WebProNews

Category: SmallWebBusiness

SmallWebBusiness

  • How to Offer Free Tools to Drive Email Collection and Leads

    How to Offer Free Tools to Drive Email Collection and Leads

    You can try a lot of stuff, but what used to work to collect emails doesn’t work as well now, says internet marketing experts Neil Patel & Eric Siu on their Marketing School podcast. What does work effectively they say are free tools. Entrepreneurs can even buy cheap scripts or full websites with these tools and rebrand them to drive email collection and leads.

    Neil Patel & Eric Siu, discussed the tactics they use to drive email collection on their Marketing School podcast (listen below):

    High-End Popup Software

    Let’s start with popup software. There are a lot of different email popup software tools out there. There is Bounce Exchange which charges thousands of dollars, and possibly as much as $10,000 a month. It’s a done-for-you service. The benefit is that they do all of the optimization and conversion stuff for you. (Neil Patel at one time used them successfully.)

    There is something else similar to Balance Exchange. It’s also a very done-for-you service, which means they will find out what your offers are and they will design the popups for you and they will manage it based on your desired conversion rate. This business is called Exit Intelligence. It’s somewhat more cost-effective at around $1,500 – $3,000 a month. It’s something that we are experimenting with right now.

    Email Collection Tools Don’t Work Like They Used To

    You can try a lot of stuff, but what used to work to collect emails doesn’t work as well now. You will find that exit popups don’t work as well as they used to. They still work, but just not as well. Content upgrades don’t work as well as they used to. Blocking out content and requiring a name and email to read it works well. I used to even block it out and make you share the content which worked well too.

    I found quizzes to work really well because you can collect leads at the same time. LeadQuizzes is another solution that you can use. In general, if you want to collect emails you have to figure out a better mousetrap. I don’t know what the better mousetrap is because it is going to vary by business. What I mean by that is that exit popups, content upgrades, quizzes, none of them work as well as they used to. You have to truly find something that is unique.

    Offer Free Tools to Effectively Collect Emails

    My version of it now is going to be to create a free tool and give it to people who have to register with their email address. That’s how you are going to effectively collect emails in 2019. It’s going to have to be something like a calculator or tool, something that is added value to people that are used to paying for it and who will gladly give you their email address.

    You don’t necessarily need to build a tool either. There is a site called 1Kprojects where you can actually buy tools. Developers make a lot of tools and end up throwing them away. Instead, they post them on this site to sell cheaply. You can also just buy scripts even cheaper, sometimes as low as $10 – $20. For whatever industry you are in you can literally buy a script or pre-made tool that you can leverage for email collection. It’s not hard to build a WordPress plugin either. It can be a basic tool.

    How Frank Kern is Driving Revenue From YouTube

    You know Frank Kern, the marketer. He’s all about the email before (content access). I’m actually observing what he is doing on YouTube where he’s going live every single day and he drives people to KernClass.com and people opt-in there. What happens is he not only collects the email addresses but he is actually driving revenue from those live videos too. He’s going live everyday and in a 30 day period he did over $350K.

  • How to Use Video to Boost Traffic and Sales Faster Than SEO

    How to Use Video to Boost Traffic and Sales Faster Than SEO

    Marketing innovator Neil Patel says that video is better than most marketing channels out there for getting traffic fast. In his latest video Patel explains how anybody can drive traffic to their website, and more importantly, drive sales of products and services. Taking the video plunge should be on every entrepreneur’s priority list.

    Neil Patel, explains how video may be the best marketing channel for instant results:

    Tip 1 – Leverage Ubersuggest

    The cool thing about video is you can see results faster than traditional SEO or most marketing channels out there. Let’s go in order on what you need to do to get more sales and traffic from videos. The first thing you need to do is leverage Ubersuggest. Ubersuggest is a free tool that’ll show you what keywords are popular. If you don’t know what keywords and topics are popular within your space you will be creating video content that no one wants to watch or hear about.

    Tip 2 – Record Into Your Phone

    The second thing you need to do is just bust out your phone and start recording into it. Make sure you’re looking at the video. You don’t want to just do audio. You want to break down whatever topic is popular based on what you learn from Ubersuggest. When you’re doing the video, ask questions within your video. Make sure it’s engaging, be fun, laugh, and always smile. I always forget that one but that’s very important. My cameraman always tells me that one but that’s very important.

    In addition to that, at the very end, you want to have a call to action that drives people back to your website. For example, at the end of my videos, I tell people to check out my ad agency. When you do that you’ll at least start generating sales. If you don’t have that call to action that you say at the very end, I kid you not, it’s going to be very hard to get sales from that video.

    Tip 3 – Go to Rev.com and Get an SRT File

    Then I want you to go to Rev.com and get an SRT file. What this does is they’ll do a transcription of the video content after you recorded it and give you an SRT file that you can upload. You will then want to take the video and the SRT file and upload it to each and every single social network out there. You want to do Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, at the bare minimum.

    By uploading the SRT file, what you’ll find is a lot of the social sites autoplay the videos and people often don’t have their speakers on, especially when they’re at work. Then they can read the text and follow along. It’ll help boost the engagement.

    Tip 4 – Include the Right Keywords

    Now that you’ve uploaded this video, at the same time before you hit the publish button, you want to include the right keywords. So you already use Ubersuggest and they gave you ideas. By integrating these keywords within the copy, description, and title, it’ll help you get more traffic.

    Tip 5 – Promote the Video

    Then you want to promote the video. Go take your email list and send out an email blast and push it out to your list within the first hour. This will help you videos get more traction and make them go more viral. If you have a push notification list, through tools like Subscribers, send out a push about the video and push everyone to it within the first hour. Again, this will help the videos get more views and help them go more viral.

    Tip 6 – Respond to All Comments

    Last but not least, respond to all comments. The biggest thing when it comes to videos and getting more engagement and getting more sales is you need to engage with the community. When someone leaves a comment, you need to respond to it. By doing that they’re going to build a better connection with you. Then when you sell them products and services they’re more likely to buy.


  • Ecommerce is a Lot More Than Just Amazon, Says UPS CEO

    Ecommerce is a Lot More Than Just Amazon, Says UPS CEO

    Ecommerce is a lot more than just Amazon, says UPS CEO David Abney at the Davos 2019 conference. Abney says that their focus is really on helping small and midsize businesses compete with the bigger players by enabling them to offer two-day shipping.

    UPS recently introduced a product called Ware2Go which matches businesses with warehouse space in the US and around the world which makes faster delivery possible.

    David Abney, CEO of UPS, discussed how UPS is focused on helping small and midsize business compete with big companies in an interview on Fox Business at Davos 2019:

    Ecommerce is a Lot More Than Just Amazon

    Amazon is a good customer of ours. We work closely together. But people kind of associate Amazon with ecommerce, but ecommerce is a lot more than just Amazon. You have the other big retailers. It’s really those hundreds of thousands of those small and midsize etailers that has allowed us to be the ecommerce vendor of choice. We will continue to do that through our portfolio and through our technology.

    This hub is really designed to expedite and to enable these small and midsize businesses to where with today’s technology they can really compete with markets all over the world. If you look back a little while they couldn’t do that. This hub is just part of the strategy. But it’s our focus on small and midsize businesses. It is providing alternatives to these customers to where they can compete with the large ones.

    UPS Focused on Helping Small Businesses Compete

    More and more of the competition is having to do with being able to deliver to their customers within two days. That’s much easier for larger customers who have distribution centers all over the US and throughout the world. It was almost impossible for small and midsize.

    We just introduced a product that’s called Ware2Go. We are a broker between people who have warehouse space all across the country and the world enabling these smaller companies that need to store inventory to compete. It has gotten off to a great start.

    Ecommerce is Going to Continue to Increase

    I believe ecommerce is going to continue to increase. It’s so convenient for many people using their mobile device to just order what they are interested in getting. That is why we are putting such an emphasis on it.

    When we talk about ecommerce let me give you a couple of stats. Of European small and midsize businesses, only five percent export. You would think it should be much higher than that.

    However, from the US only one percent of small and midsize businesses export. That’s why trade agreements are so important. They would benefit small and midsize businesses. It’s also why any technology that we can provide them would be helpful to increase their exports. I believe there is a big runway for these smaller retailers.

    Retail Up 5.6% – It Doesn’t Sound Like a Slowdown to Me

    I think we have to be very careful. I think sometimes people can start to build bad news on top of bad news. I will just give you an example of the peak season that we just finished through December. Retail is being estimated across the market to have increased 5.6 percent. That doesn’t really sound like a slowdown to me. All online retail increased 17 or 18 percent.

    So again, healthy numbers. We think the US economy has held up reasonably strong. Internationally there are headwinds of course on trade-related issues. But still when you hear news that there is a slowdown theirs talk of one or two-tenths of a percent. It’s really not the kind of news that some people are taking it much further.

  • Howie Mandel Says ‘Deal or No Deal’ is Risk Vs. Reward, Just Like NYSE

    Howie Mandel Says ‘Deal or No Deal’ is Risk Vs. Reward, Just Like NYSE

    Howie Mandel says that ‘Deal or No Deal’ is risk versus reward, just like the New York Stock Exchange. He says the decision process is the same. “That’s ultimately what the stock exchange is about,” says Mandel. “How do you divvy up your portfolio? By the same token, when there is somebody sitting on our floor what do they do?”

    Mandel rang the stock exchange bell this morning in honor of “Deal or No Deal” being revived on the popular financial network CNBC. Mandel is both the star and the producer of the show.

    Howie Mandel, host and executive producer of CNBC’s ‘Deal or No Deal,’ discussed on CNBC how his show and investing on the New York Stock Exchange are very similar:

    Deal or No Deal – It’s Risk Vs. Reward

    It’s real. That’s why I’m so thrilled to be a small part of CNBC. When we first did it in 2005 there are books on investment that have quoted, talked about, and studied what Deal or No Deal is. It’s risk versus reward. That’s ultimately what the stock exchange is about. How do you divvy up your portfolio? By the same token, when there is somebody sitting on our floor what do they do?

    How do you walk away? I said that Wednesday night. The guy said that on the first offer, “That’s half of what I make a year.” Would you invest half of your earnings in the stock market right now and go for it? Ultimately, there is no divine answer. What’s the big strategy on Deal or No Deal? What’s the big strategy on the New York Stock Exchange floor? Taking the big risk or playing it safe? It’s somewhere in between. But it’s also where you are in your life and what your needs are. With more risk, there is probably more reward, but can you afford to do that? What are you putting at stake for doing that?

    So when people walk away, like the first episode that actually aired during Christmas, there was a young man who had a wife and a baby and he played it risking it. All the way to the end he risked it. Two cases were left of $5 and $750,000, and an offer of $350,000 was on the board. There was an opportunity to negotiate. He said, “No Deal” and went All In and walked out with just $5. How many people have done this on this New York Stock Exchange floor right here?

    Trend with Media is to be Aware It’s Always Changing

    The trend with media is to be aware that it’s always changing. Whether it’s with Netflix, or whether it’s with some other digital or Facebook, how people and different sectors of our population are ingesting and buying into this there is not one answer. There may be an answer right this minute. Right now people are binge-watching on Netflix. Next year it could be Facebook or YouTube or ten-minute bites. I think we have to be kind of fluid and open.


  • Hillary Yip: 13-Year-Old Tech CEO Phenom

    Hillary Yip: 13-Year-Old Tech CEO Phenom

    Hillary Yip is a 13-year-old CEO phenom that impresses everyone who has heard her speak. Her iOS app, MinorMynas, already has over 40,000 downloads from more than 50 countries. Hillary’s app aims to revolutionize how children learn languages by providing an engaging online platform.

    Hillary Yip, Founder, and CEO of MinorMynas, recently was interviewed by the South China Morning Post:

    MinorMynas App Has 40,000 Downloads

    I’m Hilary Yip, I’m 13 years old and I’m working on a startup called MinorMynas which hopes to connect the world through kids. We’re an online kids community where we can have kids from all over the world on our platform talk to each other on different topics that interest them. If they want to learn a new language they have access to native speakers worldwide so they can chat in a fully immersive environment. Right now we’ve got more than 40,000 downloads from more than 50 countries.

    As a 13-Year-Old, Do You Get Nervous Presenting?

    Let’s put it this way if you get me debating or talking about MinorMynas or presenting you will never see a hint of any nerves but you get me to sing and I’ll have knock-kneed and I’ll probably puke as I go on. When I first presented the idea of MinorMynas I have very fond memories. I remembered that the whole build-up period was extremely exciting. I was working my mom at home and my teachers at school back then were very supportive.

    It was just so exciting because it was my first time doing it properly. The idea is that education is transformative and will change our world. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this but I’m very into politics. I think that being a politician is not the best way to change our world, but doing education is.

    Hillary Yip in 2016:

    Hillary Yip in 2017:

    Connecting Kids Can Have a Profound Effect

    I think it was a couple of days after my final pitch for at an event when I was younger. I was going to a meeting with someone who said that you know what this could work. During a meeting, he told me the life cycle of a start-up from seed round to IPO, kind of very far ahead. He walked me through the entire process and told me that failure is almost inevitable but it’s something worth doing.

    That led me afterward to think is this something that I really want to do?

    When I realized that learning something new, connecting kids was something that can have a profound effect on society, I was like, “like let’s do it.”

    Young Female Entrepreneurs: Be Your Own Person

    My role model is Michelle Obama because I think she’s a very inspirational figure. I think that is admirable that in the past when she was younger that she left a high paying job to go and work for the community and to make an impact in the place where she lives. (If she met her) I would say to her that today is an exciting time where girls like myself and many others are working to make the world a better place. I would love to meet her if I could.  

    I would say to any young female entrepreneurs that you are your own person. There’s no need to be swayed by extra influences because there will always be people who belittle you and tell you that you can’t. The most important thing is to move on from those criticisms. If they’re of any use take them into consideration. If not, just ignore it and move on and do what you want to do most.

    Hillary Yip in 2019 via the South China Morning Post:


  • People Without Google Accounts Can Now Collaborate on G Suite

    People Without Google Accounts Can Now Collaborate on G Suite

    Google has a new beta feature that will allow people without a Google account to work on G Suite documents. This will make sharing and collaboration easier and hopefully entice more people into giving G Suite a

    Working on a project with different people is already a challenge, but things can become more complicated when some members use different platforms. Google wants to alleviate this dilemma by giving non-G Suite users a PIN number that will allow them access to Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets. Privacy settings will be determined by the account holder.

    Google announced in an official blog post that they are “introducing a beta for an easy pincode identity verification process that will enable G Suite users to invite non-G Suite users to collaborate on files.”

    Users will send their Google guests a pin code through their email. When the “visitor” clicks on the access link provided, they will see a login screen that will send a verification code to their inbox. Once the code has been activated, the visitor can view, comment, and edit Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

    File owners will have total control on the access and sharing permissions. They can also track any changes made to the file and they have the ability to revoke access. Admins will have control of every external sharing made and audit usage.

    According to the instructions on the tech giant’s Support page, administrators can set permissions by domain or department. There are also options for limiting what can be shared outside of whitelisted groups and domains.

    The PIN feature is only available to select companies. Businesses that want to try out this new feature would have to sign up to become beta testers. They would also select the non-G Suite using organization they are working with. However, there is no guarantee that every company that signs up will be able to access the feature. Google will have to check every site to ensure that they’re legal. The company would then have to add a non-G Suite domain to a whitelist before the feature can work.

    This new feature could open more doors to Google. Companies might be more amenable to signing up for G Suite since it allows users more freedom to work together with non-Google users. But whether Google’s new offering will make a dent on Microsoft’s hold on professional suites remains to be seen.

  • Entrepreneur Jon Taffer: The Common Denominator of Failure is Excuses

    Entrepreneur Jon Taffer: The Common Denominator of Failure is Excuses

    Prolific entrepreneur Jon Taffer who is the producer and host of the popular TV show Bar Rescue says that the most common denominator of failure is excuses.

    “The common denominator of failure is excuses,” says Jon Taffer on an episode of Business Rockstars. “Years ago when I had all my restaurants, we had a line on my daily revenue report for comments. They would write, snowing no business. Then the next day they would write, cold no business. Then the next day they would write, first nice day no business.”

    “I learned that if you give somebody a line for an excuse they will use it every time,” explained Taffer. “So I took the line off the piece of paper because there are no excuses in business. Fact of the matter is when we fail it’s because of us and the choices we make, the decisions we make, the people we hire, and the things we do and don’t do. Passing blame to me is the most influential element of causing failure.”


  • This 7-Year-Old Kid Raked in $22 Million Reviewing Toys on YouTube

    This 7-Year-Old Kid Raked in $22 Million Reviewing Toys on YouTube

    A 7-year-old is proving that you’re never too young to become an entrepreneur.

    Ryan, the star of Ryan ToysReview, is reported to be the highest-paid person on YouTube. According to a Forbes report, the tyke has made $22 million from June 2017 to June 2018.

    The premise behind Ryan’s YouTube videos is very simple. He’s presented with a toy and plays with them. During the process, he gives his impression of the product. An unseen person sometimes prompts him but the videos are purely Ryan – his reactions and impressions.

    Like any regular boy, he does have some preferences when it comes to toys. The description on his channel states that he “loves Cars, Trains, Thomas and Friends, Lego, Superheroes, Disney toys, open surprise eggs, play-doh, Pixar, Disney cars, Disney Planes, monster trucks, minions.” His channel has also branched out to include food for kids.

    The idea behind the YouTube channel came about simply. In 2015, a then 4-year-old Ryan saw a toy review video and wondered why he can’t do his own reviews.

    Since his parents launched his channel in March 2015, Ryan has garnered 17.3 million followers and has acquired over 25 billion views. His personal channel is also a very active one, with Ryan, or more accurately his parents, uploading a video almost daily.

    Ryan is just another example of how videos can rake in serious revenue. There are other YouTubers who have almost the same clout as Ryan, like Jake Paul ($21.5 million), Dude Perfect ($20 million), DanTDM ($18.5 million), and Jeffree Star ($18 million).

    Ryan’s toy review videos have also been instrumental in opening other doors for him. He now has a line of toys and clothes that are sold exclusively at Walmart. He also signed a deal with Pocket.watch and his videos are set to be repackaged and distributed on Amazon and Hulu.

    But what is it that makes the little entrepreneur’s videos popular? According to Ryan, he’s “entertaining” and “funny.” It could also be that people love watching unboxing videos. So far, his most popular toy review is one where be opened several huge eggs that contained more than 100 toys from Paw Patrol and Disney’s Cars. This video received almost 935 million views.

    One marketing expert suggested that unboxing videos are universal in their appeal. Children who might not be able to own a particular toy will be able to experience the next best thing when they watch Ryan – the chance to see someone else happily playing with it.

  • How to Figure Out What Your Potential Customers Really Want

    How to Figure Out What Your Potential Customers Really Want

    It doesn’t matter how good your product is or whether you offer the best service. Consumers will not purchase it or hire you if they don’t want or need what you’re offering. You also won’t be able to convince anyone of your product’s importance unless you’re clear on what your customers really want.

    A keen understanding of what the customer really wants is at the heart of every successful company. Once you figure out what that is, you can begin to utilize this knowledge to persuade current and prospective customers that buying from your company is their best option.

    Importance of Understanding Customer Needs

    It’s a sad fact that many entrepreneurs and company owners do not always know what their customers need in a product. And according to research conducted by a Fortune 500 consultant, 90 percent of companies are wrong when it comes to what their clients want. This presents a glaring problem since knowing what the customer wants is the first step to ensuring that your product best suits your market.

    Companies should also be able to give a reason as to why a prospect should buy from them and not their rival. This will become your Unique Sales Proposition (USP). For instance, your USP could be the same day delivery you are offering or the 15 percent discount clients who spend more than a certain amount per month in your store can avail. You won’t be able to establish your USP if you don’t know what the client desires.

    The information you have regarding your prospective client can also be used to customize user experience, content, and marketing campaigns.

    How to Figure Out What Potential Customers Want

    Business owners have to realize that they should know more about their target demographic than just the basics if they want to have an advantage over their competitors. So how do you go about this? Here are some suggestions:

    1. Determine Who Your Prospects Are

    Time is a valuable commodity in business and life in general. You don’t want to waste your time selling to someone who doesn’t need your product or service. You need to determine who your customers are so you’ll know who to target. Information like whether they need your product, how badly they need it, and whether they can afford it are crucial.

    2. Discover Their Feelings About the Product

    Once you have determined who your potential client is, you’ll then need to start learning if they’re happy about a particular product or service you offer, and what they want to change about it. You should also know what they want to see in the future with regards to the product. Ask your customer questions like how much they want to change things, what effect they think these changes will have on their lives, and what they’ll feel when they finally get what they want. Never discount your customer’s feelings. You have to appeal to their emotions since 95 percent of consumers make buying decisions based on emotion.

    3. Learn Their Pain Points

    Aside from learning your customer’s hopes and intentions, you also have to discover their pains and frustrations when it comes to products and services. You need to figure out what problem they want you to solve. Know these things:

    • What roadblocks are in the way of reaching their objective?
    • What paths have they taken to overcome these roadblocks?
    • How much do these obstacles frustrate them?
    • What can you do to help?

    It’s crucial that you understand what your customers’ problems are so you can provide the best solution.

    4. Get Customer Feedback Early and Test Often

    It’s always a good idea to get customer feedback quickly and to test your product or solution as early and as often as you can. Do this when you develop new products, upgrade features, or design a new ad campaign. Don’t wait until the product is released to get the customers’ reactions.

    Some companies would release a prototype or conduct a dry run. Having a small, controlled group test out your products early will make it easier to make changes or to realign your goals. Working alongside your customers will save you money since you don’t have to drastically revamp your design or do numerous A/B testing. Your team will also feel better knowing that they are making changes that real clients need.

    5. Pay Attention to Consumers Who Rejected You

    You should also pay attention to those consumers who chose to patronize your competitors. They can provide you with invaluable information on where your product or solution is lacking.

    Ask them for their feedback. Prospects who didn’t like your proposal can give candid answers regarding their reasons for choosing another company. Pay attention if the reason was the price. Was your expensive solution lacking the features your clients need or did it have what they want but the price was prohibitive?

    Understanding what your prospective customers want is a vital part of the sales flow. You’ll need to invest time and effort to really know your target market and what they think before you can even come up with the right solution. Ask your customers the right questions. It will provide you with the right information while also establishing consumer trust.

    [Featured image via Pexels.com]

  • How Will New USMCA Trade Agreement Affect Small Business?

    How Will New USMCA Trade Agreement Affect Small Business?

    The United States, Mexico, and Canada finally wrapped up months of negotiations and finalized a new trade deal a few hours short of its Oct. 1 deadline. The US Congress still has to approve the deal but all signs point to its ratification, with the USMCA set to take effect by January 1, 2020. But how will this new agreement affect small businesses?

    Key Changes Between USMCA and NAFTA

    Taking away all the comparisons being made about NAFTA and the USMCA, the bottom line is that the new trade agreement does have several key changes. The first one deals with the automobile industry. Under the USMCA, 75 percent of a vehicle’s content should come from North America in order to avoid tariffs. This will cut down on the number of parts being imported from Asia. The agreement also states that by 2023, 40 to 45 percent of production should be made by workers who are receiving an average of $16 or more an hour. That hourly wage is definitely higher than conventional salary levels in Mexico.

    There are also a number of vital agricultural concessions in the new deal. For instance, Canada will be giving American dairy producers access to 3.6 percent of its market. This change could potentially be worth around $70 million in trade. In return, the US will also give its neighbor increased access to its agricultural market, including peanuts and sugar and all its related products.

    The USMCA also introduces a sunset clause. According to this, the countries involved will renew the agreement every 16 years.

    How the New Agreement Will Affect Small Businesses and eCommerce

    Online retailers and small American businesses will be affected by the deal’s enhanced trade policies. One change that the three countries have agreed on is the increase in their “de minimis.” This refers to the level at which imported products are exempted from taxes, customs documentation, and duty collection.   

    Under the USMCA, Mexico will be doubling its de minimis from $50 to $100 and Canada from C$20 to C$40. The U.S’ threshold remains the same. This means Canadian consumers won’t have to pay duty for cross-border online orders that are less than C$150 while Mexican customers will enjoy duty-free online orders for products $117 or lower.

    A fact sheet provided by the Office of the U.S Trade Representative shows that the new agreement will also make the processing of shipment orders across the three states go faster, allowing small and medium-sized businesses to engage in more cross-border trading.

    SMEs usually don’t have the resources to pay for customs taxes and duties, but they shoulder the compliance costs that low de minimis have on low-value shipments. The policy changes will give SMEs and new traders to Canadian and Mexican markets the opportunity to reach more customers at lower costs. Express delivery carriers will also benefit since they carry the bulk of low-value shipments.

    Groups like the National Retail Federation are supportive of the raised de minimis threshold as it can improve sales across the borders. But eBay says that the USMCA’s customs provisions are not enough. It claims that it could lead to confusion among small businesses since express and postal shipments will be treated differently and there’ll be different collection rules based on the value levels.

    [Featured image via calendar.in.gov]

  • How to Turn Seasonal Shoppers Into Year-Round Customers

    How to Turn Seasonal Shoppers Into Year-Round Customers

    The outlook is pretty rosy for retailers this year. The high consumer confidence and low unemployment rates mean that people have more money to burn. Deloitte’s yearly forecast for the holiday shopping season also showed that retail sales are expected to grow from 5 percent to 5.6 percent from last year. Sales could even hit $1.10 trillion.

    While the numbers look good, companies should consider that many of those shoppers are seasonal ones—people who won’t make another purchase from them for months (or ever). That is a massive missed opportunity as it costs more to catch the eye of a new customer than retaining the interest of an existing one. So make sure you take advantage of this upcoming holiday season to try and turn a seasonal shopper into a loyal customer.

    After all, a strong and loyal customer base means continued profit for your business. You have to think in terms of your client’s lifetime value (LTV). This is how much the customer will invest or spend in your store for his or her entire life. You should know how to calculate a customer’s LTV to ensure that you’re spending money on the right demographic and marketing strategy.

    There are also other ways to turn seasonal shoppers into year-round ones. Here’s how:

    Email is Still King

    Email marketing remains a very powerful marketing tool. It’s easy to use, convenient, and affordable. It also has a better response rate than direct mail and banner ads. And if used correctly, you can start developing loyalty in a seasonal shopper.

    • Send Your Thanks with an Incentive: A thank you email is one of the best ways to improve your conversion rates. Improve your open rate odds by including an incentive that will make a seasonal shopper want to visit your site again. Add a discount coupon or a freebie.
    • Add Value by Cross-selling: Use your knowledge of the shopper’s purchase history to upsell or cross-sell products. Suggest items that complement their previous purchase to start establishing a relationship with them.
    • Request Feedback: Ask your customer for their opinions on your product and service. This tells them that you value their thoughts. Plus, you can also use these feedback as social proof for future customers.

    Inspire Loyalty with Great Service

    Make customer service a priority in your business and you have a higher chance of getting that seasonal shopper to come back. Show them that you care by personalizing their shopping experience. Recommend products based on what they have viewed or placed in their carts. A 24/7 live chat is also a worthwhile option since it provides them with the customer support they need without the hassle of calling or waiting for a reply.

    Great service also means taking positive action and making amends when mistakes happen. The best brand takes care of every customer all the time, and when things go wrong, they want to see that you’re taking steps to address it. The way Starbucks handled the controversy when two of their guests were arrested is a good example. The company quickly posted a statement apologizing for what happened and stated what they’re doing to correct their policies.

    Offer Exclusive Deals or Loyalty Programs

    A loyalty program can also turn seasonal shoppers into year-round customers. It helps to engage customers and keep their attention through freebies and discounts. Design a program that will keep your customer active and in the loop. For instance, award points for every purchase made. Once they reach a certain number of points, they can redeem them for a reward or a discount. To make your brand stand out more, offer a 15 percent discount instead of the standard 10 percent.

    Reach Out to Your Customers Again

    Don’t relax just because you already made a sale. Retargeting seasonal shoppers will get them back in your shop. Remember that people are busier than usual at this time of year so you might need to remind them of the wonderful experience they’ve had with you. Send them a reminder to restock on the supplies they bought after a few months. Or email an exclusive offer to try out a new product they might like based on their past purchase.

    You can transform seasonal shoppers into regular ones. Convince them to return to your store. Send them incentives via email and enroll them in a loyalty program. Reach out to them and show that you value them. In turn, they will value and be loyal to your brand. And if you do your job well, they could even become your best brand evangelists.

    [Featured image via Pexels]

  • Microsoft Rolls Out Tool for Brands to Build Their Own AI-Powered Virtual Assistant

    Microsoft Rolls Out Tool for Brands to Build Their Own AI-Powered Virtual Assistant

    It’s been a busy week for Microsoft. The company launched an open source system for designing virtual assistants and also revealed several updates to its conversational AI solutions.

    Microsoft showed several realistic ways that customers can use artificial intelligence in a just-concluded event in San Francisco. The company also spoke about how brands should integrate AI into their business processes and touched on the obstacles that come with adopting AI technology. Citing a Gartner report, the Redmond-based company pointed out that only four percent of CIOs are using AI technology while 70 percent of businesses lack the skills and support to do so.

    In order to make AI accessible and easier to use, Microsoft has launched its virtual assistant accelerator on Github. This is basically a template with integrated pre-made skills that can be utilized to answer basic questions or locate local services by using conversational AI and the Microsoft Bot framework. The solutions accelerator also comes with a calendar, linked accounts, a to-do skill, and points of interest feature.

    In a blog post, Lili Cheng, Corporate VP of AI, explained that the company believes that their “virtual assistant solution accelerator simplifies the creation of your own assistant enabling you to get started in minutes.” Cheng also emphasized the control their customers will have and how even the VA’s “name, voice, and personality can be changed to suit the organization’s needs.”

    Cheng also admitted in an interview that the company has “reworked a lot of the tooling” to provide companies with better solutions and support. To that end, Microsoft has upgraded the Translator API and Azure Cognitive Services‘ text-to-speech synthesis. It has also rolled out container support for the latter, which will enable developers to add capabilities like object detection and language understanding in their applications even without having any data science skills.

    Microsoft also announced its acquisition of Botkit creator XOXCO and an Azure Machine Learning Integration for the Power BI software.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • Whatsapp Will Start Running Ads in 2019, But How Will Advertisers Respond?

    Whatsapp Will Start Running Ads in 2019, But How Will Advertisers Respond?

    It’s been a long time coming, but ads will be making their way into WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messaging platform. Starting early next year, in-app ads will be placed in the Status feature, as confirmed during the 2018 third-quarter earnings call in October.

    The move to put advertisements on the private messaging app was among Facebook’s plans to make money on their $22 billion investment when it was acquired back in 2014. Compared to Instagram, an app which is also owned by the social networking behemoth, WhatsApp continued to be ad-free—but it seems not for long.

    Facebook pointed out that ads will only appear on WhatsApp Status, which is similar to Instagram’s Stories feature. Users can post images and videos that will only last for 24 hours until completely disappearing. Since it was launched in 2017, WhatsApp Status boasts 450 million daily users; more than the 400 million who use Instagram Stories every day.

    It’s not surprising that Facebook saw the potential of interspersing ads among user’s statuses. With this, advertisers can easily reach out to a larger base in marketing their products.  There are, however, caveats to this strategy because of WhatsApp’s real purpose.

    Unlike Instagram and Facebook, WhatsApp is primarily built for reliable, private communication between people who have a close relationship. It is not a platform made to discover entertainment and consume multimedia, so any form of breaching the purported privacy of end-to-end encryption through targeted ads might turn off some users.  

    Advertising experts agree with this, underscoring the need for tactful and relevant content on ads. What brands can do initially is to roll out test campaigns to better understand an unchartered, closed environment. Personalized content can be an ideal starting point for advertisers to engage with their customers, similar to conversing with a friend.

    Push advertising may not work in a highly private medium such as WhatsApp, unlike Snapchat or Instagram where meaningful, one-on-one interaction with brands is not necessary. Advertisers must find ways to slowly ease their ads in without interrupting personal conversations.

    Moreover, interactions of users and brands on WhatsApp are often restricted to customer service, and not lead generation. With the introduction of WhatsApp Business in January, small business owners can easily connect with their customers. It doesn’t, however, produce metrics to figure out what clicks with your target market, which is something advertisers have to consider as well.

    Despite the challenges of advertising on WhatsApp, many marketers remain interested in taking a risk with the app. Its uncluttered environment, compared to other social platforms, makes it enticing for smaller businesses to drum up awareness, and eventually engagement, on their brands.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • Reddit Co-Founder: Every Businesses is Going to Have to Be a Software Business

    Reddit Co-Founder: Every Businesses is Going to Have to Be a Software Business

    The co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, says that every business is going to have to be a software business. “Our beliefs still remains that every business is going to have to be a software business in some way, shape, or form,” Ohanian told CNBC. “For us to be able to make these investments on bright engineers building software solutions still feels like the right long-term play. We noticed the turning point in the last couple of years where the C-Suite all got on Instagram.”

    “What I mean by that is they got exposed to it and there’s now a broad use of world-class software for really trivial stuff,” said Ohanian. “Once enough execs have spent time looking at selfies on Instagram, of their kids or their grandkids, they come back to work they sit at their desk and they look at the software that they’re using and that their companies are using and they can’t believe how antiquated is by comparison.”

    “So we’re seeing this new trend in startups that are selling direct to the enterprise level from jump,” explained the Reddit co-founder. “They’re people who left that world, see the problems, and are saying I can build a better solution and I’m just going to sell it back to my old buddies and then hopefully the rest of the industry. Whereas ten years ago, if you were starting Dropbox as Drew was, you’d be trying to sell the basic $10 a month package to some little startup.”

    Ohanian says that today, companies realize this existential need and startups are now able to sell to enterprise direct.

    About Alexis Ohanian:

    Alexis Ohanian was the co-founder of Reddit, one of the first social media companies in the world. He is also a bestselling author and he is currently co-founder & managing partner of Initialized Capital that focuses on very early stage VC ($22B in market value so far).

  • How to Use Reddit to Get More Traffic to Your Website and Boost Your Sales

    How to Use Reddit to Get More Traffic to Your Website and Boost Your Sales

    If you aren’t familiar with Reddit, your first visit to the website may feel a bit intimidating. Not only does it have the appearance of an old-school forum dating back from the early 2000s, but it also has a reputation for having users who don’t take kindly to blatant self-promoters. But dismissing Reddit as a vialble traffic source would be a mistake. For one, the site is not as intimidating as it looks, and it also boasts a massive online community with more than 330 million monthly active users. And according to Alexa.com, Reddit ranks as the #20 most-visited website in 2018. That’s a lot of eyeballs and potential traffic for your site.

    The site also has countless subcategories called “subreddits.” Whatever your business niche is, chances are it’s on Reddit. As such, Reddit can be a powerful source for driving traffic to your website once you understand how the site works and how to use it without provoking the ire of staunch Redditors.

    What is Reddit?

    Reddit is a social news website and discussion forum wherein content is curated and promoted by the site members themselves. It’s a place to explore, share, and discuss literally anything and everything. There are forums for eCommerce, marketing, small business, and even more mundane topics like trout fishing and board games.

    The site is comprised of millions of communities called “subreddits.” Each subreddit starts with /r/. For example, /r/boardgames is a community of people who love and discuss board games.

    Reddit - Subreddit page layout

    The front page or homepage shows the different trending posts taken from the subreddits. A button on the upper left sorts the posts by category, whether they’re hot, controversial, or new. There’s also a search bar at the top where you can find the subreddits and posts for a specific topic.

    Anyone with a Reddit profile can create a subreddit as long as it follows the site’s ground rules. Every post has up and down arrows, and users click on them to upvote or downvote. The number of votes determines the post’s visibility.

    The site is ruled by administrators and managed by moderators. Both have the power to edit subreddits, monitor and remove posts, or ban users.

    3 Ways to Use Reddit to Get More Sales and Traffic

    The important thing to remember about Reddit is that it’s a community, and its members hate blatant attempts at advertising. But there are ways to access this huge community to generate more traffic and boost your sales.

    1. Strive for Transparency.

    One of the main reasons people go to Reddit is to ask questions and get information. Companies can use Redditors’ need for answers by asking questions that will help you understand your target demographic. If you run a startup or small business, you could ask Redditors their opinion on how to further market your product. The answers you receive could give you vital information regarding prospective customers and also gave you new marketing ideas. Meanwhile, Reddit users will become more aware of your product.

    2. Engage Other Redditors in Conversation.

    Interaction is important on Reddit. It’s considered bad form if you just post a question or comment and then ignore the ensuing comments. A better strategy would be to stick around, thank members for their answers and engage in a conversation. This give and take will generate a lot of attention for your account.

    3. Make Posts Entertaining.

    Another reason people go to Reddit is to be entertained. Posting an amusing or entertaining ad or comment can build brand awareness, improve your image, and build customer loyalty. IKEA made history with its ad for a free crib for babies born nine months from Valentine’s Day. The company technically wasn’t selling any product but the post received two million views and had more than a thousand comments.

    Reddit’s marketing potential is unmatched, as long as you know how to tap this market. Subtlety is the keyword when dealing with this site. Companies should avoid blatantly advertising their product and instead use Redditors’ desire for information and entertainment to their advantage.

  • James Schramko: One Simple Change to Improve Your Sales Presentations

    James Schramko: One Simple Change to Improve Your Sales Presentations

    James Schramko of SuperFastBusiness talks about how to improve your sales presentations with one very simple change, remove anything that has nothing to do with the offer:

    I want to give you a quick suggestion on how you can improve just about any presentation that you have or any sales letter or wherever you present your offer. We have learned from our sales background that most objections are presented by the salesperson. This is via research from Neil Rackham in Spin Selling. (See videos below)

    That being the case, go through your presentations and go through your offer and see if there are any instances where the thing you are talking about has nothing to do with the sale, has nothing to do with the offer, and then remove it.

    Sometimes presenters like to put in a quirky story because they think that it’s going to put them at a good light or make the audience laugh but it has nothing to do with the point or the offer trying to be made. If you have those, take them out and get a more direct hit with the result that you’re trying to achieve. Everything must support the sale. That is a filter worth putting into any offer you make or any presentation.

    About Neil Rackham:

    In Neil Rackham was the founder of Huthwaite International, a world leader since 1966 in sales, negotiation, and communication skill development. Rackham also wrote the popular sales training book SPIN Selling, originally published in 1988 but with many derivatives released since then.

    About SPIN Selling (Per Video Below):

    One of the best consultative selling methods recommended by top sales experts is SPIN Selling, based on a book by Neil Rackham. The questions are designed to get rid of salesy tactics where your sales team shows up and throws up. Shift the focus to the customer by simply asking them questions. A famous English statesman said, talk to a man about himself and he’ll listen to you for hours. Ironically, he also said… we have two ears and only one mouth.

    If you simply ask, your customer will tell you exactly what their problems are and share specifically how solving the issue will impact their business and what benefit or financial gain will occur as a result. By having them tell you exactly what they need the customer essentially closes the deal for you. The problem is most people are too busy thinking of how to jump in and share the good news of their wonderful solution and they never bother to have the customer share what that benefit means to them.

  • PrestonPlayz on How to Use Super Chats to Increase YouTube Revenue

    PrestonPlayz on How to Use Super Chats to Increase YouTube Revenue

    Popular (7.5 million subs) YouTube live streamer PrestonPlayz recently explained the Super Chat feature to all those trying to make money on the YouTube platform:

    What is a Super Chat?

    A Super Chat is, essentially, a comment that is going to be pinned and highlighted in your live stream chat. Depending on the monetary amount that they Super Chatted, it will change colors and the duration for how long it’s going to be pinned, it could be longer or shorter. I definitely think that Super Chatting gives us and the viewers a really cool way to engage with one another and of course, you can also develop a new source of income for your channel.

    Why Super Chat?

    You might be thinking why Super Chat? One of the coolest things in my opinion about YouTube is the direct interaction we get to do with our audience, whether you’re a gaming live streamer or live streaming yourself cooking something. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, you can still engage with your audience. Super Chat does a great job at that.

    Super Chat Increases Engagement and Revenue

    Super Chat is integrated into YouTube which means it’s extremely accessible for your viewers and very easy to use, not to mention it’s kind of like a domino effect. When one viewer super chats, then another Super Chats, and then another, it catches on like fire and it’s awesome.

    Not only is Super Chat a great way to start communicating more with your audience and let them be heard, but of course you can also use it to increase your revenue. I actually ended up using a lot of the super chat revenue that I made to fund other videos, it’s a win-win situation.

    Introducing Super Chat to Your Audience

    When enabling Super Chats on your channel for the first time I think it’s very important for you to make sure you introduce it to your audience. You should briefly mention it at the beginning of your next live stream saying, “Hey guys I’ve got this new awesome feature Super Chat. If you guys want to support the channel consider sending a Super Chat.” As soon as somebody does the first Super Chat you can show it off… “Guys, that’s the Super Chat, look at the comments right now. This is somebody who’s Super Chatted.”

    Now their message is up there for everybody to see. Not only do they get to interact with you but they’re Super Chat is now showcased off to everybody watching the live stream, which I think a lot of viewers really like.

    Super Chat Best Practices

    Let’s go over some of the best Super Chat practices. Always thank people for their Super Chats no matter how small or large it is. People are much more likely to come back to your future live streams if you engage with their super chat and of course engage with your live stream viewers directly. If possible, depending on the question of the Super chat try to think about some fun ways you can answer it so that way it’s not the same way each and every time.

    Think of Fun Ways to Respond

    Make sure you’re also noticing them quickly. I’m not saying as soon as they send it you have to read it as fast as you can, but of course the sooner that you can notice them the more appreciated they will feel. It’s also very important to make sure that you’re staying engaged with whatever you are live-streaming about as well as your audience.

    Set challenges in your live streams so when you hit a certain tier of Super Chats or a certain amount of Super Chats you’re going to do something. It should be something small, silly, and fun that the viewers can relate to. Maybe you attach a clothespin to your ear every time you get a Super Chat. Maybe you have a giant bowling pin and you write their names on the bowling pin whenever they Super Chat.

    You can even keep track of a high score of who’s Super Chatted the most out of any viewer ever, maybe like the top five. You can also set up sound effects for certain Super Chats. People love to hear a certain sound effect that’s related to you.

    Use Call to Actions

    Call to action is extremely important when it comes to Super Chats. I’m not saying to mention it so frequently that your viewers get really frustrated and leave the live stream. I would say every few minutes just mention it. Explain to them why they should use Super Chats, how it helps you, how you’ll read their comments, how you’re gonna write it on this giant bowling pin.

    Never force your viewers to you Super Chat. Encouraging them and making it as organic as possible is always gonna be the best way to do it.

  • Reports of Unstable Google Search Results

    Reports of Unstable Google Search Results

    SEO expert Barry Schwartz has reported that in his tracking there appears to be some unstableness with the Google search results recently. This would explain why a lot of sites are complaining a bit louder lately about search traffic declines.

    “Over the past few days, I’ve been tracking this and it seems like there’s really some unstable search results going on in the Google search results,” Schwartz said. “I’m not sure if it’s an algorithm update or if it’s more of like a penalty affecting a very specific niche or two, or maybe a specific type of tactic, maybe around links, I’m not sure. It seems a little bit more blackhat oriented where the blackhat communities are complaining a little bit more, but I’m not really sure.”

    “The algorithm tools that are tracking this stuff really aren’t showing many fluctuations at all, which is interesting,” noted Schwartz. “But there is definitely, within certain types of communities in the SEO industry, a lot of communication going on over the past 3-4 days or so around a bunch of ranking changes for their websites. We’ll keep investigating that but I just wanted to bring that to your attention because it does seem to be somewhat significant for a limited number of segments within our industry.”

  • Pinterest’s Latest ‘Product Pin’ Feature Gives Sellers 40% More Clicks

    Pinterest’s Latest ‘Product Pin’ Feature Gives Sellers 40% More Clicks

    Pinterest is doing everything it can to make shopping even better for its users. The visual sharing platform recently introduced Product Pins, Shopping Recommendations, and a new shortcut. These new features aim to provide its 250 million active Pinners with a more intuitive and streamlined shopping experience.

    The first of these features is the Shopping Recommendations area in the women’s fashion and home décor categories. Pinners who view a pin in these groupings will see a new section showing “products like this.” The company states the recommended pins are visually similar to the items the customer is interested in. Each of these recommended pins will be called Product Pins.

    An enhanced version of the Buyable Pins, the Product Pin shows users the item’s current price and stock availability. The update is also designed to keep the users inside the platform. A lot of Pinners have expressed their frustration of going to an item’s product page only to find out that it’s out of stock. Product Pins will do away with that frustration. Pinners who tap on the pin will see a shopping tag icon. Hitting that tag will automatically send the user to the retailer’s checkout page. They then simply add the item to the card and finish the purchase. Less clicks, less frustration, more sales.

    Pinterest is reportedly phasing out its Buyer Pin program in favor of these new features. According to Tim Weingarten, Pinterest’s head of shopping product, not only are Product Pins “more personable,” but consumers also prefer to purchase pinned products directly from the merchant’s website.

    The company is also incorporating a shortcut that will make browsing Product Pins even faster. Users simply tap and hold on a pin to start a shortcut reel. It sends consumers to a page where they can find the relevant information about the item, along with other related products. The reel also includes a shopping tag shortcuts as well as save and send shortcuts.

    Pinterest is building themselves up as the consumer’s personal stylist. Weingarten explained in a blog post that their vision is to give users who see something they like on the platform the capability to buy it or something similar to it. It’s why the upgraded Pinterest “can give you recommendations for products based on your unique taste and what’s trending, and show you a range of visual ideas.”

    The company has commenced testing these new features last quarter, and the clicks on retail products have reportedly increased by as much as 40 percent. This will certainly help Pinterest’s goal of becoming a more “shoppable” platform.

    Pinners around the world can now enjoy Product Pins while Shopping Recommendations are currently limited to the U.S. However, it’s expected to roll out globally soon. The shopping shortcut is now available via an iOS app update but Android users will have to wait for a while.

    [Featured image via Pexels]

  • 4 Ways to Identify Talented Salespeople for Your Business

    4 Ways to Identify Talented Salespeople for Your Business

    Do you know why a lot of businesses fail? It’s not because of poor products or service or bad accounting. Most small businesses don’t survive past five years because of the lack of sales.

    As your business starts to grow, you start looking for people who will push your products. Finding and hiring salespeople is critical for any company. However, finding the right applicant for the job is a complex process, especially since many employers don’t know how to recognize talented salespeople. Here’s watch you should look for:

    4 Ways to Identify Talented Salespeople

    1. Look for Passion, Not Just Knowledge

    Sales is a dynamic job, and a salesperson who’s passionate about their product has a greater chance of closing deals. Look for someone who’s excited about meeting new prospects and who’s happy to find a solution to a client’s problem through a well-crafted sales solution. You can easily see an employee’s passion through their body language. A company should also take steps to keep their workers’ passions alive. 

    • Teach them everything they need to know: It’s hard to be passionate about a product you don’t fully understand. Make sure each salesperson is knowledgeable of all aspects of the product, from the technical to the aesthetic, from its history to future plans.
    • Keep your team engaged: A salesperson who’s deeply invested in a product is one who’s passionate about it. Engage your sales staff by listening to their feedback and keeping them in the loop whenever there are changes in your product. Recognize their contributions and provide them with a chance for career growth.
    • Share the success: Market your product to your people too. Treat employees to lunch or host a small party when the company wins an award or receives good feedback. Making an effort to inform your sales team about the company’s success and acknowledging their contribution will enhance their pride and stoke their passions.

    2. Look for Real Experience, Not Just Qualifications

    Qualifications still matter when hiring, especially if you’re considering tapping someone young. Candidates with a degree in marketing and sales are better choices than applicants without actual sales experience or who studied a different major.

    However, there’s no substitute for experience. Candidates who have worked in sales for years or have been a part of multiple organizations have a definite edge. In this situation, employers can even overlook the applicant’s qualification as the skills accumulated by dealing with diverse clients and selling a wide range of products is invaluable.

    3. Look for Adaptability, Not Just Competence

    You need competent salespeople if you want your business to survive. These days, you need people who are not only competent but adaptable as well. Employers need people who can develop a new skill or who can learn how to sell a new product or service quickly, even if their background is in an entirely different niche. Rival companies roll out new products consistently, and there are always threats from startups. So your sales team has to be flexible enough to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

    4. Look for One With a Strong Sales IQ

    The best salespeople all share specific characteristics. They are great at developing relationships, have high EQ (emotional intelligence) and can easily understand what people want. They have tremendous empathy and are good at reading body language. And, they are good listeners. They hear what the customers are looking for and they can convince them that their product is exactly what they need. All these traits come together to make for a strong sales IQ.

    However, it’s hard to find someone who embodies all these traits. Big companies have the luxury of hiring several people who can handle different sales processes. For instance, they can hire one who’s in charge of building relationships, another one who can pitch the product and someone who will close the deal. But small companies can only hire one or two people. If you’re lucky, you can find someone who has great sales IQ. If not, choose someone who has the strongest sales IQ and be ready to provide them with the training and support they’ll need to grow.

    Conclusion

    It’s a challenge to find talented salespeople today. So once you have finally hired the right person for the job, make sure you hold on to them. Show that you appreciate them. While incentives are a good way of encouraging your employees, it’s better to make them feel that their job is secure, regardless of whether they hit their sales target or not. Relevant training, good leadership, and a supportive environment also go a long way in ensuring you won’t lose good people.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • What are Retargeting Ads and Why Should Your Business Use Them?

    What are Retargeting Ads and Why Should Your Business Use Them?

    Online retailers and small businesses understand how crucial advertising is in driving traffic to their websites. Unfortunately, 97 percent of first-time site visitors will leave without buying anything. There’s a big chance that they won’t ever come back unless you can find a way to convince them to return. One way to go about this is by retargeting them.

    What are Retargeting Ads?

    Have you noticed that some of the ads you see while browsing a site or checking your Facebook feed are from a website that you previously visited? That is retargeting. These ads either offer you customized deals on items you previously looked at or remind you of an abandoned cart. They can help your business re-engage consumers who visited your online store but didn’t push through with a purchase. These ads ensure that your brand is kept in front of bounced traffic even after your prospects have left your website.

    How Do These Ads Work?

    Retargeting is an ad technology that redisplays your company’s product or service to consumers who had shown an interest. If someone visits your product page or downloads your app, that’s a pretty good indication that they’re interested in your brand.

    Retargeting utilizes a simple Javascript code called a “cookie” that allows you to “follow” your audience. This inconspicuous, little code is integrated on your website. An undisclosed browser cookie is then dropped whenever a new visitor lands on your site.

    Image source: Hubshout

    Once the visitor tagged with the cookie starts to browse, the code informs your retargeting provider when to serve your ads. The prospective client will then see your ads popping up while they’re playing a game, listening to music, reading an article, or browsing another store. For example, if a visitor checked a product page for a blue blazer but didn’t buy it, an ad retargeting them would show the same blazer and maybe a deal slashing the price by 15 percent. Or they might see an ad showing similar apparel.

    Image source: RevLocal

    Your ads will remind them of their interest in your product and hopefully bring them back to your website. Site visitors who see retargeted ads are 70 percent more likely to make a purchase.

    Why Should Your Business Consider Retargeting Ads?

    You won’t be able to convince all your site visitors to buy your product or try your services. The best that you can hope for is to keep them interested while they decide whether they are willing to try your brand. In order to do this, you have to utilize more than one marketing channel. Google revealed that integrating retargeting with other marketing campaigns can help you close up to 50 percent more deals. That’s because most shoppers are more likely to notice the products that they had previously looked up. 

    Retargeting ads are also 10 times more effective than conventional display ads. The former’s click-through rate is close to 0.7 percent while the latter only has a CTR of 0.07 percent. It’s understandable that small businesses would typically opt for display ads. But a retargeting campaign is still relatively affordable and can complement any ad strategy.

    Here’s the Kicker

    Retargeting is a powerful and compelling conversion and branding optimization tool. However, this strategy is more effective when used in conjunction with a bigger digital marketing campaign.

    Strategies like AdWords, content marketing, and targeted display are good for driving traffic, but they’re not as effective when it comes to optimizing conversion. Meanwhile, retargeting helps boost conversions but can’t drive traffic to websites. It’s best to combine the tools that push traffic and retargeting ads. You’ll get the best of both worlds while helping your brand make its mark.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]