The biggest businesses have already realized that integrating online and offline marketing strategies is the best way to tap into a larger customer base as well as make customers spend more. The best shops always make it easy for customers to shop - wherever they want be it online, in a store or via direct mail. Such is the power of using multiple channels to maximize the potential of your marketing efforts.

To successfully integrate your online and offline strategies follow some simple steps and rules.

1. Firstly, establish a web presence by building a website. Depending on the nature of your business you can choose to have a corporate website, an ecommerce store or an information based website. The important thing to remember is that your website must be search engine optimized so that it ranks high in the search engines. This allows customers to find you. Often customers who have heard about your business log on to the Internet looking for more information about your company and your products and services. A well-marketed online presence is the right opportunity to introduce you to the customers.

2. The next important thing to do is to integrate your marketing campaign and messages. So whether you are using magazines ads, banners or television spots all your marketing efforts must be coordinated. If you are offering a fabulous Christmas offer via print and television then ensure that your website has details about the offer as well. The idea is to provide the customers with a cohesive experience from your company. You can use your print ads to direct customers to your website and then draw them into more details about the product.

3. Ensure that your website is continuously updated with the latest information and products. Your online presence is the place where customers will go seeking more information. You can use print and television to create an impact and then deliver via the Internet.

4. Have a program in place to track leads and evaluate the success of the different marketing channels. You can have a feedback form on the website as well as in stores to learn which channel is most effective.

5. Often businesses like to follow up on initial sales leads via different marketing channels. You can start off making cold calls via telephone. If an individual shows interesting your company products you can then send them some printed brochures or an email with further details. The individual can then be directed to purchase the product online or go to the store and buy it.

Thus, to successfully integrate your online and offline marketing strategy you need to ensure that all the promotions are created by the same set of artists. In addition they must be executed simultaneously so that customers get a single, unified message from the company. The fact that multi channel marketing results in increased sales is a great incentive to get planning.

Matt Bacak became "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours. Recent Entrepreneur Magazine