Online marketing can be applied to every business... no matter what kind of product or service you sell.
Don't believe me? Let me give you an example...
Let's pretend you own a hair salon. Obviously people are not going to search online for a hair salon; they're going to look in their yellow pages, get a recommendation from a friend, etc... Your hair salon caters to a local market, not a global market. So why should your salon be online?
Because if you're a smart business warrior, every time someone comes to your salon to have their hair cut, you're going to get their e-mail address from them while they are paying you. Then you're going to make a note of the date and kind of service you performed for them.
There is a lot of power in doing something like this!
Why? Because three weeks from now when you realize business is slow you can simply sit down and write your customers an e-mail...
Dear [insert customer name here]:
Thank you for your visit on March 14th 2003 for a cut and perm. I just wanted to write and thank you for your business. I also wanted to let you know that for the week starting April 1, 2003, we're offering a special 20% percent discount on hair cuts to all of our valued customers.
However, you must book your appointment in the next 48 hours for this to apply.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Regards
[your name]
at L'Air Hair Studio
Once you've sent your e-mail, you can be sure that your phones will start ringing and the seats of your salon will fill very quickly. I guarantee it. Will this technique generate more business?
Definitely!
How much time did it take you? Almost none!
Did it cost you anything? No!
Are they going to come back? Of course! Why would they go back to the salon down the street that doesn't communicate with them when you are not only keeping in touch with them, but offering them an incentive to come back? All you need to do is remind that you're there. And it costs you nothing!
This is the beauty of the Internet. Every business - I don't care who you are or what you do - should be online.
If you're not online, you're losing money!
Is this technique going to make you rich? No, it isn't.
Is it going to make you more money? Absolutely!
Use the Internet creatively. Don't just do things the standard way...be unique! Use the Internet to create the kind of loyalty and rapport that turns a first time customer into a lifetime customer!
You see, by providing this kind of amazing service, you going to make your customers feel special. Your business will stand out in their minds because you have taken the time to develop a bond - a feeling of communication - that draws them back.
It's easy to do, it works, and it takes no time at all when you use the right software.
However, I think we should realise that this isn't going to last forever, so get in while the going is good! Soon, more entrepreneurs are going to catch on and realize that techniques like these could really increase their business. But guess who will have beaten them to the punch? You!
Because you discovered it first.
There are some significant advantages to promoting your business online as opposed to offline. These include...
- The online aspect of your business can be easily automated so that it demands very little of your time and attention
- You can work at your own pace
- Much lower lead costs! The expense of getting new customers is a fraction of what it costs using traditional media.
- Access to more customers! You can attract a broad customer base from around the world while spending very little on advertising. [This is virtually impossible to accomplish using traditional media.]
- Lower risk! Testing new ideas, new products, and new sales copy costs you virtually nothing!
Compared to traditional advertising media, online marketing is ridiculously quick, cheap and easy. On the Net, you can test your ads in a matter of hours with almost no expense.
Where else can you place an ad and start receiving orders within an hour?
With the compliments of:
Peter Carruthers
Business Warriors