10 SaaS Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business

Is your Saas business not growing as rapidly as your competitors? Are you wondering what to do to unlock high growth for your business? If your answer to either of these questions is yes, then stay right here. We’ll discuss everything about SaaS marketing in this article.

New businesses enter the market on a daily basis. Because of the increased competition, it is difficult to outperform your competitors. It has become critical to dig into SaaS marketing in order to maintain a profitable business and produce money consistently.

SaaS marketing is all about developing and implementing innovative marketing tactics to assist you in benefiting your SaaS business. If you’re not sure why you should get into SaaS marketing, here are some points to consider.

• Efficient SaaS marketing lowers client turnover, which is exceptionally crucial for a company to flourish.
• Marketing will lead to more visibility for your product.
• When effective tactics are adopted, more revenue and market dominance will follow.
• Customers will become more satisfied and loyal.

If you’re just getting started with SaaS marketing, you should check out these ten tried-and-true SaaS marketing tactics that will help your company expand.

#1. Offer free trials 

Free trials are a surefire method to get individuals to experience your product. SaaS organizations that offer free trials have seen a 60% conversion rate. This implies that 60% of individuals who utilize the free version of your product will purchase the paid variant.

How Salesforce unlocked high growth for its SaaS products in the initial stages:

• When Salesforce had a lower consumer reach, it tweaked its marketing strategy by offering free trials, and since then it has grown to a leader in many SaaS segments.
• Due to its products still being in development, the free trials provided two benefits to the company. The users who tried the software got to use it before the general public. As well the company could test its software on smaller and targeted populations, this helped the company save time in testing the software and also reduced times for rolling out new software to the market.

Because most SaaS software doesn’t require a unique setup, there is no harm in enabling a potential customer to explore your SaaS solution for a few days. Free trials are an efficient medium to introduce the world to your company’s working style and how you handle each customer. This SaaS marketing technique is quite beneficial when executed correctly.

If you are offering a practical SaaS application, and you are proud of your invention. Then giving free trials shouldn’t be any problem. You’ll definitely see an increase in revenue with the implementation of this SaaS strategy.

#2. Give SEO significance

SEO can help you get a higher rating on search engine results pages (SERPs). A prominent position in search results will raise your visibility and market awareness, resulting in higher revenues. According to research, most customers prefer to see their results on the first search engine page, therefore staying at the top is critical.

As a SaaS company, you will undoubtedly publish blogs and articles about your services. So why not accomplish two things at the same time? When writing blog posts and articles for your SaaS website, make sure to follow SEO guidelines.

Before you publish anything, double-check that the post has enough keywords. Your keywords should be highly relevant to your field. You can include internal links to provide visitors more information. This is one of the proven methods for improving your SEO.

Higher positions on search engine results pages will eventually create more organic traffic for your business. A higher ranking will allow you to cut expenditures on other forms of advertising, giving you more money to invest in product development. Furthermore, higher brand visibility will lead to increased income.

#3. Offer referral bonuses

A referral incentive is a great method to keep consumers pleased. You must have an established and stable client base for this marketing technique to operate well.

You may provide a referral benefit in the form of discounts or even free services and products for a limited period. This is generally given to existing customers who bring new consumers to the company.

Evernote’s amazing referral strategy keeps the revenue flowing.

• Evernote is one SaaS product that knows best about how to offer referral bonuses.
• Its referral program is competitive and it rewards users with 10 points when they refer the service. Also, whenever a referred user upgrades to premium, it gives 5 more points to the referring customer.
• This referral cycle has proven effective for Evernote, and it’s premium user count has increased drastically.

If your SaaS service is of good quality, people will certainly promote it to their friends, colleagues, and family members. When you offer a referral bonus, the number of suggestions for your services and items will increase swiftly.

Starting with SaaS recommendations is a fantastic method to evaluate your customers’ commitment. Furthermore, this marketing technique produces better outcomes faster than any other.

#4. Keep signups simple

Signups are one of your customers’ initial encounters with your SaaS product. A simple registration method is necessary for a SaaS platform. A straightforward signup process will encourage more people to complete the form. You can also add an FAQ section to simplify the process.

When building a signup page, keep it as short and easy as possible. Request just the most important and essential information. This will result in more individuals joining up for your service.

A user-friendly signup process can entice more consumers. Easy signups are an extra benefit to your marketing tactics, especially if you are a new business or giving a free trial.

#5. Launch a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing campaign

An efficient way to promote your SaaS product is via a PPC marketing campaign. PPC campaigns are a technique of paid advertising that you may employ on search engines and other websites to advertise your products.

PPC campaigns are a very effective marketing technique. They have been utilized by nearly every company and are well-known for the outcomes they provide. A well-executed PPC campaign could help your company develop quickly. A solid PPC campaign should always start with thorough research.

It is critical to use the correct choice of keywords in your PPC ads. Your marketing plan will fall flat if you don’t use the proper keywords.

#6. Explore social media marketing

As a SaaS company, you cannot afford to ignore social media marketing. The world is presently on a rollercoaster ride because of social media. Most marketers use social media in their marketing plans and invest substantially in it.

Social media is an excellent tool for promoting your SaaS product. You may connect with your present consumers as well as future customers by using social media. Run social media campaigns to assist your current clients, or arrange social media contests for your fans. Request that they publish something on your behalf and tag you; if they win, you can present them with prizes. This is a simple and successful marketing technique.

Always be available on social media to your consumers. Make an effort to meet as many new individuals as possible. This will boost your activity as well as your visibility on social media platforms.

#7. Unlock email marketing 

Nothing has produced any greater outcomes than email marketing when it comes to marketing. While email marketing has been around for some years, 81% of companies still utilize it in one way or another.

Email marketing is straightforward. A list of valid emails and top-quality content is required. You may promote your SaaS product efficiently using email marketing through frequent email pitches on features and changes. You may also develop an email marketing plan to provide your consumers through this channel exclusive offers.

The rates of conversion for email marketing in comparison with the resources used are always satisfactory.

Ensure that you add surveys, newsletters, and even onboarding emails if you establish an email marketing plan for your company. Your SaaS emails should be informative and not only include marketing items.

#8. Use content marketing 

An excellent weapon for modern marketers is content marketing. You won’t have to run PPC advertisements for your business growth when you are using the right content marketing and SEO approach.

On your SaaS website, always give relevant, high-quality information. People will stay on your site longer if the search results are rated higher as a result of this strategy. You can place your marketing call-to-action at the end of any article on your website. This way you’ll be able to reach more organic and targeted customers.

When it comes to content marketing, you can be sure that you’re connecting with your target audience by using the right keywords. Content marketing is incredibly effective and produces significant results at a low cost. This is why content marketing has been adopted by 70% of modern-day SaaS marketers.

#9. Improve the customer experience

Every decision you make should be based on the customer’s experience. Because consumers drive your company’s success, it’s critical to consider their experience.

People will recommend your product to others if they have a positive customer experience. It is one of the most important marketing tactics to use. It might be difficult to apply at times, but it becomes second nature when done correctly from the outset.

When we talk about customer experience, no one comes near Amazon Web Services. It has one of the easiest user experiences. Complex tasks like setting up servers and computer instances have become very easy due to the user experience they provide.

By providing a great customer experience, AWS has expanded its services to non-tech people too. This small tweak has been a great marketing endeavor for the company.

You can improve the client experience by making features easily accessible. Even if you have thousands of features, your product will fail if they are difficult to reach.

There are several things you can do to create a better client experience. Check them out and integrate them into your SaaS marketing plan.

#10. Provide excellent deals

The greatest approach to attract new clients for your SaaS business is to market it by giving excellent offers. When you provide discounts and reduce rates, you attract more market attention. There is a good possibility that this attention will result in additional clients for your company.

One tried-and-true technique is to give larger discounts on long-term subscriptions, making them appear more reasonable. Everyone wants to acquire a SaaS product at a reasonable price. Here is a chance for you to boost the growth of your company.

Wrapping up

While the SaaS industry is new, there are already a lot of rivalries. To be the best-selling product in your category, you must employ the most effective SaaS marketing tactics. You’ve seen certain techniques that have worked brilliantly for numerous SaaS firms in the past. Give them a go if you want to accelerate the growth of your company.

Guest author: Akash Tripathi is a Digital Marketer at Top Mobile Tech. It is a blog where I cover all the tips & tricks related to Mobile and more related to tech. Stay connected to the rest of the world with Top Mobile Tech. We bring the latest and critical news to your mobile and computer devices.

The post 10 SaaS Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

source https://www.jeffbullas.com/saas-marketing-strategies/

5 Really Cool Ways to Use Video in Email Marketing

Video marketing is a great way to increase engagement with your audience, but it can be hard to know where to start.

The good news is that you don’t need expensive video equipment or editing skills. There are several ways you can supercharge your email marketing with video and they all have their benefits and drawbacks.

In this blog post, we’ll go over 5 creative ways to use video in email marketing so you can find the right fit for your business.

Ways to use video in email marketing

The following are 5 creative ways to use video in email marketing:

1. Use video for bonus content to delight your subscribers.

Sometimes people might tune out and not read the email that you send them, but a video will keep their attention. You can use this to your advantage by including a video in the email that shows them something new and interesting like behind-the-scenes footage from your latest project or an exclusive offer on one of your products.

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2. Display company culture with a video.

A good way to make employees feel more connected to the company is by creating videos where they show off their workspace, let you see who they are as people, or share their day-to-day life at work with you. This gives people an insight into what it’s like to work for your company.

Let’s take a look at an example of how you can do this.

XYZ Company is a small business that sells handmade products online. They host workshops for anyone interested in learning how to make these products themselves and then sell them too.

In one video, they showcase the workspace where their team creates all of their products from start to finish. Once you see them making things with their own hands, it makes you more likely to trust what they are selling. You can tell that they know what they are doing because there’s evidence right in front of your eyes.

This type of video shows off your company culture which makes people feel good about investing time into working with you or using your services/products.

3. Announce an event with a video.

A video is a great way to announce an event. For example, if you’re hosting an art showcase and plan on displaying the customer’s work, then interviewing the artists before or during the event will give you an inside look at their creative process that will make your customers feel like they are there.

Plus, by adding the date, venue, and links to your social media in the video description, you can increase engagement with your audience. Keep in mind that a great video intro can help you capture the attention of your audience.

This is a great tool that you can use to make your business memorable.

4. Announce a product line or launch with a video.

If you’re launching new products into the market, offering incredible savings, or are launching a new program that your customers will love, you can create a video to announce these changes beforehand so people know what to expect.

You’ll want to be sure to give enough information in the video so attendees feel like they have all of the details by giving them an idea of any speakers, topics, and the time frame for each day as well.

If you’re launching a new product line or adding new services like lifestyle packages that come with the purchase of a specific package, then this is a great way to let your audience know what they’ll get beforehand. This can also be done as part of your promotions as a product owner or even if you are using emails as part of your affiliate tools promotions.

5 . Create a “How-to” Series

If your business operates online or has products that need an instruction manual you should consider creating a how-to series. Rather than having all of your users go through this process alone, you’ll be providing them with personalized tips from experts in your field.

By producing online videos on how to use certain tools (such as a new website) or how to complete certain projects (like building a treehouse), you’ll be saving people the hassle and effort of searching for answers on their own, while strengthening your brand and customer loyalty.

Video marketing is very effective because of its ability to connect with customers on a personal level, unlike any other medium.  After all, 92% of marketers said that video is an important part of their marketing strategy.

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The benefits of video in email marketing

There are multiple benefits to using video marketing in your emails. Keep in mind that videos can also be incorporated into your marketing strategy to get even more benefits from them.

Let’s have a look at some of the benefits that using video in email marketing can bring.

Use your email subject line to highlight the video.

By mentioning a video in your email subject line, you’ll get people to open the email that might not have, otherwise.

Let’s face it, we all have an obsession with looking at our phones nowadays, so you’re sure to grab their attention by adding a video in your subject line. When creating the video add some text that will appear on the preview line and something else that is only for mobile users (if applicable).

If someone doesn’t open your email, they can still see what your marketing message was while scrolling through their phone.

If you have a lot of videos that are going out each week, this can be a great way to draw attention away from the other marketing emails that your customers receive. You’ll also want to make sure that your email opens with information about your video rather than just dropping an image and/or video in the body of the email which could quickly get lost in all of the clutter that gets stored in people’s inboxes.

More often than not, if someone receives an email with a subject line promoting a video they will click on it over any other promotional content without question – simply because they are curious as to what’s inside of it. You should take advantage of this fact and use your subject line to attract people by letting them know that there’s a video in their email.

Appeal to Emotions

By appealing to emotions, you get the benefit of getting people to act without having all of the facts on hand. If you have a video with a very emotional appeal, such as one where feelings are involved, then you can bypass customers making rational decisions and get them to feel an emotion that prompts them to take action.

This is a great way to use visuals in your email marketing to make your reader feel emotions they wouldn’t otherwise and this will prompt them to click and learn more about what it is that you want them to see or listen to.

Conduct A/B Tests

By conducting A/B testing, it will allow you to see which video converts better than another and which ones don’t get any clicks at all. This is a great way to know exactly what works for your business and what doesn’t.

If you notice that one of your videos isn’t performing well, delete it and try another one in its place. Design a video that will catch the eye of your customers or clients on every email they receive from you. There are many different ways you can use video in email marketing that will work best for your business and by testing out different variations, you’ll start to learn what works best with your target audience.

Video Marketing Provides Better ROI

When you use videos in email marketing, it is more likely that your campaign will achieve its ROI if the videos are placed strategically into emails that target the right people with content they’re interested in seeing. By including an image or some text along with the video, you give your customer multiple ways of getting information out of your email rather than just one.

If possible try doing something like adding both images and text to go along with a video because this can increase the number of views and interest your video gets.

The good news is that once you have your email marketing videos down pat, you can also use this content when distributing your content on other marketing channels.

Types of videos to create

There are various forms of videos that you can create. Let’s have a look at three different types of videos that will be useful to your business based on your specific needs.

Option 1: Behind the Scenes Content

If you have a business that offers personal services such as cooking, medicine, or some other form of content that has to be produced using hands-on work, then you can create videos from behind the scenes.

By showing your customers that you are a real person with a real personal brand (and not just some corporate brand) they will feel more engaged with your company and this will make them more likely to take action on what it is your company is offering or selling. If someone gets to know who you are, they’re much more likely to want to use your products/services which increases sales.

If you are hosting a new podcast, why not show the behind-the-scenes through a video in an email that you send out?

Option 2: An Educational Video

By creating an educational video that goes over all of the different benefits that come along with a product or service then you can improve the performance of your campaigns by making use of videos. Consider using search terms and questions that people frequently ask about a product or service as this will allow your customers to find you based on frequent searches.

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They are already going through the motions when searching for information so why not give them the education they’re after, followed by an offer?

Option 3: Storytelling Videos

You can tell your story with video for others to see, such as how your company was started, why you got into business in the first place, and more. This type of content is great for companies who want to get their message across using video formats so that they can stand out from others and gain traction.

Customers feel more drawn towards a company based on personal connections being formed. The best part about these kinds of videos is that they don’t have to be very long as most customers will likely only watch a few minutes of video at the most.

Conclusion

In conclusion, video marketing is great for email marketing purposes because it allows you to catch the eye of potential customers that might otherwise miss your emails. This simply means more people will come across your brand and what it is that you have to offer, which in turn leads to higher sales and better ROI.

By using videos in your emails, you will be able to lose the boring bullet points and mundane descriptions that come with most emails. This simple addition to your emails will give you a competitive edge over other companies who don’t use video in their marketing campaigns as they’ll look generic and uninviting compared to yours.

Guest author: Hanson Cheng is the founder of Freedom to Ascend. He empowers online entrepreneurs and business owners to 10x their business and become financially independent. You can connect with him here.

The post 5 Really Cool Ways to Use Video in Email Marketing appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

source https://www.jeffbullas.com/video-in-email-marketing/

How to Start a Podcast: A 10-Step Guide

Learning how to start a podcast is an effective and convenient way to deliver content. It builds an intimate relationship with listeners because of its one-on-one communication structure.

When content is delivered in this manner, listeners get information while simultaneously feeling it to be a personal conversation. Podcasts are effortless and easy ways to consume content. Podcasts can only be delivered digitally, eliminating the costs associated with written content, such as hiring a writer or blogger to share expertise on a subject.

All a podcaster needs are their voice and creativity (along with a few other things, but we’ll get to that!), so it avoids costs for the upkeep of an elaborate corporate system. As a bonus, podcasts are easy to archive, which reduces meeting and email storage costs.

With podcasts, the pressure for exposure and visibility is not as immense as other forms of content. Once a listener subscribes to a podcast, every new podcast is automatically downloaded to their account. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that allows podcasters to update their platforms easily and listeners to tune in to the shows conveniently.

According to a study by Podcasthosting.org, 55% of Americans have listened to at least one episode of a podcast, and 37% report listening to a podcast every month.

Listening to podcasts can be done anywhere – at work, at home, even during a commute. In a business setting, instead of having long meetings about a particular subject, a podcast can conveniently convey all the information that needs to be shared. This saves time and improves productivity with all parties.

If a specific podcast holds essential information, let’s say, instructions from a manager, one can download it and save it in storage. If it is kept on a mobile device, the podcast is available anywhere and anytime. This perk is especially beneficial for people who are on the go and need to consume information while attending to other tasks.

What to consider when starting a podcast

There are various ways to monetize a podcast, but the most common method is through sponsorships. When you promote a sponsor during the podcast, you are essentially creating an advertisement, and how much you earn from a sponsor depends on your number of downloads.

The higher the subscribers you have, the higher the rate that you earn. To raise your number of listeners, it is essential to determine what and how they want to listen to content. Ultimately, what they look for is a quality podcast.

There are five basic principles to a quality podcast:

• It must be authentic.
• It must have structure.
• It must have a central idea.
• It must have a targeted audience.
• It must be regularly scheduled.

Incorporating these elements together into one meaningful experience is an impactful understanding of how to start a podcast from scratch. Because podcasting is an intimate communication medium, speaking from a place that is informational, structured, and authentic is the key to building an audience.

Now that you understand the makings of a quality listening experience, here is a step-by-step guide on how to start a podcast from scratch:

Step #1 – Understand the purpose of the podcast

Why do you want to learn how to start a podcast? Do you want to do it for fun? Do you want to do it to promote a business? Do you need it as a marketing tool? Whatever the reason, a podcast is a great and effective way to build credibility and provide your listeners with entertaining and valuable content.

A podcast reaches a vast amount of people through easy listening, and your purpose in creating it affects the structure of the experience. If the podcast is a personal preference to talk about your interests, you will attract people who have the same fascinations.

If the podcast is a marketing tool, you will have to consider various methods to boost your visibility and traffic regardless of the topic or subject you have chosen and seamlessly include them in the podcast.

In either case, knowing the reasons behind wanting to learn how to start a podcast helps you stay motivated and dedicated to your goals.

Step #2 – Choose a specialty

If you have an existing blog or a business to promote, choosing a topic for a podcast is relatively straightforward. From a business point of view, it is best to stick to the subjects related to your company.

For example, if you manage a gym, you would want to create a fitness and health podcast, wherein you can discuss helpful tips on how to stay fit, including brief spaces of information on the services you provide. The audience that you attract will be people who are interested in healthy living.

From a hobbyist point of view, your selection of topics is just about anything under the sun, and your audience will comprise people that share the same array of interests.

Either way, podcasts are standard recreational and marketing tools, so it would help to do research and check on how many podcasts cover the same subjects. Suppose the topic is not extensively covered in other podcasts. In that case, that is an opportunity to blaze a trail and attract people interested in the subject but have no references.

If there are many podcasts about your topic, listen to them and consider ways to set yourself apart from competitors. Otherwise, you will merely be creating a podcast that has already been done, and it will be harder to build an audience.

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself who you would want to listen to this content. This way, you can keep a specific persona in mind and curate your topics for that customer base. Understanding the type of audience you are looking for helps to choose a specialty, which guides you in creating engaging content.

Step #3 – Pick a title

When you are picking a title, there are several ways to go about it, and each method comes with a set of pros and cons. The most common choice is to go with a name that explains right away what your podcast is.

For example, a health and fitness podcast titled “The Way To Weight Loss” depicts exactly what it is on face value and will attract listeners interested in losing weight. This approach is the most likely to pull in a specific audience.

However, it lacks memorability due to its unoriginal and common label. As long as the title is not overly wordy or vague and you are voicing quality content, it effectively finds the audience you are looking for.

If you want to stand out, you may opt for a clever and unique name for the podcast. For example, a podcast about lifehacks with the title “The Chamber Of Secrets.” Though it is a great way to have people remember such a distinct name, the audience would be unable to detect a lifehack podcast. Nor will they easily find it if they searched for podcasts on lifehacks.

But let’s say you change it to “The Chamber of Lifehacks.” That is a wonderful balance of uniqueness and clarity.

You may also name the podcast after your name, like “The Robert Caulfield Show,” but this direction is more suited when you have already built a large following. If you prefer to go in this direction, try to include a descriptive phrase along with it.

If your podcast is about hiking tips, you may title it “Hiking Tips, with Robert Caulfield.” This technique explains what it is right away with the bonus of gradually making your name known.

Step #4 – Decide on the format

Once you have decided on the topic, you need to consider the format of the podcast. Will you, as the host, provide all the content? Will you feature interviews with experts who have the content? Will there be another host alongside you to entertain the audience? How long will each podcast take? How often are you going to publish them?

This may seem like a bombardment of questions, but the answers are essential in understanding the structure of your podcast.

If you decide to go solo, you are building your own reputation and authority on the specialty. You solely choose which sponsorships to promote, and you don’t need to split the profits. The biggest challenge with going solo is the intimidation of being on your own and finding ways to entertain the audience by yourself.

If you want to host the podcast with another person, you no longer have to face the pressure of entertaining the audience by yourself. You have someone to banter with and make openings for a continuous conversational flow. You must have chemistry with the co-host for an enjoyable listening experience.

The downside of this format is having to integrate another person throughout the entire experience. This includes scheduling disruptions if one person is unavailable and potential conflict on the monetization. Is it 50/50? What if one person does more of the talking – does that change the balance of profit? And what happens if the other person is no longer interested in partaking?

If you are planning to have a co-host, establish strict guidelines to ensure that the podcast runs smoothly.

If you decide to put up a podcast to interview people and share their expertise, you provide credible information to the audience. Additionally, the peers of your guest will likely tune in to listen and support them. Many podcasters have built a following this way due to its trustworthy and authoritative spin.

However, podcasting is not the same as interviewing. To go with this format, you will need to practice how to be an interviewer. This means knowing when it is time for you to talk and how to ask the right questions.

Aside from the people involved in your podcast, you must also determine the duration of each episode. To do that, you must consider your topic and your target audience.

For example, if your topic is about task management skills, your listeners probably don’t have the time for a 45-minute podcast – they need something quick and useful. If your topic is casual, like gardening tips, you have a bigger window to discuss in-depth advice.

This also applies to businesses that want to cater to a specific audience. If your target audience is fitness devotees who enjoy listening to podcasts, you can create a longer episode to listen to as they train for the next marathon. If your target audience is business owners who like listening to podcasts but don’t have the time for them, make it short and relevant.

Step #5 – Choose a host

Every podcast needs a hosting account. Podcast hosting accounts are platforms that store your audio files and let people find you. They allow listeners to download and subscribe to your podcast.

You must sign up with a media or podcast hosting service to store your files. You might be wondering why it is even necessary to transfer your podcasts to a separate server.

Once you have accumulated many podcast episodes, it results in a big bulk of audio files that you may not know how to organize and store. Using a host server avoids the inconvenience of a slow website, plus you never have to worry about reducing the quality of your files just to fit everything into storage. The server does all that work for you and preserves every episode of your podcast.

Media hosts vary, but all in all, they provide the same benefits:

• Exposure to listeners
• A fast website
• Large storage space
• A better overall experience

Step #6 – Design a logo

First impressions are crucial. Colors and visuals are one of the first things that people perceive about a brand, and it is often the quality that pulls them in. 

A study shows that it only takes people 10 seconds to form a first impression of a logo. Having an attractive logo for your podcast is vital in standing out during those critical 10 seconds.

If you need the perfect logo for your podcast, LOGO.com’s logo maker has everything you need to create an attractive and suitable visual. Podcast logos are usually displayed in a small size, and it will be one of the first things that potential listeners notice. 

Since the visual is small, try to avoid cluttering it with unnecessary details. 

LOGO.com is one of the few logo makers that understands the qualities of a good logo and shares designs that will work for your brand today and in the years to come. Of course, you get the chance to customize it as you please, but you’ll still end up with a professional and brandable logo.

Step #7 – Get the equipment and software

Podcasts don’t have to involve extensive equipment. The bare minimum for any podcaster is a computer with a good microphone and internet access. 

However, it is important to note that the higher the quality of your setup and equipment, the better the sound quality of your podcast. 

Since you are starting a podcast from scratch, there is a benefit in keeping your operations simple and easy. This way, you can focus more on keeping the content interesting and building a following. There’s always time to upgrade your equipment later on once you start gaining momentum. 

Just be sure to run a microphone check before every podcast to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

Step #8 – Record an intro and outro

Every podcast has a brief introduction that includes the name of the show, what the show is about, and why people should listen. The statement is usually a part of every episode. Because it is a constant presence, you may start practicing and recording it yourself. You may also opt to have it done by a voice-over artist.

It is also a good idea to include an “outro” in each episode with a call-to-action for your audience. For example, you can end the podcast by telling listeners how to contact you or where they can access more related content. This portion of the podcast is a helpful way to keep listeners engaged by voicing your appreciation and showing enthusiasm for the next episode.

Once you are happy and satisfied with your recorded intros and outros, save them as templates in audio editing software. This allows you to simply attach the templates in each episode, making the editing process convenient and easy.

Step #9 – Plan and promote your launch date

Launch your podcast like it’s an exciting event (which it is!). People won’t anticipate it or know it is a big deal unless you make a big deal out of it yourself. This is the time to attract as many eyeballs as you can to your podcast before it launches. Tell your friends, family, colleagues – anybody in your network – to support you and look out for the launch date.

Suppose you have access to a broader group of people, like social media platforms, email lists, various groups, post about it and let them know that the podcast is launching soon. The more visibility you get, the better.

During the week of the launch, show your appreciation to the people who interacted with your posts. You may ask them to leave comments, reviews, feedback – anything to show your audience that you are keen on building a relationship and sharing your knowledge. Let them know that they can share this with anybody who may find your information helpful. Even if you start with a small audience, the direct and personal interaction lets people know that your podcast is an engaging one with an invested host.

Step #10 – Launch and continue to promote your podcast

Launch your podcast! And even when you have launched it, you must constantly promote it. Don’t fall for the misconception of “If you launch it, the listeners will come.” The more exposure and effort you exert into promoting your podcast, the more people will start getting in tune with you as a host.

Though the process of starting a podcast is a bit more involved than creating a blog, it ultimately requires less energy and time in the long run. Once you have launched your podcast out into the world, always think about promotions and building your audience. The bigger the audience, the more profit you attain from sponsorships. First things first, focus on molding a trusting and loyal relationship with your audience.

How to start a podcast – Let your voice be heard

Podcasts play a massive role in the digital marketing space. If you know how to operate them for your business, it can be a powerful tool that leads to more traffic and a loyal community of supporters. Not only can podcasts promote your brand, but they are also an effective medium in conveniently building a solid rapport with customers. And that is a crucial element for all long-term success in a business.

Guest author: Kari Amarnani is a content marketer at LOGO.com. She’s a creative writer who is fascinated by the world of business and marketing. Outside work, she enjoys reading, painting, and a great cup of coffee.

The post How to Start a Podcast: A 10-Step Guide appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

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How to Host a Webinar Your Audience Will Love

The pandemic has disrupted not only our day-to-day lives but has also entirely changed the landscape of businesses and consumer demands, forcing global organizations to adapt to a new normal to thrive.

Webinars have emerged as a powerful tool to help marketers engage with their prospects and drive leads while working from home.

Though webinars are not a new trend, they have gained immense popularity as the ideal tool for effective remote communication. Owing to the several benefits, such as flexibility, time-saving, and cost-effectiveness, webinars are here to stay even after we’re back to some normality.

If you are contemplating conducting a webinar but are not sure how to take the plunge, do not fret! In this blog post, I cover seven tips to help you deliver a compelling and impactful webinar that your audience will remember. Have a look.

1. Choose the right platform to deliver your webinar

Selecting the right platform depends on your objective – whether you want to attract new leads or educate your customers. Also, decide on whether you want to do a live webinar or a pre-recorded one.

There are many webinar platforms available off the shelf, such as Zoom, GoToWebinar, Livestorm, etc., each having its own features, capabilities, pros, and cons. Choose the one according to your business needs, objectives, and audience size. You can also use Facebook, YouTube, or other live streaming platforms to host a webinar.

2. Create an eye-catching slide deck

You are required to present something relevant and interesting that resonates well with the audience in order to intrigue them with your webinar. So, use images to make your deck visually pleasing. Pick the images that go well with the overall objective and design of your presentation.

Plus, the images must be in proportion to the size of the slides. In case you have to compress the images, make sure that their resolution and quality don’t get impacted. Avoid writing text over the images as it will be difficult for the audience to read.

Useful Tip – If you are running short of time and can’t design images on your own, you can choose pre-designed and professional-looking templates that feature stunning visuals and well-researched content.

3. Complement your webinar with various media

You can’t ace your webinar merely by including good content. You must consider incorporating various media types, such as animation, videos, audio, downloadable checklists, etc., to make it more interactive and keep the audience focused, listening, and engaged. Further, the inclusion of multimedia will help break up a large chunk of information into small and understandable snippets.

4. Create “hooks” for audience engagement

With the increasing popularity of webinars, many platforms are expanding their features to let presenters engage with their audience in the best possible manner. For instance, some platforms allow the audience to take quizzes during the webinar, while others let them vote in polls and comment with questions.

As a webinar planner or moderator, you just need to be a little bit creative and think of ways to leverage these features to turn your audience from passive listeners to active participants.

5. Make a difference by sharing innovative ideas

If you really want to add value and make your audience keener to attend/watch your webinar, refrain from presenting the same content that they have already seen several times before. Choose a specific niche of your industry that has not been covered before or has scope to be covered with a new perspective. Think outside the box to establish yourself as a thought leader, make a difference in the industry, and spark change with your ideas and products.

In the world of webinars, where lots of webinars are available on common topics, you can compel your audience to register for your webinar by being creative with the topic and purpose. So, do careful research to come up with an engrossing subject to cover.

6. Schedule the webinar considering time zones

When your webinar is tailored for a global audience, it becomes imperative to schedule it, taking into account time zones. However, there is no particular rule about the best time to plan a webinar. It is extremely difficult to choose a time that fits all time zones. I suggest picking a time when the highest proportion of both nationwide and international audiences will be able to attend it.

Useful Tip – Record your webinar and make it available when someone signs up. It will help you boost conversions even if audiences of any time zone can’t attend it live.

7. Show appreciation for your audience

Since you are conducting the webinar online and there is no team waiting outside the conference hall/meeting room for the next meeting, it doesn’t mean that you should extend your webinar beyond the specified time. Acknowledge and respect the valuable time of your audience and try to conclude your webinar within the stipulated time frame.

Furthermore, express sincere and genuine appreciation for your audience’s attention and time. Make them feel important by showing how grateful you are for this opportunity to present and speak to them. After all, it’s the audience that makes your webinar successful.

The bottom line

Good webinars are like short movies that encourage viewers to take on the world and leave them inspired and delighted. Undoubtedly, planning the perfect webinar, especially if you are hosting it for the first time, takes lots of time, but the benefits it brings are worth it. If you genuinely want to make your webinar useful and interesting, avoid all potential pitfalls and live up to your own hype that claims your webinar is truly valuable.

I hope these tips will help you make your audience fall in love with your webinar. If you have some other tips/suggestions, leave your response in the comments below. And, if you like the blog post, share it on your social media handles.

Guest author: Ashish Arora is the Co-Founder of SketchBubble.com, a leading provider of result-driven, professionally built presentation templates. Travelling the world to gather new creative ideas, he has been working in the digital marketing space since 2007 and has a passion for designing presentations. You can also find him on Twitter or LinkedIn

The post How to Host a Webinar Your Audience Will Love appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

source https://www.jeffbullas.com/how-to-host-a-webinar/

10 Ways to Maximize the Potential of Your B2B Database

In the realm of business data management, ‘Garbage in, garbage out’, is a well-worn phrase. And yes, for good reason!

As B2B marketers, the most valuable marketing asset you have is your database. It’s difficult to grow, maintain, and replicate. A large high-quality database gives you a huge competitive edge. The more people you can reach and engage with, the better and bigger it is. You can create more leads if you can reach out to a wider audience. A large database is simply a license to print money.

Bad data is not only a headache for the person charged with cleaning it up, it also costs companies millions of dollars in wasted resources and lost productivity every year. It’s no surprise that 89% of B2B sellers feel having access to high-quality client data is crucial to their sales and marketing campaigns’ success.

Image Source: Dataladder

Today’s technology is changing how we use databases. Databases are no longer confined to rows and columns of data; they are now versatile and all-encompassing, affecting every aspect of your organization. Project management, client invoicing, telephone traffic reports, and stock inventory may all be handled by the single database software.

Managing a high-quality database is a common issue

The ultimate success of any sales and marketing campaign is only as good as the data lists they’re built upon. Leveraging your existing database information can help you generate accurate and customized information which would maximize the effectiveness of your marketing and sales campaigns.

B2B marketers that rely on technology to access their customer data are familiar with the pain and effort that comes with managing data from several sources. We’re all awash with data, unsure of what’s relevant, what’s accurate, or where to turn to ensure our data is generating revenue. Bringing it all together is a problem for B2B marketers all around the world.

According to Forrester Consulting research done on behalf of Dun & Bradstreet, managing the volume, diversity, and velocity of data is moderate to extremely difficult for 80% of companies.

Most of the time, the massive amount of data we are collecting produces disruption rather than opportunity. Not only is marketing data in continual change but capturing it – accurately and consistently – across all departments is a huge task. Managing and maintaining customer databases across various applications has proven to be a time-consuming and labor-intensive task.

Building an effective database

Depending on the types of interactions you have with your audience and how you typically offer content and information, there are a plethora of methods to grow your brand’s database. Here are a few of the most efficient strategies to expand your client base:

• Content Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Social Media
• Events
• Webinars
• Surveys
• Discounts, coupons, special deals, and offers

Maximizing the potential of your database

1. Segment your target markets

This is the most important stage, particularly if you are a B2B marketer. It’s critical to categorize your customers based on similar attributes, such as location or buying behavior, so you can send targeted ads that can boost your conversion rates. The more segments you have, the more you can focus your messaging, and the higher your engagement will be.

      Image Source: notifyvisitors

2. Re-engage with your subscribers and customers

This is a typical strategy used by self-improvement and learning firms such as Duolingo and Headspace, but the fundamental technique may be used in a variety of sectors. You may use reminders to contact inactive consumers and try to persuade them to re-engage with your brand.

Image Source: Sendpulse

If you’re an ad-based business, this means you’ll want more people to see your products. People are more inclined to renew a subscription if they connect with your brand on a frequent basis. The key to understanding when to target each part of your customer base is to look at your customer database.

3. Showcase your company’s new product releases and enhancements

If you launch a new product or service, you should always begin by contacting existing clients or customers who are familiar with your brand and are more likely to use it first. How do you win their approval and maintain that loyal relationship if you do not have access to that database?

Let’s assume you introduce a product that you believe is great and then bring it to market. Your existing customers are a great tool to assess the potential of a new or updated service/product. If your customers aren’t interested in what you have to offer, you may ask for their feedback and make the required improvements.

4. Target social media campaigns for your niche audience

In today’s world, social media insights are highly valuable. Users connect with many businesses on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on a regular basis. These platforms allow you to see what your audience responds to in a relevant and evolving way.

Image Source: Aofund

You can use data insights to target platforms like LinkedIn, which allows you to generate paid campaigns targeted at specific email addresses.

5. Conduct surveys and have focus groups

At some point in any marketing campaign, marketers require insights and feedback on their performance. What better place to look than your database for this information?

You can learn more about what your consumers want from your product or service through curated surveys and focus groups. This information may then be used to improve your offering(s) and marketing approach.

6. Don’t underestimate the quality of your database

The quality of a database is a critical element in determining its worth, especially for prospective buyers looking for new revenue streams. Databases that are cleaned and updated on a regular basis, for example, are far more valuable than those that include obsolete and irrelevant contact information.

      Image Source: Smartbridge

It is important to remember that your database is alive. Make careful you feed it useful data and keep the weeds at bay. Cleaning up after each email broadcast is an effective way of managing data quality. Unsubscribes should be updated, and bounces should be removed.

7. Focus on the accuracy of your database

Try to maintain the database as error-free. Review each data ingredient used for the mailing lists. Often customers come across redundancy, which proves as a threat to your brand. Maintain the hygiene of your data by tracking down spam complaints and hard or soft email bounces. Try not to lose any valuable leads because of data

type errors.

Image Source: Dataladder

8. Designate a task owner

Assign the database implementation to a two- or three-person team. Configuration, installation, and training will all be handled by these individuals. What happens if the database requires the addition of a new field? What are the steps in the approval procedure and who do you contact?

9. Document every new addition or changes to the database

Document the SOPs, custom properties, property definitions, who to contact for change requests, and the approval process for change requests are all covered in standard operating procedures. Make sure the frequency is documented as part of a daily, weekly, or monthly data-management procedure if there are data silos and a manual importing process, for example. Automate as many data cleansing scripts as feasible if possible.

Any updates/changes to processes or additions to the database should be documented so that both past and present employees are educated on the most current information.

10. Make frequent backups of your database

It takes a lot of time and work to build a database. Protect your investment by ensuring that there are no power outages or technical issues. You can use CRM software that can update customer profiles on fetching new information, and online tools can prevent data decay by integrating with your systems and updating each contact with activity data as they browse your site.

Wrapping up

Whether you are cold calling or executing strategic account-based marketing campaigns, you’ll need a good B2B database to get started. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer velocity, diversity, and amount of data in this age of information overload. B2B marketers and industry leaders who recognize the criticality of quality B2B contact data at this time will likely be ahead of the pack in the competitive race.

Guest author: Kristin Smith is a marketing consultant with 10 years of experience in the execution of marketing strategies. Currently, she heads the marketing department at Avention Media, a renowned B2B data solution company based out of New York.

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