Top Ten Things You Need to Remember About Online Marketing

Web Marketing in 10 Easy Steps

1.    Online marketing is a science AND an art
It is easy to obsess over the nifty TOOLS of online marketing, but it’s not just the WHEREs, WHATs and HOWs, it’s the WHYs and WHENs, WHOs (the art) of web marketing that make marketing matter  (and pay!)  It’s all about meaningful marketing – who is your target audience, what is your GOAL, how can you SERVE your target market?

Web Marketing Therapy Advice: There are multiple ways to treat marketing goals.  Treat your professional cause (purpose!) rather than getting caught in the deadly cycle of band-aid-ing symptoms.

2.    Online marketing is a commitment
Online Marketing is the most lucrative medium, but it requires management, commitment and dedication. Date first before you get married…but do plan to commit!

3.    Websites are old news, think WebSOLUTIONS
Websites need to be solutions; think relationship hubs, service centers, sharing information, communicating.  Invest in smart marketing solutions via sites that serve and support.  Web marketing is just that - a WEB of solutions to create awareness, distribute information, create connections, offer customer service and sell.

Web Marketing Therapy Advice: Stop thinking SALES, start thinking SERVICE (and get over yourself – it’s not about you, it’s all about your customer and offering value)

4.    Online Marketing is about Building Relationships
The real meaning of marketing = maximizing exchanges (leads, inquiries, connections, etc.). Online marketing is about the WHOLE picture.  How these tools work in unison to building relationships is what will make your marketing click.

Web Marketing Therapy Advice:  Relationships are everything in marketing.  Don’t let the recession-depression get you too focused on dollars – relationships make dollars, keep the love alive.  It is invaluable to build relationships and that is done by creating relationships, serving, selling, etc.  Securing relationships lasts the lifetime of your organization.

5.    Great online marketing ideas are only great if they are executed brilliantly
Too many marketers get caught up in the “should’s” of marketing (“I should blog”  “I have to use Facebook for marketing”). Think real vs. ideal… Do you have the resources to execute new ideas well?  Always strategize first and execute second.

Web Marketing Therapy Advice: Stop should-ing on yourselves.  You “shouldn’t” do anything web-marketing wise, it’s all about what you can do… think smart, think critically.

6.    Multi-channel marketing is now multi-tasking marketing
You have relationships, sites, emails, tools, internal resources, alliances…  Re-purpose them in multiple ways to reinforce other efforts and attract current/prospective clients!  For example, if you have an email newsletter, you can re-purpose that into blog content.  Your paid search data can show high value ROI key phrases that can become powerful SEO efforts.  Your blog can be fed into your Linkedin profile, auto-populate twitter, sync to your Facebook pages.  Popular posts can become podcasts.

Web Marketing Therapy Advice:  We are paid equally to how much we are willing to think.  Be resourceful, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel!

7.    You have to GIVE to GAIN
Giving builds trust, connection, educational empowerment, etc.  Find your professional value and give some away, it sounds nutty but it works!  Think TRYvertising.

Web Marketing Therapy Advice:  Sharing is caring (and in this icky economy, people want to feel cared for, empowered and trust you). Generosity pays!

8.    Use what you’ve got (to get what you want)
You don’t need to go out and spend more money - you can use what you have and tap all the free web tools out there!

Web Marketing Therapy Advice: The answers to our marketing success are within. We tend to project responsibility onto tools (like analytics, technologies)… we have to own our success and be creative (especially when resources are tight).

9.    The only constant in online marketing is change
The rules of online marketing evolve every day.  What worked for you a few months ago may not work well now.  The wild, wild west of the web will always be uncharted territory; stay educated, test, track and get in there and try new things.  Marketing is about taking calculated risks – your biggest risk is not taking a risk.

Web Marketing Therapy Advice: Get to the core of your marketing and focus on what is important – your customer, offering quality and value and doing a good job

10.  Have Fun! If you aren’t having fun, what’s the point?

About the Author:
Lorrie Thomas, MA is a Marketing Therapist that helps small businesses get BIG with web marketing. Her team of “wild web women” at Web Marketing Therapy empower professionals with healthy doses of marketing advice to gain maximum wealth from the web. Lorrie speaks nationally and teaches Web Marketing, Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Marketing courses at UCSB and Berkeley Extension.   Her company donates 1% of gross annual sales to 1% for the Planet, a growing global movement of 1,415 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of more than 1,764 environmental organizations worldwide.

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