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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 to help you market online?
Q. Do you provide web design as well as online marketing services?
Q. Do we have to get into online marketing in a big way?
Q. How do we know if having a really good site and getting into online marketing would make economic sense for our business?
Q. Our company doesn’t sell things online, per se, but we want to generate more sales leads. How can you help?
Q. Assuming that we could generate more contacts/prospects online, do these web leads turn into sales?
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?
Q. Do you provide inexpensive, starter websites?
Q. What if we just want to use your online
marketing services and do not need a new website?
Q. All of my competitors seem to be getting into online marketing, but it sounds too expensive? Is it?
Q. Should we use Google Adwords in our online marketing?
Q.What about Microsoft adCenter (which runs Bing & Yahoo Search now) as pay-per-click alternatives to Google Adwords?
Q. Do you provide other types of marketing in addition to website development & online marketing?
Q. Do you do work outside of Nashville area?
Q. What do your online marketing services cost?
Q. Why choose Ranseen Marketing to help you market online?
A. Any major, new marketing initiative must start with a solid
understanding of your business and in particular, your current marketing/sales
efforts, your products/services, your markets/customers and your competitors. Most
typical “web design” or ad firms simply do not have an expert with 25+ years of
business & marketing know-how – who knows the Web in 2012 and knows how
to generate business online. After getting a quick handle on your business, I’ll
help you tell the best story you can, get you visible using marketing venues
that make the most sense for you, and generate more prospects/sales for your
business. I focus on what it takes to get real results, versus merely a “wow”
online look. If you want a great look, you’ll get that, too. Read
what a few Ranseen Marketing clients have to say.
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Q. Do you provide web design as well as online marketing services?
A. Yes, via partners such as iDesign, an outstanding Nashville, TN web
design firm and others that can provide design or any of the technology back end
components that your site may need. Then, I typically act as the project manager
on behalf of my clients so that you can concentrate on your business.
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Q. Do we have to get into online marketing in a big way?
A. Not necessarily (unless of course
you’re an online e-commerce business).It’s no longer an option not to at least
have a respectable web presence, but you don’t have to do other marketing if you don´t want to. 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 and/or 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 guarantee multiples of
growth, but for a more than a decade Ranseen Marketing clients pleasantly surprised by the results.
Within a few months, they wonder why we
haven’t been investing a lot more since the ROI is so good. 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 online marketing would make economic sense for our business?
A. Any business with a website needs to do some level of online marketing (and if you primarily sell online that goes without saying). Online for companies that are trying to generate sales leads (and may do e-commerce too) need to stars with Google Adwords. There are several factors to weigh before jumping into online marketing in a big way. 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 we´ll talk about your specific needs -- and getting you more leads/sales online.
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Q. Our company doesn’t sell things online, per se, but we want to generate more sales leads. How can you help?
A. You have come to the right place…In fact, Ranseen
Marketing specializes in marketing for companies (B2B or B2C) that do NOT
sell widgets or services, directly, via credit cards online. Rather, their
primary purpose is to generate sales lead contact information (including
email and/or telephone #, etc.) via custom quotes, requests for information/demos, etc) for
use in their sales
funnels. In fact, online marketing ROI (return-on-investment) for those type
of businesses can be much better than for typical e-commerce site because the
price points are often relatively higher and online competition sometimes not
as fierce. It remains a complete
myth that e-commerce sites are the only types that can generate significant
financial results
online.
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Q. Assuming that we could generate more contacts/prospects online, do these web leads turn into sales?
A. Absolutely. But 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 going to reasonably
convert into sales. And you have to follow-up with a passion, ASAP, especially
with online leads.
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 are usually much better prospects than those generated via other
media. But also, online display ads (text, audio, video) served up by Google,
Facebook and others also create profitable sales.
Overall, in my 11 years helping companies online , it is
very difficult to beat the ROI of online
marketing – if well executed. The proof is in the pudding, and Ranseen
Marketing customers have been creating new prospects and turning them into
sales -- for years.
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.
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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.
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Q. Do you provide inexpensive, starter websites?
A. No, sorry, we don’t — with partner web design firms, 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 (like Wordpress) and develop your own website.
Thousands of individuals and small businesses do. You’ll have to develop
your own content, 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.
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Q. What if we just want to use your online marketing services and do not need a new website?
A. No problem IF you
have great
content that compels visitors to ACT. If you’ve got a site already does
that, then yes, but otherwise you’ll need some website tweaking, a major
content overhaul or maybe a complete site
revamp before any online
marketing makes economic sense. Ranseen Marketing specializes in
Pay-Per-Click (PPC…or paid advertising) via Google Adwords and MSN adCenter.
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Q. All of my competitors seem to be getting into online marketing, but it sounds too expensive? Is it?
A. It’s all about ROI (return-on-investment). 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, doing PPC (Pay-Per-Click), issuing press
releases, etc. Oh sure, you may be one out of a million really lucky businesses
with something that goes “viral,” on YouTube or a social networking site, but
it takes know-how and reasonable
investment to become visible
online. It’s all about “findability,” visibility, and desirability (to the
right prospects) online – location,
location, location.
Over the past decade, I’ve found that online
marketing (and, in particular, PPC) is relatively inexpensive compared to
alternative offline marketing and sales efforts – and worst case, is a terrific, cost effective
complement. Super successful marketing-oriented companies these days typically
use a complementary combination of online and offline marketing/sales. If a
dollar invested makes multiples of that, the wise ones never scrimp to make
that additional profit.
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Q. Should we use Google Adwords in our online marketing?
You don’t have to use Google Adwords, but if you (or your
marketing department) dismisses Adwords out-of-hand without trying it, that is
an opportunity lost. Google became a $30 billion/yr company because of one
thing: Adwords – and the quick, positive, measurable results their customers
get. Google Adwords is the real deal IF you know what you’re doing, and then it
can produce terrific ROI. Ranseen Marketing specializes in Adwords PPC
advertising & account management.
I’m an unabashed Adwords fan and believer because of the results I’ve seen over
several years with my clients and my own business. Worst case, you should have a Google Adwords account ($5 to
sign up), if simply, to bid for various iterations of your own company name and
domain(s). These are usually “cheap” clicks, and provide great opportunity to
make sure you’re visible, especially if you’ve got a name iteration(s) that is
similar to others.
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Q.What about Microsoft adCenter (which runs Bing & Yahoo Search now) as pay-per-click alternatives to Google Adwords?
A. Most of my clients who use Google Adwords also use & MSN adCenter as well for PPC marketing. Here’s the thing though. The COMBINED search volumes of Bing & Yahoo for most keywords are usually less than a fifth of Google’s, hence they are the next best PPC option -- but not an alternative. In many cases the click prices for MSN adCenter keywords are less expensive than Adwords, but the volume is a fraction. Note also that Adwords is still a light-year ahead of MSN adCenter in terms of usability and information provided). .
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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).
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Q. Do you do work outside of 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/Middle TN area --
and like the fact that I can stop by and meet in person throughout a marketing
engagement or as an outsourcing client.
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Q. What do your online marketing services cost?
A. I charge on an hourly basis for strategy/planning,
web content, project management and other online marketing services but will also
do flat rate projects - with a very defined scope. Typically, you will be
provided a range of hours (and costs) based on initial scope. Then I keep you
posted weekly as the project progresses – so that there are never any
surprises. Often, depending on your needs, we work out a monthly retainer after
the initial project is complete... for ongoing
online marketing services or comprehensive
marketing outsourcing services. Web design and other services are typically
billed, separately, by partners.
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More questions? Contact Ranseen Marketing today, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.