Symbolic Productions

Choose from the titles below to read our most recent Symbolic Strategies:

Hoteliers - Proven Strategies to Convert More Website Visitors into Paying Guests.

Proven Strategies to Convert More Website Visitors into Paying Customers.

Hoteliers - What Can You Learn From Ford?

Work with What You Got. Get More of What You Want.

Website Appearance for the Hospitality Industry.

6 Questions for Website Success.

Work with What You Got. Get More of What You Want.
By Michael T. Hibdon, CEO, Symbolic Interactive, Inc.

"How can we drive more traffic to our Website?" and "How do I get my Website to rank on the first search results page?"

These are some of the most popular questions we are asked each week.

When companies focus on traffic-building strategies for their Website, many do so by casting a wider net, and as a result, they drive less qualified traffic to their Website. Additionally, the same companies will also invest in expensive Pay Per Click Search Engine campaigns to improve their Search Engine rankings.

Yes, new traffic to your Website and higher rankings on Search Engine results pages are key strategies for building a valuable Web presence. However, don't overlook the most qualified, most relevant prospects you could ever hope for: The current visitors to your Website.

Let's assume you have 30,000 visitors to your Website each month. You may think you would like to convert 100% of your Website visitors into paying customers - but it won't happen.

Realistically, if you were able to convert 3 - 5% more of these Website visitors into paying customers, you could face challenges in fulfilling the business. But let's worry about having too much business later.

Two important goals of any Website are to convert current Website visitors into opt-in Email leads, or best of all, convert them into paying customers.

One of the best ways to convert more Website visitors into opt-in Email leads or paying customers is to provide them with optimum 'utility.'

'Utility' refers to Website tools and features that provide your visitors with important information and tools to enhance the visitor experience.

A visitor comes to your Website for a number of reasons: To learn more about what you do, where you are located, your products or services, etc. The bottom line is they visit your Website because they are interested in what you have to offer, or what they perceive you have to offer. Of course, you will never convert 100% of your Website visitors into opt-in Email leads or paying customers, but if you are not presenting your company, products or services in the most effective manner possible, you are ignoring very valuable prospects.

Imagine you have a retail store and have thousands of people walking into your store each day. Some walk five feet into your store, look around, turn on their heels and leave. Others come in and walk up and down a couple of aisles and leave. Still others come in, walk up and down every aisle, pick up your products and look around for assistance. All you do is watch them silently as they leave.

You don't say 'hello.' You don't ask if they need assistance or if you can answer a question. You won't stay in business long.

Websites that present Website visitors with optimum utility - win.

Here are examples of tools and features you
may consider adding to your Website:

1. Ensure your Website addresses the following:

Who is your target audience?
What do they expect when they visit your Website?
Are you providing visitors with what they want?
How are you tracking your success in providing your visitors with what they want?

2. Opt-in Email leads. Invest in an opt-in Email Marketing system. This system prompts visitors to opt in to a manageable database. A highly effective system is the Interactive Marketing System (www.InteractiveMarketingSystem.com). After a visitor makes three clicks while navigating your Website, a Data Capture Form appears in a small window and asks the visitor to provide their contact information and Email address. Visitors can also opt in at any time during their visit by clicking on a Graphical Button Ad that opens the Data Capture Form.

3. Images sell! Invest in the best photography you can afford.

4. Photo Galleries. These are great presentation tools that feature high-quality still images, music, descriptive text and links to relevant areas of your Website to give visitors more information.

5. Floor plans. If you market a Hotel, resort, homes or a day spa, provide printable floor plans of your rooms and homes so visitors can print the information and review later.

6. Interactive Maps. If your location is a selling feature, consider providing an Interactive Map with links to attractions, restaurants, landmarks, schools, theaters and other areas of interest visitors may want to learn about. Also, consider providing a 'Things to Do' page and list 10 - 20 things to do around your location. Link the Things to Do with your Interactive Map and provide a 'Print map and directions' for for added utility.

You can also create a revenue generator by charging a fee to the businesses you feature on your Interactive Map and Things To Do Web Page. Go here to view a sample: www.MarriottWaikiki.com and click on the link "Oahu Interactive Map."

7. Surveys. Ask their opinion. Surveys are a great way to generate interest from visitors. You can ask a few simple questions relevant to a Web visitor's interest. TIP: Make sure you provide the visitor with the option to receive the results of your survey via Email. This is another great reason to communicate with them later. Also, make sure you tell the visitor when you will send them the survey results and SEND THE INFORMATION ON TIME.

8. Fact Sheets. These are printable Web pages that feature expanded text, images, or forms from your Website. For example, a Hotel may present their guest rooms on a single Web Page with 200 words of descriptive text and images, with their suites on a separate Web Page with its own text and images.

An ideal printable Fact Sheet would feature up to 500 words of descriptive text, more images, floor plans of all the types of guest rooms and suites and a list of amenities available in each guest room or suite. The Fact Sheet gives the visitor a great tool they can print and read later.

9. How To's. Provide a document that answers a series of questions or gives your visitor valuable information relative to your offering. If you market a Hotel, create a Travel Tips printable document. If you market homes, pools or cars, provide a printable document on Buying a Car/Pool/Home. Make it easy to access and don't require that they provide you with their Email address.

This will build a great deal of implied loyalty and they are more likely to print the document. Now, guess who just increased their chances of converting this visitor into a paying customer?

10. Coupons. If your products or services allow for a coupon or other way to save money, offer this to your visitors upfront. Make receiving the coupon as easy as possible. If you don't offer a coupon, contact nearby retailers, restaurants and attractions and ask if they do. Many times they are happy to provide you with a special offer just for your Web visitors.

11. Giveaways. Create an incentive for Website visitors to opt in with their Email address or to take other action you want them to take. Giveaways are relatively easy incentives to create. Simply contact local vendors, Hotels, nearby retailers, restaurants and attractions and put together a package of discounts to increase the value of the package. Announce the incentive and giveaway in a great looking Graphical Button Ad on each Web Page of your Website. Create a Web Page featuring all the details of the giveaway that loads when a visitor clicks on the Graphical Button Ad.

12. Web Cam. A Web cam is a great traffic builder and gives the visitor utility by providing a glimpse of your location. A good Web cam will cost from $2,000 - $4,000 and can generate a lot of great traffic. Make it easy for your visitor to get to the Web cam and to send a link to the Web cam to friends via Email.

About Symbolic:
Symbolic is a unique multidisciplinary Interactive Agency. Since 1990 we’ve specialized in developing marketing tools that generate outstanding results for Clients from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

From our start we knew the best results for any marketing effort are achieved only when all the critical elements come together: Creative, Direct Marketing, Design, Production, Sales Strategy and Analysis.

We’ve applied this formula to every project we’ve created from our early days of producing half-hour television programming in Los Angeles, to producing Documentaries, Multi-Media projects, Websites, Online Presentations, Email Marketing Campaigns, Online Commercials & Tours and much more.

Our commitment to push for better results from our Clients’ projects has resulted in an industry high ‘Client Retention Rate’ as well as having our Clients’ projects recognized with over 125 'Awards for Excellence in Production' - including 54 Telly Awards, 11 Addy Awards and numerous Web Development Awards.

We are nothing if not innovators. Even though we have been at this for more than 17 years, we approach each project with the enthusiasm of a rookie, balanced by the experience and guidance of a seasoned veteran.

We don’t take on a Client unless we are convinced that our proven solutions will produce results beyond what they are experiencing now. Period.

We’ve only been wrong 4 times in 17 years.

Symbolic is the trusted partner for many companies including: Orlando World Center Marriott, Intel, Mercedes-Benz, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The Phoenician, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Amkor Technologies, JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina, Marriott Hawaii, Starwood Hawaii, Sheraton World Resort, JC Resorts, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass, Team Fuerza Motorsports, Triton Realty Partners, Motorola and many more.