Bay Area Inbound Marketing Blog

Marketing has evolved as people spend more time on the internet. Consumers now look to internet search engines, the blogosphere and social networking sites when they want authoritative information on products and services. Have you developed a strategic marketing approach that makes it easy for people to find you in this new virtual world?

The average person receives 2,000 outbound marketing messages per day. As the number of marketing messages have increased, so has the sophistication of technologies to block these messages. Caller ID, spam filters and Tivo are just a few examples.

How do I get more leads? More website visitors results in more leads which means more sales. At each stage in the sales funnel (converting visitors to leads and leads to customers) you want to offer value to your potential clients. When they receive value, they are more engaged and are more likely to buy.

Inbound marketing is the process of making it easier for people who are looking for products and services like yours to find you and move down your sales funnel.

• How do I get more site visitors? – Google has an algorithm that determines how high your business website will show up on a Google search. Blogging often and using the right keywords is a key part of the formula. Another important factor involves how many links to your website you have. Creating an active social media presence that directs people to your site from Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other sites is also important.
• How do I get more leads? – Once people click to your site, give them a reason to stay. Think about what your target audience would find useful. Ask for their name and email address in exchange for a free e-book, a discount, a sample or a free evaluation.
• How can I increase sales? – After you engage your site visitors and convert them into warm leads, then you can talk to them about your products and services. How can your offering solve their problem in a cost-effective way? 

The economic downturn has forced businesses to be more creative in how they generate new business leads. Businesses cannot afford to attend as many trade shows in far-flung locations, overprint hard copy brochures and make endless cold calls. Inbound marketing is more effective and costs less to get more leads to your website.