Lifecycle Marketing Archives

April 24, 2013 by June Brockmeyer Leave a Comment

The BIG Idea of the Week: Ultimate Marketer Finalists

This month on “The BIG Idea of the Week” we want to talk to you about the Ultimate Marketer Competition brought to you by 6th Division; a contest that’s all about small businesses doing extraordinary things with Infusionsoft. Managing a small business can be a tough journey for many entrepreneurs so, we want to share the story of the 3 -2013 Ultimate Marketer finalists’ right here, with you.

Let’s meet The Rocket Company. Casey Graham is the founder of this Atlanta based organization and he says they are all about helping the Church be successful.

“We’re touching thousands and thousands of churches to help them find the financial freedom that they need…86% of churches are either at break-even or behind budget this year,” says Graham.

In 2010 The Rocket Company switched over to Infusionsoft, which Graham calls the ‘salvation’ of their business.

“We were $80,000 in debt, bad business partnership, very bad operation. Infusionsoft came in and took us- made us profitable, grew the organization and all of that,” says Graham.

They’re revenue has grown 832% since implementing Infusionsoft and the company has also grown steadily.

“Our customer is the most important thing in our organization. Without them we have nothing and so, in the early days all we had was the ability to stay close and as organizations grow, sometimes you grow away from your customers, that really led to where our motto has become ‘Automation trumps Determination.’ I don’t care how determined you are to keep up with a thousand people- it’s pretty much impossible to do- but, a sequence is almost like a person…they can do things for you that you cannot do as you’re growing so fats,” says Graham.

Graham says he is most excited about expanding their mission of generosity.

“This is about our opportunity to take everything that we’ve got and to share it with other people…Infusionsoft has not only been about making a difference in our bottom line, but it’s been about making a difference in people’s lives and that’s why we’re such raving fans of Infusionsoft,” says Graham.

The three Ultimate Marketer finalists presented their story during a special session at InfusionCon and attendees voted for the winner. As you may now know, The Rocket Company was declared winner and are excited to continue to share their story with the world.

Download our free e-book “Market Like the Ultimate Marketers How The Rocket Company Used Lifecycle Marketing to Grow 832%” to learn more!

Filed Under: Lifecycle Marketing Tagged With: Casey Graham, The Rocket Company, Ultimate Marketer, winner

January 28, 2013 by Andrea Parker 6 Comments

The Top Small Business Tech Trends of 2013

Guest post by Andy Hayes

No matter your industry, you’re no doubt feeling the increasing influence of technology in both your business and your customers’ lives. Tech is always changing and interactive marketing stylings must change with it, so your website – your online home and communications hub – should be evolving, too.

You don’t need to go to a technology conference – you’ve got a job to do! – but, when it comes to technology and the ever-changing web marketplace, you can easily get the rug pulled out from under you. Here’s some straight talk about 3 trends you should really care about, and where to keep your focus in the new year.

Responsive Design

woo collage The Top Small Business Tech Trends of 2013

Woo Themes has hit interactive marketing hard.

I hate hitting you with buzzwords right out of the gate, but this is one you need to know: responsive design. It’s widely believed that tablets will outsell desktops this year, and here in the US we’ve seen the smartphone become a dominant web browsing tool. Why should you care? Because you need your website looking sharp, professional, and usable on all of those platforms and that’s a tall order when there are so many types of phones, tablets, PCs, Macs, etc.

“Responsive” design is a site design that identifies the type of phone or computer your customer is using, and resizes the site to suit (example above from one of my favorite design sites, WooThemes). Don’t worry if you don’t understand the tech behind it – just trust me. Talk to your IT or web programmer about including this in your next site upgrade. (And no, you don’t have to have a mobile app or any other whiz-bang mobile stuff. Start here.)

Minimalist Approach

Over the years, we’ve seen the online space become quite crowded, with everyone clamoring for attention – and many brands have resorted to the digital form of shouting: spraying as much obnoxious advertising out there as possible. (If that’s you, it’s ok – I do not hold it against you.)

Many of the web’s biggest online publishers have started to realize that we’ve gone too far, and that customer engagement goes up when there are fewer website distractions; in fact, there’s been much ado about the death of banner ads this year. While those ads still have a bit of life left, website designers and the companies that hire them are all breathing a sigh of relief as we move into a period where less is more.

I can point you to probably a hundred websites that relaunched this year with a more lean, more streamlined design: USA Today (both print & online) and Mashable being two noteworthy mentions. The trend is everywhere, from operating systems like Microsoft’s Windows 8 to hotel design and even product packaging. Could your website use a bit of pruning?

Businesses as Publishers

Last but not least is the red-hot growth of “content marketing.” (You’re thinking, “Wait, I thought these were tech trends.” Hold on, I’m getting there.) Content marketing is, as the name implies, building relationships and connections with your customers by delivering informational and/or entertaining articles, white papers, videos, photos, etc. Infusionsoft calls it Magnetic Appeal.

Because of all this free content floating around, the sign of a robust content marketing strategy is becoming a trust factor. In other words, when potential customers see a lot of content (quality, of course) on a website, they are more likely to make a purchase. As mentioned in About.com’s “The Trust Factor” survey, customers are looking for sites that demonstrate expertise, provide recommendations, and feel relevant to their needs and values when making a buying decision.

This does not mean that you need to launch into full blown magazine mode and hire an office full of writers. It does mean that your site should always feel “fresh,” with lots of reviews/testimonials, as well as a healthy resource section that educates customers on various ways to use your product or service. (Bonus points for content that entertains, too – everybody loves a good laugh.)

Those are three website tech trends to think about this year. What’s on your priority list when it comes to keeping your site at the front of the pack?

Come back next Monday when Andy guest posts again on the Big Ideas Blog, this time covering the key marketing elements of website design.

Andy Hayes is a creative web producer and helps small businesses improve their web presence with his popular website critique. He is based in sunny Portland, Oregon. Connect with him on Twitter, @andrewghayes.

Filed Under: Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Lifecycle Marketing, Sales and Marketing Trends, Small Business Technology Tagged With: andy hayes, banner ads, e-books, LCM, Lifecycle Marketing, mobile optimizationa, self publish, website trends

January 28, 2013 by Infusionsoft Contributor 1 Comment

How to Run a Successful Crossfit Gym

By Carla Turchetti

Founded in 2000 by Greg Glassman (who remains CEO), Crossfit is a strength and conditioning fitness program that features varied high-intensity workouts. Exercisers move quickly through a lineup known as the workout of the Day, or WOD, which is the hallmark of the Crossfit experience and a great, creative marketing strategy (it’s actually not complicated at all!). On any given day, a participant might run through a regimen that includes push-ups, pull-up and squats, as well as jumping up onto boxes or swinging kettlebells high overhead. Part of the Crossfit experience is friendly competition in class over workout statistics posted for all to see.

Individual gym owners who join the Crossfit team pay a licensing fee to become Crossfit affiliates. In a world crowded with gyms and fitness classes, how do successful Crossfit affiliates run their businesses?

Letting the Program Sell Itself

Dave Rubin, owner of Crossfit Durham in Durham, North Carolina, has expanded into larger facilities three times in the last four years as his business has grown. Rubin says his gym, known as a “box” in the Crossfit world, has succeeded because it is focused.

“My gym is all about the fitness and the workouts,” says Rubin. “Everything else is secondary. We focus on building community and getting people results. A lot of the big gyms give lip service to their mission statements but don’t follow through day-to-day,” Rubin says.

Rubin thinks it is important that exercisers decide for themselves if the Crossfit fitness regimen is a good fit. He holds a weekly open workout on Saturdays so that non-members can give Crossfit a try – a good way to draw a crowd.

“It gives them a chance to try us out and see what the gym is like and the intensity of the workouts,” Rubin says. “It gives them a sense of whether it’s for them or not. We don’t end up giving sales pitches to anybody — we let the program sell itself.”

Once people try a workout, they are more likely to tell friends how hard it was, how great they felt afterwards, and likely tweet or post a Facebook status, often with pictures. Funny how a “try it for free” tactic can be such an effective marketing technique!

The Gym as Community

Scott Pinkerton, owner of Crossfit Vitality in Concord, North Carolina, currently has a membership cap in place at his gym.

“Crossfit is so effective because it is a small group of people moving and doing the same workout at the same time,” Pinkerton says. “I could get more people in a class, but then how much personal attention can you give to each person?”

Pinkerton says Crossfit affiliate gyms runs their business differently with the same end goal.

“There are so many options out there, each box has a personality. Each gym fosters community and people have never experienced that before in fitness.”

If You Love It, They Will Come

Pinkerton says the Crossfit brand will continue to grow because members see results. But he warns other fitness entrepreneurs not to consider it a fast track to riches.

“Accept the fact there might not be a ton of money in it,” Pinkerton says. “Do it because you love it and people will show up and see how much you love it, and you’ll have the opportunity to make a good living.”

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Lead Generation, Lifecycle Marketing, Sales and Marketing Trends, Small Business Technology, Social Media Tagged With: Crossfit Marketing, generate leads, gym marketing, LCM, Lifecycle Marketing, small business tips

January 27, 2013 by Andrea Parker 2 Comments

Interested in Becoming a BIB Guest Blogger?

Here at the Big Ideas Blog, we are always on the hunt for enthusiastic guest contributors who are experts in their fields and have ideas about small business marketing. Have a couple of tips for health and beauty marketing through social media? Looking to share your expertise in CRM software with newbies? Are you passionate about Pinterest and small businesses? If so, we’d love to hear from you by filling out this form.