Online Marketing for the Hopeless Romantic
08.24.09
Online Marketing has changed a lot throughout the years. Remember when modems would beep and pictures would take forever to download? Remember when having a site for your business was a luxury and not an urge? Remember when grunge ruled the world and flannel was fashionable? Probably you don’t. But, if you do, it’s more than likely that you’ve noticed how potential entrepreneurs nowadays demand, obtain and understand information about the web and how it can improve their online marketing and sales.
Just like when you hear an old couple say how different things were back then: markets are more open for new suggestions nowadays, more willing to interact, to get close. But you have to know what, when and how to say it.
You probably remember times on which there wasn’t a Starbucks on every corner. There were small, local businesses everywhere. On those primitive times, people would actually answer the phone and, if you were patient enough, they would inform you about the kind of enterprise they were running. The owners would take the time to hear, analyze and discard offers of all sorts. It was an excruciating process that required direct interaction.
Those were the days, we sigh…
It’s hard to think of those distant years without a bit of malice. Technology became affordable, customers began to understand the logic underneath it and so everyone started crowding the web with millions and millions of sites promoting and offering their services to the world. The main difference between Internet and traditional marketing is that, right now, the web offers affordable marketing services that can help anyone start a company. The question is: how?
It’s never an easy question to answer. Every manager has specific needs and, although there are stencils to start an online campaign, there are many factors that require proper customization according to the nature of the market. However, the main tactic is to see the bigger picture and visualize the business as a whole, profitable company.
To visualize this, some questions are in order:
• Is your website giving the proper answer to the questions your visitor has?
Sure, the information might be there. What you do, what you offer, when and how to contact you. But sometimes, specific questions require specific answers and the infrastructure of the site must offer channels of communication and credibility. Sometimes it’s better to have little, yet well structured information rather than an illegible lump of promotional text that might lose everyone’s attention. Be smooth. Chicks dig that…
• Does your site have authoritative information about your company’s product?
You have to dress the part, but you have to walk talk the talk. People are always researching online, looking for information about their interests and needs. If your team takes the time to provide valuable content about your business, not only people will consult you for further reference: Search engines will list your site first. And you know how first impressions affect a business transaction. Haven’t you noticed how social conversations gravitate about the smart guy? Be it someone read or someone full of street-smart, hard-earned knowledge: you will listen.
• Do you have a clear offer to make?
Let’s face it: people need information and they need it now. The constant bombarding from multiple media makes viewers to quickly discard and gather what they see. Make sure that what your potential customers see is what they’re going to get. The visual side of a site is the way you attract their attention but, just like in the playground of love, the looks are just a starter.
To sum it up: make sure you’re listening; know what you’re saying and what you’re offering. It might not be a bullet-proof solution but it can definitely make a huge difference. In love and marketing, you have to have an upper hand.
If you are interested to know if your site’s content is positioning your site, ask us. We’ll help you figure out the most suitable strategy for your website.
