Internet Marketing Basically, Internet Marketing

Internet Marketing

Basically, Internet Marketing is the set of different strategies and techniques that are used on the Internet in order to support the various online services and marketing objectives that an organization would want to promote through the World Wide Web. Some of the more important goals may include the idea of diverting the traffic to any one particular website, so that the various features that may be present within the Website may prompt the visitor to the site into taking immediate action. The desired action may be to sell the product or service that would have been created and developed by the organization. Thus a sale would be accomplished, through the process of Internet Marketing. Internet Marketing may include features like keywords, meta tag strategies, newsgroups, mail listing postings, banner advertising ideas, online promotions, links to other sites, online image development plans, content development plans and ideas, email strategies, and several other innovative and at times interactive features that would all accomplish the sale that is indeed the basic idea of an Internet Marketing plan or strategy. (Web Definitions of Internet Marketing)

However, whatever be the strategy and plan for selling a product or service on the World Wide Web, it must always be remembered that there are various psychological needs that the customer would have. These needs would have to be analyzed in detail, and met fully if the organization hopes to persuade an individual to purchase a product or a service. Therefore, human interaction to the potential Internet customer is of utmost necessity when selling the product. How can this be achieved and what are the various ways and means in which it can be achieved? Some market researchers advocate the perusal of a 'five step process' in the Internet Marketing Strategy that would build up confidence and trust on the part of the customer, and this strategy or plan would meet the various different psychological needs of the customer even during the process of escorting the customer through the selection and then the purchasing processes. (Five levels of Internet Marketing and the Sales Process)

The creation of a successful online Internet Marketing strategy or in other words an online sales process can be successfully implemented as long as the Internet Marketer makes sure that the customer is escorted through the five steps of the entire sales process, and also ensure at the same time that the psychological needs of the customer are met and satisfied within reasonable limits. Suppose, for example, it is a product that is being sold, then there are some things that would have to be sifted through at the outset. These are the following factors: is the product being sold in order to represent any specific problem, or to solve any particular specialized need on the part of the marketer? If it is a service that is being offered, then is the marketer attempting to get in touch with reality, like for example, the real pain of the customer so that he feels a genuine interest in the particular service that is being offered by the marketer, because of which he may be interested in trying out the service? If the Internet Marketer feels that theses steps had not been met with, then he must make sure that he must implement them with immediacy, and then he would be able to enjoy the benefits and the fruits of a successfully planned and implemented Internet Marketing Strategy. (Five levels of Internet Marketing and the Sales Process)

In fact, it can even be stated that such improvements are a virtual necessity and are no longer an option with the marketer, and this means that one would definitely have to keep in mind at all times the psychological needs of the customer who has visited the site. These are then the five steps to a successful Internet Marketing Strategy that would generate more sales and more business and also more satisfaction for the customer. Step one is that of the marketing plan wherein the process of marketing or prospecting is carried out to the Target Audience or the Target Market. Step two involves the creation and the building of the basic foundations of trust and faith in the product or service that is being offered for sale. It will be after the thorough development of trust that the customer will be able to proceed to the next stage, and this is because of an important fact, which is that all the various steps are inter-related and inter-twined to one another, and the visitor to the site must be able to move from one stage to another in an uninterrupted and free manner, and the mere 'visitor' to the site will inevitably become converted into a 'customer', and the business will pick up and do well.

Therefore, once the visitor has accessed the second step of the Internet Marketing Strategy, then he would be able to move forward with ease, and it must also be remembered that it will only be after the satisfaction of the customer that the business is for real, and that he would be able to trust it, that he will proceed to the next stage. The third step therefore, is that of escorting and accompanying the prospective buyer through the entire marketing process. When the customer's needs are met at this stage, then almost 7 out of 10 visitors turn into customers of the product or service that is being offered. Step four is that of presenting the customer with that particular product or service that may meet that customers' needs the best. The last and final step would be to close the sale successfully, with a sense of happiness at deed well done. (Five levels of Internet Marketing and the Sales Process)

Why is an Internet Marketing Strategy important and how can you market your product or service through the Internet with success and in a manner that would generate more profits for the marketer? The fact is, is it at all possible to start a business, whether it is large or small, without a basic good business plan? Would a marketer place a hoarding after spending hundred of dollars on having it painted, in an area where there is absolutely no traffic? The answer is an emphatic 'No'. In the same way that a business would be very careful in spending more monetary resources on marketing and if he did, the manner in which he would ensure that he would generate the maximum amount of benefit out of the plan, an Internet Marketing Plan would also follow the same pattern. (Internet Marketing Strategy, why is it Important?) good Internet Marketing Plan must help the organization to position the product or service in such a manner that the target audience would be reached, in much the same way that a business would target its product at a certain segment of people, and not at anyone and everyone. The truth is that many an Internet Business fails to take off, and this may be because of the popular misconception that the Web designer who has designed and developed the Website is in fact an expert marketing person. The fact is, he is definitely not an expert in planning and creating a business plan and this is how most Internet Businesses fail very early after their inception. The design and the colors may be excellent, but it would fail to generate more traffic and convert the visitor into a customer, and this is where the emphasis must be laid in the development of a good Internet Marketing Strategy. (Internet Marketing Strategy, why is it Important?)

Prospecting' is an important method in which the targeted audience would be able to reach the website and access the information that is within, so that the Internet Marketing would be implemented well, and the expected results, that of increased sales, would be achieved. According to the Internet Marketing Support Material offered by 'Smithfam.com', there are about ten important tips that the Internet Marketer can use in order to achieve more traffic to his website as well as to generate more sales for his product or service. The first tip is that the marketer must learn to virtually insulate and protect himself and his Internet Business against the various types of impacts that change can bring about by the very simple process of increasing the number of products and services that he offers, as well as by utilizing a large variety of different marketing methods so that if the Internet Business were to be affected in any way, because of any number of different factors, then only a very small and minor portion of the total sales would actually be affected because of the phenomenon of the sales strategy failing miserably, or not being able to invoke the right and appropriate response in the customer, or if the sales of one product or service fails. (10 Important Marketing Tips)

The second tip states that since customers are prospects too, the Internet marketer must keep in touch with the customer at all times. This is because it is quite difficult to gain a customer but extremely easy to lose one, and when the marketer has made a customer, then he must ensure that he maintains a minimum of contact with him so that he may be able to pitch his sales again to an individual who is already a customer better than he would be able to a new customer. The third tip is that the marketer must avoid making exaggerated claims about his product or service even if it may actually be true. This is because the customer is always wary of false claims and would automatically tend to avoid such websites. Another tip is that if a discount and a bonus were to be combined within one particular offer, then it would be so very irresistible that the customer would have no option than to purchase it. A series of special offers can be developed, and these can be recycled one after another when the deadline for one offer expires, and this would ensure that there is always a new offer at hand and another new offer for the customer. In the case of the site getting too many visitors who really cannot or are not interested in purchasing the product being offered, then the marketer has to re-think his target market.

If the Internet marketer were to offer something special that had not been thought of by any other marketer on the World Wide Web and were to offer this to his customer, then he would have his USP or the 'Unique Selling Proposition' ready, and this would attract the customer like nothing else ever will. In addition, if the advertising copy of the site were to be written with a personal touch so that the customer would feel that it has been written especially for him, then it would definitely be more attractive for him, and a sale would result. The tenth tip states that not all visitors become customers, and not all sales are first contact persons. Therefore, the marketer would have to devise a method whereby he would be able to avail of the person's address and all other contact details whenever he visits the site, and this would help him to follow them up, and with a little gentle persuasion, may be able to convert him into a loyal customer. (10 Important Marketing Tips)

Some of the marketing strategies that are being used by the Internet Marketer today are the PPC or the 'Pay by Click' advertising idea wherein the payment is on a pay by click basis, and the marketer only has to pay for the number of people who click through to his site. This is totally different and definitely more effective than the traditional advertising online idea of 'banners'. When seen from the perspective of Websites, the more number of visitors per site the better it will be for the marketer, because of the fact that banner advertising is charged per impression, and this would work out to more than the pay per click offer. The selection of the right mixture of keywords that the website would ebb targeted for is another important tool wherein if the mix is right or appropriate, then that would mean that the search engine has been positioned well. However, the best tool today is undeniably the Pay per Click, wherein the advertiser would only pay for the advertising that works would have his site listed almost immediately, would also be Number 1 by literally outbidding all other search engines. (PPC Pay per Click Search Engine Advertising)

Building Trust and Confidence in the Customer: It is the basic truth that a certain amount of trust and confidence must be gained from the customer if the marketer hopes to make a sale. What makes this even more difficult than it must be for the Internet Marketer is the fact that the customer of today is becoming more and more skeptical about what he sees on the Internet and he would have a lot of influence and persuasion if there is to be a sale or even a basic building up of trust and confidence in him about the website and the products and services that are being offered therein. The primary reason for all this skepticism is that, though any person who lives in the world would for sure have been cheated and lied to at some time or the other in their lives, as this happens more often, they tend to become more skeptical. This is what, in fact, becomes harder and more difficult for the Internet Marketer to sell his product successfully. (How to Use Credibility and Believability to Pierce Your Prospects' Skepticism and Run Circles around Your Competition)

Therefore, the Internet Marketer is advised to stop complaining about this fact and go about finding a way out of the situation, or at least, around it, so that he would gain a keen competitive edge over those marketers who may be complaining and whining about the sad state of affairs while another marketer had taken advantage of the situation and reaped the benefits that he deserved. One of the best methods with which to overcome such obstacles is to offer several testimonials on the website. The customer would read the testimonials and feel happy and satisfied that there were others who were in fact skeptical, like himself, at first, and then went on to try out this particular product and eventually found that it was a good product or service. This would, in effect, prompt him to try out the product, after which he would probably, if it were good, offer the testimonial himself. (How to Use Credibility and Believability to Pierce Your Prospects' Skepticism and Run Circles around Your Competition)

In addition, there is no such thing as there being too many testimonials, in fact, the more there are, the more the customer would read, and the more satisfied he would be about his choice of product or service. In a similar manner, there cannot be too much information and also, if the contact information of the giver of the testimony an be provided within the site, then the customer could, if he so desires, get in touch with him and clarify whatever doubts he may have about the product. Another sure-fire method with which to build up trust and credibility is by admitting a flaw. The world-renowned Marketing Strategists, Jack Trout and Al Reis, state that when a marketer admits a flaw, in other words, states that there is something negative about his product or service, this will adversely create a positive impact, surprising though it may sound. This is the basic rule of advertising wherein when the advertiser states something negative about his product, then the customer feels empathy and sympathy towards him, whereas when he makes a positive statement about his product, then the customer may become dubious and may not believe it so very easily.

While negative statements may be accepted as the truth, positive statements will not be, and if the marketer remembers this when he is writing his copy, then the advertisement will work better for him, and also build up the trust of the customer in him and his product and service. Yet another way with which the trust and confidence of the customer in the Internet Marketer can be built up is by the marketer elaborating on his credentials. This does not mean that he must state all his credentials one by one in a mundane and boring manner, but, on the other hand, he must elaborate on his credentials in such a way that the prospective customer would feel that he is getting the maximum benefits out of the transaction. For example, the customer would always have this statement in the back of his mind "What's in it for me?" And if the marketer had the ability to satisfy this query with the clever presentation of his credentials, then he would have achieved his innate aim of building up the confidence and trust of the customer in his organization and in him. (How to Use Credibility and Believability to Pierce Your Prospects' Skepticism and Run Circles around Your Competition)

Another impact that the presentation of the credentials of the marketer would have on the customer is the fact that after perusing them, he would feel as though he must do business with the marketer immediately. An endorsement from a famous personality would also work wonders for the customer and for the Internet Marketer, because a testimonial is a strong and good method with which to create the desired effect in the prospective customer. As endorsements, any articles written by experts in which the product that is being sold by the Internet Marketer would figure prominently, at least twice or thrice through the entire article. This would inculcate the sense that the product is indeed a good one and can be bought with no doubts at all. On the other hand, statistics and other types of factual data can also be used for the purpose of testimonials and endorsements, and these would also have the desired impact on the customer.

Guarantees by an expert can work wonders in terms of internet advertising for the marketer who is selling his products and services on the world wide web, and the longer the terms, and the fewer the conditions that must be fulfilled in order to avail of the guarantee being offered, the better it would be for the customer, and also the more attractive for him, and this would only increase his faith in he product, because human psychology dictates that if the organization can offer a guarantee, then the product must indeed be excellent, and all the customer's concerns, real and imaginary, of conducting business with the particular marketer, would be effectively erased. A few more very effective strategies for building up the faith and trust of the prospective customer would be to include 'Before-After' photographs, if possible and applicable, to the product and service being offered on the Website. However, not many products fall under this category, except for cleaning products, fat reduction programs, and so on. (How to Use Credibility and Believability to Pierce Your Prospects' Skepticism and Run Circles around Your Competition)

Helping the Customer get what he wants and is looking for: it is an undeniable fact that the purchaser of today's modern world is on the constant look out for a supplier who would meet his needs, and is utilizing the Internet in order to conduct his search for the best supplier. Therefore, each and every Internet Marketer must aim to be the best supplier for the numerous people who are at this very moment looking for a product or a service, by helping them in their search for those people who know exactly what they want and are conducting an informed search for the exact product or service that they want, and as well as for those groups of people who know what they want in general, but do not know the specifics of the product that they are searching for, and for those persons who are just browsing around and need the marketer to give them some sort of direction with which to conduct he search. The trick is for the Internet Marketer to be aware of these facts, and act and build up his website accordingly, so that the prospective customer would, after his arrival at the site, want to read the material within the site and learn more about the products and services so that all his varied and numerous queries may be answered satisfactorily. (Your best Potential Customer is looking for you now on the Internet)

The sad fact that the Internet Marketer must always try to remember is that, he may be quite unaware of the huge numbers of people who are searching for any particular product at any given time, throughout the world, and he must in fact be prepared for this. In addition, he must also be aware of the fact that when the prospective customer arrives at the site, and loses interest for nay reason whatsoever, the person who would find it a great advantage would be the Internet Marketer's competitor, who would, if he were smart enough, be bale to direct the traffic to his site, so that he would have more traffic and more prospective buyers visiting his site, and as a result, more sales and more profits. This is when the internet Marketer realizes that it is his competition and not himself that is doing better than him, and come to know that because he has not been getting more traffic to his site this means that his competitor has in fact been making hay while the sun was shining for him, and enjoyed more profits.

Is it at all possible to identify the size of the hidden potential demand, and is it possible to make sure that the competitor is not gaining an edge over the original marketer by communicating better with the customer and ensuring that he is getting the benefit of the sale? If the fact that potential customers do take many different and varied routes in order to get to the best supplier were to be remembered by the marketer and all the roads were to be directed to his own site, then a major part of his problem would be solved. It is often stated that about 7 out of a 10 prospective customers are ready to buy, and such customers are like 'gold'. This is because they are literally ready to buy, and would want to make an informed and intelligent choice of product or service. Therefore, the primary issue is not that of 'how to sell' to this client, but of how the prospect would be able to purchase from the best supplier, in other words, the issue is not about marketing and selling techniques, but of purchasing. (Your best Potential Customer is looking for you now on the Internet)

If the customer calls or requests more information about the product being sold on the Internet, the important thing to remember is that the response to the prospect must be so very good that he would be charmed into choosing this very organization for his purchase of the product. (What happens when a Customer Calls?) According to the 5-Step Internet Marketing Solutions offered by G. Patrick Pawling, the first step would be to 'face the facts' wherein the competitor and the at times better manner in which he may be handling the customer-care relations may be emulated by the other Internet Marketer when attempting to sell a product or service on the Internet. Another factor is to 'know the customer;' so that the Internet may be integrated into the customer-care strategy. This means that the marketer would have to have an in-depth understanding of the various different online preferences of their customers. (5 Steps to better customer care)