Engage your prospective customers online

Recently a client of ours indicated they wanted to include print advertising in their marketing plan because one of their competitors was advertising.  This was not a sustainable marketing activity for our client as it would have required a much larger marketing budget. The good news is that there are many ways to promote a business.

Your marketing plan is personal to your business.  It needs to reflect your target market, your key strengths and available resources (amongst other things).  Matching your competitor's marketing activities is not a sustainable marketing strategy.  It will not optimise your marketing resources.

An online "engagement strategy" can help grow a business in a cost effective way.  It can be suitable for startup businesses that have customers who research or buy products online.  Using an online engagement strategy can raise brand awareness, educate a target market about a product category, generate leads and even sales.  Here are some tips from Sustainable Marketing.

1. Create a Google adword from as little as $5 or $10 a day. Running a Google adword campaign over a 12 month period is a great way to raise awareness of your brand.  It can be more cost effective to promote your business online than advertising in multiple print publications to reach the same target market.  It can allow you to promote your business in Queensland, Australia or even the world!
   
   
2. Create a campaign page or site. Link your Google adword to the campaign page or site.  Many websites have the ability for you or your web developer to create a simple campaign page.  Sunny Queen Farms is a great example of a successful campaign site.  The Natural Grain Cage Free Eggs site helped educate people about a new egg category. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Add content to the page or site that will engage with your audience. One of the disadvantages of online marketing is that you have to work a bit harder to re-create the human experience.  There are a number of things that you can do to engage with your audience:
   
   

   • Add an educational editorial to position your business as an expert
   • Include a YouTube to bring the benefits of your product or service to life
   • Consider including a humorous YouTube - see The Fun Theory.com.au
   • Encourage them to "ask a question" to get them to contact you
   • Give them a sample offer to encourage them to trial your product or services now.

   
   
   
4. Capture your leads. Make sure you give the visitors to your page or site a compelling reason to contact you.  Make it easy for them to contact you.  Include a simple form.  This form should be quick to complete with only a few questions.  If you ask too many questions visitors will give up.
5. Nurture your leads and convert them into clients. Give them an option to subscribe to your newsletter.  Continue to give them information and offers they will value to build a long term relationship and convert them into your loyal clients.

Call Sustainable Marketing on 1300 699 085 or 0402 095 699 to discuss how you can create a successful online "engagement strategy".