The gravy-train of eCommerce growth is ending. It's never been easier to sell online, but harder to make a profit doing so. Tom Schwab explains to the Grand Rapids MI HubSpot user group how selling with content is replacing Adwords, Pay Per Click, Amazon and eBay as the way to grow a profitable and sustainable eCommerce business. Attract more visitors, engage more leads, close more customer and make more delighted advocates using an inbound strategy.
2. Tom Schwab
Goodbye Crutches
– eCommerce Store
Inbound for eCommerce
– Consulting Agency
eCommerce HUGs Leader
Tom@InboundForEcommerce.com
@TMSchwab
3.
4. 1. Why every online company is eCommerce
2. How an Inbound Strategy works
3. The Buyer’s Inbound Journey
• Attract Visitors
• Engage Leads
• Convert Customers
• Delight Advocates
4. Review
Agenda
5. • Online sellers
• Non Profits
• B2B and B2C
• Even SaaS like HubSpot
Every website is
eCommerce…
6. Team Collaboration Product SaaS
Over 35k users
No Sales Force
Focus on Reducing Sales Friction
Revenue $150M (2013)
CONTEXT IS
GOD
High Touch
eCommerce
8. Interruption Marketing
Focused on what
I HAVE TO SELL YOU
The Most $ Win
Tricks and Tactics
Transaction:
Picture and a Price
Outbound is…
9. Inbound is
Permission based
Focused on helping people
make the best purchase
Winning is not based on $,
but caring
Content Builds Trust,
Authority, Thought
Leadership to
• Attract Visitors
• Engage Leads
• Delight Customers
Inbound is…
12. Context is god
Shows understanding
Builds relationship
CONTEXT IS
GOD
Content is King
Show expertise
Thought leadership
13. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional
representation of your ideal customer
based on market research and real
data about your existing customers.
Buyer Persona Defined
14. Demographics
• Age
• Race
• Household Income
• Occupation
• Income
• Marital Status
• Education
• Number of Children
• Zip Code Area
What the census bureau knows
15. Psychographics
• Dreams
• Fears
• Aspirations
• Who do you trust
• How do you get information
• Who do you admire
• Major frustrations
• How you see yourself
• How you want to see yourself
What the spouse knows
16.
17. MEDIUM(s) MATCH
THE PERSONA
THE PRESENTER
• Blogs
• Videos
• Slide shares
• Infographics
• Emails
• Podcasts
• Forums
CONTEXT IS
GOD
18.
19. 1. Have a single purpose
2. Speak to a single buyer persona
3. Move the person along their buyer’s journey
Golden Rules for
Every Piece of Content
21. Be Helpful
Answer common questions
Use similar words
(keywords)
Introduce new resource
Be present where they are
22. What’s so great
about blogging?
1.Easy for Google to index
2.Easily consumed (bandwidth)
3.Easily shared
CONTEXT IS
GOD
23. 600 Words minimum
Clear and direct
Formatted to skim
Images of targeted buyer persona
Hyperlinks to other helpful content
Platform is not important, just make sure it’s your own
Part of a content strategy
Blogging Best Practice?
24. BE A GUEST
Publishers need content
• Blog
• Podcasts
You need to
• Connect with your ideal buyer
persona
• Build trust, authority
CONTEXT IS
GOD
25. Amplifying
Your Message
Social Media:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Vine
Niche sites
Groups with major platforms
Your own community
CONTEXT IS
GOD
30. Landing Page
Elements
• No Navigation
• Minimal Clutter
• Short – Focused
• 1 Clear offer
• Allow social sharing
• Short Form
• Value is behind a form
42. Net Promoter Score
Predictive of:
• Life Time Value (LTV) of a
Customer
• Value of a company
• Profitable growth of a
company
Empowers you to:
• Address & Silence
Detractors
• Leverage Promoters
On a scale of 0 to 10, how
likely are you to
recommend __ to a friend
of colleague?
“The only number you
need to grow”
Harvard Business Review
December 2003