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I.
Introduction - Marketing on the Internet
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Welcome to Internet Learning Tutor Level 4. This section is for owners of small or medium-sized businesses who want to create or enhance a Web site and market online. Marketers at larger firms are also invited to use Level 4 to improve their Internet Marketing efforts. You've probably completed Level 1, an introduction to using the Internet; Level 2, an overview of multimedia; and Level 3, a guide to online shopping. Now let's "get down to business" and use the Internet to help your business grow and become more profitable.
Level 4 was written by Kevin Lee, executive chairman of Did-it.com, a search engine marketing firm. Since 1994, Kevin has been recognized as an expert on all forms of Internet marketing.
This Learning Tutor series is sponsored by SuperPages.com. |
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 A. Reach A Local and Global Audience …
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Marketing is the primary reason most small and medium-sized businesses are embracing the Internet. But in addition to enhancing marketing and sales efforts, an Internet presence can also be used to:
- Give customer 24-by-7 access to information about your business, products and services.
- Answer common customer questions.
- Communicate with employees.
- Publish content to demonstrate industry leadership.
- Support additional sales channels if your products or services are sold by others.
- Collect market research data.
However, the first reason most small businesses build a Web presence is because the Internet is an affordable way to compete for customers, whether in your neighborhood or globally.
Effective marketing is a key method to increase the number of customers, get your existing customers to buy more and increase both revenue and profit. A Web site does a lot to level the playing field between large and small businesses. A Web site can provide product or service details, contact information, ordering instructions and information about your business. There is no limit to the size of a Web site. A Web site can contain information in many formats because it is fairly easy to add photographs, audio, video, animated illustrations and maps.
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B. Right Place, Right Time, Right Message, Right Price
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The Internet has become a valuable resource to your customers. You may find that when customers call you, they ask for your Web site URL. You also have an opportunity to promote your Web site presence in offline venues such as your brochures, radio and TV ads and within your yellow pages advertising.
In addition, there are ways to promote your business online, putting your site in front of customers and prospects at the exact moment they are thinking about the products and services you can provide. Never before has so much information been available to customers 24 hours a day in the comfort of their offices or homes.
Unlike other modes of marketing and communications, the Internet facilitates two-way discussions. Web sites can be used to generate leads, conduct market research and exchange e-mails. However, a Web site is not a "build it and they will come" scenario. Marketing and advertising combined with public relations and promotions are required to drive qualified prospects and customers to your site.
Online marketing success is based on the same proven strategies that drive business offline. Level 4 has been developed to help you migrate your marketing strategies to the Internet. We will help you define goals, weigh advertising options, create marketing messages, create ads and measure the results of your efforts.
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