The gravy-train of eCommerce growth is ending. It's never been easier to sell online, but harder to make a profit doing so. Tom Schwab explains to the Grand Rapids MI HubSpot user group how selling with content is replacing Adwords, Pay Per Click, Amazon and eBay as the way to grow a profitable and sustainable eCommerce business. Attract more visitors, engage more leads, close more customer and make more delighted advocates using an inbound strategy.

1. Inbound Marketing
The Future of
Selling Online
April 2, 2015

2. Tom Schwab
Goodbye Crutches
– eCommerce Store
Inbound for eCommerce
– Consulting Agency
eCommerce HUGs Leader
Tom@InboundForEcommerce.com
@TMSchwab

4. 1. Why every online company is eCommerce
2. How an Inbound Strategy works
3. The Buyer’s Inbound Journey
• Attract Visitors
• Engage Leads
• Convert Customers
• Delight Advocates
4. Review
Agenda

5. • Online sellers
• Non Profits
• B2B and B2C
• Even SaaS like HubSpot
Every website is
eCommerce…

6. Team Collaboration Product SaaS
Over 35k users
No Sales Force
Focus on Reducing Sales Friction
Revenue $150M (2013)
CONTEXT IS
GOD
High Touch
eCommerce

7. What is an Inbound Strategy?

8. Interruption Marketing
Focused on what
I HAVE TO SELL YOU
The Most $ Win
Tricks and Tactics
Transaction:
Picture and a Price
Outbound is…

9. Inbound is
Permission based
Focused on helping people
make the best purchase
Winning is not based on $,
but caring
Content Builds Trust,
Authority, Thought
Leadership to
• Attract Visitors
• Engage Leads
• Delight Customers
Inbound is…

11. The Buyer’s Inbound Journey

12. Context is god
Shows understanding
Builds relationship
CONTEXT IS
GOD
Content is King
Show expertise
Thought leadership

13. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional
representation of your ideal customer
based on market research and real
data about your existing customers.
Buyer Persona Defined

14. Demographics
• Age
• Race
• Household Income
• Occupation
• Income
• Marital Status
• Education
• Number of Children
• Zip Code Area
What the census bureau knows

15. Psychographics
• Dreams
• Fears
• Aspirations
• Who do you trust
• How do you get information
• Who do you admire
• Major frustrations
• How you see yourself
• How you want to see yourself
What the spouse knows

17. MEDIUM(s) MATCH
THE PERSONA
THE PRESENTER
• Blogs
• Videos
• Slide shares
• Infographics
• Emails
• Podcasts
• Forums
CONTEXT IS
GOD

19. 1. Have a single purpose
2. Speak to a single buyer persona
3. Move the person along their buyer’s journey
Golden Rules for
Every Piece of Content

20. Attract Visitors

21. Be Helpful
Answer common questions
Use similar words
(keywords)
Introduce new resource
Be present where they are

22. What’s so great
about blogging?
1.Easy for Google to index
2.Easily consumed (bandwidth)
3.Easily shared
CONTEXT IS
GOD

23. 600 Words minimum
Clear and direct
Formatted to skim
Images of targeted buyer persona
Hyperlinks to other helpful content
Platform is not important, just make sure it’s your own
Part of a content strategy
Blogging Best Practice?

24. BE A GUEST
Publishers need content
• Blog
• Podcasts
You need to
• Connect with your ideal buyer
persona
• Build trust, authority
CONTEXT IS
GOD

25. Amplifying
Your Message
Social Media:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Vine
Niche sites
Groups with major platforms
Your own community
CONTEXT IS
GOD

26. Engage Leads

27. Offer more value to start a discussion
The visitor along the the buyer’s journey
Goal of Engaging

28. Call to Action
• Add Value
• Be Specific
• Be Brief
• Be Consistent
• Be Visible

29. Great CTA’s are easy to make

30. Landing Page
Elements
• No Navigation
• Minimal Clutter
• Short – Focused
• 1 Clear offer
• Allow social sharing
• Short Form
• Value is behind a form

31. High Converting Landing Pages
are easy to make

32. Thank you page
Give them what you
promised
Send via email also
Navigation returns
Offer more value
Build Trust

33. Convert Customers

34. Nurturing
Targeted emails
Highly Segmented
Automated Workflows
Add more value
• Links to blogs
• Helpful videos
• Tips and Tricks

35. • Nurturing to Purchase
• Abandon Cart Nurturing
• Post Purchase Nurturing
• Referral Nurturing
Types of Nurturing

36. Nurture to Purchase
Jeff Walker – Launch
Sideway sales letter
Add Value
Spur conversations
Overcome objections

37. Abandon Cart
Shows concern
Identify objections
Opportunity to upsell
Higher Ave Cart Price

38. Selling Directly from
HubSpot COS
Single Platform
Lower Development Cost
Lower Monthly Cost
Easier entry into eComm

39. COS The Ultimate eCommerce
Personalization Tool

40. Delight Advocates

41. Post Sales
Share product tips & tricks
Lower Returns
Raise Life Time Value
Increase referrals

42. Net Promoter Score
Predictive of:
• Life Time Value (LTV) of a
Customer
• Value of a company
• Profitable growth of a
company
Empowers you to:
• Address & Silence
Detractors
• Leverage Promoters
On a scale of 0 to 10, how
likely are you to
recommend __ to a friend
of colleague?
“The only number you
need to grow”
Harvard Business Review
December 2003

44. Questions

45. Welcome to
eCommerce
CONTEXT IS
GOD
Inbound for eCommerce . com
@TMSchwab
Tom@InboundForEcommerce.com
How can I help you?