Online Marketing Tips

Learn about the best online marketing services and resources on the internet. We'll help you find the right way to market your business through your website, blog, email, and video. We've done the research so that you can focus on what works.

 

  • Why Your Online Marketing Sales Funnel Management Is Failing

    One day you get an email from a friend of a friend, and he asks you to meet him at a restaurant. He has a business proposition to discuss with you. You’ve heard good things about him and his business, so you say alright.

    “Where should we go?” you ask in an email.

    “How about that sushi place on the other side of town?” he says. “It’s about thirty minutes.”

    “That sounds pretty far. What about Lil’ Saignon?” you ask. "It’s a lot closer…"

    “Ah, but this one is brand new – and they have the best squid you’ve ever tasted...” He includes the link to the website, but it’s one of those restaurants where the menu doesn’t list the prices. 

    “Hmmm,” you say to yourself. “I don’t know if it’s worth driving all that way and paying who knows what for squid.” But, your mutual friend vouched for him, so you go ahead and agree.

    “Great!” he sends back. Then at the bottom of his email you read, “Hey, by the way, you mind picking me up? My car’s on the fritz.”

    "Well, fine,” you say. But you’re starting to think twice about this whole thing.

    “Ah, thanks!” he says, “Look, it’s right up your alley. The only thing is I’m not sure how long we’re going to have to wait at the restaurant. See there’s no reservations. And there’s always a line.”

    You email him back and say, “Look, can you give me some more info about this deal you’ve got, because I’m pretty busy and I want to make sure it’s for me.” You’re getting anxious now.

    His response comes back quickly. “There’s nothing to worry about! You’re going to get a lot out of it, I promise. But hey, one last thing – I’m kinda broke, do you mind picking up my tab – just this time? It’ll pay off in the end. I promise.”

    This friend of a friend – We’ll call him Jerry – has just put you through the worst sales funnel of all time. You haven’t even gotten to the business proposition yet, and already, he’s asked you to go somewhere unfamiliar to you. He’s giving you vague reasons that it will be worth your while. There will be a wait during which you’ll probably want to leave. Turns out he also needs a ride – for someone with a business deal, he seems awfully needy. And then, when you finally agree based on his good name, he raises the price by asking you to pay for his meal too.

    When a customer hears about your product or services, whether it’s via your website, an email campaign, or an advertisement, they’re looking at an open door. If they step through it, they’re inside your sales funnel. Jerry got you this far. You admitted that you were interested in what he’s got to sell. But – the more difficult that sales process is, and the more confusing terms you heap onto the customer as they travel down the funnel – the more likely they are to back up, to click away, and to cancel the purchase.

    Learn Why Your Online Marketing Sales Funnel Management Is Failing

  • A/B Testing for E-Commerce Conversions

    A/B testing can take luck out of the equation by comparing the performance of a single variation in your marketing content. With simple a/b testing, a website can attain a high conversion rate for: newsletter signups, sales, feed subscriptions, downloads, and many other things. More importantly, it helps keep visitors engaged on a site, enhancing their experience, lowering bounce rate, and helping with website stats and analytics.

    In this article we’ll take a closer look at how a/b testing can make a significant improvement to the elements critical in driving e-commerce sales. Get the most out of your e-commerce strategy by following the guidelines and tips mentioned here.

    Learn How To Use A/B Testing for E-Commerce Conversions
 

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