The good news is that if you’re looking for ways to let people know who you are and why they should buy from you, there are more options than ever.

The bad news is that a lot of time and money is being lost as organizations struggle through the seismic shifts revolutionizing every part of marketing -- web sites, advertising, social media, public relations, and the rest.

Way back in 2004, our newsletter described the fade in the power of advertising, and by extension, most outbound marketing. As inbound marketing’s reach and power grows, what do you need to do differently?

Answering the question is complicated because:

• There is no consensus about the right way to go. Every situation is different, and every option has avid advocates. 
• Internet marketing is shaking up the ways goods and services are promoted and sold.
• Everything has a faster pace.
• It’s hard to get attention, and when you do, it’s harder to keep it.
• Marketing is getting more technical. Coming up to speed on the “geek speak” and techniques of Internet marketing can be overwhelming.
• There are so many options that it’s hard to know them all, much less fairly compare expected results from each.

Every navigator needs a familiar point of reference. Your knowledge of selling may contain yours.

Though selling can be complex, and sales cycles vary widely, relationships are a vital part of the process. People won't buy from you until they know you and trust you.

In other words, the key to getting more leads and selling more stuff is to move the people in your target audience from where they are (they don't know you) to where they can buy from you (they know you and trust you). One way to make that happen is through networking.

By making networking your "Marketing North Star," your marketing tasks are reduced to two: making your organization's social network bigger, and making it more productive.

Use your general networking experience to inform your decisions about what to do, and where and how to do it.

The biggest challenge you face is in getting the attention of the people you’d like to join your organization's network. Note that though your personal and business' networks are interconnected, they are not the same.

Outbound marketing is a good way to do this. Its strength is in capturing attention, whether with creative advertising, face-to-face meetings at an event, or telemarketing.

You can also use inbound techniques such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to capture new members.

Once you've drawn new visitors to your site, incorporate a process for capturing them (or at least, their email addresses and permission to use them), and a way to measure how well the process is working.

Now that your organization's network is growing, it's time to make it more powerful.

Outbound techniques such as emails and telemarketing can help. Online social networking should also be a part of your mix.

When you’re ready, choose a social networking site that suits your style, message, and target audience. Once you’re there, get to know people and then, just as with other forms of networking, help them get what they want.

It's a good idea to allow your staff the time needed to participate in online communities, whether scanning the blogosphere, participating in discussion boards, social networking sites, forums, etc.

Throughout your online marketing efforts, keep your content engaging enough, fresh enough, and valuable enough for people to make time for it.

Marketing's seismic shifts make it easy to shout yourself hoarse without generating much in the way of revenues. Get your shout's worth by using networking principles to guide you through new and traditional marketing and media.

With a firm sense of where you are and where you’re going, you’ll be able to focus your time and money where you can get more leads and sell more stuff.

Questions? Feedback? Call me, email me, or post a comment on my blog!

Thanks,
Luis Maimoni
Creative Director
Fresh!

(562) 595-0555 Voice
(562) 595-0527 Fax
(562) 537-0678 Cell
Luis@FreshGraphics.net
www.FreshGraphics.net