Secrets to Success for Small Business: Combining Traditional Marketing & Digital Strategies

In a world run by the persuasive power of advertising, millions of messages go in one ear and out the other, every single day. Think about the last commercial you heard, brochure you skimmed through, website you visited, or business card you received. Can you actually tell me anything specific that stuck out to you? 

We humans have a knack for filtering out the noise, and we’re pretty good at paying attention to what we want to. It doesn’t matter if a message gets delivered to us via traditional marketing or through some type of online marketing platform – if we don’t want to pay attention to it, well, odds are, we won’t.

So, as a business owner in Louisville, KY, how are you supposed to sell products and services if nobody cares what you have to say, anyway? How do you make potential buyers WANT to pay attention to the products and services you’re selling?

The million dollar question, right?

Traditional marketing and online marketing use totally different tactics and strategies when it comes to addressing consumers. However, both channels are encompassed with the task of delivering a consistent message across these different platforms. How do you know what’s working and what’s not? More importantly, how in the heck do you make these two worlds collide and successfully work together? 

Sit back and relax, my friends. We’ll take over from here. 

Establishing the Difference Between Online and Traditional Marketing

Creating an omnichannel experience for your consumers starts with understanding the very basics, aka, asking the following question: What exactly is the difference between traditional marketing and online marketing? 

Sure, the vague answer is rather simple. One’s online and one’s not. Duh.  Well, there’s a bit more to it than that.

Traditional Marketing:

For a lack of better phrases, think “old-school”. We’re talking brochures, billboards, word of mouth referrals, cold calling, newspaper ads, radio commercials, trade shows, and even direct mail courtesy of the good ole USPS. 

Traditional, or offline marketing campaigns often have the advantage of “staying power”. They can become iconic, and instantly familiar to your consumers if you have a message that sticks. Although traditional marketing sources are tangible, memorable, and compelling, they sometimes can also be slower to reach consumers, making it more difficult to track their impact. 

Online Marketing: 

Online marketing, often referred to as digital marketing, is the “high-tech” side of things. Online marketing material includes anything that your consumers reach via some type of digital means. Most commonly, this is your website (hopefully full of content and good SEO techniques) or your social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. We can’t forget about digital ads like, PPC (pay-per-click) ads and digital ads, or any email marketing campaigns your business has invested in. 

With such a wide array of means of reaching consumers, online marketing expands the ability to reach your audience and the rate at which you reach them. Online marketing and proper digital strategies, more or less, allows you to deliver a message to consumers almost instantly, right at their fingertips. However, if done incorrectly, online marketing can make it harder to stand out among competitors and can seem unappealing, particularly if you overkill or oversell your message. 

Understanding Your Target Audience

In order to understand how to best sell your products and services to those in Louisville, KY, you first must know who exactly it is you’re trying to sell to. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we like to call your target audience. In layman’s terms, your target audience is a particular, often predetermined, group of consumers who are identified as the recipients for a particular advertisement or message; it’s who your message is aimed at. 

Ask yourself these questions to get started:

1. Who am I trying to target? 

Your target audience can be defined as a desired group of consumers who are likely to purchase your products or use your services. Knowing the demographics of who makes up your target audience provides better insight for trying to reach them. Are you looking to connect with men and women, or one or the other? How old is your average customer? What about their ethnicity? Or their income level? What part of Louisville (or your own city) do they live in? The more specific you can narrow this down, the better. Just don’t make your message so inclusive that it becomes exclusive to those who may fall just outside of your intended audience.

2. So, how do I reach my target audience, exactly? 

Well, that depends. If your target audience consists of an older generation, your best method of reaching them may be through tangible marketing material, such as a brochure or business card. But if you’re reaching out to the millennials, a stellar website or interactive social media campaigns may do the trick. The good news is, you have a lot of different methods of getting your message out. The trick is to make them all work together (and don’t worry, we’ll cover that later, too).

3. What is my message, and more importantly, is it consistent? 

The problem lies within the fact that across all platforms, traditional marketing and online marketing have to work together so consumers don’t get lost in the mix. Knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it is key to making sure your message is consistent across all your marketing collateral. Your customers need to be greeted by the same messages and branding online that they’re used to seeing in your retail space and vice versa.

The Best of Both Worlds: Why Combining Your Strategies Matters

Combining your digital strategies with your traditional marketing efforts makes for one, well-oiled machine in Louisville’s matrix of small businesses. Nearly every company who sells a product or service uses one or more methods to create a flourishing, overall advertising campaign. Your advertising campaign can, and should, encompass many different techniques to reach consumers. Making sure everything’s working in sync means your business, your mission, and your products and services are put in front of consumers and actively sought out by those who are seeking what you’re selling.

It’s important to understand that this takes time, energy, and money, but where there’s risk, there’s also reward. When your traditional marketing and digital strategies start working together properly, you start to reap the benefits in more ways than one.

Better Brand Awareness:

Exposure across multiple platforms is important to reach all kinds of potential customers who are actively looking for products and services just like yours. The more places your business can be found, the more familiar it becomes to consumers.

Increase Your Credibility:

Combining your efforts is critical in gaining the trust of your consumers. Think of it like this: If someone is given a word of mouth referral about your business, they may go visit your company website for more information. If your website backs up what they’ve already been told, they may be more willing to feel like they can trust in you as a business partner.

Build a Competitive Edge:

Through the use of both, traditional marketing and online marketing, making sure your business is at the forefront of multiple outlets means you are putting yourself in places your competitors may not be. This allows you the opportunity to establish yourself as an industry leader. 

Higher Return on Investment (ROI):

 If you take the time to invest the money and effort into combining your online and offline marketing, you give yourself the opportunity to come in contact with those who are actively searching for your products and services. Opening doors to more potential customer interaction also means a better shot at a higher conversion rate, which also leads to more revenue for your business. (And who doesn’t want that?)

Coming Full Circle: How to Integrate Your Efforts

Remember that really fancy phrase we used earlier? About creating an “omnichannel experience” for your consumers? Let’s jump back to that, for a quick second. 

Creating a positive interaction for your consumers begins by improving their user experience. By promoting a consistent message in multiple places, your communication channels and their supporting resources are designed and orchestrated to cooperate to the benefit of the consumer. 

It’s essential to realize that every piece of printed material is a chance to share and promote your brand; all of your offline marketing pushes back to your online marketing. The best part? You may already be doing this and not even know it.

If you hand out business cards or send out postcards in the mail that include your company website’s URL, for example, this is exactly what we mean. This is just one tiny example that showcases how your traditional marketing is pushing an interaction to your digital presence.

Other ways this can occur would be by placing online call to action offers on your printed material. Place an online-only discount code on the bottom of a brochure or slap a QR code on the side of your business card. Set up at a Louisville trade show and give people the chance to leave behind their email address, then send a followup stating how nice it was to have the chance to chat. 

In conjunction, the same techniques can be used online. Keep your website and social media networks up to date with unique offers and chances for consumers to interact. Take polls, ask for feedback, and give your consumers a chance to control their interaction with your company. 

Ah, but wait. What’s all this good for if you can’t keep track of what you’ve put where and how can you be sure of what’s actually beneficial?

Tracking Your Integration:

Deep breath, my friend. It’s easier than you think to keep track of everything. Implementing effective tracking methods can be performed in a variety of ways. 

Quite possibly the easiest way to start would be to monitor your phone calls with call tracking numbers, where different phone numbers are placed on different pieces of your marketing material. This way, when someone calls you, you’ll be able to know if they’re looking at your website or your business card. 

One fun way to track your marketing would be to implement unique and random offers across different avenues. For example, offer a 33% discount from the brochure on the table in your office, but highlight a 27% discount from your Facebook page. Distinctive and quirky offers like this make it easy to tell exactly where and when your consumers decided to contact you. 

If you’ve got an understanding of the idea, but not the time or resources to make it work effectively, you can always seek out a Louisville marketing firm or hire a professional to take care of this for you.

Still Missing One Thing? Choosing The Right Agency for Your Business

Bringing together your digital strategies and offline marketing efforts takes more cautious calculation and planning than you think, if you want to do it right. To ensure the success of your business, it’s always ideal to work with an industry expert or a professional marketing director in Louisville in order to bring your efforts together and optimize for the best possible ROI. 

Choosing the right agency or partner can take time and patience, but it’s worth the effort to find someone who knows what they’re doing so you can focus on running your business. Lucky for you, at One Thing Marketing, we’re pretty damn good at what we do. 

We’ll save you time and money (and a headache, or two) by speaking to all outside representatives who try to contact you. If Yellowpages or Yelp calls you to ask about something, just send them our way. We’ll also help you better focus on key areas to spend your marketing dollars and point out where we think your business could really thrive if an investment is made and tracking is implemented.

Already have a marketing pro on your side? Not to worry. We’re still here to offer advice and second opinions, or work in conjunction with your current team, if you’d like. We can take care of the things they may not be experts in or vice versa (nobody’s perfect, right?) 

We’re happy to offer Marketing Director Assistance to you, or the current firm you work with, to help bring big success to your small business. Contact us today, or collaborate with us over coffee and a free, one hour strategy session to integrate all aspects of your traditional marketing with your digital strategies and take your business to the next level.

The post Secrets to Success for Small Business: Combining Traditional Marketing & Digital Strategies appeared first on Onethingmarketing.net

One Thing Marketing
2305 Hurstbourne Village Drive #400
Louisville, KY 40299
502-532-1818
https://www.onethingmarketing.net/map/
https://www.onethingmarketing.net/info/

How to Create a Website: A Checklist

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a fantastic website.

The best sites are like amazing salesmen, working 24/7 for your business. And who doesn’t want that? However, getting all the dynamic elements of a website to work together isn’t easy.

We are going to break down the basics every website needs page-by-page, step-by-step to show you exactly what you need, what you don’t, and how to pull it all together to create an unstoppable conversion machine.

Getting Started

A good website is built on a solid foundation of layout, messaging, content, and images. These are the necessary building blocks to have in place before creating the actual website.

How to Decide On A Website Layout

Close your eyes and envision your website.

What do you want it to look like overall?

The layout contributes to the overall success of the website. It helps to determine what it looks like, how easy the content is to read, and how user-friendly your website is when people visit your site.

A great layout will also encourage the visitor to view more pages on your website. This is where good navigation comes into play. When you combine a great layout with easy to follow navigation, you can help guide visitors to the exact pages you want them to land on and potentially create more leads and conversions.

The type of products and services you offer or what content you are producing can dictate how you actually place that information on the page. For example, if you have photos of a particular project, you may want the layout of that page to be a grid. If you have an e-commerce site, then boxes may be the best option to lay out your products because it makes the information easy to read and follow.

It’s a great idea to collaborate with your employees and web designer to narrow down what layout works best for your business.

What’s Your Website’s Message?

In order to be a successful business in today’s economy, you have to develop your brand in such a way that resonates with your target audience. Then, you have to convey this message on your website. You don’t want to just tell people what products or services you sell, but rather what your company’s philosophy and core values are as well the benefits they can gain from choosing your company.

Every website has two types of messaging – foreground and background. The foreground message is what you are actually saying and the background message is the other stuff they pick up.

For example – You are a carpet cleaning business in Louisville, KY and on your website you write about all the different services you provide – this is your foreground message. Are you a company that can be trusted? Will your employees connect with the customers? Do your core values match up with the core values of your target audience? All of these questions develop the background message.

It all boils down to what you want to say and how you want to say it. Think about your target audience and what values are important to them. Take some time to think through the impressions you want to project and what you want to happen in your visitor’s thoughts and emotions.

Why Website Content Is Important

Content is what gives your website its bulk.

When people come to your website, they are looking for a product, a service, or information. One way to provide this information is through relevant, valuable, and professional content. When you give visitors a clear and easy way to find what they are looking for, you have a great chance of increasing conversions.

There are different types of content you can use to target your audience, engage them, and persuade them to take action.

• Text – Having large quantities of articles or text on your site is not enough. In order to build trust and acquire more customers, the content has to be valuable, relevant, and professional. If your writing skills are not up to par, you can always hire a professional writer to help you write great content.
• Images – 65% of the world’s population are visual learners. This means you will have a greater chance of grabbing and keeping the attention of your visitors if you have visual content on your website. We go more in depth about the importance of images in the next section.
• Videos – In today’s society, people have a short attention span. They are turning to videos to get the information they need quicker. When you include a video on your website, you are creating a great user experience and building a strong connection between the viewer and your brand. Use custom videos to showcase your product/service and introduce the people behind the company.
• Animation – This refers to anything on your website that moves or transitions, like buttons or pop-up boxes. They can be used to add visual interest, act as a response to something the visitor does, or act as a notification when an action is required. Be cautious not to overuse animations that can be distracting or take away from what the goal of the page is.

Make yourself stand out from your competitors. When you combine great content with Search Engine Optimization, you have a higher chance of gaining new customers and keeping them interested in your brand.  

Why Use Images On A Website?

People are visual creatures. As such, images are a major component to any website. People like to see your company before they read your content. Anytime you use your own images, they need to be large, beautifully edited and clear, and ready for use on a website.
The basic elements of website photography include:

• Logo: This should be a no-brainer. You need a big, beautiful, high-resolution logo that you are proud of. If you have multiple versions of your logo, include them. They can be used throughout the website to generate recognition.

• Headshots: Headshots are a great way to make your company more personable and show your customers who you are, as an owner and as a team. Get creative with the headshots to showcase the personality of your team.
• Product and services photos: This may include marketing photography, special events, photos of products, assembly, or other areas of your business that are worth showing off.
• Stock images: Professional “custom” images are always the better option when including images on your site. But if you do not have original images, stock photos give a wonderful opportunity to find an image that fits your company perfectly. If you’re comfortable using stock images, there are many options including professional, staged, and candid images.

Gather all the images that you’d like included anywhere on the website. This will likely be several dozen photos – the more the merrier.
Working on your photos early simplifies the process. It’s always easier to choose between several photos than trying to arrange a photo shoot at the last minute to get a decent image for your homepage.

Must-Have Pages on Your Website

Once you have your digital outline and design, you’re ready to create the real juicy parts of your website.

Every website will have between 5-6 basic types of pages: a homepage, services page, how it works page, FAQ page, about and contact pages. Each page should be carefully crafted with unique content, easy-to-follow design, and compelling images.

HOMEPAGE

This is your permanent first impression. It typically ranks the highest, which means content and design are critical, making it the most visited page on your site.

No pressure, right?

Crafting your homepage to include all the necessary components without overwhelming the consumer is no easy feat. Luckily, we’re the professionals in Louisville, KY.

1. Answers: Your homepage should deliver immediate answers. What are your office hours? Where are you located? What types of products/services do you offer? Consumers want to find what they are looking for and find it quickly. If they can’t find what they need in the first 10 seconds, they are gone.

2. Hero image: This is the first image visitors see when they come to your site. It needs to represent your company in a positive way. What image do you want people to see when they open your virtual door?

For example: If you sell car parts, you could choose a shot from under the hood or a glamour shot of a really cool car? Maybe you want to feature a mechanic? Or highlight the garage? The choice is yours.

3. “You Statement”: A You Statement typically addresses a pain point that your customers commonly have and how you can solve it for them. Take this chance to show your consumers how you provide better service than your competitors.

For example, if you’re a cable installer who always shows up on time, your You Statement could be something like: “No more 12-hour windows. We show up on time, every time.” It addresses a common frustration and gives your solution, giving your customers a reason to trust you.

4. Services: Keep it simple. List your services clearly to show your visitors what it is you actually do and what problems you can solve for them. Use clear text along with graphics to walk people through the process.

5. How It Works: Do you have services that can not be summarized in just a few words? In this case, a “How It Works” section can briefly describe your services to give visitors a quick glance of your services and how the whole process works.

For example, if you have a three-step process, you would introduce it with a short sentence, list your three steps, and, if needed, include a button that links to a separate “How It Works” page with more detailed information.

6. Why Us: This is your time to sell yourself. Highlight your accreditations, certifications, qualifications etc.

What makes you different? Why should your visitors trust you? Answer these questions clearly and confidently.

7. Testimonials. Consumers today rely heavily on the reviews and actions of others. Or in other words, social proof. Use your most positive testimonial on your homepage to generate trust. Throughout the website, testimonials can be used in several places as a powerful influence, specifically at purchase points.

8. Special Offers: If you have free shipping, free estimates, or discounts, highlight this on your homepage. Special offers incentivize your visitors to make a purchase or pick up the phone.

9. Email Signup: This should always be included on your homepage to build your email list. To get the most out of your site, it’s smart to pair this with your special offers. For example, “sign up for our email list for exclusive deals!” By capitalizing on this, you can target all the email addresses you receive with email marketing campaigns.

10. The Call To Action (CTA): You’re building this website for a reason. What’s that reason?

What action do you want people to take?  Do you want people to call, sign up for an email list, place an order? This is where you use a statement that is designed to get an immediate response from the person reading it combined with a large, attention-grabbing button.

11. Footer: The footer of your website is an area at the bottom of the site that contains information that is common to all of the pages. It can be used to include important links to contact details, legal information, links to other pages, etc. so visitors can easily navigate to the information they need.

It is also a great place to display social media links, copyright notices, a CTA for an email/newsletter list, and team information.

SERVICE PAGES

Your service pages give you the opportunity to explain what you offer and what makes you stand out from your competition. One of the most important parts of your services page(s) is to help your customers see the value in what you’re selling and how you can solve and prevent their problems.

Relevant, Valuable Content: A list of services is great, but it’s not informative or persuasive. You need to describe your services, answer the questions your consumers have, and give them the details they want. It’s important to educate the customer and present yourself as the authority in your industry. If you’re not a wordsmith, we have writers on staff to create unique content specifically for you.

We always say how important content is, and this is where it really shows. With relevant, valuable content, and Search Engine Optimization efforts, these pages can potentially gain higher rankings in Google.

Address pricing: Some companies don’t like to include pricing details on the website. Ultimately, it’s up to you, but we always suggest addressing it. Be open, honest, and make pricing information easy to find. If you’re worried about scaring someone away with your price tag, then it’s a great idea to discuss the different elements. If your pricing is complicated, explain that!

Images: It’s important to only use images that are relevant and consistent with your brand. When used correctly, images can help customers understand your product or service better. They can also be used to break up large amounts of text to make your content easier to read. One important thing to remember is that not every image has to be a photograph. The use of graphs or charts is a great way to explain the value your products/services can bring to the customer.

CTAs: As mentioned previously in the homepage section, a CTA, or call-to-action, is how you tell visitors what to do next. Do you want them to ask for a quote? Sign up for an email list?

If you don’t guide visitors to what the next step is, they could get frustrated and leave your site.

HOW IT WORKS

People don’t like surprises. Use this opportunity to be very detailed in what you offer and how it works. No detail is too small here. A “How It Works” section lays out your process step-by-step so the customer knows exactly what will happen in each step of the process.  

Informed customers are the best customers. The more information you put on your website, the fewer questions you have to take time out of your work day to answer to convert that sale. Your website does it for you!

FAQs

A FAQ page can be a great resource for customers. This page can answer many of the questions a customer may have without them having to call and ask someone. Be upfront and honest. Give thorough and easy to understand answers. Here, you can control the conversation. This saves you time by not having to answer a million questions each day, and demonstrates how helpful you are to your customers.

ABOUT PAGE

Don’t glaze over this page with cheesy content or boring mugshots. More often than not, this often-overlooked page will actually convince customers to give you their business. People buy from those they know, like, and trust. The about page does exactly that.

By the time a consumer makes it to the about page, they already have a good idea of what you do. Now, they want to know WHO you are and WHY do you do what you do. This can be a difficult page to write, as most people aren’t good at talking about themselves. Consider these questions to get you started:

• When did you start your business?
• Why did you start your business?
• What are your core values?
• What is your mission statement?
• What makes your company different from your competitors?
• 
  

CONTACT PAGE

This is usually a fairly simple page that tells your customers how to find you. However, don’t take the contact page too lightly. Although it’s simple, it holds critical importance. Your name, address, phone number, and email address need to stay consistent because they affect your local directories. Local directories allow potential customers to find you all over the web, and potentially can lead people back to your website. The more accurate your contact information is, the better off you will be.

• Contact form: A contact form is customizable with all the fields you would like included to get answers questions you’d like to know, and gives you emails to add to your email list.

• Social links: It’s a great idea to link your customers to your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms you are on. These social links legitimize your business and give you more credibility. If you don’t have a social presence, you can build one yourself or we can help you build one. Just don’t get left behind.

Key Takeaways

Company websites are all about keeping up with consumer expectations. Times change fast, and you need a website that will keep up. By including the essential elements described in this checklist – layout, message, content, images, and must-have pages, you will have a website that stands a much greater chance of gaining new customers and turning more leads into conversions.

Because of the way consumers research, judge, and select companies and products, the importance of having a great website has never been higher. As the bar continues to raise, partner with a marketing firm that can rise to the challenge.

The post How to Create a Website: A Checklist appeared first on Onethingmarketing.net

One Thing Marketing
2305 Hurstbourne Village Drive #400
Louisville, KY 40299
502-532-1818
https://www.onethingmarketing.net/map/
https://www.onethingmarketing.net/info/

Top 11 Elements for a Killer Homepage Design

You’ve got seven seconds to grab someone’s attention, create intrigue, and convince them to stick around, read more, or act. Ready, go!

Too late, by the time you’ve read this, your time is up.

Your website’s homepage is your virtual first impression. The goal of your homepage is to attract, educate, and persuade visitors to navigate to other pages so they can learn more about your Louisville, KY company. If your homepage design isn’t amazing, nothing else matters. Visitors will come and leave before they even start to scroll and your company is left forgotten in the virtual dust.
We’ve got 11 elements to create a killer website homepage design that will attract new customers, share your products and services, and build your brand in less than 10 seconds. Every. Single. Time.

1. Company Logo

One of the first things visitors should see is your logo. Make it easy. Make it clear. But this is a website, not a billboard. Studies have consistently shown that a clear and professional logo in the top left corner is the best hot spot. Avoid the urge to make it huge, animated, or cluttered. Keep it simple and consistent.

2. Contact Information

People want to work with people, so give them your contact information. It is frustrating when you’re trying to find a customer service phone number and all you see is web pages and contact forms. Providing a telephone number and email address adds credibility to your business. It shows your customer you’re a real person with a legitimate business. Don’t make it a mystery to figure out how to get in touch; put your phone number in the header or the footer where it’s clear and easy to find.



3. Supporting Images

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. We say it’s worth much more. Images that evoke emotion, tell a story, and bring action are priceless. Original images that are crisp, clear, and professional are a great way to showcase your business. Show the people behind your business, build trust, and paint a portrait of who you are and what you do. If you do not have original images, then stock images are another great option. Be sure to use stock images that help promote your company and not ones that are cheesy and off topic.

4. Clear Value Proposition

A proposition is not a tagline or a catchphrase; it shows the value you bring to a solution. Be specific. Don’t just tell your customers what you do. Instead, show them what you have to offer. If your value is helping customers save money, say how much they could save. If you make durable products, show clear durability results. If you are unique, tell your customers what makes you different. Show them what you do and why they should care enough to continue reading.

5. Navigation

Poor or hidden navigation will result in a high bounce rate. Create a menu at the top or on the side that allows visitors to navigate your site easily. Make it intuitive by designing your pages around your most frequently asked questions or popular requests. Show your visitors everything your website has to offer and exactly where to find what they are looking for.

6. Calls-to-Action

The role of the homepage design is to move visitors forward to act. What do you want that action to be? Maybe you want them to subscribe, request a consultation, provide contact information, or make a phone call. Pick only one or two clear CTAs and include them throughout the homepage design. While graphic CTAs have been proven most effective, text CTAs can be beneficial as well, as long as it’s clear and direct to show customers exactly what their next step should be.

7. Features/Benefits

It’s time to brag. Visitors come to your website to buy something or gather information, so don’t be shy about selling yourself and/or your products and services. The features and benefits should build on your original value proposition to give visitors a little more information. Give an overview of what your Louisville, KY company does in a little more detail and show benefits the reader will get if they take advantage of your product/service.

8. Social Proof

Today, 85 percent of consumers trust online reviews and testimonials just as much as recommendations from a friend or family member. This creates an instant reputation with new customers, which helps build relationships and brand loyalty. Social proof includes testimonials, positive reviews, case studies, warranties, etc. Social proof builds trust and reduces risk, so your customers are more comfortable buying from you instead of just ordering it off of Amazon instead. Identify what might make customers feel hesitant and do whatever you can to reduce the risk and build trust.  

9. Portfolio

If you do business that can be easily shown off through pictures, videos, or case studies, create a powerful online portfolio of your best work. Showing real-life examples of what you have done for other customers in the Louisville, KY area will show you are a reputable company and can instantly build trust with future customers.

10. Awards/Recognitions

Put your awards on display and make them part of the homepage design. Industry recognition or accomplishments of employees speak to your quality, credibility, and expertise. This also includes awards, certifications, association memberships, etc. These all prove that your work lives up to the hype and you can deliver on your promises.

11. Above All…Keep It Simple

The best website homepage designs are like five-star dining: it’s all about the presentation. Use thoughtful, elegant homepage design to deliver your message and keep it stunning.

Nothing works when you throw everything at them at once. If your homepage design has too many elements, it looks cluttered and overwhelming and will only encourage customers to immediately hit the “back” button. Instead, keep it simple and highlight the essentials to get visitors to click deeper into your website.

•     Make everything easy to read
•     Don’t try to cram everything about your company onto the homepage
•     Make sections clearly labeled
•     Don’t go crazy with fonts
•     Be mindful of what colors you use

Make a Difference Today

Your website homepage is your 24 hours/day, 7 days/week salesman. It should immediately appeal to visitors, deliver them a positive experience, and provide a portal of discovery into your company. Your website represents your company to the world and plays an active role in building your brand. If it’s not delivering, start implementing some chances to make your homepage design your most valuable asset. 

Is your homepage underperforming? Let the web design experts at One Thing Marketing take a look! Sign up for a website audit today!

The post Top 11 Elements for a Killer Homepage Design appeared first on Onethingmarketing.net

One Thing Marketing
2305 Hurstbourne Village Drive #400
Louisville, KY 40299
502-532-1818
https://www.onethingmarketing.net/map/
https://www.onethingmarketing.net/info/

Choosing The Right Digital Marketing Agency

Marketing has always been about connecting with your audience in the right place, at the right time. Creating wholesome relationships between businesses and consumers is all about knowing how to showcase your brand, present your message, and sell the benefits of your products and services. It takes a special stroke of genius and a little marketing magic to actively place your business where consumers are searching.

With a little help from technology, consumers gained the power to have whatever they seek or desire right at their fingertips. Smartphones, tablets, and computers offer an advanced, yet simple solution to the problems, wants, and needs of consumers right here in Louisville, Kentucky and all across the globe. Today, marketing is about meeting consumers where they’re already spending their time: on the internet. 

What Is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing refers to advertising delivered through digital channels. These channels include things such as search engines, websites, social media, email, and mobile apps. In a nutshell, this form of marketing encompasses all efforts that use an electronic device or the internet. Most commonly, digital marketing takes place in the following forms:

Paid Search/ Pay-Per-Click (PPC): PPC advertising typically refers to the result on the top or bottom of a search engine results page (or SERP, for short). This method of digital advertising allows a business or company to show up in a prominent position among other competitors within search results. As its name suggest, Pay Per Click advertising is when a business only pays for the service when their ad is clicked. PPC ads can be tailored to appear when specific search terms or keywords are entered, which in turn, creates ads that are targeted to a particular audience.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is a complex process that occurs in a multitude of methods. Simply put, search engine optimization is the process of optimizing the content, technical set-up, and reach of your website for the purpose of having your page appear at the top of a SERP for a specific set of keyword terms. The goal is to drive consumers to your website. In the world of digital marketing, SEO enforces the need and importance of a well-constructed, easy to navigate website full of engaging content.

Content Marketing: Speaking of engaging content, let us introduce you to the term “content marketing”. Content marketing is not advertising, and it’s important to understand that this is a craft of its own. Here’s why: The goal of content marketing is to sell people something without them realizing it. With the perfect combination of strategy, creativity, optimization, and promotion, content marketing offers your audience relevant information, builds trust, and makes your business appear as an authority within your industry.

Social Media Marketing: Between selfies, memes, and the greatest Vine clips on a loop, social media has taken over the internet. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, you name it. Your consumers are already there. Many consumers today rely on social media networks to discover, research, or educate themselves about a brand before ever engaging with that organization.

It’s not enough to just be on social media; it’s all about being active on your accounts if you really want to reach your consumers. Creating a powerful presence across social media platforms means your audience will want to engage with your content. The more they want to engage with it, the more they will want to share it. Ultimately, this leads to them becoming a loyal customer to your company.

Email Marketing: Email, as old-fashioned as it may seem, is still an essential method of digital marketing. Email marketing is one of the quickest and most direct ways to reach consumers with critical information. But think about it. How many emails in your inbox are sitting there, unopened, right now? Effective email marketing campaigns are not just about sending emails – it’s about sending emails that people actually want to open. There’s a science behind email marketing. It takes crafted effort from an expert to make your email marketing messages trustworthy, relevant, conversational, and most importantly, opened by consumers.

The Goals and Benefits of Digital Marketing

By now, you realize that you can’t just launch a digital marketing campaign for the fun of it. In order to do digital marketing the right way, you have to do it well, with proper planning and your target consumers at the forefront of your focus.

By developing your online presence and interacting with consumers with their benefits in mind, your company will appear both approachable and authoritative. The best digital marketing agencies in Louisville have a clear picture of how each aspect of a digital marketing campaign supports the overarching goals of their clients. Once you start to implement your tactics and strategies successfully, the benefits of digital marketing begin to speak for themselves.

With digital marketing, you can see results of your efforts in real time, as they’re happening. Return on investment (ROI) can be measured in any aspect of your marketing efforts. Most commonly, you can track your ROI through things such as website traffic, content performance analysis, lead generation, and call tracking.

Tracking your efforts, and your success at each stage of your marketing campaign, allows you to pinpoint what’s working and what’s not. Ultimately, successful digital marketing and advertising converts to increased brand awareness and lead generation, which in return, results in more business.
That sounds great and all, but how much is all of this going to cost me? Are you asking yourself this yet? Well, the answer is quite simple, actually. Budgeting for your online advertising campaign really depends on what elements of digital marketing you’re looking to add to your current strategy. As a rule of thumb, it’s important to remember that ultimately, you get what you pay for: the more you put in, the more you get out.

Before You Choose A Digital Marketing Partner…

So, the wheels are starting to turn. The lightbulbs are starting to go off. Your mind is having one of those “A-ha!” moments. Now, you know that digital marketing can take your business to the next level. You know what you need to do, but not how to do it. Or, honestly, you just don’t have the time. You’re a business owner, for crying out loud. You’ve got too much to think about and manage already… We get it.

There’s a solution for that.

Partnering with a local digital advertising agency in the Louisville, Kentucky area can take the responsibility of running a successful digital marketing campaign off your to-do list. Choosing the right agency to tell your brand’s story is critical.

As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to ask yourself the following questions before you hire a digital marketing agency to work with:

1. Why do I want to hire a marketing company to handle my online marketing efforts?
2. What exactly do I want them to do for me and my business?
3. What is my budget?
4. What is my end goal?
5. What does success look like for my company?

A crucial thing to remember is that when seeking out a potential marketing partner, they can only take you as far as you want to go. That is assuming you actually know where you want to go. 

Making sure your digital marketing agency is the right fit for your company means you are actively seeking out certain components to their process and asking particular questions to make sure their mission aligns with your own. Remember, your success is their success.

As you narrow down your search, ask local marketing agencies the following types of questions: 

How do you measure client success?
Data is the backbone of successful marketing strategies. Ask the agency what kinds of tools they use to measure marketing performance. You also need to know how often, and in what manner, that the data will be presented to you. Finally, make sure the agency you are choosing to work with is willing to explain the data report to you, as well as anything else you don’t understand.

How many team members do you have and who will I be working with?
Once you lay out your ideas and plans, your marketing firm is likely to have a specific point of contact who will carry out tasks to turn your ideas into tangible results. Asking to know who is responsible for your work allows you to form a relationship with this person directly, which opens up a communication channel and builds trust between you and your chosen marketing firm.

How much should I budget? What can I expect for my money?
Depending on if you’re starting fresh as a new business, or looking to improve your current marketing efforts, will depend on how much you should budget. Generally speaking, the more you invest, the better off your business will be. Your budget greatly depends on the competitiveness of the industry, as well as where you currently sit with your search results, and how much you want to increase your rankings.

Digital marketing companies should never guarantee rankings or results. However, they should be able to give you data and answers based on what’s working and what’s not, once strategies start to be implemented and carried out.

Can I see examples of past work or case studies?
Any digital marketing agency you’re thinking about working with should be more than willing to offer examples of their past work or case studies that showcase their efforts for others. This shows they are confident in their work and can highlight different methods and techniques of marketing strategy they use. In addition, ask about reviews or testimonials from these past clients too. Knowing that others recommend your potential marketing partner is a good indicator that you’re on the right track to choosing the right firm.

What’s the cancellation process?
It’s important to remember that any type of effort that goes into a digital marketing campaign requires a decent amount of time for results to become noticeable. Specifically, any type of SEO work doesn’t happen overnight. For further explanation about when you can expect to see results for your efforts, check out our recent blog post.

However, asking about specific details of your agreement, before you sign it, is important. Knowing the ins and outs of the partnership you’re agreeing to, and feeling confident in them, is essential to forming a healthy relationship between your business and your potential marketing partner.

Do I own or share ownership of my website?
Since most professional SEO firms have ownership clauses built into client agreements, this question is important to consider. Knowing who has rights to your website also provides further clarification about how changes to your site are made, who can or cannot make these changes, and if additional payments are expected or included for regular site maintenance.

How will we communicate and how often will we communicate?
You’ve heard it at least a billion times: communication is key. When it comes to marketing, this could not be more true. Knowing what to expect, and how often to expect it, allows for you to feel comfortable addressing your concerns with your future marketing partner. You should receive updates about your results and progress on a regular basis, as well as be able to reach out whenever needed. Stay active with those who are handling your company’s online presence. Schedule meeting dates or check-in calls early, so you’re not caught off guard or over-booked once it’s time to sit down with your firm.

These are just a few questions to get you started. Now that you know what types of questions to ask, we can discuss what you should be looking for when trying to hire the right digital marketing agency. Better yet, we can also point out red flags that should send you running.

Digital Marketing Company: Do’s and Dont’s

Interviewing different digital marketing agencies in the Louisville area is kind of like speed dating. Kind of awkward, kind of personal, and normally, you’ll know right away if you’re at least a little interested or not.

Your digital marketing agency should be trying to get to know you and your company on a personal level. Potential marketing partners should be asking you certain questions too, as well as working to gather distinct information that deems you as a good fit for one another.

Any potential marking firm is going to be eager – just like that guy from speed dating – to sit down and get to know you. Local marketing firms want more clients, in general. So, the first thing to be aware of is making sure the firm is focused on you, and not how they can benefit instead.

The quality and depth of questions you are asked by the local agency will give you insight to their overall understanding of digital marketing, and how they can apply this concept to telling your brand’s story.

A good digital marketing agency will:

• Ask you, in depth, about your goals, budget, and your current and past marketing efforts.
• Establishing a baseline is critical. Knowing what you’ve tried in the past will allow your firm to either change or improve upon your efforts in the hopes of achieving more success. The same can be said for your budget. Knowing where you’re investing your money can be critical, as the firm can help you focus in on aspects of your marketing campaign that can give you a higher ROI.

• Practice what they preach, standing by their tactics and strategies.
• If your marketing company states that they offer a service, there needs to be tangible proof to back it up. You want to work with a company who can walk the walk, and not just talk the talk. The firm should be willing to provide you with specific examples of how different aspects of digital marketing has worked in the past. Remember those case studies and reviews we talked about earlier? That’s where these come in.

• Measure and track your data.
• On a regular basis, your firm should be sending you deliverables, from the moment the campaign kicks off. These reports should clearly explain, in detail, what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, and the impact they are looking to measure. A good marketing firm will appoint a team member who is held accountable for communicating these things with you.

• Will NOT guarantee specific, set in stone results or timelines for success.
• Success doesn’t happen overnight. There is work that has to be done before you begin to see ROI. Normally, it takes 4-6 months to begin to see changes in your online marketing presence, all depending on how competitive you are when compared to others in your industry. Your digital marketing agency should, however, work with you to forecast general success scenarios based on your budget, strategy, and competition.

• Will NOT always show up in the top spot on Google.
• Yes, this seems silly, but think about it. Marketing firms offer a variety of different services. It’s nearly impossible to rank high for all services, which means your potential firm may not rank high on Google. Your firm’s effort should be client focused, not firm focused. The best way to approach working with a firm who doesn’t appear high on a SERP is to pay attention to their reviews. Better yet, do some research on their clients and see where they’re ranking. If the firm has gotten past clients at the top of the pack, chances are, they can do the same for you.

• 

Choosing the right Louisville, Kentucky marketing firm can be a timely and elaborate process. Knowing what to avoid helps you narrow down your search without any costly mistakes. It also helps you avoid wasting any time or money. When interviewing potential partners, look out for these red flags:

• The firm’s blog is somewhat empty or the firm produces little to no written content.
• Marketing firms should be producing fresh, up to date content on a regular basis. This is how a firm will showcase their expertise, and the tone they write in allows for their personality to shine. What kind of articles are being produced? How detailed is the content? Is it laid out in simple terms that are easy to understand? If you answered no to any of these questions, it’s time to find the nearest exit.

• The agency’s website is plastered with “Best Of” listings or rankings.
• Now this one can be tricky. It’s great your potential firm is being highlighted for their work, but it’s important to remember these listings aren’t always genuine. Often, you can nominate your own firm, as well as pay to be featured on these lists. If the marketing company you’re thinking about working with has multiple “best of” badges scattered across their website, take the extra time to do your research. Check out those rankings, read some reviews, and determine for yourself if you think the company is legit or not. If things don’t match up across multiple different review platforms, pull an NSYNC and tell the firm “Bye, Bye, Bye”.

• The agency offers pricing that just appears too good to be true.
• If pricing for different digital marketing services appears too good to be true, that’s probably because it is. There’s a ton of behind the scenes work that goes into a successful marketing campaign and the funding is no different. Trust your intuition, and be careful to avoid firms who offer empty promises and take shortcuts just to make another dollar.

• Reporting is vague, or worse, there is no reporting.
• Think about it. If your marketing company can’t provide you with (at least) monthly updates, that’s probably because no work is being done. Even if there have been no changes in the data yet, the firm should still be able to tell you the steps they’re taking to help write your success story. If you start to feel like the firm is hiding something, they probably are.

• The marketing company offers a proposal, before you’ve had an initial meeting.
• Okay, so two problems are presented here. 1) Your firm hasn’t taken the time to get to know you. 2) This means the firm follows the same, cookie-cutter routine for every client, every time. Every business and every industry is different. Without some sort of discovery meeting, client questionnaire, or other means of gathering information, the firm has no way of knowing your company mission, your products and services, or your end goal. Quickly gather your things and abort the mission, pronto.

• Nobody, not even the best digital marketing firm, is a “Trusted Google Partner”.
• • The proof is in the pudding, folks. Nobody has a special relationship with Google. Earning the right to be a “Trusted Google Partner” has nothing to do with SEO, either, as many firms would like to claim. Instead, it just has to do with PPC advertising, and spending a certain amount of money every month. Even Google isn’t afraid to admit this, as they break down how to earn that “squeaky clean” Google Partner badge. If the agency you’re looking into keeps bragging, well, in the wise words of Ariana Grande, “thank you, next”.

Trust us. We’re not trying to expose the secrets of other Louisville digital marketing agencies. Hiring the right digital marketing agency should be a decision you make based upon authentic work, ethical standards, and quality production of results. Like momma used to always say, cheaters never win, and winners never cheat.

Making The Final Choice

If we’re recapping the technicalities, there are four main components to consider when running background checks on potential marketing partners.  Referrals, trust, communication, and pricing are the top elements to account for when choosing the right digital marketing agency for your business.

If you’re asking us, on top of the four items we just listed, we break it down into pretty simple concepts. Do you like them? Do you trust them? Can they deliver the results you’re looking for? 

Does the firm’s company mission align with yours?

Louisville, Kentucky is full of creative, honest, hard-working digital marketing agencies. At One Thing Marketing, our goal is to help your businesses increase your overall online presence, get found by consumers, and effectively use digital marketing methods to help you grow your business.

We’re tired of local SEO companies who fail to deliver on their promises, and con their way into being recognized as a “trustworthy source”. We want to help relieve some of that burden by providing marketing advice you can trust, along with affordable, customized solutions proven to attract new customers and provide the best return on your investment.

Interested in working with us? We’d be honored to get to know you. And plus, we’re a lot more fun than that other marketing firm from our speed dating metaphor, anyway.

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One Thing Marketing
2305 Hurstbourne Village Drive #400
Louisville, KY 40299
502-532-1818
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https://www.onethingmarketing.net/info/