Internet Marketing Comes In All Shapes and Sizes

A really huge thank you to Clay for the opportunity to share some of the tips I’ve learned about this Internet Marketing thing on my way to creating a successful online business.

I came to the online community a bit unexpectedly…at least at “that day and that time!” However, it wasn’t long before I was “settling in” and learning the ropes on how I could turn my education and many years of office support experience into a lucrative online (ad)venture!

I began it all as a Virtual Assistant (VA), and eventually segued into including Internet Marketing and all its trappings.

Doing so, I soon discovered that many of the methods I’d used to market my VA business were easily transferred to the Internet Marketing arena. Things like “article writing/marketing,” “writing blog posts,” “frequenting forums specific to my niche,” and “making comments there as well as on the blogs of others on a regular basis.”

Additionally, I’ve found that learning the “ins and outs” of the social spheres like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn as well as several other “get-acquainted” sites too numerous to mention, can, if not controlled, be time-consuming. In fact, if you’re not careful, you can easily fall prey to a day of “social spending” and get nothing else done.

Furthermore, the practice of going from idea to idea in an effort to find the ideal solution to getting customers to your “virtual” door can be draining and might even be downright discouraging!

Most importantly, I’ve learned that in order for your marketing to work you must find a balance of one, or two, and no more than a few, really effective ideas to use to build your business and a trust with your prospective clients.

And then stick with them!

 How often have you thought, “If only I had more clients…?” Or, “How can I get more clients?” What about…”How can I build my list?” And, “How can my prospects know I can help them?”

Well, what do you do?

For starters, consider Clay’s September 28 blog post, “How to make money online fast – 10 easy success tips,” his points correspond quite well with some of the points I include as follows: 

Are you able to capture names of visitors to your web site?
Once you get prospective clients anywhere near “your door,” you want a way to know “who has come calling.”

For instance, think of how you communicate with those around you in “real” time. Like, how do you interact with those at the grocery store? Or with a young guy or gal at school or church, or the office, who’s caught your attention? Sooner or later, your conversation turns to the exchange of names, addresses or telephone numbers.

So do you have a way to capture names of new visitors to your Web site? Do you keep in touch on a regular basis? Do you have an offer they can’t refuse? Can interested parties find you easily if all of a sudden they decide they want your products or services?

Do you keep in touch with prospects on a regular basis?
If you’re always off looking for something new without really “cultivating” what you already have, you’ll never know the true value of your list of visitors or potential clients. And they won’t be able to know your value either!

Keeping you in front of your prospects to generate an interest in you is commonly accomplished by a newsletter, ezine, blog, an email campaign or direct mail, and even a Tweet.

How will they know you can help them?
You have to tell them, and do it again and again. Think…how many times did your mother have to tell you to do something before you finally did it?

To put this into perspective; initially, your message is at your Web site. But unless there’s a draw of some sort (like the report mentioned above), or “special offers,” prospects won’t usually keep coming back to your Web site…thus, you’ve got to figure out a way to lure them back.

Do you have an offer they can’t refuse?
This can be something as simple as a complimentary report to lure your target market; perhaps you’ll offer a bonus of a free hour of service or an audio of the teleseminar you just held.

Can they find you easily?
What if on the spur of the moment visitors to your site want to contact you to do some work for them? Or to ask you a question. Is your contact information, including your full name, prominently displayed and easily and quickly found on your Web site.

I can’t count the times I’ve landed at a Web site interested in a product or service that caught my eye, but for the life of me I could not find an email address or even a telephone number. So I was unable to contact that owner. And the business lost my business and in all probability they will never know it–nor why!  

Having said that, it’s inevitable that sooner or later your prospects will read your ezine and your “staying in touch” emails and decide that alas, they can’t use your services after all!

Well! Make lemonade!

Especially if you routinely suggest in your “marketing” materials that your prospects consider working with you on a referral basis!

Above all, no matter what marketing methods you choose, the effectiveness will come most easily when your “PC” shows; that is, when you are “persistent and consistent.”

Yours in Internet Marketing,

P.S. With that said, click on over to Konceptuality to get a complimentary copy of “Whut’s Rong with this Sendtuntcs?” our hot, new, teeny, tiny primer, full of grammar, proofreading and editing tips and tricks. You’ll also receive a complimentary subscription to our weekly ezine, “On the Bright Side.”

Karen McGreevey, Expert Author, and owner of Konceptuality, specializes in ebook production support services that include proofreading, editing and general admin support, for coaches, speakers and small business entrepreneurs. Contact Karen at kmcgreevey@konceptuality.com

 

Tagged as: Internet Marketing, Karen McGreevey, List Building