An Audio Version for Your Convenience Word of the Week: Interaction “… a kind of action that occurs as two or more entities have an effect upon one another.” Insight for week 08 - It’s not enough to have a large audience online. You need to be actively engaged with them and they need to interact with you. Here’s why you should make it happen and how. It’s pretty well-known that only 10% or less of your social media circle even get to see your posts ... that is unless you are paying for ads or boosting. Here, I'm talking about organic reach, and that makes it even more imperative that you identify who’s in your audience and if they are really your ideal clients. Your database provides you with ownership - and ownership allows you the capability to display your “Unique Value Prospective”; that means with the click of a button you can entice them away from the clutter and white noise of the crowd. You can take them to a place where only you will address their issues and give them a sense of knowing that their issues are going to be taken care of. Ahhh ... you want to know how to get them to actually click that button! Right? I’ve gathered 10 ways (and even more) to get your ideal audience to stop scrolling, interact with you and accept an invitation into your database. And here, I’ll share just 3 of them with you, right now.
1. Ask Questions. What challenges have they overcome? What ideas do they have? Be prepared to listen and offer a method that will be private for them to provide feedback. Be prepared to invite all commenters to join your email list. Hold on to your trade secrets, but be prepared for deeper discussions and in-depth insights. If you are serious about building your database, meet them online and bring them off-line 2. Host Webinars, Google Hangouts, FB LIVEs, Publish a Blog or a Newsletter. All of these strategies share one common approach to success, and that is consistency. These are not one-and-done marketing tricks. If your lifestyle does not support the stability, reliability, uniformity, and the discipline required to produce this type of media, then honestly it’s best not to begin …until you can. Why? Because these are not activities that can simply be added to your “to do” list. All of these traits help build trust with your audience and if you fail to provide them, you can lose trust and lose money. Building your ideal client list can easily start here. 3. Thank You – Yes…THANK YOU. The two most powerful words in the world, perhaps even the universe, when uttered with honest sincerity, can become a potent potion to stop the scroll, stir up some interaction and attract some influential attention. In summary, active engagement is sure to turn a passive online audience into a thriving, engaged community. Interaction as the definition suggests is a kind of action that occurs as two or more entities have an effect upon one another.” In this instance, that's you ...in the process of identifying your ideal client. There you have 3 ideas that when applied properly are proven to increase interactivity, if you want more …follow the link. I’m confident that we’ll be able to create even more unique ways for your audience to interact with you and your business! Until next time, as always remember, Your Database is your most valuable asset and Database Fitness = Database Growth ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PS: If your current Database Strategy does not allow you to create campaigns filled with opportunities for interactivity, let’s chat about what will work better for you and your business.
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An Audio Version for Your Convenience Word of the Week: Communication “ … the imparting or exchanging of information or news.” This is week 07 – Are your marketing efforts falling on deaf ears? …A hearing aid is not the answer. The painful truth: if you are communicating with your database regularly and there is not a lot of exchange going on, then you are having a “come to the truth moment”. It’s simple, your communication efforts may have reached a plateau. Your messages are falling on deaf ears and you have to figure out a fix. Let’s step back momentarily, to our earlier comparison of physical fitness and database fitness. If your physical fitness workout is not continually evolving to keep up with the increases in strength and endurance that your body is making, plateaus will occur. The natural fix is to look very carefully at each action you are taking. Your diet, your activities, your mindset, and your spiritual outlook; any or all could affect the positive outcome of moving forward. When you are able to identify the area that is polluting your quest for victory, you’ll have very little trouble pushing forward and gaining control of your original intent. Your desire will help you stay on track to avoid plateaus. “Desire” leads us back to our concept of Database Fitness and your business goals. Because learning what’s holding you back is not enough to move you off the plateau. You must have the desire to either let it go of a negative and/or embrace a positive to move forward. Let me share an example from one of our small business clients, whose communication efforts appear to have reached a plateau. We’ll call her Beth. Beth is a service provider. She produces a weekly newsletter, and she tracks her statistics monthly.
Now let’s look at some statistics Beth is seeing in her database:
Beth’s overall desire is to increase the clicks to her CTA to a min of 50%. Since we know that more opens will increase the possibilities of more clicks on her CTA it’s a good idea to look carefully at the 300+ contacts who did not open her communication and determine:
In summary: Even if you are using a so-called “free” CRM database system, your time and talent for running the system is too valuable to spend it on people who are not engaging. Revisit your definition of your Ideal Audience. Make the choice to extract people who are not engaging. Make the commitment to put in the work required to attract more ideal clients to your database. The marvelous truth:. When you are communicating the right message to the right audience your open rates and the clicks to your CTA will be unmistakable! If your database system is a spreadsheet, or if you are uncertain of the right CRM system for your business and marketing needs, we are ready and able to help guide you. Let’s chat. Database Fitness = Business Growth For so long, I used my faithful sewing machine. Over time, I experienced more and more difficulties with various projects, and I always laid the blame on the project. I never really considered getting another machine. I cleaned my machine, oiled it, used the best attachments, and made sure it was in proper working order. However, still with some projects, I struggled with a good clean flow in stitching and overall operation. You may wonder why I didn’t change machines? I loved my machine. It was a good machine. It worked really well most of the time, so I tried changing some of my actions, and kept using it. I tried slowing down at certain points in the task, and I tried turning the fabric differently at certain points, and I tried cutting the fabric differently at certain points, and I tried pinning the fabric differently at certain points. I did all these things and still I struggled to complete some of my sewing tasks. Finally, I was forced to invest in a new machine, so I selected a “heavy duty” model. Like magic, my sewing tasks began to flow like melted butter. Sure, I still slow down at certain points, and I continue to take the safety measures I did in the past … but the difference is now I no longer struggle to get the job done. I am no longer adjusting the tasks to the machine, the machine is adjusting to the tasks. I am no longer stressed. It takes less time to get even better results, and most importantly, I find my work, my passion, is more enjoyable. So what’s the take away from my story and how does this relate to Database Fitness?
Using the right tools can often transform stressful situations into successful outcomes. Things change and we need to face those changes. Especially if you’re self-employed, using the right tools can lead to better outcomes. Are you still using spreadsheet programs to maintain client information? Are you using Gmail to follow up with clients? Are you feeling overwhelmed with scheduling communications to keep in contact with clients? If you believe you are doing your best to grow your business, and it seems like an uphill battle, then now may be the time to evaluate your tools and consider making a change. There are more efficient and productive ways to build relationships with prospective clients and maintain trust with existing clients. Communication is crucial for client engagement with your business -- and engagement can lead to the greater revenue and business growth that you seek. If you are struggling in what seems an up-hill battle to attract your ideal clients, let’s chat! Database Fitness = Business Growth Word of the Week: Crucial “...decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something.” For example: "It is crucial for small business owners to identify their ideal Client and get in front of them!" Ideal Clients make-up Ideal Audiences and Ideal Clients are the foundation for the success or failure of a business. Not Just any Clients….Ideal Clients. At times, you may hear the terms “Target Audience” and “Ideal Audience” blended into the same discussion. A “Target Audience” and an “Ideal Audience” are not the same. Understanding the difference will help you stay focused and retain your winning edge. Putting together an “Ideal Audience” can be challenging…Why? Because wherever there’s more than one person in the same room, listening to the same promotion, or holding a mobile device and reading the same content, there will be more than one interpretation. Never-the-less, your honest desire to listen and offer solutions will be duly noted and the outcome will be reflected in the growth of your database. Never stop being your unique self and never forget that each prospective Client is unique as well.. Even though Clients may divulge similar problems, pain or desires, they are each affected in uniquely different ways.
The challenge for you will be maintaining patience and diligence in understanding the differences and putting a marketing system into place that will work to your advantage. Within the broader spectrum, of a Targeted Audience you will find your Ideal Clients. They will be a specific type of person and the relationship you build with them will help them know they have met a match. They will hear your message. They will receive it. They will be drawn to you like butterflies are attracted to lilacs. a question I get asked a lot: Is marketing Business 2 Consumer (B2C),.the same as marketing B2B (Business 2 Business). There is a difference, but there are some similarities as well. . Even though rapid growth on the Internet is bringing about a welcome change, most small business owners are not well-equipped to market to both consumers and businesses simultaneously. Research your market, define your Ideal Client, and stick with it. When the profits start rolling in (and they will) …then you can diversify! So here we are, back at my beginning statement; "a crucial part in building a successful business is in building the right Audience." If your database is not growing with the right people, then your business is not going in the right direction. If you’d like to improve the quality and quantity of your database…Let’s Chat! Our primary goal is to help you grow your Ideal Client List. We help small business owners and burgeoning entrepreneurs clearly define the profile for their Ideal Client and convert them into paying customers. It's a New Year and your business may be heading in a new direction. Is there a special topic you'd like to see covered in the DonPaul Marketing Newsletter? Please make a comment below and we'll feature your question in an upcoming blog! Week 2 - Know Your Audience. Know Them Well. You need to know who your audience members are, what they like, and what problems they face. This shouldn’t be guesswork — research your audience to create a detailed target customer persona. Whenever I meet a new business owner I ask them to describe their ideal client. Whenever they start the description with “Anyone” or “Everyone” my heart sinks a little. There is no product in existence that’s suited for EVERYONE. There is no service in existence that will please ANYONE and EVERYONE. Even the very air we breathe, which is an essential element to EVERYONE, can cause problems for some.... depending on the geographical area. Creating a clear profile description for your target audience is an important step in growing your business.
It takes time, patience and care and sometimes it takes revisiting. It’s okay to get wrapped up in your own passion and it’s natural to be driven in your desire for success, however getting your message in front of the right people is imperative. Taking the time to research and reach out is well worth the effort, and learning to let go can be a benefit as well. The right tools play an important role in developing your ideal audience. Putting a robust CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system in place can be a powerful and yet affordable asset for a small business owner. Your system can work for you 24/7 sifting and sorting, delivering and testing for the right people, and at the same time, your CRM system can politely keep informed those in the audience who may not quite fit your profile. Best of all, your system will allow you to monitor your audience, identify those who are ideal and allow those who are not to quietly slip away with no bridges burnt in the process! Whether you are just starting to build your audience or you have an established database that needs revitalization, we can show you some great steps to reach your goals. If you are uncertain of the next steps to take, let's talk. Today our question comes from Marrisa in Ventura California – Ventura - known for its beautiful beaches and shes asking Do email drip campaigns work? Would you like to strategize on how to set up a successful drip campaign for your business? I’d love to help you come up with some fresh ideas…. just schedule a complimentary consultation with me...Paulette.
This weeks question is from Michael in Bel Aire MD and he’s asking: "How Can I find success in making B2B COLD calls?" Telephone Cold calling is an age old process, but the times have changed! you can use many non- intrusive methods and tools to engage with businesses to start building B2B relationships.
This week’s question comes from Quinton in Charleston South Carolina and he wrote: "What’s your best advice for getting more traffic to my site and my social media pages?"
This week's question comes from Audrey in (the Grand Canyon State) Arizona How can I make more time to see more clients?
This weeks question comes from Frank in Miami Beach Florida "What should I focus on to have more success in my email marketing campaigns?"
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