How can I use the Internet to grow my business?

Internet marketing is the process of using the internet to market yourself, your products and your services using the internet.

Like all marketing, the purpose is to increase exposure and sales. The only difference is the medium, or tools you use to achieve these objectives.

5 of the most common ways to increase your sales and exposure using the internet are:

1. To have your website show up when people search your products and services in Google
2. To create a Facebook page
3. To have a Google places account
4. To have a LinkedIn account
5. To send your prospects and current customers an email newsletter

3 reasons internet marketing is different than traditional marketing.

1. It is a lot more cost effective. There aren’t flyers to print, TV ads to produce, and glossy ads to produce. Since the internet is an intangible way to connect with people, the production costs can be much lower.

2. Interactivity. Many types of marketing are a two way dialogue. Where consumers can give feedback on your offerings and respond directly to your messages. While this can be challenging when faced with less than positive feedback, it is beneficial to actively engage the consumer.

3. Measurable. Advances in technology allow just about every online marketing activity to be tracked and measured in a way that traditional media cannot. This is beneficial as it tracks your return on investment

3 reasons you should seriously consider implementing internet marketing:

1. Your competitors already have. If you are like most people, Google is the first place you go for information. Chances are, at least some of your competitors are on the first page of results and are getting the resulting business from that exposure.

2. It’s more effective. Sending out mail outs or doing print or radio advertisements that connect with consumers when they aren’t necessarily in the market for what you’re offering leaves room for them to ignore your message. However, if your company is present when consumers are actively searching for your products and services, they are more likely to contact you, as they are already in the buying or pre buying mindset.

3. It produces results you can measure. Instead of hoping that a marketing activity will work, you will know for sure. This gives you more power to direct your resources to areas that are providing a return on your investment.

Summary: The benefits of internet marketing are: decreased marketing cost, improved ROI and the opportunities for increased business.

How do I start Internet Marketing?

The first thing to do is meet with an internet marketing professional that can discuss your needs, goals and budget. Make sure that you research their track record though, as the internet marketing industry is unregulated, you should base your choice of provider on references and proven results.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin