DevelopmentInsightsMartech

How 2020 Became a Landmark Year for Online Learning

on June 24, 2020

In recent years, technology has begun playing a large role in everyday life. Everything from communication to fitness classes to shopping has moved online. Up until now, education has been an exception to this technological shift. However, the climate of 2020 is leading to a big change in the way we look at educational technology and online learning.

Granted, some technology has already made it into the educational sphere, especially with the incorporation of iPads and laptops into many public schools. A small subset of higher education institutions has also offered online options in recent years. In 2020, however, options have increased significantly for those wanting—or needing—to make the shift from traditional educational settings to the online world. For example, it’s possible to earn an AACSB online MBA no GMAT required. Without the need for hours spent in a physical classroom and time spent on rigorous entrance exams, higher education is becoming much more accessible to those who can’t take in-person classes due to circumstances such as work and childcare.

Online degrees are becoming more normalized. With the general technological shift and the increasing need to work while in school, it was a long time coming, but educational institutions had little incentive to change their models. COVID-19, however, has changed the landscape. With everything closing due to safety regulations, colleges and universities have no choice but to shift online or close their doors. As many students abandon their dorms and settle in at home for online lectures, 2020 has proven that online learning is effective. It’s an increasingly viable option that is becoming the new norm.

Tools Making Online Learning Possible

Since most class structures are geared towards in-person lectures and discussions, the way professors teach must change a lot to be compatible with online learning. Luckily, many software companies have developed or promoted cost-effective tools to make the shift possible. Many schools already used tools such as Google Classroom, Moodle, and Schoology to keep their students organized, but these class management tools have become much more integrated into the learning experience. While they might previously have been a useful way to remind students of their assignments and provide a place to turn things in, classroom management tools in 2020 are vital for scheduling, assignments, and asynchronous lectures and forums. They have become the central hub in place of traditional classroom learning.

With the shift to online classes, asynchronous lectures are more important. Students living at home need more flexibility to work and contribute to their families, and their internet access might be less dependable. Recorded PowerPoints and Zoom lectures posted to classroom management sites make this more flexible schedule possible.

Despite the need for asynchronous options, most professors still opt for at least some synchronous lectures and discussions to preserve the classroom community. Platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams have increased in popularity and become a new staple on students’ laptops.

With the help of new technological tools, most 2020 education has moved online. While it may have already been possible to get a degree from the comfort of your home, now it’s the new normal. As schools and companies continue to normalize and optimize online learning, schools may find that it’s more convenient and cost-effective. 2020 has changed the way we view education—and likely changed its future. Online learning may well be here to stay.

DevelopmentInsightsMartechProductsSaaS

How Can I Use Videos For Lead Scoring?

on June 22, 2020

Like marketing and sales tactics, videos can and should be calculated.  This information can be used to guarantee your work will reach the right people.  Videos require a different approach to metrics with different numbers when building the correct lead scoring process.  We at Inovit will break down how lead scoring works and how different kinds of videos fit into the scheme.

Just What Is Lead Scoring?

Lead scoring is evaluating a prospect or customer readiness to buy your products or services. This is determined by the level of engagement with your service or brand and the customer’s intention in purchasing.  For a long time now, customers are seen as a funnel but you must realize some customers are non-linear with sustenance going beyond the final sale. Lead scoring measures behavior from one customer to another.  The most popular way to achieve this is with marketing automation platforms including Hubspot, Marketo, Pardot, or Act-On.

Every company has different needs and ways to evaluate their customers.  Sales and marketing teams must create a lead scoring system that will work for both parties to deliver the best results.

Your traditional lead scoring assigns values to different interactions with your marketing or sales activities. In some cases, different interactions may be a lot more valuable than others.  This all depends on the level of engagement of the prospect with your company.  Each interaction is weighted or given a number of points based on the level of importance of every interaction of your sales or marketing team.

For instance, a prospect that has signed up for a webinar or watching a sales demo would be considered a more valuable prospect than someone viewing a video in your newsletter, liking a video post on Facebook, or viewing a YouTube pre-roll ad that plays before a featured video.

A lead scoring template will tie a numerical points system to each interaction that connects with the customer’s journey.  In other words, the more points a prospect has, the more qualified the sales or marketing lead will be.  There are different point thresholds that carry the consumer through the journey, prompting sales and marketing teams to perform other actions when engaging with the prospect.

We are huge fans of explainer videos and one from Hubspot breaks it down really well:

Some examples of template, marketing, automation platforms such as Marketo and Hubspot have excellent resources to help you get started.

Why Is Video Lead Scoring Different?

Videos are a unique medium with different metrics than those of sales and marketing tactics. Each metric should be mapped to your lead scoring chart with different levels of engagement connected to different tiers of the customer journey.

Using video lead scoring metrics information along with information from your prospect’s business to create a lead scoring scheme to accurately predict the likelihood that a prospect will become a customer, is risky.

If you look back at past data and see who your current clients are and how they behave, would be ideal.  Many marketing automation platforms are offering increases by sophisticated tools to help you.

About Video Production For Different Stages of A Customer’s Journey

Now that you understand how lead scoring works and what metrics to use to evaluate, it’s time to look at how different types of videos play a role.

Top-Of-Funnel Videos

You should think about top-of-funnel videos as an introductory phase for your viewers.  You need to capture your viewers and get them engaged in your brand.  This is your big opportunity to set a really great impression.

Explainer videos will help educate new viewers and give them an insight into who you are.  Broadcast commercials and social media videos can help reach out to new audiences.

As said before, brand awareness videos must prove value and must answer some very important questions:

• What makes your business different from others?

• What makes you better than your competitors?

• Why should prospective customers listen to you?

• How can you help me?

You need to consider middle-of-the-funnel videos.  Once you have captured prospective customers who are interested in your brand, you need to prove your overall value and then turn these people into positive sales leads.  Once you are at this stage, make sure you are giving them more in-depth information that agrees with your audience’s point of view.  Videos like webinars, case studies, how-to, and customer testimonials can give you an edge for prospective customers looking to learn more about how your product or service will benefit them.

A more in-depth video explainer video that is tailored to certain products, services, or industries can provide your audiences with detailed answers to specific questions.

Sales –  Bottom-Funnel Videos And Renewals

Think about it, bottom-funnel videos are the most important part of your sales team.  These videos are constantly used on demos, with existing customers, and even sales calls.  These videos can be perfect for a product walkthrough, explainer videos, or specific topics for webinars, and so much more.

Retargeting and Creating Loyalty Among Potential Customers

It can be quite beneficial for reactivating leads that have gone cold or to entice repeat purchases using videos. The type of video will depend on the viewer.  You might choose to target a YouTube or social media ad toward visitors to your website that did not convert. You might also send a video email to follow up with a customer who attended your webinar but did not enter the funnel. Videos can excite current customers regarding a new product or a feature with an explainer video that breaks down into detail about your product or feature. You already know these people have invested in your company with a brand, so give them a little shove in that direction.

The Value of Lead Scoring With Videos

You have put a lot of work into creating a video so it’s very important that you make the effort to measure the impact. Lead scoring is very valuable because it will give you the insight to create a video that will give your audience the very best experience and entice them to buy your brand.

A Short Summary

We have added a great deal of information in this article to draw viewers to your site and purchase your products. We have gone over choosing voice-overs vs animated text while pointing out that voice-overs have become more popular and why. Why mobile devices need to be discussed on a different level as the data connection is now so much faster.  But ask yourself if this an avenue that will work best for your viewers?

We cannot impress upon you enough, if you are using someone else’s work, you must get permission from the creator due to copyright laws. There are so many articles on the subject, read all you can and become familiar with all the dos and don’t s regarding copyright.

We at Inovit have gone out of our way to provide you with valuable information that will take a while to digest while helping you find the best marketing tactics that will work best for your videos and draw your potential and current customers to your site and buy your products!

DevelopmentInsightsMartech

5 Tech Solutions Being Used by Property Management Professionals

on June 22, 2020

Technology has revolutionized the real estate industry in many ways. There are several tech solutions that have been developed by different companies and individuals. All of them are aimed at making the operations of property management professionals easy.

Considering the fact that the real estate industry is one of the most profitable, there is stiff competition in terms of attracting clients. That’s probably why most of the tech solutions available are geared towards improving service delivery.

Property management professionals who previously depended on manual ways of tracking data and the use of spreadsheets can now take advantage of cloud-based software to keep their data and facilitate automation of work.

Whether its part-time landlords in Lansing or full-time Austin property management professionals, both will benefit from the following array of tech solutions:

1. Property Matrix

The property matrix software is considered one of the most comprehensive tech solutions available. It is a cloud-based based software that provides a complete suite of management applications such as building maintenance, CRM, tenant and lease tracking, property marketing, and property accounting. All these features are available in a user-friendly interface designed to enhance quick access to various tools. To improve user experience, the software allows one to filter particular units, manage invoices, and track maintenance requests.

2. Buildium

Buildium is another great software used by property management professionals. It is mainly used in streamlining the leasing process. It also has automated features such as rent collection late fee reminders. Besides that, the software assigns duties to respective staff as well as handling management maintenance.

3. Propertyware

Another great tech solution in property management that enables stakeholders to keep track of all activities in their business. Property managers are able to use the software to oversee the leasing life cycle as well as maintenance management. The good thing about this software is that a user can filter rea time data and customize information to fit their business. It can also be used on different devices. It is important to ensure that you get the latest version of the software – for easy operations.

4. TruPlace

Property buyers and renters spend a lot of time online looking for prospective homes to buy. This implies that more information is posted about a certain property, the more views, and interest in purchasing it. This software can give you a competitive advantage through the optimization of virtual home viewing. Besides, a property owner can use the software to prepare and send floor plans to respective houses – hence providing potential clients with detailed information on various houses they would wish to purchase.

5. Mynd

This software solves the problem of rent collection from tenants and home buyers. Customers are able to use the software to contact property managers, make payments, and place service requests. On the other hand, property owners can see real-time reports and transactions. This makes it easy for them to take quick action in case they detect any issue.

DevelopmentInsights

A Few Tips For Starting a Trucking Business

on June 22, 2020

If you like to travel and don’t mind being on the road for hours on end, maybe a trucking career is for you. And if you’ve already gone down that path and you’re looking to take the next step, starting a trucking business of your own might be the answer. Before you can start, though, you have to do thorough research — running a business is a bit different than simply picking up and dropping off loads or vehicles.

You Don’t Always Have to Buy New

As a business, there’s a time and place to purchase new items but when it comes to starting up a trucking business, there’s no harm in buying used. Use the internet to look around and you’ll see that there’s a whole market out there of dependable trucks for you to use in your fleet. For example, there are many used tow trucks for sale in great condition and ready to go. You just have to know what types of vehicles you’re looking for and how much you’re willing to spend. Research is essential, here.

Have The Right Tech in Place

Each and every day, businesses become more in tune with technology and your trucking business should be no different. Managing your fleet with an IoT system will help you track many aspects of the job that companies weren’t able to do 50 years ago. It can help you manage fuel use, traffic conditions, and maintenance requirements. Getting the proper technology in place can help you save money down the line and be more efficient as a company as a whole.

Start Small and Slowly Expand When Necessary

Starting a business can be stressful and time-consuming, but the potential rewards are there for the taking. As for expansion, well that’s a whole new topic and at some point, it may creep into your mind. Depending on your workload, there might be a day when you decide you need to branch out. Do so with caution after you’ve gone over the pros and cons with a fine-tooth comb. As a business owner, you’ll want to make informed decisions that’ll benefit your company and not hinder it. As there’s no need to rush into expansion, take your time with it and truly see if it’s the right move for you.

Decide on Your Home Base

Running a full-fledged trucking business requires some sort of headquarters or home base to deploy trucks from and to keep them maintained. Look into properties for sale and see if they fit your criteria and if they’re suitable or zoned for trucking. Put out a wide net and see what information you discover. Sometimes, you need to look for a while before finding the perfect property, or sometimes you luck out.

Drivers Needed

Since you’re not able to drive every truck solo on a daily basis, you’ll need reliable employees to help. As it might be difficult finding employees with the right qualifications, you’ll have to take a deep dive and use many avenues to obtain information on potential drivers and legal representatives. Know what type of person you’ll want representing your company while on the road and make the appropriate decision to come hiring time, based on those needs.

In the end, it takes some time to start up any type of company. If you’re willing to dedicate your time and money to your business, having the right tools, software, and personnel with similar goals to help you operate on a daily basis is critical to the success of your company.

Two people in office, one sitting on chair with two monitors programming
DevelopmentStartups

How Flutter App Development Can Hit Jackpot For Startups?

on June 22, 2020

The business evolution timeline suggests that the commercial sphere has shifted in favor of this recent development called a Start-up. Gone are the days when professionals would work until retirement and live their sunset years encashing the pension plan cheques.

With evolution, came in the insatiable need to create and re-create. The catalytic growth of businesses has blurred the distinction between various industries to the point where they seem to be co-dependent for their survival. In such times, the IT industry has been scoring a home-run in consecutive business cycles.

The basis of any business is ideation, but the sooner or later they are standing that the threshold of digitization which requires their business to have an online identity. Such transformations have created a need for periodic development in the arena of Information Technology.

Start-ups today understand the need for having an online presence and employing digital marketing tools for increasing the frequency of their appearance. Mobile applications have taken the lead in the online presence segment due to their compatibility with convenience. In such times, developers keep looking for advancements in the mobile arena to bring in something that would make applications technically vivid.

During one such search, Google came up with an open-source software development kit named Flutter. It enables developers to create robust and scalable mobile applications with exclusive typography, icons, and scrolling behavior; Google’s in-house language, Dart, powers this open-source kit.

Now let’s shift into a different frame of mind, i.e., that of a start-up investor. An investor would want to invest in your start-up project only if they are happy with the choices you’ve made during a dilemma. Let’s assume a case of a Mobile Application Development Start-up; if you choose to begin development with Flutter, it may result in investor trust.

A mobile phone, tablet and monitor showing the Flutter App

There are two ways to look at it, you are either a Mobile Application Development Agency, and you provide services to others, or you are a start-up looking to develop an application of your business. In both those scenarios, Flutter stands as the best alternative due to its increasing rate of use and efficiency.

Let’s look at the hows-and-whys of adopting Flutter as a means to accelerating your Start-up growth!

1) Increases The Market Value Of Your Mobile Application

The increasing use of android and IoS devices keeps the graph very dynamic. One cannot determine which platform to choose, and in such a dilemma, developers have come up with something called Cross-platform application development.

Flutter allows its developers to create a completely native UI/UX by using those elements to provide the ultimate experience; this is something that the developers have been longing for throughout the world.

Launching an application created within flutter can allow you to feel a Native experience in a cross-platform application. Developers across the world have waited long enough for this coveted platform.

Since Flutter offers you more than the cross-platform limitations, it has captured a considerable amount of market share in the mobile application arena. As a consequence, your flutter mobile application will already have a desirable market share.

2) Expedites Developer’s Productivity

Since flutter is the talk of the town, one may wonder the key reasons behind its popularity, at some point. In addition to having captured a considerable market share, flutter’s Hot Re-Load feature promises the developer’s productivity. The premise is very easy to visualize, as a start-up company, you do not want to spend a lot of time fixing bugs, and solving errors only to re-work on the application you’ve created.

Flutter enables you to fix the bugs and errors in real-time, thereby reducing the re-work time and enhancing productivity. So as a dedicated flutter development agency, your productivity is already in the marked in the top right corner, assuming it is the highest.

To entice you towards the application even further, let’s assume that you do not encounter any bug fixes, but you want to experiment with the application that you’ve developed. So instead of worrying about re-work in the code structure, you can experiment within your flutter application and leave the rest on its real-time feature.

3) Start-up Friendly

We are familiar with the term pocket-friendly, so we took the liberty of tweaking it to Start-Up Friendly to emphasize the monetary liberty this platform provides.

Notebook and person programming on it.

As a start-up, you may not be very comfortable with spending a lot on development platforms because of the monetary constraints. Flutter rids you of the dilemma since it adheres to a FOSS (Free and Open Source) model. Not only that, but it also provides 3-tier support in terms of money, time, and resource efficiency.

Flutter comes with an array of native UI widgets to improve the aesthetics of the application that you’re developing. You can switch between various functionalities depending on the platform, Android, IoS, Google Fuchia, etc.

Also, flutter is fairly easy to work with, which makes it easier for a newbie in this field to work with it very quickly.

Conclusion

The points mentioned throughout the blog are a mere summation of an array of experiments that have already been carried out in a Flutter app development company. As a start-up, you may rely a lot on the information that you may come across over the internet or by hearsay, and more often than not, you will be directed towards flutter as your development solution.

Our suggestion would be to experiment with this SDK platform because it provides a broad scope for experimentation. Also, due to its start-up friendly feature that we just mentioned, it stands out the perfect partner for an entry-level company that provides flutter app development services.

DevelopmentInsights

Ultimate Guide to Building a Pitch Deck

on June 21, 2020

When you start a business, it can be nerve-wracking and hard, but when you present your pitch it needs to be eloquent and concise and have a great design. It is important to understand when is the best time to launch your business and don’t forget to explain what your company is trying to do.

Make sure that your pitch is perfect because investors are using it continuously to evaluate your company’s potential so it is important that you make a good impression. If you were to ask any successful entrepreneurs and investors, their advice would be to keep it simple but also include the information that is relevant to whoever it is you are pitching to.

In this article we will discuss:

  1. What is a pitch deck?
  2. How to write a pitch deck
  3. The presentation

What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck, also known as an investor pitch deck or startup pitch deck, is generally the first communication tool that is a presentation that entrepreneurs and startups put together.

Macintosh HD:private:var:folders:48:5q722lqd5kg22b2fyjxv2rc80000gn:T:TemporaryItems:7757-01-ultimate-pitch-deck-powerpoint-template.png

slidemodel.com

And here we go!

How to write a pitch deck 

1) Customize your pitch

While some may think that PR pitches are simple and they envision themselves being successful the first time around, most of the time that is not the case. It is more common and effective to form a relationship with investors before making your pitch. You need to ask the investor the key components that they want to see in your deck and what outcomes and numbers are important to them.

2) Prepare multiple documents that tell your company’s story

Macintosh HD:private:var:folders:48:5q722lqd5kg22b2fyjxv2rc80000gn:T:TemporaryItems:imgres.png

sba.gov

Pretty self-explanatory, but try and create a different version of your deck depending on who you are presenting to. You should divide it up into a short intro deck, one for in-person meetings, and another one for follow-up calls.

3) Verify investors before sending them confidential information.

It is important to remember not to include any financial information before you have developed a relationship with any media outlets. As much as you might really need their help, you need to qualify them so that you don’t make a mistake with trusting the wrong people.

4) Make sure to visually represent your brand identity and keep it concise

Macintosh HD:private:var:folders:48:5q722lqd5kg22b2fyjxv2rc80000gn:T:TemporaryItems:brand-identity-system-featured-1.jpg

spellbrand.com

Remember that first impression matter so designs your pitch to properly represent your business and create a presentation that catches investor’s eyes. Ride the fine line between professional and having personality. You want investors to be able to see your vision just through a few slides, Try using KISS and use your presentation as an additional way to present your vision so use mainly visuals rather than an explosion of words on the screen because you don’t want them spending so much time reading your proposal rather than listening to you.

The presentation

Keep your pitch deck concise and tell a story.

However you decide to create your pitch deck, it should not be too long in both the visual and verbal presentation. In that short presentation, you need to outline the most important parts of your business. Do not go overboard with the information that you are presenting, you want to tell a story that the investors can understand and where you want and think your business is going.

You may want to include numbers and metrics and while that may be beneficial, you need to know which ones matter most to each individual investor. So, present a good combination of both.

Represent your team.

When a company is first starting out, investors are looking at the people behind the company, not the company itself. They have to know whether you can accomplish what you are saying you will. They want to get to know the person behind the curtain. So, it is important that they get to know the entire team and their backgrounds.

If it is relevant, include personal or professional backgrounds that are relevant to the company.

Don’t forget to say what your company is actually doing.

It is important to not lose sight of the message that your company is trying to put across. It is very easy to get caught up in presentations and investors that people sometimes forget the purpose of their company.

Stay humble and don’t forget that you need their help and you need to portray that you want this company to work and believe in it.

Outline both your grand vision and your concrete execution.

It is important to emphasize the vision you have for the company and where you can see it going because if there is already a clear picture presented, investors are more likely to be interested. Once you have presented your vision, you also need to show the exact way that you will go about executing your business because they will also need to see that you have a course of action.

Address the market landscape and competition.

In your pitch, you also need to be aware of the competition that you are up against and how you can stand out from them. Investors want to not only understand why it would be a good idea to invest, but they want to know what already exists in the market so that they can figure out where your company is going to go and whether it is worth it to invest if there are already so many of the same niche.

Explain why now is the best time to launch your business.

Obviously, you want to talk about your company and how you are going to go about it, but you also need to help them understand why it is important to launch it now. It can be helpful to show that you not only have a good idea but show them that it’s the right time to pursue it and what are steps that haven’t been done before. The questions that need to be answered are whether you are ready and capable to execute it at that exact moment.

Specify how you’re going to spend the money you raise.

Presenting your company may be all good and well but investors want to make sure that the money that they are going to invest in you is worth it. You need to be specific of all aspects of business and your company down to the office space, agreements with vendors, and big expenditures.

Highlight your plans for growth.

Try and present a plan that will be beneficial for both you and them in the long run. Try and also tell them how long it will take for you to return their investment back. They want to know how long it will take for them to recover the cost of their investment.

The whole point of them giving your company money is because they know and believe that they will eventually make a profit off of it. Give them a timeline of when it is going to happen.

Tweak the deck based on the feedback you get from each investor.

Finally, it is important that each pitch deck is tweaked for every individual investor because not all points will match each person. You may be asking different people for different things, so try to change it up a bit.

With these tips, pitch decks can be easy enough to create. It is important for both you and the investors to understand all aspects of your company and the vision that you are trying to present. You can use websites like this one and others in order to do things on your own without having to break the bank trying to outsource your skills.

Sometimes it can be stressful to create a pitch deck, which is where we come in. We pride ourselves on providing the materials to create an effective PR campaign. If you are interested in our services, check out our pricing and packages so that you can get a customized press kit.

InsightsProducts

5 Current Technologies Bringing Us Closer to True AI

on June 20, 2020

Artificial intelligence is quickly taking shape in different aspects of our lives. Many companies are working on ways to replace human labor with artificial intelligence.

It is believed that a few years from now robots will be performing most of the work being done by human beings. What does that mean for most people who rely on formal employment to earn a living?

Well, some technology experts argue that it is impossible to completely replace human labor with artificial intelligence software (AI). Others believe that a time is coming when robots will be doing everything that’s currently being done by humans.

Whatever the case, the truth is that the race towards artificial intelligence is gaining momentum every day.

Below are 5 technologies that are bringing us closer to True AI:

1. Ridesharing apps like Lyft and Uber

This is one of the technologies that is driving us closer and closer to true artificial intelligence. Have you ever asked yourself how Uber or Lyft determine the price of each ride? Or how they minimize time as soon as you board the car? How about matching you with other passengers to reduce detours?

Well, the answer is machine learning (ML) software designed to predict the demand of riders in order to push up the prices. The head of machine learning at Uber admitted that the company uses different forms of artificial intelligence technology to perform various activities. He added that Uber is investing in different other technologies related to AI.

2. Chatbots

Chatbots are another form of modern technology that’s taking us closer to AI. The best chatbot examples include those used by Emirates vacation, World Health Organization COVID-19, National Geographic, Hipmunk, Civilized Caveman Duolingo, Amtrak among others. 

A chatbot feature is software designed to trigger conversations with human beings on the internet. Many companies use chatbots as part of cutting down operation costs such as communications and customer service.

3. Alexa

When Alexa was first introduced to the market by Amazon, many people around the world were taken by surprise. The software has proved to be a revolutionary product considering its usefulness in the voice industry.

Amazon has been improving the technology ever since it was launched. Several features have been added that make it easy for users to customize its use.

4. Cogito

This artificial intelligence software was originally developed by Dr. Sandy Pentland and Joshua Feast. It is one of the most powerful forms of behavioral adaptation to improve the emotional intelligence of customer representatives.

Cogito is a combination of behavioral science and machine learning designed to improve phone interaction of customer representatives in the market today. The software is used for millions of voice calls happening every day.

5. Netflix

This is another revolutionary software service that’s giving the true meaning of artificial intelligence. Netflix software offers accurate predictions with regard to a consumer’s reaction to various films. This feature is part of why the popular streaming service has given traditional telecom services a run for their money.

The software assesses billions of films based on a customer’s previous reactions to film choices. This technology is still undergoing several improvements. No one knows what it will be capable of doing in the coming years.

In general, there are a lot of technologies that are bringing as much closer to AI reality. It will be a matter of time before the world experiences the real power of artificial intelligence.

Insights

Understand How Personalized Content Drives Sales

on June 19, 2020

Content is an element that shapes perceptions about your company and the values. If you take adequate care to implement a strategic content strategy, you can build trust in the readers, and that could turn them into lifelong brand loyalists. If you can send the right content with the right message to the right audience, it will not be difficult for you to see your sales grow.

Personalization is a great content strategy. Did you know that personalized emails are opened at a 26% higher rate? Personalized content is an excellent way of showing that you value people and care for them.

If you are implementing a sales enablement  to drive more sales, then make sure you focus your efforts on content personalization that drives sales in the following ways:

Adding Value

Most of the web pages on the web contain
generic information that does not provide any value for the readers. There is
no one-size-fits-all strategy for content creation. To grab the attention of
your target audience, you should create and publish informative, engaging, and
relevant content. You need to identify as well as address the specific needs of
potential customers. And that is what personalized content means.

Standing Apart

Today, the competition is the business circuit
has become stiffer than ever. And prospects are becoming harder to win. If your
content does not provide any value, then there are no chances for you to draw
their attention to your brand. You need to take help of the personalization
strategy to survive in the stiff competition. So, add a personalized title to
every blog you publish or email you send.

Build Deeper
Relationships

With personalized content, your leads, as well as customers, will tend to believe that you specially treat them. They will feel valued as they will think that you are doing your best to meet their expectations. So, they will develop a deeper relationship with your brand, and that is something that also brings in sales.

Please refer to the infographic in this post to know what all content types exist in sales enablement.

Image Source

Infographic about Understanding How Personalized Content Drives Sales

Uncategorized

How to Build Your Own A-Team

on June 18, 2020

So you’ve got your hardware all sorted out, and the Xerox c75 shipping notification just made your cell phone vibrate. Now it’s time to assemble a dynamite team. When you’re trying to do so, you could do worse than look to the popular 1980s television show called The A-Team. While you will want to give focus to diversity in your actual hiring practices, let’s take a look at what each member of the NBC show brought to the table.

The Leader

Lieutenant Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, played by George Peppard, was the leader of the team. Chances are, this is your character, too. You’re the leader of a startup team hoping to take over the world–or at least save it. As you well know, a startup company is different from an established one, and the rules of play are different. Hannibal knew this; he was in your shoes. The A-Team operated outside the box, and Hannibal’s strategies were unconventional. So you, too, might benefit from thinking outside the box. Leadership is crucial, especially when managing a group willing to take on an enormous challenge.

The Smooth-Talking Second

Next up is Lieutenant Templeton Peck. He was characterized in the TV show as a smooth-talking con man, and as a result, he was the one sent out to gather supplies for the missions. How does this translate to your team? Your second-in-command should have a gift for talking to people; perhaps a background in sales or management should be a priority. They should be able to give presentations, resolve conflicts, convince investors to stay, and convince customers to come aboard. This may sound like a tall order, but it is. 

The Pilot

Thirdly, the pilot. In the A-Team, this was Captain “Howling Mad” Murdock. This is someone who was written off by the establishment. In the case of the TV show, Murdock had been declared unfit for duty and clinically insane. Hannibal, the team’s leader, saw something in Murdock, though. One of the things to remember is that there are gifted and talented individuals out there, but sometimes they don’t do so well in a traditional corporate environment. These employees thrive in a startup but may bounce after your IPO. They start to flounder once there are regular policy emails and the beer kegerator gets taken away. But they’re willing to take risks–all the while taking the safety of their team members seriously. The person you’re looking for wants the team to succeed. They won’t take the kinds of risks that put you out of business, but they’ll work harder and longer than anyone else to see that you make it. It’s not the ego that drives someone like “Howling Mad” Murdock. It’s something else. It’s the need to do something extraordinary with their lives, to seek adventure, to overcome adversity. Eventually, you’ll want to promote your Murdock, but your Murdock won’t want the promotion. They’re a doer, not a leader.

The Strong People

Last but not least: the rest of the team. Probably the first person you think of when you think of the A-Team is Sergeant First Class Bosco, a.k.a. “Bad Attitude.” This guy was played by Mr. T. Now you ask: Who is the equivalent of Mr. T in your modern workforce? These are the rest of your team members, and they’re important. We’re not suggesting you find a bunch of people who are looking to create anarchy in your office. Instead, they’re bad to the bone. They work hard–harder than they have to work. They like to be part of the David vs. Goliath struggles and they’re not afraid of Goliath. They’re fearless. and you want them on your team.

Assemble a dynamite team and your startup will have a fighting chance.

DevelopmentInsightsMartechProductsSEO

Digital Products and Services That Drive Marketing

on June 18, 2020

Technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives including marketing. For example, before the advent of the internet, most companies relied solely on print and electronic media to market their products and services.

However, the introduction of the internet has opened a myriad of opportunities – that have taken marketing and advertising to another level.

A good example is social media. It is hard to find a business or company today that doesn’t use social media to market products and services.

Below are some of the digital products and services that are driving the market:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

This is one of the popular digital services used by companies and individuals to drive marketing. It is considered one of the most effective marketing strategies today.

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization is a technique used to optimize the content of a website so that it can easily be found on popular search engines. The objective is to create keywords that are commonly frequently searched by internet users and drive them to your website.

The effectiveness of SEO depends on who is implementing it. Most marketing companies hire professionals to optimize their business websites.

2. Digital Product Development Agencies

This is another digital service that is driving the marketing industry. There are many digital product development agencies whose focus is to market products and services for other companies. They are responsible for identifying what marketing strategy suits your need and implementing them.

A digital product development agency can analyze your business and recommend an appropriate marketing strategy. If you implement a marketing strategy and you can’t see the results a few months down the line, then it means you are missing something. You need a professional to analyze and recommend something that will work for you.

3. Email marketing

Email marketing strategy is as old as the internet. It is another digital service that is being employed by many companies to market products and services. It is also considered one of the most online marketing strategies after SEO.

How does email marketing work? Email marketing focuses on maintaining existing clients or customers and attracting new ones. It is a perfect strategy for those who want to build brand awareness as well as encourage repeat clients.

4. Social media marketing (SMM)

Social media has proved to be a powerful marketing strategy in the modern-day. Most companies have taken into social media to market their products and services. This is because social media platforms have the power to reach a large audience within a short time.

As a result, most companies have opted to hire professional marketers to run their social media pages. This has led to an increase in competition in different sectors.

5. Pay-per-click (PPC)

PPC is also another major service that is driving the marketing and advertising industry. Pay-per-click service works very simply – a client bids for words that they want their ads to show up for. That means when a user clicks on one of the keywords, their ad is automatically triggered.

The good thing about PPC is that you don’t pay for space to advertise, but rather for the results you get.

In general, there are several digital products and services that drive marketing. All you need to do is identify a strategy that works for your business.

1 … 27 28 29 30 31 … 67