Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could transport yourself to a world where you didn't have to worry about sales? Where you just had to focus on creating content and networking. And getting sales would come easy.
You can now enjoy the benefits of that magical land! The difference is how you choose to manage your work. If you stay stuck in your ways of doing things or thinking about marketing in the same way, nothing will change. You have the tools and technology to connect with people you never thought possible. Start using them now!
You've heard it before — a variety of tools that you can use to increase your sales. For example, some people inform you about the importance of list building and how to do it. While others are about traffic generation. But what you hear less often is the importance of leveraging other kinds of tools—the online marketing tools in particular.
Well, those fantastic tools are the hero of this write-up.
Top 6 Marketing Tools For Increasing Sales
At first glance, marketing might seem like flashy ads and catchy slogans. But the truth is, it's much more than that.
We can break down Marketing into four distinct phases:
- Attracting visitors to your website
- Converting them into leads
- Assisting sales in closing them as customers
- Delighting those customers so they'll keep coming back again and again
You can use various tools to achieve these goals. From social media to content management software, we'll explore them here.
1. Website and Web Analytics Tools
A website is an essential marketing tool. It is the anchor of all marketing and sales efforts.
The face of your company; the website is where you showcase your products and services. You tell people about what makes your company special. It's a place for customers to learn about your business. And for prospects to decide if they want to do business with you.
Your website is also a place to make sales:
Most websites have an e-commerce component that lets people buy directly. Yet, many people will first visit the website to learn more about your product before purchasing. And there are many other reasons people visit your website than to buy products. For example, they may be looking for product information or after-sales support.
This makes web analytics tools fundamental in marketing and sales. You can't understand customer interaction without studying their website activity. When and why they buy, or they leave without making a sale.
Web analytics tools help you understand
- who is visiting your website
- how they found it
- what keywords triggered search results that led them to you
- what pages on their site do they visit
- which pages convert visitors into customers (and which pages don't)
And so on. Isn't this data gold? It helps you glance inside your customers' minds. It also enables you to optimize your web presence for good.
For example, heat maps are a powerful tool that can help you understand how visitors interact with your website or landing pages. They show you where visitors are clicking, scrolling, and hovering.
2. Social Media Management Tools
Today, social media management tools are key in the marketing or sales team's toolkit.
Social media platforms are evolving. And unfortunately, the stakes for getting it wrong are higher than ever, too. Most consumers expect brands to revert to social media comments within 24 hours.
That's why it's essential to equip yourself with social media management tools. Some of the most popular features include:
- Track metrics across channels for insights into which platforms drive the most engagement
- Schedule posts in advance across channels
- Analyze analytics that helps you understand how each post performs
- Collaborate with several people to contribute to a social media strategy
- Engage directly with customers who have questions or comments on your posts.
3. SEO Tools
When we think of marketing and sales, the first thing that comes to mind is not usually SEO. Why would it be? Marketing and sales are all about people, right? And SEO is all about getting your website or content to show up at the top of the search engine results page. That's not very person-focused.
But as it turns out, SEO can play an essential role in every part of a marketing and sales cycle. Why? Because SEO helps you get noticed by the right people at the right time.
Let's say, for example, that you're a travel agent. You'd want to do two things.
1) Create awareness among people of your services.
2) Make your services easy to find when people are looking for them.
That sounds like a marketing problem, and it is! But SEO can help you with both issues. Because it is about matching great content with the needs of readers searching for it.
SEO tools help check a website's potential for placement in the search engine. Although the tools do not guarantee a good result, they provide valuable insights. Such as why (or why not) your page will rank well with search engines.
Also, using SEO tools, you can find out the position of your website in search engine results for particular keywords. For example, one such tool is the Keyword Rank Tracker by Sitechecker.
Use SEO tools as a stepping stone in your optimization efforts, not as a quick-fix solution.
4. Lead Generation Tools
For a business, the most important thing is to bring in new customers. One way to do this is through lead generation tools.
Lead generation tools are helpful in marketing and sales. They help identify and qualify potential customers and save your resources. There are many different types of lead generation tools available in the market.
One marketing feature you may not have heard of is a lead capture form. These forms gather basic information on your prospects for you to follow up with them later.
Another tool that many businesses use is an opt-in pop-up on their website. These pop-ups allow visitors interested in receiving more information from you. Such as a newsletter or promotional offer, sign up for those offers without leaving the page.
In short, lead generation tools capture leads and turn them into sales. You can use them to find potential customers' contact information. Then reach out to them with a sales pitch.
They work best when paired together. For example, you can use a lead generation tool to identify prospects on LinkedIn. Find their contact information. Then, using an email marketing tool, send a pre-programmed email to gauge interest in your product or service.
If the prospect responds, the software will help manage the relationship moving forward.
Lead generation tools are handy for businesses. You can rely on them for marketing practices such as SEO, SMM, and more. They help you convert anonymous web traffic into qualified leads.
5. CRM Tools
You've got a great product, and it is ready to sell. But how can you be sure that your company is reaching the right people?
That's where CRM tools come in. CRM, that is, Customer Relationship Management, helps manage your relationship with your customers. CRM tools automate customer-related tasks. Tasks include keeping track of customer information, sales, email communication, and more.
CRM software ensures that everyone has access to the same customer information. It improves accountability and prevents problems such as missing follow-up of potential clients.
74% of respondents say that CRM solutions give them better access to customer data. Further enabling a more personalized service.
CRM tools also help you keep track of leads as they move through the funnel. You'll be able to see what stage of the funnel each lead is at, follow up with them, and know when they're ready to shop. This saves time and allows your team members to focus on the areas where their expertise is most needed.
Additionally, CRM tools help you:
- Understand customers better
- Personalize your approach
- Predict customer behavior
And adjust your strategy accordingly.
Finally, CRM tools help you stay organized. It organizes your customer information in one place, making it easy to find when you need it!
6. Email Marketing Tools
Every day, the massive number of marketing emails overwhelm people. So how do you clutter through the noise and reach your audience in a meaningful way?
It's all about relevance and timeliness. Shooting an action-specific email is the best way to increase engagement. Also, you can customize the contacts that receive or trigger automatic emails.
For instance, you can send your prospects an automated email. Then, every time they fill out an inquiry, you can thank them and offer more details. This allows them to learn what you have to offer without actively seeking it out.
Similarly, the right email marketing tools will analyze your campaigns' performance. And further help you engage better with your potential clients.
This means you'll be able to see the actions taken in your email.
- Who's opening your emails
- Who's clicking on links inside of them
- What they're doing after clicking those links
You can even set action-specific alerts. For example, when a subscriber stops opening your emails or visiting your site.
Conclusion
The digital age demands that marketers remain on their toes. And explore new technologies to get ahead of business rivals. The analysis of marketing tools is where they:
- Evade their current challenges
- Study the effectiveness of their approach
- Determine the future direction of their action
The research helps the business enhance the customer experience.
On that note, we hope that these digital marketing tools help you grow. The only thing your business needs to do now is to out these tools to work correctly.
