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FAQs
Below are several common questions we get from online marketing prospects – and answers that we hope you find helpful:
Q. Why choose Ranseen Marketing versus another website design or an adverting/marketing firm?
Q. So you provide web design as well as online marketing services?
Q. Will you work with our in-house web designer or someone we already use, instead?
Q. We have a pretty successful business now. Do we have to get into online marketing?
Q. How do we know if having a really good site and getting into search engine optimization, etc. in a big way would make good economic sense for our business?
Q. Our company doesn’t sell things online, per se, but we want to generate more sales leads. Can you help?
Q. Assuming that we could generate more contacts/prospects online, are these web leads actually worthwhile?
Q. What if we just want a lot better looking that houses key information but we really don’t want or expect to generate business online?
Q. Do you help develop inexpensive, starter websites?
Q. What if we just want Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services and not a new website?
Q. All of my competitors seem to be getting into online marketing, but it sounds too expensive. Is it?
Q. We hear that Google charges too much for their Google Adwords ads “pay-per-click.” Do we have to use Google Adwords in our online marketing?
Q. What about YahooSearch, MSN Search, and others as less expensive pay-per-click alternatives to Google Adwords?
Q. Do you provide other types of marketing other than just website development & online marketing?
Q. Do you do work outside of your Nashville area?
Q. What do your services cost?
Q. Why choose Ranseen Marketing versus another website design firm or an adverting/marketing firm?
A. Our focus on $$$$$$$ results versus merely a “wow” online look. Typical “web design” firms simply do not have an expert with 30 years of business know-how – who not only understands the web but also knows how to generate business online. Plus, unlike other "full service" ad or marketing firms (few that know much about online marketing!), Ranseen Marketing seamlessly intertwines the marketing strategy, content , SEO , follow-up , and yes, web design to help you get best bang for your online marketing dollar: in terms of more prospects, sales, revenues, and profits. Read more about Ranseen Marketing Benefits.
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Q. So you provide web design as well as online marketing services?
A. Yes, via partners such as iDesign, an outstanding Nashville, TN web design firm. Read more about web design. In addition, iDesign, Smithware, and other partners can provide any of the technology backend components that your site may need.
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Q. Will you work with our in-house web designer or someone we already use, instead?
A. Only in unusual circumstances will I work with an in-house designer or designer that you’ve used in the past. Why? Because, the projects never turn out as well compared to working with a design firm that I know (and that knows me) – and I’ve learned that lesson from seven years of experience. You’ll be very glad that I bring the right designer to the project (and BTW, they bill totally independently, and I get no “cut” of their fee).
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Q. We have a pretty successful business now. Do we have to get into online marketing?
A. Absolutely not (unless of course you’re an online e-commerce business) you don’t have to do anything online or even have a website. I tell all prospects that online marketing is not a requirement for business success. The real question for businesses, though, that have lousy, unproductive websites (or don’t even have one) and have never legitimately tried online marketing is: Could we grow our business a lot more, and more profitably with a quality online presence accompanied by online marketing initiatives Great sites and online marketing do not equate to a panacea to get to the next level of growth, but usually clients are pleasantly surprised by the results – and within a few months wonder why we haven’t been doing a lot more. Take this quick quiz to give you an idea whether or not you’re a good candidate for jumping into online marketing.
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Q. How do we know if having a really good site and getting into Search Engine Optimization, etc. in a big way would make good economic sense for our business?
A. There are several factors to weigh before jumping into online marketing –and no guarantees, ever. Take this quick quiz, though, and find out if doing it (marketing online) makes sense to consider for your business. Then, contact Ranseen Marketing, and I’ll listen to your other specific needs. If it does not seem to make sense, then that’s what I’ll tell you, and sometimes, it doesn’t.
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Q. Our company doesn’t sell things online, per se, but we want to generate more sales leads. Can you help?
A. Yes, in fact a number of websites that I’ve helped develop several years are B2B or B2C sites that do NOT sell widgets or services, directly, via credit cards online. They generate contact (and e.g. quote and other) information for use in their sales funnels. Actually, I’ve found that ROI on those sites is usually much better than on a typical e-commerce site because, typically, the prices of the products/services are so much greater. It is a complete myth that e-commerce sites are the only types that can generate significant financial results online.
Q. Assuming that we could generate more contacts/prospects online, are these web leads actually worthwhile?
A. No question that it’s a numbers game that has to be played well – as with any marketing investment. See Online Marketing Results. Only a small percentage of any prospect base is reasonably going to convert into sales. If you’re comparing the likely quality of an online lead to others who were essentially “strangers” until they saw a print ad, got a direct mail piece, received a cold call, viewed a billboard ad, saw a TV commercial, etc., then online leads compare very favorably. In fact, search-generated “strangers” who were specifically looking for your types of products or services (versus someone just happened to see an ad) are usually much better prospects than those generated via other media. And they are usually less expensive – hence giving you a better ROI with online marketing. The proof is in the pudding, and Ranseen Marketing customers have been creating new prospect and turning them into sales for years. AND several of those have been generated by my own online marketing.
Note that there is usually little comparison between the relative quality of prospects generated via a personal contact, customer or other referral compared to any online or offline sources. That’s just common sense.
Q. What if we just want a lot better looking website that has our key corporate information, but we really don’t want or expect to generate business online?
A. If what you want is really a new online “brochure” site that looks great and is the repository for basic information about your company – without making a serious attempt to drive new prospects or sales – there are probably a bunch of alternatives in your own city for getting what you want. Ranseen Marketing is not one of them.
Q. Do you provide inexpensive, starter websites?
A. No, sorry, we don’t — we only develop custom sites that are created for you to generate you more business. If you have some significant budget constraints, your best bet is to buy your own “template” tool and develop your own website yourself. Thousands of individuals and small businesses do. There’s a learning curve, but these sites are much less expensive. You’ll have to develop your own content and figure out SEO yourself, but that depends on your own capabilities and your time and initiative. Then when you have the capital to invest, you may want your own custom site, which is what Ranseen Marketing does.
Q. What if we just want Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services and not a new website?
A. In exceptional circumstances we will provide SEO services, only, but only on rare occasions. Why? Because the prerequisite to getting results is a site with great content that compels visitors to ACT. If you’ve got a site already does that, then yes, but otherwise you’ll need some site overhaul or, more likely, a complete site revamp before SEO and other online marketing makes any economic sense.
Q. All of my competitors seem to be getting into online marketing, but it sounds too expensive? Is it?
A. There is no such thing as a free lunch anymore in terms of online marketing whether that is developing an effective marketing-oriented site, getting placed on search or business directories, trading links, issuing press releases, doing pay-per-click, putting keywords in the right spots on your website, etc. Oh sure, you may get really lucky with something that goes “viral,” on YouTube or a social networking site, but it takes time, know-how, and money to become visible online. It’s all about “findability,” visibility, and desirability (to the right prospects) online – location, location, location.
Over the past seven years I’ve found that online marketing is relatively inexpensive compared to alternative offline marketing and sales efforts – and worst case, is a terrific complement. Super successful marketing-oriented companies these days typically use a complementary combination of online and offline marketing/sales. And they don’t skimp on what is really needed.
Q. We hear that Google charges too much for their Google Adwords ads “Pay-Per-Click.” Do we have to use Google Adwords in our online marketing?
A. No you don’t. But if you (or your marketing department) dismisses Adwords out-of-hand without trying it are, frankly, nuts. Google became a multi-billion dollar company because of one thing: Adwords – and the positive, measurable, and quick results their customers get. Google Adwords is the real deal IF you know what you’re doing, and then it can produce terrific ROI (and now you can even tie it to offline marketing deals to market your stuff via print, radio & other media).
Ranseen Marketing specializes in Google Adwords online ad campaign management, and it’s part of virtually all of my clients’ marketing arsenals. Ignoring Adwords completely is usually a big mistake and opportunity lost, especially with Google accounting for 70% of all online searches. Anyone can schlep up an Adwords account (it costs only $5 to start) and begin running ads on Google today. But to figure out the right keywords, write great ads (and test them), bid the right amounts into the right positions, use the right “negative” negative keywords, send visitors to the right landing pages, etc. etc. takes some know-how.
I’m an unabashed Adwords fan and believer because of the results I’ve seen over several years with my client (and Ranseen Marketing) and the research I’ve done and courses I’ve take. Read more about SEO and pay-per-click.
Q.What about YahooSearch, Microsoft adCenter, and others as less expensive pay-per-click alternatives to Google Adwords?
A. Most of my clients who use Google Adwords also use YahooSearch & Microsoft adCenter as well. Here’s the thing though. The COMBINED search volumes of Yahoo and MSN for most keywords are only about a third to a fourth of Google’s, and in many cases the click prices for their respective PPC services are simply not that different than Adwords (besides the fact that Adwords is a light-year ahead still in terms of usability and data provided). Sometimes YahooSearch and Microsoft adCenter are more expensive and sometimes less than Adwords—but are usually pretty comparable. There are also other lower tier search engines with PPC options, and if if those engines are targeted toward your audience(s), they could also be worth a try.
Q. Do you provide other types of marketing in addition to website development & online marketing?
A. Yes, especially if you have no real marketing infrastructure and need a professional to coordinate your offline (and, in particular, print advertising) with your online marketing. Ranseen Marketing will function as your outsourced marketer for any timeframe you need – short term or long term. Most Ranseen Marketing "project" clients decide to retain me to assist with their online marketing on an ongoing basis (but this is not required).
Q. Do you do work outside of your Nashville area?
A. Yes, geography really is not an issue working with Ranseen Marketing. 90%+ of my work, even with Nashville area clients, is by phone or email. The majority of my clients, though, are in the Nashville area.
Q. What do your services cost?
A. My current rate is $125/hour (and is subject to update) for strategy, planning, content, SEO, project management. Design services are billed separately (at lower hourly rates) by my partners. We will give you a range of hours based on initial scope and then keep you posted weekly as the project progresses. Often, depending on the client needs, we work out a monthly retainer after the initial project is complete... for ongoing online marketing services or comprehensive marketing outsourcing services.
More questions? Contact Ranseen Marketing today, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.