Use any of these proven techniques for marketing to increase sales. Entrepreneurs, Consultants and Business Developers can find additional information by visiting [http://www.sellingadifference.com]
Tip #1: Embark on a careful linking strategy
There are many ways for your company to appear as one of the top ten in a search engine database without having to pay money out of your marketing budget. One easy way is to do some simple research. For example, go to http://www.google.com and enter in some key words that would bring visitors to your own site. Make a note of the companies that appear in the top ten list to research their linking strategy.
Once you have compiled your Top Ten List, use a free service like http://www.alexa.com to find out their linking strategy. You can find out who these companies are linking to, who is linking to them, how much traffic they are receiving and related-sites information.
Use this information to craft a reciprocal link proposal. To make it easy for these sites to accept your offer, let them know that you have already added their link to your website and why you have done so. Like any good proposal, the benefits of a reciprocal relationship should be laid out clearly and succinctly.
One of the easiest and fastest ways to build your linking program is to submit your site to directories.
Tip #2: Use Pay-Per-Click Options
If your website isn’t generating a lot of traffic at this point, there are great pay-per-click options available like http://www.overture.com and Google AdWords. This allows you to reach people when they are actively looking for information online on what you offer. Pay-Per-Click options allow you to only pay when people click on your ad.
Taking the time to craft a carefully worded and very targeted advertisement is critical to your investment dollars in pay-per-click options. You only want to pay for qualified people clicking on your site. If your service is only located in one geographic area, for instance, you will be wasting your marketing budget by not stating this. You do not want people from Manitoba clicking on your ad if you only deliver your service in Nebraska.
Also, you need to use keyword-rich content in all your copy. A great service to use is http://www.wordtracker.com. Not only will this service give you ideas on key search terms that you may not have thought of, it will tell you how many companies you would be competing with if you use them.
Tip #3: Write & Submit Articles
Your articles must provide value and should be unique. You can submit articles to print magazines, newspapers, ezines, associations, online resources for relevant industries as well as “article farms” like: http://www.ideamarketers.com, http://www.ezinearticles.com, http://www.selfgrowth.com, http://www.goarticles.com, http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz, http://www.articlefeeder.com.
Ensuring your articles are written in a keyword-rich context will increase your visibility and ranking with the search engines. Use http://www.wordtracker.com, https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal or http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/ to find commonly-used search terms.
Tip #4: Start Blogging
While blogging is not usually a get-results-quick method, it is a very effective way to build loyal readership and trust over a period of time
* Focus on the niche market that you are serving and deliver what they want to know about. Don’t make the mistake of trying to cover multiple topics or subjects if the blog is geared to ONE.
* Let your audience know when to expect an update from you. Frequent posting of valuable information is key to having a high readership, so be prepared to spend a few days each week posting and responding to comments.
* Before you begin marketing your blog, have at least 10-20 posts set up. You don’t want to look like you just started yesterday and people will want to get a flavour of your communication style before they link to you.
* Determine your blogging objective. If it is to drive more traffic to your website, make it easy for people to get there. For example, “get some great sales resources here”.
* Measure it’s effectiveness by getting a pre-blogging benchmark of whatever it is you’re using the blog for. If you want to drive more traffic to your business website, know what your stats are before you begin blogging so that you can measure its effectiveness.
* Begin marketing your blog by commenting and linking on other blogs that you respect. When you leave a comment, leave your own blog address. Participate in blogs that your target audience would be interested in. Listing your blog with major indexing sites, directories and search engines will help you get more attention.
* Add links to your site that allow readers to bookmark the post in social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us, digg and blogmarks. You can also include a “tell-a-friend” option with your posts that make it easy for people to forward information.
Tip #5: Get Referrals
Valuable content is the only way to get quality referrals and quality leads. Include “e-mail a friend” or “tell-a-friend” invitations with all outgoing correspondence. You can include messages like this in the signatures of e-mails, at the bottom of articles, in newsletters and in your blog.
Because you are close to your genius solution and know all the ins and outs of its application, do not assume that your target market knows what to do with it. Ask for what you want. Spell it out for everyone. If you want referrals, ask for them. Put the referral-generating process at the forefront of your audience’s mind.
Tip #6: Create an Opt-In List
Like all marketing you do, make it easy for your valued customer to do what you want. Create a system that does not require much time or thinking to participate in. People are busy and if a process becomes too long or cumbersome, they’ll be moving onto something else. You can create opt-in lists for your newsletters, regular article features, reports, advice, etc.
Tip #7: Start an Affiliate Program
Affiliate Programs are similar to getting referrals, the difference being that you actually pay commissions from revenue that is generated as a result of a referral. The great thing about Affiliate Programs is that you only pay when you get a sale. There are people who make great livings simply from affiliate commissions. Aligning yourself with some fantastic promoters is a great way to reach thousands upon thousands of people.
Tip #8: Hold Seminars
When marketing your seminar to a targeted audience, try using a real invitation sent in an envelope through the mail. Curiosity usually gets the better of people when they’ve just received an invitation through the mail and they’ll open it to see what’s inside. Your chances of success increase when you use an odd-sized envelope, quality stock and a non-white color. Anything a little different will be sure to pique interest.
The actual invitation should be in a pleasing, easy-to-read font and the wording should certainly highlight WHY the recipient should attend. Clearly outline the benefits of attending your seminar, how they can register and any relevant details about the event. Make it EASY for people to attend. When you tell people exactly what they’re supposed to do, the chances of them doing it increase exponentially!
Tip #9: Distribute Press Releases
Immediately following or even preceding the release of a new product, service or event, have some carefully worded press releases distributed to some RSS Feeds like http://www.prweb.com.
You can also distribute these releases to associations, forums and user-groups that your target market belongs to. You want to use other people’s networks to gain the most leverage. Identify those groups that your target market would belong to and get their buy-in to inform their members about your new product/service/event.
Tip #10: Conduct a Survey
There is no better way to understand your target market’s desires better than to ask them! Using a well thought out, carefully worded survey with clear objectives will help you get inside the minds of the people you want to convert into paying customers. This information will enable you to present your services in a way that appeal to the real reasons people buy,
Some companies hire a third-party to design and execute the survey, others take care of it in-house. Either way, it would be a good idea to include an incentive for people to take the survey. Offer a discount, a chance to win a prize in a draw, etc. Like every other aspect of increasing your exposure to your target market, make it easy for them to complete and submit the survey.
©2007 Terri Roulette McCartney & Selling A Difference, Inc.
Terri Roulette McCartney is an internationally recognized sales expert and trainer who shares her knowledge with people committed to personal and professional growth. She has delivered over 4000 corporate sales presentations in the staffing/recruitment and education industries, selling over $1,000,000 per annum by focusing on value creation. Visit her website at [http://www.sellingadifference.com] for TONS OF FREE SALES RESOURCES!
