Here’s what these changes mean for business owners and how to ensure your emails are more likely to land in the right place.

Understanding The New Rules

Demanding the Sender to Authenticate

Google and Yahoo will enforce email authentication protocols—like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC—for all sent mail. This is tech talk for confirming your identity to providers and protecting your reputation by showing you are a real company and not sending out suspicious emails. It’s the digital equivalent of an ID check for every message you send.

Zero Tolerance for SPAM

Mailbox providers are battling a tidal wave of spam that erodes user trust. By making authentication mandatory, they provide a shield against scammers, ensuring that the floodgates to user inboxes are managed, not melted.

The Why Behind the Changes

Protecting User Privacy and Experience

The digital landscape demands that providers like Google and Yahoo be the keepers of the gates, ensuring customer inboxes remain pristine. These changes are a direct response to the overwhelmingly negative effects of unsolicited, fraudulent, and pesky emails.

Authentication isn’t just about managing access; it’s about building trust. These initiatives aim to elevate the standards for legitimate senders, ensuring their messages are less likely to be confused with spam.

How It Impacts Your Business

The Line in The Sand: Legitimate vs. Spam

With these new requirements, your email’s ability to reach your audience is at risk. Mislabeling as spam—or worse yet, being filtered or blocked altogether—can devastate your communication strategy and, ultimately, your bottom line.

The Credibility Equation

Your ability to satisfy these demands speaks volumes about how your business is perceived. If you can’t—or don’t—meet these minimal requirements, you might signal to providers (and, in turn, their users) that your email may be suspect.

Optimizing for Enhanced Deliverability

Revising Your Email Sending Strategy

Actively revising your approach to emailing is crucial. From tightening your permission policies to focusing on high-quality content, every email choice matters more than ever.

Technical Compliance

Ensuring your email systems are technically compliant with these new requirements is non-negotiable. This might involve updating your email-sending infrastructure or configurations. Tools like HubSpot can guide and automate much of this process.

Engagement as a Conscientious Sender

Ensuring your audience is engaged with your content signifies to providers’ algorithms that your emails are wanted. Practices like regular list pruning and providing clear unsubscribe options are as important as ever.

Monitoring and Adapting

Will My Emails Reach Their Destination?

You may be left in the dark. If your emails are bouncing or blocked from a recipient, your email provider will notify you. But, if your emails are going to SPAM, it may take you some time to figure it out. Suppose you have a CRM system such as Hubspot or Salesforce. In that case, you can more easily monitor your deliverability, adjust your strategies based on performance, and ensure you stay in the good graces of mailbox providers.

Continuous Improvement

As the email environment changes, so must your approach. Staying informed of best practices and provider policies will help you evolve and fortify your emailing strategy over time.

Conclusion

These new email authentication requirements are significant steps in the battle against spam. They also allow business owners to reaffirm their trustworthiness in the digital space. By embracing these changes wholeheartedly, you’re not just securing the delivery of your emails—you’re also ensuring your place as a conscientious and reputable member of the online business community.

Remember, this is not just about technical compliance; it’s about demonstrating the integrity of your business and the value of your communications. So, take the time to understand and implement these changes. Your customers and your bottom line will thank you.

If you want to learn more about the new email requirements, contact Power Marketing for a free consultation.

The post The New Email “Epidemic”: Google and Yahoo Change the Rules for Email Delivery appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Game-Changer

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the field of digital marketing, making it easier and more efficient for home builders.

Here’s how AI can shape your marketing strategy:

AI and CRM Management – AI can simplify analytics in your CRM and create campaigns or reports in a fraction of the time it used to take. With a single prompt, AI programs like ChatSpot or Salesforce Einstein can break down website visits by day, week, month, etc. Want an analysis of the sales pipeline by geography? A simple command and ChatSpot will make that report.

Image Creation – AI programs like DALL-E 3 can reduce your dependency on expensive photography or stock images. Say you’ve finished a blog and want a picture of a family hiking in the woods. Create a specific prompt in DALL-E 3, and the program will create multiple images to select from based on your request—no more searching for pictures.

Video Scripts Written by AI – If you plan to make a video, AI programs like Jasper can produce high-quality video scripts tailored to specific demographics based on customer profiles. This enables you to save time and resources and ensure a consistent message across different platforms.

AI in Content Development – Probably the biggest time saver for marketers and clients is content development. Several companies can create content like Bard or ChatGPT. But Bard and ChatGPT also have other high-level functions. Jasper is one of the few AI programs explicitly designed for creating content. Jasper AI can generate content such as blog posts, articles, and social media posts and reduce the time needed by almost 75% (personal experience) while maintaining consistent quality. Also, content programs can check your writing for plagiarism across the web and provide corrections to your grammar.

Repurposing Content for All Channels – The second biggest time saver in AI for marketing is repurposing content. For example, you can post a blog and prompt the AI program to “create five Facebook posts from this blog” or “rewrite this blog as a press release .”Again, this is a huge time saver.

The Impact of AI on New Home Construction

AI is here, and it will change almost every aspect of the marketing industry for marketing for all industries. With AI, marketing for home builders becomes targeted, efficient, and hassle-free. It’s not just the future of marketing; it’s the present.

Do you need guidance on navigating the new AI landscape? Let’s embrace this technology and build a better marketing plan. After all, the future of construction is digital. Don’t get left behind – contact Power Marketing today!

The post The Future of Selling New Home Construction is Artificial Intelligence (AI) appeared first on Power-Marketing.

The Core Elements

Technical SEO

Technical SEO focuses on optimizing the code underpinning the site to help ensure that Google and other search engines can efficiently crawl and index the website’s pages. Technical SEO includes (but is not limited to):

● Optimizing website speed

● Mobile performance

● Submitting information to Google correctly

● Implementing structured data markup

A technically sound website is crucial for effective SEO since it helps search engine crawlers understand and index its content accurately. Developers and SEO specialists handle a large portion of these tasks.

Onsite SEO

Onsite SEO, also known as on-page SEO, is an ongoing process involving optimizing the content and structure of a website’s pages to rank higher in search engine results. Onsite SEO, sometimes referred to as backend SEO, encompasses various factors, such as creating the website tagging structure of the unseen back end of the website based on Google’s best practices and internal linking of pages. In addition, adequately optimized content relevant to the user’s search query helps ensure higher rankings in search engine results.

Off-site SEO

Off-site SEO, or off-page SEO, focuses on building the website’s authority and credibility through external factors such as backlinks, social media marketing, and content such as blogs or press releases. Off-site SEO aims to improve the website’s visibility and reputation in search engine results by demonstrating the website’s relevance and authority in the industry. For example, backlinks to blog articles, pages of your website, or images from reputable and authoritative websites signal to search engines that the website has valuable content, resulting in a higher search engine ranking.

Eight (8) Key Questions To Ask An SEO Company

Question #1 

Do you have similar SEO clients in your local area? 

The Logic 

An agency working with competing SEO clients in the same market can be problematic. Your strategy to increase traffic/leads should be unique compared to your competitors. The same SEO professional will most likely work on both accounts if it’s a smaller company. 

Question #2 

Is your SEO specialist on-staff or outsourced? Is your SEO person also a web developer, social media strategist, content writer, etc.? 

The Logic

Typically, a company without a dedicated SEO team or specialist is not focused on SEO. Occasionally, you will see an SEO person who builds websites, handles social media, or manages email marketing. However, SEO is a hyper-competitive element of digital marketing and requires a dedicated person to stay updated with trends, the best software, and Google algorithm changes. Finally, external vendors may not have access to your website to perform necessary technical SEO adjustments.    

Question #3 

What are two examples of websites you manage with a similar SEO retainer? 

The Logic

Website examples can determine if the SEO elements are in place. For example, are the onsite SEO tags completed or written using Google’s best practices? Of course, if you are a novice at SEO, you won’t know how to gauge these elements. However, Ubersuggest offers a great free tool that can give you easy-to-understand information about the quality of SEO on a website. Also, the examples give you an idea of the content the SEO company created for its websites. 

Question #4 

What type of software do you use for SEO strategy? Is it the paid version? 

The Logic

The key here is the paid version. The software can make a five-hour job take one hour. Furthermore, anyone can get a limited amount of information from free versions of software. But to create a real strategy, a company needs paid software packages from products like SEMrush, Ubersuggest, SpyFu, or Moz. A single software is good, but multiple versions are better. 

Question #5 

Is Directory Management part of your SEO package? If so, what software do you use? Are you using the paid version?

The Logic

Consider using directory management software for Local SEO to improve your listing on online directories. This software syncs all your company info, such as an address, business hours, and phone number, with the top informational and review sites on the Internet (e.g., Facebook, YP.com, Yelp.com, Bing, etc.). Managing review listing can lead to a nice boost in your local search value. An SEO company claiming to handle directory management manually or using a free version of directory management software will have little to no effect on your SEO value. Here is a link to a free analysis of any company’s directory management: 

https://www.yext.com/s/3439733/partnerDashboard?b=3439733 

Question #6 

Do you use any software for reporting? When do you send out reporting? How often do I get a review and strategy meeting? Monthly, Quarterly? 

The Logic

It’s vital to have easy-to-read reporting. But, at the same time, be sure that the reporting is not simply duplicating Google Analytics and that your agency defines it as “reporting.” Google Analytics is the primary website reporting metric on almost every website. The insights are helpful and can help you make educated decisions on creating website traffic. But, Google Analytics should be the baseline reporting. More advanced reporting tools from companies like Agency Analytics (link) and AHRefs (link)can create reports that are more insightful and easier to read. 

Also, you will want reports monthly with a quarterly review meeting to measure progress and adjust strategy. 

Question #7 

Where is my website hosted? Is it on a private server or a shared server? What company do you use to host? How often are security updates, core updates, and plugin updates? 

The Logic

Your choice of hosting provider can increase your SEO value considerably. A private server compared to a shared server is like the difference between living in a gated community and an apartment building. For example, private servers only have the agency’s clients on them. Therefore, the agency can control security and be alerted if a website has been breached. 

On the other hand, shared servers are shared and have around 100+ clients from different companies with different security protocols. So, the company next to you on the server may have little to no security protocols. If another website on the server gets breached, it can also attack your website. Also, shared servers share traffic resources. So, if there is a large website on a shared server with a lot of traffic, the server will direct resources to that website by slowing down your website during peak demand times. No matter the case, Google will diminish your SEO value on a shared server due to security and speed issues. Accordingly, the company you use for your website hosting is vital to your SEO strategy. 

Finally, be sure the SEO company or website development team updates your website’s plugins, security, and core theme. These updates should occur every month or at least every quarter. Regularly updating these items will make your website more secure, run faster, and increase your SEO value. 

Question #8 

What software do you use for performance website audits? How often do you audit the websites? If elements appear malfunctioning, broken, etc., is there a charge to fix them? 

The Logic

If a website page malfunctions, a notification isn’t sent to the person managing the website. The only way to know and track issues is to audit the website using third-party software. These audits should take place a minimum of once a month. The paid versions of Screaming Frog, SEMRush, and UberSuggest do an excellent job of finding performance issues and recommending fixes. As discussed in #4, paid versions of software do a more thorough and cost-effective job of reviewing websites

If you want to discuss SEO or digital marketing elements, contact Power Marketing today.

The post Questions To Ask An SEO Company appeared first on Power-Marketing.

In the Summer of 1998, a South Korean technology company, Saehan Information Systems, launched the MP3 mobile player into the U.S. market. In the early 2000s, the popularity of the MP3 format exploded as more people began downloading the sharing music. Roughly two years later, Apple released the iPod. Similar to the potential battle between BARD and Chat GPT, Apple had significantly more resources to draw from. By 2006, iPod had 70% of the mobile player market. By 2012, MP3 players were less than 10% of the market. But that wasn’t the end of MP3 technology. MP3 files store music for widely used applications like Spotify and Apple. In addition, many Podcasts are distributed in MP3 format, and audiobooks use the technology. In short, MP3 technology found its place in the market.

Other than the first mover advantage, ChatGPT has some unique leverage. It’s trained on billions of words and data points to create human-like conversations based on the user’s input. These data points make it helpful in answering search questions, interacting with humans in products like chatbots, and analyzing and creating text for items for functions like emails (note: the functions of ChatGPT are vastly more complex and numerous, but in the initial stages the majority of users are focused on these aspects). Additionally, ChatGPT is highly flexible and adaptable. In other words, it keeps learning as more user input accumulates, allowing it to understand and improve over time. Also, keep in mind the version of ChatGPT is only a portion of the overall functionality developed by its creators, Open AI. Admittedly, the company has put “guard rails” to Chat GPT until the depth of its functions is more understood.

But lurking in the background are other AI programs similar to or better than ChatGPT, most notably Google’s product, BARD. Despite ChatGPT’s strengths, there are some areas in which ChatGPT may not compete with BARD. For example, Google has access to enormous amounts of data from its products, such as its search product. This data gives Google a significant advantage in training its algorithms and improving their accuracy.

Another area where ChatGPT may struggle is in the development of Application Program interfaces (APIs) and custom applications. Google has a wide range of APIs, such as Google Maps, Google Translate, and Google Places, and custom applications like Google Documents, Google Slides, and Google Analytics, allowing businesses and organizations to integrate AI technology into their operations seamlessly and efficiently. While ChatGPT is highly flexible, it may need to be better suited to these kinds of APIs and custom applications to become the leading player in AI.

The first significant shots have been fired in the battle for AI. The following 12-18 months will be pivotal in the fight for market dominance. ChatGPT is a game-changing tool, but can it survive the onslaught of competition? It may end up leading the market, it may end up finding a niche, or it may become obsolete.

The post Will ChatGPT go the way of the MP3 player? appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Artificial intelligence has been a hot topic of discussion even before predictive text made it easier to write emails. As a society, we’ve been fascinated by the idea of machine learning. As a result, countless books, movies, and television shows have centered around AI.

ChatGPT, or Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, is the most recent example of artificial intelligence that has made massive waves in the news. And soon, Google will publicly release their answer to ChatGPT called Bard. These chatbots go far above anything you’re used to interacting with on a retail website. These bots have been relatively rudimentary in the past, leaving them unable to answer anything beyond basic questions. ChatGPT caused quite a stir when users saw an incredibly advanced ability to respond to questions.

These tools are fun to mess around with, but at the same time, be very powerful. They can have massive implications for how we approach essential industries like customer service, healthcare, scientific research, and even search results. Let’s explore what these tools are and how they work.

Open AI: ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by OpenAI. It is trained on a massive amount of text data and uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like responses.

The model can be used for various tasks such as text completion, conversation generation, language translation, and more. ChatGPT works by using a type of deep learning called Transformer-based architecture. Transformer is an open-sourced neural network that Google open-sourced in 2017.

The model is trained on an extensive collection of text data to learn patterns and relationships between words and phrases.

Users write text in a chatbox and give directions on how they would like the response formatted. ChatGPT then generates an answer based on available information. Internal rules restrict these responses to avoid offensive topics and materials.

The output is generated word by word, where each word is selected based on the training data and the context of the prompt. The model uses an attention mechanism to weigh the importance of different input parts and generate a more coherent output.

The results are awe-inspiring. Users can ask ChatGPT to expand on previous points, reword the responses, and even include sources.

Google: Bard Chatbot

Bard is Google’s answer to ChatGPT. It is a conversational AI service that their Language Model powers for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA) language generation technology. LaMDA was designed to be versatile and can be fine-tuned for a variety of language generation tasks. It can also generate text in multiple modalities, such as text, images, and sound—making it a powerful tool for creating dialogue-based applications.

Bard was released on a limited scale to testers on February 6th, 2023. It is expected to be released to the general public within a month. It builds its responses from information gathered from the internet.

The initial release will be powered by a lightweight version of LaMDA to save on computing power. Bard’s responses will be assessed for quality through user feedback as well as internal testing.

Bard functions much like ChatGPT in that the user enters a prompt into a chat window, and the AI answers instantaneously.

It’s still unknown how Bard will measure up to ChatGPT, as it is in the very early stages of release. We expect a large amount of feedback to be used to improve the service over time, but we won’t honestly know its potential until Bard is made public.

What Does All This Mean?

The ways ChatGPT and Bard will be used aren’t fully known. They are still very new to the market, and users are in the early phases of learning how to maximize their potential.

However, we know that AI has the potential to bring about significant changes in many areas of society. For instance, healthcare services could be revolutionized by enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses of illnesses. In addition, customer service can be improved with 24/7 support that provides much better answers to questions/problems. Efficiency can also be enhanced for many industries, including manufacturing, transportation, and finance.

However, not all of the implications of AI are considered to be positive. It has the potential to automate many tasks and jobs, which could lead to individuals being replaced in their positions. While these improvements will help maximize the returns of a business, they might not necessarily be suitable in all circumstances. The efficiency capabilities of AI could lead to the automation of many tasks and jobs, which could result in job displacement and economic restructuring.

However, ChatGPT and Bard are used; they represent a massive step forward in technological capabilities.

The post Understanding ChatGPT and Bard: The Future of AI Chatbots appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Response Time

The importance of response time to a lead has been the topic of numerous studies. Of course, the results vary based on product, industry, etc. But the theme is the same: the quicker you respond, the more likely you are to generate a qualified lead. When I say response time, I mean making a phone call. Emailing should be your second option for initial contact and should be used if the potential customer did not include the phone number or answer the initial call. Whatever the case, the faster you make contact, the better the chances of creating a lead. In my 20+ years of handling leads, I’ve yet to have a potential customer complain when they’ve provided a phone number on a lead form, and I’ve called them immediately.

Make no mistake. I love email. Email is a fantastic way to set up communication regularly and unobtrusively. But, picking up the phone provides a more personal experience and allows you to answer complex questions.

Also, be sure you set up the routing of requests through your CRM. So, if someone does submit a request, the correct people are notified immediately, and there is no confusion about the person responsible for responding.

One of the issues I hear from our home builders is, “We are a big-ticket item. A potential homebuyer will not base their decision on the first person that responds.” There is some truth to this statement. But, around half of potential leads will buy from the first person to respond. It is not because someone is putting on the hard sell. It is because they are the first person to help guide them through the process. Also, look at it from the point of view of your potential customer. When a lead submits a contact form, they are thinking about your product and are most likely free to discuss it. The average consumer is almost 57% of the way through the buying process before they reach out to sales. If you wait 24 hours to respond, the lead has already drifted back into their hectic world of work, kids, soccer games, bills, etc.

Chatbots

55% of buyers would prefer to communicate with a company through messenger. Chatbots are a great way to grab leads while a potential customer is surfing your website, and their interest is probably at its highest level. Chatbots are rules-based. That means the bots help answer simple questions and offer resources to answer more complex questions. The Chatbots are programmed to give you automated responses based on a potential client’s responses. Here is an example of a Chatbot conversation.

ChatBot: Hi! Are you interested in Power Marketing Services?
Response: Yes

ChatBot: Are you a Homebuilder?
Response: Yes.

ChatBot: Which one of these marketing services are you interested in?

• Website Development
• Google Ads
• Search Engine Optimization
• CRM Management
• Email Marketing

Response: Website development
Chatbot: Perfect! Power Marketing has developed over 500 home builder websites, which is our specialty. Since it is past regular business hours, Scott or Josh will contact you the next business day.

Please give us your name, email address, or phone number, and we will reply ASAP.

Response: Steve Zachary, stevez1028@att.net.

Chatbot: Thank you. We look forward to discussing your project. For examples of our work, please visit our gallery (link added to gallery).

You must be clear to the potential customer they are interacting with a Chatbot. Not only is this a good idea for relating to the user, but it’s also illegal in some states for a Chatbot to appear human. Only use Chatbots for simple tasks. I’ve seen many Chatbot conversation records ending in the potential customer writing, “This chat is worthless,” or I will buy from XYZ company since they can answer my questions.

Set the expectation for response time if you utilize a chatbot outside regular business hours. Customers expect an immediate response, so if it is after hours, make clear you will respond in a specific timeframe. If possible, use the name of the person(s) responding, providing your potential customer with a more personal experience. If you are using Chatbot during business hours, be sure there is an option to reach a human.

Finally, offer value before asking for the potential customer’s information. You want to come across as a resource, not an email/phone number collection service for spamming them with unwanted information.

Live Chat

Live Chat is an excellent way to collect leads without appearing too much like a salesperson. Live Chat allows you to be a resource to a potential customer at the beginning of the sales journey. 99% of first-time visitors to your website are not ready to buy, and 82% of potential customers want an immediate response to sales questions. The new buyer does their research. Live Chat lets you help while a potential customer researches your product or offers a conversational way to answer questions immediately.

Design your Live Chat pop-up with a message that is helpful and conversational. Include a name and photo to humanize the experience.

Ideally, you will be answering immediately. But, be sure to set the expectation if something goes afoul and delays response time.

“Hi, I am Scott with Power Marketing. I am happy to help if you have any questions. Usually, we answer within five minutes.”

If you use a Live Chat feature, ensure someone is available to answer questions. Live Chat is an excellent feature if you use it correctly. However, if you leave people hanging when they expect an immediate response, they will leave your website. Most likely, they will go to your competitor’s website.

Also, set up snippets for commonly asked questions. A snippet is a saved response for a question that you can cut and paste into a reply. For example, one of our website’s most commonly asked questions is, “What specific digital marketing services do you offer?” So we’ve created a saved response or snippet that reads, we handle all aspects of digital marketing. The most common elements are website design, search engine optimization (SEO), Google Ads or Pay-Per-Click (PPC), email marketing, CRM management, and content development. Is this what you are looking for?”

Snippets save you time and keep you from making grammatical errors that can damage your credibility.

Call-To-Action (CTA) / Blog Post

Content is the primary driver of SEO traffic to your website. That content should be helpful, engaging, and ACTIONABLE. Unfortunately, many web designers and content writers neglect the term actionable. Your blog/resource page should be one of your high-traffic pages. Call-to-action buttons, or CTA’s, use words such as Learn More, Download our SEO Guide, Subscribe to Our Newsletter, and Contact Us to add value to your website visitor. The example below is from Office Vibe and is part of their blogs:

If a potential customer is reading your blog, they are interested in your product. The best time to capture their information is while they are thinking about your product. Your odds of turning them into a lead are exponentially higher if you capture their information while researching on your website.

Always include a CTA at the bottom of your article. If someone takes the time to read the entire post, they are very interested. Give them the chance to learn more when they finish. Most people will skim a blog post for relevant information. So, typically, we recommend a CTA just above the digital fold. “Above the fold” in blog terms means it is visible when the article downloads. The user will have a quick option to get more information while skimming the article.

The verbiage and design of your CTA will vary based on your offering. But, the information requested on the CTA is more standard. Remember, keep the request as simple as possible. Ask for name (first and last), email address, and phone number.

The theory on required fields is also a judgment call. We like to make first names and emails required. Last name and phone number are optional. With internet privacy concerns reaching urgent levels, many potential customers fear giving too much information to an entity. Also, if someone does give you their phone number, even though it isn’t required, the individual is probably a more serious lead.

Lead generation is the main reason you built a website. Since the advent of digital marketing, the buying process has changed dramatically. The consumer is more educated and waits longer before reaching out to sales. If your company can be a resource early in the sales process, you will increase the odds the lead will become a customer.

Let Power Marketing’s digital experts evaluate your website to optimize your lead capture. Call us at 615.257.0057 to discuss how to make your marketing strategy successful. You can also use our Contact form at your convenience.

The post My Website is Getting Traffic, Now What? (i.e., Lead Capturing) appeared first on Power-Marketing.

The post Sneaky homebuyers! appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Have you incorporated a customized email campaign into your marketing plan? No! … Then NOW is the time!

Email marketing is a cost-effective, targeted, measurable strategy able to drive homebuyers to your sales centers, model homes, and, of course, your homebuilding website.

The simple fact that homebuyers provided you with their contact information means they are waiting to hear from you! This is referred to as permission-based marketing—undeniable proof that your homebuyers are eager to learn more about your new homes and communities.

So don’t wait any longer! Get your email campaign started today!

Schedule your FREE consultation now!

The post Tuesday Tip 8/7/18 – Targeted Homebuying Communications Get Results appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Republished from Infusionsoft.com, December 6th, 2016. Written by Jake Johnson.

Most small businesses live and die by their email lists. So, naturally, growing that list is a priority. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Many business owners put the basic blocks in place: a website and landing pages with lead capture forms, a blog you can subscribe to, and an e-book or whitepaper to give away in exchange for an email address.

Those are solid efforts, but if you want to kick your list growth into hyperdrive, you have to get creative. Here are five proven ways to grow your email list.

Content upgrades

Content upgrades are smaller pieces of content that can have a big impact. They are generally tied specifically to the context of a blog post and are highly actionable.

Are you doing a how-to post on a technical subject? Create a checklist that readers can download in exchange for an email address—published a post on how to write better emails. Make a pack of email templates that your readers can use immediately. Have a body of work already published related to a topic you’re currently discussing? Package those posts into a PDF and offer that up for further reading and study.

When done right, content upgrades can significantly increase your conversion rates. For instance, Backlinkco.com reported a 785 percent increase in conversions in one day by simply putting content upgrades to work for them.

Networking events and conferences

Everyone loves a good networking event or conference. But awkwardly standing around, clumsily introducing yourself to strangers after having one too many gin and tonics, is not (always) an effective way to leverage said events.

The usual flinch is to tell these random strangers what you do. But a better approach is to redirect the conversation to find out the challenges they’re facing. Then, if appropriate, you can discuss how your business solves similar problems. Mention that you have written about these solutions, ask if you can send them some articles or an e-book you’ve written, and get permission to opt them into your mailing list.

This positions you as a valuable resource instead of just another person trying to sell your services. So they may not be ready to purchase at the event, but you’ll be top of mind when they are.

Customer Incentives

Often, business owners are so focused on creating more leads that they neglect the goldmine sitting right underneath them—their current customer base.

Here’s a tactic to reward your existing customers and create leads in one fell swoop. Create an e-book, webinar, or some other lead magnet. Then, create a promotion for your customers that rewards them for sharing that content with their contacts.

For example, you could discount future services for every lead from customers sharing the lead magnet. Using a platform like LeadDyno, which integrates with Infusionsoft, you can create affiliate links for each of your customers that send people to a gated lead-capture page. This way, you can track the leads from each customer. It’s a win-win for you and your customers. They get a great deal, and you grow your list.

Leveraging your sales and support teams

Your sales and support teams constantly communicate with your prospects and customers. Often, these are missed opportunities to opt these folks into your email list.

Many existing customers, for whatever reason, are not on your list. Perhaps they came in straight from a phone call, or maybe somewhere along the line, they opted out. A customer service call is an excellent opportunity to opt them in. The upside is they have regular exposure to your brand, and now you can increase incremental sales by offering them upsells and cross-sells.

Conversely, there will be times when your sales team will talk with prospects who aren’t on your list. Make it part of their regular practice to ask for an opt-in. If the prospect becomes a customer, you can cross and upsell. You can nurture them until they are ready if they don’t buy now.

Co-marketing with complimentary brands

You are most likely in contact with or aware of brands that complement your offer. Extend an invitation to work on a content asset that allows you to share leads.

We did this with our partner Wistia by creating a comprehensive micro-site on video marketing for small businesses. We marketed to each of our prospective lists and then had an opt-in option for both brands’ email lists. The result was thousands of leads each we wouldn’t have had exposure to otherwise.

The post 5 Proven Ways to Grow Your Email List appeared first on Power-Marketing.

There are so many benefits included when utilizing a marketing automation service to attract and nurture qualified leads, but one of the true perks that doesn’t get enough attention is what happens after the sale.

Convert Your Clients Into Repeat Customers

We discussed how to know who is visiting your website, precisely how to nurture your leads and how easy it is to close more sales. With a marketing automation like Easy LeadLocker, you also have the ability to continue building a relationship with your customers by offering additional services.

• Follow up with your clients to ask if there is anything else you can provide.
• Remind them of your other products and services.
• Ask them for a review or testimonial of their recent purchase.
• Request contact information from colleagues, friends and family who will also benefit from meeting you.
• Emphasize you’re always there if they have any questions regarding their purchase.

A satisfied customer is your best marketing tool. By incorporating your marketing automation service into your sales mix you’re now able to tap into your existing client base, achieving even more sales without investing in new leads.

Imagine the impact a marketing automation service like Easy LeadLocker, built on the powerful Infusionsoft platform, can have on your company’s bottom line.

Perhaps you’ve heard about marketing automation in the past, but weren’t quite sure it was the right solution for your business. Hopefully this series has helped you gain a better understanding of marketing automation. If you still have questions I’m here to help! You can schedule a Free Demonstration or simply call me directly at 301.416.7861. I can’t wait to show you how easy, affordable and convenient it is to increase sales by up to 300%.

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