As more people turn to online marketing enterprises to seek relief from the recession, here are 8 universal tips that can help to build your business.
1. Website-Your website is the cornerstone of your marketing activities. Instead of an "old school" corporate site, think about using a hard-hitting sales letter approach. Use rich media and integrate a personal video into your site. Also, be sure to include a "squeeze page" asking for visitors' e-mail addresses.
2. Blog-Your blog should not be your personal journal where you wax poetic about the world around you. (Nobody cares.) Provide useful business information, and you'll gain a following.
3. Articles-Publishing articles is one of the best possible ways to differentiate yourself and to start building your brand. Articles should point back to your website.
4. Press Releases-Issue press releases for every newsworthy event you or your business engage in. New partnerships, conferences, and industry events are just a few of the literally endless list of press release topics.
5. Autoresponder e-mails-Send an ongoing series of e-mails to the list compiled from you website. These e-mails should focus on a particular aspect of your business, and should always "ask for the order." Be sure to provide a link back to your site.
6. Affiliate Links-Create relationships with other dissimilar businesses who sell to your same market. Include links to their sites on yours, and vice versa.
7. Automate Your System-Marketing is a process, not an event. It needs to be done consistently, every day. A good internet marketing system will be generating leads for you 24/7, 365 days a year.
8. Test, Test, Test-Don't install your system and then forget about it. The internet is a dynamic market place. What worked well yesterday might not work at all tomorrow. Constantly monitor your results, and revise and refine your process regularly.
9. Be A Student-Make it a point to understand and study the industry. Research what people are doing and how they are doing it. Then adapt those principles and strategies to your own business.
10. Hire A Pro-Staying ahead of the curve and marketing effectively online requires a supreme commitment of time and money, along with the expertise to put it all together. For that reason, many online entrepreneurs hire a professional marketing company to do all of this for them. Because costs are shared by many clients, your individual expense is not that great. And by hiring a pro you can focus on the fun part-making sales, and making money.