Networking and Referrals Tops with SMB's... Maybe? When asked for their best sources of lead generation, a recent article and poll suggests so. But is this really the truth?
A friend and business owner I admire recently shared a magazine article that addressed lead generation strategies. According to the article, the use of websites and the internet came in third at 63%, as the most popular answer of how leads will be generated in 2014.
Referrals and networking were #1 and #2. The article further discusses SEO and SMO, which my friend knows is right up my alley. He also commented that the article really supported my position on the importance of inbound marketing.
Referral and networking are always the top answers ...
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“E-mail is Dead”… according to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook at the time of the quote
“The Internet is Dead”… according to Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine 2010
“Digital Marketing is Dead” … Marc Pritchard, P&G, speaking at Dmexco 2013
None of them are actually dead. In fact, e-mail as an engagement tool is fantastically effective when properly planned and executed. For prosepcting? E-mail is the best drip tool available. And even today we continue to devise products and strategies for highly targeted direct mail that deliver terrific results.
Inbound marketing is no exception.
What people tend to forget, and the fact a recent article in The Drum reinforces, is not to get too hung up on distribution tactics. Many people gravitate to whatever is ...
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When last we wrote about how we promote our blog articles and how you could as well, we mentioned there was software to make the process easier; there were additional spots on the web where you could also post them. This article will hopefully encourage you to make better use of the Internet in the promotion of your articles and information to share, and if not, to at least convince you to contact an inbound marketing agency (like Zen Marketing) to help get you started. It does not all have to be done at once, and the workload can even be shared by you and the agency you choose. There is no fixed formula for marketing your business through ...
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There is a real disconnect when I come across a business professional that doesn’t have an active blog on their site. It’s not that I don’t respect them as business people; they have a right to manage their business any way they wish. It just seems to be counter-productive to have a website and NOT offer content to their visitors. When there is no blog, I lose interest fast. Unless the business employs video, an array of eBooks or some other “reason” to explore their site, I am simply moving on to a competitor of theirs. When people come across your site, the same will happen to you.
Blogging for business is not about letting everyone know what you had ...
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We have covered the value of creating content marketing to allow prospects to find your website and you for quite a while now. One way to lead your competition and establish yourself as an industry expert is by creating engaging content in a variety of media. You not only bring valuable attention to your brand, but also gain recognition as you rise above the competition.
Content marketing is nothing new. Neither is the concept of being a market or industry leader. Leading your competition may not be your goal, but driving business should be. Content marketing IS the way today.
Actually, it gets its humble beginning by way of the earliest of human beings; telling stories around a campfire to get ...
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Most businesses, even solo-preneur’s have taken the time and invested in a website. Any small business that wants to be noticed stake their claim on a domain name and put up a site.
It is more or less how business is done these days. The vast majority of business feels adescribe the image certain obligation to have an online presence. A web site after all, is a corporate brochure at a minimum. The simple fact is that nearly 80% of product or service research is now performed online. Those with marketing awareness generally use the corporate site to produce leads for the business entity.
The sad truth is however, that quite a lot of small to medium sized businesses lack the critical ...
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One of the questions Zen Marketing receive a lot relates to search engine optimization and website design. Search engine optimization is really about driving the prominence of your website in a search, but seldom do you read about the website in its entirety. A good SEO plan should improve the search engine results plus the web visibility of each page contained within a website. Given that, is there a specific number of pages that a website should to impact it's SEO? Can your website have too many pages?.
Since every business we work with is different, every business website we design and build is uniquely different as well. Obviously the size of a local automobile repair shop's website is going ...
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It doesn’t matter at what stage of growth your business resides; napkin idea, start up, emerging enterprise or seasoned business, it will always need your attention. When it comes to growing your business, are you insane? What I mean by this query is there is a saying (attributed to Albert Einstein, by the way):
Doing the same things repeatedly but expecting different results is akin to insanity.
So, when it comes to marketing your business, are you insane or are you innovative and creative? Do you repeatedly implement the same marketing and sales tactics expecting an upturn in lead generation and new business creation, or are you varying your approach?
It wasn’t that long ago we were all summing up the successes ...
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We all know there are a million things that can go wrong with internet marketing; far too many to name. Getting a handle on every single one of them is impossible, but we all do the best possible when it comes to generating leads and growing our businesses. Your marketing efforts can be sabotaged by your website’s home page without you even being aware. You are constantly looking for shortcomings in our marketing, honing our messages and testing them for the best possible return, but when was the last time your review included your home page, and what it may be saying about your company?
Website visitors are a great filter by which we can learn what is working and ...
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Regardless of your business entity’s status; a start-up or seasoned, when it comes to content creation, you may need some coaching at the beginning. Here are some easy tips to consider when the beginner of an inbound marketing strategy takes on the role of copywriter.
Start with the end in mind
No matter the effort, it is the results we are all after. Effective copywriting must be directly focused on the organization’s key objectives and goals. Remember, your goal is primary, so if it is to generate more leads, one must consider your present generation methodology and results, and therefore, what you need to do to reach your company targets. If your goal is to simply educate your audiences rather than ...
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