Are you confused about how to grow your business via the Internet?
Well, join the crowd!
No doubt you’ve been called by agencies offering to put your business in the top spot on Google, optimize your website or help you advertise on the web. But what does it all mean? How can you invest in online marketing that puts your business in front of potential clients without throwing money away? In this and upcoming blog posts I’m going to give you a concise overview of Internet marketing, in a language you can understand. At the end of this series you will know where to start, what you can do on your own and what you should get a partner to help with. Also, how to select a partner (agency/service) that won’t break your budget while delivering measurable results.
Marketing and Advertising my Business Online, an Overview
You’ve got to be on the first page of Google! Online companies are taking your business so you have to commit resources to building a great website. You have to Twitter, blog, Facebook and manage your online reviews or you’re behind the times and soon to be extinct! Have you heard any of these statements? Have some of these thoughts kept you awake at night? Well, join the crowd. Over the past 18 years I’ve met with thousands of small to medium-sized companies all searching for answers. Many didn’t even know the right questions to ask. What they did know is that an online presence is not an option if one intends to maximize a business or brand’s potential.
How do I begin my online marketing efforts? This and future blog posts will include what you need:
- a plan
- a website
- a local search page (if you are a business with a storefront or service area)
- advertising
- social media and being a member of your community
Creating a Plan for Online Marketing
Planning: If you walk away with any single point from my writings, please let it be this:
Plan- never begin a business, product, project, initiative or campaign without a plan. I don’t mean a good idea, I mean a plan. Your plan doesn’t need to be a complex 100 page document, but you do need a clear goal or target. If you don’t have a target, how will you know where to aim (let alone if you hit the mark)?
While your plan can be an extensive strategy it can also be as simple as a paragraph stating several basic business case items. For example, what is the goal of this project? I define a goal as a broad statement of what you want. For example, I want my business to have great presence on the Internet and a stream of consistent revenue from my online store. You’ll notice the goal is a statement of where I’m aiming; it’s my target. Now is when we add objectives, or the measurable elements of my plan. Using the past goal example of an online business, objectives for year one may be:
1. Average 500 dollars a day in online sales.
2. Rank Number One on Google when someone searches on my business name, by November of year one.
3. My Google Plus local page will rank on page one when someone enters by business name by October 1 of year one.
All of my objectives are measurable. While my goals are broader statements, my objectives are specific and quantified. If we work toward clear objectives that support our goal we have a measurable element to manage. Remember that classic line, you can’t manage what you can’t measure.
Now, look at your objectives and develop strategies to attain each one. Simply stated, the strategies will define how you’re going to meet your objectives. Attain your objectives and you’ll reach your goals.
With clear goals, measurable objectives and the dedication to manage them, you have the makings of a plan. In my experience with just these basic elements in place, you’ll be miles ahead of your competition. A plan also works wonders in alleviating the fears of managing your business.
Stay tuned for the next post on developing a perfect website that doesn’t break your budget or drive you insane!
