lead generation Archives - Merryn Bourne Creative

How to create meaningful content in 2018

December 15, 2017

by Merryn lead generation marketing search engines

Studies increasingly show that creating engaging, helpful and consistent content results in higher overall retention and profit rates in the long term. This is because truly engaging your customers enhances brand recognition, likeability and community – the key ingredients for sales growth. If you’re not investing in content, you should start now – experts predict that creating meaningful content will be vital to business success in 2018, with our economy becoming more digitalised and socially connected than ever before. Here are some tips to help you develop content that engages your customers:

Add value, don’t just advertise

Many organisations produce content solely for advertising purposes, but this often comes at the detriment of building a real connection with your client. People tend to block out advertising material, or anything they deem to have too strong of a sales push. On the other hand, if your content is engaging, helpful and shows you really care about your product or service, your customers are far more likely to follow you, regularly interact with your material and even share it with their friends. If you’re unsure whether your content is adding value, simply ask: ‘If I were a customer, would I be truly interested in viewing this?’ If the answer is no, it’s probably time to reconsider the kind of material you’re producing.

Know your audience

We live in an era of personalisation. It’s essential to customise your content to ensure individuals only see the information they’ll be interested in. If the option is available, why not tailor your message to specific individuals to ensure they get the most out of your communications? You can segment customers into groups that would benefit from a unique offering – for example, location, sector, purchase history, browsing habits or gender by reviewing the analytics data you already have about them. By feeling like your content has been tailored specifically to them, studies show that customers are much more likely to engage with you and become a part of your brand community.

Always be authentic

No longer do brands have to look authentic, but they also have to be authentic. Today’s socially conscious and tech-savvy consumers expect the brands they endorse to be honest, transparent, deliver on their promises and to remain true to their identities. They are far more likely engage with content that speaks to human experiences, appears passionate about what they believe in and are willing to accept their faults. On the other hand, if these expectations aren’t met, criticism can spread like wildfire across social networks, devastating your credibility. Remember, your credibility is one of your most valuable commodities, so use it wisely.

Need help developing a content strategy that motivates and excites? Merryn Bourne Creative can work closely with your brand to develop integrated marketing communications that generates real sales results. For more detailed information, contact us today.

How print marketing can complement your digital strategy

November 22, 2017

by Merryn branding lead generation print

Many say that the days of print marketing are coming to an end, but we don’t believe this. After all, similar predictions were made after radio and TV were introduced and print survived both of these. In fact, many are unaware that the statistics are looking pretty good for print at the moment, with some even saying it’s being reborn: sales of e-books having slumped, magazines still in circulation, 3D printers being all the rage and sales of polaroid cameras steadily rising again. And while there’s no denying the fact that digital strategies are often the most practical, efficient and even cost-effective at times, there is definitely scope for print marketing to survive and remain relevant, even as our world becomes more and more digital.

What does print do best?

While digital media is unparalleled when it comes to providing data intelligence, targeting specific individuals and reaching the largest numbers, print clearly provides something unique, otherwise it would probably be obsolete by now. Here are some of the main areas where it has been known to out-perform digital:

Emotional connections

Studies show that people are more likely to have strong emotions toward something that’s real and tangible than something made out of pixels. Ever heard someone say they love the smell of books? These kinds of genuine sentimental connections are really unique to print.

Creating memories

Experts have found that our brains are better at retaining information from print than they are from digital sources. This is probably because print is far more physically immersive – you’re turning the page with your hands and feeling the intricate details of the paper. On the other hand, the routine action of scrolling, clicking and typing is so instinctive to most of us, that we often forget we’re doing it.

Standing out

Because consumers are so used to digital noise, they’re highly desensitised, often blocking out anything they deem to be advertising, whether that’s mentally or through an ad-blocker. Print on the other hand, is less saturated in this way. Without digital limits in place, it can catch eyes in unique and unexpected ways.

So, what’s the best way to use print in 2017?

We’re certainly not saying that it’s a good idea to rip down your socials, deactivate your website or slash your SEO budget. But having some print integrated into your marketing efforts may just broaden your reach and draw in some new business. Here are some of the top ways companies are using print to complement their digital strategies:

Variable printing

Not a whole lot of print material is personalised, despite the mass of data we have on our clients from all our intelligence. Variable printing is now better quality, more affordable and customisable than ever, allowing you to combine the personalisation of digital marketing and the immersive elements of print.

Business cards

If someone has your business card, the chances are you’ve probably met them in person. A tangible keepsake from your meeting will always be a great way to put you in your customers’ front of mind, especially as more and more communications become digital.

Finishing touches

Being able to add unique finishes to your print communications is now more affordable, customisable and accessible than ever before. Small touches can make a big difference, offering new opportunities to expand your brand image with new style, depth and character.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your print communications:

Be you

Your print communications shouldn’t differ too much from your digital material, so it’s necessary to ensure your style, content and energy remains consistent with your unique brand personality.

Segway to web

Just because you’re using print, don’t forget to refer customers to your digital platforms. Always save space for email, web address and social handles to ensure you’re accessible as possible to your customers.

Triple check your work

Unlike web content, print mistakes can be very costly and time-consuming to mend. You should double ensure your content is proof-read, edited and thoroughly reviewed before it goes to print.

Need some help adding flair to your branding? Merryn Bourne Creative works closely with brands to develop unique integrated marketing communications strategies with a range of digital and physical touchpoints. For more information, contact us today.

How you can grow sales by building a stronger brand community

October 18, 2017

by Merryn branding lead generation marketing sales

website-post-header

Here are some tips we’ve accumulated to help you strengthen your brand community:

Create meaningful content

Many organisations produce content solely for advertising purposes, but this often comes at the detriment of building a community. People tend to block out advertising material, or anything they deem to have too strong of a sales push. On the other hand, if your content is engaging, helpful and shows you really care about your product or service, your customers are far more likely to follow you, regularly interact with your material and even share it with their friends. If you’re unsure whether your content is adding value, simply ask: ‘If I were a customer, would I be truly interested in viewing this?’ If the answer is no, it’s probably time to reconsider the kind of material you’re producing.

Know your audience

We live in an era of personalisation. It’s essential to customise your communications to ensure individuals only see the information they’ll be interested in. If the option is available, why not tailor your message to specific individuals to ensure they get the most out of your communications? You can segment customers into groups that would benefit from a unique offering – for example, location, sector, purchase history, browsing habits or gender by reviewing the analytics data you already have about them. By feeling like your message has been tailored specifically to them, studies show that customers are much more likely to engage with you and become a part of your brand community.

Always be authentic

No longer do brands have to look authentic, but they also have to be authentic. Today’s socially conscious and tech-savvy consumers expect the brands they endorse to be honest, transparent, deliver on their promises and to remain true to their identities. They are far more likely to join brand communities that speak to human experiences, appear passionate about what they believe in and are willing to accept their faults. On the other hand, if these expectations aren’t met, criticism can spread like wildfire across social networks, devastating your credibility and making it near impossible to build a strong community. Remember, your credibility is one of your most valuable commodities, so use it wisely.

Cabrini: A case study in Aged Care

cabrini-care-westmead-events-and-activities

When it comes to Aged Care, having a strong brand community doesn’t just benefit sales, but can significantly enhance quality of life for elderly people, which makes this extra important. Last year, Cabrini Care approached Fish Tank Creative to develop a multi-channelled communications strategy. By focusing on open and nurturing communications, our approach enabled closer communication between families, residents and staff. Here are some of the features we introduced to help build a stronger brand community for Cabrini:

A brand awareness campaign
Fish Tank Creative engaged the local community with a campaign of beautifully designed newsletters, articles, photography, blogs and Facebook posts. Not only did these provide important information and updates about day to day happenings, but they also emphasised the warm spirit of Cabrini, offering a glimpse into moments of happiness, laughter and joy.

Website redevelopment
We introduced a host of new, interactive web features to better engage families and members of the community. These included:

A monthly events calendar that updates in real time, helping keep families in the loop about activities during the month.
The “message a resident” feature, which allows users to send a personalised message or greeting to any resident, helping make their day.
An online booking channel, offering families the opportunity to book out the family dining space for special quality time with their loved one.

Information on the website and search engines has also been redeveloped for user-friendliness, ensuring the community has the best possible access to information.

As a result of this new approach, Cabrini says it now enjoys improved communication of important information and activities. But beyond this, the changes have also led to a more vibrant, open and engaged community, helping bring residents, staff and families closer than ever before.

Need help building a stronger brand community? Merryn Bourne Creative can work closely with your unique brand to develop an integrated marketing communication strategy. For more information, contact us today.

Are load times slowing your business down?

October 4, 2017

by Merryn clients lead generation search engines seo technology web design

It’s common for businesses to prioritise sleek design, nifty functions or extra content over fast load times when building a website. Having all these added bells and whistles can be an asset to your brand, helping you to stand out against competition and attract customers’ attention. But if they begin to encroach on your website’s speed and efficiency, there’s a point where they’ll stop making your customers happy and start slowing sales down. Not convinced? Amazon reports show that just a one-second improvement in page speeds yields seven per cent growth in conversion rates and a ten percent overall increase in sales – proof that speed is a big deal.

Here are the main areas of your business load speeds may be influencing:

Customer experience

Research shows that when a website runs efficiently, we perceive the brand to run with equal efficiency, leading to better trust and improved customer retention. Alternatively, slow load speeds can kill the browsing experience. After all, how frustrating is it when a site lags for what feels like a lifetime when you’re just trying to access basic information? A website could be beautifully designed and have awesome interactive features, but at the end of the day, if it is too slow, users will simply shut the tab and switch to a competing site. In these situations, the business is not only at risk of losing a sale, but also a repeat customer, which is a big opportunity cost. Remember, consumers, value their own time above all else, which is why a smooth user experience should always be first priority.

Search rankings

While many people expect loading times to influence user experience, few anticipate how much they can also affect search engine ranking algorithms. There are two factors influencing this. Firstly, Google searches have user engagement indexes that track how many potential customers are engaging with the content on a website. So if people keep dropping off a page shortly after opening it, Google will think something illegitimate is going on, placing the site lower in its rankings. Secondly, if the search engine is too slow to connect to the data on a particular web page in time, it will simply ignore the content, leaving the site out of search results, no matter how good its other SEO efforts are. And as you’re aware, search rankings have a large impact on web traffic, which is a crucial driver of sales.

Here are some simple tips to help improve your page loading speeds:

Compress your pages

Large pages are bulky and slow to download. The best way to speed pages up is to zip them, which reduces their bandwidth, improving download speeds by up to seventy percent (according to Yahoo).

Optimise images

Large images take too long to load, but small images are too low quality, which is why striking a perfect balance is key.

Enable browser caching

Caching temporarily stores data on visitors’ computers, keeping them from having to re-download it each time they visit your page.

Minimise CSS

Excess or unnecessary code can really slow download your speed. It’s important to regularly sift through your coding and make reductions where possible. You can also copy and paste CSS into tools like CSS Minimiser, which will optimise your stylesheet automatically.

The Merryn Bourne Creative team are experts at building websites that are both beautifully designed and quick to load. For more information about improving the functions of your site, contact us today.

Email Opt-ins the do’s and don’ts

May 4, 2017

by Merryn lead generation Uncategorized

With more than 200 million emails being sent out every minute of the day, it’s safe to say email is still a heavily used communication platform for consumers, brands and marketers alike.

But this isn’t the only piece of evidence which proves it’s too soon to contemplate the demise of email marketing. 59 per cent of B2B marketers say email is the most effective channel for generating revenue.

EMAIL-OPT-IN-INFORGRAPHIC

So, how can your business optimise its email opt-in rates?

For email campaigns to be successful, it’s essential your business works at engaging and attracting subscribers. However, building a lengthy subscription list can be challenging, especially given the inevitability that customers are likely to unsubscribe down the track.

That’s why, businesses need to implement marketing strategies that’ll maximise their opt-ins so they can not only keep subscribers active, but also invite new subscribers in to grow their list.

But, before you kick start utilising email opt-ins, it’s important to understand what your customer behaviour is like. For instance, you could track their social insights and be aware of their entire profile to make sure your email messaging is relevant and targeted.

Need some useful tips?

Here at Fish Tank Creative, we’ve compiled what we think to be some of the best practices for businesses when it comes to optimising their email opt-ins:

Identify your audience’s preferences and deliver a form that actually helps your customers through the signup process
Provide your audience with an opt-in offer that is specific, valuable and easy to understand
Keep the form simple
If you want to include animation or add interactive elements, make sure they don’t distract
Keep the copy clean and attractive
Make it easy to close the opt-in form
Keep the form optimised for mobile users in terms of its size, button placement and content
Make sure your form is placed in the right eye-path to attract conversion
Test a few opt-in forms and see which one works best for you
Make sure your opt-in forms carry your brand personality

We want your brand to stand out from the crowd. It’s important when you come to designing and implementing your email opt-ins, that you make smart choices so your business is standing out for all the right (and not the wrong) reasons.

So, if you want to make an effective sign-up form, this is what you should avoid when making an effective sign-up form:

Too many mandatory fields

Capturing information is good, but a lot of information makes visitors sceptical about how it will be utilised. Limit your form to a few fields, you can always use surveys to find out the rest.

Improper sizing for on-the-go subscribers

It’s recommended when it comes to designing your opt-in form that you keep mobile visitors in mind. Improper sizing will jeopardise your user getting a great experience.

Problems exiting the form while viewing

Some opt-in forms are so bulky that they occupy the entire screen, while others are small to see where to exit them.

Note: If you design your pop-up so that it does cover the main content of your page you’ll put your business at risk of being dropped down in Google’s search rankings. This could potentially hinder your site’s reach, and in turn, the overall success of your business. To avoid Google penalties, your business needs to ensure users have a positive browsing experience on portable devices.

For more information on how you can create beautiful email opt-ins as part of your business’s overall marketing strategy, please get in contact with us.

Uplift your EDM open rate with A/B testing

February 20, 2017

by Merryn lead generation marketing Uncategorized

Want to improve the effectiveness of your website’s marketing efforts, but unsure how to evaluate whether the changes will be successful or not?

The solution to your problem is A/B testing.

A/B testing involves running an experiment between two web designs (A and B). By comparing the two versions against each other, you’re able to determine- via statistical evidence – which web page performs or converts the best.

From this, you’re able to gain an insight into the behaviour of the visitors accessing your web page and adjust your website accordingly to maximise conversion rates.

Not only does A/B testing help you understand the impact you’re making, but it also gives you a much fuller understanding about your customers’ behaviour and preferences.

Starting point:

Once you have determined your goal – perhaps to increase conversion rates, reduce bounce rates or increase sales – you then need to decide what it is you wish to test on your landing page.

What can you test?

A/B testing can look at anything on your website that affects visitor behaviour.

However, try focus on aspects which are most likely to have a large impact. For instance;

Headlines
Call to Action text
Call to Action Button
Any graphics used in direct correlation to sales efforts

By focusing on the aspects which have the greatest impact on your customers, you’re less likely to get caught up on minute details which may only have a minimal impact.

How A/B testing works:

In an A/B test, you take a web page and modify it to create a second version of the same page. This change can be as simple as a single headline or button, or be a complete redesign of a page.

This leads to half of your traffic being diverted through the original version of the page (known as the control, or A) and the other half through the modified version of the page (the variation, of B).

Visitors are then served either the control or variation, and their engagement with each is measured, collected and analysed through a statistical engine. As a result, you are able to determine whether changes made to the web page had an impact on visitor behaviour – positive, negative, or no effect at all.

AB-testing-INFOGRAPHIC

The benefits of using an A/B test:

A well planned A/B test can help improve your bottom line by allowing you to better understand what works and what doesn’t. This means when it comes to deciding what marketing strategies to use, decisions can be made quicker with a result that’s guaranteed to be effective as the evidence found from the A/B tests will help you better understand what your customers are responding to.

A/B Testing process:

When running an A/B testing experiment, you should treat the process in a scientific manner.

Study your website data
Observe user behaviour
Construct a hypothesis
Test your hypothesis
Analyse test data and draw conclusions
Report results to all concerned

For more information or guidance on A/B testing, please contact us on 02 8399 2223 or email us.

How to boost your retention rate with customer aftercare

November 24, 2016

by Merryn branding lead generation marketing

aftercare-blog-header A Harvard study has found that a five per cent improvement in customer retention can lead to up to an 85 per cent increase in profits. This is proof that the relationship you have with your existing customers is important to your overall business. A company with poor retention is like a bucket with a hole in it – you can keep filling it up, but it will continue to leak until you patch it up.

The key to retaining customers is to treat your relationship with them like you would a friendship. Keep it personal, stay in contact and remember to say thank you. You’ll soon notice customers stick around for the long term. Here’s how to build this friendship with customers:

Say thank you after each purchase.

Sending a customer a humble ‘thank you’ email after they’ve made a purchase is a great way to keep the dialogue open and flowing. It also gives them a chance to provide valuable feedback on your service. This communication should let the customer know that you’re still here for them and that they haven’t been forgotten once they’ve made a purchase. While you can use this space to up-sell, cross-sell or to capture data, its more important to show the customer that you value their business, their feedback and their time.

Keep in touch.

Studies show that strong engagement between a business and its customers will result in higher overall retention and profit rates in the long term. This means that its important to take advantage of your mailing list of existing customers by creating engaging, helpful and consistent content that will be of interest to them. Not only will you experience less customers unsubscribing from your communications as time passes, but truly engaging your customers contributes to higher brand recognition and likeability.

Make it personal.

We live in an era of personalisation, which means its essential to make use of the data you have already have about your customers. A good way to personalise your messages is to segment customers into the groups you believe will benefit from a unique offering or proposition. Dependent on your product or service, segments could be based on anything from location, to age, gender, industry, or past purchases. By feeling like your message has been tailored specifically to them, studies show that customers are much more likely to engage with what you have to say, which could direct them to make repeat purchases.

Don’t come on too strong.

It’s hard for customers to feel genuinely valued in today’s world. They’re met with a never-ending barrage of marketing material each day in everything they do – from browsing online, to watching TV, checking their emails or even walking down the street. As a consequence, they tend to block out anything they deem too much of a sales push. By maintaining a genuine relationship, sharing useful information with them and keeping things personal, you can help stick out above competition.

Merryn Bourne Creative can help you develop a customer aftercare plan suited to your unique business. For more information, contact us.

AEH website lead generation

August 28, 2015

by Merryn clients design digital lead generation web design

Recently Merryn Bourne Creative partnered with AEH Property Group to make some website changes to help increase the sites conversation rate. Our solution included adding an email capture form at the top of every sidebar. Having this new lead generation element positioned above the fold means users are more likely to notice and act on the call to action before having to perform a scroll action.

Construction marketing

August 26, 2015

by Merryn construction creative design inspiration lead generation marketing

Effective marketing makes more construction!

Construction Marketing Infographic

CBC Group responsive website

August 12, 2015

by Merryn branding clients creative design digital lead generation marketing search engines web design

Merryn Bourne Creative and Concession Planning worked closely with the facilities management group, CBC GROUP to redesign their company website.

They now have a beautiful responsive CMS site with strong branding throughout. The new platform also features an interactive safety induction that allows for required sub contractors to complete an easy online questionnaire and agreement, which in turn cuts the internal admin processes for CBC Group.

For the potential client searching online, company statistics as infogrpahics show success in their sector in a snapshot, and gives the viewer a simple path to all core services, and required information.