Saturday, March 04, 2006

The 7 Secrets of Internet Marketing

Author: Michael Cheney
Many marketers have been shifting their marketing budgets to the
web over the past few years. Marketing online allows you to
target specific audiences and easily track return on investment,
commonly referred to as ROI. Unlike traditional marketing
methods, results of Internet marketing campaigns are almost
immediate. This allows you to better evaluate what elements of
your campaign are producing results and which are not. When
buying online media, you must be willing to shift your marketing
dollars to the online methods that produce a positive return.

To be successful at Internet marketing, you must understand the
essential secrets of Internet marketing. These secrets can allow
you to achieve success by finding the right audience,
communicating your message properly, and leading consumers down
the path to purchase. These secrets include:

1. Website Directory Listings. Before you begin any marketing
campaign, make sure that the website you're promoting has been
listed in the common directories such as DMOZ, Yahoo!, and
Google. Even if you're using a marketing page off of the root
directory of your website, be sure that the primary site is
listed. This ensures that prospects can continue to find your
marketing pages long after you've launched your campaign.

2. Generating Traffic. In order to realize a return on your
investment, you need to generate traffic to your marketing
pages. There are a number of ways to do so online. Some of the
most popular include Google AdSense, Overture, and Looksmart.
Other methods include affiliate programs and targeted website
advertising. Research other websites that have the audience
you're looking for and negotiate favorable ad rates for your
online marketing campaign.

3. Marketing Pages. Don't lead prospective purchasers to a
generic website. If you do, potential buyers won't know what to
do next. The easier you make if for prospects to take advantage
of your offer, the better. Whenever creating a marketing
campaign online, provide a specific page for leading purchasers
to your product or service or a billboard that showcases the
offer. Take the guess work out of making a purchase and more
consumers will buy.

4. Testimonials. Customer testimonials are the most powerful way
to sell your product or service. When consumers hear from those
who have purchased and used your product or service, they gain a
certain level of trust and comfort in what you have to offer.
Solicit testimonials after each purchase and use those that are
the most convincing to prospective purchasers.

5. Create a Compelling Offer. Be sure to offer something that no
one else is currently offering. If your offer is similar to your
competitors or is not very interesting, consumers have no reason
to learn more. Of course providing something for FREE is often a
great way to entice potential customers. Maybe it's a 3-day free
trial or a free evaluation of some kind. Be creative, try
something new, and measure the response.

6. Developing Trust. Before anyone will buy from you, your
website or company needs to be seen as reputable. This means
that consumers can purchase from you and not worry about the
safety of their credit card information, personal information,
or anything else being exchanged. A good method for developing
trust is to purchase and display safety and reliability icons
such as BBB Online, Trust-e, and VeriSign.

7. Provide a Guarantee. Nothing makes a consumer more
comfortable with a purchase than offering a guarantee. Perhaps
you can offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee or a money back
guarantee. A guarantee is a great way ease the risk of making a
purchase. If your competitors are offering a guarantee, you want
yours to be equal or better.

Internet marketing is an incredibly powerful medium for
segmenting your prospects and delivering targeted advertising.
Online, you can easily measure you return on investment and
refine your marketing campaign over time to improve results.

If you are a local business you can benefit from Internet
marketing as well. Look for local directories to list your
business or service. Or, you can supplement your local
advertising with product marketing pages on your website.
Internet marketing is more than just placing ads online, it's
using the web to communicate the value of your products and
services.

Best wish...

Michael Cheney

http://www.websitemarketingbible.com
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