If you haven’t already, it’s time to drop that traditional sales funnel.
The association many folks have with the sales funnel is antiquated and leaves out some critical parts of the customer journey. It can also feel cold and sales-y to customers, pushing people away as opposed to drawing them in. So, there’s no time like the present to implement customer lifecycle marketing into your strategy.
If you’re unfamiliar, this process is all about serving your audience with valuable content, nurturing relationships, and then encouraging past customers to become loyal brand advocates. Meaning this is a powerful way to build long-term success for your company.
Unsure about what a traditional sales funnel looks like? Need some tips to get you started with lifecycle marketing? We’ve put together everything you need to start connecting with your audience and generating more leads.
What is the Traditional Sales Funnel?
Simply put, a traditional sales funnel maps out the journey an individual takes as they move towards purchasing. By visualizing and outlining this journey, a company can anticipate what will move someone from one stage to the next, increasing the odds they’ll go from being a lead to a paying customer.
Although different versions of the sales funnel have been developed over the years, the most common one is associated with the AIDA model created by E. St. Elmo Lewis. In this model, a customer goes through four stages on their way to making a purchase. Those stages include Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action. William W. Townsend first proposed the connection between the funnel and AIDA models in Bond Salesmanship, his 1924 book.
The Awareness stage is when an individual initially discovers a company, typically by finding some sort of content they’ve published online. From there, this person develops an interest in what the company has to offer, expresses a desire to buy its product or service, and ultimately takes action by purchasing.
What Are Some Examples of a Traditional Sales Funnel?
Now that you understand the ins and outs of a traditional sales funnel, you might wonder what it can look like when a company uses a sales funnel as part of its business model. Creating a successful funnel that converts someone from being a lead into a paying customer can show up in several ways.
How a company builds its sales funnel depends on what resonates most with its target audience. Which typically takes some trial and error to get it right. However, it all begins with discovering the brand in question. This most often happens after discovering their content (blog post, social media post, etc.). Then there is some sort of offer to move you along the funnel.
Here are some examples of elements that can make up a sales funnel:
Exclusive Content: Often, brands offer exclusive content that can be accessed in exchange for sharing your name and email address. This is a great way to provide valuable content and establish yourself as an authority and reliable source of information. You collect data on what people are interested in learning about while gaining an audience for other marketing materials.
Free Trial: Offering a free trial is the perfect way to give leads a taste of your offer. This way, they’re able to try out the product or service before committing to an expensive purchase or a long-term subscription. And you eliminate obstacles preventing them from investing in your brand and boost confidence in what you do.
Schedule a Demo: Allowing leads to schedule a demo of your product works in the same way as offering a free trial. The only difference is that a demo allows for a one-on-one, personalized interaction. That can go a long way in convincing someone to purchase because humans are more likely to trust your company when they meet a fellow person who works there.
Nurture Sequences: Email marketing is a powerful strategy that will help you engage with folks who’ve already expressed interest in your products. Once someone joins your email list, you can trigger a nurturing sequence of emails. These emails will help establish a relationship and build trust with leads.
What is Customer Lifecycle Marketing?
Before diving in, it’s important to stress we didn’t coin the term “marketing lifecycle.” Ardath Albee, an industry leader in content marketing, talked about a lifecycle on the Marketo blog in 2018. In the post titled “B2B Tech Marketers Make the Shift from Funnels to Lifecycles,” she says: “… Marketers [must] shift their focus from buying journey funnels to full-on customer lifecycle management.”
What we have done, however, is create an original concept revealing four key stages to crafting an authentic customer lifecycle marketing journey. This strategy keeps you focused on your human buyer while building a connection and an ongoing relationship with them.
Lifecycle marketing walks you through the process of building awareness at the beginning of the relationship to nurturing those connections so you can create long-lasting success. It encompasses the variety of strategies your company will implement to influence customer behavior as they move through each stage of their journey.
The Four Stages of Customer Lifecycle Marketing
Awareness, Interest & Intent, Decision, and Loyalty are the four stages we believe are essential for implementing customer lifecycle marketing. So you understand this process better, the next section outlines every stage and gives examples of what kind of content to create at each stage. It takes the guesswork out of developing an effective customer journey. Let’s dive in!
Stage One: Awareness
Much like the traditional sales funnel, the first stage of customer lifecycle marketing generates awareness. After all, it would be impossible for someone to purchase your offering if they have no idea who you are. That’s why you need to prioritize putting your brand out there to gain exposure.
During this stage, make it your mission to consistently publish high-quality, valuable content that will appeal to your target audience. Use this as an opportunity to establish your brand as an authority within your niche. People are more likely to view you as a trusted and reliable resource.
Although it may be tempting, this isn’t the time to be overly promotional in your content. Instead, focus on creating content that addresses problems your audience has so you can show them you have a solution.
The next question is – what kind of content should you create during this stage? Ultimately, you’ll make this call based on the types of content you’re good at creating and what is the most likely to appeal to your audience.
Here are some ideas:
Blog Posts: It should come as no surprise, but blog posts are a personal favorite for the Express Writers team. Writing high-quality blog posts optimized to attract organic traffic is a fantastic way to gain more exposure and effortlessly bring in new leads.
Videos and Podcasts: If you want to look beyond blog posts, you may want to branch out to include other formats as part of your content strategy. Videos and podcasts are great to consider because both can position your brand in front of a wider audience.
Social Media: You can’t discount the power of social media for brand visibility. It’s an important aspect of customer lifecycle marketing because being active on social media platforms your target audience uses the most will help them connect with you. You’ll stay on their radar regularly.
Ad Campaigns: There’s no denying that organic traffic is great, but growing your audience isn’t done overnight. If you want to speed up the process, you can invest in ad campaigns on social media or Google to gain exposure quickly.
Of course, there are tons of other ways to boost awareness of your brand. However, what’s most important is consistency. You can’t publish one blog post and assume that will attract people. You need to show up regularly by putting fresh content out into the world. The more content you publish, the more opportunities you have to attract leads.
Stage Two: Interest & Intent
Once someone is introduced to your brand, they move toward interest and intent when they’ve shown interest in your offer or have intent to buy. In a traditional sales funnel, it’s split into the Interest and Desire stages. While considering customer lifecycle marketing, we’ve combined the two. Since no two customers are alike, they’ll have different needs. For example, everyone takes a different amount of time to make a purchase. Some will buy immediately, while others need to warm up first.
Luckily, there are several things you can do at this stage to give leads that added push to take action if they’re on the fence. Instead of sitting back and waiting for them to decide, you’re encouraged to take this initiative. Step in with check-ins, special offers, and valuable info to guide them. Showing the support you can offer goes a long way to connecting with a buyer and convincing them you’re worth the leap of faith.
Here are a couple of ways to boost sales during this stage:
Conversational Marketing: Odds are if someone is unsure about making a purchase, they have a few questions they’d like to have addressed. If possible, allow leads to schedule one-on-one calls with someone on your sales team to discuss offers. Answer any questions they have and offer assistance while they choose between your available products or services. 73% of consumers say customer experience is a key factor when making buying decisions.
Chat Apps: Sometimes, leads don’t need to schedule a phone call because they have a question you can answer quickly and easily. In those instances, it’s great to have a chat app on your website connecting you with people in real time. This also eliminates wait times, which can shorten the sales cycle overall.
To ensure the success of your team during this stage, build a sales team that understands your offer and cares about your customer. You want someone who understands your brand and its target audience so they can match each lead with their ideal service. If you bring in someone genuine and understanding, not someone who’s just in it to make a forceful sale, your leads are more likely to engage with you.
Stage Three: Decision
Once in the decision stage, your lead is ready to buy. And all your hard work got them here. You’ve successfully crafted high-quality content that adds value to the lives of your target audience and positions you as an authority in your field. Now that they know you and consider you a trusted resource, they’re ready to invest their money with you.
Even though your prospects are ready to move forward, there are still things you can share to ensure conversions:
Testimonials and Social Proof: When people are on the fence about purchasing something, they often turn to reviews to read first-hand accounts from real customers. If they see that others enjoyed a particular product or service, they’ll feel more confident in the purchase. Adding testimonials on your home or about pages or having a section of your site dedicated to these reviews will showcase how your offerings have been transformative.
Provide Samples: This won’t apply to all industries, but in some cases, samples are a fantastic way to secure a sale. For example, we offer samples to prospects looking to see the kind of content we create for other clients. Then they know what to expect from you.
The best thing you can do is to put yourself in the shoes of your leads. If you were getting ready to make a purchase, what would remove all doubt from your mind? What would make you say with absolute certainty that this is where you wanted to buy? Then, factor that into your sales pages and conversations you have with potential buyers.
Stage Four: Loyalty
As mentioned above, loyalty is one thing that the traditional sales funnel overlooks. But if you want your business to thrive, you can’t ignore this. According to HubSpot, a 5% increase in customer retention can increase company revenue by 25-95%. That’s why having customers return to your business over and over is an essential part of growing your business.
Not only do loyal customers make repeat purchases, but they’re more likely to refer their family and friends to you. They trust that what you offer can help more people. So your revenue grows without needing other marketing tricks.
Once you reach the loyalty stage, it’s your job to delight your customers. Make sure they’re satisfied with their purchase and overall experience with your brand. That means they’re ready to become advocates who rave about you and send you referrals.
Conduct Occasional Check-Ins: To show you care, take the time to check in on past customers. Ask how they’re doing and if there’s anything you can help them with. You can even get feedback on their experience to make future tweaks as needed.
Send Gifts: Something as simple as a thank you card can go a long way toward showing appreciation for your customers. It just might be what keeps them coming back to you instead of leaving for a competitor.
Prioritize Conversations and Storytelling in Your Marketing
Building trust with your audience will separate you from your competitors. Focus on being a reputable and dependable brand and you’ll set yourself up for long-term success. How should you do this?
46% of surveyed consumers reported that they would pay more money for brands they trust. Cultivate these relationships through conversations with your base. You can do this by taking the time to get to know them on a deeper level. Not only does this help you create better content and offerings for them, but they feel heard. These conversations can take place on social media, through email, or even on calls to show you care.
Another great way to build trust? Incorporating storytelling into your marketing efforts. Storytelling brings people together and, much like having conversations, builds deeper connections. This tactic allows you to grab attention while persuading and motivating leads to make a purchase. You should always do this in a way that feels genuine.
88% of consumers feel authenticity is important when they’re deciding which brands they like and want to support. That’s a good reminder that you shouldn’t copy others in your industry and stick to being yourself. Always be honest and transparent so there’s never any doubt about what your brand stands for or its intentions. You can do this by sharing your brand’s story or incorporating storytelling in your sales copy to show leads what kind of transformation your offer provides.
Get Powerful Lifecycle Marketing Content
The good news is that you don’t have to implement customer lifecycle marketing on your own. You can turn to the experts to craft incredible, high-quality content on your behalf. Express Writers is the content writing agency that cares about you and your content so you can nurture your leads. From blog posts to social media posts and more, we’ve got you covered.
Gaining exposure for your business can be a daunting task, even for the most seasoned marketers.
Considering the rapid rate at which B2B marketing channels have grown for the last decade, this can seem especially difficult. New channels emerge constantly, and there will be even more in the years to come.
As a result, many wonder how to keep up, knowing it’s impossible to be everywhere and do everything all at once. But how do you know which marketing channels to invest in? And which ones are worth exploring in 2022?
That’s exactly what we’re covering in this article so you can get your brand noticed by the right audience.
How to Choose the Right B2B Marketing Channels for Your Brand
With such a variety of B2B marketing channels at our disposal, it can be challenging to determine where you should direct your time, focus, and money as a brand. You want to invest in the platforms that will pay off big-time in the long run. Luckily, there’s a simple way to help you choose.
Here are a couple of tips for selecting the right B2B marketing channels:
Play to Your Strengths: Whether you’re working solo, or you have a team at your side, consider your unique strengths. Armed with this knowledge, you can choose channels that help you stand out from the crowd effortlessly. Then you are better able to shine.
Consider What Appeals to Your Target Audience: You always want to create content that will appeal to your target audience. Otherwise, they won’t take an interest in what you’re doing. Get to know your audience and determine which channels resonate with them the most, including the platforms where they are the most active.
With this knowledge in mind, you’ll stand a better chance of choosing marketing channels that will have the biggest return on investment (ROI) for your brand. This way, you can ensure your hard work pays off by generating engagement, leads, and conversions.
You should keep in mind that new channels gain popularity every year, garnering many people’s attention. By jumping on board with trends, you can test to see if they’d pay off for you. You never know what might be successful for your brand until you give it a shot. Just be sure the channels you choose meet the above criteria.
7 B2B Marketing Channels to Explore in 2022
To help you decide where to direct your attention, there are seven B2B marketing channels you should consider implementing (if you haven’t already) in 2022. Here are some ideas:
1. Email Marketing
By now, your business should be on board with email marketing. If you’re late to the game, there’s no time like the present to start. By utilizing email, you avoid the ever-changing algorithms of various social media platforms. Instead, you focus on writing quality emails with captivating subject lines to get attention.
When you send a weekly or monthly email newsletter, you can promote your latest content and other offerings. But best of all? You build trust and authority with your audience as you consistently send email over time.
2. Speaking Engagements at Industry Events
If you’re brave enough to take the stage, speaking engagements can be one of the most worthwhile B2B marketing channels to pursue. By getting in front of a large audience, you showcase your expertise and position yourself as an influential leader within your industry.
All you need to do is find speaking opportunities by researching industry conferences. Get to know these events and check out some of their past speakers, including the topics they covered. If you feel you have something to add to their next conference, don’t hesitate to reach out. Pitch yourself as a speaker, explain what you bring to the table, and why you’d be a great fit for their event.
There are also virtual conferences that you can speak at, allowing you to make connections without ever leaving home. Sometimes, you won’t have to travel, which is perfect if you closely monitor budgets.
3. Webinars
Another way to put your speaking skills to the test is through value-packed webinars. Not only are they a great way to reach your audience, but webinars also offer the opportunity to engage with these folks in real-time. Then you’re able to get feedback, answer questions, and have conversations. All the way, you’re able to provide value to your audience by covering topics that address their interests and pain points.
Once the live webinar is over, it can still be offered as a resource for your audience. You can also turn it into an email opt-in, which people can access for free after subscribing to your list. Or, if it was originally hosted as a paid webinar, you can remain available for sale afterward to drive profits.
If hosting webinars appeals to you, but you’re hesitant to show up on camera, you can choose to create a slideshow presentation that will be the focal point instead of your face. Perfect for the camera-shy!
4. Podcasts
According to data, the number of monthly podcast listeners based in the U.S. will increase by 6.1% year-over-year, totaling 125 million. It’s safe to say that podcasting shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. But why are they so popular?
The format is perfect for telling stories, sharing tips and tricks, and providing entertainment. And, listeners can tune in while they’re multitasking, which is perfect for those who are always busy.
If you’re a dynamic speaker and your audience is into podcasts, this is one of the better B2B marketing channels to pursue. You can discuss industry trends, provide data and case studies, or teach people how to do something new. The ideas are endless, so it’s worth giving podcasting a go.
5. Social Media Marketing
Of course, it’s not good to overlook the use of social media for B2B marketing. There are so many social media platforms these days, meaning there are tons of opportunities to get your business in front of its target audience. The key is to choose the platforms that allow you to shine while also being where your audience is most active so you can be sure to reach the right people.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all worth considering. You may even want to look at TikTok, as it’s proven to be a popular and effective way to grow your business. By showing up and being active on these platforms, you’ll become more accessible to your audience and have the chance to provide them with the valuable content they’re looking for.
6. Videos
There’s something incredibly powerful about video content, as it allows your audience to connect with you on a deeper level. Instead of just reading your written words in a blog post, they get to see and hear you. It’s like you’re connecting with them directly. And when you consider many people are visual learners, this can be a tremendously valuable way to offer content to your audience.
YouTube is a popular option for B2B marketers, especially since the platform is its own search engine. You can film video tutorials, interviews, do Q&As, and anything in between. Then optimize your videos to increase the odds of them showing up in search results, ultimately driving more views and subscribers.
However, it’s worth noting that YouTube isn’t the only option available if you want to create video content. You might also choose to upload long-form videos to IGTV on Instagram. Or, you could focus on short-form videos for TikTok and Instagram Reels instead.
7. Paid Advertising
While organic traffic helps you grow over time, sometimes you need to be proactive about getting your business in front of new people. And when it comes to B2B marketing channels, social media ads or search engine ads can help with this. You just need to budget consciously to make this happen.
A successful ad will grab attention and inspire people to take action. Your ad could simply send people to a piece of high-quality, evergreen content. It could promote an opt-in freebie for your email list to bring in subscribers. Or you could run an ad to promote your latest offering.
The result? You can more quickly boost your traffic due to all the new exposure you’re getting. It can also help generate more engagement, leads, and even turn into sales.
Great Content for Your B2B Marketing Channels
Sometimes creating high-quality, valuable content can be a challenge. Whether writing content isn’t your strong suit, or you simply don’t have enough time to dedicate to it, consider outsourcing your content creation to our expert team of writers. We offer a variety of services from blog writing to email copy, social media posts, and more.
Contact us today to learn how we can create quality content for your brand.
It’s no secret that content marketing is a powerful, effective way to increase brand awareness and trust.
And it’s also known that to produce those results, you need to be strategic about the content you’re sharing to ensure it attracts the right attention. But how do you know if your content is successful? Turn to your analytics for those answers.
Although it may not sound like the most glamorous task, tracking key content engagement metrics will reveal tons of valuable information about the performance of your content once it’s out in the world.
In this article, you’ll learn why these metrics are crucial to track and which ones you need to track at all times. This way, you’ll have a clear idea of what your audience (and Google) loves to see.
Why You Should Track Content Engagement Metrics
If you aren’t already taking the time to track specific content engagement metrics, you might be wondering if it’s that big of a deal. And we’re here to tell you that it is! Diving deeply into your analytics will provide tons of data about your content and engagement, shaping your strategy moving forward.
Conducting an analysis will take some time, then you need to remember to keep up with regular check-ins. Here’s why it’s worth it to put in this extra effort:
You’ll Learn What’s Performing Well: Your analytics will show you which pieces of content bring in traffic and engagement. You can even see if it leads to conversions. Knowing what resonates with your target audience gives you the chance to replicate these results through similar content.
And You’ll Discover What Doesn’t Speak to Your Audience: On the flip side, you’ll quickly discover the content that isn’t driving the results you hoped for. It could be a lackluster topic, poor optimization, or content that isn’t as captivating as you thought it would be. With this knowledge in hand, you can identify any potential content issues so you can fix and prevent them in the future.
You Can Adapt Your Strategy Accordingly: Once you’ve analyzed your content engagement metrics and learned what works and what doesn’t, you can use that information to tweak your content strategy. This way, you can create more content that produces a higher ROI.
You might be wondering how often you should be tracking these metrics. It’s smart to review your analytics at the end of each month in case you want to make changes for the next month. However, you can always do a more in-depth content audit every quarter.
7 Content Engagement Metrics You Should be Monitoring at All Times
If you’re new to the world of analytics, you might be wondering which content engagement metrics are most important to track. And even if you’ve been at it for a while, there may be something you overlook. To help you get a thorough analysis of your content, we’ve chosen a few of the most important engagement metrics to focus on:
1. Page Views
Page views are wise to keep an eye on because it tells you how many times a page a visitor has viewed a page on your website. Whenever a page on your site is loaded, that’s considered one page view. If someone were to reload that same page, it counts as two page views.
But what do you do with this information? Well, when a page receives many views, it’s a good indicator of its popularity. This means it’s worthwhile to not only keep this piece of content updated, but you may also want to create similar content around this topic since it attracts attention.
2. Average Time on Page
It’s not enough to see that people are visiting a webpage. You also want to track the average time on page, which tells you how long a visitor spent on a specific page on your site. Ideally, you’d like to see people spending about three to five minutes on a page because this is a good sign they read your content.
This is one of the most crucial content engagement metrics to track because if visitors spend a lot of time on a particular page, it’s a good sign they’ve found your content engaging. A lower average time on page could indicate less interest in the content, whether it’s because it wasn’t what they were looking for or because the copy didn’t hold their attention. Luckily, there are ways to improve the average time on page for your blog if you notice it’s an issue.
3. Bounce Rate
You’ve probably heard content creators talking about how they want to reduce their bounce rate. And it’s for good reason. The bounce rate specifies the percentage of visitors who loaded a single website page and then left without interacting or visiting any other pages. Essentially, it means they’ve “bounced” off your website as they’ve moved on to other endeavors.
Many take a high bounce rate to mean the content in question isn’t performing well. After all, don’t you want visitors to consume a piece of content and then be so intrigued they check out others? If you have a bounce rate in the 70s or above, you might want to act to lower that number by improving your content and encouraging people to stay on your site with more internal links or a call to action at the end of your blog post.
4. Traffic Sources
Everyone loves to know where their traffic is coming from, which is why it’s one of the most popular content engagement metrics to track. Your analytics reveal how much traffic comes from organic search, email, social media, and referrals. Plus, you’ll discover how many people are accessing your site directly through a browser bookmark or by entering your URL into their browser. And, if you run ad campaigns or other marketing efforts that lead folks to your site, you’ll see how they got there and the other pages they visited.
These numbers are useful because you can see which channels are paying off for you and which aren’t. For instance, if organic traffic seems low, you can take additional steps to optimize your content. If social media could drive more visitors, step up promotion there. Knowing your engagement metrics from traffic allows you to take advantage of the myriad ways you can improve your reach.
5. Top Exit Pages
Everyone leaves your site eventually, but the goal as a content creator is to get them to stick around for as long as possible. Ideally, you want to see people leave your site from thank you pages or download pages, indicating they took action and converted on something. But what if people are exiting on the pages you’re hoping will convert visitors, such as a landing page?
You’ll want to examine your top exit pages and see if they’re okay pages for people to leave from. If you want them to stick around, analyze your content to make improvements to keep people around longer. For instance, improve your copy, make your call to action more enticing, or include internal links to other pages to give them a reason to stay and explore more.
6. Repeat vs. New Visitors
There are two broad classifications of visitors to your site: new and returning. New visitors are those checking out your site for the first time. Returning or repeat visitors have been to your site before.
You might think a visitor is a visitor, so why does it matter if they’re new or have been to your website before? If you have a high rate of repeat visitors, it’s a good sign that your content resonates with people and that they’re confident in turning to you as a trusted resource. They know they can count on you for quality. That’s what keeps them coming back time and time again, so keep up the good work.
7. Conversion Rate
If you want to ensure visitors take action while they’re on your website, conversion rate is one of the top content engagement metrics to track. You may want to pay attention to conversions, such as how many people are joining your email list, signing up for a free trial, or how many are purchasing a product or service.
A high conversion rate is a great sign, but what if it’s on the low side? Usually, that means you need to make some changes to your content. If people just aren’t taking action, improving your copy and the call to action are good places to start. You’ll also want to test to ensure everything (such as links and buttons) is functional.
Improve Your Engagement Metrics through Quality Content
Choose a few of the engagement metrics we’ve discussed today and start tracking them regularly. Then, start producing high-quality, valuable content that attracts your target audience and gets the attention of Google.
And, if you don’t have time to focus on producing content internally, let the expert SEO content writers at Express Writers craft blog posts and landing pages that will drive traffic, engagement, and conversions.
Interested? Contact us to learn more about how we can serve you.
One of the most important tasks you undertake as a business owner is to convert your website visitors into leads, email subscribers, and paying customers. It sounds like a simple enough task, but we all know how challenging it can be to get people to convert.
So, is there some secret to increasing your conversions?
A quick Google search will yield tons of articles filled with strategies and tips, promising to improve your conversion rate. And sure, that advice is helpful. But the best way to generate results consistently is through the copywriting featured on your website.
Now, if you don’t have a knack for writing, this may shock you. However, the good news is that there are some simple copywriting hacks you can follow to make this process easier. And this article has plenty of practical tips that will make creating powerful copy a breeze.
12 Copywriting Hacks to Skyrocket Your Conversions
Whether you’re crafting copy for a landing page, a product description, or writing the perfect call to action to conclude your blog post, these copywriting hacks will come in handy. They’re sure to take your writing skills up a notch to encourage your readers to take action.
1. Always Keep Your Ideal Reader in Mind
This advice should come as no surprise, but it’s important to remember. When writing copy, you always need to create with your ideal reader in mind. That’s why you need to know who your target persona is.
As you write, envision yourself having a conversation with this person one-on-one. Treat it as if you’re talking to a friend, and the copy will feel more conversational over being a sales pitch. This also means you need to write like they talk, so don’t use complex jargon they don’t understand.
2. Use the Actual Words and Phrases of Your Target Audience
Building off that last tip, one of the most powerful copywriting hacks you can use will have people think you’re reading their minds. Now, the way to do this is by using the exact words and phrases they’ve said to you. It’ll basically be like they’re writing your copy for you, making your job easier!
To get this information, pay attention to what people say when leaving comments on your blog or social media. You could even send a reader survey to ask about their biggest struggles. Then, when you develop an offering to address their pain points, use their survey responses to write the sales page.
3. Focus on Your Unique Value Proposition
Odds are, there are tons of people online who offer the exact same thing as you. If you want to be the one someone chooses to spend their money with, you have to stand out. The best way to do that is by focusing on what makes you and your offer unique. Use your copy to differentiate yourself from the competition and communicate why your offer is the best option.
4. Write Compelling Headlines That Generate Clicks
According to Copyblogger, eight out of 10 people will read your headline copy on average. However, only two out of 10 will continue to read the rest of your blog post or web page. That means you need to write headlines that garner attention and generate clicks. Your headlines should leave your reader wanting more, so they have no choice but to click through to your site.
To do this, add statistics and numbers to your headline when appropriate. For instance, this blog post has a number in the headline, indicating how many tips the reader will receive. You can also use your headline to evoke emotions or promise to provide a solution to a common pain point.
5. Show Them What Life Could Look Like if They Take Action
One of the best copywriting hacks to skyrocket conversions is to take your audience on a journey. You can paint a picture of what their life could look like after they’ve received access to your freebie or purchased your offering.
Answer the following – What kind of value will this offer add to their lives? What kind of transformation can they expect to experience? People need to know what’s in it for them. And by focusing on the result, you’ll see more conversions than if you simply focus on the details of the offer.
6. Eliminate Any Obstacles Preventing Them From Taking Action
Sometimes you can do everything right, and your audience will still be on the fence. That’s when you need to eliminate any obstacles standing in their way. So, put yourself in their shoes. What questions do you think they’re having when they’re deciding whether to purchase something? Why do you think someone might be hesitating to act?
Address those concerns in your copy by directly calling out the emotions they’re feeling. Answer the questions they’re asking themselves. They’ll feel like you’re in their heads, providing an answer to everything they’re wondering. And ultimately, they’ll feel more confident in taking action.
7. Use “You” Instead of “We”
When writing copy, it’s tempting to talk about yourself by using the words “we” or “our.” However, that’s not really going to resonate with your reader. That’s because your reader doesn’t necessarily care about your company or your offering in general. Rather, they care about what your offering can do for them. Review your copy before publishing and remove any instances of “we” or “our. “ Instead, try using the word, “you.”
8. Make Sure Your Copy is Easy to Read With Proper Formatting
Whatever you do, don’t forget to format your copy after you’re done writing. There’s no bigger turn-off to your reader than one gigantic block of text. It’s overwhelming and hard to follow. People may be more inclined to leave your site rather than attempt to read your content in its entirety.
That’s why you need to format your copy before hitting publish. This can be done by incorporating headings to differentiate each section, bulleted lists, and images to break up the text. This is one of the most important copywriting hacks because people might not bother reading otherwise.
9. Add Social Proof to Really Seal the Deal
How often do you read reviews before making a purchase, especially if it’s expensive? Probably quite frequently. Your target audience operates the exact same way. Sometimes they’re on the fence about signing up to buy something, and they need a little extra convincing. The best way to do that is through social proof or testimonials.
When someone can see the positive experiences others have had, they’ll be more likely to convert because they’ll want the same results or to feel the same way. So, if you’re creating a landing page, add a few testimonials between different sections. It breaks up your copy and allows people to see how your work has impacted real people.
10. Communicate Urgency When Appropriate
One of the copywriting hacks sure to inspire action right then and there is to communicate urgency. There won’t always be a time when it’s urgent for someone to take action. For example, your opt-in freebie for your email list isn’t going anywhere. They won’t miss out forever if they don’t sign up immediately (unless it’s disappearing). So, never fake urgency for the sake of generating conversions.
However, if your offer is expiring, make that clear with your copy. Tell people when the last day is to sign-up for or purchase something. If there are limited spaces available, communicate that as well. This informs your reader that they’ll need to decide quickly if they don’t want to be left out. It’s perfect for driving conversions in a short timeframe.
11. Have Someone Else Read Your Copy and Offer Feedback
Sometimes we get a little too attached to our work. Or we may think something makes sense when really it doesn’t. The best way to ensure your copy is a hit with readers is to have another set of eyes look over your content.
This third party will be able to spot any errors (spelling or grammar) and can offer feedback if they feel it’s missing the mark. Constructive criticism goes a long way in helping you to become a better writer, so never be afraid to ask for a friend or colleague’s opinion.
12. Be Willing to Test Your Copy and Make Adjustments
You aren’t always going to get it right the first time. And there’s nothing wrong with that! One of the best copywriting hacks you can implement is to be willing to test your copy to see what really resonates with your audience. After all, you won’t know what works until you review the data.
Dive into your analytics to see if people are taking action. Are they clicking your buttons or links? If not, your call to action might not be strong enough. Rewrite your copy and see if it helps drive the conversions you desire. Give it time and review your analytics again. See which one was more effective. This is where A/B split testing really comes in handy. Just be patient because it’ll be worth it in the end.
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No company wants to be left in the dust by their competition. That’s why it’s important to prioritize things like flexibility and speed. You need to be able to handle any abrupt changes that arise, make decisions quickly, and then act accordingly. It’s essential to be willing to pivot when necessary.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder so many people turn to agile marketing in an effort to be more innovative and stay relevant in a saturated niche.
In fact, 51% of marketers surveyed said they used at least some aspects of an agile marketing approach in their work. That includes things like working in sprints. But what exactly does all that mean?
In this article, you’ll learn what agile marketing is and how you can begin implementing it within your organization to create massive success. Let’s dive in!
What is Agile Marketing?
If you’re a small business owner or marketer, you’ve probably heard of agile marketing. It is a strategic approach largely focused on the ability to execute projects quickly. This type of marketing relies on rapid experimentation to help you find the best ways to reach your audience and drive results in business.
Tasks that previously took months to complete can now be accomplished in just weeks. This is done by implementing a work schedule featuring short sprints, or bursts, when working to achieve goals. These sprints are short periods of time with intensive work to get things done quickly.
It’s unlike traditional marketing, which typically requires large budgets and elaborate plans that take months to fully implement. With this approach, you constantly test new ideas and have the ability to tweak your strategy according to what’s performing the best at the moment. Then, once you’ve found something that works, you can build a full-fledged campaign.
The best part of agile marketing is that you don’t really need any specific tools or software. You just need the right mindset to implement the appropriate strategies and the drive to keep pushing forward. Those qualities are crucial to keeping up in today’s fast-paced market.
Whenever the idea to try something new in business arises, hesitation often follows. Will this really be worthwhile to pursue? Will you see a return on your investment or will it be a major flop? Truthfully, you never know until you try. However, there are some great reasons to give agile marketing a go if it sounds appealing to you thus far.
Here are some benefits you can expect:
Increased Efficiency:Working in sprints prevents projects from being unnecessarily drawn out for months. After all, if you give yourself months to complete something, that can be how long it’ll take. Give yourself a couple of weeks to accomplish the same task, and you’ll be more likely to make it happen.
Boost in Innovation:By implementing this approach to marketing, you’ll get feedback sooner rather than later. This will allow you to act on that data at lightning speed, meaning you can make changes to your strategy quickly and effectively to drive your desired results.
More Business Growth: When you’re dedicated to your work and focused on efficiency, growth at a rapid rate is more likely. Before you know it, you’ll have generated more brand awareness, you’ll see more engagement, and your sales will skyrocket.
These benefits show just how powerful this approach can be, which is perfect if you need help getting your team on board and eliminating any skepticism they may have.
How to Get Started with Agile Marketing
Although agile marketing has been around for some time, it’s still a relatively new concept for many businesses. Not only that, but those that have adopted this approach have done so in different ways. That’s because there isn’t one set process to follow. It’s more about having the right mindset and implementing the practices that work best for you. There are a few methods you can use to get started.
1. First and Foremost, You Have to Set Your Goals
Before you begin pondering the strategy you’ll implement, you need to understand exactly what you want to achieve from your marketing efforts. Knowing your goals means you can take action accordingly, pursuing the things that will get you closer to where you want to be.
So, what results do you want your marketing to produce? Do you want more website traffic or to increase your social media following? Are you hoping to generate more leads per month? Do you have a specific sales goal you’re trying to hit? It all depends on your business focus at this moment. Take some time to figure that out so you can map your work sprints accordingly.
2. Decide Which Elements of Agile Marketing Make Sense for You
Because there are different ways to go about agile marketing, you get to decide what this approach looks like for you and your team. Remember that it’s all about flexibility. That’s why there’s no such thing as a rigid framework you need to follow to create success. You can do what’s best for you.
With that said, there are two main ways to implement agile marketing for your team. They’re known as Scrum and Kanban. Scrum revolves around sprints that last anywhere from two to six weeks. There will also be dedicated team members, such as the Scrum Master, to ensure everyone stays on track. Plus, you’ll incorporate meetings for planning, stand-up (daily 15-minute check-ins), and reviewing the work you’ve accomplished.
But if your team finds it challenging to follow a predetermined timeline for a sprint, there’s Kanban. This approach is a bit more visual when mapping out the structure for your team’s workflow. There will be a board that displays tasks to complete, tasks that are being worked on, and tasks that have been completed. Boundaries will be put in place to outline how team members will accomplish tasks. And of course, regular meetings will keep everyone on track.
3. Design Your Marketing Team
When putting your agile marketing team together, don’t just pick those already working in your marketing department. Your team should be comprised of people from different departments so everyone can come together and work toward a common goal. For instance, get those on your sales team involved. Bring in people from customer service, human resources, and even public relations if you have those departments.
You never know when someone might have a fresh perspective to add that could transform how you work. And if you’re planning to implement the Scrum framework, there are unique roles that you’ll need to fill to keep everyone working accordingly.
4. Start Mapping Out Your First Sprint
To begin planning a sprint, you need to determine the end goal. Knowing what you want to achieve helps everyone on the team keep the bigger picture in mind. From there, tasks can be mapped out based on priority. Once you know what work needs to be done, it can be assigned accordingly. Consider a team member’s strengths and interests so they can do the things they’re best at and will most enjoy to ensure productivity.
Another important element of mapping out a sprint is determining the time frame. The point of agile marketing is to get things done at a quicker pace than normal. However, you still need to be realistic about what you can achieve in a specific timeframe. Sprints are typically anywhere from two to six weeks, so think wisely about how much time your team needs to do a job well.
It’s also helpful to have daily goals and milestones to ensure everyone stays on track instead of falling behind. This is when those daily stand-up meetings come into play since each team member can share what they accomplished the day before and what their focus is for the day.
5. Come Together to Review Progress After the Sprint Ends
Once your sprint has wrapped, it’s helpful to schedule a team meeting to review how it went. This is an opportunity to show off what you’ve accomplished during the designated sprint timeframe. Team members should be encouraged to show off the results of all their hard work. They can even share any wins, no matter how big or small. You can also use this time to give the team feedback and discuss ways to improve for the next sprint.
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