Every business would love to get more leads and make more sales. Whether you are interested in getting more clients immediately, or promoting growth in the long-term, it is important to have the right strategy in place. Here are 4 ways that you can improve your sales growth strategies for your company, and four ideas for developing your business over a longer period of time with a long-term sales strategy.
4 strategies for immediate sales
1. Email campaigns
Email marketing remains one of the most important channels for any business when it comes to implementing a long-term sales plan – if your organization isn’t using it to its full effect, you will be missing out on sales. The majority of people who visit your site for the first time won’t buy anything from you immediately. In fact, research suggests that clients may visit a site 9 times before they commit to buy. For that reason, it is vital to capture the contact information of potential clients when they visit so you can send them offers as a part of an email campaign at a later date. A marketing automation tool like Keap can help small businesses manage this process more effectively.
The important thing to know about email marketing is that it is extremely effective. A report from Direct Marketing Assocation revealed that for every £1 ($1.29 USD) that a business spends on email marketing, they make more than £32 ($41.29 USD).
2. Google Ads
There’s no doubt that if you are looking for instant sales, there is no better option that pay-per-click (PPC) advertising through Google Ads. With more than 40,000 search queries every single second, Google has the potential to bring an awful lot of eyes to your website. Google Adis a very expensive marketing channel, but it can also deliver immediate results and fast return on your investment.
You’ll need to manage your account very carefully in order to maximize your returns, as the cost of a search term can change significantly in a short space of time.
3. Coupon deals
It’s easy to see the benefits of working with coupon deal sites like Groupon. They have huge audiences, are location-based, and offer limited-time discounts that incentivize clients to make purchases as soon as possible. You also benefit from the familiarity of the brand name, which can eliminate issues of trust in buying through your own website.
Plus, being on a coupon site not only means that you will make sales, but it will also provide you with exposure to a large audience, improve your brand awareness, and provide you with new clients. These advantages do come at a price, however; coupon sites will generally require a discount on your product by about 50%, and a large chunk of the revenue you generate goes directly to the site.
4. Facebook advertising
If you are interested in paid advertising, Facebook ads make for an excellent alternative to Google. Facebook advertising is typically far less expensive than Google AdWords and can also provide you with a way to market to almost any audience.
It should be noted here that the most successful Facebook ad campaigns are a little more subtle than direct sales. Potential clients need to be enticed with great content.
Take Keap's Lifecycle Automation Assessment to identify growth opportunities for your business.
4 long term sales strategy tactics for growth
1. SEO
Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) is essentially the polar opposite of PPC; you are unlikely to see benefits straight away, but if you continue carrying out good work on your site, you will start seeing sales coming in, and this work will pay dividends for a long period of time.
Of course, there are quick wins that can benefit businesses immediately, but in general, if you are investing in SEO. you are in it for the long-run. Do not be concerned if you do not see results straight away. Instead, find a blend of other market channels that can sustain your business in the meantime.
2. Content marketing
Marketers around the world are embracing content marketing, understanding that in the long-term one of the only strategies that is effective in bringing clients and making your business popular with Google, is creating fantastic content that makes your brand stand out from the crowd.
It works, too! Recent statistics suggest that content marketing will provide businesses with three times the number of leads that they would get from paid search advertising.
3. Social media
Social media channels are no longer optional for businesses. With clients looking to interact with brands online, it is vital that organizations invest in their social media presence both in terms of a way to provide excellent client service, and also as a marketing channel.
Social media is a fantastic place to show off your brand to existing clients and potential clients, which will help in building up a reputation.
4. Promote client loyaltyThere is a lot of emphasis put on acquiring new clients, but this can lead to businesses neglecting repeat business. It is essential that you invest in keeping your existing clients happy, as they are the most likely to purchase from you again. Some of the important ways to do this are providing excellent client service and identifying the current clients who are most likely re-purchase.
Chester Avey has over a decade of experience in business growth management. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with other like-minded professionals through his writing. Find out what else Chester has been up to on Twitter: @Chester15611376.