Recently, we had a client reach out to get some ideas on ways in which they could improve their marketing performance (specifically in relation to their website). Here was my response of recommended activities that are rooted squarely in the Audience Engagement Cycle framework:
- 80/20 analysis: Let’s find the money. Who are your best clients? Who do you want to work with again? What gigs make you the most money?
- Build personas: Let’s create profiles for your ideal clients to have a better understanding of where they go to get information, what gives them a headache, what problems do they just want to go away (with which you can help)?
- ATTRACT phase – Local Search optimization: Really digging into local search is going to improve your ability to be found in the local search market. The easiest way to do this is to use an aggregator service to submit your profile to search engines. We have used Yext and Moz Local in the past and Brightlocal is another option. This can also be accomplished manually, but an automated service is faster.
- ATTRACT phase – Build out your site: Right now, you have a single page which is great. However, if you want to drive people to specific services and provide the search engines the ability to distinguish between each of your service offerings, you really should build out individual pages for each service, create landing pages for specific offers, and flesh out the site more. I’d expand your sitemap quite a bit with dedicated service pages, a contact page, and maybe even a B2B page to talk about how you can partner with larger firms to help them execute.
- ATTRACT phase – Jumpstart your outreach: Social is the most obvious place to do this. Set up some SMART goals and start hitting them. Play specifically in those areas where your targets are active. This could include some ad spend for retargeting (Google) or on social. Get consistent here. LinkedIn outreach might be worthwhile for your B2B play.
- ATTRACT phase – Site content: It’s a good idea to create a steady stream of materials on your site to provide information about what you do, how you do it, how you serve people and make their lives better, etc. A blog (regardless of the content typewritten, video, audio, etc.) is the first way to accomplish this. It would be a good idea to chat about how to accomplish this on the site and to get consistent with it.
- ATTRACT phase – Ongoing SEO: There’s no silver bullet for SEO and it requires regular investment to ensure that your site dominates the first page of rankings. We recommend regular investment in both on- and off-site SEO activities to help with this. Particularly in competitive markets and business sectors.
- CONNECT phase – Build out your offers: Let’s give people some value exchange to get them into your sales systems. These could be tip sheets, checklists, case studies for which you get email addresses in exchange for the information. We’d want to create landing pages, thank you pages, and, ideally, integrate a CRM to enable you to automate follow-ups.
- BOND phase – Hook up a CRM: This is where CONNECT transitions into nurturing and can either be a manual process (kept on track via your CRM) or feature some automation. Ultimately, we want to enable you to provide the right message to the right people at the right time and this requires some consistency in contact and managing your sales process. All of which is made easier through the commitment to the utilization of a CRM. Regular emails, information, new trends, etc. are all part of this program and much of this material can be used to ATTRACT as well.
- INSPIRE phase – Nurture existing relationships: This phase starts as soon as someone becomes a client. It shows them that you care about getting the job done right and not just the sale. This transcends the During Unit (while you are working with them) and into the After Unit (once the job is complete) to stay with them every step of the way and inspire them to leave a review, tell their friends and family about you, and even shout your praises on social. This phase includes everything from initial “why did you choose us” surveys, to email automation throughout the project and beyond, to sending physical cards and gifts. It’s all about leveraging the relationship you have created to level up.
After chatting with them about options, it became clear that their biggest opportunity lies in the INSPIRE phase of engagement at this time. Right now, 90+% of their new business comes from referrals, word of mouth, and repeat business and they aren’t doing a great job of really cementing these relationships.
Since they are a small shop (one fella running everything at this juncture), I suggested they connect with a Virtual Assistant to help them stay on target with all the little things that can really supercharge the INSPIRE phase of engagement: Thank you cards, celebratory gift baskets tailored for each project, and to build and execute upon systems to stay in touch and reinforce those relationships they have built through their good work.
Want help figuring out your next, best steps for success? Let’s schedule some time to learn more about your objectives.
Don’t forget, we offer a FREE site audit that can help you see how your site is fairing in the Audience Engagement Cycle.
