Cut Marketing Costs Part 3

4. Increase conversions - not just inbound leads or traffic

This point is similar to the one above it, but it's important enough to look at from a different angle.

Let's say you have 2000 visitors a month going to your website and 60% of them leave your homepage without going anywhere else. Which do you think would be cheaper, changing your website so that an additional 20% (400 visitors) stay on your site or doubling traffic to the site? The results are the same.

(Hint: if you picked the first option, you're right).

Complex purchases - such as technology, high ticket goods, and on-going services - are made up of many different conversion points where the buyer decides whether or not to spend any more time with you. Each of those conversion points can be tweaked to pass more prospects through and provide a better return on your investment.

5. Consider outsourcing

To have a successful marketing program today requires skills in multiple disciplines - some of which didn't even exist a decade or so ago. For example, you need:
Website strategy and development, search engine optimization, paid search marketing, prospect conversion optimization, lead nurturing and web marketing - just to name a few.
Staffing an in-house team with all of this expertise would cost more than most small to mid-sized businesses are willing or able to invest. Yet you can easily - and cost effectively - get this expertise from an outside firm or group of individuals.
It's worth looking into.

About the Author: Susan Pascal Tatum, co-founder and president of Tatum Marketing is a recognized expert in business-to-business internet marketing. She helps software, information technology and BtoB firms achieve greater online marketing results. She is a popular author and speaker, regularly publishes internet marketing strategies and actionable tips on the site's blog. Visit www.tatummarketing.com for a copy Technology Marketing 2008.