How To Dominate Your Competition With Inbound Marketing Ryan Gray, Founder/CEO - NameHero.com

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM No Pitch Presentation Policy Please help us produce more relevant content in the future by rating this session using our event app! Each presenter signs a speaker agreement certifying that their presentation will be educational and not a sales pitch. Attendees have a right to report speakers not adhering to the policy.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM About Me Internet Entrepreneur since 1998 Husband / Identical Twin / Father Blogger / Techie / Investor Founder of 7 online companies Since 2007, generated $20MM+ from Inbound Marketing strategies Self-funded ventures without investor capital

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM What Is Inbound Marketing? “Inbound marketing is promoting a company through blogs, podcasts, video, eBooks, newsletters, whitepapers, SEO, physical products, social media marketing, and other forms of content marketing which serve to attract customers through the different stages of the purchase funnel.” - Wikipedia

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM What Is Inbound Marketing? Inbound Marketing leverages useful content to create trust between potential customers (also referred to as Content Marketing). More traditional marketing such as PPC, media buying, social media, television, radio, etc. is Outbound Marketing. Inbound marketing is a marathon not a sprint. (Why a lot of companies neglect it).

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Most Brands Outbound Strategy Display Banner Placements Display Banner Placements SEM PPC Traffic Social Media Ads Social Media Ads Outbound Ad Placements Ad Clicks Website Re-Targeting Customers Massive $$ Ad Budget  Large Acquisition Cost

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Inbound Marketing Strategy Blogs Websites Forums Blogs Websites Forums SEO Posts Traffic Organic Social Media Organic Social Media Organic Traffic (Fans) Engaged Clicks Website Funnel(s) Repeat Buyers Free Traffic Spreads Virally Low Acquisition Cost  Word of Mouth

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Benefits Of Inbound Marketing Cost Effective – Decreases barrier to entry for smaller companies Create Brand Loyalty – Increases brand- loyal customers that are much more likely to become repeat buyers Viral Promotion – The more useful your content, the more likely your visitors are going to turn into an “army” of marketers for your business

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM How To Get Started Identify Your Target Audience Publish Useful Content (Frequently) Setup Multiple Distribution Channels Develop Your Funnel(s) Adapt, Develop, Progress (ADP)

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Identify Your Target Audience Who are you targeting? Why? What issues or problems does your audience experience daily? How can you become the solution? What does your audience say about your brand?

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Publish Useful Content Once you properly identify your audience, you want to tailor your content around them, always helping them solve their daily issues/problems. Your audience doesn’t care about your holiday party / office culture so keep those posts to far and few between. Don’t focus on selling, focus on helping.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Multiple Distribution Channels Blog List (Newsletters, Guides) Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn) Discussion Forums (Web Hosting Talk, Warrior Forum, Low End Talk) Affiliates (Some of the best Inbound Marketers)

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Multiple Distribution Channels Remember: You want your visitors to become fans before customers. If your audience feels that you understand them and they connect with you, they’ll become life-long, repeat buyers. Leverage your distribution channels to create this relationship. Be yourself; corporate isn’t “cool.”

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Develop Your Funnel Your funnel is going to be a systematic process (constantly optimized) that visitors are going to go through to become customers. I suggest split-testing multiple funnels (with different entry methods) to discover the one that your audience responds best. Do not confuse with a sales-pitch.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Develop Your Funnel Since your goal to to help your audience solve their daily issues/problems, you want them to be hungry for your content. Rather than them dreading your next correspondence, you want them running back to your blog daily. If your content is useful, your audience will share with their friends/family/co- workers/etc.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Develop Your Funnel Funnels can be as simple or complex as you want them to be. Whitepapers, Quick Start Guides, eBooks, Webinars, Tutorials, Videos, are all good entry points. Get creative – there is no wrong way – as long as you’re focused on helping, not selling!

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Whitepaper Funnel Example Visitors Name: Name: Squeeze Page Confirm Opt-in Whitepaper Useful Blog Your Website Happy Customer Social Media Follow-up Sequence Superior Customer Service Is A Must

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Video Funnel Example VisitorsInformative Video Whitepaper Useful Blog Your Website Happy Customer Social Media Superior Customer Service Is A Must

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Podcast Funnel Example VisitorsWeekly Podcast Whitepaper Useful Blog Your Website Happy Customer Social Media Superior Customer Service Is A Must

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Webinar Funnel Example Visitors Exclusive Webinar Landing PageYour Website Happy Customer Social Media Superior Customer Service Is A Must Useful Blog

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Develop Your Funnel A visitor can enter a funnel on multiple channels (social media, blog, trade show) Have patience, some people need to be heavily impressed to gain your trust. A few bad apples have given some people a bad perception of web hosts because negative experiences (poor customer service, aggressive/deceptive marketing, etc.).

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Adapt, Develop, Progress (ADP) The Internet is constantly changing so you should never stop learning. People that buy web hosting today will have difference needs tomorrow. Adapt your business to change and develop around it. Progress along with your customers always striving to offer a better product and experience.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Adapt, Develop, Progress (ADP) Web hosting is always going to be needed, but for a lot of people just getting started, it’s boring and a chore to setup. Find ways to make it more interesting and tailor it for their exact needs (i.e. the evolution of WordPress). The easier you make it and more helpful you are, the faster you’re going to gain leverage.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Moving Forward Effective Inbound Marketing strategies are evolved over time. Useful content must continually be produced. There is always room to make optimizations. Re-targeting is an excellent Outbound Marketing method to help reach additional results.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Moving Forward Top affiliate marketers have already “figured this out” and use these methods to promote the highest paying offers. They leverage their influence to push people through their funnel. One positive testimonial is equal to hundreds of ad impressions.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Bonus: Leverage Re-Targeting Google Adwords and Facebook have excellent re-targeting options. This maybe the only form of Outbound Marketing you’ll ever need with a strong Inbound Marketing strategy. Visitors that you turn into fans will be happy to see your brand across the Internet and will begin to remember you when they need web hosting.

THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR THE CLOUD AND SERVICE PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM Inbound Marketing Strategy Blogs Websites Forums Blogs Websites Forums SEO Posts Traffic Organic Social Media Organic Social Media Organic Traffic (Fans) Engaged Clicks Website Funnel(s) Repeat Buyers Free Traffic Spreads Virally Low Acquisition Cost  Word of Mouth Re-Targeting