We are an Eastern Europe digital agency of 40+ team specialising in business software development. We have been doing some projects for a high profile customers in the UK through our partner there. What would be the best way for us to find new customers? We don’t have a sales nor marketing team as most sales were driven by our partner.
The key elements are to follow the Customer Value Optimisation model. Now since you don’t have Business Development resource in-house you are going to have to hire or outsource to get the skillset you need.
Before that, and the most important part of the CVO is “Determine your Product / Market Fit”. That’s the core and here I strongly advise you spend some money on hiring a marketing expert who can facilitate a session with you to extract that, capture it into a written strategy plan and help you write the tactical implementation plan. (that’s the Return Path on CVO).
Then you have the core already agreed and can use this to brief outsourced folks to write landing pages, ad copy, research DM lists, run social, do follow up calls etc. In this way you can hire execution people who are cheaper than strategy people.
My own Lead Generation Methodology follows a similar pathway detailed on this slideshare deck and accompanying YouTube
Watch the Video training of the Art and Science of Generating Leads
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PLEASE NOTE: Some of the details in this article have been rectified per recent conversations with Shuttlerock. These new details are noted below! Thanks for your feedback, Shuttlerock!
We’ve come across marketing software created by a business here in New Zealand called Shuttlerock. It sounds sort of science fiction-y and futuristic – something you might see in a Rae Bradbury novel. In a way, it could be next gen technology in content sharing and revolutionize how businesses aggregate and manage user content to their benefit.
What Shuttlerock does with user generated content…
If you’re a business and have social media channels, have you ever wanted to capture all your customer feedback and testimonials in one place? Sure, leaving it in the platform from which it originated is perfectly acceptable. But, what about putting it in the one place in which your put the majority of your efforts, i.e. your website. Right now, this information has to be collected manually and configured in an appealing way so that your traffic, your customers and followers, can see: Hey! Other people like this product and have gone so far as to say something about it on the internet!
Including content aggregation, Shuttlerock takes it a few steps further
Besides collecting user content for your team to sift through, sort, and put on display on your website, Shuttlerock also helps you promote your brand to get more user generated content. How? Contests and promotions, of course! We know that one of the best ways to get engagement online is to incentivize your followers to promote you and your brand. You can get them to share their visual content promoting your brand and reward them for doing it. If done right, you’ll get a flood of content that you can then share, directly on your site. Not only do you get to share their excitement with your other followers but they’ll also be excited to see that their content is being shared with the world. What better way to encourage and reward loyal followers!
Who is using it and how.
Shuttlerock operates in its home country of New Zealand and now Japan and the US. In recent Shuttlerock news, Lady Gaga used the program to allow her followers in Japan to upload their content to her website. These photos, directly from the source (her fandom), will be collected and used to create a poster for her Japanese ‘Cheek to Cheek’ album. Now, that’s innovative.
What I find interesting about it.
This program puts power into the hands of your marketing team in a way that can really make a difference for the brand. For one, your team can manage the content via apps, as well as share their own related content, which gives the brand a more approachable, human aspect that’s approachable. And, for two, they will have social proof of what is and is not working for the brand that can be shared with upper management. I find that extremely valuable for businesses to really make a dent in their market and bring exactly what their customers want based on their feedback.
The cost.
So, the only thing that I’m hung up on is this bit: the flat fee of $500 per month. For big businesses with marketing budgets that would make you swoon, $500 a month is a drop in the ocean. However we can’t forget about smaller businesses with much tighter marketing budgets – to whom $500 a month is completely unattainable. Shuttlerock, there’s nothing inherently wrong with your fees. I’m just suggesting you have a tiered option for businesses big and small. It could be based on company size, or social media following, even the amount of content that gets shared. Just saying.
UPDATE: From our recent contact with Shuttlerock we’ve been informed that the fees are $5,000 per month and are focusing on enterprises… BUT! they’re currently powering their way through some key partnerships with the goal to, eventually, have options for small and medium enterprises. Until then, we’ll look on Shuttlerock with starry eyes!!
But, way to go!
In a world where brands are continuously vying for attention from consumers, having visual, word-of-mouth content directly from other individuals on your website is amazing. And, as a consumer, seeing that other people just like you or from all the way across the globe also like this particular product, it just makes it more endearing! You want it, seeing and knowing that other people want it and are willing to share their opinions about it, all over the web.
It’s frustrating when you search for a business and get the wrong answer. Did you know that you can edit how your business listing is displayed in Google search results? It’s called Google My Business.
This short slide deck shows what you can do in the tool and then how to use it to improve how your business is listed.
https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/How-to-use-Google-My-Business-to-improve-SEO-Creative-Agency-Secrets.jpg441600Rebecca Caroehttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgRebecca Caroe2016-03-23 13:50:012016-03-24 09:41:45How to use Google My Business to improve SEO
Periodically I answer questions on www.Clarity.fm – a broking website for experts and entrepreneurs. This questioner is a startup and wants to know if having his blog articles syndicated will be helpful for his business. The answer applies to established businesses who write articles as well as startups.
The advantages of Content Syndication
I would say that it is 100% a good idea with a couple of caveats.
First, your syndication destination should already have an audience who aligns closely with your startup’s desire clients / customers.
Second, the syndicator must allow link-backs to your website.
So definitely go do it – if it builds audience with prospects and also if it can be made to drive traffic back to your website.
The key to appraising whether these things are appropriate, are all about building audience, testing the market and getting early adopters.
So consider your articles and whether a call-to-action can be added to the bottom of each one that drives the interested reader to your website. When they get there, can you capture their details by offering something to the reader?
Improving your local SEO is an important part of your business marketing. It’s all part of Getting your website working hard for your business [there’s a free ebook telling you how].
Read more blog posts about Profile Raising by clicking the icon below. It’s one of the steps in our 8 Step Methodology
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https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpg00Emelie Tillackhttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgEmelie Tillack2016-03-14 14:49:392020-01-24 01:44:58Is content syndication a good idea for articles?
Yet again, Google has changed its search page layout – the right sidebar went last week…. Now, does that matter for your business or not?
The old sidebar had adverts in it and now adverts only appear at the very top of the search listings.This is a “reduced real estate” situation in the lingo.Where 8 adverts used to appear, there are now only 4.That means that competition for advertising space is doubled – prices may rise.What that means for most business owners is that if advertising gets more pricey, you can choose whether to adjust your budgets.I recommend spending on natural site search as an alternative.Every recent Google algorithm update has hit the ‘game-the-system’ players hard and rewarded websites with strong on-site content.Put your money into your own website rather than into Google’s pockets.
Local Search Matters
So first, let’s check your business and how it shows up in the Google local pack.This is the map and associated listings with pins showing locations.Google are showing a map of local businesses into your search results.This allows the physical location of a business to influence whether prospects choose you or not.So it’s important to get listed accurately.Go first to Google My Business https://business.google.com and start registering and verifying.
Local google search showing map and address
Is your information accurate?
Step one is to clean up your NAP citations.NAP is the acronym for Name, Address and Phone data. This clearly tells a visitor that a business is local.You should claim your business and get listed accurately.Be consistent, don’t shorten words like Street or use different variations of ST. St, and Street.[Did you see the comma and full stop there?]
Now, what about other citations?
Do a broad search for your business name, owners names and all possible variants as well as geographic searches.List every website where you can be found.There may be many as most directories are aggregators of others’ content and so mistakes get flicked on and on to more websites.
In the good old days every business was on Yellow Pages and I still think that’s a great place to start your directory listings.But Yelp is increasingly important..go and search for your business on yelp.co.nz and ‘claim’ it.Then you can log in and edit the details.
Yelp claim your business
When you claim your listing, be very careful to select the correct category for your business. And please, be consistent – write down a standard short and medium length text description which you can use everywhere.Also write one about your products or services.And another about the business owner(s).
Now here’s a list of the local directory sites where it is worthwhile “claiming” your business listing and this is the process I recommend you run through for each one.
see if you are already listed
is the information NAP accurate?
edit or insert for the first time as necessary
keep a record of your logins so they aren’t lost to the business when you leave
set a future diary date every 6 months to review and update the listing.
Please share your tips for other directories as we can all learn more!
This article was first published on
Improving your local SEO is an important part of your business marketing. It’s all part of Getting your website working hard for your business [there’s a free ebook telling you how].
Read more blog posts about Who You Are and Profile Raising by clicking the icons below. Each is a step in our 8 Step Methodology
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https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpg00Rebecca Caroehttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgRebecca Caroe2016-03-09 13:04:422022-12-19 11:57:14Have you forgotten about directory listings for local search?
Business websites cannot be static “set-and-forget” marketing assets. Learn how to work your website so that it pays back the investment to the business. A well-run website should:
CCH Learning Webinar
Show up in natural search
Answer visitors’ questions
Bring enquiries, leads or sales to the business
Persuade visitors to reveal their identity
Showcase the expertise of the firm
This is a practical training webinar which will show you how to assess your website’s effectiveness and give you a checklist of what you can do to improve.
Included is a free eBook detailing 5 ways to improve how your website shows up in Google, what search terms your site shows up for, how to use title tags and meta descriptions.
https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/CCH.png8722368Rebecca Caroehttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgRebecca Caroe2016-03-03 16:41:112016-03-03 16:41:31Get Your Business Website Working for you - Webinar Date
Occasionally I read an article that stops me in my tracks, it’s so compelling and aligned with my own thinking that I stumble, double-take and yell Hooray!
Last year I joined a business owners group run locally which met monthly to “advance” your business. We sat in a conference room filling out forms about our business stats for the month, how we were progressing and then tabled issues for group discussion. In between times, we had weekly accountability partner calls. Having done 5 months of this, I realised that the process was really useful and 100% what I needed.
The other attendees were not right.
I want a group full of business innovators, folks who take action and connect with others, who find what’s new and how their business can take advantage – leading from the front.
And so I set out to find a better group to collaborate with. But I didn’t find one.
I read, I asked others and found that the market for peer-to-peer support for business owners remains under-served. There are some paid-for groups, there are industry groups, there are business groups. None seems to fit the bill perfectly.
And so I’m setting up my own Mastermind Group.
The Creative Agency Mastermind Group
The aim: To advance our businesses.
How: Meet once every month to learn, share, collaborate and problem solve. Mutual accountability. Brainstorming.
Goal: To grow, sell or exit our businesses while staying at the leading edge of innovation for good business practice.
First meeting 23rd March 2016.
Want to join us? Get in touch
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https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/the-next-web.png7881430Rebecca Caroehttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgRebecca Caroe2016-02-29 12:19:152016-03-04 13:26:49Creative Agency Mastermind Group for Australasia
Leads are defined as an enquiry that brings business revenue for you.
What form it takes of course varies, it may start with a casual conversation in the pub or might be a phone call to you; it might be a business card that someone has collected from a networking event.
Many business owners find that they have a feast or famine situation and it comes to new business enquiries. Like a
rollercoaster that either rising up and you are swamped with Leads and enquiries for new business or down low and you are desperately hoping for even one enquiry. This predictable repeating cycle is a reality for many many businesses. Yours might be like this as well.
The rollercoaster happens for one reason and one reason alone:
You do not have a reliable process for creating leads.
Many businesses will never overcome the rollercoaster because they do not have the skill to follow a process and stick to it.
If you’re reading this today and you know that you experience this rollercoaster situation, what is it worth to you to change the habits of your business?
Why would you want to get off the rollercoaster?
Look back back through your business accounts over the last three years and see if you can find a time when you had a strong revenue stream. Count up the number of new clients you started invoicing in any given quarter or three month period. And then go back to find out how this client found you. What were the circumstances that led to this good period for you? Ask your business colleagues or your partner as well. They may remember things which you have not recalled.
The good news is it is possible for you to get off the rollercoaster and to create a steady flowing river of leads that can lead to new business.
The bad news is that 90% of the people reading this will not be able to make a regular recurring stream of leads because they cannot be disciplined enough to set up the process that is needed.
Creative Agency Secrets will teach you the secret way of creating leads on a regular recurring basis.
I will tell you because we’re utterly confident that it works.
This is the number one reason and if it works for us we can make it work for you. And the second reason is perhaps a better illustration of why our process works. This is because the 10 percent of you who will interact and take our advice; from these nine people will not be able to do it on their own. They will be people like you who have busy organised business lives and love what they do. Yet if you’re being strictly honest you will say
“I am not a salesman, I am not a marketing expert, I find new business development a challenge. This is not how I prefer to spend my time.”
And so for these reasons Creative Agency Secrets is going to share with you our methodology of how to generate leads every single month of the year.
We’re hoping that you are the nine people who are going to take our advice and hire us to work with you. And if you’re the 10th person who can execute without assistance, then congratulations, you’re probably already very good at sales and this is just a top-up advisory session for you to check there are any new tricks that you don’t already know.
For everyone else, we want to be your new collaborator.
We want to show you exactly how to make this work. We know how to adapt the method to suit the needs of your business, your marketplace, and your preferred clients. Today I’m going to show you exactly how we do it for ourselves and this will give you the template that you need to do it for yourself.
First some marketing honesty
But I need you to make one thing abundantly clear to yourself. In a moment of honesty, ask yourself am I ready to make this change? Am I ready to make a commitment that is fundamentally different from anything I’ve ever done before in my business?
Because you know what the rewards could be, but until they happen I also know that you will be nervous, anxious and will feel that this is a high risk to take for your business.
I will give you reassurance and I will give you confidence that you can do this yourself. Are you are you ready to come on the journey?
Let’s begin.
Tomorrow I’ll show you what the new business process is.
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https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/rollercoaster.png466950Rebecca Caroehttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgRebecca Caroe2016-02-25 15:04:152016-02-25 15:05:21What are New Business Leads?
When you’re new, or growing, and need social proof to prove your worth to the world
So, you’re starting out your business and you know you’ve got a good thing going. But something you don’t have yet from your clients: their endorsement of you and your brand or your product. Sure, they’ve told you they liked working with you and, of course, that made you feel good on the inside. But, with the interwebs, you need to have hard proof that says someone used your services and liked it enough to write it down in a social internet space. Like Google Reviews. Or Facebook. Or even just in an email and with your clients’ blessing. Okay, so, how do you do it?
As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, or deduced from the title of this blog post, we’re talking about testimonials. Or reviews. Either or, they can be one in the same, if they contain ratings and words as friendly companions in whatever social app you’re using. There are multiple ways to get those testimonials so that, when a new possible client happens to Google you, lo and behold, they see other people like you and have used you and have provided their friendly feedback. Well, we rolled out with a fun and ‘give-back sort’ of way to request from our clients and those that have worked with us in the past. I think you’ll like it.
Before the holidays, our Chief in Command, Rebecca, came across a non-profit organization called StarJam. Briefly, I just want to let you know that what they do is amazing. Through music and performing arts, StarJam lifts kids with disabilities up, helps them to learn new skills, and gives them confidence. Just take a look at the photos they have on their website, every time I do I just want to be a part of that! Anyway, back to the story. Rebecca wanted Creative Agency Secrets to be able to give to StarJam. We also, you guessed it, wanted to get testimonials. Testimonials in one hand, giving to a good cause in the other… hmm. There’s got to be a good way to put these two together.
And SMASH!
It’s the holidays, right? We can send out a good will email to our clients! WE will donate money in your name to StarJam if you can write a few words on Google about your time with Creative Agency Secrets. So, we reached out to StarJam to get their permission, find out if they felt comfortable with our plan, requested a few images to use and then started crafting an email.
Key items we made sure to have in our email
Make your headline engaging
Make your text interesting to read
Tell the reader what you’re doing or what you’re asking them to do
4. Hyperlink to wherever they need to go or whatever you’re referring to
5. Use images
The main thing we wanted to make sure to do was inform our followers HOW to submit a review. Some people don’t have Gmail. I know, crazy world, but we had to come up with a foolproof way to say ‘This is easy! Here, we’ll show you’.
Voila! We created this easy to read image with everything needed to tell our audience how to do what we were asking them to do.
Then what? Well, we could wait around with baited breath. But, by this time, it was Christmas and we decided we’d come back to it in the New Year with fresh eyes and suntans.
And when we did… no reviews! We could have been sad and wallowed a bit but that’s now how you get good reviews. So we sent a follow-up email. Sort of a, “Hey, we know you were busy over the holidays, but…” reminder. Good idea, right? Of course.
But when you’ve asked the same way twice and you still get no response
You try another tactic. This time, we called, or in some cases walked over to, those who had worked with us in the past to ask them, oh so kindly, to provide us with a review while we donated to a good cause in their name. Sometimes it just takes the glimmer in your eye, the inflection in your voice, or just good ole human contact to make the connection you need.
And now we’re on the MAP!
Tips to those using Google reviews!
For one, you need 5 reviews to be able to see your star rating.
For two… even if you have 5 star ratings for all 5 of your Google reviews… somehow you still only rate 4.8 stars
Number two will remain a bit of a mystery.
I hope this helps any startup businesses out there looking to get on the map as well with testimonials and reviews. As they say, right now, the BEST way to get business is by word of mouth. And online rating systems like Google, Facebook, and others are the next best things with the worldwide web!
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https://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Be-Innovative-with-How-You-Get-Testimonials.jpg393800Creative Agency Secrets Teamhttps://creativeagencysecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAS_Logo_1line_RGB.jpgCreative Agency Secrets Team2016-02-25 11:00:002020-01-24 01:44:59Be Innovative with How You Get Testimonials
