

  1. The lead: The sales funnel begins with individuals who are in your target audience. They may be interested in what you offer, but have no contact yet with your organization and are unaware of what your organization offers. This part of the funnel is the largest, so it’s important to utilize a variety of effective lead-gathering strategies. You just have to show them how you can solve a problem for them…maybe one they didn’t even know they had!
  2. The prospect: At this stage, you’ve made contact with the individuals. They are aware of your organization and how you can meet their needs. They’ve expressed some interest in your organization that merits you pursuing these potential customers. Often times, prospects are simultaneously evaluating their other options, so it’s important to clearly showcase what sets your organization apart from your competitors.
  3. The committed: After all your hard work and negotiations, these individuals are now persuaded. They possess the means and desire to purchase your product/service, and all that’s left is working out the logistical details, such as a contract. Individuals at this stage can still back out though, so proactive effort into quality customer service is needed to prevent them leaving.
  4. The customer: Finally! These individuals happily buy your product/service and become a customer. In situations where contracts need to be renewed or purchases made again, the customer will enter a re-evaluation phase. In some respects, they become a prospect again since they can now evaluate their other options. Effective customer service will minimize the amount of time and effort they spend weighing alternatives, and ideally they will be such a satisfied customer that they renew the contract or buy more of your product right away. Remember, it is much easier to have a repeat customer than generate a whole new lead. Keep those customers happy. If you have a good customer base, they will become your cheerleaders. You know what that means…FREE MARKETING!

Reasons to Utilize the Sales Funnel

  1. It’s an effective measurement tool. Sales funnels allow you to measure the number of individuals at each stage, the percent of customers made from leads, and the average time it takes to move a customer down the funnel. Gathering these metrics provides you with a more holistic method of comparison to gauge successful sales efforts than just sales completed. After enough time using the sales funnel, you’ll be able to see a baseline of what you can expect from your sales team. Deviations from this baseline will show you what works well or what needs to be improved in your sales strategy.
  2. It’s a tool to measure the company’s health. A well-flowing sales funnel (accounting for external influences like the economy or the off-season of selling, of course) reflects an effective sales team and strategy. A sales funnel functioning well shows your company is doing well. A sales funnel functioning poorly can be an indicator that changes need to be made to improve the health of the organization.
  3. It showcases what areas need to be targeted to get adequate numbers. Ideally, the numbers will always be high at every phase. The reality, however, is that the numbers fluctuate often. Using a sales funnel highlights areas that should be targeted to get the numbers to where they need to be for effective customer recruitment. If you see you’re lacking leads, you can put more resources into lead generation. If you see you have enough leads but not enough are becoming prospects or committed, you can put more resources into bettering your pitch. If you see enough customers aren’t returning when contracts need to be renewed, you can put more resources into customer service.

A sales funnel is a great way to improve the effectiveness of your organization’s sales strategy as well as improve your system. Want help in implementing the sales funnel into your sales strategy? Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We would love to help with this (or any aspect of business building). Simply email or call us today.

The Dirty Truths Nobody Told You About Hosting a Virtual Summit

All this talk about hosting a virtual summit has you excited. What you don’t know are the dirty truths most people fail to mention. If you dive into a virtual summit without being prepared, you will end up in over your head. Virtual Summits take months of planning and organizing to successfully execute. I can’t stress enough that you won’t be able to complete a virtual summit by yourself. You will drive yourself crazy without some additional support!

Here are a few areas that we know from experience it is great to bring in another set of eyes on.

#1 Test Equipment in Advance

This seems like a no-brainer but as a small business owner, it’s easy to put the equipment aside, forget about it and worry about all the other things on your to-do list. Then when push comes to shove, you set up last minute only to find out– %$#@! Technical difficulties! Please get your video, microphone, and programs all set-up well in advance and practice using them with friends and coworkers! That way if you come across any issues you can call over your techie friends to help you set it up and you’ll know how everything works before the big day comes. It is best to make sure you are super confident in the technology. You don’t want technology to be a stressor when you are trying to rock it!

#2 Customer Support

Summits aren’t an evening task. They take time. You will be out of office for a good period of time so who is going to hold down the fort and answer to those emails while you’re away? What all the offers or details you are selling? The people trying to connect but are having trouble? Someone needs to be on call for customer support. Your people want answers! Have help with your customer service, and make sure that person is in the loop of the product/service so they can best help your audience. Your customer support team is the first touch to the business. Make it great! Be sure to plan for this well in advance so you can relax during your summit and not worry whether your business will still be there when you get back!

#3 Design/Marketing Campaign & Promotion

Let’s face it, you’re not a jack of all trades, and you are definitely not a designer! Designing and digital marketing are really in-depth processes, and when they are done right, it is very successful! Leave this to the pros to help promote your virtual summit. This will be the face of your summit and you want to look professional and have eye-catching branding and design.

#4 Website & eCommerce

You will be busy planning content for your upcoming interviews and you’re not about to dive into all that code jumble! It is important that your summit/membership website and ecommerce for both are all set up and running correctly well in advance. Find a developer who can support you and execute this correctly. The last thing you need is frustrated customers who can’t buy your All-Access Pass which means lost revenue for you!

#5 Schedule Planning and Organizer

Different States, Countries, and Time zones – Oh my! The number of guests you will be interviewing during your summit may be shocking. Four to Five speakers will not suffice. Expect to be interviewing around 25-30 people in your industry. Trying to schedule and plan interviews with this number of people from all around the world is no task for you! Let someone else take this lead and set up these meetings for you.

#6 The Aftermath

Congrats you successfully made it through your summit, which means you get to jump right back into your normal routine. WRONG! You still need to consider sending out thank you notes to all the speakers and make sure your all-access pass members have sufficient customer support. Did they get their log-in information? Can they log-in? Can they access the content? This is where a customer support specialist will aid you otherwise you will lose your mind trying to answer all the tickets. Not to mention the thank-you letters…that’s 30 letters you need to write! Maybe that is best handed off to an assistant who can help execute those letters.

Whew! Exhausted yet? This is what I am saying, you need to enlist help to make sure the overall summit is outstanding and you look amazing. Make sure you have the right team in place to manage that-you can always contact us at Alpine Small Business Solutions.

5 Reasons Why You Should be on the Google+ Social media Platform to Grow Your Online Business

Yes, I know…it is the next big thing…AGAIN! We have heard it several times that Google+ is going to be huge, yet you don’t use it or really even know what it is. So why do you want to be on it now?

Usually, you want to use social media outlets your target audience is active on. Not always. Insert Google+, the failed social media platform created by Google to compete with Facebook and Twitter. It comes and it goes without you ever really noticing. So why would I push you to be active on a failed platform? Sure, Google+ lacks the prevalence into popular culture that Facebook and Twitter can rightly brag about. But it offers unique benefits to marketers for growing your business, enough to justify the minimal time it takes to grow a thriving Google+ presence.

But first, what really is Google+?

g-1460601__180While Google+ is a unique social media platform, it can be helpful to think of it in terms of other more familiar platforms. It offers an easy way to curate and organization information (like Pinterest), the option to follow anyone without needing them to follow you back (like Twitter), and the ability to create a personal profile and a business page (like Facebook). Unlike other social media platforms that are relationship driven (connect with people you know), Google+ is more interest driven (connect with people who share similar ideas/interests). What really sets Google+ apart, though, is that it’s created by Google. And Google rewards users who consume their social media platform, resulting in the biggest benefit of Google+ being its SEO benefits.

Google+ SEO benefits

Google+ improves your SEO through a few ways. First, posts that are high in shares and +1 (the Google+ version of “likes” and “favorites”) rank higher in search results. So when you publish content high in shares and +1, that content is seen more by individuals and increases the chances they check out your website, become a customer, etc.

google-plus-1007069__180Second, through the use of Google+ Circles (similar to friending someone or liking a page on Facebook). If an individual is logged into Google and they added you to their Google+ Circle, your content is more likely to show up in their search results.

Third, your Google+ posts are immediately indexed into search results, translating into SEO benefits quicker than if you were to post the same content on another platform.

When your content shows up higher in search results, more people can discover your content. More eyes on your content means more visits to your website, more conversions into customers, etc. SEO is a crucial aspect of business building, and Google+ is a great way to strengthen your SEO.

While SEO is the biggest benefit to Google+, it is definitely not the only benefit.

Audience Segmentation

Google+ offers a feature called “Google+ Circles” which allows you to organize contacts into specialized groups. Each time you publish content, you get the option to only share with relevant group(s). This allows you to provide solid content specialized for individual users, providing them high benefit without oversaturating their feeds.

Target Audience Finding

google-plus-1183714__180Another great Google+ feature is “communities.” These are similar to Facebook groups. They are created by individuals and members within communities share and engage with content. Communities are categorized into different topics, such as football or photography. Posts are organized into sub-topics (for example, in a freelance writers’ group there are topics of marketing, writing tips, and writing tools) to help users sort through the high quantity of information.

Say you are a healthy food blogger. You can join communities such as healthy recipes or vegetarian eating. Individuals in these groups are targeted audiences who may want to consume your content and use your services. You can post regularly quality content (such as recipes) in hopes of directing members of the community to your blog. It’s applying the content marketing strategy (provide quality free content to be seen as an expert in your industry and increase the likelihood consumers will use your business when they need to buy a product/service) to a highly targeted audience. As a result, your content marketing efforts are more efficient.

Improving Your Knowledge

Communities aren’t just for you to share information-you can use them to gain knowledge too! First, you can improve the relevance and quality your content. See what types of content other similar businesses post to gain new ideas for blog posts. Find out what topics individuals respond to, and tailor your content to fit that. Second, you can join communities related to content marketing, social media, and the like to stay up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and tools.

Using Google+

Google+ offers many rich benefits to marketers who take advantage of it. If you’re really strapped for time, you can connect your Google+ account to Hootsuite and share every Facebook post to Google+ as well. If you’ve got more time, however, the recommended strategy is to treat Google+ as its own social media platform. The style of posts that resonate most with your audience on Google+ will be different than the posts that resonate with your audience on Facebook, Twitter, etc. You can take content you’ve already made (such as blog posts or newsletter copy) and share on Google+.

Ready to take advantage of Google+ but aren’t sure where to start? Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We’d love to help you with Google+, or any aspect of small business building. Simply give us a call or shoot us an email today!

What is a Google AdWords Campaign?

Online Business ManagerWorking with your business on the Internet should be easy, right? You just post a few things on your website, and the customers start rolling in! It’s so simple. Yes . . . but . . .

There are better ways for you to draw potential customers to your site with a quality pay-per-click (PPC) effective Google AdWords campaign. Your ad is written with specific keywords that are targeted to your company. When someone searches online for that word or phrase, your ad can appear, and people click on it to go to your website. This is a good thing!

For example, go to your Google home page. When you search for a specific word or phrase, there are ads on the right side of the page. Your goal is to have your ad at the top of the page, and to have it intrigue people, so they want to click on it!

This is one of the best ways for you to attract more customers. Your company only pays for the consumers who click through to your site. However, the more clicks, the lower your rate can be, and the higher on the page your ad appears.

How can you get there? By hiring an expert Virtual Assistant or Online Business Manager! You need the expertise and experience of a researcher and writer to create an ad that will be relevant and interesting to your specific customers. This ad can introduce your business and describe what you’re selling (new or different from what’s available through other sites). The ad is also a marketing tool to let people know what services you offer.

Google Ad Words | Virtual Assistant

Why would you want to try this on your own? If you broke a bone, you could maybe try to set it yourself, but chances are you’d prefer that someone with medical expertise take care of you. And if you needed the services of an electrician, you would probably want to hire someone with training and experience to complete the job in a skillful way.

So why not hire a person who knows what to do to get you optimal results with your Google AdWords marketing campaign? Hire an assistant or manager who knows how to explore your business and research the best keyword alternatives for search engine optimization (SEO) to make your ad outstanding. That’s imperative before the writing even begins!

The virtual assistOrganic SEO Managerant or business manager will focus on how your business is different and the best concept to attract people. This will get your business noticed! Then the quality of the ad will target specific relevant searches.

Additionally, your manager can track your ads, PPCs, and site visitors to provide you with ongoing feedback and current ideas for SEO. Let an expert handle the busy, time-consuming work of this important marketing tool, while you focus on what you do best!

To get a free report and consultation about your business, please contact Alpine Small Business Solutions at this site: https://www.alpinesbsolutions.com/seopreliminaryreport/.

#Hashtags Have Arrived… To #Facebook

(Picture Source: www.empowernetwork.com)

If you know anything about Twitter or Instagram, you know all about hashtags. They are Twitter’s unique creation which Instagram uses as well, to help identify keywords or trending topics. They are Twitter and Instagram’s key feature and many have argued they have no place on Facebook and should not be added to statuses. However, many people have their social media accounts linked that ultimately set up posts to auto sync and go out to Twitter and Facebook at the same time which includes the hashtags.

First, if you are not sure their purpose allow me to explain a bit. A hashtag is identified by the # symbol. They can be used anywhere with a status that is posted, when the # symbol is placed in front of a word or phrase, it becomes a clickable term and if used widely enough they can actually become a popular trending concept.

Well, Facebook has officially launched their support of the hashtag. While hashtags had always been a tool for discovery and conversation on Twitter and Instagram, it now can make Facebook a much more robust platform for discovering shared trends and interests amongst your connections. Furthermore, this feature definitely makes the need to leave Facebook far less appealing for all those thinking about it or turning to Twitter for their social media needs.

How Facebook #hashtags work:

Facebook #hashtags appear as clickable links in desktop posts. Engaging with the #hashtag will open a separate feed that organizes conversations from Pages and people who have used the same #hashtag. Additionally, users can find posts related to specific topics or interests by searching on Facebook for relevant #hashtags.

Some other key points:

  • #Hashtags will now be hyperlinked to a “page” with a history, and a “status update” window to join the conversation.
  • #Hashtags when clicked in the newsfeed will create an “overlay”, but the URL generated can be used for direct linking: www.facebook.com/hashtag/AlpineSmallBusinessSolutions
  • #Hashtags do not impact the distribution of content on Facebook’s news feed process, but have the potential to increase engagement and discovery.
  • You do not have to create #hashtag pages on Facebook; Facebook will automatically go through every page’s history to determine the links. (Less work for you)
  • #Hashtag results include posts that are first related to your friend graph, but then show public results from pages and people.
  • #Hashtags currently are only clickable on desktop, not mobile. (I’m sure that will be coming soon)
  • #Hashtags do not change your current privacy settings so if your posts can only be seen by friends, then your posts with #hashtags would also only be seen by friends.

Implications:

  • #Hashtags combine platforms: If you are currently using a #hashtag for a campaign, whether on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter, that #hashtag campaign will work on Facebook. Any #hashtags that are posted through linked third party sites will automatically populate on Facebook.
  • Don’t go #hashtagging (is that a word?) everything (yet): #Hashtags to this point have been primarily on Twitter and Facebook communities may not understand their usage right away when they appear on Facebook. With this feature only being rolled out to a small percentage of users at this time, we recommend waiting until there is more widespread adoption before implementing a Facebook #hashtag strategy in your content plan.
  • Potential for increased engagement: Just as it is on Twitter and Instagram, being part of a relevant and current #hashtag conversation on Facebook could have the potential to increase engagement. Brands can leverage #hashtags to create real-time content and stay relevant in conversation. Content can be adjusted based on what people are saying in reference to #hashtags for specific events, brands or announcements.
  • Significant SEO implications: Currently, when a user searches a #hashtag for a brand, Twitter results will be the first ones shown. The inclusion of #hashtags on Facebook could lead to more traffic on a branded Facebook properties as well.
  • Conversation and listening reporting and analytics: Insights and trending topics are not yet available, but Facebook expects to roll out more updates to the product in the near future. So stay tuned!

Admittedly, we are seeing the hashtag used widely, even on television shows so for Facebook to adopt the twitter hashtag really just means that it is keeping up with the latest trends. Having said that, Facebook continues to reinvent itself and stand-alone. All successful businesses have a point of difference. But for now, Facebook hashtags are live, clickable and searchable.

And as always, if this stuff makes you dizzy and you just don’t want to take the time to learn all the ins and out of Facebook and #hashtags, remember that Alpine Small Business Solutions, is your one stop shop for all your social media, Virtual Assistant, Online Business Manager and business building need.   We got your back, so give us a jingle or shoot over an email anytime we’re here to help.

Thank you for visiting our blog.  We hope you enjoyed it.  As a friendly reminder don’t forget to share this blog on your social networks and please comment, we love hearing from you!

This blog is brought to you by Alpine Small Business Solutions, Your Virtual Assistant and Online Business Manager Solution.  Delegate. Grow. Prosper