The Purpose of Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is software and tactics that allow companies to nurture prospects with highly personalized, useful content that helps convert prospects to customers, and turn customers into delighted customers. Marketing automation typically generates significant new revenue for companies, and provides an excellent return on the investment required (ROI).
In the present marketing environment, “marketing automation” has become a means to handle all the aspects of marketing for clients, with all the digital marketing tools necessary for growth. This includes those needed to generate new leads, record new leads, contact new leads, and otherwise guide them down the sales funnel. This is a misconception that leaves the central portion of the funnel fully automated, but without sufficient leads coming in to generate the necessary traffic and resulting revenue.
Marketing automation is designed to help marketers (not replace them) streamline their lead generation, segmentation, lead nurturing and scoring, customer lifecycle marketing, cross-sell and up-sell, customer retention, and marketing ROI measurement.
These processes all require:

• A central marketing database. This is where all your marketing data is stored.
• An engagement marketing engine. This is where you create, manage, and conduct customer interactions.
• An analytics engine. This is where you test, measure, and optimize marketing ROI and impact on revenue.

What Marketing Automation Is Not

Do not get caught up in the bubble of folks who hold twisted opinions of marketing automation and what it is designed to accomplish. For a few examples of this, here are some things that marketing automation is not. It is not:

A fancy name for email marketing.

Not even close. Email marketing is one form of marketing campaign that marketing automation can greatly simplify. But email marketing is only one part of many that are included in marketing automation.

A way to send spam.

Marketing automation is like anything else. It can be used wisely or misused. Yes, it can be used for bad marketing, like spam. But it can also be used for exceptional marketing that truly connects with customers based on their preferences.

A solution that only benefits marketing.

The marketing department benefits from marketing automation. But high-quality usage often improves marketing and sales both, which ultimately increases revenue.

A solution that delivers value without effort.

Marketing automation is not a set and forget solution. It requires a comprehensive strategy that combines the right components, processes, people, content, data, and more.

What Is the Value of Marketing Automation?

In a benchmark study by eMarketer, research found that, “B2C marketers who are using automation- including everything from birthday emails to cart abandonment programs – have seen conversion rates as high as 50%.”
Furthermore, according to Nuclear Research, 95% of companies reported some benefit from marketing automation. They found that companies can expect to achieve an increase in marketing staff productivity between 1.5 and 6.9% and increase sales productivity by an average of 4%.
Marketing automation brings value and ROI to your numerous marketing efforts. The right marketing automation platform, combined with smart organizational and process alignment, makes it possible to connect the dots between that promotional email you sent last month, that webinar you hosted last year, and the revenue you see this week or can expect to see next quarter.

Top Marketing Automation Software

Before we provide a list of the top marketing automation software companies for you to try out, here’s an important tip from Quicksprout.com:
Different marketing automation platforms are designed for different types of businesses. It’s critical that your business research marketing automation options to figure out which one is the best fit. Most companies have free-trial options, so take advantage of the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ first hand. There is no one-size-fits all approach. You need to choose the solution with the targeting features and the analytics capabilities you need.

HubSpot – Everything you need to launch effective marketing campaigns that make people interested in your business and happy to be your customer.

Act-On – Act-On software helps you identify prospective buyers, understand the progress of your marketing programs, accelerate buyers through your sales funnel, and focus on delivering top-notch service to your customers.

GetResponse – GetResponse Marketing Automation is scalable, so it grows with your business to carry out all the necessary marketing tasks to make your campaigns successful.

MailChimp – MailChimp is more than just an automated email service. They offer full marketing automation services for all the normal systems and processes.

Marketo – Marketo marketing automation solutions are among the top in the industry, and are simple to set up and use for any sized business.

Do you use marketing automation solutions in your small business? Share with us what you use and your experiences with it in the comments below.
 

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Moz

Moz has been a leader in SEO for over a decade, and they are a powerful resource that churns out tons of helpful stuff on a regular basis. Their blog is the hub of it all, from their infamous Beginner’s Guide to SEO to the hundreds of Whiteboard Friday video tutorials. Moz has never been afraid to experiment with different content types, showing and telling visitors how great content can power marketing blogs. Solopreneurs and small business owners can profit greatly from their easy-to-understand resources.

Content Marketing Institute

Content Marketing Institute is a publishing powerhouse, taking advantage of a large contributor network to cover every nook and cranny of the content marketing profession and related fields. Because they cover the content marketing profession so fully, they branch out and add variety to their content in ways other than changing topics. Often, CMI lands surprising keynote speakers (Mark Hamill, Tina Fey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt) for its in-person events, so some of the most eye-opening blog posts on the blog in recent years have been recaps of their presentations.
Overall, this blog is the gold standard for the industry, sharing a great mix of evergreen, strategy-focused information like insight on developing buyer personas and copywriting techniques. But that’s also balanced with more timely information like tool recommendations and advice for contending with GDPR. Solopreneurs, you can find it all here.

HubSpot

HubSpot’s marketing blog provides daily blog content on all things marketing, hundreds of downloadable resources, free tools, and their free marketing courses and certifications. Solopreneurs, here you can find and benefit from an entire curriculum on digital marketing. While not every piece of blog content is directly related to their product (for example, this amazingly useful guide to Microsoft Excel), every piece hits on the pain points of solopreneurs and marketers from companies of all sizes.

Neil Patel

As the founder of several tools for marketers like Kissmetrics and Quick Sprout, Neil Patel doesn’t just share his own experiences in marketing, but that of thousands of other marketers. His blog reflects Patel’s wide breadth of experience, making it a hub you can find helpful whether you need help with creating content or analyzing marketing data. Besides written blog articles, podcasts, and YouTube videos, his blog curates visual how-to tutorials, infographics, quotes and statistics, and examples of successful marketing. There’s something for every solopreneur and small business owner on this site.

Hootsuite Blog

The Hootsuite Blog is a great place to find simple, easily digested articles to grow your marketing knowledge and skills. While they offer a full line of marketing tools and products, their content focus is not limited to how to use their stuff. I enjoy their articles and always find something I can use almost immediately. This article on using Instagram for business is a prime example of their straightforward approach to providing marketing solutions.

Solopreneur Solutions

Donna Amos is an experienced business coach and former solopreneur who helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow through marketing and other areas. Her blog (which you are reading now) provides great content on all kinds of subjects that help solopreneurs in the realm of marketing. Moreover, her Twitter feed is constantly sharing more resources she curates from other great marketers that can benefit any size business. This latest post on email and social media is an example of the helpful stuff you can find on Donna’s blog.
What are your favorite blogs to follow for marketing information? Share your favorites in the comment section for the rest of our readers!

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Landing Pages vs. Homepage

Website visitors that arrive on your homepage are typically just browsing around. They are not after anything specific, and know they will have to poke around and click a few links to see what is available. And that’s all well and good for these “window shoppers.” Let them explore all they want; who knows, they may discover something they want or need.
Seekers who arrive from a paid advertisement are a different breed altogether. Everything changes when you pay for the traffic. They have clicked on a specific ad for a specific offer. They are not browsing, they know exactly what they want and have, in essence, told you what they want. You must lead them directly to what they have asked for or else risk losing them.
Plus, because you are paying for the traffic, you know why they are on your page. That gives you the ability to put exactly what they are looking for right in front of them.

Key Components of an Effective Landing Page

Here is a brief review of a landing page’s main components. Creating them is as much art as science, but it can be learned. If you want to funnel traffic to your offers and convert them to paying customers, learn to create landing pages that do that for you. Here’s what each landing page should contain.

An Appealing Design

Every landing page should be designed with the end user in mind. While you want some similarity to your overall website design, the design of landing pages should mirror the ads to which they connect. A user will see the ad, click on it, and arrive on a similar-looking page. Colors, images, fonts, and copy layout should be pleasing to the eye and not distract from the overall goal: gathering information to make a conversion.

A Succinct Headline

The headline is the first thing users will likely see when they ‘land’ on your landing page. Your landing page headline should sum up the offer on the page in clear and concise language, and using an easily read font style and color. Your headline should let the user know explicitly what they will receive on this page.

Compelling Copy

Landing page copy should explain the value of the offer clearly, simply, and in a compelling way. Break up large blocks of text and use bullet points to convey information in quick, easily digestible bits. Tell users exactly what is offered, what is required to get it, and what they need to do next.

Relevant Keywords

Research to discover the most popular, relevant keywords and keyword combinations for your landing page offer. Then, use them in the page title, page headers, page text, image alt text, and meta tags. This makes your landing page more easily found by search engines.

Social Sharing Buttons

These links enable visitors to easily share a landing page with their connections on social media networks. This makes it possible to extend the reach of your landing page beyond your own network and into the networks of many other contacts.

Hidden Site Navigation

Any top/side navigation bars should be hidden to minimize the chances of users becoming distracted or clicking off to another location. Removing or hiding page navigation has been shown to significantly increase the chances that users will stay on the page and convert.

Lead-Capture/Conversion Form

This is arguably the most critical component of your landing page. This form is where users give up the information you require in exchange for your offer, the entire reason they arrived at this page in the first place. Now the user has become a valued lead.

Thank-You Pages and Email Responders

Landing pages should always be followed by a similar-looking page that confirms receipt of the user’s information and either provides the offer or details the next steps for receiving the offer. Always be gracious and thank users for their information, and assure them of how you handle their personal data. These “thank-you pages” can also be accompanied by an automated email response that sends the offer or next steps.
The role of the thank-you page and the email response is to make sure the user is never left hanging or wondering what will happen next. It also makes your company more personable and relatable. They have exchanged something of value (their contact information and permission to use it) with you for something you had of value (your offer). A transaction has been made. Courteous treatment is always warranted.

Tools for Creating Landing Pages

Many DIY website, CRM, and/or email SaaS companies offer tools for building landing pages. Here are some of the most popular:

• Thrive Themes
• Mailchimp
• Wix
• Instapage
• Leadpages
• Clickfunnels
• Unbounce

These tools make the layout and design easier and most provide images and design choices for free, plus some paid options. Whichever tool you choose, use the above information to ensure the users who are directed to your landing pages have a clear idea of what to do to obtain your offer. Good landing pages raises your conversion rate and overall ROI, so learn to build them correctly.
Do you have any great tips or tricks you recommend for those just starting out building their own landing pages? Share them in the comments below!

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An Optimized Landing Page

Any promotion you advertise online should have its own landing page. Landing pages are specifically designed to provide essential information and guide the user to take specific actions. They are free from unnecessary, distracting details so users have only one path to follow: in this case, to register for your event.
Provide detailed information about the subject of your webinar, your guest or guests, what participants can learn, and how it will help them solve a problem. Include the date and time of your webinar, one or two relevant images, and a form through which users can register for the event.
After users register, they should be directed to a confirmation/thank you page. Affirm that they have successfully saved a spot in your webinar and thank them for their participation. You should also send an automatic confirmation email that contains the details of the event as a reminder they can save for later reference.
Bonus Tip: On your confirmation page, provide another input box and ask registered users if they have any questions they would like to see answered in the webinar. This allows your participants a way to interact even before the event begins, and also gives them an additional vested interest in attending. Plus, you’re adding registrant-confirmed valuable content that will help your webinar be even more on-point to meet participant needs.

Produce a Teaser Video

The average internet user spends 88% more time on a website with video. People love videos, so use that as an additional tool to communicate the facts about your webinar. You have already built a landing page for your webinar; include a one to two minute promotional video. Video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80% or more. Also, upload and optimize your video on YouTube, then share it on blogs, social media, and through any paid ads you plan to use.

Write a Blog

Write a promotional blog article dedicated specifically to promoting your webinar. Be sure to include all the essentials like time and location, speakers, and reasons why people should attend. Embed your promotional video near the top and allow users to share both the video itself and the blog on various social media platforms. Also, promote your blog post through social media and any paid advertising.

Offer a Lead Magnet

Place your webinar as the foremost offer on your website and pair it with a related lead magnet. Webinar registrants receive something they can use that is related to your webinar topic as soon as they reach the confirmation page, or at least within five minutes of registration. A free download related to the webinar, such as a one-page “tops & tricks” document or other material from the webinar guests, is another enticement for registrants to actually attend.

Hello Bar

A Hello Bar appears across the top of a user’s screen with a special message, usually your current offer. Use it to briefly describe the webinar offer and provide a link for users to follow. Hello Bars are very successful in increasing leads for special events.

Exit-Intent Popup

The Exit-Intent Popup is a bit more intrusive than the Hello Bar, but is also proven to increase leads. Use this on your blog post or special advertising page for your webinar. The exit-intent pops up when a page visitor hovers their mouse outside of the website page, including a different browser tab or the X in their browser window. A window appears offering them another chance to read about your offer and click to learn more or register.
Bonus Tip: Be sure to hide this feature from users who have already registered for your webinar to decrease message repetition and potential annoyance.

Email Workflow

Use this baseline strategy for an email workflow series to promote your webinar.

2 Weeks Before: The Initial Invite

This email should have similar content to the landing page, letting your recipients know you’re having a webinar, sharing the time, speakers, and location, and providing an easy way to register right from the email.

1 Week Before: The Reminder

This email can be broken up into two separate emails:

• Users who clicked on your last email but did not register
• Users who did not click on your last email at all

Both emails should remind the recipient of the webinar, but also ask for some feedback on why they haven’t registered yet.
Bonus Tip: Create a separate landing page to link in the email asking users to respond as to why they have not registered. Use the feedback to plan the parameters and topics for your next webinar.

1 Day Before: The Second Reminder

This email is just a brief reminder to those who have registered of the time and location of the webinar, and another brief thanks for registering.

1-2 Days After: The Thank You Email

Break this email up into two separate emails:

• Registrants: Send all registrants the recording of your webinar. They should not have to fill out a form to access this since they already did this when they registered. Include some social share links, and ask them to share it with their co-workers, friends, or family who would also be interested.

Bonus Tip: The share links should bring visitors to a landing page that gates the recording. Here you can gather names and emails for new leads!

• Non-Registrants: Send the people who didn’t register a chance to still view the recorded version. If they couldn’t make the webinar that day or never got around to registering, this gives them the option to watch it at their own leisure.

Social Media

Social media is the obvious place to advertise your webinar, through organic and paid options if possible. Some research here will reveal where your target audience hangs out the most, and this will allow you to target your advertising and better use your budget. Focus on brief posts that lead interested users to your blog and promotional video and/or directly to the landing page.
There you have it; eight strategies you can use together to fill your webinar with interested participants. If you use these strategies, let us know how they worked for you. If you have other ways of promoting and filling your webinar, share them with us in the comments below.

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How Do I Plan Middle of Funnel Strategies?

In order to develop a strong middle of funnel campaign, it is imperative to understand the purpose and components that set the top, middle, and bottom apart. First, the main goal of the top of the funnel is to bring awareness and interest in your brand, products, or services to as many consumers as possible. During this time, you must accept that you will not meet the needs or desires of every person that comes across the information or advertisements you employ.
The transition to middle of funnel marketing depends on letting go of those not ready to move forward, and engaging customers who express interest. Strategies utilized must develop the transition from awareness to engagement. The main task is to get to the bottom of the funnel, where there is a sale and the ultimate goal is accomplished.
This step in the buying process can be complicated and difficult, but certainly not impossible. Middle of funnel marketing must address overcoming objections and avoiding fallout, setting yourself apart from the competition, and building relationships to create customer buy-in. Every industry can adapt these principles to accomplish the movement of the most leads through the process.
 

How to Transition the Consumer from Awareness to Trust

The first component to prioritize in middle of funnel marketing is guiding the consumer from awareness to trust. People have a need and are seeking a service or product to fit that need. Now that they know you can help them, it is important to set your product or services apart from the competition and show the quality of what you have to offer.
For a large company, this can be challenging, as you want to match customers with the best consultant or team to create a bond and build relationships. At this stage, value ads can show how what you have to offer will exceed their expectations. Customer buy-in is imperative to avoid fall out. Follow ups and incentives can be utilized in middle of funnel marketing to keep consumers on the path to their purchase.
During this transition, keep in mind that the consumer is still deciding. Everyone is different, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan for the movement from the top of the funnel to the bottom. What can you or your company do or provide that is more beneficial than what someone else has to offer? Building an understanding of value in your product and services puts the customer at ease and reinforces their decision to explore this option. Depending on your industry, the consumer may need days or weeks to move from awareness to commitment.
Not only does your strategy need to establish trust, but also cultivate the bond to your brand. Focusing on accomplishing the customers goal by providing options, advantages, and addressing limitations opens the door for a smooth process from beginning to end. At this stage, setting realistic expectations and utilizing resources will play in your favor. Now more than ever, providing education and helpful information can build the relationship and put the customer at ease. Don’t assume what they know or don’t know, and employ marketing geared toward education and a better understanding of your brand.
 

Streamlining the Marketing Funnel from Top to Bottom

Another aspect to keep in mind during the middle of funnel marketing outreach, is there will be fall out. The concept of a funnel is that it starts very large at the top, and gradually tapers down. In the middle you want to avoid fall out, but also be aware that time and resources must focus on getting the most leads from the top of the funnel to the completion of the sale at the bottom. Streamlining the process takes consistency, and self-evaluation.
To accurately assess middle of funnel success, you must track conversions and evaluate strategies. Look at what consumers respond to and put time and resources into improving those tactics. When looking at follow up, what means of communication provokes the most responses? A large component of middle of funnel success comes down to checking in on what works, and more importantly, what isn’t working. Avoid sinking more resources into less desirable designs.
Overall, middle of funnel marketing strategies and concepts are worth as much, if not more, than top and bottom master plans. As you employ a game plan to transition a consumer from interested to sold, utilize and build on the top of funnel outreach that peaked their interest. Continue to grow their awareness into a trusting relationship. By setting your goods and services apart, you will avoid fall out and create buy-in from the consumer.
Walk alongside them as they are making the decision and show them how your options best meet their needs and accomplish their goals. Evaluate what works and doesn’t work as you refine this step in the process. Before you know it, the sale will be forthcoming, and you will move into having a customer for life.
What middle of funnel strategies have worked best for you? Why not share them, and your success stories, in the comments below so our readers can learn from your experiences?
Finally, put your bottom of funnel in place.

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What Are Marketers’ Goals at the Top of the Funnel?

Top of funnel marketing is generally preoccupied with discovery. Your efforts here are to become known by as many internet users as possible. In doing so, you are seeking to accomplish two main goals:

• Drive brand awareness
• Generate leads

Foremost, you are trying to generate an awareness of your company among potential customers or a target audience. In some cases, when a need for your product or service isn’t immediately obvious, you’re also educating the market at large that there’s even a problem to be solved.
Your goal is more than getting the attention of your target audience; it’s convincing them that your company provides something of value. Once your company gains a reputation for providing interesting, useful information on topics about which people are concerned, they are more apt to follow you on social media and communicate with you. You are seeking a value exchange: giving something of value away for something of value in return; in this case, a lead.
The second goal of top of funnel marketing is to generate leads. Driving awareness of your company and educating the public about your value propositions are a means of stimulating the attention of your audience. Marketers publish content at the top of the funnel to reach a wide pool of potential customers. Top of funnel marketing content is typically:

• Blogs and websites
• Social media
• Video marketing
• Online ads
• Influencer outreach
• Webinars
• Games
• Tools
• Long-form content
• Comprehensive guides
• Videos
• Email newsletters

These items feed the needs of a broad audience while painting you as an expert in your field. Your knowledge, community service, and company ethos are on display.

What Are the Key Elements of Top of the Funnel Content?

Top of funnel marketing content must grab attention, be useful, and be easily consumed by the majority of users. In short, content at the top of the sales funnel must be:

• Engaging
• Buyer-centric
• Snackable
• Visual

The top of the sales funnel is inbound marketing at its finest. Successful top of funnel marketers determine what their audience needs and provide information and help to meet that need. Users who find quality information they can use will be grateful and remember where and who you are, in order to return. Moreover, as your audience profits by your tutelage, they become more competent in this area and are more inclined to see the need for your products or services.
As an example, most of what you read here on the Solopreneur Solutions blog is an example of top of funnel marketing. The material published here seeks to provide help, tips, and information about how you can strengthen your small business and level-up your own business and marketing skills. As you participate in our solopreneur community, we hope to be top of mind when you find yourself needing digital marketing services that go beyond what you can accomplish on your own. Hopefully, our blog posts have convinced you that we know what we are talking about and can provide you with top-tier services.

How Can I Begin Creating Top of Funnel Marketing Content?

The simplest and quickest way to begin publishing top of funnel content is to start a blog. Begin creating quality, evergreen content in various forms that provide useful information related to your industry niche. Share your content on various social media channels with links leading back to the original page and your website. On every piece of content you publish, provide a way to contact you for more information, join a mailing list, download a free file or other lead magnet, or some way to obtain a lead for your business. Remember, this is the top of the funnel, and many who may run across your social media link may have never heard of you. It takes several views of different content post ads on social media before a user will be compelled to click the link to read your content.
Don’t give up! Refine your content to make it more engaging and relevant to your audience and its needs. Use video, infographics, and more to compel internet users to view and share your content with an even larger audience. Over time, you will strike the right stride of posting and value, and leads will multiply. Continually revamp and retune your content offerings, lead magnets, and social media interactions to see what garners the best results.
What is some of the best top of funnel marketing content you have shared? How did you create it? What seems to work best at attracting leads for your business? We’d love for you to share your ideas and stories with our readers in the comments below.
Move on to Middle of Funnel

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• 87% of online marketers use video content
• One third of online activity is spent watching video
• 85% of the US internet audience watches video online
• 92% of mobile video viewers share videos with others

Obviously, if you are not creating and sharing video content, it’s past the time to begin. Designate this month as Mobile May and create your first video. Highlight a product or service you provide, give a behind-the-scenes tour of your business operation, or give a brief overview of a popular blog post from the past. Why not challenge your readers to record their own video review of your products or services and send them to you? Choose a winner to feature on your site and award a coupon for discounts.

Holidays and Special Days

May 1, 2018 May Day – May Day, the first of May is celebrated around the world. It has a number of meanings. In many other countries it is a celebration of spring and the coming of summer. It is celebrated with many spring flowers, many of them blooming right in your own backyard. To communist and socialist countries, it is a celebration for the workers. #MayDay
May 5, 2018 Cinco de Mayo – On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. This single military battle meant the defeat of a strong European colonial power and a victory for the Mexican people. This is the root of Cinco de Mayo. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the celebration of Mexican Independence, which is celebrated on September 16th. #CincodeMayo
May 13, 2018 Mother’s Day – The first Mother’s Day was May 10, 1908 in Philadelphia. This special day is always on the second Sunday of May and is a grand day to honor the most significant person in our lives. Mothers the world over deserve our respect and honor for the selfless role they play. If possible, spend time with your mother on this special day. #MothersDay
May 28, 2018 Memorial Day – Memorial Day is officially celebrated on the last Monday during the month of May. It is dedicated to service men and women who gave their lives for freedom and country. The roots of Memorial Day observance, goes back to 1865 and the end of the Civil War. Memorial Day was traditionally held on the 30th of May. In 1971, Congress changed it to the last Monday, in order to afford a three day holiday weekend. #MemorialDay

Birthdays

• May 1, 1916- Glenn Ford, actor
• May 1, 1967- Tim McGraw, country western singer
• May 2, 1729- Catherine II Empress of Russia (Catherine the Great)
• May 2, 1903- Benjamin Spock, physician, author, child-rearing expert
• May 2, 1904- Bing Crosby, singer, actor
• May 3, 1921- Sugar Ray Robinson, champion boxer
• May 3, 1937- Frankie Valli, singer, the “Four Seasons”
• May 3, 1946- Greg Gumbel, sportscaster
• May 4, 1929- Audrey Hepburn, actress
• May 4, 1959- Randy Travis, country singer
• May 5, 1818- Karl Marx, socialist, political theorist
• May 5, 1913- Tyrone Power, actor
• May 6, 1895- Rudolph Valentino, actor
• May 6, 1915- Orson Welles, actor, director, “War of the Worlds” radio hoax on October 39, 1938
• May 6, 1931- Willie Mays, baseball player
• May 6, 1945- Bob Seger, singer, songwriter
• May 6, 1961- George Clooney, actor
• May 7, 1812- Robert Browning, poet
• May 7, 1833- Johannes Brahms, composer
• May 7, 1840- Peter Tchaikovsky, composer
• May 7, 1901- Gary Cooper, actor
• May 8, 1884- Harry S. Truman, 33rd U.S. President (1845-1853)
• May 8, 1926- Don Rickles, comedian/actor
• May 9, 1949- Billy Joel, singer, songwriter
• May 10, 1838- John Wilkes Booth, actor, assassinated President Abraham Lincoln
• May 10, 1899- Fred Astaire, dancer/actor, born Frederick Austerlitz
• May 11, 1888- Irving Berlin, songwriter
• May 12, 1820- Florence Nightingale, a pioneer in the field of nursing
• May 12, 1907- Katharine Hepburn, actress
• May 12, 1925- Yogi Berra, baseball player, manager
• May 13, 1961- Dennis Rodman, NBA basketball player
• May 14, 1686- Gabriel D. Fahrenheit, physicist, mercury thermometers, created Fahrenheit scale
• May 14, 1944- George Lucas, filmmaker
• May 14, 1969- Cate Blanchett, actress “Lord of the Rings”
• May 15, 1969- Emmitt Smith, NFL Running Back
• May 16, 1905- Henry Fonda, actor
• May 16, 1953- Pierce Brosnan, actor, “James Bond”
• May 17, 1936- Dennis Hopper, actor
• May 17, 1956- Sugar Ray Leonard, champion boxer
• May 18, 1897- Frank Capra, director
• May 18, 1946- Reggie Jackson, MLB player, “Mr. October”
• May 18, 1952- George Strait, country singer
• May 19, 1968- Kyle Eastwood, actor, son of Clint Eastwood
• May 20, 1908- James Stewart, actor
• May 21, 1951- Al Franken, comedian, actor, writer
• May 21, 1952- Mr. T (Lawrence Tero), actor
• May 22, 1859- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer, detective stories
• May 22, 1907- Lord Laurence Olivier, actor, director
• May 23, 1954- Marvelous Marvin Hagler, boxing champion boxer
• May 23, 1958- Drew Carey, actor, comedian
• May 24, 1940- Gary Burghoff, actor, “Radar” in TV series “MASH”
• May 24, 1941- Bob Dylan, singer, songwriter
• May 24, 1946- Priscilla Presley, actress , ex-wife of Elvis Presley
• May 25, 1803- Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet
• May 26, 1907- John Wayne, actor, best known for westerns
• May 26, 1923- James Arness, actor
• May 26, 1949- Hank Williams Jr., country singer
• May 27, 1794- Cornelius Vanderbilt, financier, railroad tycoon
• May 27, 1837- Wild Bill Hickock, frontiersman, lawman
• May 27, 1911- Hubert H. Humphrey, Minnesota senator, presidential nominee
• May 27, 1911- Vincent Price, actor
• May 27, 1915- Herman Wouk, novelist
• May 27, 1936- Louis Gossett Jr., actor
• May 28, 1908- Ian Fleming, novelist
• May 29, 1903- Bob Hope, comedian, actor
• May 29, 1917- John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President, assassinated in office (1960-1963)
• May 30, 1909- Benny Goodman, bandleader, musician
• May 31, 1819- Walt Whitman, poet
• May 31, 1898- Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, religious leader
• May 31, 1930- Clint Eastwood, actor, director

What special days or observances help mobilize you in May? How can you leverage these holiday events or happenings to attract customers and impact your business? Share them in the comments and of course, share them with your readers! Until next month, get those videos created and uploaded and as always, keep writing!

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What is the Marketing Funnel?

The marketing funnel is a visual tool for understanding the process of converting leads into customers. The general premise is that marketers cast a broad net to capture as many leads as possible (wide, like the top of a funnel), and then methodically nurture prospective buyers through the funnel until they make a purchasing decision. The funnel narrows down in each stage of the process, as leads drop away and do not continue on to a purchasing decision.
In perfect conditions, the marketing funnel would be a marketing cylinder, where all your leads would flow straight through and turn into paying customers. This is not reality for businesses; but it is the marketer’s job to convert as many leads as possible into paying customers. How narrow your funnel becomes at the bottom represents just how many leads become buyers, and the effectiveness of your marketing and sales process.
There is not a single, standard version of the marketing funnel. Differing versions have many “stages” while others have only a few. Many are labeled with different names that represent actions taken by the business and consumer for each. The stages we will discuss here are the most basic, and can be built upon to fit any industry or company’s preferences.

Marketing Funnel Stages

Each of the marketing funnel stages below have a brief description, along with suggested actions for your business to perform at each stage.

• Awareness: Awareness is the top, widest stage of the marketing funnel. Your audience is drawn into the funnel through your marketing campaigns. Establishing trust and planting ideas is your main goal at this stage of the funnel. You can do this with advertising, events, trade shows, online content (blog posts, infographics, videos, and more), social media, webinars, direct mail, viral campaigns, paid search, and media exposure. This is where lead generation takes place, as you collect information into a lead management system for nurturing further down the funnel.
• Interest: Once leads are generated, they move to the interest stage. This is where interested parties can learn more about your business, its services and/or products, and any helpful information and research you provide. This is an opportunity for your company to build relationships with the consumers and introduce your value prospect. You can do this through emails, newsletters, webinars, and free content related to your industry and niche.
• Consideration: In this stage, leads change into qualified leadsand are considered prospective customers. The lead is considering their options now. Do I need this? Can I afford this? Will this solve my problem? You should send these prospects more information about your services, products, and special offers through automated email campaigns. At the same time, continue the nurturing process with targeted content, case studies, free trials, and more.
• Intent: To enter this stage, prospects must demonstrate interest in making a purchase or booking a service. This can happen through a survey, after viewing a product demo, or when they place a product in the shopping cart on your website. Now is the time to make a strong case for why your product/service is the best choice for this buyer.
• Evaluation: In this stage, buyers are making the final decision to buy or not buy your product or services. Marketing and sales mesh together here to convince the prospective buyer to step over the edge and become a buyer.
• Purchase: Congratulations! This is the last stage in the marketing funnel, and your prospect has made the decision to buy and now becomes a customer. Marketing hands off for sales to complete the transaction. However, the ideal situation is for the customer to be very satisfied and enter the top of the funnel again to make additional purchases, and tell their friends about the satisfactory experience they had, feeding even more leads into the funnel.

 
Here’s a basic explanation of how the process above works:

1. Attract strangers to your website so they become visitors. To attract strangers to your site, use things like SEO for organic traffic, blog posts with enticing content, social media engagement, and ads.
2. Convert your visitors with a lead magnet so they become leads. To convert visitors into leads, you need call to action forms on your landing pages and a good lead magnet that’s so valuable people will want it.
3. Close leads with a sale so they become customers. To close the leads, you need to use email messaging, CRM-based personal touches (optional), and personalized nurturing via email, web, and social media.
4. Delight customers with great customer service and engagement so they return and bring other leads. Delight your customers so they become brand ambassadors. In order to do this, keep engaging them in email and social media, let them give you feedback, and provide them with tips and resources to get the most out of your product.

How is the Marketing Funnel Different for B2C and B2B?

B2C (business to customer) and B2B (business to business) aim at different target audiences, who have varied uses for the products or services their business offer. Both types of businesses use a marketing funnel in similar ways, but there are some key differences.
Most B2C consumers navigate the marketing funnel alone or with a small group of friends and family as trusted advisors. B2C consumers may never directly interact with a company representative, especially on ecommerce websites. Their buying choices are more influenced by the site in front of them. Click, purchase, arrange shipping, done.
B2B consumers typically have a larger group involved in the buying process. The average B2B buying group is 5.4 people. This group must all be convinced that the purchase or service is necessary before any spending is authorized. B2B consumers typically interact with a sales representative in the lower end of the funnel to negotiate a sale.
The marketing funnel works in different ways for different users, but the underlying goal is to harvest prospects and get them to spend money with your business. What does your marketing funnel look like? What tips do you have for moving prospects through the different stages? We’d love to hear from you! Share your comments and suggestions in the comments below.
Next step top of funnel.

The post How A Marketing Funnel Works appeared first on Solopreneur Solutions.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is designing and optimizing your website so it appears naturally or organically in search results by Google, Bing, and other search engines. This is the simplest and quickest way to ensure your business website can be found by internet users. Including relevant keywords, links, images, and content within the front end and back end of your web pages provides search engine ‘crawlers’ topics under which to index your site in their databases.
While some insist that SEO efforts are futile due to Google’s constant algorithm updates, this is not true at all. Google modifies its algorithms regularly so only relevant results are presented to users. Their efforts prevent unethical site builders from manipulating the system to get their sites listed high in search results. Therefore, SEO is worth your investment in time, or in cost to have a professional optimize your site.

2. Content Creation

Every year, research continues to demonstrate that content is king. Content is the currency of the online marketing realm. Even the most recent enhancements to search engine algorithms continually stress content as a top metric when determining search results. This content can be in a variety of formats, including blog posts, images, banners, infographics, videos, podcasts, webinars, Q&A forums, white papers, eBooks, case studies, how-to guides, or social media communications.
Tap into your creative side and generate content on any topic and then link it directly or indirectly to your business. Regardless of the type of content you choose, interactive measures increase user engagement. In today’s consumer-centric world, users prefer to have ongoing communications with the companies with which they do business, and feel increasingly loyal if their feedback is welcomed and acknowledged.

3. Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social Media Marketing involves driving traffic to your business website through social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, and others. Content is custom created for each platform to attract users’ attention and incite a response, usually a click on the link provided in the message that takes the user to a specific place on your site.
In addition, good content is liked and shared by users, further spreading your message across numerous other social pages, and increasing your possible reach and engagement. With social media, it’s best to share at least four or five times a day and reply promptly to personal responses.

4. Mobile Marketing

Optimizing your site for mobile is just a small part of mobile marketing. Mobile internet users are growing exponentially each year with no slowdown in sight. Therefore, it not only makes sense to be sure your website is viewable and usable on mobile devices, but also to consider what kind of mobile app your company could develop for mobile users. According to a report from Flurry analytics, 90 percent of consumers’ mobile time is spent in apps. Or, according to frequent app users and developers, It’s an App World – The Web Just Lives in It.
This 90% figure is a vital metric to remember as you decide whether to develop a mobile app for your business. Apps don’t fit every industry or business. For some, it may be best to focus on a mobile-optimized site. Either way, mobile marketing makes sense as the potential of the mobile market continues to grow.

5. Email Marketing

Email marketing is sending commercial messages through email to past, current, or potential customers. By using email marketing software, you can maintain email lists that are segregated based on a variety of factors. Sending personalized emails develops trust and makes you sound like a real person meeting real needs, and not just an uncaring automation.
In some opinions, and in some countries, email marketing is considered spamming. Some countries have laws prohibiting unsolicited emails with stiff penalties for violators. The safest route is to only send commercial emails to those who have signed up for your emails and given permission to receive them. Even then, email marketing should be used strategically so as not to antagonize recipients and compel them to opt not to receive them in the future.

6. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search Engine Marketing is a comprehensive strategy to drive traffic to your business through paid efforts. It is also sometimes called Paid Search Marketing. Essentially, you are renting traffic for a price in order to get business. The two major models of SEM are PPC (pay-per-click) or CPM (cost-per-mile). With PPC, you only pay a fee for every time a user actually clicks your ad to go to your site. With the CPM model, you pay a fee for each 1,000 impressions (1,000 impressions = 1 ‘mile’), which can be simple views of your ad.
SEM is difficult to keep up with while running a business and almost exclusively requires someone to manage it. There are a variety of platforms for SEM that perform basically the same service. Two of the most popular ad services are Google AdWords and Bing Ads.

7. Retargeting / Remarketing

Retargeting, or Remarketing, targets users who have already visited your website. It places a JavaScript ‘cookie’ in the user’s internet browser when they visit your site. This invisible code reports back to your ad server provider every other site the user visits. At appropriate times, the ad server can then display your ads on other sites when users are there.
Retargeting is a preferred strategy because you are targeting users who have already shown interest in your business. This means conversion rates are usually high. Retargeting works on websites, social networks, and on mobile devices.

8. Affiliate Marketing

With Affiliate Marketing, you pay people who display your ads (called ‘publishers’) to bring you customers. The performance can be based on promotions, leads, or sales. Publishers provide space on their site to display your ads to help drive conversions. You pay them based on a compensation model. Affiliate Networks provide a large base of publishers, along with benefits like tracking and reporting technology.
Affiliate Marketing is a win-win for businesses and publishers. Sites like Amazon, eBay, Link Share and Flipkart, and most large-traffic online businesses, have Affiliate Programs.
The digital marketing strategies that work best for you will vary. Different industries have different objectives, as well as smaller and larger businesses. In most cases, a combination of several digital marketing strategies will serve to drive traffic and lead to conversions for your company. What are your favorite or most profitable strategies for digital marketing? Share your wisdom or suggestions with our readers in the comments below.

The post 8 Ways You Can Make Digital Marketing Work for You appeared first on Solopreneur Solutions.

• The worldwide number of active email accounts is expected to reach almost 5.6 billion by 2019.
• In the U.S. alone, 72% of adults prefer to communicate with companies through email.

Clearly, consumers are using email and willing to read yours, if they have signed up to receive them. But how can you ensure your emails will be read? There is no guarantee, but several practices will make your email messages more enticing and readable.
 

Sell the OPEN

The role of the email subject line is to sell the OPEN. You cannot gain a click, opt-in, or sale from an unopened or deleted email. There are two main types of subject lines:

• Blind– A curiosity-based subject line intended to entice openings
• Direct– A benefit-based subject line that qualifies the reader before opening

Tantalizing blind subject lines usually increase open rates, but the click rate or conversion rate on the landing page will often decrease. Blind subject lines draw the subscriber in by their curious nature, but the offer may not be relevant to them. After opening and discovering the email doesn’t interest or apply, it’s quickly deleted.
The direct, benefit-driven subject line qualifies the subscriber. It spells out in a single line what the email is about. Therefore, if your reader isn’t interested in growing their savings (or whatever you provide), they simply don’t open. But, a higher percentage of those that do open are more likely to click and convert. Why? They are interested in your offer as stated in the subject line.
 

Sell the CLICK

Just as your email subject line has a primary role, so does your email body. The email copy must sell the CLICK. No matter your subject or industry, you must draw in your reader and compel them to click the link to go to your landing page. A good guideline is to include at least three links to the landing page in the main body of your email, each with its own psychological reason to click on it. The three links and reasons should appeal to the following:

• Curiosity
• Benefit
• Scarcity

Open with a line and link that grabs attention immediately and pricks curiosity:

• Don’t read this unless…
• Don’t attempt this by yourself…..
• Are you embarrassed?
• Did that sound stupid?
• Are you tired of…..?

The next blocks of text should explain the offer/product and give benefits:

• We generated 50,000 leads in 30 days….
• Improve your writing skills in less than 30 minutes…..
• Get your free ticket to this webinar….
• Buy one get one free…..

The last block of text and link should emphasize scarcity:

• This sale ends TOMORROW at MIDNIGHT….
• Through this weekend only……
• While supplies last (and they’re going FAST!)….

You’re reasoning changes from one link to the next. Curious? Click here. Benefit? Click HERE. Scarce? CLICK HERE! Intensity increases with each section, moving the reader along in the decision-making process. Of course, every email should be targeted to a specific audience, and with different audiences, your wording will vary.
 

Write for Different Audiences

Segmented emails result in 50% more clicks than non-segmented emails. Your particular industry and your marketing campaign objectives define your audience segmentation criteria.
Possible audience lists can include:

• Contest participation
• Demographics
• Interests
• New opt-in
• Source of lead
• Sales funnel drop off

For each audience, concentrate on the needs and wants that define your readers’ motivations to act on your message. Who is sending this email? How does this benefit me? Is this the right time? Answer these questions and solve the pain points for each audience and you will see an increase in click-throughs and sales.
 

Get Personal

Speak in your emails as you would to a friend. Use recipient’s names. Use plain language. Cold, automatic-sounding emails get deleted within one or two seconds. Remember, you are competing with literally hundreds of email messages your reader receives. Why should they read yours? Your goal is to connect with your readers as if you’re talking to them in person, so they’ll connect with you.
 

Tell Them What to Do

Tell your readers to how to respond by providing a compelling Call to Action (CTA) in your email body. Ideally, there should be at least three CTA’s with corresponding text blocks (see above). Always use contrasting colors on CTA buttons to create a visual distinction that draws the eye. Use action words to urge readers to respond. Short, simple CTAs are best:

• Get Now
• Order Yours Today
• Buy Here
• Sign Up Now
• Start Today

Feed the Skimmers

We’re all overloaded. Content must be brief and easy to read for every reader. However, it’s a fact that most of your audience is skimming your emails. With this in mind, include skimmable text blocks and segments. Can your reader understand your email message in five seconds or less? Your goal in that five seconds is to compel them to go back and read it through.
Also, include the main bullet points at the end of the email especially for skimmers. Call them out and they will appreciate your efforts:
“Skimming this email? I don’t blame you! Here’s what you need to know:”

• Restate curiosity point
• Restate benefit point
• Restate scarcity point
• Emphasize CTA

How have you used email marketing successfully in your business? We’d love to hear your tips, tricks, and lessons you’ve learned. Share your wisdom in the comments below.

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