Webwise - If you build it they MAY come!
Let’s get on the same page, the same Webpage that is. There are millions of rumors, myths and erroneous assumptions circling the internet when it comes to doing business on the world wide web. Add in security issues, hoaxes, technical problems and an ever-changing sea of information, it is easy to see that dealing with your company’s website can be overwhelming. Despite the issues, having an online presence for your company is a MUST nowadays because it can add significant revenue and increase global recognition, if done right.
Did you get that, if done right? One of the biggest misconceptions about doing business on the internet is the “if you build it they will come” syndrome. Millions of online businesses suffer from this.
An example: a company has spent a large amount of time and resources getting their website developed and published to the web. They excitedly wait for visitors to start coming and for the sales to start pouring in. And they wait. And they wait. And they wait some more. Frustrated they begin to blame the web developer for “misleading them.” They eventually give up on the website and categorize it as a write off. They are angry, but it is not the developer’s fault. The problem is that the company did not do it’s homework.
You should understand that “if you build it, they MAY come,” but most likely you will need to promote the hell out of your site. Yes, that’s it folks. For your site to become a fabled cash cow, you will need to treat it as what it really is:
A MARKETING TOOL.
Historically, in any successful marketing campaign, a target product, target audience, branding message and deployment strategy must be decided upon. The greater the quality of planning and research, the higher the results will be. You must begin to think of your company’s website as an ongoing, worldwide, 24/7 365 days a year marketing campaign and must treat it as such. Anything less will have detrimental effects.
In order to have a successful online presence, a company must research and plan for an effective website that fulfills company and customer needs. After the site is published, a systematic, consistent marketing plan to promote the site is needed. Also, a systematic, consistent plan to keep the site fresh with new content to keep visitors coming back is necessary. These two plans will work together to create a dynamic site that customers will come to trust and will lead to greater sales and communication with customers.
Additionally, it is necessary to use as many forms of media to promote your business website as possible. Newspaper ads, flyers, radio spots, TV spots, articles, business cards, promotional events and online strategies will help you to create a buzz and visibility for your website. If you have been consistent with your marketing you will notice that your site will begin to have a growing traffic base of loyal customers who trust your company. These customers will happily do business with you online and will become spokespersons to drive more traffic to your site. Because you have been consistently updating your site with new articles and information, your customers have learned to depend on you as a source of quality information, quality services and quality products. You have made it at last.
Although this picture of your website as a long-term marketing tool may not be the news you wanted to hear, that is just the way it is. Doing business online is a different animal. But if you can see the value of having a strong web presence for your business and can make a commitment to using your website as a marketing tool, you will reap the benefits. In this column, we will be looking further into the realm of doing business online and addressing some of the big issues and misconceptions that can be turned into avenues of success.
No comments yet.