The Online Marketing Summit - great for software marketing

Next week I'm off to San Diego to attend OMS - the Online Marketing Summit.  This is a fairly small, newer conference that targets those marketers who focus in online marketing.  The great thing about this conference, and what makes it different, is that speakers are not allowed to sell to you.  you're actually encouraged to boo them if they do!

There is a very aggressive agenda that covers everything from SEO, web strategies and Analytics, to Social Media, Paid Search and Lead generation.  The speakers are often industry experts, some from very large respected companies.  This year there are 3 tracks - Fundamentals, In Practice and Advanced Strategies.  The schedule is jam-packed, but there are plenty of opportunities to network - you're actually encouraged to do so!  Aaron Kahlow - the director for this conference, has put together an extremely educational and beneficial conference with a huge following.

Aaron has invited professionals to join the OMS community and help each other.  Marketers sharing ideas and experiences to help others and keep up with the latest trends and technologies.  There's even a blog where you can read articles constantly posted by some very experienced and successful marketers.  I often get a lot of my ideas from this blog, or even reference it in my posts here.

I attended OMS last year, and the things I learned shaped my marketing strategy in 2008 and brought some really great results.  I made it a priority to attend this year, and if I could only choose one educational event this would be it.  The great thing about OMS is that whether you are a newbie to some of this topics, or an expert, there is definitely something to learn.

I didn't see many software companies last year, and I know it's short notice, but if you are in California, or can make plans with short notice, I highly recommend attending OMS.  I think the information learned here applies especially to software marketing as we move our focus online, learn how to make use of social media to promote our brands and our products and most importantly, share ideas with marketers from other industries.

Even if you can't make it, stay tuned because I will be taking a lot of notes, and I'm sure I'll have enough material for several blog posts.

What topics would you like me to pay attention to and post about?

ROI becomes even more important for software marketing in a recession

Happy new year!  It's been awhile since I've had a chance to post and I hope the break has given everyone time to reset and prep for 2009, it's going to be a challenging year!

Everywhere I look lately marketing news outlets and blogs are talking about how 2009 is going to  be a challenging year for marketers and how we are all going to have to do more with less.  I think this is no truer than for software marketers, especially as our companies have to cut back when consumers and businesses are purchasing less technology.

Now we know that marketing becomes even more important in a recession as we strive to drive more revenue for our companies.  Some of us work for management teams  that understand this and we are lucky, some do not.  No matter your situation, to save your efforts or to justify them, ROI is the bottom line.  How are you going to justify your marketing efforts when comparing their cost to the revenue they generate.

As marketers we've always looked at this metric, but now more than ever we need to scrutinize it more, squeeze more out of our dollars and become more inventive with our budgets.

Among the several articles I've read recently, one really struck me.  On the front page of the latest BtoB magazine were the words "Frugality First."  If there is anything I know more, especially working for a small company, it's trying to be frugal with my marketing budget - and getting the most bang for my buck.

The article covers some great points about how marketers should be looking at their ROI, including how we can be smarter and more strategic.  Bring costs in line with revenue - and sometimes that means cutting back if your ROI doesn't make sense.

As software companies look for ways to increase marketing efforts without additional cost, social media becomes increasingly important.  Social media give you the chance to get your name out in the marketplace and start conversations with your potential customers.  Tying social media programs in with traditional online marketing efforts can create the buzz and viral marketing about your software that everyone strives for and can really produce some results.

A great marketing tactic is also promoting your software in a way that shows your prospects how it will save them money or be more efficient - these issues are on the forefront of everyone's minds during a recession and are almost guaranteed to get attention.

This recession will prove to be a good thing for successful marketers, they will come out the other end smarter and better at what they do.

How do you plan to look at your marketing programs and their ROI to help you during the recession?

Simple Steps to Creating a Compelling Landing Page

If you engage in Internet marketing, you know the importance of a high converting "landing page"—aka: a promotional page or jump page. Effective creation of these pages is a must for online marketing success. After a click from within a web browser on a search-engine-generated link (organic or paid), the user is directed to a Web site or landing page.

Depending on your promotional tactics, you may be using pay-per-click marketing to generate signups, inquiries, or sales. Regardless of the specific purpose, one fact remains the same; you want the user to take some type of action. In the steps that follow, you will read about some landing-page best practices for increasing conversion rates and getting users to take the action you're hoping for.

Keep the following concepts in mind when designing your landing page:

Headline- Make it Big, make it Bold

If you don't catch the attention of the browser with a big, bold, headline that is relevant, nothing else matters. This is savvy marketers test multiple landing pages at once to see which page proves most relevant to those who are browsing. If a user is searching for Netflix, the headline should be targeted accordingly—rather than saying, for example, "Hey, check out these new movies." Using that type of headline is not particularly pertinent, and as a result individuals may never get past the first few sentences of your landing page.

Include Images

If people have to read beyond your headline and sub-headline before understanding what you're selling or offering, you'll have a difficult time getting them to read any further. Here is where images can make a big difference. Pictures help to convey your message quickly and with less effort. Make sure your landing page goes further than plain text and integrates visuals such as a different colored font, pictures, or video.

Testimonials can Sell

Would you buy a product you've never heard of? What if you best friend had used the product, now would you try it? People like to buy based on recommendations. This is particularly true of online purchases. Getting support from like minded individuals removes fear and breaks down skepticism. There are a variety of ways to share a testimonial that work, you could use any of the following a photo and quote, audio recording, or even a video.

We all like something for FREE

Encourage action by offering something free in exchange for a name and email address. If you're selling a product from your page, consider giving added bonuses for making a purchase. The more you offer at the price point you've identified, the more value you create for your potential customer.

Create Urgency

Create a sense of urgency with an offer that is only valid for a short time. You may also make your offer available to a limited number of new registrants. Both methods work for creating urgency and encourage purchasing. You will need to test your time-bound and limited-number offers to identify the time frame that works best for your potential customers

Give Payment Options

Give users multiple options for how they pay: from credit cards to PayPal, the more the better. Also include an 800-number for any questions they may have. This step may sound obvious but there are many marketers out there that forget about the basics.

Always test and then test again

No matter how good you think you are, you can always do better. Always test your control page in an effort to improve conversions each time. This will ensure that your business will continue to grow and you'll better understand what works and what doesn't with your target audience. It will also help you better understand seasonal trends.

Creating an effective landing page is essential for successful online marketing. Begin with a basic page that follows the criteria mentioned above. Test multiple pages to determine which has the highest conversion rate, and continually tweak the page to improve results and to ensure your landing page will continue to produce long into the future.