Increase Business with Audio Internet Marketing
Adding audio to your websites and blog is a great way to increase the content your offer visitors. Audio provides a new communication strategy that broadens your product offerings and marketing tools and motivates purchases. Here are seven top ways audio can help to motivate purchases as an internet marketing tool.
Audio in Internet Marketing
1. Audio is one of the best ways to let people you may never meet in person get to know your personality. This is one of your biggest assets as the owner of a small business and audio makes it extremely easy to communicate your personality to your audience and target market group. By listening to you, people can come to like you as a person. Psychology shows that people will be more likely to purchase from you as a result. Use audio messages to connect with your audience and influence them to get to know and like you. Even a simple welcome message is a great start.
2. Audio helps promote you as an expert in your field. People buy from people or companies they consider to be an authority or expert in the industry. Audio is an exceptional tool for you to use to demonstrate your authority on your niche topic as it lets you provide extended information in a short period of time. Even 5 minutes of hearing you speak with authority has a lot of impact. Produce how to audio messages, interviews and lessons as tools to demonstrate your authority on a topic.
3. Audio Adds Proof. People often make purchasing decisions based on the opinions of others. This is called using social proof. This opinion is particularly important if those “others” are people your target market respects, admires, or desire to be like. Easily tap into this social proof trigger by interviewing experts in your field and posting audio testimonials on your website.
4. Audio is easy to produce. Nothing beats the ease of producing an audio product. You can use free audio software such as Audacity or purchase audio recording software to use. Normally all you need is a good microphone that hooks right into your computer to start recording audios. You can write out a script or talk about what you know without one. An audio can be completed in a few minutes and uploaded to your website for your target group to hear.
5. Audio is versatile. You can easily take the audio you produce and create other information products. Get the audio transcribed and you can have an ebook, book or home study program. That means, you do the audio once and recreate it into many different, effective formats. Learning to work with audio is a valuable tool in this modern business world.
6. Audio is transportable. Because you can download an audio file to an ipod or other portable device, it remains one of the most popular ways to share information. Being able to transport the audio to other areas makes it highly convenient. Being able to listen to recordings at will when it’s convenient increases the audience base.
7. Audio is Comforting. People love to recognize a voice. Don’t you enjoy hearing the voice of your favorite person on the telephone? What about hearing an actor in the distance; doesn’t that peak your interest? The same goes when people start to get accustomed to your voice. Hearing a familiar voice can be very comforting to people. Let people get to know you through your audios and you create a fan base, while developing and growing your business opportunities.
Change Your Marketing with Changing Times
Marketing your business can still influence consumers in any economy. In fact, you can change how you market your business and maintain a customer base when others are hitting hard times. What you need are new and innovative ways to bring attention to your business instead of depending on the old ways to get people to learn about you. Use these ideas to increase your market share and see your business take a turnaround.
1. Go personal by increasing your personal networking opportunities. Shake hands, meet people, and follow up with new acquaintances. Networking is the best way to let people know more about you. Look for opportunities you might have missed before and find new ones to make personal appearances and to meet people. Get those business cards and brochures with special offers updated and ready to distribute. Remember you have to let people see you multiple times before many make a buying decision so find new ways to get in front of people more often.
2. Repurpose what you do instead of approaching people in the same way. The brochures you’ve always had look like the same ones everyone else is handing out. Just because you’ve presented your business in one format before doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing now. Instead of sending print newsletters, try audio and video. Instead of just handing out business cards and brochures, offer to do a demonstration of your products or services to give instant information. Be the first to be different by taking what you have and using it in a new way to attract attention.
3. Go live by providing informational seminars and workshops on topics related to your product or services. Hold workshops for free or low cost to introduce what you do to groups then shoot for individual clients. Give actual training events or spend one to two hours providing new insights into topics related t your business. Have your special offers ready to go at the end of the event and offer discounts for immediate sign-ups.
4. Get your name in front of potential clients by donating products or services to groups and associations even if you’re the only one giving for that particular event. Tell the group organizers you are offering a door prize for their members that will help to increase the value of their meetings to members. Who could resist a free way to increase their member benefits? Make this a regular offer and continue to increase your exposure. If others follow suit, you’ll still be the first to make the offer.
5. Look for ways to partner with other professionals and develop new package offerings of products and services. For example, maybe you have a skin care line and she has a stress reduction program. Together you offer a “look better and live longer” package at special pricing.
6. Create the opportunities you need by organizing an event that lets you highlight what you have to offer. Reserve a room at a popular café or restaurant and invite several businesses that compliment but don’t compete with yours to join you in an evening of live demonstrations and information sharing. Make it a regular happening in your community that people come to expect and enjoy the increase in visibility for your business.
7. Develop your reputation as the professional in your field. Write articles for the local newspaper get on public television and public radio and do a regular show for the community. Then get involved with Internet media shows. Of course you have to promote these offline shows on the web and the Internet marketing shows through offline means. This helps you to expand your reach and increase your frequency of exposure which are the two major keys to successful advertising.
Marketing your business in new ways is more important than ever if you want to succeed in challenging economic times. Competitors are closing their doors which means more potential customers for the businesses that survive. Take steps to revamp your marketing efforts to respond to the needs of your target market.
Be flexible and creative in how you present what you have to offer and be willing to put in the time and effort needed to make personal contacts. Be willing to think outside of the box and your business will be able to survive and thrive during times of economic challenge.
Three Hot Topics for the Boomer Market
1. Boomers Continue to Learn
Boomers are life-long learners who continue to seek out quality educational and information resources and they will look for information on several areas of interest. Boomers are heading back to school in large numbers to earn degrees or to upgrade or learn new skills. They also find and read how-to information on a variety of topics.
Boomers access information from both online and off-line sources and through courses and other educational and information products like never before. “Many feel that ongoing education enhances opportunities, provides a good insurance policy against obsolescence, and is one of the most positive ways to increase job security and achieve promotions” (Knable, 2006).
Boomers are interested in a variety of educational topics. These range from financial planning education and services, ways to earn extra money or to start a small business, home-based business opportunities, or entrepreneurial ventures to name just a few areas. Seminars, workshops and other face-to-face educational opportunities attract this audience.
2. Boomers Want Business Information
One of the areas of interest for Boomers is information on business start-ups. They want to use their years of experience to generate funds as a source of continued income or to be able to enjoy life with more relaxation.
Fresh ideas on innovative products or service creation are of interest to this market. A smart marketer will be ready to make necessary adjustments to personalize their offerings to Boomers. You can see that this is a distinctive group with its own needs.
3. Boomers are Health Conscious
Staying intellectually active is necessary for overall boomer health. Reading, learning, and stretching the mind through intellectual pursuits is a way to keep the mind healthy and active. It also helps to prevent or delay the onset of mental deterioration. “A relative increase in the amount of time devoted to intellectual activities from early adulthood (ages 20 to 39) to mid-adulthood (ages 40 to 60) was associated with a significant decrease in the probability of having Alzheimer’s disease later in life” (Friedland, 2006).
On the other hand, the overall health of the majority of Boomers is not what it should be. Many are overweight, or suffer from social diseases brought on by a bad diet and lack of exercise including diabetes, obesity, hypertension and similar diseases. As the population ages, more business related to elder care will be desperately needed.
Where Boomers Spend Money Now
What are Boomers spending their money on these days? The answer could be lenghty but here are five areas where Boomers are spending significant dollars. Since Boomers are less likely to move into a traditional mode of retirement like the generation before them, they will need products and services that help them continue living a healthy and active life.
Of course, talking about a few areas of need can’t possibly cover everything the Baby Boomer market wants. But it gives you at least an idea of how this market group thinks:
1. New Business Support: Boomers want information on money-making ideas. They want to use their lifelong experiences to make income to support their lifestyle, particularly after retiring from their traditional work. Business and entrepreneurial coaching, consulting and programs will go over well in this market.
2. Financial Information. Boomers spend 57% above the average on retirement programs. They are interested in financial programs and information. Show them how to make the money they have stretch through good fiscal programs and plans.
3. Self-Care. Fitness, wellness and nutrition are big interests of Boomers. This group might be growing older in their bodies but not in their minds. The quest for youth will be continual with this market.
4. Apparel. On average, Boomers make about 37% of apparel (clothing and accessories) purchases and spend about 40% on household furnishings and equipment. It’s time for them to fix up their homes and to buy those material items that had to wait until this time in life.
5. Leisure. Travel and tourism is also a growing area for Boomers who love to see the world. Boomers that find a way to combine their love for travel and with a way to earn money will be very happy. Travel and tourism services for this market will be hot for quite a while. Some start their own travel services, which gives them the opportunity to get away while earning a living.
6. Education. Boomers continue to learn and educate themselves about what is going on around them. They look for online courses, continuing education, special interest courses, degree programs, and general interest classes both online and in the local community.
These are not the only areas that gain Boomers dollars but this gives you a great glimpse of ossiblities for targeting what you have to offer to Boomers. Boomers going into business will be a trend that lasts for many years. As the economy begins to rebound, so will Boomer spending so get geared up to reach this market group.
How to Market to Boomers
If you want start targeted the Baby Boomer consumer demographic in your marketing efforts and desire to develop a sustained customer base with Baby Boomers, show Boomers that you understand they are a savvy group of potential customers. When you advertise to this market group, show that you know what you are talking about and deliver a message that speaks Boomer language while addressing their interests.
To market to Boomers means to know them. This group is young at heart and in their minds. They are sharp when it comes to technology (remember that the people who invented and pioneered the new technological concepts are now a part of the Boomer target group).
Contrary to some popular beliefs, Boomers learn fast, think fast, and expect fast results and they are not afraid of the Internet!
So What Marketing Message is Needed?
To reach the Baby Boomer market, approach them with a marketing message that is honest, respectful, and sensitive to their needs. According to the Focalyst research group, a study showed that “nearly half of the Baby Boom Generation believes there is little truth in advertising and more than 60% wish ads had more real information, suggesting that America’s advertising industry may be missing the mark in targeting the most affluent generation in U.S. History” (Advertisers fail, 2006).
Give adequate information in your marketing to allow Boomers to make an informed decision on a topic. Review your advertising copy. Does it really give enough information to understand your product or service? Some advertisers want to be clever and end up confusing the consumer instead of making their message clear. Baby Boomers do business with marketers who give clear, honest, informed messages about their product or service.
Even large marketing firms make a major mistake when marketing to Boomers. Research found that “more than 70% (of Boomers) are less likely to buy a product if an ad offends them. More than 50% say there is little truth in advertising” (Advertisers fail, 2006).
Learn to develop marketing messages that shows respect for the diverse experiences and backgrounds of Baby Boomers. Use techniquies that reach a market where diversity embraces differences in ethnic, cultural, gender, lifestyle, social, economic, and religious areas. Use language and a message that is sensitive and respectful to Boomer needs and desires in the market.
The Financial Status of the Boomer Consumer
The Baby Boomer consumer market presents a broad range of economic diversity. Over the years, large groups of Boomers were unable to put aside needed amounts of income to take them through retirement years with ease. As a result, many look to social services to help them.
The reasons for this vary. Some of it was family related. Raising kids has always been an expensive proposition. But over the past decades, the demands for “stuff” grew like never before. Prosperity seemed to be at the finger tips of many and finding a job was easy.
But even with a job, saving for the future was not always possible. Now the financial crisis has put more strain on savings that weren’t supposed to be touched for several more years.
As a result, instead of retiring or taking it easy, a large group of Boomers continue to work or find this to be the time to try independent work or to start a business.
On the other hand, economic research also indicates that there is also great discretionary money for spending available in this market. “Baby Boomers —have annual discretionary income of $750 billion” (Building News, 2006).
This puts Boomers into the billion dollar-marketing arenas. Boomers need and want high-quality products. Most of them are accustomed to having the best in their life.
Understand the trend in Boomer consumer groups and select the segment of the market you want to target in your business. Then study the Boomer characteristics you can appeal to in your marketing. This is a huge maket if you go for either the high or low end. Once you establish yourself as a reputable company, you could gain a very loyal market group that’s willing to stay with you for a long time.
Get “Hip” to Diversity Marketing
Do you want to market to the Billion Dollar Babies – the baby boomers? If so, get “Hip” to diversity marketing. Boomers introduced the most diversity in consumer groups in the world. So expect to sharpen your skills at marketing to diverse consumer groups when targeted this demographic.
Many marketers make the mistake of thinking there are certain ways you can market to all Boomers – a big mistake. As of 2004, an estimated 9.1 millions Baby Boomers were Black and 8.0 million were Hispanic.
Every State in the United States has a significant boomer population except Utah. This was the only state during the last census that had a Boomer population of less than 25 percent.
Boomers have a style that is mature while young looking. Don’t use anything frumpy” in your marketing or in yourself; leave that for the parents of Boomers.
You can’t fit this consumer group into one square peg. Diversity marketing is huge with Boomers. They are more ethnically, socially, and economically diverse than any other age group. Forget trying to shove the cookie-cutter products or services on this group. Instead, give them personalized and customized services and products that respond to their particular needs and lifestyle.
How to Recognize the Baby Boomer Market
Baby boomers are the largest, fastest growing, demographic group in the world. They are distinct and smart. Even if you’re a part of this market, learn to understand the boomer group as consumers in order to succeed in business with this market.
Here are some facts about Boomers and their lifestyle. These offer potential niche areas for Boomers in business or starting a business with other Boomers.
Boomers are a Huge Market Group. They are people born between the years of 1946 and 1964. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau says that as of July 2005, there were over 78.2 million Baby Boomers in the U.S.
Boomers are the largest demographic group in the world. The boomer population is growing by almost 8,000 people a day. In 2006, the oldest of the Baby Boomers turned 60 years old. In 2010, 30 percent of the U.S. population will be over age 50.
It is estimated that Boomers generate from $750 billion to over 2 Trillions dollars in revenue with their spending power. The majority of the assets in the US are owned by Boomers.
Boomers are not “seniors.” In fact, one of the trends for Boomers is that they are the primary caretakers of their aging parents, the true “senior citizens” and a whole different demographic group.
Boomers are not their children. Boomers are young at heart and in mind, but they are not the Generation X.
Learn to capture your share of this billion dollar consumer market by learning more about Boomers and what your organization has for them.
Marketing Your Competitive Edge
All organizations have a lot of competition, particularly as the economic situation tightens up in the marketplace. When potential clients do competition research, what will they find out about your company that is different from any others in your industry? Answering that identifies your competitive advantage. Here are 7 top areas you can use to establish a competitive advantage in your organization.
1. Unique Quality. Promote areas in your organization that highlight its areas of uniqueness. Make sure it’s something others are not able to easily copy. This can be a value added service or products only you provide.
2. Personal Story. Be willing to let clients know the personal side of the organization. Relate the story of how the company got started and people behind the idea. Let that story become a part of your brand. No one has the same organization story and this could be the area that lets the target group connect with you instead of the competition.
3. Education. Promote how you company uses areas of education in the business. Create a presence on educational campuses and open up your company training opportunities to the public. Promote the formal and informal educational background of your employees to increase consumer confidence in your team.
4. Experience. Your organization experience is developed over the years. Create case histories of what the company has experienced and show the lessons learned. Let consumers know about special certifications, innovations, creative concepts, or behavioral ideas that are exciting and unusual that makes your organization shine.
5. Hire Locally. Find ways to create employment opportunities in the community. Hire locally or take on interns from the local college. Letting students work with you to learn business is a newsworthy idea that could possible let you get recognized by local media.
6. Suppliers/Service Providers. Your suppliers and providers could give you a competitive edge by providing consistent quality, quick turnaround and unique items.
7. Price Right. Are you priced right? Do you have the goods to deliver? You make your business accessible by pricing your offerings so people can buy them without feeling like they are destroying their budgets. Be flexible and offer a range of prices to keep your target market during economic shifts.
Your competitive edge can be something small but it has to be identifiable. More often, it’s how you promote your competitive edge that makes it an advantage for the organization. Increase your marketing efforts by learning and using creative ways to establish your competitive edge as an organization or company in any field.
Drive the Traffic
Here are easy ways to drive FREE traffic to your website.
1. Use a Signature File
Always include links to your website any time you leave your signature on the Web. This includes in your email, on forum posts or message boards, and definitely when you submit articles to directories. Include an interesting statement that makes people want to click through to your site. Focus on the customer, not on you, by giving a hint about an offer the person will find at your site.
2. Start a Blog
Blogs build relationships with customers. Write articles on your blog that refers to information posted on your website. Ask readers to comment to posts on your blog. When they do, write a response thanking them for the comment and invite that person to visit your website where they can find additional information on the topic that interested them.
3. Write Articles
Learn to write strong, original content articles to provide original, useful information to your site. Submit your articles to reprint directories with links to your site. Other website owners and bloggers could select your article to put on their sites. If they do, your links will also be included at the bottom of your article, which point directly to your site.
4. Create a Newsletter or Ezine
Have a newsletter or ezine to send to your mailing list on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Include lively information, updates on your site, links to articles, and other information your readers will find helpful.
5. Write E-Products
Write or find an information product specifically for your target market. This could be an e-book, special report, or e-course. People come to the Internet to get fast information. Offer and promote the type of information your traffic is looking for to give them a reason to visit your site.
6. Establish an affiliate program
If you sell a product or service, establish an affiliate program. As affiliates join your program, they will be promoting links to your site. Offer a generous commission to motivate affiliates to sell your products or services. The more affiliates you have the more promotional opportunities you can have too.
7. Participate in Forums and Message Boards
Find message boards or forums that relate to your areas of interest. Sign-up and begin posting comments on these formats. Always include a link to your website in your signature. Read the posts to get ideas about what people need or want and develop a response to help Be careful to word the post according to the rules if the forum. You could tell others to send you a personal email for more information, visit your site, or make a direct special offer to forum readers.
8. Viral Reports
Develop a viral report that you can give away to your target market. This is a small, focused special report you allow others pass along for free or even put their affiliate links on the report if it provides an offer for a sale of a product or service. The idea is to let others pass the report onto their mailing lists creating a win-win situation. The people who are passing your report on will have free, ready-made content to use, and you will have people passing out your report, which is going to drive traffic to your site.
You can see that driving traffic to your website is easy although it takes work and being consistent about your marketing efforts.