Adrienne Wilkerson

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9 telltale signs it’s time to re-design your website

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 8, 2020

Originally published on June 5, 2018. Updated on May 8, 2020.

Technology is constantly evolving, which means digital marketing is constantly evolving. Every update brings a new way of connecting with prospective customers. It could be a new tool, like a website plug-in that will make it significantly easier to follow-up leads, or a new technique like, SEO. Either way, it’s important to stay up-to-date with best practice to ensure you’re maximizing the impact of your time and money.

One of the foundational principles of digital marketing is that your website is your strongest marketing tool. Think of it as your digital storefront; a storefront that has now become as important as your physical one when it comes to making the right impression. If you don’t have a physical storefront, then your digital one really must be on its “A” game! Websites need to be updated regularly to ensure they deliver what customers expect.

Here are nine telltale signs that you need to redesign (or at least update) your website.

Already know you need help? Schedule a free consultation.

1. It’s been a while

When was the last time you updated or looked at your website? If it’s been a while, that’s pretty much a guarantee that it’s time for a facelift. Trends and styles change all the time, which means you can’t just “set and forget” your website. Just like peeling paint or cracked tiles, an old website will make your business seem dated.

You need to make sure the interface is attractive, the products and services are up-to-date, the tone is contemporary and fresh and it’s fast-loading. Customers won’t sit and wait, they’ll go somewhere else, so you need to make your website as enticing as possible so they choose to stay. Remember, this is your first impression.

Here’s a checklist of things you should consider updating:

New location
New contact details
New services or products
New team members
New awards and certifications
New photos of your building, team, products, etc.
Update your project portfolio and add any news
Ensure all information is still correct

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

2. You have a branding disconnect

It isn’t uncommon for a company’s branding or mission to evolve over time. Perhaps you’ve decided to go in a new direction, you have a new opportunity, you have a new investor or your team has decided to shake things up. It’s likely that your target audience has changed along with some of their services or products.

Whatever the reason, it’s important that your website reflects the story your business is trying to tell and that the story is consistent across all your platforms so customers can get to know you and start to trust you. If you’re run a successful campaign on Facebook or you’ve seen great results with a neighborhood letter-drop, update your website to match. Brand recognition is an underrated, but incredibly important aspect of inbound marketing.

3. Adding new content is difficult

Can you feel your blood start to simmer at the prospect of adding new content? It’s OK, you can breathe easy, because we’ve got you. Website technologies are changing all the time. There are new platforms, new updates and new plug-ins being launched every other week, and the best thing is they’re all designed to make your life easier.

If your website was designed even just a few years ago, it’s probable that some updates could dramatically simplify your marketing life. Truly, there’s no need to wrestle for hours with a page that isn’t formatting properly. You also shouldn’t have to engage in battle with a hosting company or developer who built it for you.

A modern, up-to-date website will be easy to run, allowing you to make edits instantly. If this is something you struggle with, it’s worth asking for professional help. A digital marketing company will be able to help you sort out the rights to your domain (or buy a new one) and set up a user-friendly website that will be running in no time.

4. Your site has a high bounce rate

The term “bounce rate” basically refers to the amount of time people spend on your website – if a high percentage of people click onto your website and bounce off almost immediately, that’s the bounce rate.

This could happen for a number of reasons – for example, perhaps they clicked on the wrong site, perhaps it looks clunky and old so they assume your business isn’t operating or the information isn’t credible, or perhaps they can’t find the information they’re looking for quickly. Again, websites need to make things as easy as possible.

The cold, hard truth is that you only have about four seconds to capture a visitor. That’s the average person’s attention span when it comes to clicking on, loading and viewing a new website. It’s critical it loads at lightning speed and that your layout, color and text are all designed to capture attention immediately.

Read more: How much does a website cost?

5. Your site isn’t mobile-friendly

You know how some websites automatically adjust so they look great on both desktop computers and mobile devices? That’s called “responsive design.” This isn’t a new concept; it became essential when smartphones became mainstream. The idea is to give customers a seamless experience across their devices.

The main reason why this is important is legibility. A full-size website simply becomes too small when displayed on a mobile device, which means it’s too hard to use because readers will constantly have to zoom in an out to navigate the page. You’ll lose them in seconds (unless they really, really want your product or service). The second reason why this is crucial is because Google actively penalizes websites that don’t have responsive designs. This makes it significantly harder for your business to rank on Google when people search associated keywords.

The good news is that most modern website platforms, such as WordPress, Squarespace and Wix all automatically adjust to suit the device the customer is using. Ask a web developer to help make sure you get this right.

Seeing any red flags? Contact us today and let’s start problem-solving.

6. Your SEO is non-existent

What’s SEO? This acronym stands for “Search Engine Optimization,” which is critical to the success of any digital marketing campaign. Put simply, this is the practice of ensuring your content ranks on Google.

If your website is not ranking well on Google (or other search engines), and people are having a hard time finding it, that is a serious sign that you need to redesign it or revamp it right away. Done right, this is an easy win; done wrong, and you’re wasting a great resource. Again, this isn’t something you can set and forget, because search engine algorithms change constantly. Staying up-to-date will pay big dividends.

How do you start? First, decide what keywords best represent your business and make sure you use them consistently. Second, claim your listing on Google My Business. Third, start creating content based around the things people are most likely to search – for example, explain a new product or answer some FAQs. It’s also worth updating your back catalog as Google will consider date stamps when generating results.

7. You’re not converting customers

Getting visitors to your site is a great first step. Congratulations, you’ve got a lead! However, if those people aren’t turning into customers at some point, then something is wrong with your site. You need to ensure it’s easy to get from A to B and that every visitor follows a logical path through to a purchase decision.

For example, can people click on your phone number on your site from their phone and call you? At the bottom of a page full of information, is there an option for them to learn more by filling out a contact form or scheduling an appointment? These are simple enough things to add, but they make a big difference to people wanting to use your products or services. If they can’t do it easily, they are more likely to move on to a competitor.

8. You’re still using Flash

Flash sites were a big fad for a while, and they did lend themselves to some beautiful designs, but they went the way of the dodo after iPhones were invented. Flash and Apple apparently decided not to play nice, because no-one using an iPhone will be able to view content on a Flash website. According to Statista, iPhone owners accounted for about 45.2% of all smartphone users in 2019, which means this cuts out about half of your customer base.

To save your website from being buried under a pile of other content on Google, you’ll need to build a new website. It’s definitely possible to do this yourself, but if you want to save time on the re-design while developing a killer digital marketing strategy to accompany it, it’s worth engaging a professional agency.

9. Your website is confusing

Remember our four-second rule? No matter what, it is vital that your visitors understand know what you do very quickly. You need to make a great impression and give them a reason to stay on your site and keep reading or watching your content. Most importantly, they need to find answers to their questions immediately.

If your website isn’t user-friendly, it’s not easy to navigate, it doesn’t adhere to current user experience principles, or your content is clunky and disorganized, you’ll need to update or redesign your site. It doesn’t matter if your visitors are coming from Anchorage, Alaska, Reno, Nevada or the moon. They’re much likely to stay on your site, and become a customer, if you make their life easy and create a great first impression.

Summary

That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? If your website ticks any of the boxes above, it’s time for an overhaul. A fresh, functioning website will create a good foundation for future digital marketing campaign, which will pay big dividends when you start directing traffic to your new website through social media, SEO and content.

Here’s a checklist of everything that’s essential to a new website:

Your site has been updated recently
Your site is consistent with your branding and product or service offerings
You have updated the content recently (because it is easy to do so)
You captured their attention in the first 4-seconds, and they didn’t bounce
Your site is mobile friendly
You have good SEO rankings, so they found your site quickly
You made it easy for them to convert
Your site is NOT Flash
Your visitors can easily and quickly understand what you do

The best way to ensure you hit all of those goals is to hire a professional digital marketing agency. They’ll take care of the research, design, copywriting and development and build you a tip-top website in no time. Marketers will also be able to advise you about current best practice to ensure you’re maximizing the impact of every dollar.

Have questions? Schedule a free consultation.

Lead generation: Is your website making money?

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 7, 2020

Originally published on July 20, 2016. Updated on 7 May, 2020.

There are lots of different types of websites, but we can generally break them into two categories: the old online brochure, and the new lead generation tool. The truth is, however, that your website should work for you. It should capture people’s interest, make them want to follow up, and ultimately contribute to your bottom line.

To be honest with you, the days of a static online brochure are long gone. Websites aren’t something you can simply “set and forget,” because trends change all the time, so this model won’t serve you. We recommend updating your website every 2-3 years to ensure it’s optimized, working well, and driving new business.

Here, we’ll run you through six common roadblocks that could prevent your website from working well, and then we’ll share four easy tips to help optimize your website to reach as many people as possible.

Want help generating leads? Schedule a free consultation.

Common website roadblocks

1. Bounce rates

The term “bounce rate” refers to the number of people who visit your website and immediately click away. There are lots of reasons for this – for example, perhaps they clicked on the wrong link – but most often it’s because of an easily-avoidable issue. For example, if your homepage is too crowded, outdated, or poorly organized, people won’t stick around. Your home page needs to provide visitors with a great user experience and an easy way to find what they are looking for. In fact, the whole website needs to be very user-friendly, because prospective customers aren’t interested in playing a digital version of hide-and-go-seek. Make it easy for them.

2. Quality content

Words matter! Content will always be king, whether it comes in the form of helpful webpages or inspiring blogs. The right kind of content marketing is essential if you want your website to generate leads. First, you have to ensure the content (e.g. words, photos, videos) appeals to the types of customers you hope to attract. Second, you have to ensure people can quickly find the answers they need. Content is the modern version of an attractive store front or a neighborhood flyer drop. Often, it’s the first impression you’ll make, so it’s important that it counts for all the right reasons. It should be direct, personable and helpful – just like your customer service.

3. Blog… a lot!

Digital customers are generally looking for information that will help them solve a problem, answer a question, or inspire them in some way. The best way to give them what they need is to deliver a fresh and consistent stream of content, which will attract their attention and direct them to your website. Blogging is a new concept for many businesses. The best way to start is generally to answer frequently asked questions, because these are the types of things people are most likely to search. Don’t be afraid to inject a bit of personality, because this helps them understand what makes your business unique and may entice them to click through and learn more.

4. Landing pages

As we’ve explained, the best websites give people what they need quickly. With that in mind, it’s generally more effective to direct people to specific landing pages rather than just your homepage. This is a great opportunity to answer their question, explain a bit about yourself, and explain how you’ll solve their problem with a call to action. It could be something simple like downloading a free factsheet, scheduling a free consultation, or making the most of a special offer. It essentially invites them to begin the path to purchase with you.

5. Calls to action

A strong call to action (CTA) is an essential part of every webpage, but it’s especially important on landing pages. Once people have found the answers they need, you need to make it easy for them to engage with you. An effective CTA has a few basic elements: it’s easy, it’s clear, and it’s known. What do we mean by that?

First of all, it should be easy to use – for example, a single click should take them from the page they’re on to the page where they can buy your product or sign-up for your service.
Second, it needs to be explicitly clear what prospective customers will get from clicking on the button. It might say something like “Schedule a free consultation” or “RSVP now,” so inspire them to take action.
Finally, customers need to know exactly what they’re going to get out of it and what’s required if them. If they click on the CTA, they want to engage with you now. Guide them through the process so they know exactly what to expect at each step of the way (and don’t ask for personal information too early!).

Read more: The evolution of digital marketing

6. Phone numbers

This may seem obvious, but don’t forget to give customers your phone number! It needs to be clearly displayed on every page of your website to make it easy for people to call you with questions. It creates a feeling of transparency and stability that goes a long way in building trust. Don’t play hard to get and make customers work for it!

Need help addressing your roadblocks? Schedule a free consultation.

Increasing your reach

Once you’ve addressed the common roadblocks, it’s time to start increasing your reach. After all, people need to know you exist before they can do business with you. Here are the four best ways to start:

1. Social media

Social media is a powerful way to connect with new people. When it’s done correctly, it will also help qualify the leads you generate, because prospective customers will have followed links, ads and offers that interest them. Your strategy can extend across multiple platforms – for example, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn – to attract and engage new people. This can also bring new customers along the path to purchase so by the time they actually reach your website, they’re ready to do business. Create quality content, share it regularly, engage with your followers, drive traffic to landing pages, and you’ll be in a good position.

2. Digital advertising

Advertising through search engines and social media is a great way to generate qualified leads, because they have the capacity to pinpoint different demographics and ensure the right people are discovering your landing pages. The best ones to start with are Facebook Ads and Google Ads, because these have the biggest audiences.

3. Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO is the essential if you’d like your website to rank through search engines like Google. The first page of results is incredibly valuable digital real estate, and a good strategy will ensure your content ranks as highly as possible, which will lead more people to your site and increase your chances of converting happy customers.

4. Blogs, and more blogs

We mentioned blogs before, but we’ll mention it again to emphasize their importance. Blogs are vital to driving new customers to your website and ensuring you rank as well as possible through search. Often, because they answer specific questions, they may rank higher than your homepage. For this reason, they’re a critical part of every successful digital marketing strategy.

Have a look at your website. How is it performing? Is it an online brochure, or is it actively helping you generate leads? If it falls into the first category, we’d love to help. Schedule a free consultation today.

Facebook vs. LinkedIn: Which one is the B2B marketing winner?

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 6, 2020

Originally published on August 16, 2016. Updated on May 6, 2020.

Facebook and LinkedIn are both social media juggernauts and they’re both competing for the B2B marketing dollar. Which one is the best? More specifically, which is the best for your business?

If you’re like most busy business owners, you only have a limited amount of time each day to focus on B2B marketing. The question weighing most people down is where do they spend their precious moments? It is a very, very good question, because the right strategy can make a big difference when it comes to generating leads and converting sales. Here are some points that will help you find a solution.

Back in 2015, Think With Google reported that, “90% of B2B researchers who are online, use search specifically to research business purchases. On average, B2B researchers do 12 searches before engaging on a specific brand’s site.” It’s still true in 2020, which is why a solid B2B marketing strategy is essential. Business leaders know exactly what they’re looking for – and if that includes you or your products or services, you need to be easy to find.

Want to skip ahead? Schedule a free consultation.

Every B2B marketing strategy starts with people

Many people exclude Facebook as a realistic B2B marketing platform because they see it as the “fun channel” while LinkedIn is the “serious channel.” It’s true that there is a lot of fun to be had on Facebook, and that LinkedIn is more focused on business-like interactions. However, people don’t stop being business professionals just because they are on Facebook or having fun because they’re on LinkedIn.

When you look at the straight numbers, the two platforms are very competitive in B2B marketing. According to a Statista report from December 2019, Facebook has 190 million active users in the United States; meanwhile, a report from April 2020 reveals LinkedIn has about 160 million active members. On the face of things, Facebook lends itself to quantity and mass reach, while LinkedIn lends itself to quality and better leads.

That’s not to say the quality isn’t there for the taking on Facebook. Keep in mind that when people are using Facebook, they’re looking to be entertained, so to have quality B2B marketing on this platform, it’s important to focus on the story of your brand and to engage with people in a very community-minded way. It’s a great way to build brand awareness, show off your culture, build loyalty and drive traffic to your website. It’s not the place to hard sell through posts on your company’s Facebook page, because that’s not what people want to see.

There’s a knack to B2B marketing on LinkedIn, too. Yes, the audience will be much more open to hearing business-focused information and learning about new products and deals, but they’re people too. Brand story is just as important, as is community engagement, so take time to build genuine influence before you try to sell.

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

Know your B2B marketing target audience

Successful B2B marketing strategies depend heavily on knowing your target audience. At the core of every good campaign is a solid knowledge of who wants to know, what they want to know, and why they want to know it (their pain point). Digital marketing is the same, and when you are looking to optimize your social media strategy, it’s vital to define your target audience so you can get the most out of your time and money.

(We always recommend a multi-channel approach, but we understand that can be tough if you’re short on time. It’s always better to excel at one than to spread yourself too thin over two or three.)

Facebook and LinkedIn both offer excellent audience analytics tools for B2B marketing, which means it’s easy to focus your messaging on the types of people most likely to become customers. For example:

82% of internet users between the ages of 18-29 use Facebook vs. only 22% of internet users in the 18-29 age group that use LinkedIn
79% of internet users between the ages of 30-49 use Facebook vs. only 32% of internet users in the 30-49 age group that use LinkedIn
64% of internet users between the ages of 40-64 use Facebook vs. only 26% of internet users in the 50-64 age group that use LinkedIn

If you’re looking at number alone, Facebook is the clear B2B marketing winner. However, it is important to know the what and the why. As we said, people tend to go to LinkedIn looking for something specific, which makes it a great platform for growing awareness of your products and services and generating qualified leads. If Facebook is a casual networking lunch, LinkedIn is an industry-wide conference.

Know what your target audience is looking for and find a way to connect.

Read more: Using buyer personas can help convert more leads.

Engage in B2B marketing in a human-centered way

Once you connect with the right people, your B2B marketing plan needs to allow room to engage with them. Both Facebook and LinkedIn have some specific avenues for businesses and individuals to engage with the public.

Let’s start with LinkedIn. The most effective interaction is typically found in groups. LinkedIn has always done an excellent job of facilitating groups where like-minded people can come together and share ideas. Its professional forums can be particularly effective for B2B marketing if you regularly participate by asking questions, responding to issues and comments, and posting information or articles that are helpful to the group at large.

As with anything worth doing, this takes a dedicated investment of time and is more about you building your personal brand or by association the brand you work for. No-one wants to hear a sales pitch or unabashed self-promotion. Engaging in groups and publishing original, quality content will help establish you as an expert in your field. Again, the focus is still primarily on you as the person and not on the company first.

Facebook, on the other hand, focuses on the business first. Huh? OK, this statement does sound a bit strange considering Facebook is all about casual, personal engagement. However, founder Mark Zuckerberg figured out pretty quickly that his platform was going to have to cater to companies, and B2B marketing, if he was going to take over the world. While every company account must connect to a personal account, business accounts and pages have a tremendous amount of flexibility in how they connect to and engage with social media users.

In recent years, LinkedIn has tried to follow suit, but their system is nowhere near as intuitive or user-friendly. It is more about a company brand interacting with their customers and fans than it is an individual building their personal network. Both have value, but we think Facebook takes the win in this category of B2B marketing.

Ready to kick-started your B2B marketing plan? Call us.

Get creative with your B2B marketing ads

Facebook has dominated digital ads and promoted posts in the B2B marketing space right from the beginning, and everyone else has struggled – and is still struggling – to keep up with its monopoly on social advertising dollars. That being said, LinkedIn has stepped up their game a bit in recent years. As the adage goes, better late than never, but Facebook is far ahead with a sophisticated, yet simple, advertising solution.

Facebook does a thorough, to the point of invasive, job of collecting data for marketers and professionals to use to target their promoted posts and ads. It offers businesses a chance to target people by age, location, gender and even interests. This changed the face of B2B marketing forever, due to its incredible specificity.

Additionally, it offers retargeting ads through the use of a pixel put into the code of your website or landing page that can track when someone has visited either one. Then when they show up on Facebook, ads show up based on which pages a user has visited and what they are interested in. This custom feature is a little bit creepy, but it’s very powerful for B2B marketing.

Read more: What are Facebook Ads and how to we use them?

Facebook vs. LinkedIn B2B marketing score

For a company looking to maximize their essential and often limited time, Facebook marketing is the clear winner. However, if you’re a business owner looking to connect person-to-person, then we still recommend LinkedIn first – despite the hype, it generates much better B2B leads.

The truth is that your B2B marketing plan should use both to capture different people in different ways. If you’re looking to optimize your social media strategy, it may be worth engaging a marketing agency. Doing social media well requires a clear and consistent strategy as well as a significant investment of time.

The potential to generate leads and convert sales, however, makes it well worth the effort.

Want to talk strategy? Schedule a free consultation.

Inbound marketing is a perfect fit for functional medicine

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 5, 2020

Originally published on June 21, 2018. Updated on May 5, 2020.

Inbound marketing and functional medicine are a perfect match. Inbound marketing, also known as content marketing, focuses on the brand story and we rarely find more sincere, heartfelt and compelling stories than in the functional and naturopathic medicine fields.

If you’re reading this and you’re a functional medicine provider, we’re willing to bet you started your practice because you had a driving desire to change the world of your patients. You wanted to make a difference and follow a less walked but more transparent path.

This is great for two reasons. First, you change people’s lives. Second, it’s marketing gold. Don’t believe us? Author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek once said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” As a general rule, a company’s “about” page is the second-most popular page on their website after the homepage. Why? It’s because people want to do business with people. They want to know who you are and what you’re about, so don’t be afraid to share your story. What motivates you?

Stay with us and we’ll run you through the basics of inbound marketing, including how it works to generate leads, the basic theory of how to get started, and how to convert sales.

Want to skip ahead? Schedule a consultation today.

What is inbound marketing?

You might be wondering what inbound or content marketing actually is, so let’s start with the definition. HubSpot, a software company, is widely credited with pioneering the concept. It defines inbound marketing as follows:

“Inbound marketing is focused on attracting customers through relevant and helpful content and adding value at every stage in your customer’s buying journey. By creating content designed to address the problems and needs of your ideal customers, you attract qualified prospects and build trust and credibility for your business.”

That’s probably the most concise definition out there. It gives you a great 10,000-foot view, but if you’re anything like use, at this point you’re probably thinking, “Well, that’s nice, but what does it mean for my practice?” That’s a really good question and we’re glad you asked.

To answer your question, we have to start with a bit of history. The internet and social media have forever changed the way consumers make buying decisions. The term “buying decisions” doesn’t just refer to shoes anymore, either, but all decisions to spend money.

Historically, functional health patients would have made a decision based on word-of-mouth, or perhaps a traditional marketing method such as a TV commercial or a print advertorial. Modern functional medicine patients, however, have more resources available than ever before. They read widely, they search for reviews, they’re swayed by opinions and trends on social media. This is important, because it essentially gives you a whole new set of tools.

People are looking to build a connection. If given any kind of a choice at all, we will all choose to do business with those we know like and trust. The internet and social media now provide practitioners the opportunity to meet your potential patients and build a connection with them before they come in. You can provide the knowledge and education they need.

“Start with the soul and end with the sale. Not the other way around.” -C.C. Chapman, content marketing expert and author.

Read more: The evolution of marketing

Inbound marketing is transparent

Transparency is critical in functional medicine practices. Modern consumers are drawn to services that help provide the answers they need – quickly. They also want to make genuine connections with practitioners. Inbound marketing forces a level of transparency in the advertising world that hasn’t existed before and education is a core component of proving value.

As a provider, you can leverage social media channels like Facebook or Instagram, increase awareness of your practice and your mission while educating and engaging with prospective customers. Your website and the articles you post on it become a powerful tool to disseminate information to searchers, establish your credibility and help develop your influence as a thought-leader.

Inbound marketing levels the playing field because it gives a voice to anyone willing to invest the time to create and distribute quality information that people want to read or watch.

Education is key to inbound marketing

Functional medicine typically operates adjacent to, and in some cases instead of, traditional medicine. Education is essential because prospective customers may not be aware of the different ways functional medicine can alleviate chronic symptoms. It’s critical to show them why your service is valuable. This includes explaining why their bodies and minds are behaving in a certain way, what symptoms can be treated, and how you plan to do so.

Search engine, social media, websites and blogs are all essential tools in a successful inbound marketing strategy, because they provide information to the people seeking it. When it’s done right, it’s not going to go everywhere. It’s going to go to the people who need and want it most. This makes it incredibly valuable, because it essentially qualifies all new leads. It’s the most effective way to use a marketing budget, because you’ll be targeting an interested few instead of the entire public.

What this means for you as a provider is that inbound marketing provides you with a dynamic platform to do what you already naturally do: educate. Again, content or inbound marketing is first about education, community, and establishing a trusting connection.

Once that’s in place, the sale will naturally follow.

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

Inbound marketing delivers results

Anyone who has worked with people for any length of time knows how unique each person’s challenges are. Functional medicine practices strive to develop solutions as specialized and individual as the people they treat. The sector is renowned for being willing to explore new and historic solutions to medical challenges and look at problems from different perspectives.

Inbound marketing came about because traditional marketing was not adapting fast enough to a changing market. Marketing today requires more flexibility from its practitioners than ever before, because it’s constantly adapting to new technologies. Modern marketers must be willing to learn, explore, and embrace each new phase of advertising technique.

That’s why we can say from experience that inbound marketing delivers results. It’s how we generate our own leads and drive our own sales. This blog is an example, and we know it works.

Once you’ve made a connection with a prospective client and taken them through the education phase, it’s time to close a sale. This means following up with clear and strong calls to action and a personal follow-up, whether that’s over the phone or by email. You’re here to help solve their problems. Remember that, keep it front-and-center in your approach, and you can’t go wrong.

Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation (see what we did there?).

Social media networking vs. word-of-mouth networking

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 4, 2020

Originally published on April 10, 2017. Updated on May 4, 2020.

Does word-of-mouth networking even work anymore? Or has it been replaced with digital or social media networks? We hear this question a lot. We believe they are both integral to any business’s marketing plan and should be strategically planned and implemented.

Networking is an important part of business. It will help you stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, find new business opportunities, meet prospective partners and clients and build awareness of your own brand. At the end of the day, people do business with people and connections matter.

Benefits of social media networking

Social media is a fantastic method of networking, in fact, we are big fans! The stats are impressive regarding the power of social media to influence consumers through people networking digitally. For instance:

50% of shoppers have made a purchase based on a recommendation through a social media network
51% of Facebook users are more likely to buy the products of brands they follow online
The average consumer mentions brands 90 times/week in in their interactions with other people.

There are a few best practices that we have found to be helpful for business professionals who want to use social media networking as part of their marketing plan.

Focus your time and energy on two social media networks. In Alaska, we have found that Facebook and LinkedIn are a great combo for business-to-business networking (B2B), while Facebook and Pinterest is a good option for business-to-consumer (B2C) industries
Be consistent with your interaction. Here are 10 tips to optimize your social media.
Offer helpful information that your target audience will find useful in their daily lives. We’re here to add value to their lives by helping them find the products or services they need, so don’t sell your products or services directly. This is important – you can read more about whether marketing is the new sales.

There is no denying the power of networking through social media to a wide range of age groups, but it’s most effective when coupled with word-of-mouth networking. Word-of-mouth is the original and best form of marketing. We can come up with effective digital strategies until we’re blue in the face, but if your product or service is good, people will talk about it. It’s the most effective marketing tool you’ll ever hope to have.

Benefits of word-of-mouth networking

Some refer to this style of networking as “old fashioned” or “traditional” networking. It’s been around since the first product was put up for sale and it’s still incredibly persuasive in purchase decisions. In fact:

3.3 billion brand mentions in 2.4 brand-related conversations happen offline in America ever day
54% of Americans say that their purchase decisions are driven by word-of-mouth
59% of Americans believe offline or word-of-mouth to be highly credible

Word-of-mouth networking gives people a chance to build deeper relationships and increase trust. This increased trust often leads to more qualified referrals, longer professional relationships, and more profitable transactions.

As part of a targeted marketing plan, we recommend business professionals be part of at least three face-to-face networking groups. The best combination is to join two soft touch groups and one referral, focused group.

For example, if you live in Anchorage, AK, you could try:

A local or state chamber of commerce like our local Anchorage Chamber.
A professional association for your industry like the American Association of Graphic Designers Alaska (AIGA) or the Public Relations Society of America Alaska (PRSA).
Service clubs like Rotary or Lions , which often include many local business leaders.

A referral based organization like BNI is what is called a hard contact referral network because the whole organization’s focus is increasing the business for each member through referrals and word-of-mouth networking. This is also a good option to consider if you’re looking to drive brand awareness quickly.

Secrets to effective networking

No matter your target audience, it’s important to get the most of our networking and leverage the power of both social media and word-of-mouth. Used together, they allow business professionals to be highly effective at not only getting their message out to their target markets but also to build profitable client relationships.

The key, either way, is to follow up. Take your connection to the next level and get to know your new contact as a real person rather than an opportunity to boost your business. If you’ve met online, follow up with an email linking an interesting article or asking for an opinion. If you’ve met in person, follow up with an invitation to coffee or another industry event. No-one wants to stay connected with a robot.

Networking is a two-way street. It’s not just about what they can do for you, but what you can do for them as well. Connect thoughtfully. Ask people about themselves. Talk about their projects. Offer considered thoughts. Give advice if they ask. Successful networking requires give-and-take, but who knows who you’ll meet?

Need help developing your brand? Schedule a free consultation today.

How Much Does Hiring a Marketing Agency Cost? A Beacon “How To” Guide

Adrienne Wilkerson

April 30, 2020

Originally published by Adrienne Wilkerson, CEO, Co-Founder. Updated and revised by Sara Jokela 3/13/25

You may have heard, “Digital marketing can be an expensive endeavor, but the ROI has great payoff.” There’s truth to that statement — especially for digital marketing done well.

However, feeling hesitant about pouring money into marketing or having reservations about the but when considering whether to shift gears by hiring a digital marketing agency is normal. In fact, at some point every business owner grapples with the question, “Is marketing a good investment?”

Trusting someone else to capture the heart and essence of your brand is no small step of faith. Neither is trusting a particular advertising agency will deliver on what it says it can do — get you more customers or increase sales. The daunting reality is: the list of questions and unknowns is real and can profoundly impact your business.

What is a Marketing Agency?

Definition of a Marketing Agency

A marketing agency is a company that specializes in helping businesses attract potential customers through various traditional and digital channels. Also known as advertising firms or marketing companies, these promotion experts can focus on one or many techniques to boost a brand’s visibility and engagement. Marketing agencies play a crucial role in developing and executing strategies that drive customer acquisition and retention, leveraging their expertise to navigate the complex landscape of modern marketing.

Services Offered by Marketing Agencies

Marketing agencies offer a wide range of services to help businesses achieve their marketing goals. These services may include:

Social Media Marketing: Creating and implementing social media campaigns to engage with target audiences on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This involves content creation, community management, and paid social advertising.
Content Development: Producing high-quality content such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and eBooks to attract and retain customers. Effective content development helps establish a brand’s authority and fosters customer loyalty.
Advertising: Designing and placing ads across various media channels, including digital, print, and broadcast, to reach target audiences. This can encompass pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, display ads, and traditional media buys.
Digital Marketing Strategies: Developing and implementing comprehensive digital marketing plans that may include SEO, email marketing, and online reputation management. These strategies are tailored to meet specific business goals and drive measurable results.
Value-Based Pricing Model: Pricing services based on the value delivered to clients rather than the hours worked or the specific tasks completed. This model aligns the agency’s incentives with the client’s success, fostering a more collaborative relationship.

By offering these diverse services, marketing agencies provide businesses with the tools and expertise needed to navigate the ever-evolving marketing landscape and achieve sustained growth.

Questions to Ask Before Outsourcing Your Marketing

The benefits of outsourcing your marketing to a digital agency (with a proven track-record) far outweighs the list of unknowns.

Choosing to use a digital marketing agency can (and does) trigger important questions — especially for business owners exploring this route as an option for the first time. A few questions you may find yourself pondering are:

How much does it really cost to hire a marketing agency?
Why is digital marketing so expensive?
Is it really worth it?
If I pay this much for marketing, will I actually turn a profit?

Understanding advertising agency pricing can help break down project costs and clarify potential confusion during the sales process. Using specific services or projects as examples can help clients understand the various factors that contribute to the overall cost of a branding project.

We know these are significant questions. Particularly when deciding if investing in marketing is the right (and best) choice for your business. That’s why we’ve prepared this how to guide — we want to answer some of those questions by highlighting the benefits of partnering with a digital marketing services company.

This guide is for you if:

You want to learn more about how much hiring a digital marketing agency costs.
You’re curious about how agencies structure their fees and service packages.
You want to discover how that partnership can pave the way for future growth and success for your business.
You’re researching digital marketing agencies and want to do your due dilligence ahead of your consultation meeting.

Are you interested in how Beacon Media + Marketing can help your business? Learn more about our work and how we can help your business thrive!

Why Do Costs Vary When Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency? Understanding Marketing Agency Pricing

The cost of hiring a marketing or advertising agency depends on multiple factors. Some of these variables include:

company size (yours and theirs)
reputation (theirs)
the scope of work (they’ll do for you)
geographic location (yours and theirs)

Marketing Industry Billing Trends Have Shifted

Previously, digital marketing agencies billed clients on an hourly or per-project basis. As we’ve collectively rolled into the 2020’s, most marketing firms have since changed tack. Along with the internet, the digital marketing industry itself has matured and evolved. So have standard operating practices and procedures. Most commonly seen practice these days? Client billing for ongoing monthly revolving services.

Typically, businesses prefer monthly revolving payment schemes to an hourly charge. This approach makes monthly budgeting predictable and more manageable for both sides. It also gives an agency’s clients peace of mind knowing they’re not being nickel-and-dimed.

An Agency’s Cost Per Hour Is Variable

You may observe rate variations for things like: project management, graphic design, illustration, programming, creative direction, content creation, strategy development, etc.

Our increasingly digitized world means demand runs high for skilled, senior-level staff — their talent comes at a price. Skill and experience of those doing the work as well as current market rates impact total hourly costs. Thus explaining why agencies log different hourly rates for their services.

The Per Project Billing Approach

The per project billing approach takes into consideration the different rates and skill sets for each team member assigned to a specific project.

Those individual rates are then complied and packaged into one flat fee for an entire project. This places the burden on the agency to ensure they’re working efficiently and to deadline. It also helps them make sure they’re meeting their own profit and revenue goals.

Marketing Agency Pricing Models

Marketing agencies employ various pricing models to charge for their services, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. Understanding these models can help businesses choose the best fit for their needs and budget.

How do Marketing Agencies Charge Their Clients?

While there’s no concrete answer to the question, “How much does hiring a marketing agency cost?” Each of these four variables factor into the overall equation:

hourly billing
project billing
revolving charges
managing budgets

What Should Your Marketing Budget Be?

Company size and overall revenue determine a company’s annual marketing spend. The budget set aside to spend on marketing contributes greatly to finding the right marketing agency for your business.

On average, companies allocate the following percentages of their revenue on marketing:

Small Business: 7–8%
Mid-Sized Business: 10%
Enterprise Business: 15%

Keep in mind: marketing is an investment. And knowing your options is essential for great payoff.

Hourly Billing Means Unpredictable Costs

Similar to accounting or legal firms, digital marketing agencies can bill by the hour for some projects. You’ll find, the ones who do so in this space are typically marketing consultants or freelancers.

As you may anticipate, multiple factors contribute to hourly rates. Geographic location, for example, will make a substantial difference as local competition is taken into consideration.

Case in point — a marketing agency in New York City. They may bill an average of $500+ per hour. In contrast, other regions of the United States, $300+ per hour is considered standard billing (according to the American Associate of Advertising Agencies). In smaller areas or markets, an average cost ranges anywhere from $95-$335 per hour. Naturally, this also depends upon the skill of the individual supplying the service as well as the specific service itself.

Many agencies have pivoted to a blended rate which, is the rate (roughly averaged) across all services and skill levels. This approach to agency billing helps simplify accounting and can work out to your favor. Especially when working with smaller marketing agencies — you’re likely to have senior-level staff involvement in your account.

Project Rates And Budget Creep

When assessing the cost of hiring a marketing agency, getting whole project quotes rather than per hour, can prove tedious. Especially as, the agencies you’re considering need time to create estimates for you. You’ll want to shop around and evaluate your options for price and quality before settling on the most appropriate fit for your budget.

A point to note is that the project rate approach makes space for budget creep. For example: A simple website redesign could be tweaked to include one or more of the following: a blog roll, social media management, or corporate photography. Adding in any of those will bump up the price. Generally speaking, a project will go up in cost when your marketing agency identifies how adding a particular service option will increase your success.

A common project many businesses turn to a marketing agency for help with is website redesign. The average prices for updating your website range between:

Website Design: $2,500 – $100k / website
Website Copywriting: $25 – $25,000 / page

Marketing agencies must accurately estimate the time their staff will take to complete the job, and they are betting on little to no issues arising. As such, this model is much less flexible. The agency must ensure its staff is working efficiently and on point if it wants to make a profit. This can both help and hinder the client.

Keep your budget in mind as you’re talking with your marketing agency about the project you want to do. Depending on your financial range and industry, your project limitations will change.

If the scope of work is clear, you’ll only pay one flat fee, making the cost of hiring a marketing agency simple and easy to assess. This arrangement benefits small businesses operating on a tight marketing budget.

Be Specific About Project Scope

If there is any wiggle room or ambiguity about or in your project brief (or the budget,) making adjustments down the line will be harder. Because of this, paying careful attention to the project scope before accepting a bid is critical. A project scope should be explicit and specific — look for the details outlining what the price does and does not cover.

Speaking from experience, vague scopes of work leaving a lot to a agency’s imagination or that are open for interpretation are high on the things to be aware of list. Be intentional and talk with the agency about the specifics of their project brief. Doing this upfront will not only save you both time and money, it will also mitigate any potential misunderstandings and correctly establish your expectations.

If you’re interested in what kind of work they can provide with your budget, it’s important to ask for examples. This is an excellent way to clarify what your expectations should be in addition to understanding better the value of what you’re getting for the price you’re being asked to pay. It’ll also help you visualize what you want the final product to look like and more clearly communicate your vision with the marketing agency.

Revolving Charges Ensure Predictable Costs with a Value Based Pricing Model

Inbound marketing is changing the scope of services and introducing a new paradigm of how billing is done to benefit the client. Revolving billing brings in the best of the project world along with the advantages of a long-term agency relationship. This makes the cost of hiring a marketing agency more straightforward and transparent than ever.

A social media marketing agency can provide comprehensive social media management, including pricing, content creation, and advertising strategies, making it easier for brands to manage their social media presence effectively.

Many agencies have a tiered system of packages that can be adapted to a specific client or project as needed. These packages, as they’re not based on monthly billing, allow marketers to provide consistency in monthly billing. They also make room for you to upscale or customize services as your business needs ebb and flow. This means: you know exactly what services you’re paying for each month! And this is a tremendous asset for annual budgets.

Below is a rough pricing guide for revolving marketing services:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): $1,500 – $5,000 / month
Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising: $1,500 – $10,000 / month or 5-20% of month ad spend
Email Marketing: $300 – $5,000 / month or $0.1 – $0.5 / email
Social Media Marketing: $900 – $20,000 / month
Content Marketing: $2,000 – $10,000 / month

These revolving services make understanding and estimating how much you’ll spend on marketing each month easier and more simple — especially for those with tight budgets. With the advice and input of your marketing agency, you’ll also more quickly identify which services provide the best ROI for your specific business. As your business grows, adjusting your budget (or services) depending on the new goals you’re trying to reach will be an easier, more straight forward process as well.

Do you want to see what services Beacon Media + Marketing can provide? Learn more about the excellent marketing services we can offer your business!

Simple Tips for Keeping the Cost of Hiring a Marketing Agency Manageable

Keeping your budget under control is crucial, especially for small and growing companies. Having worked in the marketing industry for over 20 years, we’ve learned a few essentials. We’ve acquired a lot of experience helping businesses afford the cost of hiring a marketing agency.

When considering social media services, it’s important to understand the pricing and offerings available for businesses looking to manage their online presence. This includes monthly fees and hourly rates for consultants, as well as the range of services provided by marketing agencies.

To get the best value possible for your marketing budget, do this:

Match your company with a similarly sized agency. Larger firms often charge more than smaller ones, so choose a marketing agency to match your size and business goals. Not only with the cost be within a reasonable range, but the agency should understand where you’re at as a company, your goals, and even your struggles because they’ll be in a relatable position themselves.
Have open and honest conversations with your marketing agency about your budget constraints. Most often, this will empower your agency to make the most of what you have to make service or strategy adjustments as needed.
Establish benchmarks for the project based on results and only increase the budget as current marketing efforts increase your company’s bottom line. This ensures the cost of hiring your marketing agency stays within your comfort zone.
Commit to a long-term relationship with an agency. Often, marketing agencies extend special pricing to companies willing to commit to working with them for longer. Marketing isn’t magic, it’s a process and sticking with an agency allows them to work through different strategies in order to arrive at the most successful and effective plan for your business.

What’s the Value of Investing in a Marketing Agency?

Encapsulating the true value good marketing can make to your business is challenging. It’s a given that marketing a business helps with brand awareness. However, other marketing services such as Google or Facebook ads also help escalate business by bringing client conversions.

Over time, companies have invested more money in marketing than their sales teams. Nowadays, marketing strategies take up a large chunk of business success. And with more investments happening towards marketing, finding an agency that’s well suited to you is even more critical for success.

Benefits to hiring a marketing agency include:

Having professionalism and expertise in the marketing industry.
Widening the talent pool of marketing experts who work on your business.
Gaining new perspectives to brainstorm the best method of marketing your company.
Staying up to date on all new effective marketing strategies.
Controlling and interacting with everything to ensure that it reflects who you are.
Focusing on growing your practice by providing your products or services.
Saving money by outsourcing your marketing instead of in-house marketing.
Creating a cohesive marketing strategy for long-term growth and sustainability.
Obtaining more content with the efficiency of a marketing team.
Achieving greater results with concrete data and client conversions.

Although you can do some marketing services, the whole scope of marketing is a huge undertaking and can take away from your business if done wrong. Pairing with a marketing agency allows you to benefit from a cohesive and effective marketing strategy guided by experts.

It also lets you understand which marketing aspects are doing well and what could be improved upon. For example, your website is one of the most critical aspects of your marketing. The Hubspot State of Marketing Report (2021) states that your website is the number two channel used in marketing behind social media. Similarly, their 2023 edition points out most website traffic is now flowing inbound via mobile devices and a mobile-optimized web experience can impact your ranking on Google.

In other words, if your website is outdated or not creating a positive user experience, this can significantly hinder your client conversions. Working with a marketing agency lets you have data on how well your website functions and get professional advice on what would be successful. You can then utilize their website design and development services for updates and watch your customer numbers rise through organic website traffic.

How to Choose Your Marketing Agency

Other than the cost of hiring a marketing agency a critical question to keep in mind is, “Is this agency a good fit for my business?” A good fit isn’t only about financials — that’s only one element. Evaluating based on experience, creative approach, company values, business procedures, the agency’s skill set and quality of work is also important.

Discuss the cost of hiring a marketing agency and your budget expectations with potential partners upfront. Here at Beacon, we’re firm believers in transparency and community. Make your needs clear and make decisions based on alignment with your company values. This could be the beginning of something beautiful and it’s important to lean in.

Take Your Business to the Next Level with Beacon Media + Marketing

Are you ready to see how a digital marketing agency can transform your business? Take your business to the next level with Beacon Media + Marketing! We offer several services that improve customer conversions, such as website design and development, content marketing, social media marketing, paid advertising, branding, and more. Our Beacon Media + Marketing team is excited to work with you to appeal to your target audience and encourage them to take the next step.

Are you ready to see how Beacon Media + Marketing can elevate your business? Schedule your free consultation today!

Smart digital marketing for private schools

Adrienne Wilkerson

April 29, 2020

Originally published on December 7, 2018. Updated on April 29, 2020.

A digital marketing strategy for private education institution should focus on connecting with the customer at every stage of the buying cycle. Most of your potential students and their parents will move through some or all of the four stages. It is important to understand the stages and how to most effectively interact with your potential customer in each of them.

The four stages of the buying cycle are: attract, convert, engage, and close. We’re going to look at how the different elements of your private school’s marketing strategy will fit into these stages.

Developing a new marketing strategy? Schedule a free consultation today.

1. Attract

The first stage is when parents or students become aware that they need you and start looking. For example, a parent could be frustrated by overcrowded classrooms, poor academic standards, or lack of extracurricular options. This drives them to start looking for alternative schools in their area.

As the parent or even a student is researching, they’re typing keywords into Google or scrolling through social media, and they discover one of your blogs. It might talk about an award one of your teachers recently received or the importance of a well-rounded arts program. It shows them that you might have a solution to their problem, so they click through to your website to learn more.

There are several methods you can use to connect to parents:

Social media posts and ads

Regularly publishing strategic content on channels like Facebook and Instagram creates an online presence, a brand, that establishes credibility. The goal of your social media should be to attract people who are looking for solutions and direct them to your website. This process moves them through the funnel. The most effective social media channel for your private school will depend in part on where you are located and where your potential students and parents spend their time. For a robust strategy, we recommend 2-3 channels. Social media ads help you target the exact types of parents and students you’re looking for, which makes it easier to attract qualified leads.

Blogging

Quality content that educates readers and keeps your website current can significantly increase your leads. Blogging is a great way to promote your school, answer frequently asked questions, comment on newsworthy topics and position it as a thought-leader in education. The most important thing is to be consistent, whether that means posting once a week or once a month.

Google SEO & Ads

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) means that the content on your website is optimized with keywords in your content, your photos are tagged correctly, and you have quality backlinks. All of these items will help parents and students find you when they need you. A robust Google Ads program is essential because it ensures that you are getting top listings and therefore more potential exposure to attract the people looking for quality independent schools.

2. Convert

The second stage is when the parent or student decides to connect with you, offering details such as an email or phone number in exchange for something of value. This could mean following you on Facebook, subscribing to an e-newsletter or signing up for a promotion – for example, a short video on techniques parents can use to prepare their kids for school.

At this point, they are not necessarily ready to make an appointment to take a walk through of your school, but they want more information. They are considered leads with the opportunity to convert them to prospects. Here are some ways you can help them:

Landing pages

A landing page is a dedicated page on your website that focus in on a specific service, offer, product, or piece of information that you think will convert an enrollment. When an interested party clicks on a PPC (pay-per-click) ad on Google or Facebook, it will take them to the landing page. They must then provide some basic contact information to access or receive what they are looking for, which opens the door to a conversation with your enrollment office. It is a “win-win” for both parties. The end users get the information they need, and you obtain contact information for future marketing.

Video content

Video content has become the preferred method for information consumption, especially for students. Instead of (or in addition to) writing a blog, consider creating some informational videos that answer questions, tour the campus or teach something interesting. You don’t even have to be on camera, the video can be narrated animation or a moving infographic.

Podcasts

Connect with parents through radio-style programs on topics of interest to the listeners. Podcasts can be recorded daily, weekly, monthly or on whichever schedule works for you. They are audio only and often involve interviews, guest speakers, etc. They can be especially effective in reaching the busy, commuting parent who doesn’t have time to watch or read something in detail.

eBooks, reports, or whitepapers

A well designed, visually stimulating published piece can still be effective, especially if your target patients are 40 years or older. This group tends to prefer reading material rather than watching a video. This can be an effective tool for establishing authority and winning over parents.

3. Engage

When people enter stage three, it is time to cultivate the relationship. You know they are interested, but for whatever reason, they haven’t yet made the decision to enroll. This is your opportunity to sell your school and stop them going somewhere else. You have the chance to stay in contact with them and develop a deeper bond of trust using some of the techniques below:

Email marketing

It’s not enough to just collect information from a parent; you must have a system to follow up with those leads. Email marketing via relevant content sent out at regular intervals is a powerful way to foster and develop leads into converting to enrolling their child in your private or boarding school.

Longer videos

YouTube provides a powerful medium for longer format videos as opposed to the short 30-60 second spots that are popular on social media. Longer format videos give you the chance to engage on a deeper level with interested parents or students. They provide you with a lot more time to expound on topics such as the effects of nutrition of growing brains, the stages of development in elementary children, how to communicate with your teen, and much more.

Quizzes

Facebook allows you to create quizzes on a wide variety of topics. If you’ve spent any time on this social media platform, you’ve probably seen at least a few. Many are silly, but statistics show that people love to engage with them. So why not use them to your advantage? For example, if your school has a liberal arts focus, your quiz could center around art drama. It’s a fun way to connect.

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

4. Close

This is the final stage and the goal of the entire process: a new enrollment. Sometimes circumstances in their lives my push them into making the decision and sometimes you can help them along the way. Before you welcome a new family to the school, you can try:

Free tickets

If your school has a sports game, play or other event coming up, you can give away tickets. This can provide a way for people to come and get a taste for the community your school fosters.

Appointments

The goal of all of this is to get people to call, make appointments for a tour or a meet and greet, and come through your door. Afterall, getting them through the door is the hardest part, right? The rest is relatively easy because you’re terrific and you care, and you have a fantastic school!

Phone calls

Setting aside the time for a phone call is a personal touch that shows you care about the student’s future. It’s a great opportunity to address any concerns the parent has and explain why choosing your school is an investment in their future. It’s old school, but it works.

Read more: How much should you spend on marketing?

Things to remember

Not every parent or student will need to go through every one of these stages, and some will go through it several times. Statistically, about 2-4% of those in the attract stage will jump directly to calling you, 5-15% will choose to call you in the convert stage, and approximately 80% will become choose to enroll in the engage stage. Some people will become aware of your school in the attract stage, then get distracted by life and end up coming back to you later.

Consistency is vital as is relating to each person in the correct stage of the buying cycle. For example, you don’t want to send the person who just signed up for your podcast and email that says welcome to our school! Instead, it should be welcome to our podcast; we are thrilled you are interested in learning more about _____________.

The buying cycle may sound intimidating, but it’s vital to understand how the modern, digital-savvy customer engages with your school so you can know how to move them through the cycle. Once you understand the process, the sky is the limit for your new enrollments.

Ready to revolutionize your buying cycle? Schedule a free consultation today.

Why is corporate branding important? (VIDEO)

Adrienne Wilkerson

April 21, 2020

Originally published on November 21, 2017. Updated on April 21, 2020.

What is a corporate brand?

It doesn’t matter if your company operates on an international, national, regional, state, city, or neighborhood level; no matter the size, you have a brand. It really doesn’t matter if you have invested millions or nothing at all in your brand, it still exists. Your brand is the heart of your company; it is what comes to the minds and hearts of consumers and employees when they think of your business.

Every time anyone interacts with anything that has to do with your company it is reinforcing an idea about your business. Your brand is much, much more complex than just your logo and the colors you choose to put on your website. Your brand is so much larger, and it impacts your business on every level.

When companies are first starting up, it’s common for them to skip the branding conversation. After all, there are product lines to develop, services to perfect, and sales to be made. However, every company should start by answering two questions: who are we, and why are we doing this?

This is the core of your brand, and it will set the stage for everything else.

Want to talk corporate branding? Schedule a free consultation.

Designing a corporate brand

Part of a strong brand is knowing what sets you apart from your competition. This should become a cornerstone in your company’s messaging, both externally through marketing and also internally. Your employees should be just as aware of what makes their business different and be able to take pride in what they do every day.

Consumers and staff alike have access to more information than ever before. They have more choices, so it becomes even more critical that your company knows that it knows that it knows why it is different. We’ll give you a tip here: in our current marketing economy, it is not about the “best” product or service.

It’s about the experience. The relationship.

Take Apple for example. It has built such a strong brand around its products that fans will stand in line and even camp out overnight to get their new devices. There is a culture that has evolved around Apple fans to the point that people become Apple fanatics. They will pay more for Apple products just because they are Apple products. Apple carefully cultivated this brand and developed the fan base the followed the brand.

Economic value of a brand

When you’re looking at the value of your business, you must always consider both tangible and intangible assets. Successful organizations know that their brand is one of their most valuable intangible assets. Every year, Interbrand ranks the best brands around the world on their value. How do some of our favorites rank?

The Lego brand comes in 67th with a brand name value of almost $6.7 million. Nike ranks 18th with a brand value at $25 million. Disney’s brand name is worth almost $39 million dollars. Amazon ranks 8th but has the fastest growing brand name value at $50.3 million and 33% growth in 2016. Who were the top three?

Coca-Cola took home the 3rd place spot with a value of $73.1 million; Google captured the second-place spot, their brand is considered to be worth $133,252 million dollars. And drum roll please… Apple stands alone in the first-place spot with a brand name value of $178,119 million dollars.

Now, if you’re running a small to medium-sized business, you might wonder what all of these big names have to do with you. These are some pretty impressive numbers. They illustrate on a brand scale what a brand name can be worth when a company invested in developing the brand. The same principle applies to any business.

For example, the difference in the value of the brand between known competitors Coca-Cola and Pepsi is staggering. Coca-Cola’s $73.1 million is more than three times what Pepsi’s brand name is worth at $20.3 million. The companies both started in the 1890’s a mere five years apart, and yet in the last 120 plus years, Coca-Cola has consistently had a stronger brand. Why? They invested heavily in their company brand.

Brands reinforce values

One of the reasons why brands like Coca-Cola and Apple consistently beat their competition is because they understand the brand guides their company. Their brand answers the question why. Why does the company exist? Why do employees want to work there? Why should consumers buy a Coke versus a Pepsi?

Every company, no matter the size, should be able to answer the why questions on a deeper level than just “because we’re better.” Anyone can say that. You have to go deeper, you have to understand why you are coming to work every day, why your employees should (beyond the paycheck), and why your clients keep coming back.

Salim Ismail, lately of Singular University, writes in his book Exponential Organizations about the importance of a Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP). The MTP is the “higher, aspirational purpose of the organization,” he says. It doesn’t try to describe what the business does, but what it’s aspiring to accomplish. This is the heart of your brand – not the colors or even the logo, but the why. It’s the purpose of the company!

Corporate brands attract loyalty

Your brand makes promises to customers, fans, and prospects. In every way your company interacts with and communicates with the public, you are either reinforcing that promise or weakening, maybe even breaking it. When that promise is reinforced, time and time again, your customers know what to expect.

That builds loyalty. Let’s take Coca-Cola, for example. Its brand consistency is legendary, while it has updated parts of its messaging, it has never ventured from reinforcing their core message:

To refresh the world…
To inspire moments of optimism and happiness…
To create value and make a difference.

This is its mission, it’s MTP. Time and time again, Coca-Cola has proved it can connect emotionally with its customer base. It’s been in business since 1892, which means its appeal spans generations. That’s some serious longevity.

Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation today.

What are buyer personas & how can they convert leads? (VIDEO)

Adrienne Wilkerson

April 14, 2020

Originally published on March 30, 2015. Updated on April 14, 2020.

Most of us have been asked at one point or another to describe our target market. Usually, we rattle off a series of demographics, casting some wide nets in the hope of landing a good catch. “Middle-aged women,” we say. “Men aged 40-50 with kids,” we guess. “High-income homeowners in this ZIP code,” we tell our marketing agencies.

Historically, these demographics shaped the way marketers constructed their message to potential buyers. However, the advent of social media has significantly changed the way we market, because now we can deliver extremely targeted messaging directly into the pockets of those most likely to buy from our clients.

This dynamic shift requires that we go deeper than just identifying our target market. We need to find out who is buying from us and why. Thankfully, there are many tools at our disposal. We can ask our customers why they chose us. We can find out what search terms are trending on Google. We can find out what are the most popular kinds of tutorial videos. We can see what’s popular on social media and analyze the strategies of our competitors to see what works.

Once we’ve done that, we can create a buyer persona.

Want to skip ahead? Schedule a free consultation today.

What are buyer personas?

According to leading inbound marketing company HubSpot, they are “semi-fictional representations of your ideal customer based on real data and some select educated speculation about customer demographics behavior patterns, motivations, and goals.” In short, they are who you are trying to reach.

Look at it this way: instead of trying to attract and engage some 3 billion people on the internet, focus on those most likely to become the type of clients that excitedly promote you to their connections.

Dave, for example, could be a 45-year-old man who owns his own home and has a wife, two kids and a hairy pet dog. He probably needs his ducts cleaned. Great! How can your HVAC business connect with him?

Or take Jessica, a 42-year-old who works part-time in an office job, who has one child in kindergarten and one in elementary school. She needs to go to the dentist and figures she’ll bring the kids along for their first check-ups. Awesome! What’s going to make her choose your clinic over a competitor?

They’re both about the same age, living in the same area, with young families, but they have different needs so they’ll respond to different messaging. That’s why it’s so important do to your research. The more you know about your ideal customer, the better you can find out how you can best add value to their lives.

Dave, for example, might want to know exactly what a duct cleaning entails and what nasties are lurking in his air vents. Jessica might want a dentist that specializes in kids. Once you’ve identified their need, you can create a marketing campaign to cater to their interests and help solve their problems.

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

How to create a buyer persona

The most effective buyer personas are always centered on the question of “why?” Why will someone need to buy your products or enlist your services? Focusing on their motives will help you create a marketing campaign centered around the content they’re likely to search for and consume before making a decision to purchase.

Alternatively, you can think of it this way: What is their problem? How will you solve it?

“When you intimately know your player personas and communicate to them in a personal way, you skyrocket your changes of turning them from just a contact in your database into a lifelong customer,” Hatchbuck Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Jonathan Herrick, explained in an interview with Inc. Magazine.

Personas will help your business become more competitive, so it’s important to give them some thought and make sure they’re well-crafted. They will help you focus on sending the right message to the right customer, which will lead to more leads and a higher conversion rate. Ultimately, it’s about boosting your bottom line and making your marketing budget go as far as possible.

Focusing your sales funnel

Modern customers are very well-informed. Social media and search engines mean they can find exactly what they need, when they need it. Inbound marketing is a philosophy centered around the idea of making yourself as easy-t0-find as possible. In the communication age, when people are hungry for content, you need to be searchable. You need to provide people with the value you’re looking for and make the path to purchase smooth.

The first step is awareness. Unless you have the right content, people will not stick around long enough to engage with your company, your products and services. Personas are key because they help you create the right content, which will attract visitors. Find out what your customers like to consume, what questions they need answered and what information they’re looking for. Use that as a starting point and create content accordingly.

Once the customer has landed in your digital eco-system, provide what they need, and do it quickly. Don’t play games or waste their time. It’s important that your website is up-to-date, well-organized and fast-loading with strong calls to action that encourage the website visitor to take the next step, whether that’s scheduling a free quote or booking an appointment. Education is critical in this phase – make it clear why they should choose you.

As soon as the customer engages with you, respond in kind. If they ask for more information, call them within 24 hours. If they reply so a post on social media, give a positive response. If they schedule an appointment, send an auto-generated email thanking them for their booking and confirming the details. Engage, engage, engage.

The final step is conversion. When you sell the product or deliver the service, ensure the customer’s needs are fully met. Seamless and high-quality service will significantly increase the chance of them becoming a repeat customer – and better yet, recommending you to their friends, family, and neighbors.

After all, word of mouth is still the most powerful tool in any marketing plan.

Ready to optimize your marketing strategy? Schedule a free consultation today.

Which website development company should I hire?

Adrienne Wilkerson

February 13, 2020

Originally published on September 11, 2015. Updated on February 13, 2020.

There are many factors that go into choosing a website development company. To be perfectly honest with you, we hear a lot of horror stories from businesses about website builds, whether they’ve tried to build a website themselves or they’ve hired a company to help. We figured we would just call it out and pass on some tips to help you choose the right website developer/firm for your website.

Website Development And Design

First off, there are several types of website projects. You might be looking for your first ever website, you might be looking for help with a website redesign or you might be looking to refresh your website content. The scope of work will also depend on your budget and the size of your website.

Here, we’ll run you thorough the basic website development process for each:

Building A Website From Scratch

First-time web projects are often the hardest, because it means building everything from the ground up. These websites are usually around 7-10 pages and require like purchasing a domain, setting up the hosting, and making sure the design is optimized for different devices, including mobile.

One of the hardest parts about first-time website builds is putting together all of the content. That means creating a homepage, writing your about page, defining your products or services and collecting all of the necessary right photos, text and contact information.

More often than not, most websites get bogged down with one element: writing the text. We recommend that every website has text that is professionally written for several reasons:

SEO: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an ever-evolving science, which basically revolves around predicting which combination of keywords are most likely to be searched on sites like Google so that your website appears near the top. This is really important when it comes to helping potential customers find your website. This is one area where professional copywriters will make a big difference, because they’re up-to-date with all the latest trends.
Tone: The language you use on your website is just as important as the design in establishing a “look and feel” that correctly represents your brand. Communication styles evolve quickly, but the past few years have seen a consistent and strengthening trend towards more conversational and approachable wording. Sometimes that can be a challenge for business owners when we want to get specific and “talk shop” about what it is we do, which is why professionals can help.
Time: You have a business to run and more often than not, there isn’t time to write the content yourself. You are investing money into your website and the last thing you want is to have the whole process held up waiting on text. A professional will make sure it’s finished on time.

Starting from scratch? Find out why we recommend building your site with WordPress.

Website Redesign Services

Sometimes, your website might simply be outdated. It’s important to remember that a website design isn’t a one-stop project. In fact, experts recommend they’re updated every 2-3 years so that it stays on top of all the latest trend. Usually this means undertaking a complete redesign, including new photos and updated text, though some elements may move over from one site to the other.

In our experience, these sites are often a bit larger and more developed because you’ll be much more in tune with what’s working and what’s not within your business. The website development process for redesigns usually includes:

Updating for new technology
New design to meet emerging trends
Updated content for better user experience and Goggle rankings
New security measures
Taking advantage of new options in SEO and content marketing

Want to learn more? Here are 10 signs it’s time to redesign your website.

Copywriting Services

If the time has come to refresh the content on your website, you’ll need to engage a copywriter. A copywriter will be able to help you refine your messaging, update the language used to make sure your content comes across as being modern, define your products and services and make sure every page is optimized for SEO. They may also be able to help you create a social media strategy.

Website Development Costs

Regardless of whether you need a brand-new website, a website redesign or just a refresh, making sure you hire the right company is absolutely crucial. There are a variety of options available, including doing it yourself, hiring a solo developer, an offshore team or a professional agency.

Both the solo developer and the offshore team often charge by the hour to complete a project and that rate is based on their overhead. An offshore web company may charge anywhere from $10 – $40/hr while a solo web developer in the US is typically charging between $25 – $100/hr.

Especially if you are just getting your company started, these prices may look very, very good to you, but there are some challenges involved with both the sole developer and the offshore team.

There are several different things you will need to consider in making the right choice:

Marketing
User Experience Design
Visual Design
Programming
Project Management
Photography
Quality Content (text) Creation

It can be difficult to find all of these things in one place. For example, doing it yourself means spending hours upon hours researching and wrestling with unfamiliar website development tools. Hiring an offshore team might lead to problems with language barriers and time differences. A solo developer will be an expert in a few things from that list, but probably not them all.

Okay, we admit we’re a little bit biased, but we do genuinely believe that a professional agency will give you the best bang for your buck. Take Beacon Media + Marketing, for example: we have a team of professionals who specialize in design, content creation, coding, SEO, even photography. We will also give you an account manager, who will walk you through the process from start to finish.

Looking to convert leads? Here is the anatomy of a high-converting landing page.

Website Development Process

Regardless of which route you take, we highly recommend putting together a document that sets out exactly what you want on your website. It doesn’t have to be long – usually about 1-2 pages is enough. It should cover what style of website you want (modern, traditional, colorful, classic, etc.), which pages are crucial to the site (About Us, Services, Portfolio, Staff, Contact Us, etc.), and any goals for the site (inform, collect leads, educate, connect with clients, e-commerce, etc.).

It’s also very helpful to include links to examples of other websites you like and explain what you like about them. For instance, is it the way the colors are combined, the layout, or maybe the navigation that appeals to you? Using this document when you start approaching web developers will make sure you both start on the same page – literally. It’s a great tool to help you get more consistent estimates from company to company, and a company worth hiring should be asking these questions and more.

We would be happy to sit down and discuss these questions and more. If you are interested in seeing our work, please check out our portfolio, then give us a call at 907-563-6008 or drop us an email.

Facebook & Google Ads: What analytics should I track?

Adrienne Wilkerson

December 4, 2019

You know you should be measuring the success of your Facebook and Google ads.

You’ve probably looked at some of the analytics in an attempt to make sense of it all.

Maybe you even understand some of what you’re looking at.

But how do you know what Google and Facebook analytics are the most important to track?

Better question: How do you know if the analytics you’re seeing are good or bad?

Today, we’re not only talking about what analytics to track, but also how you can tell if your ads are successful.

Enjoy the journey to more informed Facebook and Google advertising!

Definitions of Popular Analytics

Before we get started, I would like to give you a handy guide of popular analytics and their definitions for you to reference as you go along.

Please read over each of these–the nuances will help you understand their value!

Reach – The number of unique people who saw your ad.

Impressions – The number of times your ad was shown. This is often a higher number than reach because some people will be shown your ad multiple times. They say that someone must see an ad seven times before they become aware of it, so you want this!

Engagement (Facebook) – The number of likes, comments, and shares on your ad.

Engagement Rate (Facebook) – The number of likes, comments, and shares on your ad divided by the number of people who saw your ad.

Clicks – The number of clicks on your ad not including likes, comments, and shares. For example, clicking to enlarge a photo, play a video, or expand an ad.

Link Clicks – The number of clicks on your ad to your profile or website.

Click-Through-Rate (CTR) – The number of link clicks on your ad divided by the number of times your ad was shown.

Cost-Per-Click (CPC) – The amount of money you spend for each link click on your ad.

Hopefully, these definitions help you as we cover what analytics to track today!

Facebook Analytics to Track

If you’re advertising on Facebook, your goal is to get as much engagement as possible in terms of likes, comments, shares, and ultimately, clicks through to your profile or website.

And you want to do it for as little money as possible.

Facebook analytics like reach and impressions can give you context for what is going on with your ad, but the gold is in the numbers on link clicks and cost.

This is especially true for a lead generation campaign where the objective is to generate link clicks that convert to leads for your business.

The cheaper the link click, the lower the cost of acquisition per lead.

The only exception is a brand awareness campaign where you may simply be measuring eyeballs on the ad (reach and impressions).

Two of the most important Facebook analytics for measuring link clicks and cost are click-through-rate (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC).

For this reason, online advertising tool WordStream publishes a report on industry benchmarks for these Facebook analytics that they keep updated throughout the year.

How do you know if your Facebook analytics are good or bad?

Measure them against those of other companies advertising in your industry!

Here is the industry benchmark infographic for click-through-rate:

Facebook & Google Ads: What Analytics Should I Track? — WordStream: Updated August 2019

So, for instance, if you are in the consumer services industry, a click-through-rate of OVER 0.62% would be great!

That would mean your Facebook ads are performing above average for your industry.

It is important to note the distinction between click-through-rate and cost-per-click.

Although you want to see a HIGH click-through-rate, you want to see a LOW cost-per-click.

Here is WordStream’s industry benchmark infographic for cost-per-click:

So, in this case, if you are in the consumer services industry, a cost-per-click of UNDER $3.08 would be fantastic!

These numbers give you an idea of how Facebook ads perform in various industries as well as what you can expect from your ads.

They provide valuable context.

A consumer services company shouldn’t complain about a cost-per-click of $2 but a retail company should absolutely look at bringing that cost down!

Now, let’s turn the page to Google ads and analytics for a bit.

Google AdWords Analytics to Track

We have included a discussion of Google ads and analytics in this article because they are a part of an integrated digital advertising strategy and they are very similar to Facebook analytics.

Similar to Facebook ads, with Google ads you’ll want to be tracking link clicks and cost, although there are other analytics like reach and impressions that provide context.

For Google ads, you’ll want to track exactly the same two analytics, click-through-rate (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC)!

And in the same way, as they do for Facebook, WordStream publishes industry benchmarks for Google too.

Here are the Google industry benchmarks for click-through-rate:

And here are the Google industry benchmarks for cost-per-click:

Just like with Facebook analytics, you want to see a HIGH click-through-rate and a LOW cost-per-click for your industry with Google.

Something a little bit different that you’ll notice here is the distinction between the analytics for Google “search” advertising and advertising through the “Google display network” (see the blue and green bars in the left column).

Your analytics will look a little different depending on which kind of Google advertising you’re using, so pay attention!

In conclusion, click-through-rate and cost-per-click are the analytics you should track for both Facebook and Google ads, although reach and impressions can show you how many people are looking at your ads and how many times they see them.

Click-through-rate and cost-per-click are analytics that combine some of the most important information to create the most comprehensive picture of what is going on with your ads.

If your Google or Facebook analytics are above industry standards, congratulations!

You’re right on track.

If they are not, you may want to consider testing alternative images or copy until the numbers are where they should be.

We would love to chat with you about how your Facebook or Google ads are performing as well as offer some recommendations for how to make them even more successful.

Our team of Facebook and Google certified specialists have been running, A/B testing, and tracking analytics on ads for years!

You can schedule a free consultation with President Adrienne Wilkerson or VP of Marketing Jennifer Christensen using their automated scheduler, available here.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Best of luck as you continue learning how to track the analytics on your Facebook or Google ads!

What is marketing? A look through the eyes of a marketer

Adrienne Wilkerson

October 30, 2019

Recently, on the way to work, I heard a radio ad that caught my attention.

It was for an imaging provider. They were offering the latest and greatest in imaging technology and procedures. Radio ads don’t usually catch my attention, but this one made me pause. A marketer by trade, I began to get inside my consumer brain to explore exactly why this particular ad was so effective.

Here’s what I discovered:

I had been looking for an imaging provider (need)
I had been in need of imaging services for over two years now (pain)
I didn’t want to go to just anyone because the procedure is typically painful (pain)
I was aware of non-painful, alternative methods (education)
I didn’t know who offered them (need)

It was the perfect culmination of events. I just so happened to turn the radio on that morning during the time this provider’s radio spot was running, I just so happened to be in a season of life where I needed their services, and I just so happened to have enough consumer education to know that they offered exactly what I was looking to find.

The crazy thing is I didn’t even call the number at the end of the ad! Nor am I planning to anytime soon. But when the time comes and the stars align just right again, you can be sure that this provider has my consumer preference.

This experience did a few different things for me. First, it made me realize just how difficult it can be to win people’s business (and how incredible it is that we’re so great at it at Beacon!). Second, it reinforced the importance of targeted, consumer data-based digital advertisements versus the shotgun approach of traditional media like radio.

Finally, it re-centered my definition of marketing.

Marketing is not about who can talk faster, or close better. It is about a deep psychological understanding of customer needs. – Michael Brenner, What Is Marketing?

Handy Definition of Marketing

When I got home that night and had some more time to mull over the events of the day, I pulled out my iPhone and Googled, “What is marketing?” It’s a slightly embarrassing search for a marketer, especially one who took numerous academic courses on marketing in school, but sometimes we all need to be reminded of “the main thing.”

A particular part of the Wikipedia definition caught my eye, “Marketing is the study and management of exchange relationships.” “That’s it,” I thought. Marketing is literally just taking people like me, everyday people who listen to the radio and Google simple searches on their smartphones, and finding a mutually beneficial exchange of value that you both agree upon, typically your services in exchange for their money.

“Marketing is the study and management of exchange relationships.” – Wikipedia

I thought about everything that this involves, from finding and targeting the right people using data like demographics and life circumstances, to creating the right offer using differentiation and customer education where necessary. A fresh framework for marketing began to form in my mind.

Suddenly, I could see that everything that we do at Beacon falls neatly into that framework.

All Marketing is Inbound Marketing

We are a digital marketing agency. That means we focus on digital media such as websites, videos, social media posts, and blogs rather than traditional media like print, radio, and TV. We do so because we believe it is the most effective. Not that we don’t use traditional media in combination with digital media sometimes as a part of a holistic strategy, but we prefer to invest our money (and our client’s money) where we know we can get results.

As I mentioned earlier, digital marketing is highly targeted, whereas traditional marketing takes more of a shotgun approach. With digital marketing, you can show people ads based on their demographics, life situation, interests, and even outwardly expressed needs. You can also track their responses. Because everything is internet-based, we can follow every like, comment, share, click, and convert (or bounce). It’s kinda hard to know if someone called or visited your website from a print, radio, or TV ad. There are methods, but they all come back to digital tracking in the end.

One of the core philosophies of digital marketing is called “inbound.” It’s the idea that if you know who you want to serve, if you truly understand them in all of their wants, needs, pains, and dreams, and you put valuable information for them in the places that they spend their time, they will notice you and pursue a business relationship. Of course, in the age of the internet, pretty much everybody spends a great portion of their time online.

This is how we create exchanges at Beacon. We market online. We conduct deep customer research and practice A/B testing on as many demographics and other customer markers as we can get our hands on until we have the perfect target audience. We find out exactly what they’re searching online down to the keywords and phrases they use to communicate their problems and desires. Then, we craft our value-driven brand message and produce helpful information.

Most Important Part of Marketing

What is a brand message? To us, it is an empathetic messaging that will resonate with our target audience given what we know about them.

The truth is, the provider I mentioned at the beginning could have done a lot more by way of brand messaging. If they had focused more on what their technology means for the patient, as in, less pain, rather than just how cool and awesome it is, they would have had a chance of capturing more than just people like me. I had to read between the lines. Fortunately for them, I knew a thing or two about imaging technology.

A brand message is more than just empathetic statements. It is also empathetic action.

I am a content writer, and 90% of my time is spent producing information that helps the customer along their journey. I answer commonly searched questions, write “how-tos” and “quick guides,” and generally put written form to the solutions our clients are offering their customers.

This does more than simply educate the customer. When we produce empathetic and valuable content like this for our customers, we show them that we are the kind of people who have the answers they are looking for. The result? They want more from us, which quickly becomes our products or services themselves.

“Traditional marketing talks at people. Content marketing talks with them.” – Doug Kessler

If I could summarize all of this succinctly in one statement it would be this, “know thy customer.” If marketing is the study and management of exchange relationships, then the obvious first step is knowing who you are relating to and what they might want to exchange. Inbound marketing is one of the best ways to find and foster exchange relationships through data-based targeting and empathetic brand messaging.

We are seeing incredible results for our clients who use this marketing framework every day. If you are interested in getting back to “the main thing” in your marketing, we would love to talk! You can schedule a free consultation with us at the link.

As always, happy marketing.