Internet Marketing - How to Market Like the Big Players

Here’s how Randy Duermyer in the About.com Guide to Home Business, defines Internet Marketing…

“Internet marketing is using the Internet to do one or more of the following:

• Communicate a company's message about itself, its products, or its services.

• Conduct research as to the nature (demographics, preferences, and needs) of existing and potential customers.

• Sell goods, services, or advertising space over the Internet.”

If you’re a little overwhelmed at the thought of attacking the great big subject of internet marketing – don’t be. What’s the best way to eat an Elephant? One bite at a time – right? Same thing here.

You can get started marketing your business with just a little knowledge in each of the areas we’ll be talking about.

But before we get to that, what we need to talk about is the thing that comes before the marketing…

Pre-Marketing

Whether you’re a one man shop, or you take up a whole floor of a New York high rise, the basic principles are exactly the same.

If you follow them, then your chances of being successful skyrocket!

The Secret to Attracting the Right People – Unique Selling Proposition...

Your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP, is what defines you as a business and separates you from the crowd.

Your USP should include your individual voice and the essence of who you are in relation to your business.

Many business owners have asked themselves “I know I’ve got a great product, (or great service), why don’t the customers get it? Why aren’t they flocking to me?”

Start out by asking yourself some basic questions...

What’s your unique story? How did your business start? What has your business done for you and your customers? What can you share with your customers that they can identify with?

Then think about your customer:.

I mean really think about her in detail.

How old is she? What part of the country is she from? What are her needs and desires? What are her fears or challenges in being able to attain those desires?

What is her frame of mind likely to be right now while she’s evaluating your business?

What questions is she asking herself right now, while she’s reading about your business?.

Be a Good Mind Reader

If your internet marketing can answer her questions before she has to ask them, then you’re well on your way to effective communication, and communication is everything!

If you’ve thought seriously about these things, then you have started to really define your market. You need to know down to the smallest detail, everything about your target market and target customer specifically.

If you try to appeal to everyone, you will appeal to no one. By starting with a specific market, you’ll be able to say something to capture their attention, and really be able to go after that market.

Do you know exactly who your customer is now? If you do, great. If not, think about it some more before moving on.

Great! Now we’re ready to start talking about marketing your business online. Ready?

I’m Great and So is My Product, So Buy it Now – Wait – Don’t Go…

Lost Secret of Internet Marketing – Nobody Cares About You or Your Business

So, why market if nobody cares?

In the online world, there is only one product that you’re selling – information.

When someone goes online, like you just did, they type in what they're looking for, and they're expecting to find it - not your sales pitch.

It’s all about them and why they are on line in the first place. As we talked about earlier in this article – what is going through their mind right now? What are they looking to find, or avoid…?

Your internet marketing needs to address all of these concerns.

What’s going to happen if the first thing they see is how great You and Your business are?

They’ll be gone in a fraction of a second – right?

No matter what form of internet marketing you’re using, it’s all about them – not you…

We built this website to give you what you’re looking for, not just to pitch our business.

You’re reading this right now because you’re learning something that you find valuable, and that you were looking for in the first place.

If we had just pitched our business when you first clicked on our web site, you probably wouldn’t be reading this right now.

Your perceived value to your customer is going to be in how well you either provide the information that they’re looking for, or how you help them solve the problem they’re trying to solve.

When someone goes to the store to buy a hammer, they’re not really buying a hammer.

They’re buying what the hammer can do. Maybe it’s a tree house for the kids, or a new fence for the yard – or a new wall for that addition on the house…

That’s what they’re thinking about – not the hammer. Always keep this in mind when marketing your product or service.

Here’s What People are Doing to Market Their Business Online

71% of Adults out there on the Internet today are using Social Media sites.

These include review sites, blogs, friend sites, forums, video sites and many others. You can research these online and read our article Marketing Your Business through Social Media.

To grow today, you need to connect and interact with people.

Social media centers around your communication with friends, customers, future customers, colleagues, or anyone else you may have an online conversations with.

Why is social media so powerful and effective? Because people are tired of the constant barrage of ad pitches and “marketing speak”. It allows people to relate to each other on a conversational level and build a relationship and trust with one another.

When internet marketing with social media, don’t pitch your business.

Oh - and one more thing. Don't pitch your business. : )

Establish relationships and provide real value to people, so that they will be much more likely to listen to your advice in business.

People do business with people they like and trust.

For more information on Social Media, read our article Social Media Revolution

Here are some other popular forms in internet marketing. Each is a link to one of our articles that explains it in greater detail.

• Website Design and Implementation

• Forum Marketing

• Organic Search Results/SEO

• Pay Per Click

• Google Adsense

• Safe Lists and Traffic Exchanges

• Blogs

• Viral List Building programs

• Free Marketing Systems

• Email Marketing

• Affiliate and Re-Seller Programs

• Article Marketing

• YouTube

Research each of these, but don't get overwhelmed. They all fit together and make sense when taken in the proper order. As you continue with us on your visits, we'll show you how to incorporate all of these into a free comprehensive internet marketing system.

Take your time with your research - and above all - Have Fun...

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