As you can guess from the title of this post, in a moment we'll look at three reasons why your content and design teams are failing — and how you can fix it.
But first off, we admit, the word "failing" sounds a bit harsh. Perhaps a more gentle phrase would be "not performing as they should." Whatever you call it, it's important to define "failure." Are you not generating enough leads? Is your click through rate alarming low? Once you have a clear vision of what "failure" and "success" look like, you'll be in a better position to address the root causes as to why your content and design aren't working for you.
So let's get right down to it. Here are three reasons why your marketing efforts aren't delivering value.
Reason #1: Content Doesn't Resonate
Here is where you need to whip out and revise your solar buyer personas, trace the buyer's journey across the funnel, and segment your leads accordingly. The goal is simple: to deliver the right content to the right lead and the right time in the right place (social media versus eBlast, etc.) For example, for leads who are new to your brand, your primary goal shouldn't be the hard sell, but instead, rolling out educational and informative solar content. Writing compelling and informative blogs, publishing respected white papers and webinars, and posting authoritative information on social media platforms can generate enormous interest and position your company as a unique leader.
Conversely, if the lead needs an extra push to close, you can promote things like a free consultation via a targeted email blast. Click here for more guidance on how to align your content with the solar sales funnel.
Reason #2: Web Site Doesn't Grab Viewers
Creating compelling content is only half the battle. Viewers and readers need that extra motivation to click through and engage with your brand. As we note in this post looking at solar web design tips, it's important to present a simple interface to viewers. The solar industry can be confusing, and the less "noise" the better. Also make sure your site is mobile-friendly; solar leads are a tech-savvy bunch and many will be interacting with your brand for the first time on a mobile device. And last but not least, embrace the power of the customer testimonial. Leads don't need a testimonial from a microwave-maker, but solar marketing is different. Leads are looking for trusted and experienced brands, and seeing "someone like them" attest to the professionalism of your firm will do wonders.
Reason #3: Inbound Marketing Tactics are Poorly Designed
Much like your website, your team needs to roll out tools and tactics to push leads along through customer purchasing funnel. The three main tactics at your disposal will be Calls To Action, Landing Pages, and Forms. If any of these tactics are poorly designed, they'll adversely affect performance. So here's how to fix that. CTAs should have colors that stand out on your website. HubSpot recommends a size of 225 px wide and 45 px high. Provide a valuable offering, include action-oriented words, and have a clear destination in mind for those who click.
Landing pages, meanwhile, should have a crisp and informative headline, a compelling image, text that resonates with your buyer personas, and a strong call to action. Lastly, Forms should be brief — a maximum of three — for top of the funnel leads. You can ask for more information from bottom of the funnel visitors — we recommend a maximum of seven — since they're already familiar with your brand.
What do you think? What are other ways to optimize your solar marketing beyond what we discussed?
