Question

Topic: Customer Behavior

Linking Phone Orders To Search Engines And Keyword

Posted by Anonymous on10/18/2006 at 3:41 PM ET 700 Points
Ok ... big dilemma here and hopefully this will be the place that can help.

70% of our sales are taken over the phone. This means that we are unable to track how these people (who order) found our website and what keyword they used.

We can't ask them this information as it will look unprofessional but we need this information critically.

In terms of technology ... unless we get that caller on a certain page of our website, we CAN NOT track them. So my question is ... what can we possibly say to our call in orders/customers to get them to go on a certain page of our site in order for us to track that THAT's the sale visit?

I thought about .... "go there to get a % off your order" .. but that might not fly here. Any ideas?

Thank you.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted byPaul Linnellon10/18/2006 at 5:02 PM Accepted
    Hi Igor

    May I trouble you for a little more information? For example, what link are you trying to achieve and why.
    If your idea did "fly" and you sent them to a specific page - you would still not have "search engine" data for them as they would have gone there at your request.

    Kind regards

    Paul
  • Posted on10/18/2006 at 8:12 PM Member
    Tons of toll free numbers. I'll expand on this another time. Gotta go for now.
  • Posted on10/19/2006 at 6:29 AM Accepted
    I agree- its a mindset issue with the callers- not the customers. They dont mind answering this question at all.We had the same issue but we sorted it out by marketing the need well to the telecallers at the call centre.

    First month incentivise the telecallers to get in the name of the keyword and the website. Allow for avg call-handling-time to increase by those seconds and run daily contests with spot- end-of-day gifts.pack the gifts and display them at strategic entrances so as to incentivise them. Do not make the website page compulsory- to start with let them update the same with the primary key- say customer ref number or whatever primary key it is to track the order - and the website & keyword. let it be in MS Excel or any other easy "toggle:-able application.

    Second month- allow the laggards to catch up- run contests on best improved metrics per telecaller. By this time make changes in the web software to update these 2 fields.

    Third month onwards - make X% of all orders taken need to be updated with the reference website url and keyword. Increase the X% month on month. Make this as a qualifier/ disqualifier to their basic incentive structure.
  • Posted on10/19/2006 at 11:51 AM Accepted
    Expanding on Toll Free Numbers
    -------------------------------------

    In direct marketing in the offline world, toll free numbers are the best way to track back to campaigns. It works in the online world as well but you need to think through what info you are really after.

    A lot of times, you don't really need on going data. Simple 1 or 2 month tests can give you reliable data that you can assume till the next time you do a test.

    For example, before launching a landing page, we at Volcanic Marketing, create 12 different variations that allow us to test 2 headlines, 2 benefit statements, 2 calls to action, etc. On each of these variation, we assign a different toll free number. Toll free company gives us a break down in terms of number of calls and length of calls. We use this info to make decisions and move forward.

    Do you want the data to be gathered and assigned to sales leads on an on going basis? How important is this info? How much resources are you willing to commit to it? Talk to you phone & phone system person.

    I've got one other thought that I'll post as another response so it's separated and organized.

    PS: Go towww.ponderpearls.com, enter "melvin" as the gift code and download a free copy of Ponder Pearls. It'll be my christmas gift to you.

    ~ Melvin Ram
    Volcanic Marketing
  • Posted on10/19/2006 at 11:58 AM Member
    The other approach in tying your phone sales to your web traffic is to have an actionable item on your site that collects simple info but tags it with search engine & keyword/campaign info.

    Have a email newsletter, a downloadable ebook, a short movie or anything that would compel most of your visitors to get recorded into your system. Don't ask their family history. Just their name and maybe birthday so you can wish them well. When they call, have your reps look up your database of registered people and link the sale to that contact.

    ~ Mel

    Melvin Ram
    Volcanic Marketing
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