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How to Use Marketing Automation to its Fullest

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Using Marketing AutomationLearn how to use marketing automation to its fullest. Marketing automation is designed to turn website visitors into leads and then into life-long customers. It is a strategic process of generating leads and subsequently guiding them through the buying journey until they are ready to make a purchase. Marketing automation streamlines the entire lead management process by eliminating time-consuming and expensive manual labor from the process. Let’s discuss  how to use marketing automation to its fullest.

Generates Leads

Marketing automation systematically tracks every visitor on a website. Automation software starts the process at the moment of initial engagement by capturing the location and visiting patterns of every user on any given website. It deciphers the country the user lives in, the number of pages they visited, and even how long they spent on each specific page.

Creates Profiles on Leads

Marketing automation software then uses online registrations and forms to extract additional information on each lead. Additional demographics can be easily obtained using free offers for valuable information or services in exchange for a visitor filling in contact information like their email address.

Divides Leads into Segments

Once a profile has been started for each lead, they can be divided into lead segments or groups based on similar characteristics and interests. It is too difficult to provide a truly personalized approach to every visitor on a website, since most successful websites have hundreds or even thousands of visitors each day. Breaking them down into segments is a more realistic approach.

Nurture Leads with Relevant Campaigns

Now that leads have been divided into categories based on an initial profile, they can be targeted using strategic and compelling lead nurturing campaigns. Lead nurturing content needs to be informative and relevant, while guiding the lead in the right direction. It must provide value to the reader to keep them interested.

Scoring each Lead

Throughout the nurturing process, marketing automation software will score each lead based on predetermined criteria. Marketers first create a profile for a typical lead based on the behavioral and demographic characteristics of their existing consumers. Each aspect of the profile is ranked based on the strength of the indicator. This lead scoring profile is then used to evaluate where the lead is at in their buying process and how likely they are to make a purchase.

Marketing Automation Builds Stronger Relationships

Every component of the marketing automation process is focused on learning more about each lead, so content can be customized to benefit their needs. The more emphasis that is put on nurturing leads in a useful and relevant manner will result in stronger relationships. As long as the same quality of service continues after a lead has committed to a purchase, this will create a greater loyalty between the consumer and the business.

Marketing automation software is focused on managing the lead’s lifecycle from initial engagement, through to lead nurturing and lead qualification, to the moment the lead is handed off to the sales team for conversion. It is a complete process for tracking and directing leads using an automated, yet personalized approached.

Lead Liaison

Landing Page Improvements, Bounce Rate and ROI

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Landing Page ImprovementsKISSmetrics has a great article and infographic discussing the particulars of bounce rates by industry. Average industry bounce rates are at about 40.5%, while lead gen websites can expect a 30-50% bounce rate. Service and retail sites rank in at about 10-40%, while one page sites exist simply to gather info or as a cart tend to have a higher bounce rate – 70-90%.

What Is Bounce Rate?

If it sounds like we’re speaking Greek, it’s time to get in the know about your bounce rates. A bounce rate refers to the number of viewers who visit your site, then leave without looking at any further pages or taking any further action on your website. Bounce rate is one of the top ways you can assess landing page improvements. Once you make these improvements, you can bring in a wealth of new web leads. You can find your bounce rate by taking a look at any analytics tracking platform (might we suggest Lead Liaison’s stellar lead management software for this?).

Knowing your bounce rate is important because the higher the bounce rate, the more you’ll be able to get an idea of the necessary landing page improvements. Modifying landing pages is a good way to ensure your customers:

  • Know what you have to offer
  • Understand the value proposition of your services
  • Can get in touch with you multiple ways if needed
  • Will leave valuable information you can use to get the customer into your funnel

If your landing pages aren’t doing any of these things, you’ll see your bounce rates increase. Landing page improvements can keep people looking through your site for more information about your company, which better increases the chance they’ll engage.

Landing Page Improvements

Landing page tracking will show you what areas of your page need improvements. Some areas you might need to focus on:

  • Header. The top of your site should feature your logo and contact information. If users land on your page and aren’t sure what to do, they’ll bounce. Try to develop a common look and feel to your landing pages which provides visitors with “familiar territory”.  Consistency is good thing with your landing pages. Use Lead Liaison’s landing page builder to easily create templates, just like you would with a PowerPoint slide.
  • About your company. You’d be surprised how many companies leave this out – even on their homepage! Immediately tell your users who you are and why you’re the best at what you do.
  • Offer. Landing page improvements should focus around what you’re offering and what you’re looking to get from your customer. For instance, if you’re offering an eBook in exchange for an email address, make sure the sign up form is above the fold of your page.
  • Structure. Users are used to seeing crisp-looking professional pages that are well-put together. A graphic or video that highlights your service followed by more about your company and the offering should all be showcased above the fold of the page. Most users read from left to right- just like a book – so it’s good to give users a visual or text representation of who you are followed by a call to action (e.g. fill out our form, watch our video, etc.). If you’re interested in placing a video on your landing page then Lead Liaison’s landing page builder can help you drag/drop YouTube videos or other flash content directly on your page.

If you see your bounce rates are higher than industry standard for certain pages – particularly your landing pages – make the recommended landing page improvements and watch to see if your bounce rate decreases over time.

Landing page improvement tracking is best measured through landing page ROI. If you’re not sure your landing pages are getting you the best possible ROI, Lead Liaison can help! Our suite of solutions can help you assess whether your landing pages are performing as needed. Bounce rate assessment is an important part of that info. We’d love to hook you up with effective landing page ROI solutions today!

Lead Liaison

Five Marketing Trends that will Generate Revenue in 2013

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Five Marketing Trends that will Generate Revenue in 2013It should come as no surprise that the internet is behind the top five marketing trends allowing businesses to generate more revenue in 2013. The internet is designed to make most business functions more efficient, which in turn will generate more revenue.

These are the top five marketing trends for generating revenue in 2013:

The Power of Social Media

There are billions of people using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and other social media sites on a daily basis. Few users don’t feel the need to login daily and search what is going on in their online society. One of the biggest new marketing trends is connecting with people directly using a variety of social platforms. By creating engaging content and irresistible offers, it entices potential or existing customers to follow a business or brand. The more followers a company has, the faster their news will spread, and the more potential customers will be reached. If the social media site is created strategically, it should direct potential leads to their website for further lead nurturing and hopefully, conversion.

Save Time & Money with Marketing Automation

In the world of technology, every company should take advantage of more efficient automated systems. Marketing automation takes lead generation and nurturing to the next level by turning it into an automated process that can be customized to individual lead segments.

Qualify Leads with Lead Scoring

A critical component of the marketing automation process is qualifying and scoring leads. Marketers create a list of behavioral and demographic characteristics that define a typical consumer to compare leads against and then cater their marketing efforts based on the profile that has been developed. It also indicates which leads have the highest potential for conversion, so these higher-quality leads can be given to the sales team.

Compelling and Informative Website Copy

Google is increasing their ranking standards and insisting on unique and relevant website copy and blogs. Articles no longer can be saturated with keywords, as a method for climbing to the first page, or the coveted top three spots on Google. One big marketing trend for 2013 will be a greater focus on high-quality website copy that is focused on the consumer’s needs.

Building Stronger, Lasting Customer Relationships

All of the first four trends are designed to strengthen relationships between customers and the businesses they frequent. Social media marketing is designed to connect with consumers on a personal level, marketing automation is used to capture leads that have come in contact with a site for further nurturing, lead scoring builds an in-depth profile of each leads, and quality content builds trust. All of this done to create brand loyalty and build relationships that goes beyond a typical sales pitch, which is the fifth and final marketing trend for 2013.