How To Avoid The Six Biggest Mistakes In Online MarketingBy Ross JardineWhether you're already experimenting with online marketing or just beginning to consider it as a way to expand your business, knowing the pitfalls can help you make the most of this high-powered marketing tool. Listed here are the six most common mistakes that small-business owners make when going online to market their products or services. You'll also find out how to avoid these hazards. Follow these guidelines and you'll give your online marketing program its best chance for success. Mistake #1 This doesn't sound too serious, but it's a common mistake. Online marketing is designed to work in conjunction with traditional marketing, not as a replacement. Make online marketing a part of your long-term marketing plan and you won't be disappointed with the results. Build your Internet site to support your traditional marketing efforts. For example, if you do most of your business in a physical retail store, then use your Internet site to drive traffic to your store. As a secondary objective, you may offer a limited line of products or services for sale on your Internet site. But the primary focus should be to drive customers into your store. The success of your Internet marketing can then be measured by increases in storefront sales. Mistake #2 If you don't promote your Internet site, you'll fail. So publish your Internet site address at every opportunity. Put your Internet address on stationary, business cards, brochures, even billing statements. Everywhere prospects see your telephone number, they should see your e-mail address. Everywhere they see your street address, they should see your Internet address. List your site in all major online search engines and directories by contacting www.submit-it.com. You fill out a single information sheet about your business and then submit it to all the major search engines and directories with a few clicks of a mouse. Seek out competitors or companies that service your industry and approach them about linking to your site from their pages. You reciprocate by placing a link to their site on your page. This is called sharing links, and it's a great way to expose your site to potential customers. Become a contributing member of the online world. Participate in newsgroups and mailing lists related to your products and industry. Mistake #3 Spamming is the term for sending unsolicited advertising messages to people online. It's considered one of the worst sins in the online world. If you want to destroy your online business, try spamming. Instead of spamming, consider using bulk e-mail. Bulk e-mail companies maintain large databases of people who want to receive information on specific subjects. You pay the company a fee to include your advertising message in e-mails that go out to people in the database. Bulk e-mail providers offer co-op advertising that groups your offer with others in the same e-mail message. Or you can purchase a stand alone e-mail for a bit more money. Bulk e-mail is inexpensive when compared to traditional mail, but it does have drawbacks. Some people consider bulk e-mail a subtle form of spamming. If you use bulk e-mail, be prepared for some negative response. Mistake #4 When someone visits your site, the first page should say, "come in and look around." It should direct visitors to areas of interest in your site by providing a table of contents or directory. The first page should be straightforward and should load quickly. Too many graphics and pictures slow down loading. Although graphics add interest, they do little to keep people browsing through your site. Text, not graphics, sells your products or services. So use graphics or pictures sparingly. Mistake #5 Make changes and additions to your Internet site frequently. You don't need to redesign your site, but you do need to provide new information that will keep customers coming back. Try posting a monthly article about your industry or a monthly newsletter about your company. You can also feature an "Internet site of the month" or add new links to related pages. If you hire someone to build your Internet site, be sure to discuss the cost of making changes. Most companies charge for every change, so negotiate this fee in advance. Many service providers and design companies build simple forms that enable you to make your own updates from your computer. This is the best way to make revisions because you're in control, and the price is fixed regardless of how many changes you make. Mistake #6 Internet users want information fast. So communicate quickly with customers and prospects who visit you online. Pick up your e-mail at least once each day and respond to every message immediately. Or designate a person to respond at least once each day to e-mail generated by your Internet site. Slow responses to e-mail questions, inquiries or orders causes customers to lose faith in your business. To make sure every inquiry gets a quick response, use an autoresponding mailbox (mailbot). A mailbot is an e-mail robot that automatically sends information to visitors when they respond to your mailbot address. This is one of the most powerful online marketing tools, yet few online business owners put it to use. The mailbot address is usually assigned by your service provider and looks just like an e-mail address. Include it in all online classifieds and postings. When people request information, the mailbot immediately sends them a pre-written letter from you. Your letter may be sales oriented or it may introduce your business. You simply type the letter in your word processor, give it to your service provider and tell them you want it sent to everyone who requests more information from your mailbot address. Your mailbot letter should always include your Internet site address and all other contact information, such as telephone number, physical address, fax number and e-mail address. Remember these people requested information from you, so feel free to send them as many details as possible. Ross Jardine is a nationally-recognized Internet consultant, writer and speaker.
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