Internet Marketing - What Comes First?
Someone asked me recently, if I were to expand an existing
professional services business onto the internet, what marketing
steps would I take first: set up a web site, a shopping cart, a
newsletter, or a blog?
This is a very good question. Five years ago most Internet
marketing specialists would have all responded in chorus, "A
website, of course!" Then they would recommend their services to
create an elaborate website with lots of bells and whistles.
I had an interesting email this week from a reader who asked me
about website design fees. This is not my area of expertise. But
this reader is a very smart guy. Why? Because he knows from my
ezines, blogs and web site that I've been online for a few years
and making a decent living from it.
He's a rabbi who has many years experience counseling people. He
now has made a wise decision to start offering coaching services
to people, and wants to leverage the internet to find clients,
sell ebooks and other programs.
The First Step - Ask Questions
He has many questions about what to do first, where to invest
his marketing dollars, and how to get set up so everything works
seamlessly and automatically.
While I don't profess to have all the answers to his particular
questions, I want to emphasize what's important here. He is
asking questions!
Many people just go with their gut or common sense. It goes
something like this:
"I need a way to find people online. Ergo, I need a web site.
Who can do a web site for me, that doesn't cost too much? Oh,
you can? Only $1000. Okay, that seems reasonable. Do it."
It's only later on down the road when they want to start an
ezine, or a blog, or sell an ebook that they realize they need
more than just a web site. That's when the web designer kicks in
with hourly fees.
I've never heard a programmer say they can't do something. They
always say they can easily set up autoresponders, gather email
addresses, send out a newsletter, create a blog on your site,
and even create a secure payment system for sales. I'm sorry,
but here's the real news: programmers and web site designers can
do all these tasks with your web site, but they will charge you
for it, and it still won't do everything automatically. And you
will be tied to their hourly fees (and schedule) forever.
Back to the question asked of me at the beginning of this
article.
While my partner and I recommend an all-in-one solution and
setting up all the elements together if your budget permits,
there are a couple of ways to get started.
Unless you have a database of prospects, you will not sell your
services or products. Therefore, we recommend getting started
the right way by building your database -- by offering an ezine
or free content to attract people to your business. And, you
need a place on the Internet where people can find you and
subscribe to your content.
The first two pieces then, especially if you're just starting
out and have a limited budget, are a blog and a shopping cart
program with an autoresponder system.
Third Party Shopping Cart Systems
A third party shopping cart system is where you get an account
hosted online by a company that specializes in providing
automated database management, autoresponders, email
broadcasting, online merchant credit card and payments, ad
tracking, and affiliate programs.
When you start out, all you need to do is deliver your ezine and
automated emails through autoresponders. You can get a basic
level shopping cart account. As your business grows and you
develop products, you can upgrade to get more features on your
shopping cart, such as affiliate program management and digital
delivery.
There are many online email broadcasting services to manage your
newsletter. But be aware that an all-in-one solution such as a
shopping cart program will save you time and money in the long
run.
We strongly recommend starting off with a shopping cart program
that can manage your database and newsletters under one roof. It
is better to have all your automated marketing functions with
one service provider, than to separate your database and
newsletter out to another external email service provider.
For detailed information and questions to ask about how to pick
a shopping cart system, there are a series of articles you can
review: http://snipurl.com/Pick_a_C
art
What's next?
You have your shopping cart system, now what? We'll explore the
issue of websites vs. blogs in our next article.