This last quarter has been very busy for me and I’m sorry I haven’t shared more! Coming back from CapeTown in November and jumping into business just kept me too distracted and busy to clear some head space to share with you. I’ve traveled a LOT, worked with some awesome clients, and have finally been able to come up for air to actually report back to you especially about marketing!
Sorry for that, but I’ll be back in the saddle moving forward to give you more insights in the future!
OK so let’s dive into what KILLED in Q1 and what will work in Q2:
Advertorials
Sometimes they’re called ‘sponsored’ articles, but the point is the same – content with a call to action (CTA) that pretends to be an article. All the big players are using them and using them WELL to generate leads and drive sales.
The CTA being used can be a video sales letter (VSL) or a lead generation offer, but if you want to reach more people then you’d better figure out advertorials asap. One big reason why they’re getting even more popular is that the advertorial itself actually warms up prospects better than straight to lead generation offers or sales videos/letters.
But you’ve got to do it RIGHT in order to win.
First. You need to determine WHAT you want to offer. What product or lead generation offer do you want to promote? If you’re pushing a lead gen offer, consider that you’ll want to educate people and solve their problem with your lead gen. If you’re pushing a VSL or straight to order, then consider that you’ll have another page to really hype them and sell them.
Second. You’ll need to produce content that’s UNIQUE and ‘scroll worthy’. When I say ‘scroll worthy’. I mean that your content is good enough, and draws the reader down/deeper into the content…therefore closer to your CTA and better informed about the topic problem that you’re about to solve for them.
Third. Your goal should be to educate the audience so WHEN (not if!) they click on your CTA they’ll be a warm lead. The content should educate in order to get the prospect open to whatever your offering. If it’s a sector, an idea, or whatever, the better you can educate your potential prospect the better they’re going to convert on WHATEVER you offer them.
This will take practice, guidance, and patience as it’s gonna be hard! You’ll spend a good bit of money during your testing phase, but do not quit on it.
Working with a new client who’s been able to share a TON of research and data with me and what he found (spending 50k per day) is that your key performance indicator (KPI) will vary depending on SOURCE of traffic hitting the advertorial.
Psychological Pathing of Funnels and Products
This is more of a get back to BASICS…but at higher levels…topic.
Recently I let that muscle weaken while working with a client and thankfully got a slap upside my head to see what I was missing! Psychological Funnel and Product Pathing…It’s a muscle that you just have to work on in order to stay in the mindset of your prospect to best guide them down the path that YOU want them to go.
From the start of my career I learned to always make a ‘mental mock-up’ of my buyer and speak DIRECTLY to him/her. Get into his brain, his fears, his greed, and really speak your product into that gap in their lives to encourage them to buy. Because our goal as marketers and funnel builders is to help guide the prospect towards the solution of their problem (that’s inside the product we’re selling).
But here are two NEW ideas that I want you to now take into account:
- HOW are they getting into your lead gen marketing funnel. It depends on what offer you have out there that’s generating the lead. If it’s an ebook on ‘options basics’ then it makes NO sense to try to sell them your highest level options course…right? But if they come in on a ‘delta trading strategies for intraday profits’ course then that high level options course makes sense.
- Next, you need consider HOW they first BUY. If they are buying your intro options product then you want to step them up (or across or down) from there appropriately based on their purchasing history knowledge. Most of it is assumption, but it’s safe to assume that if they’re buying an intro product, they’re not YET ready to buy your highest level product. They might need another product sold to them BEFORE they can get to that level.
Think about what’s going to help them GET to that high ticket item you have. It depends on HOW they enter the lead funnel, and HOW they enter the buyer funnel.
One of the best I’ve seen do this is Justin and his wife Chaunna at AdSkills.com. Their whole product/lead gen focus is on pathing customers towards high-end buyers. And frankly if you want to become a master of ads then BUY HIS STUFF…yes, it’s an affiliate link and yes, you should buy it because it’ll help you.
OK now I need YOUR feedback…what do YOU think will work in Q2 that you can use in your own marketing?
Different types of lead gen? New product ideas?
Let’s keep the insight train going!
Best,
Brad
P.S. I have two phone coaching slots open if you’re interested in having me help you and your team with a specific project get from start to finish in the most cost effective way possible. Contact Farra@bradstafford.com to set-up the first FREE phone call to see if I can help you reach your goals.