Is your online business scraping to net more customers? Are your finances in peril and long for your customer base to expand, in order to survive? Is your website converting leads? It is vital that you devise a strategic plan to overcome this dilemma by revisiting your brand strategy and reviewing the effectiveness of your website.
Website and online strategy
Websites are rapidly becoming more sophisticated by the minute; displaying an easy-to-use website that is focused on creating action with a focus on usability, will allow users to scroll through your website’s content with ease. Employing beta testing to detect any navigation features that are challenging for end users will keep users on your site longer.
Some tips are to make sure your site is mobile friendly, has a clear and concise call-to-action and has engaging and interesting content. Staying ahead of technology with forward thinking is key. As users shift the way they access the web, the strategy must keep up. Think about screen sizes, device interaction limitations, pixel ratios and accessibility standards. Always reassess and improve your website, or it will look 90s era equivalent in a few years.
Employee Assessment
Online etiquette is a must when virtually communicating with customers. The rhetoric an employee uses is an extension of your company’s reputation. Pay close attention to your employees’ work performance:
- How is their grammar?
- Do they speak intelligently?
- Are they polite over the phone?
- Are they responsive to phone calls and emails?
- Is their WPM rate parallel to business standards?
Did you answer ‘no’ or ‘undecided’ for some of these questions? If so, then you may want to reconsider your current staff and sift employees that are exhausting your business’s growth. I know you may be thinking: “It will take me forever to replace certain workers.” Although that is possible, would you rather have your business stay afloat or sink?
Email Marketing
If your company is typically a B2B [business to business] structure, email marketing is the most preferable contact method. People loath someone trying to sell them something, they need to feel like they have made a purchasing decision on their own; establish a relationship before you begin to offer your services.
Constant Contact and similar services offer a user-friendly format for sending mass emails, by simply uploading a spread sheet with contact information; allowing one to freely schedule a date and time that is appropriate for their business. If you are wondering how to establish an initial connection with other businesses, a face-to-face convention is the traditional route, however there is an alternative method.
21st Century Conventions
The Internet has nearly taken hold of every aspect of life, especially for entrepreneurs trying to save money and connect. While physical conferences are still widely popular, there has been a recent shift in the way professionals meet. Full Circle Global Mentoring Inc. hosted their first entrepreneur partnering event, and guess how much it cost? An Internet connection, a webcam, and 20 dollars; saving attendees hundreds if not thousands of dollars: airfare, suit, dry cleaners, food, hotel, and car rental. You may be thinking the event only lasted for a couple of hours, but it was a 3 day affair. Combining virtual conventions and another powerful social resource, will plug you into several business and consumer outlets without having to leave your home.
Social Media
Depending on your business, social media can be a powerful resource to connect with people who appreciate what you are selling; reaching additional consumers translates to more people talking. Proudly display your services and provide an engaging virtual atmosphere through sharing posts -humorous, motivational, tips, ads- that are related to your industry.
Twitter and Instagram predominately employ hashtags for posts, which allows users to search for a post that resonates with their interests. Incorporating hashtags in posts also garners you the ability to be added in Twitter groups; every time you tweet a hashtag associated with a particular group, your tweet will be displayed on the group’s newsfeed.
Nearly every social media website has a visibility feature, which expands a post’s radius and shows up on users’ newsfeeds. However, this could come off as spam to most people, to avoid this, there is a way to locate and reach the appropriate audience.
SEO
Search engine optimization [SEO] is the process of affecting the visibility of your website in a search engine’s organic [unpaid] results. Systematically typing certain key words and/or phrases multiple times grants you more visibility on search engines. This can be employed through blog pages, hashtags, and followers sharing your content onto other websites. There is an alternative option if you need a foundation to help you cement your online presence.
SEM
Have you ever noticed paid ads on search engines? Search engine marketing [SEM] allows users to gain online traffic by purchasing ads on search engines. Over a billion people use Google, so the chances of a potential customer clicking on your ad is more than likely. The hard part is motivating the consumer to click and buy… Which is where we come in!
Signify Studio
Are you ready to jump-start your business? No problem, here at Signify Studio we address every clients’ needs by tailoring innovative solutions –SEO, SEM, branding, marketing, graphic design– to suit each customer. Contact us for a free consultation today.