Dan Scalco says, “Today’s businesses are obsessed with conversions—and that means they should be obsessed with their customer service. But too many companies fail to make the connection between the way they treat their customers and customers’ willingness to purchase their products. In case you’re among the group who remains unconvinced, consider this: One survey found companies that invest heavily in customer service report an average conversion rate that’s 11 percent higher than their less-customer-focused counterparts. Other research has found customers are willing to pay more... [...]

Parker Davis says, “A lot of online marketers to figure out how to convert leads into buys. This is where a lot of marketers get stuck. Their mind keeps going back to the same thing; we need more traffic! If we need to increase sales, we think of it as a traffic problem. But a lack of traffic is rarely the problem. You can throw $20 into a Facebook ad and instantly generate enough traffic to sell your product or service. A lot of these marketers are throwing thousands of dollars at their ads, but the focus is still on driving traffic. It’s important to figure out what the real issue... [...]

Rolando Herrerasays, “SEO is one of the most important strategies in online marketing. For this reason, we’ve compiled 8 SEO strategies that have proven to be effective over time. The right SEO approach can effectively lower your user audience cost and lead you to success. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most important strategies in modern digital marketing. A successful SEO strategy will help your website find a place at the top of the search engines results pages (SERP). The right SEO approach can help you get an abundance of traffic and lower your Customer Acquisition... [...]

Maria Haggerty says, “With the growth of the web, entrepreneurs continue to leverage eCommerce and for good reason. Online purchasing continues to grow and evolve. In fact, according to Forrester Research, online sales, specifically in the U.S., are expected to break the $500 billion mark by 2020. It’s expected to grow even more as access to the web expands with the proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices. As the industry booms, it’s important to recognize the successes and challenges of different eCommerce models in order to make informed decisions regarding the future... [...]

Scott Gerber says, “It’s hard to keep track of how customers are interacting with your company. Are you getting more leads from your Instagram posts or do your clients prefer to talk with someone directly via phone call? And how many people are remembering your marketing materials? Customer relationship management programs help companies follow their prospects, tracking where they connect, where they lose interest and how often they buy products. However, there are a wide variety of programs, and not every one fits every industry or business. Below, 13 members from YEC discuss their... [...]

Brian Sutter says, “There’s nothing small about a small business. If you run one, you know this. “Small” businesses – companies with 500 employees or less – employ nearly half the U.S. workforce. They create a third of U.S. exports. They’re responsible for the lion’s share of net new jobs. And yet, small businesses often neglect the very thing that would make them even bigger: marketing. In the WASP 2017 State of Small Business Report, we found that the smaller the company, the less budget they’ve probably allocated to promote themselves. Part of this may be simple budget... [...]

Beth Worthy says, “Content marketing, social media marketing and reputation management are the cornerstones of any successful business. Big brands are successfully using these techniques to subtly and explicitly build their brand and pass their message to their prospects. If you are running a small business, you may not have a large marketing budget like the big brands. However, you can still creatively make your marketing strategy work by deliberate design. Scouring and immersing yourself in various tools and resources will make master reaching your target audience and getting impactful... [...]

Blaire Nicole says, “It’s no secret that improving your customer experience game can help you reduce turnover and raise revenues. When it comes to the customer relationship, most businesses fall into one of two categories: transactional or experiential. Transactional customer relationships are nothing more than the exchange of money for products or services. There’s nothing extraordinary about these customer relationships, and they’re easily replaceable. Experiential customer relationships are a different story. In these relationships, the exchange of money buys more than just a product... [...]

Aleksander Olic says, “According to a global study conducted by Deloitte in 2015, at least 53 percent of workers, including digital marketers, dream of rising up the corporate ladder to leadership or senior executive positions. However, as experience has taught us, only a handful of digital marketers have the requisite knowledge and skill to effectively lead their teams. The explosion of disruptive technologies and the rise of global consumerism are progressively revolutionizing the entire digital marketing world, consequently making team leadership rather challenging for most individuals.... [...]

Jeremiah Owyang says, “Every business today knows that social media matters and has most likely at least set up a Facebook or Twitter account. But it is one thing to say that something is important and another to actually spend money on it. Does a small business really need a dedicated social media manager? Surely the owner can take care of it on the weekends, or perhaps you can get a college intern who understands the ins and outs. But there is so much more to social media than firing off a few tweets. Getting the most out of social media requires forethought, a good sense of business... [...]