Tag: Business

Marketing Ideas for Your Holiday Sales

Posted on | by Emi Lesser | Leave a Comment on Marketing Ideas for Your Holiday Sales

Image with holiday items and title

When it comes to the holidays, we are all looking for that special offer or bonus to go along with our shopping. As a business this is the best time to pull out all the stops. To reap the benefits of the holiday season, businesses have to pull out all their best offer saving discounts and go total marketing on them.

As a business you’re going to want to take advantage of the holidays. Here are several ways in which you can rock the holiday season and boost your company’s sales.

Once November 1st hits let the holiday marketing begin. We suggest not going full blown Christmas quite yet though. Start out with thanksgiving themed marketing, leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales before heading into Christmas.

  1. Offer and Discount Ideas

    • Offer Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and promotions. Black Friday is huge and for online only businesses and services so is Cyber Monday. Capitalize on this opportunity.

    • Give out holiday-specific discounts or coupon codes such as entering code TURKEY30 to receive 30% off the order.

    • Offer time-limited sales to convey a sense of urgency. Example: Save 40% on Cyber Monday.

    • Offer free or low-cost shipping. Many people are turned away with the added cost of shipping. Close more deals by shipping for free or giving a discounted shipping price.

    • Create holiday gift packages – packages you can’t get any other time. Put together a package that includes items customers usually buy together or different items you offer that customers could then try out.

    • Offer a free holiday themed gift with a purchase. This will give buyers an extra incentive to buy and entice hesitant buyers.

    • Offer 2-for-1 products. The buyer gets to keep one for her/himself and give the other one as a gift.

    • Send out discounts on future purchases for all items bought during the holidays. Set yourself up for post-holiday success.

    • Team up with another business to create Christmas gift bundles. Combine your product and their product into a gift package.

    • FSL + Infofree offer

    • Send small gifts to your loyal customers. An inexpensive gift like a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine can show you care and puts your business at the top of their minds.

    • Offer flash deals and expedited shipping for last-minute shoppers.

    • Run a 12 Days of Christmas holiday promotion. Offer a different sale or discount or promote a different product each day leading up to Christmas.

    • Hold an advent calendar campaign. Offer a discount on one product per day throughout the entire Christmas season.

  1. Promote your holiday offers repeatedly. Don’t be afraid to share your sales and deals more than once. You want to make sure your promotions reach your potential customers.

  1. Content Marketing

    • Provide holiday-themed information to your target market. Direct social media posts and blog posts to holiday-themed information.

    • Create a holiday landing page where you can display gift ideas or discounts.

    • Update your social media covers to show some holiday cheer.

    • Thanksgiving FSL Header

    • Capture the holiday related search engine traffic by publishing content optimized for the season on your website.

    • Make your email template holiday themed.

    • Send holiday promotion emails with all your discounts. Send one right before Christmas too with last-minute gift ideas.

    • Send emails with your holiday offers including one promotion per email. Space these out accordingly.

    • Find gift guides in your industry and ask for your products to be included.

    • Include a holiday countdown ticker on your site. This will let visitors know exactly what day they need to order by to receive their products in time for Christmas.

    • Send your customers Christmas or New Year cards via mail or email.

Start planning and implementing your holiday marketing now! With your extra holiday efforts you’ll be selling like crazy.

Need more inspiration on how you can stand out to customers during the holiday season? Check out Make your business stand out to consumers during the holiday season for ideas!

Thanks to Kim Garst for the holiday themed ideas!

Email Follow-Up Tactics

Posted on | by Emi Lesser | Leave a Comment on Email Follow-Up Tactics

Graphic Computer with email

Email follow-ups are a great way for more information to be given in detail and to allow the prospect more time to think through the information displayed. When using email to follow up, you must give the client enough information to be considered helpful but not too much as to where you pull out all the stops in the first follow-up. You want to drive the conversation and get them to buy early.

Follow-up emails can be frustrating. Many people assume if a prospect doesn’t respond the first time that they aren’t interested, however, there are many reasons as to why, besides not wanting your service, a prospect hasn’t responded to your email.

These reasons include missing the email completely, failure of the subject line to catch the prospect’s attention, not a clear enough call to action, not set up to be viewed on mobile, and sent at a bad time/day. The good news is these are all things we can easily fix.

  1. Lost email

    Sometimes emails get buried in our inboxes. Dismissing it the first time doesn’t mean we don’t think they’re important it just means we forgot about them. Sending multiple emails when you haven’t received a response yet is okay. The rule we follow is if we haven’t heard anything within two days, we send another follow-up email. Two days is enough time to where if they did happen to see the email, another follow-up won’t frustrate them. Two days is also a good time for the prospect to contemplate the email and then receive another follow-up with even more valuable information. After the first two-day period, you should extend the waiting period by a few days for each subsequent email.

  2. Subject line

    People are bombarded with thousands of emails from everything imaginable. What would make them recognize you and open your email? You must grab their attention and keep it long enough for them to click-through. From our Follow-Up Success Tips article, ask the client if there is something you can put in the subject line, such as using the word important or marking an email as urgent. These special cues can help you reach the client.

    The number of words in a subject line also matters, especially for mobile users. Subject lines with 6 to 10 words deliver the highest open rate [Retention Science], making 8 words ideal. So, create that catchy, noticeable email in 8 words.

  3. Email on mobile

    As of now, 61.9% of all emails are opened and read on mobile devices [Constant Contact]. That means your email needs to be programmed correctly for mobile; failure to optimize your email for mobile results in an 80% deletion rate [Constant Contact]. Emails that aren’t formatted correctly for mobile viewing often cut off information completely or appear very zoomed in. These kinds of emails frustrate the receiver often enough to cause them to delete the email without even fully viewing it.

    Have you checked if your email is optimized for mobile devices? It could be one of the reasons you’re getting a low response rate.

  4. Time and day to send

    There is no exact time or day we can tell you to send your email that will get you one hundred percent results. The first thing we do suggest is asking the prospect when the best time to follow-up with them is. Getting their insights will prove more helpful than anything in getting a prospect to respond to your follow-up.

    With the help of research though, we can give you a general idea of when most people open their emails. Research shows that the very best times to send emails is on Tuesdays [Get Response], with weekends having the lowest open rates among the days of the week and Mondays following in second.

    For the time frame, it appears it’s best to send emails a little after people get to work, and when they are catching up on emails after lunch. It shows to be around 9-10 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

    So, when you do send a follow-up email, it’s best to do it on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.

  5. Call to action

    You need to have a loud and clear call to action. Most times, in a follow-up, this will be for the prospect to follow back up with you, whether it’s via email or phone. Let the client know what you want them to do with the information you gave them. Always leave them more curious than before on a sales pitch. Give them the information they need to know to draw closer to a decision but always be able to add more value after they follow through with the call to action.

The subject line of your emails and the sender name and are the most important factors in getting emails opened and read. Be sure to check who the email is coming from. Making the from more personal increases the chances of getting noticed by a prospect. Open rates go up by as much as 35% by just using an email with your name in it [Pinpointe Markeing].

In 2019, the average open rate dropped to 22.1%. This average means that your company is doing well within its email follow-up and email campaigns if it has an open rate of around 22%.

The most important thing you can do in a follow-up is to continue to add more value every time you come in contact with the prospect. Email allows you to explain clearly and in more detail. It also allows for a more creative aspect. Adding in a creative aspect draws the reader in more. A creative follow-up email catches the attention of your prospects. Remember though this isn’t an email campaign so, don’t go overboard. You want a little flare but not too much to draw away from the information you are relaying and the call to action you want them to take in following up.

Follow-Up Success Tips

Posted on | by Emi Lesser | 1 Comment on Follow-Up Success Tips

Sales follow-ups are a vital part of closing. This is where you truly make or break the deal. Every follow-up is different due to the difference in clients, so there is no definite right answer on how to go about a follow-up. We can, however, give you some general tips and tricks to help ease the follow-up process and end with a new client.

  1. Ask the client the best way to follow up

    Every client situation is different, and that means every follow-up situation can be different too. What works for one client isn’t always going to work for another. Emails, phone calls, text messages, etc. – there are a bunch of stats out there that might tell you one is better than the other for a follow-up. What you really have to keep in mind when deciding how best to follow up is the client.

    The client is the only one who can answer the follow-up question with one-hundred percent accuracy. They know what form of communication they use most or what works best to reach them on. Just simply ask before the end of the conversation what form of communication is best to reach them on again. This approach will increase your follow-up percentage by using the best medium and by allowing the client the power to choose how you follow up with them. Asking the client allows them to be better prepared.

    Is the client sure they don’t want to commit to your product or service right now? Still, ask what the best way to reach them is in the future. Let them know you’d like to stay in contact and will follow up with them later in the year.

  2. Ask the client what their response rate is

    Along with figuring out their best form of communication, make sure you are also setting an expectation for responsiveness. Ask how long you should expect before receiving a response through email, text, or a phone call. You should also ask if there are any special parameters to include in the follow-up, such as using the word important in a subject line or marking an email as urgent. These special cues can help you reach the client much quicker.

    If you get the client to reveal how they like to be communicated with, they’ll respond much quicker. By finding their best form of communication and how long it usually takes for them to respond, you can hold them accountable much easier.

  3. Provide valuable information to each conversation

    Never call a prospective client just to touch base. You need to add new and valuable information each time you follow up with a client. Each time you talk to the client, you want to be able to bait them into wanting to learn more. Simply calling just to ask if they’ve made a decision yet is not effective.

    Follow-ups are where your conversation summary and research come in handy. Explain more in-depth how your company can help them, features you have available that fit their specific needs, value points you didn’t touch on the first time, anything that adds value for your client.

  4. End each conversation with a clearly defined next step

    Be sure to repeat back a quick outline of what you and the client just talked about and end the conversation by outlining the next steps in the process. The follow-up should be one that’s adding more information not asking when you can speak to them again. The end of the current discourse is always the best time to ask when the client has time to talk again, considering they are already on the phone and thinking about your company.

    Lock them down for the next step by asking when they can meet next. This will show the client you’re excited to close a deal with them.

  5. Summarize your conversation

    This tool is to help you and the client. Lots can be said over the phone and inbetween emails. Having a nicely laid out summary of previous conversations can help jog the client’s memory but also your own.

    You want the client to remember the key features of the product or service you’re selling, but you also want to remember the key aspects of the client’s business and concerns. Reiterating that you know and understand the client’s concerns and benefits of using your product/service lets the client know that you were listening and are invested in helping them.

  6. Be persistent

    If you haven’t received a response from your follow-up message, reach out again. We recommend waiting two days before sending another message. In the second message, make sure you’re still adding value. Focus on a different part of the product/service that would add value to their company.

    The third times a charm, right? Give it one last two day grace period if they still haven’t responded. Make sure to again add more value and mention, in a nice tone, how you’ve tried to reach out twice already. End the message by stating how you believe your product/service can benefit their specific company. Clearly state that you are available to answer any questions or concerns they still might have.

    Still haven’t received a response? Wait a longer period and try again. Allow time for their busy schedule to die down and your current messages to be considered longer. After approximately a month, reach out for a fourth time, asking if they’ve had time to look over your proposal and lay out some of the basics again, reminding them what you’ve previously discussed.

Remember, each follow-up is slightly different and the only person who knows exactly how the client is going to react is the client themselves. Don’t be afraid to ask them their thoughts on the follow-up process. As you work on your follow-up process here are some helpful facts:

  • 50% of all sales happen after the 5th contact, but most reps give up after just 2. [InsideSales]
  • 83% of prospects who request information don’t buy for 3–12 months. [MarketingDonut]
  • 70% of salespeople stop at one email. Yet if you send more emails, you have a 25% chance to hear back. [YesWare]
  • Sales pros who try to reach leads in one hour are seven times more likely to have meaningful conversations. [HubSpot]
  • 35-50% of sales go to the company that responds first. [InsideSales]
  • 95% of buyers chose a company that “provided them with ample content to help navigate through each stage of the buying process.” [DemandGen Report]
  • On the phone, your tone is 86% of your communication. The words we actually use are only 14% of our communication. [ContactPoint]
  • The ideal voicemail message is between 8 and 14 seconds. [The Sales Hunter]
  • 33% of email recipients click on emails based on subject line alone. [Convince and Convert]

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sales Campaigns

Posted on | by Emi Lesser | 1 Comment on Advantages and Disadvantages of Sales Campaigns

Need more information on whether or not to create a sales campaign? We’ve put together a quick list of insights into the advantages and disadvantages of sales campaigns.

Graphic: Advantages and Disadvantages to Sales Campaigns

Think a sales campaign would be great for your business? Learn how to get started in Create a Winning Sales Campaign

Create a Winning Sales Campaign

Posted on | by Emi Lesser | Leave a Comment on Create a Winning Sales Campaign
Graphic: sales campaign icons

Confidence and strategy – the two things you need to create a successful sales campaign. Sales campaigns are used as a strategy to boost the sale of products and services in a limited amount of time. The purpose is to inch current leads closer to making their purchase or to grab new consumers’ attention to notice you and convince them to buy.

Check out this list of strategies and tips that will help you create a winning sales campaign.

  1. 1. Know who Your Audience is

    Knowing your target audience is an essential part of creating and delivering a campaign, whether it’s a promotional campaign, marketing campaign, or sales campaign. Harvard Business found that 85% of 30,000 new product launches in the US failed to generate desired revenue due to poor market segmentation. Imagine where those products could be today had they used their money and resources to target the correct market.

    There are many ways to find your audience. It does take some extra time and effort, but it will eventually pay off as marketers who have used segmentation in emails have seen a 760% increase in revenue. Learn how to find your target audience in Find Your Target Market.

  2. 2. Create Killer Content

    Marketers have minimal time to grab the viewer’s attention. Those initial couple seconds make or break the consumer’s decision to interact. Creating killer content will ensure that the consumer is going to pay attention to your campaign.

    To create effective content, you must think like your customers. Understand what they like, dislike, what they want out of a product – the values, benefits, features they look for in that product. Relevant content reflects an understanding of your consumer. Once you know your consumer, it’ll be much easier to create content that will grab their attention.

    The best content is that of which the consumer can picture what it’s like to be a consumer you’ve already helped. Storytelling is becoming among the most popular type of content.

    Know some facts:

    • Subject lines with more than 3 words experience a drop in opening by over 60%. [ContactMonkey]
    • Email marketing has a two times higher ROI than cold calling, networking or trade shows. [MarketingSherpa]
    • 58% of your audience will stop watching video within the first 90seconds. [JoegGirard.ca]
    • Viewers retain 58% of what they see but only 10% of what they read.
    • After a presentation, 63% of attendees remember the stories told. Only 5% remember statistics. [Dan & Chip Heath]

  3. 3. Follow up

    All your time and effort so far will go to waste if you don’t follow up with new and existing prospects. In the content consuming world we live in, consumers can often forget what they saw, which doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t interested.

    Follow-ups can act as a reminder. With so much on everyone’s plate and lots of content to process daily, a nice reminder can often jump-start the person into action.

    Follow-ups also allow you to gain an understanding of a consumer’s hesitation and work to persuade them otherwise. They build credibility and allows you to tell prospects more about your business rather than them finding information on their own.

    Nurturing your prospect through the decision-making process gives you the advantage and helps you persuade them to make the final decision to buy.

  4. 4. Get Personal

    An effective campaign will speak directly to the person’s wants and needs. This means you need to break your target market down even further. Create different content for different segments and get even more personalized for different targeting.

    Micromarketing or one-to-one marketing is the most specific you can get, tailoring a product or service to suit an individual customer. While this would be best, it’s often not practical. That’s why we suggest using a concentrated targeting strategy. This strategy involves selecting a single, primary target market, and focusing all your energies on providing a product to fit that market’s needs.

    Personalization is key. It makes the consumer feel like you care about their wants and needs. Something as simple as including their name in an email is personalized enough to increase the chances of them opening and engaging with your campaign.

  5. 5. Build familiarity

    Design touchpoints around your target market to build familiarity and leverage yourself above others. Seeing your company here and there will create familiarity with your product/service in the consumer’s eye. While a consumer might not need your product or service at the time the touchpoints are delivered, it will stick with them and done right, reappear when you need it to most.

    Consumers are more likely to buy products and services from companies they have seen before.

  6. 6. Use the data as you go

    With automated reports and analytics, we can see our campaign progress in real-time. There is no more guessing or waiting months for results. Utilizing reports through social media, A/B testing, google analytics, etc. will help you improve your sales campaign.

    Given enough data, you can adjust your campaign in real-time (make sure you’re getting, at the very least, three weeks of data before adjusting). Alter your approach, tweak your segmentation, and add new mediums to create an even better sales campaign.

Prepared to start a sales campaign but aren’t sure if it’s right for you? Check out the Advantages and Disadvantages of Sales Campaigns.

Advice for New Salespeople

Posted on | by Emi Lesser | 3 Comments on Advice for New Salespeople
Saying: "Create wow moments for your prospects and watch your close rate grow tremendously

Whether you’ve known you wanted to go into sales your whole life or you’re just now getting into it, we all have to learn somehow. If you look at a seasoned salesperson, they make it look so easy. It’s like they were just born with the natural ability to sell. Chances are, however, they were once just like you, researching how to become better at sales. Sales isn’t a magical talent you’re born with it’s something that with a lot of practice anyone can be good at.

Here are six quick tips for new salespeople to become all stars:

  1. 1. Ask questions

    You will be around people who have been doing the job much longer than you have. While you might have learned all the new sales techniques, they’ve actually been doing the job. Ask questions often and learn from your peers. Many salespeople often regret not asking more questions. Make your life easier and don’t be afraid to ask when you don’t know or want to know more.

  2. 2. Get a mentor

    A mentor can help speed up the learning curve. They’d act as your own personal resource. You would be able to shadow them to see them in action. A lot of people are hands on learners, and this is the perfect way to learn quickly. Listening in on phone conversations and in person pitches will give you a wealth of information to learn from. If your company doesn’t assign you a mentor don’t be afraid to ask for one.

  3. 3. Understand the clients’ perspective

    Don’t get stuck in your own perspective. You will be talking to clients who are older than you that have different views and aspirations. If you fail to understand or even just respect the perspectives of other, you will battle to maintain relationships with some clients and struggle to close sales with many prospects.

  4. 4. Do your research

    With understanding your clients’ perspective, you also want to understand their business. While you can’t become an expert overnight you can learn the key aspects. Being able to speak specifically to their business will not only impress your client it will also it will position you above others who can’t, giving you the advantage. Research helps you shape your pitch. Find a problem your client has and explain to them how you can solve it.

  5. 5. Don’t be an order taker

    Get out in front of your customers – don’t sit back and wait for them to come to you. People like to see initiative, it shows that you value their business and want to help them succeed. Go out and find new clients on your own.

  6. 6. Don’t oversell

    If you present someone with too much upfront, you can cause confusion. The client wants to know exactly what they’re getting. By pointing out too many features you can easily overwhelm them and cause them to be turned off. Keep it simple. It’s better to be great at a few things than okay at a lot of things. Point out the features that are specifically useful to them and leave out the ones that aren’t.

Remember to keep learning new sales techniques and implementing them into your work so you’re always improving.