New Online Training Website – BlueprintCPD

We’ve recently completed an interesting project for a client in the online training space. This post is a short analysis of some of the marketing strategies and technical features that underpin the project (scroll down to see results…!)

Blueprint CPD is a website that enables builders to earn their required CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Points via the online learning platform built into the website.

From a marketing and technical perspective, a few points of interest are:

Positioning / tagline:

Earn CPD points at your own time, pace and convenience

The tagline is intended to convey not only the key benefits of the website, but also contrast these benefits with the shortcomings of traditional classroom-based CPD training.

Website Conversion:

From a conversion point of view, we wanted to achieve several things:

• clearly articulate the value proposition
• provide a clear and easy-to-understand call to action and pricing structure – no smoke and mirrors
• include a “demo video” that explains how easy it is to purchase CPD points and undertake CPD training online
• feature a 1-page checkout process that eliminates extraneous steps

Traffic Generation:

We are using a variety of methods to drive traffic, including:

• Organic search engine optimisation – the site is already ranking well in search engines for terms such as builders CPD points
• Pay per click traffic with Google AdWords
• Social media including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
• Offline methods including direct mail, flyers and direct faxouts

Technical Features:

We developed an online learning platform in Drupal that met the requirements of the client and the application, including:

• Crediting customers with ‘CPD credits’, which are converted into CPD points as each accredited module is successfully passed
• Releasing the user’s choice of modules and adjusting their CPD credit balance accordingly
• Providing self-marking quizzes that accompany each module and result in the user receiving accredited CPD points
• Generation of a certificate documenting the particulars of each module passed
• Including a choice of 3 different payment options (credit card, direct deposit and cheque).  The latter two options hold the user’s access to the material until payment has cleared

Blueprint CPD has already created quite a splash in the marketplace.  Most importantly, online sales have increased by more than 300% since we started working with the client (starting with their previous website). We look forward to helping Building CPD become the dominant player for online builder CPD training in 2011!

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9 Beliefs That Will Incinerate Your Website Results In 2011

1. “I know I’m spending money on AdWords, but is conversion tracking really that important?”
2. “I can’t see any point in us doing social media.  I don’t even have a facebook account!”
3. “I never click on Google ads… do they work?”
4. “Hiring a company to manage my online marketing is too expensive… we’ll just get our admin person to do it.”
5. “My neighbour’s cousin’s son is a really smart kid.  He’s building my website.”
6. “Everyone’s talking about iPhone apps. That’s where our online marketing budget is going for the next 6 months”
7. “We already have top organic rankings, so that’s our website traffic sorted.”
8. “We don’t really worry about getting more repeat orders… it’s all about customer acquisition.”
9. “We’re pretty sorted for internet marketing. We’re already getting tonnes of opt-ins through this here squeeze page!”

Any more you’d like to add?

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Video Case Study: Testimonials Increase Website Conversion By Up To 166%

Do testimonials still “work” as a conversion tool, or are modern consumers too savvy to be swayed by this marketing tactic?

We decided to conduct a conversion test to quantify the difference between a sales letter page with no testimonials vs a nearly identical page but with testimonials included.

Bottom line: the “with testimonials” version outperformed the “no testimonials” version by 166%.

Take a look at the video below to see how the test was conducted and the specific elements that made the “with testimonials” version work so well…

Watch The Video: Testimonials Increase Website Conversion
on YouTube

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