Helpful Job Resource Blog

If you don’t have a website these days, people can’t find you.  But with every business having a website, how can you get people to visit yours? The answer is Inbound Marketing.  

Inbound Marketing is a process which organically draws visitors to your website, and helps you convert them into leads, paying customers, and referrals. Think of Inbound Marketing as your “behind the scenes” marketing team, working 24/7 to help grow your business.

Here are 5 tools for an Inbound Marketing Strategy which, if implemented properly, are a surefire way to turn your website into a virtual magnet for new clients.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A digital Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) is something that every business should have. Although a CRM is not a component of Inbound Marketing, it is definitely a tool that should be utilized to get the most out of your Inbound Marketing Strategy.

Most restoration companies’ office managers and production teams use one for new jobs. However, these CRMs are not created specifically for marketing and sales. At the very core of a good Inbound Marketing Strategy is a good marketing CRM. Restoration and Construction Marketing experts at Simpedia llc. have experimented with many CRM's on the market and have found that Contactually, built specifically for relationship marketing, is best suited for your industry.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Google, YouTube, and Yahoo are 3 of the top Search Engines that are used when someone is searching for something on the internet. When a person goes onto Google and types in “How do I fix a leaking pipe under my sink?”, Google sends out “web-crawlers” or “spiders” that basically crawl the web, searching for answers to this person’s question.

When you optimize your website with key words and phrases, and add in frequent, consistent, and relevant content, your site will attract these spiders. This is an example of on-page SEO. Your site also becomes optimized when authoritative websites have links that point back to yours, again attracting the web-crawlers. This is considered off-page SEO.  By optimizing your website for search engines through on-page and off-page SEO, you help bring your site closer to page one when people search the internet for something that is relevant to your industry.

Content Marketing  

Think of Content Marketing as a way to educate and entertain potential customers, which helps you earn their trust. Being a thought leader and educating the public via content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing. It also generates 3 times as many leads (Source: Demand Metric). Content can be in the form of videos, blogs, e-books, and webinars. When writing a blog, or making a video, its important to use key words and phrases that are relevant to your buyer’s interests.

Let’s use our above example for how your business could use video content to draw in a visitor to your site: 

Someone types into Google, “How do I fix a leaking pipe under my sink?” A video comes up in the search with the title, “How to Repair a Leak Under the Sink”. There were a few key words in the title, and a visual of someone fixing something under the sink.  Next, they click on the video, you introduce yourself and your business, you show them how to repair the pipe, then you give them tips on keeping things dry to prevent mold, and you end it with providing them a link to your website.

By educating the consumer and giving them something of value for free, you build trust. They may not need you now, but when the time comes that they have a big water problem, they trust you, and will think of YOU as the expert in water clean-up.

Social Media

Putting your video up on social media and posting a link to your blog will help draw social followers back to your website who haven’t visited in a while. Once you’ve posted your video, then run a FaceBook Ad to send this video out to a very targeted market in your area, reaching more potential clients in 5 minutes than 1 Marketing Rep can do in an entire month! This is a great way to stay fresh in the minds of your previous clients, while also attracting new, potential clients. 

Email Automation

Email automation does not replace the need for direct human interaction. However, it allows you to touch more people with less man-power, ultimately saving you time and earning you money.  Automation of lead management systems allows you to reach out to, and connect with thousands of people every week. Gartner Research reports that business owners who use automated lead management systems, see a 10% or greater revenue increase within 6 to 9 months.

As a business owner, work never stops at 5pm.  So why should your marketing efforts? With proper set-up of SEO, consistent posting of fresh, relevant content, and a good CRM in place, your complete Inbound Marketing strategy will be your 24/7 Marketing Team. 

For a free website analysis and Inbound Marketing consultation, contact lynne@simpediateam.com.