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Marketing Automation – Fixing Your Follow-Up Failure With Technology

People buy when they’re ready to buy – not before. 67% of the prospective buyers that tell you no today will be ready to buy in the next year. ~ Gartner Research. So how will you be ready when they are? By following up, that’s how. Sadly many businesses do a poor job of marketing follow up, and in this article you’ll learn the startling facts of just how bad it is, but more importantly you’ll discover just how easy it is to fix your follow up failure and double your sales. 

Why companies don’t follow up:

  1. They forget
  2. They focus ONLY on hot leads
  3. They let unconverted leads languish
  4. They think prospects will call back
  5. They don’t want to be pushy
  6. AND they don’t realize the potential impact follow-up can have on their profits!
While 67% of prospects will be ready to buy within 12 months, 80% will buy within 2 years. Will you still be there when they’re ready to buy?

5 Common follow-up mistakes:

  1. No follow-up at all
  2. Weak follow-up
  3. Irrelevant follow-up
  4. Jumping to a sales pitch
  5. No centralized database
How many touches does it take to close a sale?
  1. 2% close on the 1st touch
  2. 3% on the 2nd
  3. 4% on the 3rd
  4. 10% on the 4th touch
  5. 81% close on (or after) the 5th touch!!!
When do most companies stop following up?
  1. 48% quit on the 1st touch
  2. 24% on the 2nd
  3. 12% on the 3rd
  4. 6% on the 4th
  5. 10% quit on the 5th touch
Imagine what would happen if you simply followed up with even 20% more of your leads. Can you see what this would mean to your profits. Remember, there is no additional costs in lead generation, this is merely “harvesting” more of the profits by using follow-up marketing.

Here’s a typical follow-up sequence for new prospects:

  1. Send the info they requested immediately. (email)
  2. Send a letter with more valuable info. (letter)
  3. Call to see if you can answer any questions. (call)
  4. Send a value-added email with tips/education. (email) 
  5. Send a promo offer to stimulate action. (email) 
  6. Follow-up with a limited time promo. (postcard)
  7. Call with a final reminder for promo. (voice broadcast)
  8. Offer subscription to future marketing offers and other value added content. (email)
Of course you can get as creative as you want with your sequences, but the above example should get you started.

Fix Your Follow-Up Failure Plan

  1. Get organized – tag customers and prospects. Segment your data.
  2. Integrate your shopping cart and e-commerce into a follow-up system
  3. Add upsells to the follow-up process
  4. automate process to save human interaction and avoid errors.
  5. Offer free report or other high incentive optin piece
  6. Add an automated affiliate referral program
Fixing Your Follow-Up Failure 
  • Converts more leads into sales
  • Gets repeat sales from customers
  • Grows your business without growing your staff
If you want to learn more about fixing your follow up, I’d encourage you to watch the full video presentation available at http://FixYourFollowUp.info
~

Posted 08 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

Infusionsoft versus a Marketing Assistant

Before you read this, remember that we created computerized solutions to save ourselves the work. In many cases we used to hire people to save ourselves the work, today we can choose either a biological solution (an employee) or a digital solution (a piece of software.) With that thought out there for your consideration, consider this…

The median expected salary for a typical Marketing Assistant in the United States is $37,471 or $3,122.58 per month (excluding all the other costs an employer must bear.)
Assuming a typical 37 hour week this equates to 160 hours a month of “working” time, about $18.74 per hour. There are approximately 1600 working hours a year for a typical employee and 8,760 total hours in a year. 
We work for about 20% of the year when you compare total time to work time. So it’s fair to say that if you made your marketing assistant work every hour of every day then you’d have to pay them about 5 times as much or about $187,000 a year!
Infusionsoft Pro costs $499/mo or about $5,988 per year. Already this is about 6 times cheaper than the media salary of an marketing assistant but Infusionsoft works 24/7/365.
If you run the numbers you’ll find that Infusionsoft is about 30 times cheaper. Put another way, you’d need at least 5 full time marketing assistants to handle the workload. And frankly I’m unconvinced they’d match the speed and efficiency of a computerized system which operates at millions of cycles per second.
My point (for I know this is a somewhat “silly” comparison) is that if you think of Infusionsoft as a person hired to your team, they’re the best value you’ll ever get for your dollars. They won’t quit. They won’t get sick or demand a pay raise. They will not need vacations and won’t ask for double-time on statutory vacation days. And the quality of their work will remain consistent day after day, year after year.
Nope, for a mere $499 a month you’ll get the digital equivalent of staffing nirvana (or pretty close to it… nothing’s perfect!)
So, for those who wonder about the price consider this, $499 is the PRO level. If you are sending less volume through the system (upto 75,000 emails) you can pay $299 a month – it’s cheaper still. And if you didn’t want ecommerce, a shopping cart, affiliate management or sales force automation then you can use the $199 service (upto 25,000 emails a month.)
It’s really a no brainer when you look at this way.
*Disclaimer* Infusionsoft will not give you super powers. You do need to take this powerful system and implement it. This will require some planning on your part. If you are a fan of process and systemization then you’ll enjoy the experience. If you are not, then you will need some help either directly from Infusionsoft or from one of their Certified Marketing Automation Coaches (like me). 
PS. Here’s their pricing matrix: http://www.infusionsoft.com/pricing

Posted 08 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

Exciting news about “doubling your sales”

“80% of prospects don’t make a purchase until after the 7th contact. But most small businesses don’t follow up more than 3 times, if that.”

Shocking isn’t it? Think how much money is wasted, left lying on the ‘lead table.’ I’d like to show you how you can fix your follow up failure and double your sales, and today Infusionsoft has announced something very cool indeed…

Posted 07 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

Fix Your Follow Up Failure – Automated Marketing

Just a quick note today, I’ve published a very special presentation video on a brand new website: http://FixYourFollowUp.info and in this 25 minute video presentation you’ll discover why so many businesses are failing in their marketing and what you can do about it to double your business guaranteed!
 
The video is FREE, just visit http://FixYourFollowUp.info and tell me where to send the details. Alternatively you can check out the new Twitter account for this presentation @FixYourFollowUp
 
PS. Here’s the short 5 minute excerpt I loaded to my YouTube channel.

Posted 04 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

1 in 4 Google Queries Have NEVER Been Searched Before…

Think about that when considering your SEO/SEM strategy. How do you plan for something you cannot know?

Posted 04 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

“Do I look stupid to you?” Following instructions…

Posted 03 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

100% Proof Infusionsoft Client Testimonial

James Burchill has a rare combination of marketing, business and technical skills that makes him a brilliant marketer. He has a firm grasp of traditional marketing methods that, combined with his keen interest in technology and automation, allows him to make Infusionsoft dance. He takes an enthusiastic interest in my business and eagerly spends the time necessary to explore opportunities and explain complex concepts. 


Since working with James, our total sales have increased by 100% and consumer sales by 20%. It has been my utmost pleasure working with James, he is an integral and valued partner in our firm’s success and I would highly recommend him to any firm seeking to grow their internet presence. Feel free to call me at 519-699-5526. ~ Chris Denison, Volluma

Posted 02 July 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0) °

Double Your Sales – Guaranteed and other “CMAC Super Powers”

Quite the promise isn’t it? The best part is that it’s true. And who wouldn’t want to DOUBLE their business? I know I do :-)

More importantly, the FREE TRIAL is no strings. You get a full 15 days to explore arguably one of the most flexible, powerful, marketing automation solutions available today.

Am I biased? Sure I am. I’ve just spent considerable time and money getting to know this system. Was it worth it – heck yes! Not since my days as an Oracle Systems Integration Consultant back in the UK have I seen a solution with this much ‘horse power.’

And as one of a select group of World-Wide Infusionsoft CMAC’s I’m very excited about sharing this solution with businesses. Actually, as a CMAC I can offer you some very special extras not publicly available.

More about those ’super powers’ later, for now I suggest you consider taking Infusionsoft for a spin. Just don’t freak out when you let the horse run… there’s more functionality under the hood than most business owners are equipped to handle and it’s a bit overwhelming for many.

Let me know if you have questions – happy to assist.

Posted 01 July 2009 † James § Automation § Seminars & Training ‡ Comments (0) °

I’m now an Infusionsoft Certified Marketing Automation Coach

OK, so you get that I’m “into” marketing, technology and the Internet. So it shouldn’t surprise you to know I’m always learning and adding to my skill set.

Today I’m very proud to share with you my latest achievement. I recently completed the required training and successfully passed the various tests and as of Monday this week, I’m officially an Infusionsoft Certified Marketing Automation Coach (CMAC).

Basically this additional designation means I’ve proven my knowledge and skills are capable of assisting business owners achieve the “double your sales” promise through systematic application of automation, direct response style follow-up messaging and strategic marketing integration.

I’m excited about this new direction and my partnering with Infusionsoft means I now have more resources to assist my clients achieve their goals.

Here are 3 links you might explore so as to understand more about this new addition to my services. If you do nothing else, go grab the fr’ee reports – they’re awesome and loaded with great value. The fr’ee trial is truly no-strings, and the DYS program is quite impressive – if I say so myself.

* Double Your Sales
* Fr’ee Trial
* Fr’ee Reports

By the way, Infusionsoft is NOT for everyone but that doesn’t mean you can’t access all the fr’ee information available and put it to use directly in other ways.

Anyway, that’s it, just wanted to share my news with you. Have a peaceful and happy Canada Day tomorrow.

James
—–
http://JamesBurchill.com
Certified Marketing Automation Coach
Follow me http://twitter.com/jamesburchill

Posted 30 June 2009 † James § Automation ‡ Comments (0) °

10,001 Followers can’t all be wrong *wink*

I just checked my Twitter profile and I now have 10,001 followers – that’s awesome. Thank you so much…

Posted 23 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

SEO Shell Game *Warning*

SEO is cool but it’s a tiny piece in the overall online marketing fabric. It’s also a “shell game” where Google is calling the shots…

Seriously… what other business could you get away with such monumental BS like this?

“Yes Mr. Client, you are correct. We’re developing a series of tactics to execute steps to implement techniques about a system that is secret, with plans that no-one has seen, on a landscape that is constantly changing. You cool with that? Awesome… sign here. By the way, I have land on Uranus for sale… Interested?”

The true value in online marketing comes from the strategic analysis and fundamental application of key (and classic) marketing and advertising principles. Traffic acquisition, conversion principles, solid copy, great offer etc…

Not some mumbo-jumbo-google-joo-joo…

Grrrr. Just my 2 cents. Rant over. I’ll be fine.

Posted 22 June 2009 † James § Classical Marketing § Internet Marketing § Rants and Raves § SEO ‡ Comments Off °

BFM – Yesterday’s nasty surprise bill

A few folks have sent me emails claiming this is some marketing ruse – worse, some folks think I’m broke! LOL

Neither is true. Yes I’m having a little fun with the marketing, and YES there is an unplanned bill that did indeed pop up during dinner recently.

But is it a deal-breaker for me? Can I cover it without the sales – sure I can!

Do I want to? Heck no… not if I don’t have too.

Seriously, I’m simply looking to leverage some of my previous training videos that others have found very helpful, and I’m offering them at a fair price for a few days.

http://BusinessFusionMarketing.com/oops-awkward.html

I’m not joking when I say that this is a temporary sale. The next version of Business Fusion Marketing (v2) is in the works and it’s more expensive than the first edition when compared ‘apples-for-apples.’

So if you are considering a video/transcript/MP3 based training course that covers considerable “internet and marketing” ground then I’d encourage you to accept my limited time offer – it won’t be on the table for long.

Remember, it’s just until this ‘nasty surprise’ is all covered and then I’m nixing the offer for good.

Here’s the “sales page” again for reference. If the BUY NOW button is showing then the offer is still live.

http://BusinessFusionMarketing.com/oops-awkward.html

talk soon,
James

Posted 18 June 2009 † James § Internet Marketing § Seminars & Training ‡ Comments Off °

James’ nasty surprise bill

OK, this is a bit embarrassing… I just concluded some
family financial planning and I got a nasty surprise.
 
Actually, it’s a pretty big nasty surprise.
 
And I’m going to have to write a great big check and send
it off real soon to cover this embarrassing oversight.
 
I suppose I should have seen it coming – there was plenty
of time to make arrangements. But what with one thing and
another it slipped my mind…
 
Until recently at a family dinner… can you say AWKWARD?
 
In any case I need to bring in some cash quickly to pay
this bill.
 
So, bottom line is this, I’m putting my recent successful
‘Business Fusion Marketing’ Internet and Online Coaching
program on sale for a few days. Call it the ‘James Really
Needs to Pay Attention at Dinner More Often’ sale…
 
I’m offering all 11 Videos from the course, the transcripts,
the MP3’s and the MindMaps for just USD $397.
 
You can get the details here:
 
http://BusinessFusionMarketing.com/oops-awkward.html
 
Remember, this ‘fire sale’ is on for only a few days
because soon I will be relaunching BFM with new materials
and a new higher price.
 
If you want to grab over 14 hours of top quality Internet
Marketing training and “over the shoulder’ coaching then
this is the best time to get it.
 
* 11 Webinar Videos
* 11 Transcripts
* 11 MP3 audio
* 11 Mindmaps
 
There are more details here:
 
http://BusinessFusionMarketing.com/oops-awkward.html
 
By the way, I’m going to pull this offer as soon as my
nasty bill has been covered so don’t wait around. This is
a simple sale, and when my gaff is covered I’m taking the
special sale page off-line.
 
talk soon,
James
 
PS. This stuff is awesome, but don’t just take my word
for it ;-)
 
“Thank you so much for your contribution to my internet
success. Your knowledge is massive. Your understanding
of the interconnectedness of so many aspects of this
complex medium knocks me over and sometimes begins to
overwhelm me but I am continuing to follow my intuition
and grow what I am doing. It must be working because I
have almost tripled my practice over the past 3 months –
and most of what I have planned for my site and marketing
hasn’t even been completed…” – Maia, BFM Student

Posted 17 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

The Market Pyramid

When considering your market, consider the Market Pyramid. Beginners are the largest segment and are often the easiest to monetize. There’s also a continual influx of new prospects… an eternal wellspring of opportunity ;-)
 
Note that as you move up the pyramid the market segments shrink and the energy required to “sell” them increases. Something to think about at your next marketing meeting :-)

Posted 17 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

How To Connect With Me on Facebook

Here’s my Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/people/@/884325566
 
OK, so for some reason I’d never taken the time to find the short URL that allows people to just link to me on Facebook. Not sure why, just guess it slipped my mind so today – a few moments ago actually – I figured it out.
 
There, easy when you know how :-)
 
Friend Me…
James

Posted 09 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

Get BFM Foundations Webinar Video & Transcript for FREE

Visit http://BusinessFusionMarketing.com today and grab a complete hi-quality copy of the BFM Foundations Module (#1) Video and Transcript for FREE.

Posted 08 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

“Unleashing the Ideavirus”

I love reading Seth Godin’s stuff. Here’s something I wanted to share with you:

“Unless you find a more cost-effective way to get your message out, your business is doomed. You can no longer survive by interrupting strangers with a message they don’t want to hear, about a product they’ve never heard of, using methods that annoy them. Consumers have too little time and too much power to stand for this any longer.”

Pretty powerful stuff huh?

Posted 06 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

How is Bing different from Google?

Bing is not dramatically different from Google, but some people have found its results stronger. There are some visible changes:

  • Bing shows a preview of the web pages in the search results when you hover your mouse pointer at the right side of the search results.

  • Bing displays fewer results if it is certain that it has understood your intent. The search for “Facebook”, for example, brings up just one result linking to the site itself.
  • Some search results are divided into categories. For example, if you search for the popular musician “Justin Timberlake”, you’ll get results in the categories news, songs, movies, biography, wallpaper and downloads. In addition, the search results show images, videos and the popularity of the musician.
  • Wikipedia searches can be displayed inline in the search results without leaving the Bing site by clicking the “Enhanced view” link.
  • Bing features a different background image every day. The image contains special hidden hotspots that lead you to more information (soon advertising?) about the image.
  • Despite the background image, Bing’s homepage loads very quickly in your web browser because the search box and logo load first. You can turn off the background image.
  • Bing’s video search lets you watch videos without leaving the search engine.
  • Bing offers specific health, shopping and travel search engines, as well as instant answers to travel searches. For instance, the search “Vegas hotels” displays a selection of hotels in Las Vegas, including hotel stars and prices.
  • Bing’s search history lets you return to your most recent searches of the last two days. This feature can be turned off to protect your privacy.
  • Some of Google’s features are missing, for example, Bing doesn’t seem to recognize misspellings and returns no results in these cases.
*Source: Axandra SE Facts

Posted 03 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (2) °

New Chart: Marketers Want More Interactivity in Video Ads

SUMMARY: When Marketing Sherpa asked a sample of marketers using video advertising, either online or on TV, what effect various tactics would have on their video ads, greater interactivity and creating more versions for more consumer targets proved to be the most popular.

*source: Marketing Sherpa

Posted 02 June 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

Research Brief: Advertise or Die

Advertise or Die
According to a new Ad-ology Research study, “Advertising’s Impact in a Soft Economy,” more than 48% of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retail store, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must be struggling. Conversely, a vast majority perceives businesses that continue to advertise as being competitive or committed to doing business.

C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research, says “It is critical to advertise in the current economic climate, to maintain long-term positive consumer perception of your brand… advertising… assures consumers of a business’ reliability… “

Other key findings include:

  • 40% of consumers use coupons more now than a year ago
  • Most consumers are as willing or more willing to pay more for ‘healthy’ or ‘organic’ products than they were a year ago
  • A ‘deeply discounted price’ was the number-one factor that would make consumers more likely to purchase a big-ticket item (+$1,000)
  • TV, newspaper, direct mail, and Internet top local media from which consumers saw/heard an ad within the last 30 days that led them to take action
  • Store Web sites ranked second only to search engines as the way consumers research products and shop online

*Source: Center for Media Research

Posted 28 May 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °

World’s Biggest Cocktail Party + Your Best Sales Person

…Social media is people having conversations online. That’s it. This happens on thousands of sites every day… From a business standpoint, social media allows you and your company to be involved in these conversations online.
 
…Imagine your best sales person at the world’s biggest cocktail party. A good social media team can be just that – they know how to find all the right people in the room, to listen and to sell or simply share information. Sometimes all you need to do is listen and respond when necessary…
 
Read the full story here: http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=10282

Posted 25 May 2009 † James § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off °