Print this page

4 Not So Easy Steps to Online Marketing

You may think because you hired someone to build your website he/she knows everything about your business. Not so. Your business changes all the time.

Clients will call me and ask me questions about technical issues with a site or most often with their email and I try to do my best to "fix" issues and help with "how to" instructions but most of my clients are MISSING the BIGGER PICTURE.

Just because you have a website built whether you hire someone to do it or use one of the many DIY companies (Who provide free and low cost websites simply to promote themselves so beware) it does not mean you are going to get any business from it.

Online MARKETING is just that. It is not a passive word. You would not stick a sign in your front yard (which is in the middle of the woods) and think it will bring you business. It has to be WORKED, SHARED, FOLLOWED, TALKED ABOUT, ETC..

Now, most small business owners feel they cannot afford to do online and social marketing. Unfortunately, shopping trends being what they are today, you cannot afford NOT to do active marketing. You have seen businesses fold, new ones crop up and even they are gone within a year. Marketing is NOT a DIY project unless you have the aptitude for it.

Just like painting, sculpting, singing or playing an instrument is an art so too is online marketing. You need a talented person to understand your business and more importantly your GOALS then take that information and get you CUSTOMERS!

COMMUNICATION is KEY to a successful marketing capaign. TALK to your marketing person OFTEN even if you think the details of your daily business are too small EVERYTHING COUNTS. Those small things could turn into BIG business if promoted the right way.

 

Some steps you should follow to help your business not only maintain but GROW in the coming years are:

 

#1 - UNDERSTAND what the goals for your business should be. - If you do not set a GOAL you cannot analyze results and you will be wasting your money. The #1 response I get from business owners when I ask "What is your biggest goal for your marketing?" is "More business". That type of response will tell me that those clients simply do not know their business as well as they believe they do OR they simply cannot verbalize what they have rattling around in their heads 24 hours a day. You KNOW your business better than anyone else.. or you should.

 

#2 - BREAKING DOWN YOUR BUSINESS INTO WORKABLE MARKETING MATERIAL - Marketing professionals can help you break down your business into workable marketing material. IE: What months are your SLOW MONTHS throughout the year? Should'nt those times be the times you do big marketing pushes to help grow your business?

I could go on and on about predicting sales trends, launching new products, every day marketing essentials, etc. but it would be in general, broad stroke marketing lingo. To REALLY give you a idea of what your goals should be and help in the best way I need to research your company and your competitors. Contact me for a marketing quote.

 

#3 - DEVELOP A PLAN - Once you have your marketing goals laid out you can develop your PLAN OF ACTION. IE: Times of the year, month, week and day... Length of campaigns... tools needed to complete marketing goals, etc.

 

#4 - ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS!!! - You are wasting your marketing money if you don't take the time to ANALYZE how effective your marketing plan / strategy was for EVERY CAMPAIGN.

If this seems like a LOT to take in it IS. That is why DIY and MARKETING do not mix. Let a professional help you in at least one part of your marketing efforts... you will be grateful and even learn new things along the way which will help you in future marketing endeavours.

 

 

 

Read 5266 times