subject: 4 Reasons Why SMEs Need To Have The Right Online Marketing Strategy [print this page] 4 Reasons Why SMEs Need To Have The Right Online Marketing Strategy
Getting your internet marketing strategy wrong is like building your house on the wrong foundation. It sucks and it takes a lot of work to go back and re-do it. If it's possible at all.Take the following four aspects into consideration before creating your internet marketing strategy.Keeping in Touch With Existing CustomersStaying in touch with existing customers is crucial for improving and growing your business. Research shows it is not only easier but also much cheaper to get an existing customer to buy from you again, than it is to attract a new customer.It's really very simple. If you let your customers walk out the door without getting their contact information to keep in touch, you're simply leaving money on the table. There is even a risk that they get pinched by your competitor. There are many ways to contact your customers regularly, either online or through mail or telephone - there are many low-cost and effective ways to stay in touch. So: No Excuses!Effective and Efficient Lead GenerationWhether you decide to advertise online, offline, or do both- measuring how much each new lead is costing you is essential. A great internet marketing strategy will help you to test and track your results to improve your processes.Contact your Ideal CustomerAll businesses have an ideal customer demographic. Whether it's the age group, their race, gender, education or disposable income - your probably imagining your ideal customer right now. Knowing who your ideal customer is, will make your online advertising and marketing efforts razor sharp.When advertising online, you can use more effective 'direct-response' type advertising that allows you to respond to people's needs when they are most likely to be looking for a solution to their problem.Trumping your CompetitorsThe online world is moving quickly. I think it was Rupert Murdoch who said "It won't be the big who beat the small, it will be the fast beating the slow" when talking about the internet.If you're the first in your field to implement and effective internet marketing strategy, you'll have a really high chance of dominating your industry.You'll find the opposite to be just as true. If you're competition already has a great online marketing strategy, you risk loosing out to them sooner rather than later.
