5 items to focus on right now - ajas · your marketing & sales funnel needs a process,...

Your Marketing & Sales Funnel Needs a Process, Technology

Content & Social Media

SMB Advisors | www.smbadvisors.com | 978.317.6274

Presented by: Aaron Mandelbaum, Founder & CEO

SMB Advisors

July 16th, 2015

5 Items to Focus on Right Now

Your Marke*ng & Sales Funnel Needs a Process, Technology, Content & Social Media


Aaron Mandelbaum, Founder & CEO SMB Advisors, has been responsible for the demand genera*on intellectual property that has helped clients generate more qualified leads while decreasing the cost per lead. In addi*on, he has authored internal lead genera*on processes and has pioneered the use of inbound marke*ng inside mul*ple industries since 2010. Previously, Aaron was the Vice President of Marke*ng & Sales for Harmony Healthcare Interna*onal where he lead both departments to grow the company’s sales, marke*ng & branding strategies. Leveraging the prac*ces of inbound marke*ng, Aaron realized 16 consecu*ve months of marke*ng database growth, over 1,400 new blog subscribers, organic website traffic volumes at all *me highs, website bounce rate at all *me lows and generated over 5,000 website downloads, inquiries & webinar registra*ons as well as new business aWributed solely to their company website. Aaron has appeared as a guest speaker in Puerto Rico, Florida, MassachuseWs, New Hampshire, Connec*cut and Nebraska. He graduated from Bentley University in 2002 with a Bachelors degree in Finance and has been cer*fied by HubSpot as a; •  HubSpot Specialist (So\ware) •  Inbound Marke*ng Specialist (Principles & Tac*cs) •  Cer*fied HubSpot Partner Agency (Business Strategies)

Bio

•  To understand how the Internet has changed the way businesses need to approach sales, marke*ng & branding efforts to realize success in a digital age

•  To understand the Inbound Methodology and how it relates

to a complete digital marke*ng & branding strategy •  To provide you with 5 “Focus Items” to implement right now


Objectives


Successful Marke*ng & Branding in a Digital Age


We live in a world where our decisions are impacted

by the results Google displays to us

Google

By Show of Hands: WHO RESEARCHES PURCHASES ONLINE?

88% of Internet users conduct product research online.


•  Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University

•  They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4, 1998

•  Google’s mission statement from the outset was “to organize the world’s informa*on and make it universally accessible and useful

•  Google’s unofficial slogan is "Don't be evil"

Google


The Way Google Thinks – The Algorithm

•  It is the method by which Google determines sites’ relevancy to user queries.

•  It is not sta*c – it changes over *me as Google frequently revamps and improves it so it does its job beWer.

•  Understanding these changes are key to being able to improve your website’s ranking.

hWp://moz.com/google-‐algorithm-‐change

Google


The Way Google Thinks – The Algorithm

•  There is an overarching algorithm – the en*re engine – and it is broken down into a number of parts.

•  Each part affects different aspects of SEO, some more so than others.

•  Two of the most important parts are the ones affec*ng quality evalua*ons and penal*es for “chea*ng.”

Google


Panda – The Algorithm

•  Panda is one such part that was launched in early 2011. It determines the quality level of a site, and it’s very important as higher quality sites tend to rank higher than lower quality ones.

•  Sites that have many pages with “thin content” (no value added

for viewer) or duplicate content (content duplicated from either another site or one’s own) will tend to be very nega*vely affected by Panda’s evalua*on and will see their ranking drop drama*cally.

Google


Penguin – The Algorithm

•  Penguin is another part (launched in Spring 2012), which heavily penalizes sites which have too many unnatural links (chea*ng). An unnatural link is one that was created just to increase a site’s rank but which does not really indicate greater authorita*veness (which is what natural links tend to convey).

Google


Hummingbird – The Algorithm

•  Hummingbird is another maWer en*rely. Whereas Panda and Penguin are parts of the whole, Hummingbird is the most recent version of the en*re Google algorithm.

•  It’s main purpose as an update seems to have been to allow

more integra*on of the voice search feature as it processes ques*ons much beWer than its predecessors, which were much more focused on key words rather than en*re ques*ons.

Google


Mobile – The Algorithm

•  April, 2015 •  Responsive website design is cri*cal •  Non responsive websites will be penalized

Google


Search Google on a Regular Basis & Record the Results

•  Google your name

•  Google your employee’s names

•  Google your compe*tors

•  Google your buyer persona’s search phrases

•  Google the challenge that you solve

Focus Item #1


The Inbound Methodology


What is Marke*ng?

Inbound Methodology


The process of communica*ng the value of a product or service to customers for the purpose of selling that

product or service.

Wikipedia -‐ hWp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marke*ng

Inbound Methodology


What is Inbound Marke*ng?

Inbound Methodology


Inbound MarkeLng Is a Methodology

Promo*ng a company through blogs, podcasts, video eBooks, eNewsleWers, whitepapers, SEO, social media marke*ng, and

other forms of content marke*ng which serve to bring customers in closer to the brand, where they want to be.

Inbound Marke*ng earns the aWen*on of customers, makes the company easy to be found and draws customers to the website

by producing interes*ng content.

Wikipedia -‐ hWp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbound_marke*ng

Inbound Methodology



INBOUND IS AN APPROACH TO MARKETING & SALES THAT REACHES TODAY’S CONSUMER.

Get found by qualified leads online with content (website pages, blog articles, social messages) optimized for search and social media.

Understand what content pulls your buyers through the sales funnel, and use that context to personalize your marketing at scale.



The inbound philosophy is backed by a

methodology that helps brands attract,

convert, close, and delight visitors, leads

and customers through a variety of

channels such as social media, blogging,

SEO, landing pages, forms, and email.


It’s a Great Time To Be a Buyer

•  Buyers are becoming more and more comfortable with technology •  Informa*on is easily accessible •  Interrup*ons are avoidable •  People aren’t open to engaging with you un*l they have educated

themselves and are almost ready to make a buying decision


The methodology facilitates the buyer

journey through the sales funnel – from strangers

to promoters of your brand.



THE METHODOLOGY VISUALIZED AS A SALES FUNNEL



LET’S GO THROUGH THE METHODOLOGY STEP-BY-STEP.



HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE INBOUND METHODOLOGY GRAPHIC.

Along the top are the four

actions (Attract, Convert,

Close, Delight) companies

must take in order to obtain

visitors, leads, and customers.



HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE INBOUND METHODOLOGY GRAPHIC.

Along the bottom are the tools

companies use to accomplish

these actions.

Note: Note the tools are listed under the

action where they first come into play, but

that’s not the only place they’re applicable!

Several tools, like email, can be essential

in several stages of the methodology.



STEP 1: ATTRACT STRANGERS AND TURN THEM INTO WEBSITE VISITORS.

You want to attract people that

will potentially become leads.

Attract your ideal customer or

buyer persona by creating

content that’s valuable and easy

for them to find.



STEP 2: CONVERT WEBSITE VISITORS INTO LEADS.

Once you’ve got visitors to your

site, the next step is to convert

those visitors into leads by

gathering their contact information.

In order to get this valuable

information, you need to offer

something up in return (ex: eBook).



STEP 3: CLOSE LEADS INTO CUSTOMERS THROUGH LEAD NURTURING.

Once you’ve attracted the right

visitors and converted the right

leads, you need to transform

those leads into customers with

targeted, automated email

nurturing and social media

interaction.



STEP 4: DELIGHT CUSTOMERS TO TURN THEM INTO PROMOTERS OF YOUR BRAND.

Using context and

personalization to deliver tailored

messages, continue to engage

with, delight, and (hopefully)

upsell your current customer

base into happy promoters of

your company.



THE METHODOLOGY VISUALIZED TOP TO BOTTOM 1) ATTRACT: GET TRAFFIC

2) CONVERT: GET LEADS

3) CLOSE: GET CUSTOMERS

4) DELIGHT: ANALYZE & OPTIMIZE

Create blog content, search engine optimize (SEO)

that content, and promote it on social media sites.

Place calls-to-action throughout your website, blog, social

accounts, and email to drive visitors to landing pages with

forms.

Send leads targeted, automated emails to drive them through your

buying cycle. Provide your sales team with lead intelligence for more

effective sales calls.

Analyze the success of your marketing campaigns, and determine which

areas need further optimization or personalization for future success.



THE METHODOLOGY VISUALIZED TOP TO BOTTOM


Marke*ng & Sales Integra*on


The Marke*ng & Sales Funnel

When we think about marke*ng and sales integra*on, and the responsibili*es each team has to the other, we're more o\en inclined to think of what marke*ng does that contributes to the success of sales vs. how sales contributes to the success of marke*ng.



We think of how marke*ng funds sales by: •  AWrac*ng more prospects to your

website •  Genera*ng new leads to be passed

on to sales as part of your lead management process

•  Providing sales with the collateral and resources they'll need to share with prospects as part of your inbound sales process.



Despite the significance and impact that marke*ng efforts can have on the success of demand and revenue growth in a company, marketers don't always know exactly what kind of results their efforts should yield.


The Marketing & Sales Funnel

If you're not tracking your conversion rates through the en*re marke*ng and sales funnel, then how can your business set accurate goals and manage *me and resources effec*vely?



In this illustra*on you can see how marke*ng and sales integra*on is beginning to take shape as marke*ng applies the conversion rate data from 2014 to complete the marke*ng and sales funnel from the boWom up.



Your Inbound Sales Process & your Inbound Marke*ng Strategy should be working together with this funnel in mind. Everything that you do should be *ed back to achieving or exceeding these numbers.


Integrate Marke*ng & Sales

•  Develop an agreed upon internal process integra*ng marke*ng & sales efforts

•  Define goals and key performance indicator metrics collec*vely

•  Integrate digital marke*ng strategies into sales processes

•  Clearly define the criteria for leads and viable business opportuni*es

Focus Item #2


Crea*ng Digital Content For Google &

For Your Audience


Content is King!

•  60% of the sales cycle is over before a buyer talks to a salesperson •  Crea*ng dynamic, remarkable, easily sharable content reduces the cost per

lead

Crea*ng Digital Content


Creating Digital Content

Where Do the Clicks Go?


Creating Digital Content

To the Organic Results


75% of people searching Google never scroll past the first page of results



Content Can Be..

•  Blog ar*cles

•  Webinars

•  Whitepapers & guides

•  Website resources & case studies

•  Videos



One of the most cost effec*ve and successful ways to generate new leads, educate poten*al buyers, and

enhance your brand recogni*on is:



Blogging

•  Blogs are essen*al to inbound marke*ng

•  Companies that blog see 55% more website traffic and 70% more leads than

those who don’t

•  Focus on your buyer personas primarily, not just on Google

•  Blogs convert uniden*fied website visitors into iden*fied leads and

demonstrate authority, exper*se and trust



The Buyer Persona



Buyer Personas

•  Buyer Personas differ from your Ideal Customer Profile in that an ICP focuses on an aggregate market and a Buyer Persona focuses on an individual

•  Understanding your Buyer Personas will help you communicate effec*vely to

the individuals and help facilitate their decision making process •  By crea*ng different Buyer Personas you will deliver to your audience

targeted, relevant and valuable messaging


Persona 1 (Most senior person) Focus:

Responsibilities:

Role in decision:

Persona 3 Focus:

Responsibilities:

Role in purchase:

Persona 2 Focus:

Responsibilities:

Role in purchase:

•  I Can’t… •  I Can’t… •  I Can’t… •  I Can’t… •  I Can’t…

•  I Want… •  I Want… •  I Want… •  I Want… •  I Want…

•  Key Marketing Message… •  Key Marketing Message… •  Key Marketing Message… •  Key Marketing Message… •  Key Marketing Message…







I Cant… I Want… Key Marketing Messages

Buyer • Do I have a problem? • How does this problem relate to achieving my goals? • How painful is the problem? • Who does the problem impact – departments, users, employees, decision makers? • What are my peers doing?

AWARENESS PREFERENCE Persona Group Name: • Description Bullet 1 • Descrip*on Bullet 2 • Description Bullet 3 • Descrip*on Bullet 4 • Descrip*on Bullet 5

Buyer • Can I ignore this? • Is there a quick fix? • Can I fix it myself? • Do I need help? • What are my choices if I need help? • How should I evaluate alternatives? • How will others on my purchasing committee evaluate alternatives?

CONSIDERATION

Buyer • How long will it take to get this fixed? • How much of our time do I need to put towards it? • How do I know the fix will work? • How disruptive will it be? • How much will it cost? • What impact will it have? • What happens if it doesn’t work?

PREFERENCE


98% of website visitors never return to your site a\er their 1st visit



Create Your Buyer Personas & Business Blog

•  Define 3 different buyer personas

•  Script out the ques*ons your buyers are thinking and would type into Google

•  Create blog *tles to answer those ques*ons

•  Begin by wri*ng 2 blog ar*cles per month

•  Create website pages targeted at answering your buyer personas’ ques*ons

Focus Item #3


Optimize Your Website for Lead Generation


Outbound Leads: A lead that is acquired through purchasing, cold-‐calling, direct mail, adver*sing or a contact us form on a

website.

Inbound Leads: A content-‐driven, engaged lead that finds you while doing online research.

Inbound Leads vs. Outbound Leads

Inbound Lead Genera*on


Inbound Leads are 8x more likely to close into

customers than Outbound Leads.

Inbound Leads: A content-‐driven, engaged lead that finds you while

doing online research.

Inbound Leads close better.


8x

Source: The 2012 State if Inbound Marke*ng – hWp://www.hubspot.com/SOIM


Inbound Leads have a 14.6% close rate.

Outbound Sourced Leads have a 1.7% close rate.

Inbound Leads close at a higher rate.


Source: The 2012 State if Inbound Marke*ng – hWp://www.hubspot.com/SOIM

14.6%

1.7%

SO HOW DO WE FIND THESE INBOUND LEADS?

THEY WILL FIND US.

ACTUALLY,

PEOPLE ARE ON OUR WEBSITE DOING

RESEARCH.


Give your website visitors the opportunity to easily find the informa*on they need



Easily consumable content, combined with mul*ple offers, will result in more leads generated



A website resources library will be your best lead genera*on solu*on



Landing pages for each website offer are your 24x7 sales people



Op*mize Your Website With Compelling Offers

•  The majority of website visitors are not ready to make a buying decision

•  Using long-‐form content, create mul*ple offers for your buyer personas to

move them through the buying process

•  Always be giving

•  Grow your marke*ng database with permission!

•  Segment your database and subsequent marke*ng ini*a*ves

Focus Item #4


Promo*ng & Engaging Using Social Media


Engagement Strategy Components

•  Find the right audience

•  Choosing the right social network

•  Engage with the right people

•  Share the right content

Social Media


Social media can deliver results

Social Media


Social media adds value

Social Media


Social Media Can…

•  Connect you to prospects

•  Help you rank organically in Google’s search results pages

•  Generate leads by direc*ng people to dedicated website landing pages

•  Cul*vate and grow rela*onships

•  Offer customer service

•  Expand your reach

•  Humanize your brand

•  Provide public endorsements & social proof

Social Media


Grow Your Social Networks & Expand Your Reach

•  Select the social networks that are right for your audience

•  Secure the social profiles for yourself and your business

•  Add social sharing buWons to website content when possible

•  Par*cipate in social forums

•  Share great content

Focus Item #5


Focus Items Recap

1.  Conduct Regular Google Searches 2.  Integrate Marke*ng & Sales 3.  Create Buyer Personas & Business Blog 4.  Op*mize Your Website for Lead Genera*on 5.  Social Media Growth & Engagement


Recap

Thank you for your time.

978.317.6274 Click on the link below to request a consultative conversation:

www.smbadvisors.com/inbound-sales-marketing-branding-consultation

[email protected]


5 items to focus on right now - ajas · your marketing & sales funnel needs a process,...

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