We often hear that the ‘customer is always right’ and that the ‘customer is king’, but do we actually live by that rule? Surely we naturally favour those customers that are more valuable, that we like more, that are easier to deal with or that we have a great relationship with? Isn’t it just human nature?

Well, actually, when it comes to customer retention, not all customers are equal, so the natural behaviour we take when we favour one group over the next makes perfect sense, particularly when marketing budgets and time are not on our side and we need to focus our efforts. So how can you determine whether you should focus on a particular customer group or not? (Continue reading…)

Effective business to business online marketing uses the same approaches as business to customer marketing. While the platforms may be the same, the target audience and how they will behave is vastly different. Therefore, in order for a B2B online campaign to be effective, you need to take this into consideration. Understanding the way a business customer purchases goods and services can help you to tailor your marketing and see better results. (Continue reading…)

Direct digital marketing is about getting a desired response from your customers. While traditional direct marketing isn’t really suited to the internet, applying its principles can still be effective online. Here’s an outline of how the principles of direct marketing are being used in the digital space.

Test and learn

Some of the foundations of traditional direct marketing work well online. For instance, the test and learn principle. If you’re not sure what kind of marketing message, price offer or creative route is best for your business, a limited trial of different messages or designs may be the best way to determine how to get the most bang for your buck. (Continue reading…)

We all know it’s easier and more cost effective to keep a customer than to find a new one, yet when it comes to customer retention, we’re often too busy running the business to build that relationship. Yet, it’s easy to do, after all, the customer, or client, that has already bought from you is prequalified, likes you and should be easy to win over when it comes to the next sale. More importantly, if you can get them to love you and what you do or offer, they can help you grow your business, for little cost.

Big brands such as Nike, Apple, Waitrose or Boden spend a lot of time and money on their existing customers. Whether it’s ensuring the customer experience and interactions with the brand are exactly as they should be to encouraging existing customers to come back, engage and purchase again. It’s a continuous cycle where the brands are encouraging their customers to get involved and become more entwined with their values, ethos and what they stand for. When the customer reaches a certain point, measured in a number of ways, they become an “advocate” and will happily promote the brand over and above the competitors. (Continue reading…)

When it comes to business copywriting, many companies complete all of their writing in house. However, the problem with this is although many companies have good writers in their rank, often the tone just isn’t quite right. The worst part about this problem is that many companies don’t realise that they’re missing out on a good opportunity to really engage with their customers.

The right copy can help build your brand and increase your sales. It can change the way your company is perceived: you might use it to look professional, creative, or as good value. Many businesses think about their copy in a functional way. Instead of writing about what a product can do for a customer, they spend their time describing their product or services. This is one of the biggest mistakes that a business can make when it comes to their copywriting. (Continue reading…)

Creating web marketing campaigns first time around can be a little overwhelming. Perhaps the reason behind this is that there is too much information out there. Sometimes, it helps to go back to basics. If you are putting your first web marketing campaign together, here are 7 elements that you should consider.

1. Set your objectives

The first step in creating web marketing campaigns is to decide exactly what it is you are trying to achieve. While this seems a simple concept, it’s surprising how many companies jump into web marketing without a clear objective in mind. This can lead to you not achieving an optimum return on your investment. By keeping your campaign focused, you will get the best results for the lowest investment. (Continue reading…)

Using professional SEO services is like using a professional contractor to build a storefront for your business. The way the storefront looks and functions is vital to getting customers who will browse and, eventually, buy.

A professional who is familiar with SEO requirements can help you create a virtual storefront that will do the same thing. Half the battle with creating an online business is simply optimising your website so search engines will find it. Why not hire a professional to help you do this more quickly and efficiently? Here are just a few of the benefits of using a professional service:

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Long tail keywords are normally several words long, and they’re much more specific than shorter, broader keywords. For instance, a short keyword might be made up of one or two words, for example, ‘SEO Techniques’. A long tail version might be ‘Small Business SEO Techniques’ which is made up of four or five words.

These longer keywords have different purposes and advantages. Working them into your website copy can really help boost your traffic and online business in several ways. (Continue reading…)

Social media tools are integral in measuring the success of your online marketing. The problem is though, they are still in their early days. At times, it can be difficulty to see the full scope of your marketing with the limited tools that are currently available.

Measuring the results of an online campaign is really important. Firstly, it helps you to determine your return on investment. It also helps you understand which strategies are working and which are not, as well as helping you to plan the next campaign.

If social media is a part of your ongoing campaign then you may find that you need to manage multiple social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Not to mention that within these separate networks you may have more than one account. (Continue reading…)

Do you use intelligent web marketing? Good marketing doesn’t have to be extravagant and expensive, but should be highly effective. To make the most of the internet, you need to be smart with your marketing, and with your money.

By planning your campaign to make the most of the internet and related mediums you can see your business achieving even better results, but how to do start out and what makes up an intelligent web marketing campaign?

A well-planned campaign

Many businesses make the mistake of jumping in the deep end when it comes to web marketing. They spend thousands on pay-per-click ads, start blogs, get on Twitter, then wonder why they are seeing no results twelve months down the track. For a campaign to be effective, it needs to be well thought out and planned. Before you start promoting, you need to make a plan of what your campaign will consist of. To do this, you need to consider your goals, your audience, the mediums you intend to utilise and the messages you intend to put out there. (Continue reading…)