May 7th, 2008 at 1:48 am
I’m not going to pretend to have the answer to this blog. I have an opinion, and that opinion is YES, creating a landing page for a print media campaign is the answer for merging the two. However, I’ve heard lots of opinions lately that print media is dead, and only done because that is the way it ‘has always been done’. Now I admit, that I generally only read traditional newspapers if there is a free copy at the Chick-fil-A and my daughter is busy playing. Any other news, I get online.
On the flip side, I know plenty of people who read specialty magazines for real estate, cars, and special interest. I personally love the monthly regional Parenting magazine, but if I put in ad in there with my web address…how do I know if any new potential customers come to call? Sure if they take the time to call or email me and I ask where they heard about my business, then I know. But how about those people who look at the site, but aren’t ready to buy. This is hard to track unless you’ve created a specific landing page for that ad.
Landing pages do a few other very important things. They create focus for that specific ad, whether it was a sale, promotion, or a certain item or service you want to promote, rather than a general website. It can also take that focus and create a way to capture the leads of your visitors, through a email coupon or promotional offering. Plus, it gives you analytics to find out just how successful your ads are at creating interest.
I’ve created a new program called the Media Ads Advantage that I’m currently rolling out. It is designed to be both simple and helpful to both media outlets and advertisers. Basically the program creates a landing page in correspondence with a specific ad, that ad runs with the landing page web address. Ideally it will offer a special or a coupon. The reader logs in and fills out a form, in which they are immediately emailed their coupon or promotional information. This is set up to be affordable for those small businesses that can’t afford an IT department to do the work for them.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:01 am
What is Lead Nurturing?
A recent study showed that only 10 – 30 % of market-generated sales were sales ready and 25% were not qualified leads, but the remaining 50% of leads needed further nurturing to become a sale. With the money that is put into lead generation, shouldn’t a plan and money be put into place to nurture 50% of those leads?
Leads Nurturing is taking the time and opportunity to create a relationship with a prospective customer through regular contact; showing awareness of their needs, demonstrating value of what you provide, and being available and accessible when they are ready to take advantage of your services.
We are setting up a personalized Leads Nurturing Program to assist small businesses and agents nurture their leads.
What are you doing for that 50% of leads?
February 12th, 2008 at 1:28 am
I spent the weekend research leads management software for a client. Know what I discovered? It’s all software. The people have fled the scene. Well there are some sales people willing to sell you the software, and for the cost of some of the software, they are probably making a tidy sum. But actually doing the E-newsletters, analytics, auto-responders, it is all computerized. Now don’t get me wrong, I use these same programs daily, but I’ve also had lots of experience and training… the clients I was looking for..don’t. In fact, they want leads management in a completely hands off capacity, if I suggested a bunch of software they had to program and design, they would ring my neck.
The solution… I put together a package for the whole leads follow up program, run by me. I’d manage it with help from my network and contractors. My cost was actually a lot less than many of the software programs I priced out, and it was also a lot less work for the real estate agents. Guess what, the people I presented it to loved it.
At this moment the reason I could make it so affordable per person, because it was a package for everyone in that real estate office. Just to do one person in one office, would probably be too costly.
I’m working on that. I do believe there is a balance somewhere between handwriting a 1000 personalized letters and a piece of computer software that runs your life. Let’s face it, we are still a people society. We haven’t turned everything over to machines yet, and we probably never will. I want to believe that most people are more willing to do business with a person, than a piece of software for their complex business solutions, especially if that software means more work for them.
