Marketing Automation Checklist for Inbound Marketing & Lead Generation 2011 Ephor Group 1 (800) 379-9330 www.ephorgroup.com 5353 W Alabama Suite 300 Houston, TX 77056 Ephor Groups provides services (Revenue Management, GrowthSTEP, Management Science) needed to efficiently grow, outperform the titi tt t f l it l d t lth f ft d i id
Marketing Automation Checklist Setup I. Lead Capture (web landing pages per keyword phrase) II. Call-To-Action Offer Button Integration (website, landing pages, Paid Search Google AdWords, LinkedIn, etc.) Routine Management Data Management Promotion Frequency (publishing schedule) Partner Management III. Lead Scoring and Qualification Asset Management IV. Integration (Wordpress, CRM, ecommerce, Financial, etc.) A/B Testing and Metrics Reporting V. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) PR VI. Social Media: Blogging, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn VII. Links: Directories, Communities VIII.Lead Nurturing including database 2011 Ephor Group 1 (800) 379-9330 www.ephorgroup.com
Marketing Automation Best Practice: Blogging g Blogging enables content distribution and feedback (mechanism for dialogue). Blog best practices: 1.) Publish routinely according to a blog schedule, 2.) Comment on relevant and compelling partners, experts, and others, and 3.) include a CTA (call-to- action) in every blog post. Bonus blogging best practice: Make it easy for viewers to interact with polls, comments, social media icons for Like and sharing, etc..
Marketing Automation Best Practice: Get Found Online. Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Or How to get found 102 on Google when your buyers are searching. SEO best practices: Add SEO optimized content (with keywords, keywords in links, alt image keyword links, etc.) regularly by category theme like a corporate organization chart. Increase quality of leads as they are referred by partners within the community.
Marketing Automation Best Practice: Social Media Community Building Social Media Community Building. Aka Get Found Online When Buyers Search 201. Build relationships and then lead generation and revenue will come naturally. Community & relationship building practices: 1. Act like a participant and not an NBA owner. 2. Make it easy to use, try, buy, engage, discuss. Invite them. Incent them. Ask them what they want. 3. Spend time listening and then take action. 4. Always say- thanks for coming, thanks for participating, thanks for your suggestion. --Thanks for the suggestion. It s always great to have such good ideas. Come back again soon. 5. Communities = Tribes based on shared interests. 6. Dunbar hypotheisized 144 is the maximum relationships per person, use technology to nurture beyond the 144. 4 ways to generate attention: 1. Buy (advertising) 2. Beg (PR), 3. Bug (direct) 4. Earn (Inbound by publishing online) The purpose of marketing = Buy, beg, or earn attention that goes viral. David Meerman Scott Webinar. G A i (Off )
Marketing Automation Best Practice: Convert Leads to Opportunities. 400%+ more webpages indexed for companies that blog. 100% more inbound links for companies that blog. 55% more website visitors for companies that blog. Inbound Marketing Call-to-Action (CTA) Checklist: 1. Create Urgency 2. Use # s 3. Indicate a specific action 4. Use images 5. Make clickable 6. Position Position Position 7. Use Contrasting Colors 8. Test, Test, Test! 9. Use CTA links: Use buttons See..examples of why XYZ Find out how Listen to Take our quiz, poll, survey Lead Nurturing Checklist: 1. Have documented programs and use them. 2. Database management best practices in place. 3. Phone Qualify the Leads (MEDDIC). 4. Clear handoff for each lead be 100% certain on action, next steps, closed loop feedback. 5. Ask questions about the individual and the buying process, and append company info from 3 rd party sources. 6. Leverage 3 rd party content and reuse available content 7. Think like a publisher. PR = Daily Frequency Market the hit, not just the news, don t need to initiate, make it about the conflict, re-tweet others content. Make others feel important.
The Business Case for Marketing Automation A major strategy for growth in 2012 (and 2011 for many) is to leverage Marketing Automation for Inbound Marketing versus Advertising as it is more effective (conversion rates) and more cost effective (i.e. Capital efficient). Did you know that almost 80% of equity backed software and service providers either implemented Marketing Automation in 2011 or is evaluating for 2012? I. Benefits of Marketing Automation: I. Generate more leads. II. Lower cost of client acquisition and reduce cost of sales.
The Business Case for Marketing Automation Enables lead capture and opportunity conversion through automated lead nurturing and scoring programs. Creates brand awareness by promoting the brand using all available web, marketing, and social media tools. Enables ongoing, both trigger event based (i.e. when a visitor returns generates and automatic email follow-up with a relevant and compelling offer based on which webpages they visited) and routine lead nurturing. Ensures a robust, full scale email marketing, and direct marketing program without having to hire a full-time marketing coordinator run the program.
Marketing Automation Vendor Evaluation & Selection Criteria Marketing Automation Vendor Evaluation Scorecard: Key Questions to Ask Before Demo: References by Industry? Integration for CRM, Financial, Wordpress, ecommerce etc.? App marketplace? Onboarding process? Training and ongoing support? User conference?
Strategies for Growth in 2012: Create a Community Ecosystem HR Tech LinkedIn Community Are you searching for ways to convert prospects to clients quicker and more efficiently? Fish where the fishes are currently. For the first time in history, you can find, listen to and interact with prospects online. Bypass admins and reach buyers directly. Key Success Factor: Be a branded sector leader. Alsbridge Outsourcing Leadership
Revenue Strategies for Growth in 2012 Synch CRM & Financial Management Automate Financial Reporting (i.e. efficiency through the application of reports and dashboards for all key employees) Attract Useful Capital and expand through M&A corporate development, product extensions and/or add-on services Utilize marketing automation technology for Inbound Lead Generation Lower cost of sales via Channel Development and Alternative Distribution Create a Partner Community Ecosystem In a slow growth economy, lowering the cost of client acquisition while growing the # of revenues sources is key. 2012 Ephor Group 1 (800) 379-9330 www.ephorgroup.com
Strategies for Growth In this slow growth economy, there will be bifurcation between leaders and laggards; the best revenue strategies will outperform the competition, and win the war for profitability. Legacy Thinking Revenue Strategy for 2012 Outcome of New Revenue Management Practice Feet-on-the-Street Direct Sales Multi-tiered Distribution Lower Cost of Client Acquisition Outbound Marketing Inbound Marketing Lower Cost of Sales Pipeline Creation Lead Generation Partner Generation Referral based opportunity introductions. Outbound Telemarketing Market Research Intelligence integrated into ongoing routines. Market to Et Enterprises or SMBs Market to Niche Verticals Specialization = Improved Margins. Effective B2B growth strategies require capital efficient programs to reach qualified buyers. Feet on the street models are legacy thinking. Multiple lead sources are required to be capital efficient. Multi-tiered distribution is key. Referrals from partners, alliances, and communities will generate the majority of new clients. 12
Strategies for Growth in 2012 ebook Focuses on Revenue Management Best Practices for B2B technology and solution providers. > Revenue Management is the application of proven methodologies & processes guided by Management Science reporting to improve Profitability. Revenue Management Best Practices for 2012 and Beyond include: I. Have a lower cost of sales than your competition. II. III. II. III. IV. Have a capital efficient pipeline generation and revenue model. Utilize Technology: CRM, Social Media, & Marketing Automation Multi-tiered Sales Distribution Compensation: PRM, Agent, Alliances, Partners, Account Managers, Sales Personnel A Portfolio of Sources and Mix. Management Science reporting to provide visibility and proactive actions: Pro-Activity of the 3 C s: Cash, Clients, Contracts. V. Asset Management ensures a lower cost of customer acquisition iti and higher h ROI for spend. 13
Questions Answered by Revenue Management Lenders, Bankers and Investors want comfort and visibility with the financials i delivered d on a routine basis. Executives require visibility and insights into daily performance and profitability to effectively lead. Revenue Management is a recommended strategy for companies that want to grow through a portfolio of distribution sources. Revenue Management insures budgeted pro forma forecasts are made into business realizations.
Revenue Management Best Practice: Portfolio Management Cost of $1.00 of Revenues Varies by Channel: Feet-on-the-street models are legacy thinking. Today s wealth creating enterprises succeed with a few key sales personnel at the top of the pyramid supported by word-of-mouth recognition, referrals and inbound marketing lead generation. And the majority of a firm s new clients should come from Alternative Distribution. Revenue Waterfall Management = Greater Profits: Portfolio of Marketing Lead Sources Reduces Program Costs: > How does your cost of client acquisition compare to competitors? Email us at Ephor for a complimentary report for your industry sector. Benefits of a Portfolio Strategy include: i. Lower cost of client acquisition ii. Greater NLTV (net lifetime value) iii. Predictable sales forecasting and budgeting because of the team CHOOSES and proactively manages.
Benefits of Management Science reporting: Management Science helps overcome operating gaps. Managers often work in relative isolation from the market trends and leaders Managers also often lack access to key information. Too often, financials are not providing daily operating indicators to guide day-to-day employee priorities. Management Science provides the basis for predictable, sustainable business execution and ensures that t managing growth and expansion financially ties to operations. A case study: Management Science Drives Performance: Questions Answered by Management Science: Where to Focus to improve Cash, Revenues, & Profitability. Whom needs help? i.e. which employees or partners are underperforming. Which clients need attention. Where to focus resources. Outcomes also included: Improved Revenue Per Employee by almost $10k per month employee. Increased NLTV per client 2X. 16
Legacy Thinking versus Revenue Management: New Prospect CRM New Opportunity from a Partner Client Operations Sales (CRM) LEAD Opportunity MAPPING Alignment Upsell Opportunity Upsell Operations (Financial) Client Client Management The Business Case for Revenue Management: Sync CRM and Financials to sync marketing and sales, and thus financial performance.
Revenue Management Marketing is Hard Crowded marketplace Too much advertising Committee Buy Resource constraints Buyers require Immediate ROI from a Branded Leader Conversion Rate from Lead to Close Direct Referral Channel Partners Matter Reputation = Lower cost of sales Use of best practices from both organizations Direct Partners Team Management is Key Provide expertise and service Must be committed to client outcomes CRM Opportunity New Origination Opportunity from a Partner Client MAPPING Alignment Operations Upsell Upsell Client Management
Strategies for Growth Objective = Lowest Cost of Client Acquisition Go to Market Development & Implementation of Brand Assets Development & Implementation of Marketing Assets Marketing Asset Performance & Management Science Revenue Development Profiling & Targeting Lead Development Probability Based Selling Sales productivity = Management Science reporting Ephor Groups provides services (Revenue Management, GrowthSTEP, Management Science) needed to efficiently grow, outperform the competition, attract useful capital, and create wealth for software and service providers. Alternative Distribution Identification & Development of Channel & Partnering Relationships Development & Implementation of Channel Partner Support Programs Productization of Services Product Development definition and service delivery standards Distribution venues by product Acquisition & Integration M&A Corporate Development Transaction Services Integration & Operational Conversion 2011 Ephor Group 1 (800) 379-9330 www.ephorgroup.com