In 2014 I had an epiphany that changed everything in my home staging business and it I know it will change yours too.
Let me take you back to 3 years earlier when I worked with an online marketing genius, Holly Chantal, to build my first website. She knew exactly what a website needed to generate business in the online space–a free offer (aka a freebie or a lead magnet) loud and proud on the first page of my website and all of the internal pages. This free offer would be the way that people signed up for my email list so I could stay in touch.
She also knew what I should be doing to make that website show up on the first page of google and to grow my email list–blogging and weekly teleconferences (haha! Now that is kicking it old school!).
I have always ranked on the first page of google but beyond that…
None of it worked.
Like none of it.
I didn't get my clients through web traffic, they came from my networking efforts. I found blogging and the teleconferences tiring and “not worth it”. So I stopped all of it and spent most of my time networking and doing presentations. And my business grew. But I wanted more growth and following up on all of that networking and presentations was exhausting!
Now back to my epiphany….
In 2014, I started working with a business coach who once again talked about an “irresistible free offer”, email lists and blogging. I had been on many people's email lists at this point and I was beginning to understand the power of staying in touch with your community (aka email list). I grew to know their philosophy, perspective and style. This encouraged me to hire them or buy from them. I was gaining brand loyalty around them and their expertise. Exactly the results I was looking for!
So I decided to recommit to all that Holly had taught me when we built my website, but to think more strategically about how I could incorporate these online digital marketing strategies with my locally-based networking efforts. And that's when I discovered what I call my Zip and Click Marketing Strategy. This is where we merge our real world and online marketing to create momentum in our businesses.
Side note: I share my complete Zip and Click strategy inside my RethinkYou Mentorship Program which opens for enrollment soon but for today, let's dive into the first step…creating a free lead magnet.
Part of the reason my first lead magnet didn't work was that I didn't have it aligned with what my clients would find irresistible enough to give me their email address in exchange to access it. The second, and more important reason it didn't work, was because I didn't know how to use it. That's a whole other topic that I'll cover in another post.
But for today, we'll focus on how to create an aligned freebie as the starting point to tap into the powerful Click part of the Marketing Strategy.
What Would Your Clients Find Irresistible
The first thing you need to tap into is what your prospective clients would consider interesting or valuable enough to give you their email address in exchange for. If you are still relatively new to the staging business and don't have a lot of clients, you can still figure this out.
Think about the questions you have or go searching for. When I was first starting out in my business, I had so many questions about all kinds of design rules, how to style things, etc. The questions you have are likely questions that your prospective client would love the answers to.
If you've got more experience, think about the questions that come up all the time with your current clients. What questions do they have about your staging services, how to stage certain areas, etc. If you need more inspiration, I have a lot of ideas and examples inside the Lead Magnet Freebie included with the FREE Profitable Staging Business Starter Kit.
Once you have dialed in on what those common questions are, you can begin to decide what question your lead magnet will answer.
What is the best way to share this information
Now that you know what question your lead magnet will answer, you will want to decide the best way to share this information. Is it a checklist, a guide, a series of blogs, or a video tutorial? Some of this may depend on your comfort level with technology or being in front of a camera but in today's world, you can create amazing free lead magnets with any technology you choose.
Where will you use this free offer
Once you have created your lead magnet, you will want to use it often and everywhere! I cannot underestimate the power of creating a great freebie and then making sure you share it with as many people as possible, including your real world contacts. This is how you begin to transition from your zip code level marketing to your digital or “click” marketing. Together, they are a powerful duo that will definitely help you grow your profitable home staging business!
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