Meet Grant Perry, Customer Acquisition & Digital Marketing Expert on the Get Strategic Expert Panel

Hi, everyone I'm finola Howard here, from, how great marketing works again. So. I want. To introduce you, to another expert. On our panel of experts, because we like to bring you this great, mix, of all the types of people that you will need to, help you grow your business at the appropriate. Time in your business and today, I want, to introduce you, to grant. Perry, who, has like, me also with this in common, 25, plus years in marketing he's got 16, plus years in digital marketing so he has seen it grow from this, small, idea. With. Limited. Tools and techniques grown right, to where it is now and he, has worked with clients, and lots of publications, throughout, years on everything. From onboarding. Customers, to brand. To. So. Much more and I want him to tell you all about it himself, so welcome. Grant, to. Hang great marketing works I'm so, delighted you're on the panel, you're such. Value. To bring to everybody, so we're delighted to have you thank. You yeah likewise, I'm delighted, to be here thanks for taking the time I'm, looking forward to to get to work with some of you that you know some of the people that you get to work with it's exciting, ya know really exciting and they're great people on the program so it's fantastic but. Let's first kind of focus. On you you know we want to know about you. So. Tell. Me about, you yeah. I guess, if you haven't figured out already I think you will you know but if anyone else has and I'm not. Originally from Ireland. I'm from New Zealand the axiom is probably. Now. You. Know I was born in any okay, New Zealand then as you mentioned you know longer, ago that I would like to get or a member sometimes, but certainly. In the pre-internet, age you. Know I learned. The fundamental, principles, of marketing which I think I'd like to think helps, me today as well because I was very eager to embrace digital, marketing, and I love digital marketing, but I think, having their foundation. Prior, to the internet actually in some ways you. Know has helped me kind. Of navigate those those two different fields and realize that they're really not different at all that they're what. I'm the same in many ways. I'd, like to just add this piece because it's one of the reasons that I want is grants to be part of this panel and it's, why I chose specific. People on this panel it's this. Connected. View of, marketing. Connected, view of business, so that you're not seeing someone, who's just going to concentrate on this silo. Of their, expertise. Or their niche they're. Going to give you more, than what, they're. You, know we're how I've categorized, people in the panel you will get more than what, we have put limits on there there are no limits these people can help you across so. Many areas, because. They, have a connective, you and grant is absolutely. One of those yeah. I hope so I mean I think that is I'd like to think that's a sort, of a skill that's coming through that experience really, so I look I left you, know the, marketing. Business the great university, and then worked, for a couple large corporates, so businesses, actually straight out of university work, from us and New Zealand which was a large corporation. Big brand as you'd, expect but then I did what a lot of Kiwis do and when I'm what we called the big overseas, experience, we tend to go and travel. Overseas and I did that I never really, went back so you, know more, than 20 years ago so you know working in the financial sector, in London, which, doing. Regulatory, reporting, for the Bank of England which was boring. As it sounds I, will, gave you a different perspective but, and, that allowed me to travel but then I ended up in the u.s. in. Various places from from, Disney. And in California. But. Ultimately spent. The last sixteen. Plus years as you mention in digital marketing in mostly in direct.

Response Marketing. Which. You. May not be familiar with that really is just. The. Ability to to, really have specific. Very specific calls. To action like it might be to sign up for an e letter or a purchase of product can be able to measure those results very specifically. And. Mostly. With a, company. Called Agora companies, which they have a fairly large presence and, Waterford, actually but. An American. Based business, with, businesses, and publisher. So. That was. Really exciting because it really, sort of introduced, me to the, digital marketing in general but with a very, specific. Set. Of goals and objectives that you you could measure which was which is what is so amazing about digital, marketing it's it's so measurable, you, know it's not like the old days where you might put some money, into advertising and not really be sure what's working so directly. Help. Me I. Love, that part of digital marketing, because like you I started, before pre. Internet pre. Social. Media so yes God. I mean yesterday, I was even looking at because we just ran an ad recently, and I was looking at how. Is my conversion, from that ad and I getting, them onto the site and then Ron is happening next and then I realized, oh I must put a video there because that will increase the conversion, and you get kind of excited when you realize you, actually can hear. Your customers, reactions. To. What you're doing yeah, that's dead right I mean I think that's what gets me excited you, know especially you, know I then. Was around on Facebook for instance first launched their advertising, so I was able to sort of craft a career in other ways around, Facebook at one point I didn't. Quickly realized that Facebook. Was just another way, of communicating and. You know that, it's still aligned with the same types of goals that you need to have and, that's what direct-response the discipline, I think of direct response really, focuses, you on making sure that whatever you're doing there. Is a clear goal, and a strategy for, it it's not just something you're doing for the sake of doing it so so. That was a really important lesson for me I think that I've, learned over recent years but but, at the same time it's actually been really fascinating. To me to see the convergence, of what, we do brain style, advertising. In direct response which, at one point when I first started we're almost in polymer office it's almost I would, say for direct response marketers, they often, thought, of brand marketing almost as a dirty word it was almost like why, would you waste your time but I think what everyone's recognizing, firstly I think brand, is recognizing. With digital marketing now that you can be, more measurable and on the flip side direct, response is realizing, that brand, is important, and credibility. And reputation probably. Even more so as important, and, that's, you know Facebook and social media and the web in general everything's. Transparent everybody, knows everything. So it's more important than ever they each are conscious, of that, brand and that that sort of personal, and brand, management that, you have around your business that also even I suppose things like you.

Know Brand we often really strongly associate, with storytelling, but, storytelling. Makes for better conversion. Yeah, yeah, absolutely stories, as meso I'm a big believer in that term and again coming from the publishing world you, know everything, that, we, did, and, do is really, around that idea of building a relationship and, telling. Stories because that's how people have relationships they understand, you, know information and knowledge through through stories, so I think, the, other thing when I read, even about you already. But already knowing this about you that, this. Idea, that yeah, it's a journey it's we hear about customer, journey we hear about storytelling, alone of this but, it's kind of one, layer of the story at, a time to, build a relationship it's, not yeah. You, know you've to date someone first before you ask them to marry you you know exactly. Use that analogy a lot I think you know you know certainly direct responsible, business, in general I think it's a great one because that's what we're doing with building trust building, relationships. And sometimes. Those relationships, can be accelerated and they can happen more quickly and depending on your type, of business that's, going to have an impact the life cycle of of that journey but other, times it takes longer and certainly in, our world in the publishing world that that was a great lesson for me because we were able to do what we would call one, step or direct sale but we did a lot of our lead. Nurturing by, building leads by getting an email address for instance and you know definitely put, to death, the the rumor that email marketing is dead because that's so a massive often. Forgotten. These days because of social media and everyone chasing that that aspect of it when really it's just another channel, of of acquiring, a customer or building, a relationship with, the customer and deepening. Those relationships, so in all of these different touch points whether, it's email or social media or the web or offline, as well you, know they should all be for me part of a coordinated strategy rather, than be thought of so independently, so that's that's, a big thing that I like to think that I can hopefully bring to it yeah I love that you said that it's a great way of articulating, is. That, again back to this connected, view but, if let, me just ask you this question because you. Know we have different types of people on this program we have people who are in tech companies we also people who are so traders, so, there are lots of different types of people on this program so, how. Would they know when. Like, what's the trigger for them that they should say you, know what I should really talk to Grant now. Yeah. I mean it's a good question I think every business does is, so different has different needs. And I guess one of the things I've been so excited with, marketing, in general but certainly digital. Marketing is that the skills that I've certainly, learned, and I think most people learn are, so transferable. Firstly, so you know the things that I've applied specifically.

To To, pop the publishing businesses, unless, since they can work for any business and, I think at any time quite, honestly I kind. Of lately, sort of started thinking my selves and I've seen a bit lost people ISM as a marketing hack. You. Like it, because they I kind, of hips like, to think that I can help with, a bit of vision and a bit of the, ability to figure out all these moving parts and how do they all work together towards. This common vision, and. Just like an architect, you. Know someone's building a brand new house you know you obviously wouldn't we not keep right at the early stages so you, know if you're building a business in it early stages that's fantastic. I feel like I can add a lot of value laying foundations. But but, equally you know you might be in business a year or two and really be what. I find a lot of people struggle with is that they have, been doing them wearing a lot of hats doing, a lot of things and they get stuck in the weeds of the day-to-day and, it's very difficult to step back and have, a fresh perspective and, look at the big picture so, you, know I think at any stage you are in a business it's. Worthwhile to have a fresh pair of eyes whether that's me or anybody that you might like to get in you, can sort, of give some independent, advice and and sort of see the, forest, for the trees so, to speak so. I think a lot of businesses I find becoming these Frankenstein's, monsters, I think websites are prime examples of that but if, the whole business where you do, small things that get added on to the business before you know you've lost size sometimes, of having, a clear vision that, what it is you're trying to do so. Sometimes. I think it's you, discover, something and it means that you reinvent. Our pivot and then you don't know how to align that with where you were. Yeah. Exactly used to find yourself sort of these legacy systems, or legacy ways of doing things that maybe don't really fit anymore so it's, always depending like a spring clean I think it's worthwhile as, a business, to do, always be you know taking, a step back and look at that bigger picture and I think so. Really yeah I guess the short answer is at anytime you know I really think it's worthwhile, particularly. If you are feeling a little bit overwhelmed with. All of the different spinning, plates that are going on and you need somebody maybe to help you just with, a bit of direction, in a you know a bit, of strategy the big picture strategy, rather than getting up and the day to day weeds. Are the tactics, that can sometimes overwhelmed. What. If someone, in the program, also, had, a process in place but they it wasn't, quite working is, is a good time to talk to you about that yeah, exactly in the same way I think it's it's oftentimes and what I do find is when people come to me they usually, come with a very specific idea, of what their problems, are but you, know I'm always a big believer we only know what we know and sometimes you. Identify. Problem, might be for instance someone recently was saying I talked in my facebook heads to work the cost-per-acquisition has, really doubled as I've gone up as trying to scale and so. That's a problem, in of itself and certainly it's something I was able to help with but at the same time I could see that that was really endemic of a bigger problem with strategy, not really understanding, what they were trying to achieve, with, Facebook, and they thought of it as a very independent. Component. Of their, business instead of it having it as a bigger part. Of the overall strategy and, working in synergy to because more than ever, you know multi-touch. Points, that we have whether it's people searching, and then seeing something on Facebook, and. That coordination, becomes really important, so yeah I absolutely think it's um it's, always a good you know if, everything's running smoothly then I'm not sure how much I value I can add although I'd like to think possibly I can get things even growing faster, but but really yeah I think it's when people are finding. That they're they're, stuck and that sometimes there's some underlying problems, that maybe they're not even aware of that.

Fantastic. Cool okay, that's. Really clearance, really yeah fantastic thank you grant so I'm going to ask you my last question, okay and my, question is three. Tips that you would give to an entrepreneur if you, make someone today three. Tips yeah, look again now you. Know try. To think of some Universal, ones I guess that they can apply to most people and probably sort of covered that the first one which is really looking at that big touch I really am a big believer in. Allowing. People to avoid, that sort of shiny object, syndrome where, you, know someone would be suggesting there's some new tool or software. Or maybe it's an ad platform, like like Facebook, or Instagram comes. Along and, absolutely. Not saying to just count those new things, because they can be fantastic but if you oftentimes. If you're struggling to think about how to use them or how they fit into that bigger picture there's probably, a case to say don't. Do good or not yes you know unless you can figure out that there is a clear. Strategy that, will align, to your goals so again bringing it back to the big picture big. Goals that you can measure and. You know for me that is the the, first tip is to make sure that you. Know that you're always thinking, about how does this really, communicate. What I'm trying to do as a business you know that you have that vision and does, this help the businesses that help the customer, if, it doesn't do those things then there's a chance that, it's gonna just, distract you and waste, your time and money. Jump. In one tip, to the. Sales funnel I think again coming. From this publishing. Business and direct response it, really, got. Me looking at sales funnels, or relationships, funnels I think there's a bit of term for them which is really just the customer, journey but kind of from a an internal, perspective so, I literally. The tip is to, just actually draw it out on a bit of paper or, whiteboard, however you like to work I love white wadding out funnels, looking. At what. Both the the ideal customer journey is from their point of view but also from your business's point of view how can you add value to them and ever, to your business and sometimes just visually looking at what.

Your Current funnel, looks like so that journey, from whether it's to maybe get them to become a fan of your Facebook page or sign up for your letter and then, how are you what. Does that relationship, look like at what points you know do you have a we, would call a tripwire or a low price point to start, a relation or deepen the relationship, do you have product. Points at different price points, or different values that you offer, just like your business does with you know different values that you offer as somebody starts realizing, what, what they might need, so you. Know mapping out their funnel, to look at the different cross, sales and upsells, and different, offers that you might have for people can be a really good visual way of just. Again bringing you back to the big picture as well so those two things were sort, of in alignment together quite well, so. That will bring me to my last one which I think is. It kind of a nice simple. One in lots of ways and that is to, just take action I see, a lot that we're again and when, you are looking at the bigger picture that sometimes becomes a bit easier because we do get caught up with, a hundred things we want to do and that's. You know that paralysis by, analysis, or the ability to have too many choices which, happens the customers, as well by the way but happens, to all of us fluey and, the difficulty, in just acting and what. We always sort of work especially the Agora companies today you know it was a big matter of hours was the sort of idea of the ready fire aim model. We're. Really what that means is that you just it's, a bit like a Minimum Viable Product. Where you know you're not trying to be perfect from the outset you just, do something especially. If you can get it to market whether it's an ad that you want to run and then let the market tell you what's, not. Yeah, because we too often. Presuppose. What might happen or what we want to do is perfect and it might be for instance launching, a new website for, a membership site and thinking, about all the bells and whistles that you want which, just, you only get it perfect, but better done than perfect, I think is Facebook's, my own in a similar way it's. Launched, and they let the let, your members or would-be members tell you what they, want either by in. Actually, telling you or by their actions if you find that they're not actually using a section of your website which. You can use through analytics, or, hot gyro similar, types of software, you. Know analyze, what people are actually using and then you can reiterate and improve your products, from, there so that can that can apply with Europe, launching, ads building, a website or any number of things in between those, so really just a take, action not to overthink, things just.

To Start making improvements. Bit by bit rather than try to be perfect from the outset yeah, I think that's really important, because too often when when. Entrepreneurs take, action they think they've only got one shot. You. Mention, pivoting and and you know we're. Always constantly improving I look to be honest customers. Love that too you know if you start off with you I mean software is a good example of that version 1.0, you know you get, to reiterate and improve so you customers, feel that they're getting extra. Value because suddenly I can release a new feature or release something news as part of the offering and that becomes you, know great value air to anybody so you know leave some space for that rather than trying to to, come out with the perfect model you know I think most businesses, that are successful the iPhone example. You know. Much. Better they are now through, all the improvements that they've learned from what their customers wanted, it but also what they knew that they could provide so, yearly since but scope, for product. Development and and you know give yourself a break you know you're not going to be perfect, none of us are we, just try to do the best we can each day and make you know step by step smaller. Incremental, things, that you can do rather than trying to climb the mountain from day one, yeah, because before you know what you're on the mountain you, know yeah, yeah yeah, really. Good advice thank you so much I'm gonna add one because I'm looking behind you, which is do, what you love that's, no. You. Know it helps, yeah I think you know look at this in you know sometimes it can be a little bit challenging. To because you know but is small entrepreneurs, if we find something we love obviously it can it can help keep us you know driving along but that balance is important, too and realizing, that it isn't you, know at the end of the world either like we say if you want something it in its not perfect you, know even though you love it you're passionate about it you have to be able to say you know what this is probably. You're over thinking way more than the other person because you love it so much that you know that, you want us to lead, you. Know I think you can give yourself a break to realize that you. Know you can still love something and still, doesn't it doesn't have to be a hundred percent perfect every time but yeah absolutely if you can find, those things you love and get inspired by them you've been you, know that's amazing I love working with people who have that inspiration. And thankfully. There there are more more of them out there because the industry is now allowed us to do, that to take, an idea and set, its. Market, fantastic. Thank you so much for your time thank you say. To everyone, I really. Urge you to spend some time with grant use, one of your months are many of your months with, the get strategic, add an expert program, and work with Grant she's gonna help you with the architecture.

Of Your business, of your marketing, in your business and how, it all connects fantastic. Thank, you so much grandma problem, you look forward to connecting with some of you thanks a lot.

2019-12-21 18:11

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