Bring Your Brand to Life

Through the Power of Story

Tag: blogging

Get Them to Contact You After the First Visit To Your Website

When prospects want to learn about you and your products, the first place they head to for more information is your website. You may have gorgeous graphics, catchy phrases and easy navigation – but that’s not going to convince them to stay, and contact you.

If you’re clever, you will anticipate your prospects’ need even before they open the browser. Follow the example of these four companies to be ready with the exact information they’re looking for.

Just open this webpage to Canon USA for a picture-perfect example. Instantly you’ll notice right smack in the middle of the page is a virtual slide show with entrancing headlines:

  • Counterfeit Accessories are more destructive than you think. “learn more…”
  • Cannon Education: In-depth tutorials, education and more… “learn more….”

If you’ve spent, or are considering spending, a significant amount of money and time on copy machines or photography, how could you resist learning more about these topics?

A quick visit to the web page of FedEx, (one of the Most Reputable Companies of 2013), instantly reveals timeliness – with its “Quick Access” login, FedEx reinforces its reputation and image as the one who keeps tabs on the pulse of its packages. – The customer says, “Yes – show me how much it will cost me to get my package there!”

When you open the Stanley Black and Decker homepage, you’ll see a live feed of news and broadcasts and several links to analysis and investor reports. Clearly, Stanley knows investors frequent their website, and Stanley is catering to these important visitors by making it easy for investors and reporters to find exactly what they need – fast. Notice, also, Stanley’s emphasis on safety — this reassures not only buyers, but investors as well.

Kellogg’s website draws readers in with links to nutrition, offers for a free book, and of course printable coupons.

Each website example I’ve listed here has clearly identified it’s prospects, and has provided an offer to give each visitor something valuable and unique. The key is to use your website to fill a need the prospect wants – as soon as your page is opened. The customer is actively engaged, willing to fill out any online-necessary online forms and quick to join any social media outlets the company offers.

If you’d like help in doing the same, contact us.

Use Your Blog To Be Your Customer’s Biggest Hero

Facts, specifications, dollars and black and white data each have their place in the sales cycle. Yet, buyers need an emotional connection to motivate them to buy. A story provides a powerful impact when building an emotional connection with your customers. The blog is the quickest, fastest medium to share your story.

Blogging shows your customers that you are accessible. That “contact me” button is an invitation to connect. More importantly, blogging is profitable. “Fifty six percent of businesses that blogged at least monthly acquired customers through their blogs. Blogging three times a week increased the percentage to 70 percent; daily blogging upped it to 78 percent,” according to a 2012 study from HubSpot.

Here’s how to use your blog to generate an emotional connection with your customers:

  • Choose topics that solve problems. You already know the key issues your customers face. Show your customers exactly how familiar you are with the challenges they face, with specific, personal stories that reveal your own insights and experiences.
  • Give your customers a happy ending – show them how your proficiency solved your customer’s problem. Use specific facts and measurements.
  • Let them know what’s coming. Position yourself as the industry expert you are by revealing what new issues and challenges they can expect to face, and how you are already poised and ready to take them there as painlessly as possible.

Each blog post you publish gives the reader a dynamic update on your business, your industry, and helps to sharpen your business focus. Your blog creates an instant searchable on-line keyword archive, easily accessible by your sales and marketing staff, to target a customer’s specific needs and close a sale. More importantly, Google indexes your blog posts, via key words, so that future Google searchers will find your page.
If the idea of coming up with a new story every day – or every week, seems daunting, simply contact us.