• Buyers • Provider Referrals CoMarketing & Co Selling Co-Selling Industry Expertise Alliances • Community Leaders Strategies for Growth in 2012 eBook: How To be Fo Ho Found nd Online for fo your o top Keyword Phrases. © 2011 Ephor Group | 1 (800) 379-9330 | www.ephorgroup.com | 5353 W Alabama Suite 300 | Houston, TX 77056 Ephor Groups provides services (GrowthSTEP, Revenue Management, & Management Science) needed to efficiently grow, outperform the competition, attract useful capital, and create wealth for software and service providers. • Partners Influence Advocate How To Be Found Online 101 #1. Pick “Long Tailed” keyword phrases that are unique to your business valueproposition but that also have a significant number (#) of search volume using Google Insights for Search and Google AdWords. AdWords http://www.google.com/insights/search/ #2. Create online “Anchor Links”; which are clickable li k bl text iin hyperlink, h li k using i your top keyword phrases which direct to your landing pages. #3. Promote your “Anchor Links” using:     Blogs – yours and others Ghost Blogging on other sites Social Media pages such as LinkedIn and FaceBook Press Releases via PRWeb using “Anchor Links” Anchor Links How To Be Found Online Checklist Setup Setup… I. “Anchor Links” and promote. II. Lead Capture (web landing pages per keyword phrase) & Call Call-To-Action To Action Offer Button Integration (website, landing pages, Paid Search Routine ongoing management…  Data Management of Leads  Promotion Frequency  Partner Management  Asset Management PRWeb, Directories, Online Communities, etc.  A/B Testing and Metrics Reporting IV. Lead Scoring and Qualification  PR & Event Management  Referral Management Google AdWords, LinkedIn, etc.) III. External Anchor Links on Blogs, V. Integration (Wordpress, CRM, eCommerce, Financial, etc.) (publishing schedule) VI. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) using your keyword phrases across your website. VII. Social Media: Blogging, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn © 2011 Ephor Group | 1 (800) 379-9330 | www.ephorgroup.com Being Found Online Best Practice: Blogging Blogging enables content distribution and feedback (i.e. a mechanism for dialogue). Blogging best practices: 1.) Publish routinely according to a blog schedule, 2.) Comment on relevant and compelling partners, experts, and others, and 3.) include a CTA (call-toaction) in every blog post. Bonus blogging best practice. i.e. Make it easy f viewers for i to t interact i t t with polls, comments, social media icons for “Like” and “sharing, etc.. Being Found Online Best Practice: Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization (SEO): How to get found 102 on Google when your buyers are searching. SEO best practices: 1. Add SEO optimized content (with keywords, keywords in links, alt image keyword links, etc.) regularly by category theme like a corporate organization chart to your webpages. 2. Get others (partners, bloggers, etc.) to link back to your website using keywords. i.e. have others “syndicate syndicate your content content” Increase quality of leads when referred by partners within the community. Being Found Online Best Practice: Social Media Community Building for Referrals Today, you would have to run 125 ads to reach 80% of the market versus 1 primetime ad on a leading show fifty years ago. ago But with community marketing marketing… Social Media Community Building:Get Found Online When Buyers Search 201. Build relationships and then lead generation and revenue will come naturally. Community & relationship building practices: 1. Act like a participant and not an NBA owner. 2. Make it easy to use, try, buy, engage, discuss. I i them. Invite h I Incent them. h A Ask k them h what h they h want. 3. Spend time listening and then take action. 4. Always say- thanks for coming, thanks for participating, thanks for your suggestion. 4 ways to generate attention: 1. Buy (advertising) 2. Beg (PR), 3. Bug (direct) 4. Earn (Inbound by publishing online) “The purpose of marketing = Buy, beg, or earn attention that goes viral.” – David Meerman Scott Webinar. You Must Become a Go-To Resource Expert Post Content Online Offer your buyers and Referenced by industry blogs partners: Online discussions • Unique Research • Informed Opinions • News & Trend Analysis Mentioned in news publications • Multimedia Content Links are Tweeted Liked/Shared on Facebook • Authentic Expert Contributors • Quality Discussion & Interaction People email links to each other Cited at conferences + events Sometimes, a single piece of content or just a few, can yield these results but, more often, it takes dozens to hundreds of attempts to become a resource. Discover What People Want By Asking Them! 1. LinkedIn 2. Polls 3. Q&A 4. Surveys 5. Contests Like Facebook, LinkedIn now has a wall that drives “likes” and comments (as well as traffic). LinkedIn’s “Groups” are a powerful way to grow your network and spread a message. Partner Blogging + Writing Guest blogging (or contributing content to any type of publisher) is a great way to build your brand and earn links. The Business Case for Inbound Marketing Automation A major strategy for growth in 2012 (and 2011 for many) is to leverage Marketing Automation for Inbound Marketing versus Advertising as it is more effective (conversion rates) and more cost effective (i.e. Capital efficient). Did you know that almost 80% of equity qu y ba backed d software so a and a d service s providers either implemented Marketing Automation in 2011 or is evaluating for 2012? Benefits of Marketing Automation: I. Generate more leads. II. Lower cost off client l acquisition and d reduce d cost off sales. l I. The Business Case for Inbound Marketing Automation Enables lead capture and opportunity conversion through automated lead nurturing and scoring i programs. Creates brand awareness by promoting the brand using all available web web, marketing marketing, and social media tools. Enables ongoing, both trigger event based (i.e. when a visitor returns generates and automatic email follow-up with a relevant and compelling offer based on which webpages they visited) and routine lead nurturing. Ensures a robust, full scale email marketing, and direct marketing program without having to hire a full-time marketing coordinator run the program. Marketing Automation Vendor Evaluation & Selection Criteria Key Questions to Ask Before Demo:  References by Industry?  Integration for CRM, Financial, Wordpress, eCommerce etc.?  App marketplace?  Onboarding process? Training and ongoing support? User conference? Marketing Automation Vendor Evaluation Scorecard: Strategies for Growth in 2012: Create a Referral Community Ecosystem Are you searching for ways to convert prospects to clients quicker and more efficiently? Fish where the fishes are currently. For the first time in history, you can find, listen to and interact with prospects online. Bypass admins and reach buyers directly. Key Success Factor: Be a branded sector leader. Alsbridge Outsourcing Leadership HR Tech LinkedIn Community Strategies for Growth Legacy Thinking “In this slow growth economy, there will be bifurcation between leaders and laggards; the best revenue strategies will outperform the competition, and win the war for profitability.” Revenue Strategy for 2012 Outcome of New Revenue Management Practice “Feet-on-the-Street” Direct Sales Multi-tiered Distribution Lower Cost of Client Acquisition Outbound Marketing Inbound Marketing Lower Cost of Sales Pipeline Creation Lead Generation Partner Generation Referral based opportunity introductions. introductions Outbound Telemarketing Market Research Intelligence integrated into ongoing routines. M k t tto Enterprises Market E t i or SMB SMBs M k to Ni Market Niche h V Verticals i l S i li ti = IImprovedd M Specialization Margins. i  Effective B2B growth strategies require capital efficient programs to reach qualified buyers. buyers     “Feet on the street” models are legacy thinking. Multiple lead sources are required to be capital efficient. Multi-tiered distribution is key. Referrals from partners, alliances, and communities will generate the majority of new clients. 14 Strategies for Growth in 2012 Best Practices for 2012 and beyond include: I. Have a lower cost of sales than your co pet t o competition. II. Have a capital efficient pipeline generation and revenue model. III. Utilize Technology: CRM, Social Media, & Marketing Automation II. Implement multi-tiered Sales Distribution Compensation: PRM, Agent, Alliances, Partners, Account Managers, Sales Personnel III. Leverage a Portfolio of Sources and Mix. IV. Implement Management Science reporting to p provide visibility y and proactive p actions: Pro-Activity of the 3 C’s: Cash, Clients, Contracts. V. Invest in Asset Management to ensure a lower cost of customer acquisition and higher ROI for spend. 15 Revenue Management Marketing is Hard Partners Matter • Crowded marketplace • Too much advertising g • “Committee Buy” • Resource constraints • Buyers require Immediate ROI from a Branded Leader Conversion Rate from Lead to Close Direct Referral Channel • Reputation = Lower cost of sales • Use of best practices from both organizations • Create referrals, incent referrals Direct Partners Team Management is Key Operations • Provide expertise and service • Must be committed to client outcomes CRM Opportunity New Opportunity from a Partner’ Client Origination MAPPING Alignment Upsell Client Management Upsell B2B Marketing Automation Best Practice: Convert Leads to Opportunities. Lead Nurturing Checklist: 1. Have documented programs and use them. 2. Database management best 400%+ more webpages indexed for companies that blog. practices in place. 3. Phone Qualify the Leads 100% more inbound links for companies that blog. (MEDDIC). 55% more website visitors for companies that blog. 4. Clear handoff for each lead – be 100% certain on action, next steps, closed loop feedback. Inbound Marketing g Call-to-Action ((CTA)) Checklist: 5 5. Ask questions about the 1. Create Urgency individual and the buying process, and append company 2. Use #’s info from 3rd party sources. 3. Indicate a specific action 6. Leverage 3rd party content and reuse available content 4 4. Use images 7. Think like a publisher. 5. Make clickable 6. 7. 8 8. 9. Position Position Position Use Contrasting Colors Test Test Test, Test, Test! Use CTA links: • • • • • Use buttons “See..examples of why XYZ” “Find out how” “Listen to …” “Take our quiz, poll, survey” PR = Daily Frequency Market the hit, not just the news, don’t need to initiate, make it about the conflict, re-tweet others content. Make others feel important. GrowthSTEP™ >> Star Performer Attributes >> Perform Business Process™ >> Wealth Creation Management Science Revenue Management Go-To-Market Flight Plan a) b) Referral Community Inbound Qualified Leads Engine Outcomes created:  Pipeline of Leads & Referrals  Profiled Targets of Dissatisfied Buyers, Buyers Early Adopters and Influencers a) b) a) b) c) Operational Efficiency Tactical Clarity Strategic Clarity Portfolio of Revenue Sources Portfolio Mix Outcomes created: Lower Cost of Sales Capital Efficient Revenue Model Alternative Distribution creates opportunities to test new pricing, products, markets Alternative Distribution creates strategic alliance and M&A opportunities Balanced portfolio of revenues: service offerings, industries served and customer concentrations Outcomes created: Increase near term earnings Position the company to attract an array of strategic options for value realization (“Strategic Optionality”) Predictable Cash Management Proactive Client Management ensures budget accuracy and greater per client profitability Top quartile growth created through market differentiation at service level © 2012 Ephor Group | 1 (800) 379-9330 | www.ephorgroup.com Strategies for Growth Objective = Lowest Cost of Client Acquisition  Go to Market     Revenue Development       Identification & Development of Channel & Partnering Relationships Development & Implementation of Channel Partner Support Programs Productization of Services    Profiling P fili &T Targeting ti Lead Development Probability Based Selling Sales productivity = Management Science reporting Management Science) needed to efficiently grow, outperform p the competition, p , attract useful capital, and create wealth for software and service providers. Alternative Distribution   Development & Implementation of Brand Assets E h Ephor G Groups provides id services i Development & Implementation of Marketing Assets (Revenue Management, GrowthSTEP, Marketing Asset Performance & Management Science Product Development definition and service delivery standards Distribution venues by product Acquisition & Integration   M&A Corporate C t Development D l t Transaction T ti Services S i Integration & Operational Conversion © 2011 Ephor Group | 1 (800) 379-9330 | www.ephorgroup.com