Know What You Need to Measure

Many people see marketing as being hard to measure - especially when it comes to web sites. As a service business marketer your web site is critical. Do you know what key metrics you need to measure from a lead-generating web site?

This article explains 15 different KPI's you can measure to monitor the return on investment (ROI) from your web site.

Proven Ways to Grow Your Email List

A recent study from Silverpop of 321 companies around the world has highlighted the most successful ways to grow your email list as being: Online Marketing and Search; Trade Shows (ie qualified leads); and Cross Promotions. So forget about trying to create silly viral messages (that others are meant to forward to their friends) and renting lists of unknown email addresses.

The answer is to get yourself in front of more potential clients. Use online techniques and also in-person events to capture details - then follow up with appropriate email tactics.

What Googles dominance means for you

Google is still on top (way on top). What does this mean for you? (Keep reading)

New data shows that in Australia Google remains the top search engine. In fact the combined users of its four nearest rivals - Yahoo!, ninemsn, BigPond, and OptusNet - equalled just over half of Googles users in the Jan-Mar 2006 quarter.

If you have a web site then you better make sure that your site is optimised for Google. Otherwise many users will have trouble finding it.

For quite a while Google has been the top search engine for business (B2B) 'buyers'. That's why I have focused on Google when opimising my site - MarketingNous.com.au.

Go on... search on Google.com.au (select pages from Australia) and search for marketing consultant. Guess who you will see as No.1. Yep. My site.

Do the same thing and search for sales training. Who will you see. Yep. My site again.

My message to you is... you dont have to be a big name business to get number 1 rankings at Google. But you do have to do lots of little things right over an extended period of time.

Are you one of the 5% who 'do'

A new report from the UK states that only 5% of people who have a new business idea actually put it into action. 37% said they were held back by a lack of knowledge of how to start. How can you have a "lack of knowledge" these days? Maybe that should read a "lack of motivation"!

And Sean D'Souza says we should be reading at least 40 books a year to be as successful as we want. He says we need to be an information junkie. And I agree with him!

So the question is... are you in the 5% who actually do something? The 5% who are information junkies. The 5% who get the success they crave.

It's not always easy - as the other 95% of people will tell you.

Filter Your Enquiries to Save Time

As a business owner or service professional you have better things to do than to spend too much time talking with people who will never use your services. You need a system to sort out good prospects from not-so-good ones. This is what I call a filter.

Every week I am contacted by people who need some help with their marketing program. Some are great prospects. But others may really need a different type of marketing suppport than what I provide. Or maybe they are in an industry sector where I don't operate (such as retail or packaged goods manufacturing). Either way I can't afford to spend too much time sorting this out. After all, time is money.

So get yourself a system to 'qualify' your leads. This way you can sort out your good prospects from the rest, and spend your time where it counts.

A good qualifying system is really just a series of questions you ask, and responses you would like to hear from your prospect to indicate they are a good fit for you.

Don't be too shy about this. It is your time you are spending!

Tips on Cold Calling and Handling Gatekeepers

Sometimes you just have to include an element of cold calling into your marketing program. This is especially the case if your business is new, or if you offer a specialised service that not many people know about, or if you are going into a new field where prospects may not know about your history.

Even though most people dont like to do cold calling there are a few tips to keep in mind to get the best results:

1. Don't smother your contact. Many callers jump right into their 'pitch'. That is a mistake. Take it a bit slower to let your prospect catch up with you.
2. Remember that even if you can't speak to the decision-make there and then, use the contact to your advantage. See if you can find out a bit more about that business and their possible need for your service.
3. Avoid the temptation to 'wing it'. Make sure you are prepared to discuss your offer with the decision maker if you get through. Many callers expect to get rejected and are caught off guard when they actually get through to the customer.
4. In most companies the person answering the phone wants to help you (as the caller) and also assist their colleagues by screening unnecessary calls. You should help them do their job by providing information. Educate the gatekeeper on why your call is important, from their point of view. Don't exaggerate your claims to impress - your prospect will see through it.
   
5. Always stay professional, as the memory of your call will linger with the gatekeper and prospect. Be friendly without being instrusive. Don't be too assertive (or pushy) as this will close down any chance for open communication.

Latest free marketing advice from Stuart

Did you know that you can find my replies to real-life reader questions on the Smart Business Tips page at the Marketing Nous web site. Check it out for a list of helpful tips like:

• How to generate leads.
• When should I hire a consultant?
• Getting an email list for a specific industry.
• Plus many more...

Sales Booster Bootcamp in Brisbane

If you are one of the thousands of business owners, professionals, and sales people that need to sharpen your networking and sales skills to generate more business, then listen up... You might be interested to know that I have teamed up with Terri Cooper to present a Sales Booster Bootcamp program in Brisbane on Tuesday May 23.

This event is being held at the award-winning Bretts Wharf function room, and features a sales training program (8.30am to 2.30pm) presented by me, and a networking skills workshop (2.30pm to 5.00pm) presented by Terri. The networking session includes drinks so you can practice your new-found networking skills in a real-life social situation.

Details and registration page here

Simple messages are what clients want

Just last Friday I was the keynote speaker at a business breakfast for around 100 people. I was speaking on the topic of sales skills. After the breakfast it was encouraging to get feedback from a wide range of business people on how they appreciated getting an actionable message.

One fellow told me that speakers usually cram in too much info, and the audience can't do anything with it. So there is no follow up action.

My message to you is to keep your communication simple. And make it easy for your client (or prospect) to take action. The world has enough complexity and people want to be able to know what to do - and do it - to make the progress they need.

Now is the time to raise your price

Just this morning I was reading this article from the Harvard Business School about why lowering your price doesn't necessarily mean you will sell more. Unfortunately many service providers think that low prices will make their clients happier, and attract more business.

In fact the opposite can be true. When speaking with clients I usually find that their fees (or prices) are set too low. Rarely are they too high. So that's why I say now is the time to raise your price.

The article explains that the only way a lower price can help is when you truly have a low cost advantage. This comes through innovation or technology, NOT by scrimping on the way you do business. That is doing business on the cheap, not a real cost advantage.

So be brave when setting your fee structure. Look at the value you provide, or the difference you can make for your clients, and decide how you can communicate that in a way that will attract the right type of prospects.