{"id":1047,"date":"2016-03-23T23:38:37","date_gmt":"2016-03-23T23:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.setmore.com\/blog\/?p=1047"},"modified":"2022-06-30T17:05:46","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T11:35:46","slug":"why-online-scheduling-is-online-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.setmore.com\/blog\/why-online-scheduling-is-online-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Online Scheduling is Online Marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Online marketing holds a certain mystique that some may find daunting. Fortunately, just showing up is half the battle, and Setmore can help you have an impact while taking those first few steps. So you want to know how to market your business online?<\/p>\n

\"John<\/p>\n

Lay of the land<\/b><\/p>\n

First let\u2019s visualize how customers get from Point A (needing to book an appointment for some service) to Point B (booking said appointment). In every case, it starts with a need: I need a haircut, I have a clogged drain, or maybe I have an interest in taking music lessons.\u00a0The prospective customer goes through a behavioral flow that looks something like this:<\/p>\n

(Point A) Search \u2192 Evaluation \u2192 Decision <\/b>(Point B)<\/h4>\n

As we take a closer look at each step in the flow, put yourself in the mindset of a potential customer. What things are they thinking, what concerns do they have, and what will make them happy? This is a good exercise to do the next time you’re looking to buy something online, too.<\/p>\n

Step 1 \u2013 Research<\/b><\/p>\n

Most online research begins either by organic search (as in, I need something so I\u2019ll Google it and see what turns up), or by clicking a paid advertisement (I\u2019m on catfancy.com and I see a web ad for a service I want or need). Both of these avenues take me to the service provider\u2019s website, which begins the next phase.<\/p>\n

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\"online<\/p>\n

81% of consumers<\/strong> research products and services online<\/a> before committing to a buy decision.<\/p>\n

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\nStep 2 \u2013<\/strong>Evaluation<\/b><\/div>\n

Now that I\u2019m on your website, I spend a couple minutes checking out your services, your rates, your customer reviews, and anything I find interesting on your social media<\/a> pages.<\/p>\n

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\"owl\"<\/p>\n

60% of customers <\/strong>feel more positive about a company<\/a> after reading content created by them.<\/p>\n

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Step 3 \u2013 Decision<\/b><\/p>\n

Once I\u2019m sure I want to be your customer, I\u2019ll schedule an appointment. This is where Setmore comes into play. If the customer has a delightful experience, they might even post a review or social media update of their own.<\/p>\n

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\"batman\"<\/p>\n

71% of customers<\/strong> who have a positive interaction with companies<\/a> over social media are more likely to recommend the company.<\/p>\n

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Let them eat funnel cake<\/b><\/p>\n

In many circles (specifically those populated by besuited businessmen), this is referred to as a \u201csales funnel.\u201d Call it what you want, the important part is that we start thinking about the customer\u2019s experience at each step in the chain.<\/p>\n

Online appointment scheduling is a key part of the marketing ecosystem because it\u2019s where the rubber meets the road. It\u2019s where your customer transitions from their evaluation phase, during which they\u2019re combing your website and engaging with posts and pics and tweets about you, to the decision phase, where they book an appointment.<\/p>\n

Ok we get it. Now what can we do with it?<\/b><\/p>\n

It starts with your website. Woody Allen said, \u201c80% of success is showing up,\u201d and marketing is the same. When 81% of consumers do their research via web browser, it makes it very difficult for them to find you if you don\u2019t have an online presence. Fortunately for you, Setmore is a multi-faceted puzzle piece. It integrates with your existing website<\/a>, and it integrates with your Facebook page<\/a>. If you don\u2019t have either, you can even use your Setmore booking page URL as its own website<\/a>. Voila, online presence achieved.<\/p>\n

These are all *ahem* free<\/b> capabilities. Here\u2019s a few more to help boost engagement and snag a few more appointments from the evaluation phase:<\/p>\n