INTERNET MARKETING 101Is this the weakest link in your business?

Introduction

Why bother with Internet Marketing?

Question your website

Recommendations & Resources

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Don’t let this be the weakest link in your businessDon’t let this be the weakest link in your business

Quick Introduction

• Since 1995, bytes of knowledge has been operating in the Nashville area as a full service provider of technology solutions for small to mid-sized businesses, as well as large corporations.

• As a one-stop technology firm, bok offers a wide range of services including web design and Internet marketing, computer networking and network managed services, custom software applications, and strategic IT consulting.

• bok delivers high-quality customer-focused solutions to their clients through teamwork, creativity, and efficiency.

www.bytesofknowledge.com

Purpose

• Help you recognize the value and benefits of using the Internet as a marketing venue.

• You will learn the importance of an increased web-presence on overall marketing

• Maximize your web-exposure– The power of virtual tours– On-line catalogs

• Internet marketing is not an event. It is a process

Why bother with Internet marketing?

You’re being Googled• People who matter are Googling you: hiring managers, recruiters, colleagues, prospects,

clients, business partners. In fact, someone might be Googling you right now!

• The Web has replaced traditional research resources and is often the first place we go for information, putting the phone book and the reference librarian on the endangered list.

• The Internet has impacted not only the way we do our jobs, but also the way that we look for jobs, network and manage our careers.

• The World Wide Web is an indispensable tool for communicating your value as a professional, expressing your differentiation, networking and performing business research.

• Not only will you be researching opportunities online, others will be researching you

PAPER IS PAST. THE INTERNET IS PRESENT …AND FUTURE.

Your business is being Googled• What does it say about your business if you don’t show up in Google?

• Will it increase the risk of doing business with your company in the mind of your customer?

• Will being Googled replace reference checking for individuals at job interviews and client bids?

– Personal Googling v. the act of learning about someone by performing a web search

• Will being Googled change the way we name our kids like it did for companies?– Tom Smith, CEO of a Fortune 50 company– Tom Smith, recent MTSU graduate looking for a small business loan– Yahoo! , Avaya, or…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_company_name_etymologies

First impressions have changed• Harris Interactive recently published a poll showing that 23% of

people search the names of business associates before meeting them. (LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook)

• ExecuNet reported in 2007 that 83% of executive recruiters are using search engines to uncover information about candidates.

• Sites like ZoomInfo automatically creates profiles from information found online – it does not require your signing up for it.

Curious about your Google Quotient (GQ)?

Use the Online ID Calculator at www.careerdistinction.com/onlineid

Question your website

• Do you really know what your website is doing for your business?

• How many leads or inquiries a month does it currently provide for you?

• How much new revenue can you attribute to your particular corner of the internet?

• Do you maintain its content and message fresh? • Are you using your website at least as well as your

competition?

Some geeky terms (netlingo.com)

• Internet Service Provider (ISP)• Web & email hosting• Domain Registration (.com, .org, .biz, .edu, .gov, .ca)

• eCommerce• Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, Livesearch)• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)• Web 2.0

– Blogging– Podcasting– Social Networking

• Facebook• Second Life

Your corner of the Internet

Ongoing services:Optimized contentWord Tracker

Ongoing services:MonitoringContent publisher

UpdatedContent

Search Engine

Optimization

About usProducts &

servicesContact us

Basic Electronic brochure

Publish information

or entertainment

Social networking

Bloggingpodcasting

Simple electronic commerce

24 x 7 Electronic

salesperson

Email marketing & pay per click

How do you look for information?

You search the internet, right? If so, you're not alone. According to Marketing Sherpa, almost 134 million people in the U.S. regularly use search engines when looking for information online. Of that number, 63 percent look only at the first page of results--at most.

…what they will leave with?

… your website objectives?

…what they expect?

… your target audience

Do you know?

…why would they return?

Small Business on the Internet

Profitable websites

• The medium is versatile, interactive, and accessible from anywhere

• SMB can look just like a large corporation and compete on equal footing

• You can serve customers around the clock

Benefits of Internet marketing

• Works for you while you sleep• Improves the first impression your business

projects• Easy to ask visitors for feedback and referrals• Ease to roll out special offers or try/cancel a

sale• No printing costs• Tire-kickers don’t take up your selling time• You can track, measure, and improve your

approach

Recommendations

• Know your customers• Know your value• Know your competition• Know your products• Know your message

Write it down!

If you didn’t have good answers for slide 8 – Question your website… Get professional help. They will save you money and time!

Resources

• http://www.marketingsherpa.com/ • http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/business_services/ • http://marketingpr.suite101.com/article.cfm/

small_business_marketing_resources

Michael Galo, michael.galo@bytesofknowledge.com

(615) 478-3211

Now go market on the Internet!