.
If you read the gospel according to most
online marketing gurus, you can best promote your online
business through a variety of free web services such as search
engine submissions, free-for-all links, classified ad sites
and so on. While there is a strong element of truth in those
methods, they do not tell the whole story.
This is shown time and time again. You need to create a consistent effort using a targeted media
mix where each effort reinforces itself. The key phrase:
"marketing mix." Or, put another way, Don't Put all
Your Eggs Into One Basket.
Online marketers have discovered
they need traditional media in order to drive prospects to
their sites. While many are relying on radio and television to
support their marketing efforts; overlooking print outlets can
be a mistake. Another key here is to always test whichever
media you are using for its effectiveness with different
groups you are targeting.
Radio, for instance, is a tough way
to go for a few simple reasons. Radio is heard by the majority
of people while driving to and from work each day. There is a
lot of competition for the mind during that time (car phones,
traffic, billboards, applying makeup) and unless you have a
very simple web address or if it is an extension of an already
well known brand name, it's darn hard to recall that address
at a later time. Much of the same theory applies to television
(how many of us watch TV with pen and paper in hand waiting to
jot down web addresses)?
While many national dot.com firms are
using national newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and
USA Today, regional and local companies seem to forget the
promotional opportunities presented by local newspapers.
Newspapers have traditionally provided LOCAL content (sports,
weather, news, classifieds) that local people desire. Further,
newspapers have a high degree of trust which has been fostered
among its readers throughout the years.
The National Newspaper Association
recently issued a report that found Internet users are still
twice as likely to read or use a traditional print classified
ad than a similar ad online.
It's been my experience and those I have interviewed
that having your company profile featured in a newspaper or
magazine story (especially when it includes your site address)
can dramatically increase the number of hits your site
receives. Nearly all newspapers and magazines now include
regular columns devoted to "what's new on the net."
Well placed news releases and/or advertisements can work
traffic-generating wonders. There are also "PR" and
ad placement services available which can identify and
research media outlets for you, distribute the materials, do
the follow up legwork, all of which saves an immense amount of
time. These same services can even place inexpensive
classified ads in virtually every newspaper in the country for
you at a substantial savings.
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