Interested buyers.
Photo by the Comic Shop
You may be surprised to learn that according to nearly 2,000 businesses surveyed, organic search and email are the top sources of traffic that converts to sales.
This according to findings of Marketing Sherpa in their "Benchmark Report: 2012 Lead Generation." (You can get a free excerpt of the report here. I don't receive any payment or commission if you decide to purchase the full report, but Marketing Sherpa of MECLABS is a top notch internet marketing resource.)
I'm surprised because social media, pay per click, and referring sites all get so much attention in online marketing. But take a look at the findings:
Organic search and email marketing clearly create more sales to companies' bottom line. This makes sense if you talk with people who search online (the next person you run into today). People are skeptical. Ask them whether they trust the ads on the first page of Google or the organic search. Invariably, they'll say it's the web pages that appear without the ads.
Not that there's anything wrong with the sites of the paid ads, it's just natural to think we're being sold something. And as marketers know, people don't like to be "sold."
You Can Create Content that People Want to Find and Email They Want to Read
The thing about internet marketing is that it's interactive and centered around your visitors. Because they're searching for the products and services you offer, they find you online. And here's the key to conversions: they find you when they need you! It's the perfect marketing relationship.
But your website has to get found in the first place, engage your visitors when they get to your site, and move them towards a sale or phone call for appointment. Does the content on your site do all of that? And your email has to be accepted and desired by your list just like email from friends and family.
How To Get Conversions from Your Website and Email
If the people who want your product are searching for it when they need it, you can see how your chances for a sale hinges on them finding you and then staying with your website after they click. And remember, they're less skeptical because they didn't click on an ad.
Or if they receive an email from you, it's because they've opted in to your list and want to receive useful information from you.
So how do you get conversions? Provide the answers your visitors are looking for. Solve their problems. Make their lives better. Engage them with information they can't find anywhere else. Make sure your web copy is crystal clear, benefits rich, and engaging.
Because since so much of the usual sales resistance melts away with organic search or opt-in email, your chances for a sale are tons greater. But you have to shine once you've got them to your website.
And you don't have to stare at a blank page when writing your website text or sales email. I can help, just click here to contact me and we'll get started converting your organic search and emails to sales.
Until next time,
Nick
Check out the posts on this blog for lots of actionable tips on writing content and the nature of internet marketing to help you convert those searchers into customers. Click here for all of my posts.
