I’m often asked why a business should bother with Internet Marketing and it’s actually a very difficult question to answer, because it really depends on where a business is starting from, what they are hoping for and how it fits into their overall strategy. However, there are often some common themes and I thought I’d just list a few of them here to get us going – with the plan being to expand on these in the coming weeks.
- You can attract qualified leads far more easily
- Conversion to customer is simplified
- Cheaper and more flexible that printed advertising – it also hangs around for longer.
- It breaks down geographical barriers
- You can personalise your messages to suit an individual.
- You can diversify your revenue streams more easily and generate passive income in addition to normal sales behaviours.
- It is on 24/7 – so you don’t have to worry about missing calls or enquiries
- It can be automated to within an inch of it’s life
- You can provide great customer service simply by satisfying a need at the point of requirement.
- It is easy to add value to your offering, this could be as simple as a follow up email or ‘phone call, or by providing valuable information not available elsewhere.
- You can standardise the sales process, which means you can measure it more accurately and then refine it.
- It gives you the opportunity to improve your credibility and establish expertise
- You can promote your physical presence too – especially with events or the use of special offers
- It gives you the highly sought after ‘two way’ communication with current and potential customers
- There are great ways to do simple market research and establish demand BEFORE pouring money into a new product or service
However, the power of such Marketing lies in the planning and preparation, and before that the strategy because as I am often reminded ‘if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there’.
