If you’re like many other sales and marketing heads, you’re reflecting on all of the campaigns that didn’t take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually overnight, your well-thought-out sales and marketing plans were put on the backburner. However, as we embark on a new year, lessons learned last year can serve as a springboard for your sales and marketing campaigns in 2021.
While no one knows for certain how 2021 will unfold, it’s safe to say the shift to remote work and social distancing will most likely be with us into the foreseeable future. As you begin to wrap up your Q1 sales and marketing campaigns, you’re probably taking into consideration our new reality and trends; and, are looking for ways to increase engagement as you combat the increase of digital noise.
With virtually every in-person activity in limbo, you still need a way to generate leads, keep prospects engaged, convert prospects into customers, and turn customers into loyal brand ambassadors. The question becomes… how to do this without using your tried-and-true events and activities.
Although 2020 will go down in history as the year of the pandemic, 2021 will be remembered as the year of digital engagement. Let’s take a look at how digital rewards can increase engagement, and turn leads into long-term, revenue-generating customers.
Generate leads: As a result of the pandemic, sales forecasts saw a significant decline. According to HubSpot’s findings, “The weekly average of deals created decreased globally by 17% the week of March 16, and fell by 23% by the week of March 30, when compared to prior global averages for those weeks.”
In the absence of leads generated from conferences and in-person events, you need a way to fill the sales funnel. Marketing campaigns that use digital rewards can be a powerful lead generation tool. For example, by implementing referral rewards programs you’ll not only grab the attention of your customers and motivate them to take action but make a lasting impression that could lead to repeat business.
Keep prospects engaged: Keeping the relationship warm while you move the prospect through the sales funnel is difficult – even under the best of circumstances. When you add COVID-19 restrictions, this activity becomes even more daunting. Avoid pipeline draught, now’s the time to use your imagination.
Grab your website visitors’ attention and keep them coming back with timely offers of eBooks, videos, webinar inventions, etc. To ensure high click-through rates and downloads or acceptance of your offers, be sure your call to action includes budget-friendly digital rewards. Perhaps you’ve created a series of material, you can nurture the leads by gifting your prospects with a digital reward for completing the entire series. Alternatively, why not use the data you’re already collecting? You can offer repeat website visitors a subscription to your newsletter. Pique their interest even further with a digital reward upon signup.
Convert prospects into customers: For many companies, onsite sales meetings are no longer an option. Hosting a webinar lets you engage with prospects on a one-to-many scale. To get the attendance you desire, include a digital reward, and make it a webinar and coffee event.
Drinking too much coffee? Invite prospects to a Lunch-N-Learn webinar, and boost attendance by sending GrubHub or DoorDash digital awards to attendees. Potential clients will appreciate the thoughtfulness of a reward that can be used while they work from home.
As the prospect advances through the sales funnel, one-on-one meetings become essential. Whether meeting via a video call, providing a web-based presentation, or demonstration, be sure to say ‘thank you’ with a digital reward. The goal is to turn as many prospects into customers , and nothing helps increase your conversion rates like digital rewards.
Turn customers into loyal brand ambassadors: As you’re probably only too aware – acquiring a new customer cost more than retaining an existing one. And depending on your industry the cost can be 5 to 25 times more expensive ! This is where delivering the right customer experience is critical.
No customer wants to be ghosted, alternatively, they also don’t want to be bombarded with daily emails. Customers expect you to know them and their needs. This is the time to use the data you’re already collecting to segment your customer base and develop campaigns around specific needs. Add a personal touch with digital rewards to let your customers know that they’re appreciated.
What if you don’t know your customer’s needs or expectations? A simple survey can provide the feedback you need to improve your customer lifetime value (CLV). Getting the number of responses needed isn’t always easy, that’s why Rybbon integrates with leading research tools to make incentivizing responses trouble-free.
Already integrated with leading marketing platforms including Marketo , HubSpot , Zapier , as well as prominent survey platforms such as Qualtrics , SurveyMonkey , Sawtooth Software , and more, you’re able to effortlessly integrate digital rewards into your sales and marketing campaigns.
Rybbon’s contactless, digital rewards are a necessity in today’s social distancing environment. Offered in over 150 countries and numerous currencies, Rybbon’s digital rewards are virtual, safe, and can easily be incorporated into your marketing and sales campaigns in 2021.
Kristy is a digital marketing professional who specializes in innovative marketing solutions for the technology space
Kristy is a digital marketing professional who specializes in innovative marketing solutions for the technology space
