Yesterday I attended an information-packed Austin Social Media Breakfast meeting.  The topic was “Five Types of Videos to Create Under One Hour” presented by Reel Social Media.

As an introduction, we learned about the importance of video as content on your website.  The most interesting stats were that Video + Content = 53% more liklely to win a first page Google Rank, and results in anywhere from a 2x – 6x improvement in conversion rate.

The five types of videos recommended for quick production and big returns are…

1. Book reviews

2.  Interviews

3.  Testimonials

4.  Screencasts (think video software demo)

5.  How-to videos

Let’s dive into details on a few that I found most interesting for companies marketing to engineers and scientists.

Interviews – Use video to make your business personal.  This can be coverage of the industry, of a company, or a product as told through people.  Keep these interviews short and stay on target.

Here is a great example:  Company X just created a new technical white paper and posted it to their website.  By interviewing the author of the white paper, and posting the video of the interview, more prospects will find out about the white paper and be compelled to download the material.  In a recent test, Reel Media found that the video ranked higher faster on search engines than the white paper itself.

Testimonials – Use testimonial video to add credibility to a subject and “make you look good.”  To do this, be sure the speaker is prepared and comfortable.  They need to get to the point quickly and be authentic.

Screencasts – For a software company, it is important to allow prospects to view the environment, functions, and features of your product.  First though, have a person on screen to introduce themselves and the demo.  People like to see people.  When launching into the demo, ensure the speaker knows where all the functions are and the demo works as it should.  (I’ll spare you the very poor example shared during the SMB presentation!)

How-To Videos - These are powerful as they often bind us with a common struggle to overcome.  The more specific they are, the more powerful.  The speaker gave a great example of his broken washing machine.  He Googled the make and model, and found a YouTube How-To video of his exact machine having the same issues (even down to the same strange sounds).  The “boring title” of this video post was perfect as it was very specific to this problem.  When creating this type of video, be informative and specific, avoiding a sales pitch of any sort.

Throughout the presentation, I picked up helpful tidbits.  Here are a few:

• Transcribe your videos (resources include SpeakerText and Dragon Engine)
• Be genuine
• Know your audience and their care-abouts (form v. function, content v. context)
• Keep it short (1.5 – 3 minutes)
• Don’t be afraid of showing your face

Interested in learning more?  View the full presentation or contact TREW Marketing to create your video marketing strategy.

TREW Marketing is seeking an experienced marketing professional to join our growing agency focused in the science, engineering and academic markets.

This person will be responsible for serving as a senior leader developing marketing strategy and plans, and working with a team of marketing professionals to implement diverse marketing activities such as web design and development, direct marketing, search and online advertising, and event and PR planning. The ideal candidate will also assist in new business development.

In this role, you will work closely with company principals to:

• Define the most effective marketing strategy that meets our clients’ and TREW’s business goals
• Develop integrated marketing plans
• Identify and manage resources needed to accomplish plans
• Oversee and contribute to team implementation of marketing activities
• Ensure monitoring and reporting of results
• Analyze effectiveness to optimize future activities
• Mentor, grow, and provide feedback to team members
• Build and strengthen relationships and trust with clients so our work and impact on their business turns them into our biggest fans

You will also work hands-on in the following areas:

• Develop and/or edit marketing content
• Report regularly to clients, TREW principals via status reports, GoTo Meetings, etc
• Create and deliver presentations
• Develop project and meeting goals, agendas and summaries to ensure clear communication with client and TREW team
• Serve as a resource to other team members when needed
• Attend and contribute to regular TREW team meetings

Ideal candidates will have demonstrated:

• Excellent communication skills (presentation and written)
• Experience leading projects in a variety of marketing media areas; leading and working with both creative/design and business professionals
• Ability to combine marketing activities to meet goals
• Very strong initiative and resourcefulness
• Comfortable and effective speaking up and sharing opinions with clients, TREW team
• Past work in B2B technology, particularly scientific and engineering markets
• Experience managing others, including hiring, setting goals, performance managing, etc
• Past marketing agency experience
• Embody the TREW values of collaboration, trust, and integrity

Requirements include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field
• 8-10 years marketing communications experience, including as a senior member of a marketing team
• Demonstrated successful marketing project and team management
• Previous home-office experience preferred
• Mobile phone

Based in Austin, TX, this is a 20-30 hour/week, part-time contract position requiring home office capabilities. Most team and client meetings will be held in the Austin Metro area as needed – very little travel, if any, is expected.

Interested in pursuing this unique opportunity to join the TREW Crew?  Please submit your resume to info@trewmarketing.com for consideration.

Today, engineers and scientists in robotics, medical device design and test, and industrial control can begin adding vision capabilities to their National Instruments CompactRIO systems thanks in part to the new MoviMED AF-1501 analog frame grabber module.

MoviMED's AF-1501 module pictured at right next to the NI CompactRIO controller.

Key to this launch has been the partnership with National Instruments, a leader in PC-based control and maker of innovative programmable automation controllers, like CompactRIO. The launch of Vision for CompactRIO is a win-win for both companies as NI continues to further expand the capabilities of its strong and growing control platform, and MoviMED strengthens its industry position as a knowledgeable leader in machine vision with the first-ever, innovative frame grabber module for CompactRIO.

Below you can see a simple setup with an analog video camera pointing to a shiny and reflective Christmas decoration bulb. Video was recorded using the new AF-1501 framegrabber module for through an NI cRIO-9073 controller. The software was coded in LabVIEW and took less than 5 minutes to put it together.

Through ongoing coordination with MoviMED leadership and the NI marketing team, TREW co-developed the launch strategy and plan, including messaging; news and web content development; customer testimonials; and the key tactics, owners, and project timeline for the announcement.

“TREW’s experience marketing technical products to engineers and scientists made them a great partner for us,” said Markus Tarin, CEO of MoviMED. “Their strong relationship with National Instruments and knowledge of the robotics and control markets helped us be an effective product partner and deliver an innovative solution to our customers.”

The announcement is featured on both the MoviMED and NI websites and is the top story in NI e-newsletter, NI News. In addition, check out some of the coverage already coming in below.

Advanced Imaging magazine features NI and MoviMED announcement.

Congratulations to MoviMED and National Instruments. If your company has a new product to bring to market and would like help developing the product launch strategy and plan, give TREW a call.

One of the favorite hats Wendy and I have enjoyed wearing in our professional careers is being a manager. To many, that probably sounds crazy, since being a manager means you have to be OK with working in a job that, as I like to say, is “110% not about you”:

• you’re always hiring when you wish your team was set…or not hiring when you need more help;
• you have to play the “middle” role, trying to motivate and challenge your staff while serving your own managers and the needs of the business;
• and, ultimately, you give your all to support, mentor and guide staff behind-the-scenes, but personally take credit for nothing tangible – only the success of others.

OK, so there’s some tough parts, but the payoff is awesome. There is nothing better than building, developing and growing a high-performing team. It can truly become a competitive advantage for your company, and a huge personal achievement for you as the manager. For me, one of my proudest moments as a manager was when our team at NI won the state’s Lone Star Award for Best PR Team in Texas. That achievement was only overshadowed by the follow-on national award when we were named one of the top three Best Corporate Communications Departments in America.

Building a high-performing team starts with excellence in recruiting. At TREW, we enjoy bringing our decades of experience recruiting and managing marketing professionals to help our clients build their teams. We work with them to define the role, responsibilities, and ideal candidate qualifications and experience. We also define the culture fit – equally, if not more important, than the skills fit. From here, we develop a recruiting strategy, including promotion and interviewing plan, to ensure we select the best candidate for the job, the team, and the person.

An example of this service is the recruiting we are doing currently for The Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas, a TREW client since our inception in 2008. As TAMEST has grown, so have their needs to expand their marketing team, and we are currently seeking a Director of Communications. The job description is pasted below – please pass along to interested parties, and see below for how to apply.

Overview – Director of Communications

The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) was founded in 2004 to provide broader recognition of the state’s top achievers in medicine, engineering and science, and to build a stronger identity for Texas as an important destination and center of achievement in these fields. The 240 members include Texas Nobel Laureates and members of the three National Academies (IOM, NAE and NAS).

TAMEST is seeking a senior-level strategic communications professional to partner with the Executive Director and oversee the development, implementation and management of effective communications strategies aligned with the organization’s mission.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Work with the TAMEST Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Executive Director to develop communications strategies and messages to targeted audiences.
• Set communications goals and metrics; formally track and regularly report to the Board on progress and effectiveness.
• Serve as the lead on all communications-related activities, effectively collaborating with internal and external committees, consultants and constituents.
• Develop a strong understanding of the mission and vision of TAMEST, the National Academies, and key constituent groups.

Key Constituent Management

• Work with the Executive Director to prioritize and strengthen relationships with key constituent groups to increase their awareness and understanding of and engagement with the organization and its mission and vision.
• Identify and recommend the most effective tools, frequency and messaging for communicating with target audiences.
• Prioritize resources to establish effective two-way communication with audience segments.
• Develop dependable mechanisms to learn about and share updates about members and affiliates in a timely and effective manner.
• Build and maintain effective communications network with affiliated institutions, organizations and companies.

Oversee Website, Publications and Constituent Database

• Manage ongoing updates to tamest.org, including setting editorial calendar of all features and developing and/or editing content for posting.
• Develop strategy and oversee implementation of key constituent database, including evaluation and selection of technology platform; defining features, structure and reporting capabilities; and building tie-in with website content management.
• Lead development of all printed and online TAMEST publications, including e-newsletters, annual report, event materials, videos and organizational collateral.

Provide Support for TAMEST Forums and Activities

• Develop and implement communication/marketing plans for all TAMEST events and programs, including media outreach, conference presentations and speaker talking points.
• Develop donor relations plan to include meetings, internal and external communications and public relations opportunities.
• Provide additional communications support for other organizational initiatives as needed (i.e., legislative outreach, advocating for critical issues, etc.)
• Serve as staff liaison for TAMEST committees providing oversight to communications efforts, delivering reports, developing meeting agendas, etc.

Skills/Qualifications

• College degree in marketing, journalism, communications, business or related field
  • 7-10 years of marketing communications experience, preferably in scientific, technology or academic organizations
  • Self-starter with strong leadership and project management skills
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Previous management experience, including hiring, performance management and overseeing external contracts
  • Demonstrated proficiency working with and communicating to senior executives from academia, government and industry
  • Ability to translate top level marketing messages into specific activities that effectively reach key constituents
  • Ability and willingness to contribute at both strategic and tactical levels
  • Commitment to quality internal and external customer service
  • Flexibility and interest in working within a nimble, team-oriented work culture

Compensation

Salary commensurate with relevant experience.

To Apply

Qualified applicants should email cover letter, resume, references and salary requirements to jackie.dobson@trewmarketing.com. Candidates selected for an interview will be notified by February 15th.

What do an architect, engineer, economic strategist, city attorney, nonprofit leader working with homeless teens, and a few marketing and lobbying professionals who have never met have in common? We are among the nine leaders in the Austin and surrounding area selected by the region’s civic-minded elite to the Frank McBee Jr. Fellowship in Civic Entrepreneurship Program for 2010.

The program is a newer component of the larger work of the Austin Area Research Organization (AARO), a nonprofit founded in 1980 by a group of Austin business leaders, including Frank McBee Jr. AARO’s vision is to be the keeper of a dynamic strategic vision for Central Texas, and facilitator of projects important to that strategic vision.

Today, AARO members are a behind-the-scenes group of 90 of Austin and Central Texas’ most influential, non-elected leaders – from business, government, academic, and social equity organizations – committed to giving of their time, talent, and spheres of influence to shape the strategic long-term focus of our burgeoning region. Organized into eight committees, the group works to facilitate the long-term economic and social well-being of Central Texas by researching and addressing strategic, public policy issues in priority areas:  Education, Energy, Health Care, Higher Education, Leadership, Social Equity, Transportation, and Water.

The McBee Fellowship develops young leaders in the region through a year of service in AARO. “In a region with extraordinary growth such as ours, collaborative civic leadership is crucial to ensuring the long-term economic and social well-being of our future,” said Martha Smiley, AARO President and Of Counsel, Winstead Attorneys. “Our rigorous McBee Fellowship in Civic Entrepreneurship Program offers exceptional promising leaders first-hand experience working with many of the most influential business and community leaders as they work strategically to shape our long-term future in complex, critical areas such as energy, water, and public education.”

Frank McBee Jr., who was called the “dean of Austin high tech,” helped found Tracor Inc. in 1955 and encouraged more than 20 former Tracor employees to start their own companies, fueling the development of this now exploding sector of Austin’s economy.

It is an inspiration and a pleasure to be among such promising young leaders working in Frank McBee’s honor. I look forward to a year of learning, mentorship, and inspiration as we work with our mentors and AARO members to ensure the economic and social vitality of our incredibly unique, beautiful and prosperous city and region for the next 50 years and beyond.

Welcome to 2010 — a new year and a new decade for us all.  For many in the non-profit community, January 2010 marks a survival celebration of the tough economy we’ve endured, and a time to invest for growth.

The TREW Crew, and others in the non-profit blog community, have put together some resolutions to consider as you plan your marketing investments for the new year.

I resolve to invest time in a sound strategy. Where do I want my organization to be in January 2011?  January 2013?  What do we hope to accomplish?  How will we measure our success?  Does the whole organization know what our strategy is, and are resources aligned to meet our goals?  Time spent in strategic planning pays off exponentially.  By investing time in developing a strategic marketing plan, you have the ability to tie budget dollars to goals, to prioritize initiatives and ensure each individual activity reinforces the next, and to ensure consistent messages are delivered in an integrated manner so the impact of your investment spreads rapidly.

I resolve to establish partnerships. Cultivating partnership can hold many benefits, including increased credibility, exposure to new audiences, and supplementing your limited budget. Co-marketing partnerships can be time-intensive, but once established with goals aligned, they can have a long and powerful win-win contribution to both organizations. Examples of potential partners include major donors or complementary organizations. We recommend choosing a select few potential partners that best align to your organizational goals, dedicating time to understanding each others’ goals and care-abouts, and creating formal, measurable plans with agreed-upon, consistent messages for joint activities.  Sample partnership activities can be as simple as website cross-linking and joint e-mail campaigns to event presentations and co-service offerings.

I resolve to deepen my relationships with top audience segments. The better you understand your audience segments, the more success you will have engaging them with your organization.  We recommend you invest time in analyzing a few prioritized audience segments and building a contact strategy customized to them.  Do this thoroughly, even if it means not getting to all of your segments today.  Conduct research — what do they care about?  What are their triggers for engaging with your organization?  For volunteering or donating?  What method of communication do they prefer?  Use low-cost research methods such as online surveys or social networking to gather data. Then, build a profile from this research and craft messages and a communications strategy appropriate for this audience. You will not only speak more effectively to this audience, but you will use your finite dollars more efficiently.

I resolve to learn more ideas through TREW Marketing Spotlight and these other industry blogs supporting the non-profit community:

• Convio ConnectionCafe
• Tech Soup
• Robert Weiner Blog
• Social Actions Blog
• NTEN Blog
• Mobile Commons
• FI Space
• Everyday Giving
• Donor Power Blog
• Beth’s Blog
• Beaconfire Wire
• A View from Judi Sohn

Need help getting started with your new year’s marketing resolutions? Contact TREW Marketing today.

We’ve done it!  TREW Marketing has achieved what a third of all new businesses fail to do – survive and thrive through the second year of business.  Moreover, we did it in one of the worst recessions of the last century. And so, we are ready to raise our glasses in a toast to all we’ve accomplished, learned and muddled through. And to thank our customers, friends, colleagues and family who have chosen and supported us along the way.

We had a fantastic start to the year following the December 2008 launch of The Next Frontier, a report on the state of K-12 math and science education in Texas by TREW customer, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas.

Following the launch, we were we were honored with two awards by the Texas Public Relations Association — Best in Texas for Non Profit Marketing and Best Publication. Both awards recognized our work in support of TAMEST, including broad media coverage statewide and nationally.

As we all know, early 2009 became a scary time of economic uncertainty. And being a new entrepreneur with little historical compare, the uncertainty was even greater.  Thank goodness we didn’t know what we didn’t know when we didn’t know it when we founded TREW in 2008!

In hindsight, we now see that with adversity and challenge comes opportunity. Such was the case with us. We had a bit of time for soul searching, and the result was to narrow our business focus, leveraging our decades of passion and hard marketing work collaborating with scientists and engineers in industry and academia.

With a renewed sense of purpose, we created the TREW mission statement:

We create smart ideas to promote the innovations of our technical and academic leaders.

And then we did what every marketing pro working with scientists and engineers does – headed out to NIWeek! It was great being back to see our NI friends, meet new people, and identify new opportunities to help engineering and scientific companies achieve their business goals through strategic, creative, smart marketing.

Since narrowing the focus of our business, we have had the incredible good fortune of growing and working with a number of committed, smart, and collaborative customers.  We’d like to brag a bit about them here, and share a few examples of the exciting work we’ve had the opportunity to deliver this year:

• With what felt like a reunion with an old friend, NI Alliance Member Wineman Technology brought TREW Marketing on-board to develop a marketing strategy and manage ongoing implementation, redesign their website, and implement an e-newsletter program. We also created and manage a robust search engine advertising plan.
• Cerium Labs, a semiconductor and electronics manufacturing analytical laboratory, tapped TREW Marketing’s B2B expertise to audit their marketing activities and provide support with targeted marketing efforts to promote their electronics product tear-down services.
• We were proud to see the launch of a new website supporting the Children’s Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas, who raises funds for Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin.  TREW Marketing played a strategic and integral role in this project by developing the website strategy, navigation approach, and content guidance.

• A big milestone for TREW in 2009 was being selected by Europe-based Alfautomazione and its U.S. affiliate, Alfamation USA, to position one company globally in the electronics functional test market. This project has been a fun challenge and even greater reward as we collaborate with the Alfa team to uniquely position them for success in the consumer electronics; video; RF/wireless; medical; and automotive infotainment test markets. Our work includes new branding identity, website, and a targeted marketing plan that includes exciting product launches that we’re looking forward to executing throughout the year.
• And finally, we were very excited to be selected by The University of Texas at Austin as a preferred supplier for marketing research and strategy (Wendy asks that you hold all Aggie jokes – c’mon, it’s business!). One of our first projects has been with the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to lead a 6-month brand evaluation research project, employing qualitative and quantitative methodologies such as interviews, focus groups, and online surveys.  We look forward to sharing more on the results in our 2010 wrap-up!

With great customers, we need a truly great team. As we’ve continued to grow, so has the TREW Crew. We are happy to welcome new members – including Denise Goluboff, Gail Folkins, Charlie Brown and Birgit Sund – and thank those who are now considered TREW Old Timers– including Kelly Cottrell, Steve Goodwin, and Ryan Kagan.

We are passionate about our work creating ideas for our world’s technical and academic leaders. We are proud of our achievements and growth in 2009, and are grateful to our customers for allowing us to come into their organizations and become a partner to them. As we raise our glasses to 2009, we look forward to more good lessons to be learned and TREW growth in 2010 as strive to reach our vision:

To be the smartest and most collaborative marketing partner serving engineering, science, and academia.

December is here and will quickly fly by.  If you have marketing budget dollars to spend before the year’s end, you are feeling the pressure.  We’ve put together a list of quick, effective marketing investments for you to consider.

1.  Invest in Google Adwords.  Not only are Adwords ideal for reaching a very specific audience, and easy to measure; you can have them live within 24 hours using your corporate credit card.  Be sure to follow best practices — see our Spotlight blog post on this topic for more details.

2.  Reach out to your database. Send an end-of-year email to your customers and prospects.  Be sure the message is not too sales-oriented…offer valuable information such as tech tips and industry news.  Or simply say thank you for their business.  Have not been keeping up with your database?  Use December to update your records, determine ways to segment your target audiences, and perhaps begin plans for a 2010 quarterly newsletter.

3.  Start a blog. December is a great time to set up the back-end mechanics of your new company blog (which would launch in 2010).  These include creating a WordPress account and feeding that account into your website.  Your blog should match the look and feel of your website, which likely means a small amount of creative work.

4.  Refresh content on your website. Conduct a head-to-toe sweep of your website, updating messages and improving your writing (active voice, tighten phrases, etc.).  While looking through your site, uncover lead acquisition opportunities, such as existing white papers and presentations, and post them behind short forms for web visitors to complete.  TREW Marketing writers/editors can be a great resource for this work.

5.  Thank your staff. Has your team gone above and beyond to meet their goals this year?  Be sure they are recognized for their efforts.  This can range from the very simple, such as bringing in bagels and coffee for a surprise treat, to gift certificates or a formal holiday/appreciation event.  An appreciated team will be a motivated team for you in 2010.

6. Gather 2010 marketing plan feedback from an expert. This is an ideal time to bring in a TREW Marketing consultant as a sounding board for your 2010 plans.  During the one or two-day session, we review goals, major marketing campaigns, core messages, and investment by media.  We uncover ways to strengthen your messages, integrate innovative marketing tactics, and measure impact and success.

Contact TREW Marketing and put your December and 2010 marketing plans in motion.

TREW Marketing is pleased to announce the launch of a completely redesigned website for the Children’s Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas, who raises funds for Dell Children’s Medical Center.

TREW Marketing played a critical role in this redesign by developing a strategic marketing plan – starting with a focus on the website – that would create a strong, consistent foundation for the many fundraising programs they lead and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of donor outreach and engagement.

Snapshot of new Children’s Medical Center Foundation website

Snapshot of Former Children’s Medical Center Foundation Website

Armando Zambrano, Annual Giving Director of the Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, said “TREW Marketing took a strategic and thorough approach to strengthen our marketing efforts at the foundation.  And best of all — I gave direction and they went to work, requiring very little time during the project.  We are thrilled with the results.”

TREW Marketing provided numerous project deliverables, including:

• E-marketing SWOT analysis
• Web goals and strategy, including visitor experience, content categorization, prospect capture, and internal efficiency gains
• Detailed web redesign plan, including navigation, content management and measurement
• Future e-marketing investment prioritized plan

TREW Marketing and the Foundation engaged web design firm Monkee-Boy of Austin Texas to execute the web plan.  Their work included design and programming, including comprehensive content management and the installation of online giving and “my fundraiser” technology solutions.  Moving forward they will provide on-going maintenance of the site.

Are you considering redesigning your website?  Contact TREW Marketing today to discuss your goals, explore options, and get rolling.

It looked easy.  I chose a few keywords, gave Google my credit card number, and BAM!  My website should be crawling with qualified prospects, right?  But instead my website bounce rate skyrocketed and I quickly spent my monthly marketing budget with nothing to show for it.

Sound familiar?  If so, it is time to better understand the 5 steps of building an outrageously successful paid search, or pay-per-click (PPC) campaign.  But first, why should you invest in PPC instead of improving your natural search results?

Search engine optimization is a journey, and the destination can sometimes be far in the distance, especially for small start-ups.  While working to improve natural relevancy, PPC can be a good bridge marketing activity.

PPC is a highly targeted marketing activity with excellent accountability.  For example, you can purchase  ”long tail” terms, very specific to exactly who you would like to target.  You can measure exactly how many prospects saw and clicked through on your ad.  Then measure their behavior on your website.

Let’s Get Started!

1.  Keyword selection

You’ll likely invest a good deal of time determining which keywords to purchase.  I recommend selecting fairly specific keywords.  They may not be quite as well-trafficked as more general terms, but those seeking these keywords will be a more qualified audience, and your return-on-investment will be higher.

Give some thought to how your target audience seeks information.  Will they search by typing in their challenge/problem, or will they seek a solution?  Test keywords both ways and see which is more fruitful.

As you pull your preliminary list together, give thought to your budget.  You can quickly run up the tab by selecting very popular words, or by trying to be in the #1 spot.  We do not recommend these tactics.  Choose less crowded search terms, and embrace the bargain #2 or #3 position, knowing that you will be every bit as successful at #1, but pay much less for your results.

2.  Driver (Ad Text)

Now that you’ve chosen your keywords, each will need a catchy title and ad text that drives the reader to visit your site.  Focus on what you offer, and be specific.  Try to capture qualified leads, and steer away everyone else.  Otherwise you’ll pay for undesirable visitors to click and bounce away — not a good use of your marketing dollars.

Take some time to study other companies’ adwords.  You will quickly obtain ideas of the good, bad and ugly.  Here is a recent ad run by TREW Marketing:

On one hand, this ad is specific.  If you were reading and not a test and measurement company, or not interested in marketing, you would probably not click.  The ad could be improved by utilizing a more compelling offer, such as a white paper.

3.  Landing Page

I’ve clicked on your ad…where do you send me?  To your home page?  Or is there a more specific area of your site that provides targeted information?  The most important thing is to deliver on whatever offer you’ve promised.  If you have a general ad, sending someone to your home page is fine.  If your ad offers a white paper on the latest changes in industry test standards, make sure the visitor can easily find the white paper after they click .

Often our TREW clients will run ads specific to an industry or application, and then drive traffic to that specific landing page on their site.  This is very effective to retain visitors and compel them to learn more.

4.  Call to action (offer)

Use your landing page to continue a relationship with this new visitor.  What action would you like the visitor to take?  Subscribe to your newsletter?  Call your sales team?  Craft one or several calls to action, placed prominently on the landing page.  Set goals for conversion to next activity, and measure how well you are doing.  If this is an area of weakness, consider creating new offers, such webcasts or white papers.

5.  Next steps

After all the work that you’ve done, be sure you follow through.  If you’ve promised a sales person will call, be sure that information is passed to the sales team.  If you’ve offered a newsletter, be sure they are added to the list and you actually send something out.  And so on.  This is your opportunity to close the sale.

PPC campaigns do not run on autopilot.  We recommend measuring often, experimenting and tweaking your keywords, ad titles, ad copy, landing pages, and offers.  Other areas to test include frequency, languages, and 3rd party Google ad feeds.  It is a busy job managing Google adwords, but the payoff can be quite outstanding.

TREW Marketing has deep expertise in PPC, and offers monthly retainers to manage paid search campaigns.  Interested in learning more?  Contact us today at info@trewmarketing.com.