Internet Marketing for Workshops00nd Other Bright Ideas
Techniques for taking advantage of the World Wide Web and keeping your sanity.
By Dale Garrison
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Information on Web marketing concepts as well as practical tips on the Internet that workshops can take advantage of throughout their organization.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Keep this in mind:
00There are no Internet experts
00Each workshop has unique needs
00Look for both traditional and non-traditional solutions.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Some of our topics include:
00The Web: What is it and how to exploit it?
00Marketing
It00 sales
It00 communications
It00 sales
00Some Basics You might Overlook
Domain names
Internet Marketing for Workshops
I. The Internet: What is it really?
It00 Networked Computers 00Including Yours
Internet Marketing for Workshops
I. The Internet: What is it really?
There are some gems in this simple network:
0024-7 Connection to Communicate Your Message
00Relative Ease to Look Good:
00ree004-Color
00nlimited Content00/font>
00nbsp;Easy To Target Multiple Audiences/Multiple Messages
00nbsp; World-Wide Reach
Internet Marketing for Workshops
What00 bad about it?
00Everybody knows about it!
It00 free, unless you need to compete.
00nbsp; It00 open ended
The standards are still being set
00And all the stuff no one talks about
It00 confusing
You need a plug-in!
Spam
Internet Marketing for Workshops
So, should you ignore it?
Only if you want to go out of business00/font> It00 a new telephone00ould you pass on your directory listing? It00 replacing brochures and other materials00or smart businesses It00 even serving as a 00tore counter00and business tools One recent report indicated that 34 percent of the households now have a Web connection. That00 more than 1/3 and it00 climbing every day. More importantly, an even higher percentage of businesses are now online.Internet Marketing for Workshops
What can a workshop do?
First, Focus on What Works 00ot What Might Be Possible
Establish a Web presence00ET A DOMAIN NAME. Today. Build a Web site with pages to emphasize your key goals You may need multiple sites or at least separate, categorized pages for business & 00ervices00/font>Internet Marketing for Workshops
Drive traffic to your Web site
Yes, search engines do matter But first build the site rightMetatags
Keywords in content
Content content content! (Not smoke and mirrors!)
Submit to directories and search engines Submit to local/regional/topical directories00ncluding 00ay00directoriesInternet Marketing for Workshops
Drive traffic to your Web site
Exchange links and submit to related sites E-mail: not bulk e-mail spam but your present contacts. Start building an e-mail list TODAY. Incentives and contests But Most of All00se that URL on EVERYTHING you send out00nd dream up new excuses to send it out again!Letterhead, brochures, news releases, yellow pages, advertisements
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Some common misconceptions
Search engines are free
Well, sort of00/font>
Automatic 00ubmissions00 eliminate submission 00y hand00/font>
Well, sort of00/font>
Everyone will find you on a search engine
Well, sort of00/font>
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Some common misconceptions
Directories are more useful00irectories and other links, such as your local chamber, economic development group, business associations, etc. Identify these and market to them00ncluding your Web site.
This will also help with search engines!
Internet Marketing for Workshops
What do we put on our Web site?
Here are some thoughts
List of Services Testimonials
Case Histories History
Who we Are Virtual Tour
00nfo Request00 form Tips for customers
News releases Board/Staff
Ask your customers what they need to know!
Internet Marketing for Workshops
How do we measure success?
Counters
Traffic Analysis
Phone Calls!
Sales!
Internet Marketing for Workshops
What are we forgetting?
Your follow-up!
The best Web site in the world must be a dynamic part of your organizations. Someone should have responsibility for following up with contacts, leads, etc. E-mail Ditto! Check and respond, daily or several times a day. Updates Ditto! Update monthly or twice monthly if possible.Internet Marketing for Workshops
Let00 Take A Break!
Internet Marketing for Workshops
II. Let00 expand some of these ideas
Your Web Site00 Key Goal: Helping to market your workshop, its services and products.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Web marketing ideas
Chris Maher in 00he Ordinary Marketer,00offers four experience-based rules for carrying out effective marketing: (1) choose measurable marketing methods, (2) target the relevant audience directly, (3) talk to customers to find out how you're doing, (4) make marketing an everyday component of business.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Web marketing ideas
Focus on targeting your audience and talking to customers00n person, through mail (e-mail & direct mail) and through the Web.
Don00 try to be all things to all people. Promote your strengths. If you are extremely strong in packaging, hit that in talks, in flyers and on the Web.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Web marketing ideas
Jay Conrad Levinson, author of 00uerilla Marketing,00writes in 00uerrilla Marketing Online00that marketing online is not just having a Web site, and Web marketing is not conducted in a vacuum.
In other words, put that URL everywhere and tie the Web effort to your other marketing efforts.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
What does this mean, really?
Marketing is first of all communication: Letting people know what you have, how that benefits them and how they can get it. The Web does this very well.
Don00 underestimate the value of simple bullet lists of services and products
But don00 forget the opportunity for interactive online or downloadable order forms, 00lickable00 maps and other devices unique to the Internet.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Marketing needs to be focused and audience based.
You may need to consider whether it00 practical to attempt a Web site that tries to communicate to consumers, parents and guardians, AND the public AND business customers.
If you have no choice00nd you may not00e prepared to plan carefully. At least be aware that you are attempting to do several things with one tool and that some compromise will result.
If your sales and consumer services are on one site, be absolutely certain that there is a clear, easy-to-navigate path to your business services or products. And it might be wise to add separate sub-pages for areas such as mail services.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Marketing should be sales oriented
In this discussion, marketing is a sales issue. Everything else is great, but sales are what you are after. Examine and re-examine whether you are targeting what you need to sell. Do you need additional tools, features or elements to succeed? Make certain the Web site is connected to every part of your operation and visa versa00se your Web address everywhere and make sure the site has something of value for those visitors.Internet Marketing for Workshops
Budget for marketing
Marketing is something that requires time every day.
Some days that may only be updating a mail or e-mail list of customers.
But don00 put it off00hen wonder why sales are down.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Don00 forget to 00oft-sell,00too
Like a newsletter, a Web site needs to be inviting and informational. Make your site interesting Provide reasons for people to visit Provide some interactive features, even if it00 just a request for information mail form.Internet Marketing for Workshops
So how does this translate to your site?
First, think of your Web site as an online brochure Start with the information you would put in a brochure00ervices, products, quality and price information Now realize that you can update this 00rochure00much more easily than if it were printed with the latest prices, services or more For example, after a postal hike, consider 00void the latest postal increase by using our mail sorting services00.00/font>Internet Marketing for Workshops
So how does this translate to your site?
Second, consider 00raditional00marketing tie-ins that piggyback onto your Web site. Yellow Pages: 000For complete details see000 Newspaper or association advertisement: Outline a new program then, 00ee our site for detail000 Direct mail and e-mail: Don00 overlook 00unk00mail and e-mail 00pam.00/font>Internet Marketing for Workshops
So how does this translate to your site?
Post cards to existing customers announcing a new service is not junk mail
Opt-in e-mail lists or targeted Web advertising is not spam.
These do take some homework, but they can pay off. Consider building your own lists!
Internet Marketing for Workshops
So how does this translate to your site?
Third, move them to action
Use online forms to make purchases/orders easy. Offer 00asy print00or downloadable information to make their work/purchase easier. Backup your Web effort with staff.E-mail and other inquiries should be answered within 24 hours or sooner
Organize the material needed for most responses
Schedule follow-up
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Let00 Take A Break!
Internet Marketing for Workshops
III More Specifics + Tips & Tricks
Design for the Web:
The Web is not just a letter or brochure published on the Internet.
The unique medium requires several unique techniques to avoid pitfalls and make the most of your investment.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Design for the Web
Low tech is good. High tech is bad (more than you would think!) Frames are bad for search engines. While most browsers today deal with them, they can ruin your search engine results and don00 really add anything that other, better design can accomplish. Animations (such as Flash) are bad. Okay, I love them, but how many plug-ins have you downloaded today, hmm?Internet Marketing for Workshops
Design for the Web
Load time will always be an issue, no matter how much broadband you have. Even if YOU have DSL, cable or ISDN at your job, that doesn00 mean your customer does. Or consider whether the customer00 CEO might try to view your Web site while traveling. Will he have broadband on his laptop in the motel room? Probably not00/font> Instead, spend your energy on organizing content, visualizing navigation and clarifying your message. What are you selling? How can you best present it to your customers online?Internet Marketing for Workshops
Design for the Web
Make it bite-sized
People read differently on a computer screen than on paper. Use short paragraphs separated by double spaces. Use graphics, but don00 get carried away. Overall, go for clear and clean as opposed to complex and murky.Internet Marketing for Workshops
Design for the Web
Web design is usually a compromise
Interactive and dynamic versus user friendly and accessible Comprehensive versus easy to navigateInternet Marketing for Workshops
Search engine optimization
First understand search engines
Two types: spiders and directories
Both to some degree utilize Metatags AND Content
Of the two, content is actually more important.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Search engine optimization
Metatags:
The 00nvisible00 code for spiders Almost everything is fair game But no repeats in the metatag But it00 okay to repeat in content00n fact, that00 good!Internet Marketing for Workshops
Search engine optimization
Usability/alternate tags
This is good for accessibility and some spiders/search engineers use this as a grading factor.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Search engine optimization
So, How do you get to the 00op00of the search engine? You can00.
Why? Consider: How many companies in the United States provide packaging services? How many have Web sites? How many have bigger budgets than you?
Yahoo is now charging $300 for the honor of just listing you.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Search engine optimization
But, by combining all of these factors AND re-doing the effort every 6-12 months, you can achieve relatively high positions.
Search engine submission: Free listings/search submission services are okay, but the best results generally come from the painstaking effort of submitting your site by hand. Target the top ones: Google, Yahoo, the 00pen Directory,00 Excite, etc.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Don00 be afraid to redesign
The lifespan of a Web site is measured in 00og years.00/font>
Like it or not, they get stale pretty quickly. Plan on redoing or at least modifying regularly. Update regularly.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Remember immediacy in the short term, too
People on the Internet are increasingly habituated to instant gratification. If you00e selling a product, you should accept credit cards, either in real-time or offline ASAP.
Respond to inquiries quickly. Set up a schedule.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Other tips and tricks, in no particular order
Register a domain today. In fact, register several.
If nothing else, owning a domain will allow you to avoid EVER CHANGING YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AGAIN!
As more of your business involves e-mail, this is going to become a major factor, if it has not already.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Other tips and tricks00/font>
Owning a domain costs $35 a year and will soon be as fundamental as your phone number in the yellow pages.
One for consumer services, workshop services and/or products is not farfetched.
Internet Marketing for Workshops
Other tips and tricks00/font>
Gain control of your e-mail
E-mail and especially spam are a pain, but they00e not the big deal many make them out to be. Do the following: Budget 15 minutes each morning and afternoon to sort e-mail. Run through all new e-mail and immediately trash obvious junk mail. You KNOW what that is!Internet Marketing for Workshops
Other tips and tricks00/font>
Create some organization as allowed by your e-mail program. Create separate 00ailboxes00 or folders for separate customers, that kind of thing. You might even be able to create 00ilters00that automate some of this. If you 00on00 have time for this,00consider whether you have time to spend 10-20 minutes on the phone in place of EACH of those e-mail messages. Companies and individuals are using the e-mail instead of the phone and instead of the fax, more every day.Internet Marketing for Workshops
Budget for marketing
Not just money, but time. Not just for the Web, but all your efforts. Too often, the 00irty work00is allowed to slip. This usually means loss of product/service promotion on one end, and follow-up on the other. But these are two things that often result in sales.Internet Marketing for Workshops
Thanks for coming!
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