Marketing: The New Way

You've probably heard the old saying, “Build it, and they will come.” Don't believe it for a minute. When you have a business, you need to market to bring in customers. Fortunately, there are lots of ways for a business to use the power of marketing to attract new prospects. If you have an internet business, it becomes even easier to reach your target market. Here are some of the best ways to market a business and how you can use them online.

The Old Way to Market: Direct Mail

In the old days, businesses used snail mail to send out a pamphlet, flyer or brochure to customers. They first had to design and print up brochures or pamphlets to mail out. After buying a mailing list, they'd pay for postage. If they were lucky, their mailing list would be targeted enough to bring in customers. If not, they were out the money. It's an expensive and time-consuming way to market.

The New Way: Email Marketing

Use your website to collect email addresses from visitors. By doing this, you can build a mailing list to market to your customers again and again. No postage required. You can also build an email list by offering a free report online in exchange for an email address. Using the power of internet marketing, you can build a targeted email list that will steadily grow over time. Compare that to direct mail, and consider the cost savings.

The Old Way to Market: Networking

The old way to network was to hand out a business card to everyone you saw and hope they reached the hands of people who needed your product or service. This takes time and isn't very targeted.

The New Way: Social Media

On the internet, networking is a cinch using sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You can create groups focused around people who already want and need your products. When you market to people who are already interested in what you sell, it becomes a lot easier. Social media allows you to target your marketing. Posting on forums is another way to network. Before posting, make sure you have something useful to offer, and don't forget to include a link back to your website in your signature file.

The Old Way to Market: Direct Sales

Before the internet, businesses sold mainly from a storefront or door-to-door. Mail order was too expensive for many small businesses to use. Advertising in local magazines, newspapers and on radio and television also put a strain on their budgets. A physical store can be costly to run.

The New Way: Websites and Online Shopping Carts

Set up a website, and take orders 24 hours a day. There are lots of inexpensive ways to drive traffic to a website, and some of them are free. You can include as many products on your site as you'd like and update them as your inventory changes. A website is a physical store, catalog and informational site rolled into one.

The Old Way: Marketing at a Snail's Pace

In the old days, it took weeks or months to see the benefits of your marketing. You had to design advertising and wait for it to run to see a return. Often there was no way to know how effective your ad really was.

The New Way: Online Marketing with the Click of a Mouse

Announce new products on your website with a few clicks of a mouse. Using site analytics, you can quickly measure the response to your posting. You can also give updates on Facebook and Twitter and see traffic start coming in immediately. It's easier to send out a press release online too. Simply write it, and submit it to a press release distribution service online. They'll broadcast it across the web and around the world. It's a great way to generate buzz.

The Bottom Line?

Marketing on the internet is faster and cheaper. It can take your business to a whole new level.