Equipment Technologies, the parent company of the Apache Sprayer brand, is the largest manufacturer of self-propelled sprayers in North America. They focus exclusively on building the best possible sprayer and boy does it show. Apache Sprayers are thousands of pounds lighter, cost tens of thousands of dollars less and deliver more power to the ground than the competition. That’s what makes Apache the best pound-for-pound sprayer on the planet.
The Situation
Equipment Technologies manufactures Apache Sprayers — the lineup offers economical, efficient machines that offer high ROI for customers. As part of the brand position for Apache, we were tasked with developing an overarching content marketing strategy encompassing the themes of ROI, efficiency and other value propositions of the brand.
The Solution
As a part of our content strategy we worked to create the “Applying Trends” email newsletter to help amplify the brand’s cornerstone content and grow a list of potential new customers. The newsletter was also meant to showcase Apache Sprayers as a thought leader in themes key to the purchase decision-making process for primary customers.
Though the Equipment Technologies situation called for content revolving around Apache Sprayers specifically, a broader thought leadership campaign focusing on general ROI helped establish the brand as a leader in that critical theme in its industry. Applying Trends helped distribute that content to key stakeholders, customers and potential customers.
With an initial goal of directing 1,500 new interested customers to apachesprayers.com and grow the list to 3,000 qualified sales leads, the monthly send uses an eye-catching design from comprehensive A/B testing.
The Results
Applying Trends saw results above and beyond initial goals. It has received an average open rate of almost 27 percent (which peaked at just over 41 percent for one specific mailing) — more than 8 percent above the industry average. Calls to action – an area thoroughly researched for optimal placement and design – saw engagement numbers well above initial expectations, with more than 2,000 recipients seeking more information or otherwise navigating to apachesprayers.com. On the flip side, subscriber complaints and unsubscribe requests were minimal.
To date the 7,600-person Applying Trends subscriber list has garnered more than 24,700 opens and 4,900 total clicks from its monthly sends. It also won a 2017 PRSA Prime Award in the email newsletter category. Applying Trends continues to demonstrate the increasing value of thoughtful content marketing to support sales efforts, educate customers and more.
Welcome back for the second part of Home is Where the Code Is! In this two-part blog series, we’re answering the question: What goes into building a great site? We’re using the analogy of building a home from the ground up to help explain what it takes to create a functional and well-designed website, and today we’re ready for move in day. Now that the new website is built and you’re ready to unpack those boxes — this is where the content comes in.
Move in Day: Adding Content
Content like copy, graphics, images, videos, downloads, etc. is what fills your website and makes it yours. Without it, there’s no reason for your website to exist. It’s sort of like throwing a party at your place without dishes or chairs. You may choose to transfer over content from an old website or print materials or you could create completely new content. Often, it’s a combination — updating and transferring existing content while also adding new. Whatever the case, content gives your site purpose and a reason to visit.
Home Maintenance: Upkeep, Repairs and Marketing
Finally, there’s the upkeep. Things are great now, but inevitably you’ll have to do some upkeep and repairs down the road. After all, you don’t want your website to fall into disrepair and become an eyesore — you need to keep things pristine to continue to attract new visitors.
That’s where tools like analytics tracking, search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and content marketing come into play. You want to keep people stopping by and clicking — how else will you meet those digital goals? All the above are great ways to do just that.
Analytics tools, like Google Analytics, will help you track how many people are coming to your site and what they’re doing. It’s sort of like a home security or monitoring system. Data paired with professional analysis ensures your site is threat-free and performing well.
Search engine optimization works like a phonebook listing. If someone wants to find you to stop by, they’re going to need your address. SEO assures people can find your website by helping it to rank well in search engines results and local directories like Yelp.
Pay per click advertising is another way to put your home address out there so to speak. SEO will help get out the message, but a quicker, more targeted approach is advertising. Like buying an ad in a newspaper, PPC advertising puts your website in front of a lot of eyeballs with minimal cost.
Growing Pains: Thinking About the Future
A well-built home can last you for a long time, but eventually you might need to upgrade — it’s the same with your new website. As you experience growing pains or as trends change in the digital world (and they will) it’s always good to consider the future — website redesigns, building out new pages or even new sites are renovations to keep in mind. Just remember Lessing-Flynn’s team of experts are also always here to help. Contact us today with your website “renovation” questions or any of the concepts listed in this series!