Leadsource Content Marketing Blog

Tell Me a Story: 4 Ways to Use Long Copy to Generate Leads

 

What do prospects really want when researching a purchase on the web? A big part is a comfort level with the decision they are about to make. 

Comfort is a function of information -- because nobody wants to make a bad buying decision. That's why even in today's information-overloaded society, people read long copy when it tells a convincing story. To do so effectively, here are 4 ways to create long copy content that generates leads:

1. Make It Personal -- the beauty of long copy is that it weaves a story that makes you feel that you know the writer. Keep the language conversational, and avoid jargon and corporate-speak at all costs.

2. Use Examples -- it is one thing to talk about how to use a product or service, another to show it being used in a compelling way. Prospects search for "how to" demonstrations and videos on the web, and often reward the provider with their business.

3. Keep It Local -- if you sell nationally, use testimonials from customers in different regions to show prospects that your products don't just work, but work for people like themselves.

4. Make It Safe -- when comparing two products or services of equal value, the one with the better guaranty usually gets the sale. So if your products or services come with guarantees, be sure to talk about them.

In the world of internet marketing, long copy gets results because few people can resist reading just a few more lines of a really good story. It is surprising how much existing content can be repurposed into compelling long-copy stories or videos -- content that attracts prospects like a magnet.

For more information about what makes a website attract prospects and generate leads, download a new Leadsource eBooklet, "How to Turn Your Website Into a Lead Machine".

 

Watch Now: How To Generate Web Leads With Content Marketing

 

Recently, I was fortunate to be a guest on the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TechVibe Radio Show to talk about how to generate leads with content marketing. Watch the video of the "in the studio" broadcast now.

The show was hosted by PTC's President Audrey Russo. She asked some great questions, which helped me to share how (and why) content marketing works, and how it generates quality web inquiries and leads.

The Pittsburgh Technology Council was recently described as "the most effective Tech Council in America" by Eric Schmidt, President/CEO of Google. Its TechVibe Radio Show profiles innovative firms on its weekly webcast (and broadcast on KQV Pittsburgh, 1410 AM).

Watch The In-Studio Broadcast Now:

Part 1 (Time: 6:13)

Part 2 (Time: 5:27)

 

What Keeps Prospects from Buying -- Fighting the FUD Factor

 

To get comfortable with a buying decision, people search for "good content" on the web such as how-to articles, white papers, and informative videos.

But in a down economy, the FUD Factor (fear, uncertainty, doubt) can stop sales cold. Here are some content offers that can be used to give prospects sound reasons to buy now:

Overcoming Fear -- buyers are more likely to make a purchase when they have the option to return it free, and also feel that they have gotten extra value. So to overcome buyer resistance, feature a 30-day free trial, no-interest financing, an extended warranty, or no payments for X months.

Defusing Uncertainty -- the more confidence a prospect has that they are making the right decision, the more likely they are to act. "Try before you buy" helps close the deal with a free or heavily-discounted sample, buy one get one free, introductory rate, or a money-back guaranty.

Erasing Doubt -- because doubt feeds on disbelief, it is important to show prospects why your product will do the job better than the competition. Content that shows a feature-by-feature comparison helps, but nothing beats an impartial third party endorsement. So if you have testimonials -- or your product is highly rated by a trade or consumer organization -- create content that showcases its superior performance and value.

 

Find out how your website's content compares to your competition -- PLUS get ideas for re-purposing your content to attract more prospects and make your site work harder.

 

 

6 Traits of Websites That Generate Business Leads

 

What makes some websites attract prospects and generate business leads -- while others languish?

One thing is certain -- it's no accident. Regardless of the product or service being offered, great lead generating sites typically share these best-practices:

1. They Burst With Good Content -- when ready to buy, prospects search the web for informative "good content" -- information they can use to make the right choice. When a site offers "how to" booklets, instructional videos, or tips and techniques from a firm's subject matter experts, prospects gladly provide their contact information to receive it -- generating solid leads.

2. They Are "Content Optimized" -- search engine optimization can get prospects to a site, but if there is nothing to keep them there, it's a short visit. That's why every page of lead generating sites is both optimized and packed with solid informational content that gives prospects a reason to ask for more.

3. They Are Simple and Easy to Use -- the best lead generating sites read like highway signs, not reference libraries. Sites that use simple language, sparse graphics, and put their good content right up front attract and hold prospects long enough for them to reach out for more information and become leads.

4. They Provide Real-Time Information -- marketing, sales, and top management need to know what's happening on their website in real time. They want to know who is visiting the site, what they are interested in, and why -- to create new content to keep a steady stream of fresh leads flowing. The best sites provide this information through an easy-to-use dashboard available to all management levels.

5. They Can Be Easily Changed -- lead generating sites need to change frequently to reflect prospect interests. Yet all too many websites sit behind a "Chinese Wall", where only a technical person can change the site. When the time needed for changes stretches into days or weeks, these sites fall hopelessly behind more nimble competitors.

6. They Also Reach Out to Customers -- each new website blog post is a great way to stay on the radar of both prospects and customers. By getting permission to email each new post to their house list, lead-savvy firms insure that past and present customers get the same good content as prospects.

For more information about what makes a website attract prospects and generate leads, click here to download a new Leadsource eBooklet, "How to Turn Your Website Into a Lead Machine".

 

New eBooklet: “How to Turn Your Website Into a Lead Machine”

 

A new eBooklet that explains how Content Marketing can help turn an ordinary "brochure-ware" website into a lead machine is available now for free download.

It explains how "good content" drives prospects to a website organically ... why Content Marketing is different from traditional marketing ... and why a single blog or video post can continue to send prospects to a website for months or even years.

For a free copy of this informative new eBooklet from Leadsource, click here.

Bonus Offer: For a free email Content Marketing Analysis of your website, just click here -- or call Leadsource at 412.922.6415, Ext. 204.

 

To Get Leads, Sell Your Content, Not Your Product

 

Using content to create web leads is about understanding what moves prospects to respond. A three-step process based on a proven direct marketing technique rarely fails to get results. Here's how:

1. Offer Irresistible Content -- let's say you are an expert attorney in intellectual property law. A software company owner looking to defend their product's name searches the web for information -- and finds your blog post offering an informative e-Book, "7 Ways to Prevent Trade Names from Being Hijacked".  It's a marriage made in heaven.

2. Sell the Content First -- the blog post is all about the value of the free e-Book, and why you should download it. It does NOT tell you how to keep your trade name safe. Only when a prospect is excited about the value of the eBook will they exchange their contact information to download it -- which of course is a lead.

3. Then Let The Content Sell -- the e-Book doesn't just explain how to keep a trade name safe. It explains to the reader why the areas of special expertise our attorney just happens to have are needed for success. At the end, it makes it easy for the reader to reach out for even more information -- creating a "double qualified" lead. Second only to a referral, this lead is extremely solid.

The art and science of lead generation is based on principals of direct marketing developed in the 1920's in the world of mail-order. Selling the content first is a time-tested way to help qualified prospects find you -- and get them to tell you who they are.

 

Lead Generation: The Power of the “How-To”

 

There's good content, and then there's great content.

One of the most compelling ways to create great content is with a "How To" guide that explains how your service, process or product works.

Good "How To" content not only generates leads, it is a magnet for inbound links -- a great way to boost your Google page rank. It can be a video, a micro-site, or a downloadable document, depending upon the audience. 

But regardless of the format, good "How To" content typically offers at least one of the following*:

• Useful Information -- a "How To" video that shows how to select the right checking account, investment counselor, or attorney can take on a life of its own if available on YouTube (as well as your site).

• Instruction -- a "How To" download that illustrates the steps in staining a deck or cleaning a concrete driveway shows your products in-use, without the implied bias of paid advertising.

• Entertainment -- just because it's a business topic doesn't mean it can't also be fun. A "How To" that shows the wrong way (and then the right way) to use a product or service can use humor to make an otherwise dry subject memorable.

Great content often has a theme that appeals to curiosity, self-interest, or worry. It also uses an engaging promise in the title which, oddly enough, often involves a "How To".

* With apologies to C. Gordon Hoxie ("How to Build an Offer"), legendary New England direct marketer who labored to teach a bunch of young writers the rules of good content, long before it was called that.

 

4 Ways To Tell a Lead From an Inquiry

 

Content marketing is about generating inquiries and leads. But of course, not every inquiry is a lead.

Nothing kills a marketing program faster than giving raw inquiries to salespeople, when they were promised leads.

With this in mind, if an inquiry has at least one of the following criteria, you can confidently pass it to your sales force as a solid lead:

1. The Prospect is Real -- most salespeople find it hugely de-motivating to screen raw marketing inquiries. For this reason, many firms use a sales administrators or a telesales group to find out if a prospect is a potential buyer, has a budget, etc. The surviving inquiries are genuine leads. 

2. There is Pain -- unless there is "pain" that can be resolved with your product or service, it's not a lead, and there will be no sale -- never, ever. The greater the pain, the more likely a sale, and the faster it will be made.

3. Time Is Running Out -- when a project or purchase has to be made soon, the nearer to the purchase date, the better the prospect. At this point, it is not a question of "if", but of "when".  Typically, a budget is already set -- all that is left is choosing a viable provider.

4. It's a Referral -- with a referral, half of the sale is already made -- the first half where issues like company integrity, product quality, and dependable delivery are established. With a good referral, the sale is really yours to lose. Referrals should always be flagged, and never included with inquiries.

Because content marketing can generate a stream of inquiries, it's important to qualify them to provide only the best to your sales force. In this way, content marketing can do what it does best -- fuel your sales engine.

 

6 Ways to Use Video Content to Get Sales Leads

 

Given the short attention span of most internet users, there's nothing like video content to quickly engage prospects.

The best videos follow the Golden Rule of good content -- they provide useful information to prospects looking to make an informed purchase. Here are 6 types of videos that can engage prospects and get them asking for more:

1. How-to Video -- an instructional video that shows how to use a product (or do a process) can take on a life of its own on the web. When posted to a site like YouTube, it can pull prospects to your site for months, or even years. 

2. Meet The Experts -- video is a great way to introduce your subject matter experts to prospects. By illustrating a step-by-step solution to a problem that your product solves best, their credibility is established up-front.

3.  Blog Video -- blog videos can be created quickly, with simple production values. Even a "talking head" video is far more engaging than text, and can address timely issues or market opportunities in a way that no other medium can match.

4.  Product/Service Teaser -- much like a movie trailer, a product or service teaser highlights features and benefits, and wets viewer's appetites. They also encourage viewers to download more detailed information in exchange for their e-mail addresses.

5.  Platform Video -- a live speech can be the basis for dozens of short informational clips, or used as "chapters" in a web video series. The amount of usable content from one 30 minute speech is substantial -- content that normally disappears after a live presentation is done.

6.  Sales Video -- imagine your best sales presentation live on video, selling for you on the web 24/7. Use it to describe the problem your prospects want to solve -- then offer a detailed solution on your site in exchange for contact information.

Of all the content that drives leads to a website, nothing does a better selling job than an informative video. A small investment in quality video content can drive inquiries to your site for years to come.

 

Content Marketing 101: Can Your Website Pass The 5 Second Test?

 

In the direct mail world there is something called the "5 second test". This means that your offer has to be engaging enough that a prospect reading it over the kitchen trashcan needs only 5 seconds to decide whether to open - or pitch - your message.

The same is true with websites. Companies that don't enjoy a steady stream of internet business leads often flunk the 5 second test for one (or more) of following reasons:

It's All About Me - prospects don't care about your company and how great you are. The people that count from a lead generation standpoint are in the shopping mode, and are looking for information that will lead them to one company or another. If you don't have it - and they don't see it right up front - you are history.

Death By Brochureware  - content-rich sites attract prospects with informative videos, blogs, and other materials that engage readers. Sites that are little more than online brochures waste valuable marketing money that could (and should) be spent for lead generation.

The Leaky Balloon - many websites start out with good content, but after a few months the content goes stale, and lead flow starts to fall off. Good content takes time and effort, and once the habit of posting new content to a site is broken, it often just fades away.

Gone and Forgotten - success has many fathers, and failure none. Sometimes when a costly website fails, it's just hung out to dry. When management can't cost-justify the current site from a lead-generation standpoint, it's a tough sell to push for a new one.

The best lead generation sites use informative, fresh content to pull good prospects into the top of the sales funnel. So if you can't allocate at least one staff person to be the "keeper of the content", it might make sense to find a content provider who can keep this all-important fuel supplied to your internet lead engine.