Cortex Marketing

June 27, 2017January 13, 2018

Other Services – In Case You Were Not Aware

There are many “other services” that come up in daily conversations, yet do not get discussed in depth until your challenges are fully discovered.

These “other services” encompass the solving of those challenges — looking at the bigger picture — of doing business in the digital age. Things such as site & transaction security, domain routing, and system & process development (systems that make your business run smoother), are just a few of the ‘bigger picture’ challenges that Cortex Marketing is adept is providing a solution for.

Things such as site & transaction security, domain routing, and system & process development (systems that make your business run smoother), are just a few of the ‘bigger picture’ challenges that Cortex Marketing is adept is providing a solution for.

That said, the lack of discussion for “other services” is almost always because many of our clients already have the foundation established for their business — their branding components, a basic online presence, and a general plan of what their business is all about — and they simply need help establishing specific marketing strategies, plans, and components needed to deliver a better return on their investment.

You Have Choices

“You do other services? I did not know that!”

Of the many “other services” we provide, only a general few are entered into the mix until we know your goals and progress through the discovery process. I did not know that That pathway is rarely pre-determined as there are too many variables to solidify those needed components until a plan is being put together.

We provide you with a strategy, designed to achieve the goals you lay out to us, At that time we develop a plan that puts in place the mix you need to get the result you want.

Our 360º Success Team

While delivering a full-service solution — part of the way Cortex Marketing has always brought solutions to the business world — this year we created the 360º Success Team to solve our clients’ issues regarding bigger IT & system solution needs.

The key to our team’s success is how we emphasize creating a solution-based environment where people actually want to be. We believe our corporate culture is a crucial component to achieving success for our clients.

Together Everyone Achieves More When you engage with Cortex Marketing, we have the strategists, copywriters, designers, programmers and IT specialists, all to ensure that your goals are always maintained and looked at with the latest fresh eyes. This gives us a unique perspective and provides you with what we believe is one of the best customer-service experiences in the entire marketing industry.

The bottom line is that you deserve the results you desire.

If we have fallen short and not delivered the best service on the market, we have failed in our goal. As such we offer this guarantee:

“While we cannot guarantee advertising results, we do guarantee our services. It is as simple as this: “If you are not satisfied, we are not satisfied. — We will do whatever possible to correct any issue, then attempt to exceed your future expectations.

We know the value of our clients and recognize that without them, we would not exist. We offer a service with integrity, a culture where we LOVE what we do, and unparrallelled five-star customer service — and for these reasons, we make our bold guarantee: “If you are not satisfied, we are not satisfied!”

So if at anytime you are not satisfied with any part of your experience with us, please give us an opportunity to correct any issues and exceed your expectations in the future — we will make it right even if you are asking for your money back!” ~ William S. Dickinson, President and CEO Dickinson Enterprises, Inc.

‘Our other services can wait’ is our philosophy — your primary goals are our top priority.

Have you ever worked with a company that is always trying to upsell you? Everyone on our 360º team has, and that is what drives us crazy too! Within our culture, we simply want to fit you into the best long-term solution first and foremost. And if we can provide you with advice, coaching, and/or development of other services, we want you to know that you can also trust us with the following business solutions:

Website Development (WYSIWYG platforms, WordPress, Custom Programming in Python and HTML5)
Landing-Page Development
Social Media Development
Conversion Marketing Copywriting
Website and Marketing-Campaign Analytics
Simple and Complex Marketing Campaigns
User-Based Technology Guidance (MS Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, G-Suite)
Custom Programming and Technology-Based Process Development (systems to make your business run smoother)
System Administration (email, network admin, system hosting)
Server set-up and Management (database, SQL, JavaScript, etc.)
Business Graphics / Graphic Design (logo development/design, business cards/envelopes/letterhead, etc.)
e-Commerce Solutions
And more… basically, anything to do with marketing and selling yourself online!

June 20, 2017January 13, 2018

Conversion Traffic: The Top 10 Ways To Get Better Results

So you have visitors and it is just not converting; maybe you are simply not driving the right conversion traffic!

Conversion Traffic “Getting traffic to your website is great, but if that traffic doesn’t convert, it’s almost useless.” ~ Jayson DeMers — Founder and CEO, AudienceBloom

Keeping Up-To-Date On Conversion Traffic ‘Best Practices’ Is Not Easy!

It is essentially true that technology has a six-week cycle and that new ideas are expanding at a rate that is nearly impossible to keep up with without doing continual research.

Traffic Conversion

This week in doing such research specifically on Conversion Traffic, I came upon a great 2015 blog post by Jason DeMers, the Founder | CEO of AudienceBloom, a Seattle-based SEO agency. He’s the author of the ebook, “The Definitive Guide to Marketing Your Business Online”. In his post, he has listed the top thirty-nine best practices for increasing your conversion traffic in “39 Quick Ways to Increase Your Website’s Conversion Rate“.

And while his post is now a few years old, many points on that list cannot be improved upon. So in an effort to inform you — while still maintaining some level of brevity —I will list myTop-10 from his list. So with full credit to Jason for creating this, here are my choices from his list of thirty-nine:

1. Include as few fields as possible.

When asking for information in an email opt-in form, ask for as little information as necessary. Here’s an example of how using one additional form field decreased conversions by 11 percent.

2. Add a guarantee.

Include a no-questions-asked refund policy on all purchases. This reduces risk, and increased sales will usually more than make-up for any returns.

3. Use tangible action verbs.

When testing out different calls to action, try using action language that spurs visitors to take action (for example, “grab yours,” “reserve your seat”)

4. Use testimonials.

Testimonials reduce risk and provide social proof. Use them on product landing pages as well as on your email opt-in landing page.

5. Clearly-state the benefits of your product or service.

Listing the features of your product is important, but it’s even more important to tell potential customers exactly how your product will help them or solve their problem.

6. Pay careful attention to your headline.

Your headline is perhaps the single most important element of your landing page. Brainstorm at least 10 possibilities before choosing the strongest one.

7. Keep conversion elements above the fold.

Opt-in boxes and other conversion elements should be above the fold for optimal results.

8. Use video to humanize your brand.

Include a simple video on landing pages to show there’s a real person behind your brand.

9. Create dedicated landing pages for pay-per-click ads.

If you’re using AdWords or another form of PPC ads, be sure to send these visitors to a dedicated landing page (not your home page!).

10. Incorporate strong calls to action (CTAs) into every piece of content on your site.

Let your readers know exactly what you want them to do next, whether that’s click a button, read a blog post or fill out a form.

If this interested you, connect with me on FB to keep up with all my shares & insights or subscribe to my feed or subscribe to blog.

June 17, 2017January 13, 2018

The Power Of Why Marketing Methodology

“People Don’t Buy What You Do, They Buy Why You Do It” ~ Simon Sinek — that’s the power of why!

My Inspiration For The Power Of Why

To understanding the Power Of Why, let’s talk about biology… yes “biology”. We are all inspired — at the top level — by our experiences. From there our feelings take over; and while we are always gathering information, that ‘information’ influences our feelings… which in turn influences our decision, and ultimately, we buy based on what we feel, not what we know.

“When we are confronted with a decision, emotions from previous, related experiences affix values to the options we are considering. These emotions create preferences which lead to our decision.” ~ Peter Noel Murray Ph.D.

Read His Entire Article Here

So how does this tie into biology you ask?

When you look at the information and “decision-making regions” of the brain — top down, like the image above — the”Neo-Cortex” is the ‘WHAT’ ring, and the “Limbic Brain” (or “Allocortex” region) are the center two, ‘HOW’ & ‘WHY’ regions respectively. When we buy, our final decisions are most often attributed to the ‘why’. In other words, does it make us feel good, or special, or sexy, or smart, or [whatever].

So more often than not, your marketing message must seek to tap into that Allocortex response region, eliciting an emotion, putting the buyer on a path to make a decision in your favor.

This is only century-old knowledge, and the ‘message delivering methodology’ within this knowledge is at the core of why DRM (Direct Response Marketing) works so well. In fact, one of the most successful companies in the world uses this methodology all the time. That company? Apple.

So, Gimme Some Examples Of DRM and The Power Of Why

Okay, we are just scratching the surface here, here are a few ‘slogans’… see if you can name the brand:

“Think Different” (we all want to be unique)
“Melts in your mouth but not in your hands!” (still true)
“Fly the friendly skies!” (well not so much anymore)
“Snickers really satisfies!” (okay that one is a give away)

Well, how’d you do? My guess is, most will — while maybe more in a sub-conscience way — easily relate to the emotional experience we have had with each brand. The first one, by the way, was Apple. “Think different.” was an advertising slogan for Apple, Inc. (then Apple Computer, Inc.) in 1997 created by the Los Angeles office of advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day. The slogan has been widely taken as a response to IBM’s slogan “Think”.

The Golden Circle — Explaining The Power Of Why

Simon Sinek codified this whole concept in the creation of “The Golden Circle”, and with 32.6+ million total views, you can be guaranteed that more than a few have been inspired. Here is that video:

I hope you left inspired today about “The Power Of Why”!

June 14, 2017January 13, 2018

How To Increase Your Online Presence

Are you ready to get serious about your online presence?

Your Online Presence in Your Personal and Business Branding

In today’s online world, it is crucial to pay attention to your online presence and the many ways in which ‘a potential customer’ can discover more about you or your business.

As an example, if you are looking for a job, you need to be aware of your digital footprint — the information connected with your name online. This is two-fold however as if you are a business, you definitely want to come up in the SERP (search engine result pages) when someone needs your product or service.

Forbes Magazine says: “For most customers in the 21st Century, their first introduction to a business is by discovering the business online. That’s why each and every business needs to have a strong online presence.” ~ Full Article at Forbes.com

And while your personal and business presence may seem like distant cousins, they are more like brother and sister. Each has its own set of pros and cons, and you should examine — if not leverage — each of those.

Some of them are:

The topic(s) of your content
Your overriding branding and character of that brand
Your message frequency
Your public-facing follow through in online message boards/forums/help centres
The quality of your publically presented messages and images
… and more… (contact me to discuss further)

So how are you approaching your own online presence? Let’s dive a bit deeper…

Website Optimization, SEO, and Your Online Presence

Let’s face it, none of us really know for certain what are the algorithms of Google, Bing or other search engines. Google — the owner of the 2 biggest search engines: Google.com and YouTube.com — keeps a tight lid on the actual formula, but they do give hints as to what they are looking to achieve regarding their users’ experience.

According to MOZ: “A webpage doesn’t always look the same to you and me as it looks to a search engine.” ~ Full Article at Moz.com

That all said, optimizing your site for its message, its focus keyword & content friendliness, and its code, is a synergy that just cannot be ignored these days.

If you use a WordPress site (like I do), I recommend the Yoast plugin. According to Wiki: “Yoast is currently considered the most comprehensive search engine optimization software available for WordPress users, with its developers responsible for over 10% of WordPress releases.”

FYI – WordPress is reportedly the most popular website management or blogging system in use on the Web, supporting more than 60 million websites — that means that about 6million WordPress sites use Yoast.

Being Visible Online

Being visible and top-of-mind is a science all on its own. The online world is full of opportunities for promoting your business. If you desire to grow your client base, then being found, being visible, and connecting with prospects and clients online, is going to be very important for you.

To ensure you will be visible online, you will need to address the following elements:

Your Relevant Content: This goes for both Social Media and your website. Your website content should contain the words and phrases that clients would use to search for your type of business. Now no ‘keyword spamming’; the recommended keyword density is 2.5%.

The Quantity of Your Content: The more written content you have on your website the more there is for Google to find, rank and return in their results. A very effective way to add regular new content to your website is by publishing a blog.

Good Coding Practices and Meta-Tags: On the technical side, the coding that sits behind your website pages should include relevant page titles, descriptions and keyword tags.

Links: Quality links to and from your website are important to search engines because they can indicate relevance and popularity.

Your Social Media Online Presence

Ah, Social Media, It is kind of hard to even think about being online without it anymore.

However, for your business, Social Media is an important part of your online presence. It improves your chances of generating additional connections and generating customer loyalty, allowing customers — and potential customers — the ability to easily engage beyond the sale.

June 13, 2017January 13, 2018

Which is Better? Online vs. Print Advertising

Advert Spending By Media Type — Source: OnlineMarketingTrends.com — As Projected for 2015 & 2016

“So, which is better, online or traditional advertising?”

A client recently asked me just that question. The answer, however, is not as straightforward as you might think. So in a twist of tradition, here is the ‘meat’ of my answer: “Advertising success depends on two factors:

Who is the target?
and
What are your goals?”

Let’s break down these two components…

Who is the advertising target?

Often overlooked, ‘knowing your target’ is a crucial piece of an effective sale conversion strategy.

“Everyone should want to buy my [widget/service]!”, a client told me once; and while potentially true, research shows that timing & relevance are a much bigger factor in making a buying decision. Crucial pieces of effective sale conversion strategy rely on saying the right message at the right time. As such, knowing your target and their buying cycles tends to lead to a significant lift in success when it comes to any advertising.

Demographics are a huge aspect of knowing your target

Today’s ability to track age, gender, location, how they saw your advert, how long they stayed, did they share it, etc., are at the core of the advantage of digital advertising. In fact, “Direct Response Marketing” techniques are heavily invested shopper data in an effort to ‘personalize’ the shopping experience for each individual.

What are your advertising goals?

Today’s goals seem different, but they’re not. In fact, the goals have not changed until the last 20 years. It is still all about the conversion of the audience or “target” — are you seeing the tie into the first advertising component above?

So, what did traditional advertising discover that digital ads still need to work on?

In short, ‘message effectiveness’. Tradition advertisers recognize that the timing at which their ads display — and the core of the offer — must be in alignment with the awareness level of the target. While simple messages like “free trial” and “try it now” are synonymous with today’s advertising, traditional adverts, traditional methodologies tend to focus on an awareness level that works off the brand awareness level — and consequentially, the true reason people buy — how the experience made them feel.

Today’s conclusion to this deep advertising question

I could probably write 10 more blogs on this subject and only scratch the surface, but the bottom line is, both types have their place. A wise marketing mentor taught me a lesson that I will never forget: “Never put all your eggs in one basket!”.

Cortex Marketing

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