Content is the basis for all marketing online. Content creates credibility.  Credibility leads to conversion. And conversion leads to new customers. Read the 4Cs formula

The 4Cs Formula

Create Content

Good content will address your customer's needs. You need to continually create, recreate, and build content. Search engines love good content and will reward you with sending visitors to your site.
Traffic coming to your site for your content is your traffic. You own the traffic and can decide what and how to greet the visitors.
Our formula says to "Regularly publish content on your site through these channels:"

1. News Articles
2. Blogs
3. Email Newsletters
4. Product updates
5. Web Page Additions
6. New Landing Pages

Build Credibility

Credibility is part of the formula and not only available to the large multi-national sites. To build credibility you need to address your customer's information needs first. And second, make it easy for your customer to give you feed back.

• Use Testimonials
• Display Customer Case Studies
• Allow Customer Feed Back
• Provide Online Customer Service
• Create a Community
• Blog about yourself

Once your visitors can see other visitors, similar types of customers, they will feel more comfortable with your site and give you the credibility you need in order for them to click on the "Buy Now" button.

Get Conversion

Conversion is the art of getting customers through to your primary or back up goals. Getting your customer to "Buy Now", "Sign Up", "Log In" and more. Once you have the conversions occurring on your site it's time to start to measure the effectiveness of your marketing & communication efforts.
Measure, manage, and address the conversions rates.
Examples of conversion goals include:

1. Email Newsletter subscription
2. Site registration
3. Comments on Articles / Products / Services
4. Forum Participation
5. Online Inquiry
6. Event Booking
7. Survey Participation
8. Online Sale

Communicate With Customers

After the sale takes place and your customer is wondering what they just did you need to start your communication.
Your post sale processes and customer service must work seamlessly with the first 3cs to ensure longevity.

1. Use follow up email campaigns for high value customers
2. Use drip marketing campaigns to build loyalty with customers
3. Use auto-responders with customers to generate credibility
4. Use Monthly Newsletters with contacts to stay in touch

The cost of acquisition is significantly greater than retaining customers. Communicate with your customer, be relevant and timely and your customers will come back again and again.

Charles Brodeur
eCommerce Consultant
BigTurns Professional Services Ltd 
Vancouver, BC V6E 4R1
info@BigTurns.com