July 2015 - Newsletter

Hello - Nearly 90% of buyers use the web to research products and services before they make a purchase. Learn how you can improve your online strategies to connect effectively with your audience, in The Edge.

• Web Strategy - How Much Does Your Website Influences Buyers, More Than You Think!
• Content Marketing - Is Content the Sales Rep of the Internet Era?
• Nurturing - Will Lead Nurturing Increase Your Sales?
  

Buyers Judge You By Your Website!

Many organizations have developed and grown based on great customer relationships. But will that strategy, without an effective website, sustain you in the future? What if a customer refers an associate to your company and the first step is to check out your website. What would they think? 46% of people look at the website as the most important criterion in determining company credibility!

What do they look at?

Design ~
Outdated fonts, flash content and a site that doesn't open uniformly on unique devices, screams outdated. An outdated site won't encourage your audience to learn more about you.

Organization ~
The most important factor in website design is making it easy for users to find what they need. That starts with navigation. Like a restaurant with dozens of food choices, a website with too many menu options decreases the ability for a user to find what they need.

Content ~
Ultimately, users visit a website to obtain useful information. A content rich experience that answers questions, the questions buyers have as they make their journey through the purchasing process, will encourage the reader to return.

Learn 9 website improvements you can make so prospects will engage with your company.

The Consumer Determines When and How to Interact with a Seller

In today's online world, 57% of a purchase decision is made before a buyer even contacts a seller! Early in the purchasing process buyers choose websites, videos, blogs and social media as the preferred method of interaction to assist them in their decision making.

Buyers look for information that coincides with where they are in the purchasing process. Educational information, solution guides, vendor comparisons and implementation plans were provided in the past by an account team. Today, the prospect looks for that content online.

Even buyers who know you, find out more about you online. How often do you present a new capability to a buyer but for a variety of reasons it doesn't resonate at that moment? Buyers need information, when they need the information. Today, they find it online.

Will buyers find you online? See where your site ranks.

Companies That Excel At Lead Nurturing Generate 50% More Sales Ready Leads

Do you ever pass along a lead to sales only to hear that it was the waste of their time? Perhaps the prospect wasn't ready to buy or just kicking the tires. Regardless, if this happens only a few times, soon your sales force won't prioritize the leads you send them.

The reality? Over 70% of the leads you receive aren't sales ready. Of the leads that are qualified, 50% aren't ready to buy. That's why you need lead nurturing.

Developing lead nurturing techniques helps businesses convert more leads into satisfied clients. So, what exactly is lead nurturing? Essentially it's a method used to build relationships with potential clients even if they are not currently looking to buy a product or service.

Although results vary, organizations that implement effective nurturing programs generate increased revenue. For example:

• 15% - 20% of not ready to purchase convert into sales after lead nurturing
• Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases

And automated lead nurturing programs can further improve performance. Gartner reports that automated lead management programs result in a 10% or greater increase in revenue in just 6 - 9 months!

Interested in how lead nurturing could work for you? Schedule a demo to learn more.