I think you’ll agree with me when I say:

Generating leads is a constant struggle for small businesses.

Unlike big corporations like Pepsi or Nike, you don’t have the budget for expensive advertising campaigns.

But you do have a great product or service. If only more people knew about it.

If only…

Well in this post, I’m going to show you nine lead generation techniques that can be implemented on even the smallest budget.

Of course, I’m not just going to tell you what these techniques are, I’m going to show you how to use them.

[Read more…] about 9 Small Business Lead Generation Techniques That You Need to Know

Take Coke and Pepsi.

Two giants in the world of dark, sweet, sticky sodas.

Their ingredients and taste are pretty similar. In fact Professor Read Montague showed that most people could not tell the difference in taste when the drinks were unlabeled.

However when the drinks were labelled, people showed a strong brand preference.

Now research by Hunch.com found that they’re measurable differences between the demographics of Coke fans vs. Pepsi fans.

For example: Coke people like visiting art galleries and eating sushi, Pepsi people prefer watching TV and eating Spam.

This is why creating a brand identity is so powerful.

Want to know more?

[Read more…] about Creating a Kick-Ass Brand Identity in 6 Easy Steps

According to blogging expert Adam Connell, over 75% of visitors to a blog will never return.

That sucks, huh?

Wouldn’t you like your customers to visit your website again and again, purchase your products and services, and spread the word about you on social media?

If you want this to happen, you must increase your customer engagement.

But first, what do we mean by customer engagement?

[Read more…] about 9 Simple Strategies to Increase Your Customer Engagement

According to a recent survey by the Content Marketing Institute, only 30% of B2B marketers said they were effective at content marketing.

Well what happened with the other 70%? Where were they going wrong?

If you’re in B2B you can’t just pump out some blog posts, schedule a bunch of tweets, and hope for the best. Unlike B2C buyers, B2B buyers do not buy on impulse. Instead, B2B buyers are hungry for information and knowledge to help them come to a decision.

For potential B2B buyers to pick you, you need a B2B marketing strategy. First you attract and engage them. Next you nurture a relationship with them, building trust and credibility. Finally, you persuade them of the benefits of your products and services, and close the sale.

The most effective way to do this is through producing content which is targeted, valuable and high-quality. This can include educational resources, case studies and industry insights. To enhance your reach, you can employ a range of distribution channels, from blogging to social media to alternative platforms.

So what are the B2B marketing strategies that you need to master?

[Read more…] about 7 B2B Marketing Strategies That You Need to Master

According to Hubspot, companies with blogs gather 68% more leads than companies without blogs. Blogging is a powerful marketing strategy that can drive traffic, build authority and generate new leads.

But having to come up with a steady supply of blog topics week after week can be a real drag. It’s not just a question of finding something to write about. The challenge is to find interesting topics to write about. And to be able to do it consistently.

Now if you’re in a “sexy” industry like travel, food or fashion, you’re going to have loads of interesting business topics to write about. If your industry not quite so titillating, like… erm…. finance, insurance or software, you could find yourself struggling.

Technology writer Farhad Manjoo commissioned a study by Chartbeat that revealed that most readers stop reading after getting 60% of the way through a typical blog post. They simply weren’t sufficiently interested to keep reading till the end.

So how do you keep your readers interested?

[Read more…] about How to Find Interesting Topics to Write About for Your Company Blog

Your call to action is the means through which you turn a visitor to your website into a lead or sale. The action in question could be:

• Subscribe to your newsletter
• Download an ebook
• Sign up for an event
• Make a purchase

Crafting an effective call to action is as a much an art as it is a science. There are call to action phrases that have been proven to work since the dawn of copywriting.  Through studying call to action examples by top marketers, you can learn the underlying principles to apply to your own brand.

Get your call of action right and you’ll be drowning in sales. Get it wrong, and all the traffic in the world will not help you.

[Read more…] about How to Craft an Effective Call to Action – with Examples and Phrases