Anne:    How do the Lead Magnet get sales?

KP:       You have a follow through service with links.  So your magnet isn’t a stand alone.  It’s part of your whole programme, it’s embedded.  So whatever you want to do, your follow on services flow your lead magnet.

Anne:    In other words don’t just pop it up there and hope for the best, it’s got to be part of the package?

KP:       That’s right.  Marketing only works when it’s integrated.  When one bit works with another bit.. which works with another bit.  Marketing doesn’t work very effectively if you do one bit and you do that really well but it doesn’t go anywhere.

You might be lucky and get sales from it but that’s where it’s hard for small business owners who aren’t trained in marketing to actually realise that it’s a concept.  Think of marketing as an orchestra and every instrument, every tool has a part to play in growing your business.

Mike:    What is the relationship, if any, between what they call squeeze pages, landing pages and a lead magnet?

KP:       A lead magnet isn’t necessarily on a squeeze page.  A squeeze page is where someone lands on a page and they can’t do anything else.  The lead magnet seminar page that you arrived on was a squeeze page because there was nowhere else you could go apart from decide whether to sign up or press the “back” key on your browser.  They were the only two pages where you could have gone.  That’s forcing you to make a decision.

If you go to the the Twitter Report page on my case study, where it’s got all of the recommendations and the graphic and stuff, that’s basically another squeeze page.

I’ve also got the Twitter report lead magnet on HaveMoreClients home page which is nothing like a squeeze page.  People don’t have to sign up to it, but people do.  It depends where the lead magnet fits within all the other bits of your marketing and what is it that you want it to do.  All these things have their place.

Mike:    Thank you.

Post your questions and receive answers on how to use Lead Magnets to attract more clients.

Step one:  Learn what your market wants and how they want to receive it

So who is your market? Be specific! The more specific, the more personal you appear. You want people to think/feel “That’s me!” Creating that understanding goes a long way in the “Know, Like and Trust” of relationships

By creating a profile of your ideal client group, commonalities arise and that makes it easier for you to communicate to the whole group.

Be wary of creating multiple groups as this will increase your marketing effort. Each group requires a specific message for them to feel/think “That’s me!”

On the flip side, you can provide information in different formats and topics to suit sub-groups.

Some of us are auditory, some of us are kinaesthetic, others’ are visionary.  What happens is that when we provide everything through text we limit our marketability.

The easiest way of finding what your market wants is to ask them. You can do this by interviewing them on the phone, face to face or in small groups depending upon your skills, time and resources. Interviews are great when you want to learn the language your market uses as well as more about them. If you have the evidence regarding language, then a questionnaire can be the quickest and easiest way.

And if you really don’t want to contact the market first hand, you can look at what’s been published on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores. By seeing the numbers of books, the words and topics addressed gives you a good indication what’s been done and is popular.

Step Two:  Create the content to suit your market

The basic formats for Lead Magnets are Text, Audio, Video and the combinations.

The most common statement from small business owner clients is “But, I don’t have content. I don’t have enough to say” And, that is usually after they have spoken passionately about their business for thirty minutes.

It doesn’t matter weather you have a product based business or offer services. You have content.

Every business owner is an expert in their area. If not, then they won’t have a business that will last that long!

By concentrating on the themes arising from Step One, you have topics from which to add your perspective and stamp. This is important in the Know, Like and Trust cycle. If you appear to be little more than saying the “same ole”, there will be little to distinguish you from others. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your thought leadership, your perspective. By doing this, you increase your attractiveness and likeability to the market.

Step Three: Add the Lead Magnet to your webpage

This can be to the homepage of your site, your blog, or even create a mini-site that just has your lead magnet. Well, it could be on all – the essential ingredient is to have an email capture mechanism.

People have asked if Lead Magnets only work online. The answer is no – you can hand deliver the lead magnet. But to increase the effectiveness of your marketing, it is much better to have Lead Magnets online so people can get the material when it suits them.

All your offline promotion can direct people to your website/page with your lead magnet.

Too many websites are little more than brochures, they cost money to create and maintain but don’t actually work for your business. Lead Magnets helps you to redress the balance and start to turn your website into a profit centre rather than a drain on resources.

Step Four – Promote your Magnet

What if you just add it to your existing marketing?

Instantly you are open 24/7, 365 days a year.

You are no longer open 9-5 five days a week.

People can consume you whenever they want and what’s so great about this is that you know they are interested in what you have written about or what you recorded because they have downloaded it.

Then it is up to you to build that relationship up over time.

The big emphasis about adding a lead magnet to your marketing mix is that you know what they are interested in, you build up a relationship so that they know they like and trust you.  Once they trust you, they will open their wallet.

Just think about how you buy.  Do you buy from people who you don’t know?  You might if it’s a low cost, low risk transactional purchase. Great, if you are in this market?  But with selling services that can be quite expensive, we need know how we can build that relationship so people trust and are happy to part with their money.

Here are ten ways to promote your Lead Magnet

1. Business cards

   You could have your url on your business card pointing to your lead magnet.  That’s important.  How many business cards do you give away in a week?  What are people going to do?  The first thing they are going to do if they do anything from your business card is look at your website.

2. Articles

   Whether you’ve got online or offline articles or whether you post articles in special groups or directories you have an opportunity to put a link to your lead magnet.

3. Your blog post

   You could put a call to action at the bottom of your blog post that points to your lead magnet.

4. Networking

   Every time you go networking you can tell people that you have a lead magnet, something on your website that you can download.  Not only that but it makes it easier for your vendors and suppliers to be networking for you.  They’re not recommending you as a sale, they can say “Oh, I know Samantha, she does that sort of work and I know she’s got an e-book you can download/a video you can watch”.  That’s going to be worth a lot.  It’s going to have more traffic coming to your lead magnet.

5. Google Ad Words

   These are great but I don’t recommend you do it at the beginning, it’s a more advanced activity.  Do Google Ad Words when you’ve proven that your lead magnet is magnetic otherwise you’ll be spending money and not getting a return.

6. Press releases

   You can do online press releases as well as those to go into magazines and papers of your choice that are read by your market.

7. Public speaking

   You can structure your talk so people can get more information by downloading  your information.

8. You can give testimonials

   People talk about testimonials as getting them from people.  Actually giving testimonials is a great promotional tool.  It means you are seen by people who are not in your usual circle.

   You are able to show people the sort of business you are in the way to give testimonials. Also, you build up links form other sites with testimonials.

   If you give testimonials and you give freely, it will actually increase your promotions, particularly if you then put your web address linking back to the lead magnet.

9. Social networking

   Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and all the other sites that you could be using that reaches your market. Each of these can be regarded as a distinct tool as they appeal to different groups of people and the way you present the material matters to each platform.

10. Inserts in magazines and newsletters

    That’s a bit like Google Ad Words, it will cost money and you want to make sure that your magnet is magnetic before you do that.

You don’t have to spend lots of money to market your business.  You do have to spend money on learning how to do it but not to deliver it.  If you’re spending lots of money, I suggest that you look at different ways of marketing your business.

Now you have the four steps. These are the same steps I use in my own business and with clients. If you would like to learn how to do, go to Lead Magnet Secrets. Training starts on 24th March 2010

I hear this a lot when speaking to business owners, the holy grail of gaining sales with no effort. Don’t get me wrong, it is possible to have business only through referrals. But, and there is a but…

Not all referrals are equal and not all past customers refer at the same rate or with the same calibre of prospect. So, there is a requirement for a system to be in place monitoring this and rewarding those who bring you more business. After all, how much would you have a pay a salesperson to bring in the same business?

Depending upon how your enquiries arrive, the simplest way is to ask the person where they heard about you.

On the internet, the first time you may know of the referral is when they purchase, so make sure you have a field where they can add the name of the referee.

On the phone, you can have a standard form either directly into your CRM system, which could just as easily be a spreadsheet as well as an off the shelf package. Add a field to collect this information making sure you specify how to store client referrals.

The key is to collect the information so that you are able to search the database for the top referees. It is those referees who are effectively doing the job of a salesperson and you can acknowledge your appreciation.

Appreciate your Referees

Appreciation can be shown in a number of ways from simply sending a handwritten note to giving them something that demonstrates your gratitude. For this, contact colleagues, spouse or others to find out what the referring client would really appreciate. This may be a trip to the opera, weekend away or a fabulous meal in a 5 star restaurant. Rewarding your top referees in this way, shows you appreciate their thoughts and efforts. This will result in them continuing their current behaviour.

Level of Appreciation

You may be thinking “how do I decide on the level of gift?” Consider the following:

1. How much business they have brought to you
2. What impact has it had on your business? This may be additional staff, keeping current staff, updating vehicles, computer systems etc
3. How much would it have cost with a salesperson or using another marketing method?

The answers will give you the level of appreciation award.

Reactivate Past Referees

Now, if you find that most clients only refer once or twice and stop. Then this is an opportunity to review and change. First, contact a few referees, reconnect with them and ask them about any referrals they may have. This opens up the conversation to explore what is happening and whether showing appreciation would be helpful. Remember to “read between the lines” with these responses.

Referrals happening as a result of feeling good about the service and/or experience received. Reciprocity, if once there, can be reactivated and maintained.

Next Steps

Follow this guidance and you will be increasing the volume of business arriving effortlessly

Tell me what proportion of your business comes through referrals and how you track your primary referees.

Really, as with all marketing, which platform is best for what you want to achieve.

There is having connections with people on all the sites and that is great to keep in touch but it may not have anything to do with marketing.

I know alot of professional service firms pooh-pooh Facebook and that leaves a great opportunity for the firms who don’t. Facebook Fan Pages will grow in importance as people learn how they are to use them.

Linkedin is a great site for business to business (but not exclusively so) but it does depend on how you use it. Again, goes back to what your goals are. Setting up groups and participating in groups are great ways of gaining credibility and extending your market. But, you need to have something else to follow on too.

What is at your website to capture interest further?

How are you going to convert interest into a client?

How are you going to do that as well as servicing clients?

Great questions that need answers otherwise your ROI will be poor.

If you are using Linkedin as if you would personal networking, then you may be missing opportunities. I have a guide on how to use linkedin here

The fundamental difference between face to face networking and online networking is the scale. Face to face tends to be 1 to 1 and sometimes 1 to many. While, online networking is many to many… that’s new and it means that if you change your approach, your returns will also increase.

With regards to Twitter, it is an interesting tool. And, I think you have think what you want to achieve. Also, is your market on twitter? With twitter, a tweet life expectancy is around 10 minutes. So, if your market isn’t consuming in real time there is less chance that your efforts will be received. Sure, there are tools that collect tweets from people you are particularly interested in but that won’t be for lots of people.

Again, I think you can use twitter in a tactical way to have lots of comments on an event, topic etc.

On a personal note, I like sites where I am able to explore concepts, engage with others in that exploration and make new connections. Connections aren’t always prospects but they are always interesting. Taking that perspective further, it’s about how to create win:win outcomes…

How do you use the different social networking sites?

Well, here are my resolutions, yes I know its a couple of days early, but….

1. Keep to having three critical thinking slots in my diary on a weekly basis.
   I usually get caught up in the doing whether that is with client work or my own marketing and then I lose sight of the goal.
2. Promote the MaxWebLive page on Facebook so more people get marketing tips and can offer their own through the page. By the end of 2010, the page will have in excess of 1,000 fans – a great way to interact with others whilst learning. Be one of the trendsetters and become a fan now!
3. Be more vocal about the successes achieved using the Marketing Iceberg System both internally and with clients
4. Use the telephone more to chat to prospects and clients. This isn’t about cold calling but moving off the text medium quicker.
5. Demonstrate how video brings in enquiries

So, what are your resolutions?

If you need to have more information or skills to realise your resolutions, please add your question on the form to the right above…. looking forward to making your 2010 your most successful yet!

The interview lasts for 30 minutes and covers:

1. What would you say the advantages of email marketing are?
2. What tips would you give to the readers regarding subject lines?
3. What tips would you give to readers regarding open rates?
4. What are your tips for improving click-through rates?
5. What is your opinion on e-newsletters?
6. How often would you recommend sending out emails?
7. What would your Top 5 Tips be for start-up Email Marketers?

Plus much more

If you have questions still unanswered, leave them in comments for an answer

Happy Listening

But, what’s really going on?

On one hand we have the technology developing and bring applications that enable people to communicate differently. Is technology driving the cultural changes or merely a catalyst?

Social Media hasn’t just arrived but has emerged over a 20 year period and, don’t just take my word for it – the technology evolution is discussed here.

There is another shift that’s been happening alongside this. It’s the shift in marketing from pushing your messages out there to demonstrating your leadership through content.  And, this is affecting all companies – global, local, large, small. No one is immune!

People are changing the way they consume television, newspapers, books, how they keep in touch with friends….and, there’s the blurring of the business with the social. All these things have an impact on how people choose to make purchases.

Take a listen to this audio prepared for subscribers of MaxWeb on how technology, society and marketing created now!

So, instead of pushing sales messages, you market through information. Enter – Content Marketing. The concept has been around for a while with the white paper, conference papers, the ebook, the book – but, with the technology the ways content can be produced is booming.

Now, that’s great news for everyone, for you can cost effectively deliver material in different formats and Junta42 gives 42 ways. The big advantage of this is that your prospects and clients are receiving the material in the format that best suits them.

So, you know the different formats and that social media is here to stay, what will you say? And, from working with clients and our own marketing, this can be the most tricky aspect.

It’s not necessarily what you find of interest that your market will find of interest.

Content Marketing is about knowing what will appeal to your market and where you want to lead them and how they will get there.

What’s  a real issue with content marketing is setting up a system that will enable you, your business to effectively lead people through your content to buy from you and have an ongoing relationship without flagging in your material.

I know there are pundits out there that say, don’t wait just do it! And, I can see where they are coming from. But, from our own experience, it is better to gather, trial, create your content strategy and system and then go live!

Please remember social media marketing is in addition to what you do offline unless your market is completely online.

Let me know what your experience of content marketing has been.

Now, there is chatter about 2011 and 2012!

If you are just making it through 2009, can you make it through 2011 as well. Sure, there is an upturn forecast in 2010 but will this be enough to recover from 2009 and save for the next downturn?

Small businesses operate on cash – so there has to be a positive cash flow. Without it, the business is dead. The way through any downturn is to make sure your marketing effort is focused to bring results.  Here are 5 things to structure your business to ensure you have cash:

1. Payment in advance
   Restructure your terms of business so you receive payments in advance. This means you won’t be chasing payments when your customers hold onto their cash.
2. Review your client base
   How recession proof are your existing clients? If they are feeling the impact of the recession now, focus your attention on more affluent groups. They will be more likely to have money to spend.
3. Develop new offerings
   If you offer bespoke services on a one to one basis, you can reactivate your current customer base by offering group services where costs are shared. They still receive help, support and results on a budget. The way this is done will depend upon whet you do and what the market wants.
4. Create additional revenue streams
   This is more easy for those who are able to package elements of their services as standalone information products. These can be used independently or an as adjunct to any of your group service offerings.
5. Promotional Partners
   Approach companies who are also serving your market to arrange for cross promotional activity. There is a win-win to this approach – both partners can gain sales and, well potentially much more.

Now, some of these will be instant while others will take time to implement. You’ve got a year before the next downturn starts – that can be enough time. Act now! Subscribe to karenpurves.com to get more about how to turn the downturn into business growth.