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In previous blogs in this marketing series, we’ve focused on the “top of the sales funnel,” deploying those tactics that attract new visitors to your website. These are folks who perhaps have searched for some particular product or need, or maybe viewed one of your blogs, but are brand-new to what you have to offer.   Now it’s time to move these first-time visitors who have just become aware of your existence a bit further down the sales funnel, to what is known as the middle of the sales funnel, where you’ll nurture them and turn their awareness into interest.   One key component of mid-funnel marketing is demand generation. It identifies prospects who are first-time site visitors, perhaps who have commented on your blog or social posts, or even downloaded a piece of content, and guides them toward further engagement with your messages.   Key Approaches to Demand Gen   Let’s consider a few tactics to create demand for your products and services in the middle of the sales funnel, to …

What’s the one simple trick you need to know in order to grab someone’s attention? It’s a tool you can use right before you bring in your main message…and it will help your clients focus more on what you’re saying. First take a minute to think about what you pay attention to and what you don’t give time towards. You’ll come to see, we’re more apt to pay attention when we feel we’re learning information that will matter to us.  Imagine you’re watching TV news, and the Anchor says “Coming up next…a story about visiting your Doctor.” Would you listen?  What if the Anchor said “Coming up next…the number one thing you need to know before your next Doctor’s visit.” Does that intrigue you more? The difference is now there’s wording to suggest you’re missing out on key information if you don’t listen to what’s coming next. And therein lies the simple trick! It’s called Flagging.  A Flag is a verbal cue that signals you to pay attention. Almost like planting a flag in the ground to alert you …

To close out our series on marketing to the “top of the sales funnel”—that is, generating awareness among prospective customers who may never have heard of you, by demonstrating your expertise and securing their interest—we’ll take a look at a couple of excellent ways to raise your profile among your target audiences: public relations and social influencers The critical element of marketing to the top of the sales funnel is your content—blogs, articles, helpful comments on social media, e-newsletters, and the like. While you can do a lot yourself using social media as a way to broadcast your thought leadership to key targets, why not let other folks do the same on your behalf? Let’s take a look at two marketing channels, PR and social influencers, to see what you can do here. Speaking Through Others PR is an old marketing channel, but these days it’s driven by online content, which makes all the difference to you. Unlike the old days when you had to beg publishers to print (yes, …

In order to find a profitable inkjet print application, you needn’t look any further than your driveway. Every day, potential opportunity is lying there waiting for you to wake up and go get it. It’s scent permeates the air just like morning coffee. It also has another name: The Wall Street Journal In 2007, the financial world was rocked. No, it wasn’t the housing crisis. That stew was still boiling but had not yet exploded. Rupert Murdoch purchased The Wall Street Journal and faithful readers were between concerned and terrified over the changes he was certain to make. Would it now take a more scandalous, attention-seeking journalistic approach? Fast-forward today. You will be relieved to know he’s done something far more surprising: He’s made it more readable. Found within its pages are stories that go beyond the financial world. There is a column written by one of the best sportswriters in the country, Jason Gay. Another column deals with issues regarding airlines, but instead of …

In a previous blog, we discussed how to reach out to new customers using content, in particular blogs but also things like how-to pieces, newsletters, and opinion articles on industry trends. Thoughtful articles like these can demonstrate your expertise, and serve to alert prospects that you have a solution that can help them address a concern or take their marketing to the next level. But let’s face it, all the content you can produce won’t help much if your prospects never see or read it. Getting your expertise in front of the right eyeballs is what this post is about, and focusing on social media as a prime way to do it. First, determine your target audience for social media, which may include the following potential customers and industry groups, among many: Sales and marketing executives, because of their need for sales collateral and marketing direct mail.   Financial institutions, because they also rely on direct mail as well as flyers, brochures, wide-format bank branch …