Help for Small Businesses and Direct Sales
YOU DON’T! Purchasing an email list is a bad idea as well as a waste of money. You don’t have control of how many others have used the same list, who is on it or even how many emails are still valid. A purchased email list can wreck your email marketing campaign before it even gets started. Here are 8 reasons to NEVER purchase and email list.
I have been getting a lot of questions lately about buying email lists so I will give you the same advice I give everyone. DON’T! There is never a good reason to buy an email list. Never. If you are convinced it is the way to go then the email list marketers are doing their job but take it from me you will regret it. The list has likely been used to the point of uselessness, it isn’t targeted the way you need and you won’t get any sales off of it. In one example I witnessed a “Targeted and Clean” list had an 85% bounce rate. Not only did they not get sales, they were banned from their email provider. I could get less of a bounce rate just guessing emails and sending them. I understand the need to have a large email list to send your information to but it is always better to build the list yourself. The bounce rate is lower, the engagement is higher and the likelihood of producing a sale is infinitely higher. Here are 10 ways to start building your email list. If you need more, lets chat.
We talked about power words so here are some words you want to leave out of your next marketing project. Using cliche phrases or language that doesn’t fit your brand should also be avoided. Remeber to think in your brand voice as you write your marketing campaigns.
I had an opportunity to make a video for my fellow magicians outlining “Words of Power” to use in their marketing. Since it is a nearly universal subject I put this infographic together to outline some of my thoughts on the subject. Of course, different industries have different words that are more effective than others. Do you know what words your industry uses?
Content marketing is still a hot trend even in 2017. Why? For starters, content marketing leaders experience 7.8 times more site traffic than non-leaders. It drives engagement, traffic, brand awareness and sets you up as an industry expert. What’s not to like? Oh, yeah, the massive amounts of information required to maintain a Content Marketing Campaign. Of course, once you know all the tricks it really isn’t that hard. Talk to your coach and see if they can set you up on a Content Marketing program to ease your mind.
Marketing is an ever-changing game. Old methods still work in most cases but you should always look for opportunities to work smarter and get your message across more effectively. Here are some of the current trends to watch.
The key to any Content Marketing effort is your blog. Some people haven’t even started one so this week we will get them going and hopefully give some great tips for the rest of you. Welcome to blogging week.
Your brand is the face of your business. It’s what people see and hear before they ever talk to anyone at your company. Having a good brand is important to make good first impressions. Here are 5 essentials of Branding in a handy infographic.
As a followup to yesterday’s post, we have included even more ways to market your small business without spending any money. Find one or two of these that fit your style, customer demographics, and sound like you would enjoy keeping up with then go for it! To remain effective you have to be consistent so keep that in mind when deciding how to promote your business.
The second largest search engine in the world and you can use it for free. Produce useful content to gain followers and increase your marketing reach. Make sure you cross promote with your other platforms. A Video in your email increases click-through rates by 200-300%.
Whitepapers
Offering up white papers or guides for your customers is a good way to get your name out. Don’t just write up an ad and pretend it’s a whitepaper, make sure the information is useful. Decision makers and influences overwhelmingly indicated Whitepapers are useful when making purchasing decisions.
Despite what you may have heard, cold calling isn’t dead. Review your potential targets, learn all you can and the connection is more likely. Choose carefully and go it armed with knowledge and how you intend to help them, don’t just sell.
Podcasting is gaining popularity and you might want to look into it. It is possible to podcast for free, but a small investment will make things easier. Have interesting guests and good content to grow your listening base.
There are tons of tools out there for you as a small business owner to market your business without spending money. The one thing you need to remember is that this is usually a trade off for time. The less money you spend typically results in more time spent so make sure to use a cost/benefit analysis before you decide it’s cheaper to do it all yourself. That being said, here are some tips to market your small business without spending money.
No matter what business you are in you should always be building your email marketing list. Email marketing has one of the Highest ROI and conversion rates so it is essential to small business. Use a free service to start and upgrade when the email list becomes profitable.
Blogging is the cornerstone of Content Marketing. There are many blogging sites you can use for free. Create your own unique content and publish it yourself and you won’t have to spend a dime.
Use social media platforms to reach your potential audience. Make sure to use only the Social Media channels that make sense for your business and the ones your target audience uses. Don’t waste time on Social Media Channels that don’t make sense. Here is a quick Guide for where your efforts should be.
The number one way to get the word out about your business is Networking. It reaches fewer people but has the potential to create a richer client list. People buy from people they trust. Networking builds trust.
My Business Adviser 