Keys to Successful Internet Marketing
Published in The Forum, 2000
Successful use of the Internet in business requires its own dedicated resources in your company and development of unique Internet-related strategy(s) for bringing your company closer to its goals.
Everywhere you turn you hear that the Internet is the future of business. Every week I have one or two business owners ask me, "How do I get a website?"
While this is a valid question, it's only the tip of the iceberg. What you don't hear as often, but which is becoming clearer by the day, is that it's a poor investment to just "get a website" and wait for the customers to arrive. If you've had a website up for over six months, you have probably started asking the real question, which is: "How can I use the Internet to meet my company goals?"
The Internet is a very different marketplace than the world of business you're probably used to. Consumers operate by different rules. Your "store" is found by your customer in different ways. Marketing materials must be written a different way.
Here are some important guidelines for pursuing the unique opportunities of the Internet:
Dedicate Enough Resources To See Good ROI
To get a good return on your investment, you need to spend some time, money and people on your Internet marketing. Find the expert who will help you develop a sound plan; hire (or contract) the website developers that will design the kind of website you need; allocate the people within your company to support your website (sales, order fulfillment, customer service, etc.).
Choose Your Allies Wisely
When seeking a technology provider (Internet marketing consultant, web developer, etc.), it's absolutely VITAL to find someone with: reliability, integrity, Net savvy (knowledge + understanding the application to business), commitment, and results. Find the technology partner that's right for you by interviewing their current and past clients to determine whether they have the qualities you need.
Beware Of Hype
Like never before, you simply must not believe everything you're told. There are "brilliant new technologies" coming out at a great rate -- and the overwhelming percentage die away just as quickly. It doesn't pay to be on the "bleeding edge."
Remember The Price Of Success
With each technology that you integrate into your business, a part of your company's future becomes dependent upon that technology. Keep in mind that the more successful your Internet marketing is, the more you will suffer from bad technology decisions. If you've gone with the cheapest options available, you'll regret it the day that you lose 1000 orders because a server crashes and has no backup system.