Strategic Internet Marketing Services - Explained
I see a lot of companies offering strategic Internet marketing services these days. And I know from my own keyword research that a lot of people are researching this subject online. But what makes and Internet marketing service "strategic" to begin with. Let's explore this further...
In my mind, anybody who launches an Internet marketing program without a solid strategy in mind is going to waste time, energy and money. Having a strategy in place will ensure that:
In other words, strategic Internet marketing could also be referred to as common sense Internet marketing. It takes into account all of the pieces of the puzzle ... the product or service being marketed, the intended audience, and the message and technology that will connect the two.
The question is, do all of the companies who claim to offer strategic Internet marketing services truly understand this concept? As with everyone else in this industry, I'm sure there are some that understand the concept of an Internet marketing strategy, while other are merely spinning buzzwords (and using pictures of chess pieces) to try and impress would-be clients.
A company who is shopping for this kind of marketing service must know exactly what they want. More specifically, the company should set its own goals and create its own definition of success. Otherwise, the Internet marketing company will define your success for you, and that is not what you want.
So, let's say I operate a small business and I am looking for a strategic Internet marketing firm to help me promote my business online. Here is the wrong way to go about it, and the right way to go about it:
The wrong way: I do a Google search for the phrase strategic Internet marketing services and visit the top-three websites listed. I contact one of the companies and ask how they can help me. They give me a basic spiel about their services, after which I sign on with them.
The wright way: I do a search for strategic Internet marketing services as before, but this time I make a list of 10 to 12 companies. I realize that for every one company that truly excels at Internet marketing there are several that have no idea what they're doing. So I create a longer list this time around.
Next, I visit the websites of these companies and see if they are full of puffery and jargon, or if they offer straightforward information. After all, if an Internet marketing company can't even explain what they do, how are they going to help me with my online messaging?
Next, I will do some research to see what I can find out about the companies on my list. Are they active online, publishing articles and news, or are they stagnant. Is there any bad press about the company? Any good press?
After narrowing down the initial list to about five so-called strategic Internet marketing services, I will contact them to see if they truly understand the strategy marketing online. I will also present them with my clearly outlined definition of success (i.e. what my Internet marketing objectives are). Otherwise, they will define my objectives for me, and that's the last thing I want.
Lastly, I will listen to them explain how they can help me achieve my goals. If they beat around the bush or seem to lack any sort of plan of attack, I will scratch them from my list.
After all this, I should have two or three strategic Internet marketing services who are worth considering. Is it hard work to find a reliable marketing service these days? Well, it does take some time and effort on your part. But it's time well spent. Because in the end, you will have chosen a carefully screened Internet marketing partner to help you achieve your goals, instead of choosing some company that simply knows how to throw jargon around.
Good luck with your strategic Internet marketing campaign!
A Strategic Approach to the Web
In my mind, anybody who launches an Internet marketing program without a solid strategy in mind is going to waste time, energy and money. Having a strategy in place will ensure that:
- You understand the goal of your Internet marketing campaign
- You know who your audience is and what they want
- You have a plan for reaching your ideal audience online
- You know where to focus your time, energy and money
- Other people in your organization understand these things as well
In other words, strategic Internet marketing could also be referred to as common sense Internet marketing. It takes into account all of the pieces of the puzzle ... the product or service being marketed, the intended audience, and the message and technology that will connect the two.
The question is, do all of the companies who claim to offer strategic Internet marketing services truly understand this concept? As with everyone else in this industry, I'm sure there are some that understand the concept of an Internet marketing strategy, while other are merely spinning buzzwords (and using pictures of chess pieces) to try and impress would-be clients.
A company who is shopping for this kind of marketing service must know exactly what they want. More specifically, the company should set its own goals and create its own definition of success. Otherwise, the Internet marketing company will define your success for you, and that is not what you want.
Choosing an Internet Marketing Company
So, let's say I operate a small business and I am looking for a strategic Internet marketing firm to help me promote my business online. Here is the wrong way to go about it, and the right way to go about it:
The wrong way: I do a Google search for the phrase strategic Internet marketing services and visit the top-three websites listed. I contact one of the companies and ask how they can help me. They give me a basic spiel about their services, after which I sign on with them.
The wright way: I do a search for strategic Internet marketing services as before, but this time I make a list of 10 to 12 companies. I realize that for every one company that truly excels at Internet marketing there are several that have no idea what they're doing. So I create a longer list this time around.
Next, I visit the websites of these companies and see if they are full of puffery and jargon, or if they offer straightforward information. After all, if an Internet marketing company can't even explain what they do, how are they going to help me with my online messaging?
Next, I will do some research to see what I can find out about the companies on my list. Are they active online, publishing articles and news, or are they stagnant. Is there any bad press about the company? Any good press?
After narrowing down the initial list to about five so-called strategic Internet marketing services, I will contact them to see if they truly understand the strategy marketing online. I will also present them with my clearly outlined definition of success (i.e. what my Internet marketing objectives are). Otherwise, they will define my objectives for me, and that's the last thing I want.
Lastly, I will listen to them explain how they can help me achieve my goals. If they beat around the bush or seem to lack any sort of plan of attack, I will scratch them from my list.
After all this, I should have two or three strategic Internet marketing services who are worth considering. Is it hard work to find a reliable marketing service these days? Well, it does take some time and effort on your part. But it's time well spent. Because in the end, you will have chosen a carefully screened Internet marketing partner to help you achieve your goals, instead of choosing some company that simply knows how to throw jargon around.
Good luck with your strategic Internet marketing campaign!
Labels: Internet Marketing
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