Tell tale signs you’re leaving money on the table and how to create more sales with your marketing

Marketing can mean a lot of different things to entrepreneurs and business owners. For some, it’s a form of advertising and to others, it’s getting more known on Social Media. Still others see marketing as a means for lead generation: doing whatever it takes to get people into a database list.

According to the American Marketing Association:
Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.

Indeed, marketing is the cornerstone of any business, large or small. Without marketing, you will have a very hard time creating a sustainable business.

And for those that direct their marketing efforts into list building, this act alone is not enough.

You also need a plan in place to actively nurture these leads. Sadly, many fall short in this critical step to converting those leads into paying customers.

After reading this article, you’ll discover specific ways you can optimize your lead generation efforts and convert those leads into sales. Have you given any thought to lead generation marketing before? Leave a comment below and share your biggest take away from the 5 tactics below.

Are you falling short with your marketing efforts?

Here are some signs you’re leaving money on the table:

• you send occasional newsletters only when you feel inspired or when you have the time;
• you don’t respond to those who comment on your social media;
• you offer free downloads but don’t require an opt in for people to access them;
• you don’t have a way to capture names and email addresses on your website;
• you don’t have a plan in place to lead people through your product funnel.

If you are guilty of any of the above scenarios, then more than likely your marketing efforts are being done in vain. The fact is, most modern businesses rely on marketing for sales success.

And if you haven’t given list building any attention at all, you are missing out on a big opportunity to get more sales.

Here’s 5 ways to create more sales with your marketing:

1. Provide a free giveaway. Because it’s rare that someone who first visits your website will buy from you, a free giveaway of something your target market will want to have is a means to capture their contact information and put them into your mailing list.
    
   You want to create an irresistible offer like a free PDF download, CD or video that’s available on your website pages or as a standalone landing page. From there, you are now able to continue to build a rapport, share information, and send promotions that will keep you top of mind.
2. Reach out to social media leads. When followers leave a comment on your social media accounts, send them a private message and tell them how insightful their advice or comment was. Offer a free consult, product discount or something else of value as a thank you.
    
   You can gather your fan’s contact information who have liked/commented on your social media page and email them a personal note thanking them for being a fan and offering a special “insider discount” or something exclusive they can’t resist.
    
   Remember it’s against the law to automatically add them to your bulk mailing list without their expressed permission first, so this tactic can only be done by individually emailing these people.
    
   If you use Facebook ads, you can create a specific list in the Facebook Power Editor to target those who have liked your page. Then create an ad campaign that will be seen by those who already know of you and are possibly in your target demographic.
3. Work your network. Are you letting your LinkedIn contacts just sit there? Send your connections a personalized note thanking them for the connection. Tell them you’d love to set up a time to talk on the phone to get to know each other’s business better and how you can help one another.
    
   You can also be cognizant of their birthday or other milestone and wish them a great day or congratulate their accomplishments.
    
   This can lead to referrals or even new clients. Be honest and genuine with the intention of truly serving others and they will be receptive to your offer.
4. Share the love regularly with your fans. Keep the relationship with your newsletter list, blog readers, and social media fans strong by posting often and regularly.
    
   Give them the feeling of community and that they are getting something special by being a part of your fan base that they can’t get anywhere else.
    
   When your rapport is strong, your followers will be more receptive and excited when you share offers for free consults, teleseminars, special offers and product sales.
5. Automate your follow-up. Write a series of prescheduled autoresponder emails that people get when they first sign up for your list.
    
   This can include further valuable information to enhance the giveaway they received, an invitation for a free consult, how to connect with you on your social media pages, links to popular blog articles, answers to most asked questions, and a special “welcome package” that contains offers and bonuses.
    
   Automation saves you time and helps nurture the lead by further sharing something of value. It helps to continue to build the relationship and gets it off to a great start.

What? You don’t have TIME to do this?

Unfortunately many entrepreneurs try to do everything themselves. They get so caught up working IN their business that they don’t work ON their business nearly enough.

The key to breaking through this barrier is to hire a team to make sure qualified leads aren’t slipping through the cracks.

If you aren’t making the kind of money you’d like, take a review of your marketing processes. Chances are you’ll see places where your lead generation activities could be refined and tweaked to get you much better results.

Remember to never skimp or cut back on your marketing. It’s not a question of whether or not you should have a marketing budget or how much to spend, it’s making sure that you have thought through the entire lead generation process from beginning to end and have put adequate resources into place that will get you the biggest return on your investment.

It may be the most important thing you do for your business.

About the Author, Susan Friesen

Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia’s premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media.

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is an expert in helping businesses establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity.

Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the branding and marketing industry.

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