How to use technology to boost your marketing

The range of computer technology available today is staggering. You can add videos to your website; add links to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn; create audio downloads; sell products online and much, much more.

All of this can be a tremendous boost to your sales. It can help you make more contacts and connections, boost your sales and bring in more revenue. Used correctly, you can drive sales in extremely powerful ways – not least because your customer can choose how they engage with you in the way that they feel most comfortable. For instance if they’re a visual person, they may be attracted to your video. Or if they prefer the written word they’ll be attracted to your copy. Or if they’re an aural person they’ll want to listen to your audio.

The most important thing to remember, however, is to be consistent across all media and have the same clear, concise message. Otherwise the technology could backfire on you and turn your website into a confusing mass of information that doesn’t gel, loses the plot and fails to make a compelling offer. One, in fact, that may even end up driving your potential customers away.

So always remember to create a powerful marketing message as the bedrock for all your sales. One you can roll out to your potential customers with total confidence – whatever technology or medium you choose. 

Is your marketing a gift to your customers?

How many times have you come across a website where you look for specific information only to find yourself hopelessly lost in a maze of words with blind alleys at every turn? Or discovered marketing material where there is so much information that it’s positively off putting? Time is money, so it’s vital that you make sure your sales messages are crystal clear.

No-one expects to have to put time and effort into finding out what it is you are offering them. So make sure your marketing material and on your website is not only engaging, but to the point and informative. There’s no need to ramble on about what you do in fine detail – unless you’re selling online of course. And even then you needn’t ramble! If your site is well written, you’ll capture someone’s interest and drive them to want to find out more by picking up the phone or sending you an email.

So get straight to the point in your marketing and offer your potential customers a gift in the form of a perfect solution to their problems - not a challenge to work out what it is you do!

Make sure your marketing doesn’t overlook the obvious

I was walking down the street the other day when I noticed a white van parked by the side of the road with a sign attached to its side. The sign read: ‘Scrap metal wanted’. Direct and to the point and an effective ad on a mobile medium that will benefit from exposure to many different markets. Or is it? There is one vital element missing – the contact details. If I have some scrap metal I want to dispose of, how do I find this business again?

Unfortunately this mistake is more common that you might think. So make sure that in the heat of the moment, when you’ve carefully crafted a great headline and compelling copy, that you don’t overlook the obvious. Always look at your message objectively – from the point of view of the person reading it. If you can also have a friend look at it for you, even better. That way you’re more likely to ensure you cover all bases and get the business you’re pitching for.

How to turn your website into a positive client magnet

Energy is a subtle force that you can’t always put your finger on. For instance you can be in a buzzing restaurant in beautiful surroundings eating great tasting food - but feel uncomfortable without really knowing why. The energy just feels ‘off’ and somehow negative. 



A common experience is when you look up a website and get instantly ‘turned off’ by its negative energy. Too much text crammed into a small space with great blocks of information and not enough space between the words and pictures soon has you tutting and clicking away. It’s as if the site owner is trying too hard to justify their services and get you to stay that in the process they defeat the entire object - and you’re out of there in a flash. 



But when you put time and effort into thinking through exactly what your customers need, what their problems are and how you can help solve them, your site becomes endowed with positive energy. This helps turn it into a magnet that attracts your ideal clients and holds their attention. Simply by caring deeply about their challenges, you automatically express your products and services in ways that make them want to find out more. 



So put time and energy into addressing the wants and needs of your customers and you’ll find it pays dividends in attracting new business and creating more sales.

Is your marketing message stopping your sales?

You may have heard the saying that ‘words get in the way of communication’. It’s initially a puzzling thought, but when you think about it, so much of communication is non-verbal. We pick up on body language and tone of voice as much as we do on the meaning of the words themselves. So when it comes to marketing your products and services it’s more essential than ever to have clear meaning.

Without a sales person there to express and respond to the potential new customer, the words have to work that much harder. Clear, simple, motivational messages that direct the reader to take a desired action are crucial. What’s more they’ll always be more compelling and successful than marketing that makes the reader work to understand whatever it is you want to say. 

So take a step back from your marketing and look at it objectively. Or get someone you know and trust to give you honest feedback. If they struggle to understand your message you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you need to rewrite it so it’s crystal clear.