Your agency’s hierarchy defines your organization’s structure—it groups staff members according to their responsibilities and shows reporting lines, which helps in aligning with strategic goals and improving client collaboration.

Without a well-designed hierarchy, your agency can experience lag times in workflow, which can increase and lead to unhappy clients.

Whether you’re hiring new employees for the first time or taking your team from a boutique operation to a full-service provider, this post will outline the most common hierarchy structures and variations so you can better understand your agency’s hierarchy.

What is an advertising agency hierarchy?

An advertising agency hierarchy is structured to facilitate effective communication, project management, and creative output. While the specific roles and their organization can vary by agency size and type, a general framework can be outlined.

It is structured to facilitate effective communication, project management, and creative output. While the specific roles and their organization can vary by agency size and type, a general framework can be outlined.

It also shows how roles are structured so that everyone knows who is their professional superior. They come in two main varieties, mechanistic and organic:

While mechanistic structures centralize power and create formal relationships between team members, organic structures, on the other hand, allow for cross-divisional collaboration and reduce the “gatekeeper” mentality that can surround division leads and slow process.

High-level positions at an advertising agency

• CEO/managing director: The role is responsible for the overall strategic direction and financial performance of the agency. They make critical business decisions and oversee all operations
• Chief creative officer (CCO): This role includes the big-picture creative vision of the agency, ensuring that all creative outputs align with business goals. The CCO often collaborates closely with the CEO
• Creative director: Responsible for leading the creative team, the Creative Director oversees the development and execution of creative strategies and campaigns, ensuring quality and alignment with client needs

Middle-level positions at an advertising agency

• Account director: They manage specific client accounts and account managers. They ensure that client expectations are met and that projects are delivered on time
• Account Manager: Acts as the primary liaison between clients and the agency. The role manages day-to-day communications, project updates, and client satisfaction
• Media director: They oversee media planning and buying strategies to ensure effective ad placements across various channels

Low-level positions at an advertising agency

• Art director: Focuses on the visual aspects of advertising campaigns, guiding graphic designers and collaborating with copywriters to create cohesive visuals
• Graphic designer: Responsible for creating visual content for advertisements using design software. They work under the guidance of the Art Director
• Copywriter: Creates copy for ads, including slogans and promotional copy, ensuring that messaging aligns with brand strategy

The most common hierarchy organizational charts for agencies

The traditional model

The traditional model has long been the go-to structure for large advertising agencies that offer a variety of services. It tackles the issue of managing numerous employees by centralizing authority, making it clear to whom everyone reports to:

The organization is broken into different divisions, such as creative, production, client services, and finance. Each division is led by a department head, for example, an Advertising Manager or Director of Advertising, and includes all the team members who specialize in that specific field.

While this model brings clarity to the roles and responsibilities, it also silos people off and impedes cross-divisional collaboration. So, it’s not a great fit for agencies that offer several different services to the same client and depend upon constant communication.

The matrix model

The matrix model keeps traditional divisions and division heads but is flexible enough to allow for the formation of cross-divisional teams:

With this model, full-service advertising agencies can meet all of their client’s needs without creating large communication barriers between divisions. It tries to blend the best of both mechanistic and organic hierarchical structures.

However, this creates confusion between whom team members should report to at a given time: the project lead or the division lead.

The pod system

In this system, each pod operates as a small, autonomous unit within the larger agency—made of cross-functional team members who collaborate closely on specific client accounts or projects. This setup allows for a more focused approach to client needs.

A typical pod includes various roles, such as:

• Account manager: Manages client relationships and ensures project alignment with client goals.
• Strategist: Develop strategic plans tailored to the client’s objectives.
• Designer: Responsible for visual aspects and creative design.
• Content specialist/copywriter: Creates written content and messaging for campaigns.

When necessary, the project leads delegate tasks to other team members within the agency.

The main objective of this model is to shorten approval process times, eliminate extraneous senior positions, increase peer accountability, and encourage what Leahy describes as “fast and furious” creativity.

Variations in hierarchy by agency type

Not every advertising agency will offer all the services that a full-service agency does. What an agency specializes in will influence what organizational structure works best for it.

SEO agencies

While a full-service advertising agency may incorporate SEO into its services, an SEO agency specializes in building a business’s online visibility with services like:

• Website analysis
• Structure optimization
• Content production
• Social media management
• Conversion rate optimization

As such, an SEO agency might only need three main divisions: strategy/project management, technical SEO, and content marketing. A traditional hierarchy model can work for an SEO agency because the services offered are usually specific, and there aren’t as many divisions needed as a full-service ad agency.

Creative agencies

A creative agency usually develops and produces visual products that are used in a client’s existing marketing strategy, including:

• Art direction
• Copywriting
• Branding design
• UX design
• Web design
• Video production

These services require a lot of collaboration. For example, copywriters and ad art designers will need to work together to create a deliverable. Therefore, a matrix model might work best for a creative agency.

Variations in hierarchy by agency size

For agencies with multiple locations

Agencies with more than one location give geographically diverse clients more opportunities for face-to-face interactions. It can also increase your odds of finding top talent.

Your organizational structure with different locations might look like this:

In this model, authority is decentralized into geographic regions. This allows work to happen quickly, but if you’re not careful, a lack of communication between regions can lead to confusion, such as a fragmented brand voice.

For example, if the North American and Asia-Pacific Divisions above both launched a marketing campaign to their local target audience, they should still coordinate with each other to keep the overall messaging and brand cohesive.

For large or full-service agencies

Bigger agencies offer a comprehensive list of services that can fulfill many, if not all, of a client’s marketing and advertising demands, whether they need help designing brand visuals or SEO specialists who can improve their organic search listings.

As such, it makes sense for large agencies to have a department dedicated to account management. Account managers serve as the liaison between the client and any team members in other departments involved in a project.

This improves the client experience by allowing them to develop a relationship with one central point of contact. The account manager is also able to deliver a cohesive message to all departments, reducing the chance for a “he said, she said” situation.

A structure like the matrix model preserves divisional authority while allowing account managers to work with a team comprised of different division members that meets all of a client’s needs.

For small agencies

Team members in small agencies typically wear many hats and have more informal, familiar relationships with their coworkers. Their roles are flexible and change daily, if not hourly.

As such, these agencies are well-positioned to experiment with a more progressive organizational structure like the pod system. Clients can access all team members without being overwhelmed, and team members don’t need to go through an unnecessary gatekeeper like an account manager to avoid causing confusion in communication.

Tips for improving the efficiency of your team’s hierarchy

You can’t rely on an organizational structure to keep your team running smoothly. Here are some tips for developing the right advertising agency hierarchy for your needs and then executing it efficiently.

Establish employee buy-in

If you’re restructuring your agency’s hierarchy, seek the involvement of your managers and staff, not just your top executives or board of directors. Your employees will be the ones who operate within this new organizational structure day in and day out, and they probably have some insight into what will work best.

Be flexible at first

Bob Sanders from Sanders Consulting Group, an organization that helps agencies with their strategic goals, recommends that you approach restructuring as an evolutionary process, one that should be allowed to happen organically.

This allows you to feel out and test new structures before committing to something that doesn’t make sense for your team.

Turn senior people into coaches

Senior team members and executives have reached their status thanks to their considerable knowledge acquired over years of practice. Too often, their expertise is squandered on only approving or signing off on deliverables created by the team members they oversee.

Encouraging senior positions to also act as coaches for their team can not only increase the expertise of more junior employees but also improve the quality of the final product you deliver to clients and prevent mistakes.

So, which advertising agency hierarchy is best?

Despite their reputation for creating silos and stifling collaboration, traditional organizational advertising agency hierarchies still work effectively for agencies that offer specialized services.

Other organic models, however, can create exciting synergy by decreasing formality between team members. While something like the pod system might be too loose for a larger advertising agency, the matrix model shows promise by allowing flexibility while retaining clear lines of authority.

In the end, the best hierarchy model for your agency is the one that helps you keep employee and client retention rates high.

Developing the right advertising agency hierarchy is only part of the battle. To ensure your clients are happy with your advertising work, you need tools that help you achieve big things for them.

This is where Instapage comes in. Find out how the platform helps you with creating, testing, and optimizing your landing pages today, Sign up for an Instapage 14-day free trial.

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Highlights

• A formal product strategy acts as a north star for your product development
• It includes a product vision, clear goals, user personas, and USPs
• Learn the four business models that drive product strategies
• Find out how to pair your product strategy with a conversion-optimized marketing strategy

A product strategy is a high-level plan that defines what your product does and identifies who it will serve and how it will benefit them.

Not only does a product strategy define the direction of your product, but it also helps your team stay aligned with the company’s goals and customer needs and explains how your product will achieve those goals across its entire lifecycle.

In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into how to craft an effective product strategy, discussing its fundamental components and different business models that support successful strategies.

What is a product strategy?

A product strategy is a blueprint for how the product will fit into the market, what its unique value proposition will be, and how it will evolve over time.

A product strategy defines clear goals, a target audience, and unique selling propositions (USPs) that users will find beneficial.

For example, a product strategy for a company that sells solar panels will outline how solar panels will reduce homeowners’ energy consumption, what impact that will have on the environment, and how much customers can expect to save in costs over time. It would specify the USPs that set this company’s solar panels (or business model) apart from others, such as specialized technology, a green manufacturing process, or a competitive pricing strategy.

Why do you need to have a product strategy?

A product strategy serves as a helpful guide for organizations and is essential for long-term success. Here are the reasons why:

• Gives you alignment across the team: A product strategy provides clarity on the product’s vision, goals, and initiatives for the entire organization. It ensures that everyone, from the product team to marketing and sales, is aligned on the product’s purpose and direction. Without a product strategy, teams may be unfocused and unable to make impactful decisions.
• Prioritizes your roadmap: When resources are limited, it’s hard to decide how to allocate your budget. A product strategy allows product managers to make informed decisions on which features to prioritize.
• Helps with decision-making: Using the product strategy as a reference point, teams can make better tactical decisions throughout the product’s lifecycle. When internal or external changes occur, the strategy provides a framework for adjusting plans while staying true to the product’s core objectives.
• Magnifies customer focus: A product strategy grounded in user research and insights helps ensure that the product is designed to meet customer needs. It also allows the team to develop features that address specific pain points and differentiate the product from competitors.
• Increases likelihood of market success: By defining the product’s unique value proposition, target market, and goals, a product strategy increases the likelihood of achieving product-market fit. It guides the development of a product that resonates with the right audience, solves user problems, and is positioned well against competitors.

Key elements of well-crafted product strategies

Effective product strategies have several key elements in common. The best product strategists accomplish the following:
1. Define your product and market vision: First and foremost, they define a clear product vision about your product’s long-term mission. The vision should be aspirational and static, serving as a guiding light for your team. For instance, a fitness company may have a fitness app with a vision to “empower users to lead healthier lives through tailored fitness and nutrition insights.”
2. Understand your target market: Before developing a product strategy, market research must be conducted to identify and understand your target audience. Gather insights on user needs, preferences, and pain points. Create user personas to connect and empathize with your customers and tailor your product to meet their specific requirements.
3. Set clear product goals: Develop specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that align with your product vision. Your goals need to address key problems and provide a tangible way to measure progress. For example, a clear goal could be to increase customer retention by 20% year over year through improved onboarding and user experience. These goals not only guide your team but also provide a straightforward way to measure success.
4. Identify unique selling propositions (USPs): Determine what makes your product different from competitors in your space. Highlight your USPs that attract your target audience. This could involve innovative features, a superior user experience, or better pricing strategies.
5. Develop the right product initiatives: Translate your goals into actionable initiatives. These initiatives should be significant objectives that your team can break down into smaller tasks. For example, to improve the onboarding experience and achieve higher customer retention, you might introduce a rewards program or in-app incentives to encourage loyalty.

Product strategy business models

There are various business models that can inform the direction of your product strategy and drive growth and revenue. Companies may use one business model or a combination of two or more.

Let’s take a look at four different business models and the characteristics of each:

Product-led growth (PLG)

In the product-led growth (PLG) model, the product itself is the main driver for acquiring and retaining customers. The focus is on making the product so valuable and easy to use that it attracts users without significant marketing and sales efforts.

Key elements of PLG include:

• A frictionless user experience
• Popular, viral product features that are easily shareable
• Self-service onboarding and learning
• Product improvements based on user feedback

Companies like Dropbox, Slack, and Zoom have successfully used PLG to quickly scale their user bases and revenue.

Slack became a go-to tool for businesses and organizations by offering a user-friendly, feature-rich platform with a seamless onboarding process. Its success stems from a product-led approach, allowing users to explore most features for free while ensuring that large enterprises still receive hands-on support from Slack’s sales team when making big decisions.

Product segmentation

Product segmentation involves tailoring your product into different versions to satisfy specific user personas. Doing so allows you to optimize each version of your product to meet the unique needs of those specific customer segments.

Key elements of product segmentation include:

• Identifying different, specific user personas
• Tailoring product features for each segment/user persona
• Offering customized pricing models

During the pandemic, Zoom’s targeted segmentation helped it thrive by catering to diverse groups, from individuals and SMBs to large enterprises, education, and healthcare sectors. Its seamless integration with third-party apps made it a vital tool for remote work, virtual classrooms, and maintaining business productivity.

Freemium Model

Offering a free basic version of your product, also known as a freemium model, is a popular strategy for driving adoption, especially for software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies.

It’s a way to attract customers to your product without risk. Users will get value from a basic version of your product and will be incentivized to upgrade to paid plans with premium features.

Many, many companies have used the freemium model to grow their user bases and convert free users into paying customers – a few examples include Spotify, Dropbox, and Slack. This model is best suited for products where the incremental cost of adding a user is low.

Since its launch in 2008, Dropbox reached 100 million users in just four years. Today, it boasts 700 million users and generates $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Dropbox’s pricing strategy, centered on the freemium model and a customer referral program, fueled its growth in the SaaS industry. By offering a free plan with generous storage, Dropbox attracted millions of users and turned them into advocates through word-of-mouth referrals, driving rapid user acquisition and brand growth.

While the freemium model attracted a large user base, Dropbox’s tiered pricing plans helped monetize and retain customers by offering different features and storage capacities.

Bundling

Bundling is a model where you package your product with complementary offerings to create a more compelling value proposition. Using this model can increase customer value, encourage cross selling or up-selling, and help you reach new audiences.

Key elements of bundling include:

• Identifying synergistic products or services
• Offering a discounted price for the bundle
• Ensuring that the combined offering creates a 1 + 1 = 3 effect for customers; in other words, the bundle should add value for the customer

You can bundle hardware with software or multiple software products together. For example, Microsoft bundles its Office 365 productivity suite with cloud storage, video conferencing, and other tools to drive awareness of and adoption of its broader ecosystem.

Previously, Windows was the go-to platform for running Office, but now users want flexibility to work on any device—whether Android, Mac, iOS, or the web. Microsoft’s focus has shifted to offering a cloud-based ecosystem through Microsoft 365 (M365), which combines management, security, and productivity features using Azure Active Directory. M365 also integrates with third-party solutions, managing devices like iPhones and Androids, while securing data with tools like Azure Information Protection.

Market your product strategy with conversion-optimized landing pages

Once you’ve created a solid product strategy, you’re ready to go to market. One of the most powerful ways to market your product strategy is through conversion-optimized landing pages.

These pages should be tailored to specific ad campaigns and should clearly and captivatingly highlight your product’s key benefits, USPs, and features.

If you start an ad campaign offering 10% off your product, you’ll want to link to a dedicated landing page with similar messaging and imagery to elaborate on the value of your product and make it easy for users to sign up. A well-designed landing page can significantly boost conversions.

Instapage is a leading landing page builder and is popular thanks to its drag-and-drop builder, intuitive interface, pre-built templates, powerful A/B testing, and plenty of customization options.

With a 14-day free trial, you can dive right in and see how easy it is to design conversion-optimized landing pages and increase leads. Start a 14-day free trial of Instapage today.

FAQs

1. What’s the difference between the product strategy, product roadmap, and product backlog?

A product strategy outlines high-level visions and goals for the product. A product roadmap breaks down a timeline for the product’s specific features. A product backlog is a list of tasks and improvements that the development team will work on.

2. How can product managers build effective product strategies?

Product managers need to invest time and research into building effective product strategies by understanding customer needs, defining clear goals that align with the company’s overall vision, conducting market research to understand the competition, building user personas, and involving cross-functional teams to ensure buy-in.

3. What should a product strategy include?

A product strategy should include the product vision, target audience, key goals and timelines, unique selling propositions, and actionable initiatives to guide the development of the product.

4. What are the different types of product strategies?

There are different business models that inform product strategies, including product-led growth (PLG), product segmentation, freemium models, bundling, and more. Teams can choose to use one business model or a combination of two or more.

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We’ve heard the saying time and again, “People don’t buy products, they buy experiences.” And while this adage is definitely true, it is somewhat incomplete. Yes, people buy experiences, but they don’t buy them from just anyone – they buy from brands they know, love, and trust.

Remember when Apple released the iPod and used the catchy line, “1,000 songs in your pocket,” to market it? It wasn’t just that line that drove sales. It was also the fact that the iPod was an Apple product – a globally recognized and loved brand that people were willing to wait hours in line for. The power of Apple’s brand is what really drove excitement around the release of the iPod. And that’s why branding is incredibly important.

So, what is branding, and what can it do for your marketing journey? Let’s explore.

What is branding?

Your brand is your story. More than just your logo and tagline, it encompasses everything that makes you unique and helps you differentiate yourself from your competition. Successful branding helps evoke certain perceptions and ideas in the minds of your potential customers.

Specifically, branding serves these critical functions:

• Differentiation. In today’s saturated market, companies need to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Branding – via messaging, tone of voice, brand story, and more – clarifies what makes a product or service unique and gives potential customers a reason to choose you over others.
• Customer loyalty. Strong branding fosters consumer trust and loyalty and encourages repeat business and long-term relationships. Companies like Nike and Coca-Cola have done a great job of building strong emotional connections to retain customers and increase customer lifetime value for the long haul.
• Market positioning. Effective branding communicates a company’s mission, values, and unique selling propositions (USPs) and is essential for establishing oneself in the marketplace. Your branding will help your customers understand what you stand for and will inform how they perceive your value.

Why is branding important?

A branding strategy is paramount to successful marketing. Below are some reasons why branding should be at the core of your marketing efforts:

• Helps influence purchasing decisions: A strong brand image can shape consumer perceptions, creating positive associations with quality and value. It can also lead to more profitability. According to a recent study, 46% of consumers would be willing to pay more for a product from a brand they trust.
• Solidifies your business identity: Branding provides a unique identity that extends beyond the products or services you offer. This identity helps consumers connect with the brand on a personal level, fostering loyalty, longevity, and preference.
• Enhances brand recognition: As humans, our memories are often tied to strong associations, like a certain fragrance, song, or visual. A well-executed brand has the same effect, increasing recognition in a crowded marketplace and tying your identity to positive experiences. Even reading the words “golden arches” or “swoosh” are likely to conjure up images of McDonald’s and Nike, right? That’s the power of branding.
• Builds trust and credibility: A well-crafted brand fosters trust and credibility with customers. Consistent messaging establishes a sense of reliability, encouraging customers to engage with the brand and recommend it to others. According to a survey conducted by Edelman, 81% of consumers need to trust a brand in order to consider buying from them.
• Differentiates from competitors: Building a strong brand identity helps businesses stand out in a crowded market by highlighting unique attributes and values. This differentiation is essential for capturing consumer attention and preference in competitive industries. A well-established brand will attract more attention than a generic, unbranded competitor.
• Increases customer loyalty: Emotional connections are a key driver of consumer loyalty, and strong branding fosters those emotional connections. Customers who feel a personal connection to a brand are more likely to return and make repeat purchases.

  Patagonia is an example of a brand that consumers form emotional attachments to, often sharing and advocating for the brand without any incentive whatsoever. Patagonia’s Worn Wear campaign offers a gear recycling program meant to extend the life of the brand’s products, reducing their impact on the environment.

  

• Generates long-term value: A well-established brand can enhance a company’s market value and provide a competitive edge. Strong branding can command higher prices, increase revenue, and lead to opportunities for expansion into new markets or diversified product lines. For example, Apple started off in computers, but expanded to dominate the digital space, excelling in everything from smart devices to streaming services.

Branding vs. marketing

People may confuse branding and marketing and think the two are synonymous; while they are related, there are important distinctions between branding and marketing.

Branding is your identity and who you are as a company. It’s your mission, values, the emotional and psychological relationship you have with your customers, and what sets you apart from your competition. Your branding evokes a specific experience with your customers.

Marketing is how you get your word out about who you are.

It’s how you build awareness about your brand and how you promote your products or services. Marketing encompasses the campaigns, tactics, and tools you use to sell your brand.

It’s important to understand these key ways that branding differs from marketing:

• Branding is for the long-term. Branding is the story that you build for the long haul and shapes how people perceive your brand. Marketing happens in the short term and is a tactic to drive awareness and sales.
• Branding builds emotional connections. While marketing campaigns can evoke emotions, their main purpose is more transactional. Branding is meant to form connections with prospects and create impactful experiences.
• Branding drives loyalty. Marketing campaigns are meant to drive results, while branding builds a foundation that will attract loyal, repeat customers. In essence, branding is what helps make marketing campaigns more effective.

How to create a compelling brand strategy

An important part of building a successful business is creating a brand strategy that works, and this involves more than just designing a logo or coming up with a tagline. Make the following considerations when building your brand strategy:

Determine your target audience

It’s important to know the demographics and behavioral patterns of the people you want to sell to. When it comes to your brand identity, you must also think about your target audience’s wants, needs, and values, and the types of experiences you’ll want to cultivate for them.

It is crucial to understand who you’re speaking to.

Nike is a brand that clearly targets athletes and fitness enthusiasts, but they wanted to tap into something beyond performance. Instead of just focusing on apparel and shoes that will enhance someone’s fitness game, they successfully tapped into themes of empowerment, personal achievement, and perseverance. Their “Just Do It” campaign motivates people to go after their goals and never give up.

Establish your mission statement

Your mission statement is the “why” behind your brand. Most companies list their mission statement right on their website, and it is meant to convey their values, what’s important to them, and what they stand for.

Patagonia’s mission statement is concise yet powerful: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” It reflects what many people already know and love about the brand, which is their commitment to environmental sustainability. That commitment resonates with and is shared by many loyal Patagonia shoppers.

Define your brand values

Brand values – sometimes also known as your core values – are the principles that guide a company and the actions that the company takes. A brand’s values are embodied by the employees of that brand and are reflected in that brand’s marketing campaigns. These core principles are what shape a brand’s personality and tone.

TOMS was entirely built around the value of improving lives and helping people. They became known for their business model, donating one pair of shoes for every pair purchased. Today, they give ⅓ of their profits to grassroots missions.

Define your brand voice

Your brand voice is how you present yourself across all communication channels. You may be informative, playful, inspirational, friendly, thought-provoking, professional, informal, empathetic, and so on. Whatever direction you take, your brand voice should align with your values and should be consistent across all your marketing channels.

Makeup brand Elf Cosmetics uses a fun, informal, and playful tone in its branding, appealing to a youthful and trendy audience.

Explain your features and benefits

While your mission statement, brand values, and brand voice go a long way in setting the tone for your customers and helping them decide if your brand aligns with their own values, you also need to clearly communicate how your brand will solve a problem or improve the lives of your customers.

You must explain the benefits of your offer and how it will address your customers’ pain points.

For example, Tesla doesn’t just sell modern, innovative cars. They sell the benefits of electric vehicles: eco-friendliness, sustainability, independence from fossil fuels, and high performance.

Create your logos and other visuals

An exciting part of building your brand is bringing it to life visually. The aesthetics of your brand should reflect your brand’s personality and, ideally, be easily recognizable.

Your logos, colors, images, and other visuals are elements that are memorable and help a user recall positive emotions associated with your brand.

Almost everyone can conjure up an image of McDonald’s simply upon hearing the words “golden arches”. The golden arches are one of the most recognizable symbols in the world and are associated with being welcoming, nostalgic, fun, and satisfying.

Market your brand

Once you’ve established your brand identity and voice, you need a strong marketing strategy to get the word out. It’s important to be consistent with your marketing and across all channels. From social media to digital advertising, your brand’s messaging should always be clear and cohesive.

Since its inception, Apple has used simple and sleek advertising, often with something as simple as their logo. They are effective at conveying that they are innovative and user-friendly, and this messaging can be seen across the board.

5 examples of strong branding done right

The reason why many brands are globally recognized and enjoy longevity is because those organizations have done a great job of knowing who they are. They’ve built their brand identity, stayed true to their mission and ideals, and have effectively communicated their message consistently and cohesively.

Let’s take a look at 5 brands that got it right.

1. AirBnb

Airbnb’s brand is all about customers feeling like they belong anywhere. Since the beginning, they connected with their audience by using storytelling to show that Airbnb creates authentic, local experiences for traveling, which sets them apart from traditional hotels.

2. Nike

Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan is an anthem for athletes around the world. The brand has been enormously successful in showcasing their brand’s value: their belief in human potential and their passion for fueling that potential. Year over year, their ads stay true to their messages of empowerment and standing up for all humans.

3. Coca Cola

Coca-Cola has evoked a warm and fuzzy feeling over the years by focusing on a message of togetherness. Coca-Cola wants to be there for your best moments, and they have managed to convey that consistently with their iconic and timeless branding. Whether a holiday campaign or a social media campaign, Coca-Cola promotes sharing, living in the moment, and staying classic.

4. Starbucks

Starbucks made the art of buying coffee a global phenomenon. They have created a unique and consistent experience that can be felt in any store in every corner of the world, and they’ve been able to do this thanks to their simple and effective branding.

Starbucks focuses on providing a high-quality customer experience, and this comes through in their branding.

5. Apple

No one can talk about branding success without referencing Apple. Apple has created a massively loyal fanbase. Have you ever been asked if you’re a “Mac or PC” person? Apple succeeded in creating a whole category of innovative products, a category in which they stand alone thanks to their consistent innovation, sleek branding, and emotional connection with their audience, which was made possible by their products.

Create brand awareness with personalized landing pages

Marketing your brand is a critical part of showcasing your identity and building awareness. It’s important to create a strategy that has consistent messaging, aligns with your brand’s values, and has memorable aesthetics.

Personalized landing pages are a powerful way to provide a tailored experience that resonates with your visitors and reinforces your marketing efforts.

Instapage is a leading landing page platform that is easy to use. You get a drag-and-drop builder, hundreds of templates, an effective way to A/B test landing page variants, plenty of customization options, and an analytics dashboard that makes it easy to see what’s working and where improvements can be made.

Ready to use landing pages to fuel your branding and marketing strategy? Try a 14-day free trial of Instapage today and take the first step in building an impactful, long-lasting brand.

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Highlights:

• Have your user personas evolved in the right direction?
• Learn the value effective user personas bring to your marketing strategies
• Find out how to craft an effective user persona profile, plus access a complimentary user persona template
• See why user personas + personalized landing pages are a perfect match

Remember when user persona profiles like Outdoor Owen, Busy Betsy, and Techie Tina were all the rage? These buyer persona archetypes once served as a strategy for bridging the gap between businesses and their customers.

They aren’t serving the same purpose anymore.

As marketing has evolved, professionals are finally realizing that user personas like these are too oversimplified and just aren’t effective anymore. To map out user personas that are actually helpful, you need to dig deeper for real customer insights.

It’s less about categorizing potential customers into boxes and more about deciphering the habits, triggers, and values that drive someone’s decision-making. Today’s user personas look more like a Venn diagram, representing the overlap of various customer traits and motivations, rather than a flat, defined character.

Ahead, we’ll discuss the importance of user personas in your marketing strategy and creating user personas that make sense.

What is a user persona?

A user persona is a representation of your ideal customer based on real data and market research, sometimes using fictional personal details. Sometimes known as Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs), a user persona encapsulates the behaviors, goals, motivations, and pain points of your target audience, providing marketers with a framework that helps tailor strategies to resonate with your target more precisely.

Unlike buyer personas of the past, today’s user personas don’t simply summarize demographic data – they dive into the “why” and the psychographic details that are behind a user’s behavior.

User personas are often crafted based on the following data:

• Demographic data: While this should not fully inform a user persona, basic demographic segmentation information like age, gender, location, income level, and education are still essential.
• Psychographic data: Information like lifestyle, marital status, values, interests, attitudes, and behaviors provide insight into the emotional and psychological factors that influence purchasing decisions.
• Behavioral data: How do customers interact with your product or service? What do their buying habits, usage patterns, decision-making processes, and social media interactions look like? Knowing this information can offer invaluable insights into how to position your marketing efforts.
• Goals and challenges: What are your customer’s pain points? What are they trying to achieve? How can your product or service make their daily lives better? This is key in creating user personas that are effective.

Some marketers may wonder if user personas are truly needed in a successful marketing strategy. The truth is that user personas may serve several key functions and are worth investing time and effort into. By using personas to drive your marketing strategy, you’ll benefit from:

• Personalization: It helps you understand your customers on a deeper level, so you can tailor your marketing messages to speak directly to their needs.
• Product development: User personas can help improve products because they give insight into features and benefits that are most valuable to your target audience.
• Targeted marketing: One of the biggest benefits of using personas is that you can focus your marketing efforts on audience segments that have the highest chances of converting, which will maximize your ROAS.
• Consistency: It’s always a good idea to deliver a seamless brand experience, and having clear user personas in place ensures that your messaging resonates with them regardless of the platform they encounter your brand on.

How do you create a user persona?

Techie Tina may have been defined by her job title, education level, and years of experience. Today’s user persona needs to be much more detailed and creating it requires research, analysis, and thought.

Follow these steps when creating user personas:

• Gather data: You’ll begin your user persona work by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data about your existing customers. Starting with actual data from real users who are already paying for your product or service will give you a wealth of information about their decision making process, their use cases, their budget, how they first heard of you, and more. Use surveys, interviews, and analytics to gather demographic, psychographic, and behavioral data.
• Identify patterns: What do your customers have in common? Perhaps the majority of your customers work in the Finance or Sales departments. Maybe your product has helped your customers expedite their processes significantly. Group your customers based on similar characteristics, user needs, behavior patterns, and pain points.
• Develop ideal customer profiles (ICPs): Here is where your user personas come together. Based on the data and patterns you’ve identified, start putting together detailed user persona profiles that include demographics, goals, motivations, pain points, buying behaviors, and use cases.
• Validate your personas: Now that you’ve crafted your personas, test them out by comparing them against actual customer data and feedback. Make adjustments and iterations as needed to accurately reflect your target audience and their evolving needs.

Here’s a good user persona example:

Here’s a bad user persona example:

While catchy names and fictional characters are cute, they aren’t really useful.You’re trying to create effective user personas, not video game characters. In the example above, we have some helpful information about this ideal coffee drinker, but it’s limited to superficial information.

It would be helpful to know what this user persona’s ultimate pain point is, what they are trying to accomplish each day, what their buying habits look like, who or what influences their purchasing decisions, when or where they make purchasing decisions, and so on.

This is a good place to start, but to create accurate user personas, it would be quite beneficial to dig deeper.

User persona template

Creating user personas from scratch may feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Below is a user persona template that can help you get started. Feel free to add or remove sections based on your business needs, your marketing approach, and the depth of insight you have access to.

Gathering data to create user personas

Quantitative data gives you hard facts and numbers that are tied to your user persona. Here are some ways to gather it:

1. Surveys: Distribute surveys to your customers to collect essential information like demographics, buying habits, and product preferences. If needed, give incentives to encourage survey participation, and use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google forms.
2. Analytics: Take a look at the analytics you already have access to, as this can inform user behavior. Track website and social media analytics like page views, time spent on site, click-through rates, conversion rates, engagement rates, and more.
3. Existing customer information: Are you using a CRM system like Salesforce? Pull valuable insights from your customer profiles, such as purchase histories, interaction records, and more.

Equally important, qualitative data gives context to the hard numbers and facts and helps you gain a deeper understanding of your customers’ motivations, perceptions, and values.

Qualitative data is crucial for a user persona and can help you connect to your audience on an emotional level. Here are some ways to gather it:

1. Interviews: The best way to gain insights is to spend some time talking to your actual customers. Conduct one-one-one user interviews, ask open-ended questions that uncover goals, challenges, and experiences with your brand, and be open to feedback. Bonus – you can use these interviews to create case studies if your customers are open to it.
2. Focus groups: When you bring together a group of customers to discuss their experiences and opinions, you’ll be surprised at how much insight you’re able to gather. Doing this can also help you identify common themes.
3. Usability testing: Observe how customers interact with your product or website in real-time, which can reveal pain points and areas for improvement that you otherwise would not have considered.

If you’re a new brand and are just getting started, you may not have access to a customer base from which to gather data. Turning to Techie Tina might seem really tempting, but you shouldn’t do that. Instead, consider these ways to gather information for your user persona:

1. Mine reviews: Review sites and social media platforms like G2, Capterra, Reddit, Quora, and even Amazon can provide lots of insight. See what potential customers are saying about your industry or competitors. Frequently asked questions can be eye-opening in terms of what your customer base is looking for.
2. Analyze competitors: Who are your competitors or other brands in your industry? Take a look at their case studies and social media channels and see if you can use those insights to craft your own user personas.
3. Listen on social media: Tools like Hootsuite can help you monitor conversations about your industry or related topics on social media. This can give you insights into sentiments, psychographics, feedback, and general topics your target audience might care about.

Using personas to create tailored landing pages

Any brand who is looking to connect with its audience on a deeper level should be investing time into creating effective user personas. With data-driven personas that are consistently refined, you can execute marketing strategies that resonate, develop stronger products that meet your customer’s needs, and ultimately improve your conversion rates.

One practical application of a user persona is in the creation of landing pages that are tailored to your ad campaigns. By message-matching your landing pages to your ad campaigns and creating personalized experiences, you can speak to the specific needs and desires of each user persona and significantly increase your conversion rates.

Instapage is a leading landing page builder that makes it easy to build optimized landing pages that are tailored to the ad campaigns they came from. Customers love using Instapage because of its:

• Intuitive drag-and-drop builder making it easy to create appealing layouts
• Library of 500+ customizable templates
• AI-assistance for generating headlines, CTAs, and other content ideas
• A/B testing, with insights on variations that work best and automatic routing to the best-performing pages
• Personalizations that dynamically pair visitor intent to a relevant landing page experience for each ad
• Copy-matching based on visitor level data like keywords, firmographics, and demographics

Ready to put your user personas to work with landing pages that drive real results? Start a free 14-day trial of Instapage now.

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While social media is ever-evolving, it is still a steady form of communication in our daily lives. Engagement and membership tend to fluctuate from platform to platform, and recently, LinkedIn has reported record levels of each.

In Q1 of 2024, overall LinkedIn sessions increased by 12%, reaching new record heights. In the past, LinkedIn may have been underutilized or solely thought of as a professional networking site. While it continues to be a place to make professional connections, LinkedIn is now also a trusted place to build brand awareness, share high-quality thought leadership content, and successfully run B2B campaigns.

The point is – if you aren’t on LinkedIn, you should be. And your LinkedIn summary and bio need to hit all the right spots. Keep reading for tips on how to create an effective LinkedIn profile.

What is a LinkedIn profile summary?

A good LinkedIn profile starts with a great LinkedIn profile summary, otherwise known as the “About” section. In this key section, you should provide an overview of your professional life, skills, and accomplishments.

You want to let people who are viewing your profile know what makes you stand out, but you need to do it in a succinct, effective manner. Any friends, colleagues, potential employers, or recruiters reading your profile should come away from your “About” section knowing your unique value proposition and a bit about your personality.

Further down your profile, you’ll have your resume – start dates, job titles, responsibilities, etc. You don’t need to cram all this information into your “About” section. Instead, present yourself the way you want to be received. Highlight accomplishments, let your personality shine, talk about your career goals, and so on. This is your chance to make a great first impression.

How to make a good LinkedIn summary

If you’re not sure where to start, it can be helpful to check out some examples. Here are some tips you can follow and some real profile sections to inspire you to write your best LinkedIn profile.

1. Start with an engaging hook: Begin with a hook that captures attention, such as a statement about your passion or a unique aspect of your career. Is there anything interesting about where or how you grew up? What about a notable career moment or a personal accomplishment that you’re proud of? Share it!
2. Describe your current role: Explain what you do in simple terms, focusing on the problems you solve and the value you provide, rather than just listing your job title. What’s the elevator pitch when people ask what you do?
3. Highlight key skills and experience: Mention relevant skills and significant accomplishments, using specific metrics to illustrate your impact. For example, “increased sales by 30% in one year.” Make sure you highlight your strengths and what makes you a valuable team player.
4. Add personality: Let your personality shine through by sharing personal interests or unique experiences that relate to your professional life. What are interesting things you do in your spare time? What’s the latest book you’ve read? Are you known for something specific in your professional and personal circles?
5. Include a call to action (CTA): End your summary with a clear CTA, inviting readers to connect with you or discuss specific topics, which encourages engagement.
6. Keep it short and skimmable: Aim for clarity and brevity, using bullet points or short paragraphs to make the summary easy to read, while staying within the character limit (up to 2,600 characters). You want to entice people to get to know you further and you don’t want to make your profile cumbersome to read.

Let’s evaluate some examples:

This is a great, punchy profile. This user succeeds at showing off her personality while quickly conveying important career information to know. She comes across as funny, approachable, yet highly accomplished.
What works:

• An engaging hook – it’s funny and right off the bat, the reader knows what to expect
• It’s easy to read – A numbered list is an appealing format
• She highlights some strengths – an engaged Twitter following, an interesting anecdote about how she landed her first role
• She’s vulnerable, yet relates her personal experiences to hr work
• It’s impressive – she’s worked on some A-list campaigns, which builds credibility and establishes expertise

The author of this profile makes it feel like she’s talking directly to the reader. She is super effective at conveying her personality and what she believes is her biggest strength.
What works:

• With her first 7 words, she hooks in the reader. People love personal anecdotes, and this one gets right to the point
• The author effectively conveyed what could have been perceived as a negative into her biggest career strength – she has built her career on communication
• The profile is short and easily skimmable
• It is clear that one would hire her to be a recruiter

This is an unconventional, yet effective profile example that excels at one thing: the author staying true to themselves.
What works:

• In this fun-to-read ‘About’ section, we get the full trajectory of this person’s career, which is hard to do without boring the reader
• This profile is not intimidating – you do not need to be an Ivy League scholar to wow your reader
• The use of emojis is eye-catching and doesn’t feel out of place
• It’s humorous, authentic, inspiring, and feels attainable

When you have an outstanding career and have amassed numerous accolades, you lead with them.
What works:

• The reader is instantly hooked upon learning that the author is recognized by The New York Times, WSJ, and more
• This author has big names in their client portfolio, which builds credibility and trust
• The profile is short, but packs a punch
• It’s clear what this author would be hired to do: blogging, speaking engagements, and growth through marketing
• There’s a clear CTA and information for contacting the author

LinkedIn summary examples for specific professions

You should follow the aforementioned tips anytime you’re creating your LinkedIn profile summary, regardless of the line of work you’re in. Should you do anything different for your specific profession? Ahead, we round up six roles and what you should highlight in your LinkedIn profile if you currently hold or are seeking these kinds of positions.

LinkedIn profile summary for digital marketing professionals

If you’re a digital marketing professional, you’ll want to highlight your skills and your relevant accomplishments in your LinkedIn profile. Show off your expertise and how you would be of value in the digital marketing space. Can you share impressive campaign results? Have you managed the creation of a new website that exceeded traffic and lead generation expectations? When possible, be specific and use stats.

This digital marketing strategist does a good job of listing out areas of expertise, with specific details, certifications, or experience highlighted along the way. It provides a quick snapshot of how this person delivers value.

LinkedIn profile summary for content marketing specialists

Content marketing specialists should talk about their areas of expertise – what types of content do you focus on? Blog posts, long form content, eBooks, video scripts, social media, ads? Has any of your content received awards or recognition? What accomplishments are you most proud of in regards to your content?

This profile starts with a short, relevant quote to engage readers and highlights impressive accomplishments, where their work has been featured, and areas of expertise for a well-rounded (but not too wordy!) summary.

LinkedIn profile summary for SEO managers

SEO experts can have fun with their LinkedIn profile summary by optimizing it with relevant keywords. Practice what you preach. Use your profile as an opportunity to show what you’re capable of doing, how you typically go about it (what tools you use, etc.), and what results you tend to see.

This summary is short and sweet, with keywords peppered throughout, recognitions from reputable sources to build credibility, and impressive results to establish trust.

LinkedIn profile summary for sales professionals

As a sales professional, you’re used to pitching prospects. In your LinkedIn profile summary, you need to pitch yourself. Be personable, have conviction, be persuasive, and back up your claims with facts.

This profile is a bit long, but the way it is formatted makes it easy to read – we can clearly see the user’s contact information, the industries they have experience in, and their impressive accomplishments which speak for themselves.

LinkedIn profile summary for job seekers

Anyone using their LinkedIn profile summary as a job application of sorts should be direct. Talk about what kind of role you’re looking for, but also what kind of culture and job environment matters to you. What values are important to you? How do you want to collaborate? What do you look for in leadership? And so on. And don’t forget to include what you would bring to the table.

This profile successfully sets the stage for this job seeker’s next role – we know what their experience is, we know what kind of culture they encourage, and we know what their values are.

LinkedIn profile summary for IT professionals

IT professionals have skills that are valuable across every industry. If you are specialized in one area, make sure to communicate that clearly. Lay out expectations for how you manage networks, provide technical support, build databases, and so on, and highlight accomplishments you’ve had in these areas. If you have relevant certifications, highlight them as well.

We love the way this author included a little snippet of code at the end of their profile, a clever way to relevancy and creativity to their LinkedIn page.

Use dedicated landing pages in your next marketing campaigns

At the end of the day, what are we doing on LinkedIn? We’re marketing ourselves. And any good marketing campaign needs a solid strategy from start to finish.

Personalized, dedicated landing pages can drive game-changing results for marketing campaigns in terms of generating leads and conversions. Instapage is a leading landing page platform that empowers marketers to create landing page experiences that increase brand trust, customer loyalty, and conversion rates.

Instapage users love its:

• Flexible and easy-to-use drag-and-drop page builder
• Hundreds of pre-built templates with conversion-focused layouts
• User-friendliness, no coding or developer required
• A/B tests to iterate and optimize landing page variables
• AI assistance to generate headlines, CTAs, and more
• Automatic pairing of ads to high-performing pages to maximize conversions
• Real-time collaboration and editing with stakeholders

See how a tailored landing page strategy can boost your marketing efforts. Start a free 14-day trial of Instapage today.

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Business 101 dictates: you need to win more customers to generate more revenue. What this strategy doesn’t account for is the revenue you can generate from your current customers. This is where cross-selling may come in handy.

What is cross-selling?

Cross-selling is a marketing and sales technique where you sell complementary products to existing customers to increase the value of the purchase.

Cross-selling is beneficial for both brands and customers. As a brand, you generate more revenue and customers get to enjoy a better deal.

Amazon is the perfect example for cross-selling. Whenever you land on a page with a specific product or it to a cart, there are tons of cross-selling promotions and additional suggested items. These items are relevant, so it makes sense for customers to buy them bundled.

Why you need cross-selling

When used correctly, a cross-selling strategy can make a world of difference in your revenue generation and brand-building strategies. Here is what it may bring to the table:

• Boost average order value (AOV): Cross-selling eases the pain of paying for consumers by bundling up products and services together and offering them at a discounted price. It also ensures you increase your AOV (average order value) for every customer.
• Increase customer satisfaction:Cross-selling brings products that customers might need in front of their eyes, saving them the hassle of sifting through your website. Ultimately, you’re paving a quicker path from browsing to buying, making the purchase experience faster and more fulfilling and customers happier.
• Improve retention rate: Research shows that acquiring a new customer is more expensive than retaining an existing one—to be specific, “The success rate of selling to a customer you already have is 60-70%, while the success rate of selling to a new customer is 5-20%.” Cross-selling is a great way to take your existing customers and give them more value improving your retention rates.
• Create brand loyalty:Suggesting the right products or services at the right time of the buying journey helps customers feel that your company understands them on a more personal level. In the long run, it drives average order value (AOV), improves brand loyalty, and keeps clients coming back.

Cross-selling vs. upselling—are they different?

While cross-selling and upselling are both strategies used to increase sales, they differ in their approach.

Upselling involves encouraging customers to upgrade or enhance the product or service they use or subscribe to. For example, if you have a basic stock image subscription for one user, upselling would suggest upgrading to a multi-seat subscription with additional downloads. On the other hand, cross-selling involves recommending purchasing a graphic design tool alongside your stock image subscription.

Focusing on loyal or returning customers often represents an easy win for many companies. However, staying ahead of the curve requires using both upselling and cross-selling techniques. Finding the right balance is crucial whether you choose to cross-sell, upsell, or mix.

Applying too much pressure can repel prospects and existing clients, while too little engagement might result in them overlooking your offers.

How to cross-sell?

1. Offer additional services

Cross-selling is about giving your customers more bang for their buck while making their lives easier. Think about when you’re traveling abroad and need a place to stay. Booking.com is one of the most popular options. Along with accommodation, Booking.com also offers extra services to enhance your travel, like car rentals and airport taxis, making it easy to enjoy your journey from start to finish.

Booking.com confirmation email:

Another great example is free shipping. High shipping costs may discourage buyers from hitting the final “Buy” button at the checkout. You can introduce free shipping on specific days or even leverage the upsell opportunity by offering free shipping on orders higher than a specific amount.

Massimo Dutti uses the upselling strategy to encourage customers to spend over $80 and save on delivery.

2. Provide complementary items (bundle sales)

Item bundling is a smart way to sell more by combining products that complement each other. This can encourage customers who are unsure about buying items separately to go for a bundle that meets their needs.

Well Woven uses a 20% off bundle cross-selling offer and free shipping to get customers to consider adding a rug pad to their purchase.

However, bundling must be done carefully. Research from Pepperdine University shows that mixing costly items with very cheap ones in a bundle can make the whole package seem less valuable, making customers less likely to buy it.

Roger Dooley, in his book “Brainfluence,” offers several tips for creating compelling product bundles. He advises:

• Avoiding significant price differences in bundled items
• Focusing on what makes your products unique besides price
• Avoid listing individual items’ prices if they’re part of a bundle

3. Make data-driven suggestions

Cross-selling works best when you really understand what your customers need. By knowing their problems, you can offer additional products that actually help them rather than just trying to sell them something they’re likely not to consider.

It’s also important to keep teaching your customers about all your products that could benefit them. You can use simple online tutorials, webinars, or examples to show how these additional products work.

The best time to suggest these extras is after customers have started to enjoy the first product they bought. Offers tailored to what they like and need are more likely to be successful. Listening to customer feedback about these offers can help you make your cross-selling even better in the future.

4. Pitch promotions

Cross-selling goes hand in hand with different psychological tactics. Some of the most popular are:

• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Highlighting that an offer is running out soon, such as a concert ticket pre-sale ending in 24 hours.
• Scarcity effect: Indicating low stock, for example, “Only 5 left at this price!” for a popular gadget.
• Exclusivity: Offering products to a select group, such as a members-only discount on luxury handbags.

REI gives an extra 20% off on one outlet item for a limited time just for members, making it a special deal that only members can get.

Also, there are some pricing strategies that you can use when pitching your promotions:

• Odd-even pricing: Using odd prices for deals (e.g., $9.95) and even luxury prices (e.g., $100) to signal value and quality, respectively.
• Decoy pricing: Introducing an option that’s not as good to make others look better, like a coffee shop offering small, medium, and large drinks where the medium is priced only slightly less than the large, making large seem like the best value.
• Charm pricing: Ending prices at .99 makes them seem cheaper due to the “left-digit bias,” like a book priced at $19.99 appearing more affordable than $20.

The “2 Can Dine for $9.99” deal from KFC uses charm pricing with its price just under ten dollars, giving the impression of being more affordable.

These psychological strategies make promotions harder to resist and introduce customers to products compellingly.

What is cross-selling in marketing?

You might be familiar with the term “retail therapy,” which describes the mood-boosting perks of shopping. Though often mentioned humorously, there’s a real science to back it up. Shopping triggers a dopamine release, much like the one we experience when fulfilling basic survival needs. Scoring a great deal satisfies our deep desire for accomplishment and reward, keeping us eager to keep the hunt going.

Cross-selling cleverly taps into the joy of getting a bargain. Besides the thrill of finding a great deal, this technique simplifies their shopping decisions by non-aggressively offering related products. This is precisely why marketing professionals often use cross-selling and upselling strategies. Let’s review some real-world examples.

Cross-selling vs. upselling examples

Upselling examples

Stanley offers text engraving on your tumbler for an extra $10.

Grammarly

This promotional email from Grammarly promotes the premium version of their service by highlighting advanced features like tone suggestions and full-sentence rewrites. By offering these premium features at a discounted annual rate and emphasizing the urgency with the offer ending “tomorrow at midnight,” Grammarly encourages users to upgrade from a free or lower-tier plan to a higher-tier, more feature-rich one.

Cross-selling email examples

Wendy’s

This email from Wendy’s uses a breakfast deal that pairs popular items at a value price, the “Breakfast 2 for $3 Biggie Bundles”. It encourages customers to combine their favorite breakfast foods, like a sausage biscuit, with coffee or potatoes, increasing the chance of purchasing multiple items in one go.

& Other Stories

The promotional email from & Other Stories offers customers a clear value: a 20% discount when they purchase two items. It creates a sense of urgency (“Our sale is ending…”) to encourage immediate purchases. The clean, simple layout with product images entices customers to take advantage of the savings offer before time runs out.

Cross-selling retail examples

Retail stores are no strangers to cross-selling. Consider platforms like Sephora, Walmart, Macy’s, and other commerce giants. As you pick out a product on these websites, you’ll likely see suggestions for add-ons. These might be neatly categorized as “Similar items,” “People also buy,” “You may also like,” and “Frequently bought together.”

Sephora

Sephora shows users a “recommended for you” section when they search for a specific product.

Coach

In this example, the “If you like this, you’ll love these” product page section shows customers other items that are similar in style or category to the one they’re viewing.

It’s a direct cross-selling tactic that uses customer interest in a specific product to introduce them to other products they might not have initially considered.

Cross-selling insurance examples

Cross-selling is one of the key sales strategies in the insurance field. When you buy something like car insurance, you’ll often find offers for other types of insurance, such as health or home, coming your way.

This approach offers customers the convenience of managing multiple protection options under one roof, so they don’t need to deal with multiple providers.

It also allows companies to foster stronger relationships with their clients by meeting a wider range of their insurance needs. Let’s look at some examples of how cross-selling works in the insurance industry.

State Farm’s landing page encourages customers to bundle various insurance policies, emphasizing ease of management with a single bill and the potential for cost savings. This approach appeals to those seeking convenience and value in their insurance choices.

State Farm

Liberty Mutual Insurance

This landing page suggests that customers bundle their auto and home insurance, which is a smart way to get them to buy more.

The page features a savings of $950, which is a strong hook for people to consider the bundle. Easy-to-recognize icons for different types of insurance make it simple to choose what visitors need.

The big “Get my price” button grabs attention and makes it easy to start the process.

Examples of upselling and cross-selling combined

Sometimes, businesses mix cross-selling and upselling together. They do this to suggest related products and, at the same time, nudge customers towards pricier options. It’s a smart move that can make shopping more enjoyable for customers and increase sales for the business.

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn cross-sells a pillow because it pairs well with the main item users are buying (duvet & shams). The offer encourages the customer to consider purchasing related items that they may not have initially thought of but which enhance or are necessary for the main product’s use.

At the same time, the buyer can improve the selected product by adding a name or monogram for an additional cost. It essentially boosts the product’s value and uniqueness for the customer—a typical upselling strategy.

Amazon

The Kindle reader upsells customers extra digital storage and the ability to get rid of lock screen ads. As for cross-selling, that’s where the “Bundles” section comes into play. Here, you’re tempted to buy the Kindle along with some useful accessories, like a fabric cover and a power adapter, suggesting you’ll save some money compared to purchasing each item separately.

Key takeaways for cross-selling & upselling strategies

Upselling and cross-selling, used separately or together, are vital to boosting sales, improving the customer journey, and building stronger connections. The best part? You don’t have to spend a fortune to make it work. These strategies fit smoothly into your marketing plan, even if you’re on a tight budget, proving you can achieve great things without a big spend.

But you need to remember that timing and relevance are everything. An offer that doesn’t sync up with your customer’s current needs or buying journey will likely be bound to fail.
This is where a streamlined approach using dedicated landing pages comes into play. And Instapage stands out as a go-to platform for the job.

Discover how easy it is to turn ad clicks into conversions, creating dedicated, fast-loading pages for every unique offer.

Sign up for a 14-day free trial and start creating landing pages today.

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In remote work, it can be challenging to collaborate with your team as if you were in the same room. The good news: Instapage was built with remote teams in mind. Experience seamless, real-time marketing collaboration and speed up your approval processes with Instapage’s intuitive UI. Comment, tag stakeholders, and notify team members of progress, all from one place. Learn about all of the features available and how to use them.

Want to learn more? Check out these additional resources.

[Blog] Get Marketing Success with Personalizaiton and Agility

[Blog] 7 Questions to Ask in a Landing Page Audit

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Sometimes you check your inbox and think, “how did (insert brand name) get my email address?” Well, you’re not alone. This is the result of bad permission-based marketing.

Other times, you expect to get offers, like ones from your favorite retailers or coffee chains. Whether they’re promotions or loyalty rewards, this kind of permission-based marketing can boost trust and customer lifetime value. The latter can do just the opposite. Today, we look at how to get permission-based marketing right.

What is permission-based marketing?

Permission marketing, also known as permission-based marketing, refers to a type of marketing strategy focused on getting consumers’ permission to serve them promotional messages. The term “permission marketing” was coined in 1999 by marketer Seth Godin in a book by the same name.

When you sign up to receive email marketing updates, follow a brand on social media, or input your phone number to get a demonstration of the software, you are taking part in permission-based marketing. Permission-based marketing can be implicit or explicit.

The above examples are explicit. They involve the user physically choosing to receive marketing content.

Implicit permission marketing involves tactics like pre-checking opt-in boxes on forms, which require users to uncheck if they don’t want to receive marketing messages from the brand:

Under new privacy regulations like GDPR, this specific tactic is no longer allowed on forms, and permission must now be explicit.

Permission marketing vs. interruptive marketing

Unlike permission marketing, interruptive marketing doesn’t get permission from users to serve them messages. Examples of interruptive marketing might include promoted content on social media, display ads, or email blasts to purchased addresses.

Permission marketing vs. permission advertising

While permission marketing focuses on unpaid methods of earning customer permission, permission advertising uses paid methods. Retargeting ads, for example, are a permission-based advertising tactic. A consumer visits a website, allows cookies, and sees a paid advertisement across Google Display or Facebook.

Good permission marketing vs. bad permission marketing

It’s easy to see why permission-based marketing comes with so many benefits. People don’t like irrelevant ads, and they don’t like being interrupted when they’re trying to watch a video, read an article, or play a game. When you use interruptive marketing methods, you degrade the user experience.

The same goes for using implicit marketing methods. When you hide your intentions to send promotional content in your terms of service, or you make visitors uncheck boxes, or you track them without their consent on your website, you’re not obtaining permission from them. This is bad permission marketing.

When people give your brand permission to contact them, they expect to hear from you. So when they see your emails in their inbox, or they get a call from you, they don’t feel like their personal space has been invaded. When permission marketing is done wrong, users will wonder how you got their information when they see your promotional messages.

Benefits of permission-based marketing

If you’re going to send marketing messages to your audience, getting explicit permission isn’t just the way regulations demand you do, it’s also the most effective method. Here’s why:

• Boost brand reputation: Permission-based marketing still isn’t as prevalent as you’d assume it would be by now. As a practitioner, you immediately boost brand trust when there are, as Luda Greko puts it for ActiveTrail, “numerous businesses who continue to indulge in unscrupulous practices such as purchasing mailing lists, spamming their subscribers with an array of irrelevant content, and failing to provide a simple way to unsubscribe.” Simply giving people a choice to opt-in instead of making them opt-out shows you’re acting in their best interest, not in yours.
• Greater relevance: When consumers opt in to your marketing communications, it’s because those messages are relevant to them. Says Kayla Carmichael: “If you sign up for Starbucks Rewards, it’s likely because you love their drinks and think the incentive of earning points for each vanilla latte you buy is a pretty good deal.” When these messages are more tailored to the visitor, then they’re useful, and visitors are more likely to click engage with them. Personalization is a major influencer of buying decisions.
• Lower cost, higher return: Of course, when your messages are more relevant, it doesn’t just translate to high TOFU metrics like click-throughs. Relevance means leads are more receptive to your messaging and are more likely to progress smoothly through the funnel. And companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at a 33% lower cost.

Permission marketing examples

ActiveTrail

In this exit popup from ActiveTrail, notice how this opt-in box at the bottom, next to “I agree to receive emails,” is unchecked. The user has to check it and click “Submit” to give ActiveTrail permission to send them newsletters. This is excellent permission marketing at work.

Marketing Insider Group

In this footer from Marketing Insider Group, an email capture form asks for visitors’ permission to send marketing resources and emails.

Backlinko

This Backlinko homepage features a form with a clear proposition: Enter your email, get SEO tips from Brian Dean.

HubSpot

HubSpot’s blog subscription form is an excellent example of permission marketing. Not only does it let the visitor pick the content they want to receive, but they can select how they get it–email or Slack. Most importantly, the copy below the form tells the visitor exactly what they can expect to get in their inbox when they sign up.

Permission marketing relies on the conversion

When done right, permission marketing is far more effective than traditional methods of interruptive advertising. That said, it’s challenging to do right.

And that’s because permission marketing relies on transparency and conversion. You have to tell visitors exactly what you’re going to do with their information, and then you have to convince them to give it to you.

This isn’t easy for anyone. However, it’s easier for brands that personalize. When an offer is relevant and tailored to the individual, that individual is more likely to exchange their information for something useful to them. Learn how to scale personalization throughout all your permission marketing campaigns with an Instapage Enterprise demo.

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