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How I Used Creativity To Convert Leads into Customers

As a practice owner and before I really knew anything about digital marketing, I paid someone to do something called SEO that supposedly made my website more visible to potential clients. I wasn’t too interested in what was happening or how it worked. I just wanted more people calling my business.

I certainly got more clients, no doubt about that; but I had no idea if my increased popularity was actually because of the SEO work I was paying for or something else.

Once I delved a little deeper into the world of digital marketing, I learned that there were best practices that needed to be followed along with quite a bit of testing. As someone with a passion for enhancing peoples appearance, I see wasn’t naturally drawn towards what seemed such mechanical and technical IT processes.

But if it was such a mechanical process, as it appeared to be to me back then, how could some businesses perform better than others when surely it was just a matter of following a manual?

Now, having done my own marketing and advertising as well as run campaigns for many others for several years, I know only too well that creativity and imagination are vital in any project.

That isn’t to say that the traditional Conversion Rate Optimisation tactics such as clear message, page optimisation with A/B testing and clear Call To Actions should be dropped.

Just that there are some great ways to throw some originality into your campaigns that will capture people’s attention.

Traditional online advertising is getting ignored. How often do you click onto those ‘banner ads’ that slide up the side of your screen? That’s not to say that they don’t have a use because they are good for raising brand awareness, just not so good for getting clients.

Likewise, Pop Ups are regarded as an irritation when you waste time looking for the ‘X’ to close them so you can continue to look at what you actually want to look at. But even they can produce leads if used properly.

Years ago, these tactics were clever and fresh but today they aren’t going to get someone’s attention or be memorable.

This is why leveraging creativity matters now more than ever. Here are 3 ways to make your own promotions more likely to lodge inside your prospects mind.

1. Be Original and Unique

For teenagers, standing out from the crowd is mortifying. But any business that has ambitions of growth and success, being memorable and unique will get them onto the fast track to success.

People make purchasing decisions based on how they respond emotionally. Even an email, TV advert or short video on a smartphone can connect your brand to people in just a few seconds in a way that a rational appreciation of features and benefits cannot.

We remember stories that are compelling and brands that can do this will generate more customers. Here are some ways to create your own:

  • Develop an unusual catchphrase that people will remember and put it everywhere you can. When you think of baked beans, even though the slogan is fifty years old, everyone knows that ‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’.
  • Take a controversial approach to your advertising (the approach – not the message!)

Facebook canvas ads are a great new way to introduce things that work on mobile phones, such as carousel and video, but without the slow load times that can often occur.

  • Invent an unusual style that you apply across your website, social media and adverts

To make sure you stick out to your prospective clients you need to be sure your message leaves an impression that is not only memorable but comes across as personable.

Ask yourself how you would feel as a reader and whether you would trust what you are reading. Trust builds loyalty, which converts leads into clients.

2. Be Authentic When Using Email

Email signups are common goals because of how effective it is as a medium to convert leads to clients.

Yet the problem with email today is people are very aware of what is going to be of interest to them in their inbox.

Good emails that demand attention will be unique but not put the reader off. Subject lines should be inventive, creative – even quirky. They should be relevant, engaging and show some personality.

Even if your more conservative side might be telling you to play it safe, try and have fun testing out different subject lines. Your personality and brand will become recognisable and any association with a brand that is positive leads to more clients.

3. Tap into Emotions When Writing Copy

Most people buy with their heart so any opportunity to sell your services to potential clients that lacks emotional appeal is a wasted chance.

As aesthetics professionals, we can be confronted with people expressing very deep and personal fears and desires. However, we may not always be familiar with the full journey a client goes through before they get to us.

Cosmetic Surgery advertising has some strict guidelines and anyone looking to promote their services needs to ensure that it is not done in an irresponsible, misleading or potentially harmful way.

That said, cosmetic surgery is legally available and as such it is can also be advertised.

From a copywriting perspective this can lead to some lacklustre copy especially considering the responsibility around advertising procedures such as breast surgery.

But don’t be put off. Here are a few places where we can demonstrate our awareness of the client’s problems to help promote our procedures:

Headlines

The main objective of an email is to at least get opened so the subject line needs to be enticing.

Catchy, punchy subject lines that relate to a problem that the reader will be facing work very well.

Asking a question in the subject line engages the reader. It needs to be the right question though, relevant and to the point of the problem.

Although the headline needs to relate to the main message, some copywriters make the mistake of looking at what they’ve written and coming up with a subject line that is a summary of the piece. It might be accurate but will people connect?

Here are a few points to consider when putting your headline together:

  • Will the customer see how our solution can solve their problem?
  • What emotion does it tap into?
  • Is it concise and does it have impact?
  • Does it relate to the main message?

So the main takeaway is to develop a memorable message that strikes an emotional chord with a need your customer may have

Calls to action

It’s easy to focus on choosing the right size, colour and place on the page for your ‘buy button’ however this is also another chance to connect with the customer by altering the text.

Anything that relates to that person (Book My Appointment, Arrange My Call) helps to increase leads to conversions.

Your business slogan or motto

Today, the average city dweller will be exposed to around 5,000 adverts per day compared to 2,000 per day thirty years ago.

This means your brand needs to memorable within the split second you have access to that person’s attention. Brands need a catchphrase.

But just coming up with anything won’t be sufficient to compete with all of the memorable mottos that are vying for the same mind-space.

I have a very simple approach to helping clients to develop catchy slogans, which you might find helpful.

  • Run a quick brainstorming session to come up with around 50 initial ideas
  • Then select the top ten
  • Go through each one of those and see if they can be improved
  • See what a third party thinks
  • Pick the best 3 ideas
  • Test these to see how they resonate with the market

Finally, Sometimes A Bit Weird is Good

The Medical Aesthetics industry is a highly professional environment and one where patient safety and adherence to approved procedures is essential. Of course, this needs to be reflected in any advertising messages.

However, there is always room for messages that promote your business that are genuine, can appeal to a person’s emotions and contain personality without being irresponsible.

You can still be memorable, unique and write interesting copy and engaging subject lines that draw people in to get your business noticed.

Trust is as important in sales as it is when developing a message that your customers will remember.

And it is this trust that will have a significant effect on your lead – to – customer conversion rate.