Online Marketing does not have to be expensive. You don’t need to pay agencies to roll out winning strategies. In fact, there are a lot of effective strategies that you can do without spending a single cent.
Especially in small businesses, there isn’t much left of the monthly budget for marketing. Most of the budget goes for website content and management, retail store, employees’ pay and benefits, among others. But this doesn’t mean that you should stop doing marketing altogether. Today I’m here to share with you some of quick wins you can apply to your lead and sales generation strategy without spending a cent!
I present to you 18 proven and tested online marketing strategies that surely make a difference to your marketing efforts.
1. Test your purchase process.
Go through your purchase process and see if the experience is simple and easy for you. For better results, ask a friend to go through the same process and ask if he/she encountered any problems or if there is anything that made her have second thoughts about buying. Let them do this privately in their own time.
2. Make it easier for your customers to give a feedback.
Most likely, when your customers try to contact you, they either had the best or a bad experience or maybe your product descriptions aren’t up to scratch and they have a question. Give your customers a positive experience in finding your contact information, because their feedback will be valuable in improving your service.
3. Review the last 50 customer feedback.
I hope you don’t get much negative feedback, but if you do, make the most out of it by studying what the most similar cases are and check if there is something you can do to improve the services. Happy customers = more sales!
I’ll give you an example of how studying reviews can make or break a business. I was speaking with a cafe owner who couldn’t understand why his cafe wasn’t booming like he expected, he just said business was tough… The name was great, fantastic location and a welcoming environment, he thought he should have been set!
So I asked 1 simple question, “Have you ever looked at your online reviews?” his answer “No, they don’t know what they’re talking about” Whoa… EPIC FAIL! Because he didn’t want to read the reviews he couldn’t identify the problem and see quick wins to turn his business around. His businesses UrbanSpoon rating was a dismal 53% all negative feedback was around two common factors, service and food. His solution was simple, better staff training and a revision of the menu and quality of food. Remember, to avoid taking reviews personally. These reviews can be your best coach for success.
4. Make your website keyword-rich with good content
Keyword density is your way to the heart of Google. With enough keywords on your pages, you can rank high in Google searches and increase your organic traffic.
5. Keep your home page interesting.
Have you noticed how frequently Google changes their homepage and how most of netizens (online citizens) get excited when they do? People stay away from boring pages and that includes home pages! So perk your home page every now and then by changing the content or the images.
6. Offer incentives to your affiliates.
Sometimes what our affiliates need to continue promoting our program is a little push! Give them more reasons to work harder by providing incentives. These efforts will surely benefit you in the long run because more promotion means more sales!
7. Create more pages.
Not only is it so boring to have only an “about us” page, it is also beneficial for you to create more pages. Remember how we taught you to have a keyword-rich site? The best way to do this is by producing more content through your pages.
8. Keep your “About Us” page updated.
Speaking of “About Us” page, when was the last time you updated yours? If the last time you updated your content was a decade ago, then you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities to impress your visitors! Share your achievements as they happen and sell yourself in an entirely new level!
9. Make your CTA Buttons POP!
Make sure that your CTA buttons pop by picking a bright color. This way, your visitors will immediately see them and will know what to click next!
10. Ask your staff for anonymous feedbacks!
Be it a regular drop-box or a Google form, ask your staff for honest opinions. Surely, some would only give you positive remarks to try and win your trust, but there will be one or two brilliant ideas that you can work on!
11. Test your phone numbers.
You might now know it, but you might have lost a lot of customers by typing in a wrong number or using old digits on your website. To make sure that you are reachable by your customers, test your phone numbers every now and then.
12. Create a news section.
Whether it’s a conference invitation or a closed deal, share the news to your viewers! The news will assure them of the stability of your business and will update them with the latest happenings in your career. Anyone who will double-check your integrity and professionalism before investing in your business will surely find these news helpful!
13. Add one or more photos to your product pages.
If you only have a retail site, you will have to give more than just a front view of your product to convince a customer to buy. Give them the pleasure of seeing your must-have stuff by posting two or more photos.
14. Strike while the iron is hot! Take every opportunity to make another sale.
Have you noticed how convenience stores put chocolate bars and gums near the counter? Since your customer is making a purchase, it doesn’t hurt to do a little upselling and see if they’re interested in your other products or services with a little “Hey, just FYI… You can add this chocolate bar it’s only $1!”. May it be an upgrade, gift wrapping services, faster delivery options, and what not, it doesn’t hurt to try!
15. Spice up your 404 page.
Do you realize how many of your visitors might have stumbled on a 404 page on your site? If they try to do a search within your site, and nothing is found, a much better version of “The page cannot be found” may be your best friend. Spice up your 404 page by adding your contact information, or promoting your social media accounts for faster communication.
16. Fix the 404 pages.
As much as a good looking Error 404 page can help you, having an error-free site is still the best way to gain and maintain customers. Thus, check and see which of your pages have an error and try to fix them all efficiently.
17. Check your sitemap.
A sitemap is a list of pages that is visible by Google and your viewers. Check every link in your sitemap to make sure that you direct your customers where they expect to be directed to. This will also leave you a good impression from the Big G!
18. Protect your brand.
Try to do a Google search for your brand name and see if there are any negative posts about your brand. If there is any, you can politely email the authors and see if there is anything you can do to make it up to them. Remember, a viral violent reaction from a customer can be deadly to businesses.
A business without online marketing is like a balloon without helium – it will not soar high. Online marketing is really a requisite, it is a must-have for all businesses a like to succeed and grow. I hope that these FREE strategies will be of great value to you. Have you done all these for your website? Which of the items do you need to do ASAP? Let us know through the comments! Remember, sharing is caring.