Internet Marketing

Who Needs it?

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Is Internet marketing a must?  Only if you want to survive in today’s high-tech “give it to me now” age.  Whether your business has been around for a matter of minutes or for decades, gaining customers is still the name of the game.  The Bar has been set — be the first to provide customers with what they want and get it to them in a convenient way, and they’ll beat a path to your door.  It won’t even matter if you have a physical place of business.  Offering customers a solution during and well after ‘Business Hours’ may not only gain you their business, it just may get you referrals.

Who cares about “Mike”?  It’s most that like Amazon.  Why?  Because they show their Visitor what they offer, how much it’ll cost, and they provide all kinds of methods for them to receive it in a timely and convenient manner.

Good or Bad for Brick and Mortar

Is the Internet a problem or a benefit for the traditionally ‘Brick and Mortar’ business?  As most reading this may think, ‘If you have to ask, you must be new to this planet, or have just exited a 40 year residence from a 1964 Bomb Shelter’.  But, it’s not that crazy of a question.  Most that have invested in a Website feel that just having a Site will do the trick.  Realistically it is far worse having a bad one than none at all.  So, the real answer is; it’s important to have a good Internet Presence, not just a Site.

Like Amazon, who surely invested millions not to build stores all over the world, most likely spending just as much time planning and developing a user-friendly Web presence as they did adding content.  This allows just about anyone, from outside your area (in the case of people relocating into your town) and those living locally now needing your services to find you.  Properly laying out your site is as important as planning the layout of your place of business.

in place of what only a few years ago was considered key to a business’s success — the Yellow Pages.  Where thousands of dollars a year would have to be spent, if you wanted a real nice Ad.  As well as getting good placement in each book (as they had different areas and costs), which were delivered to anyone that had a land line in there home or Business.  I would image, if you looked hard enough, you can still find, what is now called “Yellow Book”.


Who Works it?

Just as important, is your Webmaster.  He, her, or they must have the correct and accurate data to support the site.  They need to stay on top of it so the information is current or if it needs tweaking. Equally, your Sales Department, if applicable, should assist in either helping generate information that builds customers, or at least get them to call or stop in.  Maybe by providing ‘Testimonials’, success stories, and even discuss ways to limit misunderstands they heard about.


Asleep at the WheelKeeping Up

Are there special skills an Internet marketing professional should have? Absolutely! One of which is a keen sense of what the customer needs and is looking for today, tomorrow, and in the distant future.

As most will agree, learning Internet marketing, and then undertaking the numerous tasks associated with such a job will take a long term commitment.  Internet marketing is a necessary part of most business models. Such as:

  • Encourage consumers to come to your website.
  • Get them to take action (do something that tells you that they came, stayed, roamed, and either stuck around, bought something, or came back often).

Regardless of whether you own the business or are charged with creating, developing or learning Internet marketing strategies, your first step is to ensure you have a your ‘Ducks’ properly aligned. The marketing of products, at least in the past, was not for the weak of heart. But, in some cases it surely was worth it.  Ever hear of Amazon?  Who would’ve thunk eBay would be where it is today.  Selling has become almost as easy as buying.  Especially with what PayPal and others offer in the way of collecting money and payments.  It’s gotten so that all one has to do is start a site, put something in a box, wrapping it and USPS, UPS, or FedEx will pick it up and deliver it to the Customer for you.

 

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