Question

Topic: E-Marketing

How To Generate More Leads With Addt'l $2000/mo

Posted by Anonymous on 9/9/2009 at 12:32 PM ET 250 Points
https://www.omnipress.com serves the meetings and events industry by producing conference materials in print, cd, online. We also help conference staff with speaker file collection. And of late, we provide event communities where attendees can network, interact and access conference materials.

I have been tasked with increasing our leads three fold!

Leads are typically generated in three ways (and in order or volume)
1. Referrals
2. Online - through forms on our web site
3. Tradeshows

Our marketing includes:
1. Tradeshows (attending, expo and pre-event mktg)
2. Social media
- Daily tweets from 2 people (connected to our industry)
- Linkedin updates, announcements, etc from 7 reps
- we blog (https://blog.omnipress.com)
- contributions to other blogs and listserv
- post youtube videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/omnipressLIVE)
3. SEM - 13 diff campaigns 200 words (adwords/yahoo)
4. Web site - SEO, however, we have not made it sharable (hubspot.com loves our site - grade 92)
5. We create and share whitepapers, market research, Tips/guides (web, email, etc)
6. Outbound Emails (2x monthly to our database) with brief educational/content that has a personality.
7. Press Releases - just a few, but think we should increase to 2x/month (e.g., https://bit.ly/RlkN6 )
8. Listings with all industry buyers guides including some banner ads on major association leadership sites
9. Some marketing automation incorporated, but no major drips
10. We spend time with google analytics, our Mktg automation analyzer, SEM reports, email reports, Twitter searches to stay in tune and adjust our tactics.

It's difficult to explain exactly what the message is and the tactics are... but know we are doing a lot of the NEW marketing tactics (WOM/David Scott style) to generate awareness and drive leads. Our web site has forms to capture visitors (request for info, demos, whitepapers).

So I just got tasked to increase leads and told to think outside the box... spend more money if needed?

Any ideas?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 9/9/2009 at 12:40 PM Member
    Wow, sounds like you're doing quite a lot. A question (well two). Do you need that many additional leads because all of that marketing isn't driving enough traffic? Or, is it because the traffic you're getting isn't converting into leads and then sales?


    Jodi
  • Posted by telemoxie on 9/9/2009 at 2:08 PM Member
    you ask for something outside the box, so here's an idea pretty far outside the box...

    One way to look at market penetration would be to consider the percentage of trade shows you service by industry. For example, you might be involved in half of the tradeshows related to the automotive industry, but only a 10th of the tradeshows related to the semiconductor industry.

    You should be able to research the number of shows in various industries, and determine which industries give you the greatest potential for growth.

    Let's assume that you determined that medical equipment manufacturers will be a lucrative industry for you, and that you are underrepresented in that industry and its trade shows. You could then visit some of those tradeshows, sending someone with a lavish expense account, and possibly sponsor a hospitality suite for exhibitors and speakers, and network your way into serving that industry.

    You will need to be quite careful not to be overly aggressive... it might even be best to position yourself as providing complementary services to the incumbent vendor...

    I personally believe that the evaluation of market penetration by industry is probably worth doing. I am much less certain than indirect marketing by networking with speakers at a trade show will yield tangible results, and so if it was me, my first trip to a trade show would be to a local trade show, to minimize travel costs and time away from the office.
  • Posted on 9/9/2009 at 3:02 PM Accepted
    The wow was it seems like you're doing quite a lot already! I'm guessing from your "yes" that you want both more leads and more traffic.

    A few thoughts:

    1) more drip marketing. add some autoresponders with a series or a course, regularly delivered information that will help you gain authority and build trust

    2) put together some viral content that visitors can download and share (10 ways to cut trade show costs)

    3) partner with other trade show vendors (exhibit designers, A/V people. recommend each other

    4) referral system, clients who send more clients get X (a discount, a gift)

    Also, you didn't ask, but your site is fine, OK, but well, dull. It's not remarkable. There's no particular reason to come back.

    I looked at the blog, and it's nicely laid out (love the image with the tractor stuck in the water), and conversational, but it's not really interesting. Why not share some tips on getting more from trade shows? Or new software or tools you've found that would help your clients get more business?

    More direct engagement and conversation will go a long way.

    Hope this is helpful.

    Jodi
  • Posted by mgoodman on 9/9/2009 at 4:20 PM Moderator
    I suspect there's more bottom-line business value and leverage potential in increasing conversion than in generating more leads. If you are not already managing an effective landing path program that lets you segment your audience and optimize conversions, that's the place to put your next incremental marketing dollar and your attention.

    If you need more information, you might try picking up a copy of Honest Seduction, by S. Brinker, A. Talerico and J. Talerico. It will give you a lot of useful information on post-click marketing. And if you're still a skeptic after reading the book, contact me and I'll make you a very attractive profit-sharing deal.
  • Posted on 9/9/2009 at 6:54 PM Member
    Seems very passive to me.

    I can see why an increase is needed if you are relying on those sources.

    What direct response endeavors do you utilize? (mail or email to targeted fresh lists, JV/Joint ventures, etc)

    What are you doing to push the service in front of those not searching?

    No offense, but all I see so far is sit and wait marketing
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/9/2009 at 9:08 PM Member
    I didn't see any case studies on your website. If you don't have them, develop them. Detail the problems your clients faced and how you helped solve them (include ROI where appropriate). The case studies can also be ripe with SEO opportunities but more importantly, content that decision maker can quickly evaluate.
  • Posted on 9/10/2009 at 4:19 AM Member
    Cuschan,

    Have you carried out user experience testing on the site? It would open up a lot of insights to the way your customers and potential customers see your business and how they interact through the website.

    ROI on user testing is over 100%. I have recently done some work for a construction company, not a good place to be at the moment, which has seen 700% ROI in three weeks.

    Remember who your website is for - your customers. Satisfy the customer needs to satisfy your business needs.

    I have written a book on the subject Internet Marketing How to get a Website that Works for Your Business which is available from Amazon

    In trust that this will help.

    Regards

    Nigel
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