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RISING WOMEN EXPERT
ADVICE...
How do I successfully/effectively market
my business online on a tight budget?
Online Marketing is the process of putting your product/service/brand in
front of more than 200 million regular internet users. It is turning your
website into a power medium and integrating social media and online
advertising to draw business and sales potential. Every piece of content and
conversation that you publish online can help you build your business, brand
and career.
Now I hear you saying “well I don’t have a $100,000 budget to market my
business online; my budget is more like $1,000!” My response is “That’s
fine! You don’t need six figures to market a business online.” Sure larger
budgets will buy you more sophisticated databases and flashier sites, but
that’s about it. What is most important when marketing your business online
- more than purchasing banner adverts or pay per click programs - is the
content. Communication is the key, providing that it is useful, informative,
understandable and most importantly, up to date. If a potential client is
receiving old information, they’re gone. If the information isn’t
captivating, they’re gone. If content is useless or not informative, then
guess what? They’re gone!
Like any form of marketing (traditional or online), the concepts remain the
same: Find Your Target Audience; Generate Sales; and Encourage Repeat
Business. In finding your target audience, you will now gain an
understanding as to where they purchase, when they purchase, where they are
researching and how they are making their decisions. This is powerful
information that you should take notice of. Once you have identified your
audience, how do you convert them into sales? Through content! The information you
make available to your potential clients will make or break the sale. In
today’s marketplace, we are constantly bombarded by various messages whether
through TV, Radio, Print or Online. As a business owner, you need to “break
through” these messages and make yours stand out!
As you now embark on your marketing plan, there are several processes that
you go through before deciding where you are going to allocate your funds.
While online marketing is a part of this plan, given the sheer size and
nature of the online world, it is really important that you identify with
where your purchasers are coming from, where they are looking online for
information, and how they are reacting to the information they are viewing.
Remember, the above are some general guidelines only. Further planning,
research and implementation are required in order to turn your online
marketing from drab to fab!
Renee Clydesdale,
owner of Impressions Marketing & Communications |
