I think we can all agree that 2020 has created many new challenges for businesses throughout the world. With all the changes happening right now, business executives, marketers, and sales professionals are having to pivot as they figure out how their businesses can most effectively attract and engage their target audience.
While there are certainly big limitations in what we can do at this moment in time, there are some strategies, tactics, and methods that are working to help us achieve our business goals.
It is likely that some situations will never return to the way they were before 2020 and, in many cases, there will be a new normal.
So, it’s important to learn what is working right now and adapt as quickly as possible. That means possibly learning new processes and methods, understanding how to use new tools, and acquiring new skills.
I want to share with you what we have learned is working so far, based on what our customers, leads, and prospects are sharing with us. I also want to share what HubSpot has learned during the months of March and April 2020 from 70,000 customers spanning all industries and regions.
The volume of new deals and sales opportunities has dropped dramatically across all regions and industries apart from a few markets that are tied to telemedicine, online education, ecommerce, growth industry consultants, and a few others.
Small businesses are quicker to adjust to these changes than large corporations. The larger corporations are slowing down to take a “wait and see” approach. That’s not surprising since large businesses are usually not able to adapt as quickly as small- to medium-sized companies.
There has been a very big change in customer engagement since people have been prevented from walking into stores, restaurants, and most “non-essential” businesses in general. Everything has moved online. So, how you choose to engage with your prospects and customers online is extremely important.
Let’s talk about how things are different and how you can improve your online engagement.
As companies transition to a remote worker environment and attempt to stay in contact with their target audiences, overall email campaigns were up significantly in March.
In fact, marketing email campaigns were up 20% and marketing open rates were up at 25.5% in the month of March.
Sales email campaigns were up even higher at 50%, but open rates were at a low 2.1%.
Why is there such a difference between the marketing and sales email campaigns?
Traffic to online education websites is up significantly. Focus your website CTAs on value and education. Increase your content publishing efforts around education and how your company helps your target audience solve their problems or achieve their goals.
If someone is ready to buy, make it easy for them to buy from you.
Companies need to develop a conversational strategy that includes Live Chat and Chat Bots. Customers who are engaged with Live Chat are more highly engaged with your company than those who do not engage with Chat.
Less than 20% of all businesses have Live Chat or Chat Bots implemented on their websites. However, most website users prefer using Chat to engage with a company while they are on its website as opposed to calling or waiting on a follow-up email.
If your sales team cannot reach your prospects by telephone or physically meet with them, consider moving your traditional sales representatives to Live Chat. They can be trained very quickly and easily on how to most effectively use Chat.
Chat will increase your sales team's engagement with your prospects and leads while they are on your website.
And don’t worry, you don’t need to have “Live” Chat available 24/7. Instead, set an availability time based on the core traffic hours of your website. Then use a Chat Bot when Live Chat is not available.
If you are completely uncomfortable starting with Live Chat, then start with a Chat Bot. The key here is to just get started! Don’t wait to activate Chat on your website.
Another key tool to implement for sales and customer service teams is a Meetings link. Set up a link to your calendar so people you want to engage with can easily set a time to meet when you both are available.
Stop laboring through back and forth emails trying to find a convenient time to meet with someone.
Build out more downloadable content offers on your website to educate your target audience on how you can help solve their problems and address their concerns.
Build out educational content around:
There are great online tools to help you define the topics that people are searching on. These tools include Quora, Answer the Public, the Google Suggestion tool, and even Google’s “also searched for” listings at the bottom of their Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Uncover the questions people are typing into the search engines and then help answer those questions.
Need a higher volume of leads? Don’t we all! It’s always tough to get new, quality leads even in good times. The current situation can make it even harder.
Here are some ideas to help you increase your lead volume:
Many executives, professional marketers, and salespeople are seeking to learn or improve their digital skills to help them be more successful now and in the future.
There are lots of online courses to help increase your digital skills. However, it’s important to choose courses that are high-quality and will truly teach you the essential skills you need to succeed online.
Here are some high-quality certification courses that are backed by the top Digital companies, including Google, Microsoft, Facebook, HubSpot, and more.
Many companies are finding themselves ill-equipped at this time because they have avoided developing an effective digital strategy to reach and engage their target audiences.
Below are some free resources to help you develop and implement the most effective digital marketing strategies and campaigns.
If you would like help understanding how to reach your goals in today’s digital-driven marketplace, we offer a free consultation with no obligation.