 Sara Dugan who is also know as Mom With A Hook, has some valuable resources for everyone who wants to grow their business. This guest post is all about how to drive traffic to your website in 3 simple steps. Please be sure to check out Crochet Business_for more interesting articles. Enter to win a free copy of Sara's E-book, Hooking For Cash through the rafflecopter below.  3 Simple Steps to Drive Traffic to Your Crochet [craft] Business or Blog How do you get more sales? How many times have you asked yourself that question? It is as common as how do you get more traffic? The solution to your problem is to find something that works and then repeat it over and over again. What is the solution? Read this article very carefully, take it in, do it, and then repeat. Before you get started you want to see proof that this works right? Okay. Take some time to visit the following sites. Go on, it will only take you a minute to quickly look at each site. No, I mean it, if you’re serious about increasing your traffic and sales then go look. · http://www.themarketingmentors.com/ · http://rhhbschool.com/ · http://www.copyblogger.com/landing-pages/ · http://www.arealchange.com/blog/30-day-making-blog Now that you are back did you notice what each business has in common? Other than the fact that they are successful they each use a proven system that not only brings traffic but sales. Each of the above sites uses a 1, 2, 3, system. Direct traffic to their landing page Offer a valuable resource that solves their market’s problem Follow-up with regular email contact Would you like to learn how to do this? Of course you do. Follow these three simple steps to drive traffic to your site and increase your sales. Step 1: The Landing Page Your first step is to make a landing page. You can visit Brian Clark’s site, sign up for his email list and receive his eBook that explains how to do this. Landing Pages are exactly what the name implies – a page that targeted traffic lands on with the purpose of getting that traffic to take action. Now, that action can be buying something or like the above pages, signing up for an email list. Before you think that this is trickery did you notice something else? Each company offers a resource. Adam Urbanski shares his 7 Step Marketing Model, Brian Clark shares his Landing Pages eBook, Sandi Krawkowski shares her 30-Day Blogging Course, and Marie Farlo shares her B School tips. These are not unknown names either. Do a search on Google and you will see they are top in their markets. Knowing that successful businesses use this 1-2-3 step process, shouldn’t you follow their lead? Step 2: A Problem Solving Resource Your second step is to create a resource that solves the problem of your target market. Try visiting shops you admire and see what problem they solve and try to spot the solution. (Visit Nordstroms.com to see if you can spot the visitor’s problem and their solution) Thinking back to the 4 business sites you visited can you tell what problem they are solving for their market? It’s okay; you can go take a quick look at the sites again. Back already? Let’s get started. Copyblogger’s site promises to “turn traffic into money” with landing pages The Marketing Mentor’s site promises that you’ll “attract clients like crazy” with his marketing plan A Real Change promises that you’ll “make more money, attract more clients, and build the business of your dreams” if you take her blogging class Want to “Make Money and Change the World”? Marie Farlo can help you do that. Problem: Not enough sales or clients Solution: More traffic, more clients, more sales As a crochet [craft] business what problem are you solving for your market? Example 1: Crochet Business Blog Let’s use crochet business blog as an example. The person that visits crochet business blog wants to 1) start a crochet business 2) increase sales, 3) increase traffic, 4) make money with their crochet blog, or 5) All of the above. When you visit the site (crochetbusiness.com) you will see the problem and solution right away in the header. Problem: Make Money Working from Home Solution: crochet + blogging + email list = extra income This is the system I teach visitors to the blog. Example 2: Team Color Designs Let’s say you have an Etsy Shop where you sell college team colored fashions. What problem are you solving? It may not be as apparent as the previous example but you are solving a problem. Your market is a sport player, a fan of sports, or knows someone who plays sports. They want fashion in their team colors. Lucky for them because you have exactly what they are looking for. What kind of resource can you offer your market? · A look book featuring a variety of styles in team colors · A free shipping code · Free team logo with purchase · A monthly giveaway with a chance to win a free product I’m sure you can come up with other ideas. Are you starting to see the potential for growing your business? Step 3: The Email List Your third and final step to bring traffic and sales to your crochet business is to write an auto responder email series that will educate your leads and prime them for your product and/or service. Think back to the last online purchase you made. Did email have a role in that? Are you a subscriber to Craftsy, Lion Brand, Red Heart, Jo Ann’s, Etsy or other crafty business? Have you ever made a purchase based on their email campaigns? Although email fell in conversion rates (traffic or sales) during the 2nd Quarter of 2013 (compared to the same quarter in 2012) it still out performed search and social media conversions. [http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/11664/e-commerce-benchmarks-email-referral-traffic-and-conversion-rates-drop-in-q2] Social media and Mobile conversions are increasing so don’t take your eye off of that just yet. Remember the four sites from the beginning? Each had you enter your email address in order to access the resource. Why would they take the time to do that? They have big enough budgets to advertise so they must know the power of email. Now, I happen to test a lot of programs and products. I’ve subscribed to each of the lists above at some point. Not only was the resource extremely valuable, the tips and articles shared were relevant and helpful too. Yes, they promoted products in their emails but that is to be expected from a business. Another important part of each of those lists is getting to know them, their business, and what they have to offer. All by the way is done with email. What can you learn from them? Email primes or prepares the interested traffic for sales. Again this isn’t anything slimy or sneaky it is a slow process of gaining your trust and educating you on the product or service they offer and how it can solve your problem. A Short Introduction to the Sales Cycle To understand the purpose of this step you need to understand the sales cycle. It works like this: First you get a lead (landing page), then you get an appointment (email address), then you qualify the lead (resource and emails), next you present your product (emails, website, webinars), you answer any objections (email, website, webinars), and finally you make a sale. Notice there is one more step in the cycle? The final step is to ask for referrals. Why? People trust their friends and families. Have you ever made a purchase based on a suggestion or review from a friend? Don’t stop there. Remember what I said at the beginning of this article? “Read this article very carefully, take it in, do it, and then repeat.”? Repeat the process over and over again to see regular sales. Example 2a : Team Color Designs Let’s go back to the team colors Etsy shop example. Your email series can be sharing the features of your product as well as sharing about you. It’s important that they get to know you personally. Share your life. Share your love of sports. Share your vision for your company. While they get to know you and your product they get further in the sales cycle. And since it is a cycle many will become repeat customers who will send you traffic and sales. Are you convinced that this 1, 2, 3, Step system works? The proof as they say is in the “pudding”. How many businesses do you know use this system? Conclusion It is clear that landing pages, a problem solving resource, and regular emails with value added information can improve your sales and your traffic. Take some time to reread this article, add it to your book marks, and put it into practice for your business. Next Steps: Sign up for Brian’s Landing Page eBook and Marketing Course Leave a comment or question below Tweet “3 Steps to Increased Sales & Traffic” #biztip Sign up for updates Like  Like what you just read? Visit Sara at CrochetBusiness.com and while you’re there, register for Hooking for Cash 101 (http://crochetbusiness.com/welcome-blog-tour-fans) a 31 Days to Prepare Your Blog for Monetization eCourse. Each day you’ll receive an email with 1 actionable step to take. By the end of the 31 days your blog should be ready to make some cash. New – Hooking for Cash : 10 Ways to Make Money with Your Crochet Blog 2nd Edition $5.99US (http://crochetbusiness.com/hooking-for-cash) Enter here for your free copy of HOOKING FOR CASH eBook
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