by Dan Ryan
1. Embrace the Web
Don’t fall into the trap of eschewing a web presence because the Internet is not “relevant” to your brick and mortar or professional services business. Your customers may not purchase your product or service on the web, but they are using the Internet to research you and your competition. If you’re not on the web you don’t exist to them.
Do create a website that clearly communicates your core business proposition and values. Then invest in focused and ongoing search engine optimization. Be visible and relevant to local shoppers who do research online but must do business with you at a physical location.
2. Go Mobile
Okay, you have a website; now don’t forget about the growing number of consumers who are accessing the Internet through mobile devices. The failure to have a website that is mobile user friendly is a failure to communicate effectively to a fast growing market segment.
Do create a mobile version of your website that is easy to read, easy to navigate and provides quick access to your most relevant web content across a broad platform of mobile devices.
3. Generate Web Traffic
So you have a great website, complete with mobile version, and well optimized for search engines. Now what? You still need to drive traffic to your site. Avoid those “creative” social media stunts that are irrelevant to your business. Sure, you can invest in a quirky and entertaining YouTube video that draws traffic, but if it doesn’t speak to your core proposition you’re wasting time and money. One time visits for the sake of amusement do not deliver a good return on your marketing investment.
Instead, do make relevant and consistent email offers to your customer base. This is where your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system pays for itself. Generate web traffic by knowing who your customers are, what they want, and what is important to them. Build long-term relationships with them by consistently providing value.
4. Make Smart & Profitable Email Offerings
Stay away from those ever popular but marginally profitable stand-alone coupons. Groupon-style daily deals may generate short-term cash flow, but they are not effective long-term. They don’t build the customer relationships you need to grow your business over the long haul, and they kill your margins.
Do make offers that help generate and build lifetime relationships. Use an attractive (yet profitable) price point to acquire a new customer through the daily deal mechanism, then follow up with offers that offer value beyond price.
5. Keep Social Media Social
Don’t try to use Facebook or other social media as a platform for hard selling. People engage on social media because it’s “social,” not a marketplace. If you violate their space with blatant selling they’ll dump you.
Do think of social media as an extension of your CRM. Use it to make people aware of your expertise, provide helpful tips, talk about your involvement in the community, etc. These kinds of conversations won’t immediately sell a specific product or service, but it will develop loyal bonds with people who will want to hear more from you.
6. Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising Wisely
Don’t engage in shotgun experiments with Google Adwords or other pay-per-click venues. It’s not that these don’t work; it’s that they don’t work well without a comprehensive campaign strategy.
Do hire digital marketing professionals who understand the strategic and creative nuances of effectively leveraging this type of advertising.
7. Rethink Your Direct Selling Approach
Don’t cold call. Let’s face it: no one likes cold calling, except maybe the masochists among us who thrive on the fear of rejection. For everyone else, there’s good news: cold calling is no longer effective. The fact that people just don’t answer their phones anymore makes cold calling an ego busting waste of time.
Do build a referral network. Your best source of business comes from referrals from current or past customers. The key is to implement a consistent and formalized program for asking for a referral or reference. This also gives you an additional incentive to focus on the quality of your service, as only satisfied customers are happy to give them.
Go to http://puffsofgenius.com for more interesting insights into web media.
Posted by RN
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