It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the marketing strategies, tactics, and platforms out there.

 What happened to the tried and true ways of promoting your business, such as advertising and direct mail?

Should you listen to the latest marketing guru’s advice, or stick to the old ways of doing things?

 

The best marketing is a mix of traditional and modern methods

The key to successful marketing today is to combine proven, traditional methods with effective modern approaches, and arrange them in a specific sequence meant to convert prospects into buyers.

 

This sequence (marketing funnel) reflects the journey / path that potential customers follow as they move from prospect to paying customer.

 

A marketing funnel, combining both educational content and promotional messages, offers many advantages over using separate, disconnected platforms and messages:

• Monitoring problem areas where website visitors leave without purchasing
• Measuring the number of people who read or download specific content in your funnel
• Continuously repeating the same messages and brand image to potential customers
• Automating the process of converting prospects into customers
• Focusing your marketing budget on a handful of proven techniques

 

A Marketing Funnel Arranges Your Content and Messages into a Strategic Sequence

Typical elements making up your funnel include:

• Blog posts or articles on your website
• A landing page with a form for capturing contact information
• Free downloadable content to encourage signups
• An email campaign consisting of informative and sales messages which aim to convert prospects into customers
• Online ads promoting your content and free downloads
• Sales pages on your website for each product and service
• An intake form or order page for purchases
• A thank you page providing helpful advice on making the best use of your product and service

 

This sequence requires tools such as:

• Website content management software (WordPress)
• CRM (customer relationship management) tools
• Email autoresponder software (automated email messages) that sends out messages encouraging potential customers to order your product or try your service

 

The content within your marketing funnel should provide useful information for potential clients, regardless of where they are on their buying journey:

    Awareness: Blogs, articles

    Interest: Opt-in forms, landing pages

    Desire: Email marketing messages

    Action: Sales pages, order forms

 

By the time prospects are exposed to your sales promotions, they will be more receptive to your offers.

 

Marketing Funnels Accelerates Message Sharing

Another benefit of having a marketing funnel linked to your social media and networking accounts is having your customers share your content with  friends and colleagues.

Online sharing of relevant content helps you to quickly build your authority and reputation within your industry.

This provides you with free publicity and helps to attract qualified customers through referrals.

 

People only buy from those they trust, and only when they are ready to buy

A marketing funnel allows potential customers to consume content at their own pace, build trust in you, and eventually make a purchase.

Once your funnel is set up, it will generate customers for years to come, only requiring minor updates and maintenance.

You’ll quickly recover the cost of building a marketing funnel by eliminating costly, ineffective marketing methods, and freeing up more time to focus on networking and customer service.

 

Mark Bellini – Freelance Copywriter

 

 Avoid These Common Marketing Mistakes!

Please visit WritingConversions.com and get your free report, 26 Marketing Mistakes & Simple Ways to Avoid Them: How to Attract Loyal Clients on a Small Budget.

Discover 26 of the most serious mistakes that entrepreneurs, small business owners, consultants, and other self-employed individuals routinely make when trying to promote their products and services.

You will also receive:

1. Weekly emails that will help you build a profitable marketing funnel
2. Tips to help you find competent and reliable freelance copywriters and consultants
3. Learn how to use direct marketing methods within your inbound funnel for more effective results
4. Bonus downloads that discuss best practices for building your own marketing funnel

 

 Attract Customers 24 hours a Day with Your Own Marketing Funnel!

If your are ready to upgrade your marketing system, please contact me to start planning your own marketing funnel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to marketing consultant John Jantsch, most websites fail to convert prospects into customers, and generate far less revenues than they could.

The most common reason for this problem is focusing too much on graphic design, and not enough on the content and marketing aspects of websites.

Since many web designers have poor marketing and sales knowledge, you can’t assume that they will build your website to maximize conversions and sales.

 

A Marketing Content Audit Uncovers Weaknesses in Your Website

The only way to verify that your site is set up properly from a marketing aspect is to have someone knowledgeable review your content and structure.

This is known as a website content audit.

 

Performing a content audit on your site may reveal problems such as:

• Lack of attention-grabbing headlines
• Lack of subheadings that make it easy to scan text
• Missing SEO (search engine optimization) elements, like keywords and metadata (hidden text used by search engines).
• Website content that is not set up in the proper sequence to convert potential clients
• Not having the right mix of educational content (blogs, videos) and marketing content (sales pages, emails) in your funnel

 

As you can see, a website content audit might explain why your ads and promotions aren’t leading to more sales.

 

There are Many Types of Site Audits

If you decide to audit your website’s content, you will notice there are many different types of audits available:

• Website content audit
• Website grader assessment that also measures technical aspects such as site analytics
• Inbound marketing assessment that evaluates technical website elements, as well as your inbound marketing strategy

 

If your budget is limited, you can perform a content audit and use an online website grader tool to analyze any major technical issues on your site.

You may decide not to implement all of the audit’s suggestions, if they seem overwhelming. Many business owners choose to fix the most urgent issues on their site before tackling less important ones.

A cost-effective way to make changes and improvements to your website is to work with freelance consultants, copywriters, and web designers.

Freelancers are more flexible than large marketing agencies, allowing you to assign individual segments or tasks of larger projects as your budget allows.

 

Content Audits: The Key to a Revenue-Generating Site

Since your website is linked to other marketing platforms, including social media and email marketing, it needs to support your overall message and strategy.

A poorly structured website will cancel any gains from your social media and networking efforts.

A website content audit may uncover serious issues that are costing you customers, sales, and your reputation.

 

Mark Bellini – Freelance Copywriter

 

 

 Avoid These Common Marketing Mistakes!

Please visit WritingConversions.com and get your free report, 26 Marketing Mistakes & Simple Ways to Avoid Them: How to Attract Loyal Clients on a Small Budget.

Discover 26 of the most serious mistakes that entrepreneurs, small business owners, consultants, and other self-employed individuals routinely make when trying to promote their products and services.

You will also receive:

1. Weekly emails that will help you build a profitable marketing funnel
2. Tips to help you find competent and reliable freelance copywriters and consultants
3. Learn how to use direct marketing methods within your inbound funnel for more effective results
4. Bonus downloads that discuss best practices for building your own marketing funnel

 

Request a Free Website Marketing Content Audit!