Successfully marketing to today’s consumer requires online retailers to better understand their decision-making journey. All marketers want more sales streaming into their online channels, and your post-marketing strategy is essential to achieve this.
While traditional marketing methods will help digital marketers attract interest from consumers abroad, funnel acquisition is just one play in the marketing handbook. To make the most of the customer journey, take things a step further.
Here are several post-marketing strategies that are proven to deliver results:
The power of the newsletter is undeniable.
Newsletters are one of the most effective post-marketing tools. According to MailChimp (full disclosure: my company makes a CRM integration for MailChimp users), the average email newsletter has an open rate that varies from 16.75% to 27.23%, depending on the industry. A common strategy to encourage signups is to offer customers a perceived value. Most often, this involves giving them a one-time discount off a purchase — typically 10% off — to add them to your mailing list. Here are some other strategies that encourage conversions:
• Newsletters that underscore the customer journey of your products or services help drive new purchases and secure retention.
• Featured content in newsletters helps customers better understand the value of your products and services.
• Flash sales in your newsletters increase average conversion rates and attract new impulse purchases from interested customers.
Case studies attract new sales and improve loyalty.
Another proven method that should be in your post-marketing strategy playbook is a case study. Prospects in the research stage of the sales funnel want to know if your product or service can solve their problems. Including customer case studies on your website shows them the proven benefits of your product or service.
• Case studies highlight how your products and services can be used, and how beneficial they can be to the consumer.
• They provide value proof to the consumer by giving real-life examples.
• Customer spotlights validate and which further illustrate how your products and services are being successfully used.
Blogging is still a must-have post-marketing tool.
You’ve heard plenty about blogging. If you’re still behind on your strategy, there’s no time like the present to pick up the pace. While 99% of your digital marketing dollar doesn’t have to go solely toward content marketing, a blog should be viewed as one of the most important gears in your content marketing and outreach engine.
• Blogging as a content marketing tool can drive thousands of leads.
• The most effective blogs contain videos, infographics and fact-heavy listicles, with a how-to or problem-solution focus that enhances authority.
• Posts that contain powerful visual references such as charts and graphs are also more effective.
Video is the workhorse that content can’t ever be.
We’ve all heard the expression, “A picture is worth 1,000 words.” If that’s true, then in an online marketing world where content is king, a video is worth a million words.
Video is one of the most powerful post-marketing tools that you can incorporate into your retention and loyalty strategy because:
• 74% of consumers have made new purchases based on what they’ve watched in a video.
• 81% of consumers have been convinced to make a new purchase or increase their current purchase based on the contents of a video they’ve watched.
• Branded videos are shared by as many as 83% of viewerson social media, with informative and entertaining brand videos getting the highest share percentage.
It’s important to remember that post-marketing strategies are also about reaching new consumers. To do so successfully, you’ll need help from your existing site visitors. And video is a surefire reach-enhancement mechanism.
Resource-and-learn pages deliver authority content.
When visiting a website, you probably expect to see a product or service showcase, as is the status quo. But resource-and-learn pages are taking center stage as more efficient post-marketing strategies. They underscore the true value that the consumer is offered by delivering in-depth, authority content that is enhanced with animated GIFs, charts, graphs and (drum roll, please) videos. Good examples include:
• A walkthrough page just for your new website visitors to help them find what they’re looking for.
• A sole topic page dedicated to one product or service offering.
• A topic bible that covers every product and service you’re offering, complete with internal links to related pages.
Live webinars and meetups offer personalized interactions.
Two additional post-marketing strategies you’ll want to consider putting into place include live webinars and video meetups. Consumers react positively to personalized interactions such as these.
• A common strategy is to offer video meetups with coffee by using Postmates, where your company orders Starbucks for the attendees, and you host a video chat session over a fresh cup of coffee.
• Webinars are powerful remarketing tools that help you improve awareness and understanding about the value of the products and services your company is offering. They can be easily advertised on your webpages and social channels, as well as in your newsletters.
A top-to-bottom approach is key to thriving in today’s marketing jungle.
To make the most of your marketing efforts, it’s best to incorporate a top-to-bottom approach. Tried and true strategies that generate strong, organic traffic for your website are just one part of the equation.
What you do with this traffic after it converts is equally important. It can mean the difference between being in the red or in the black come the end of each quarter.
[“Source-gadgets.ndtv”]