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A Level Playing Field
© 2004 By Bob Osgoodby
The Internet today, gives the smaller players a "level
playing
field" with some of big guys. If we are to succeed, it is
vitally
important to recognize what they are doing in their
advertising
programs.
There are a number of effective techniques for letting your
customers know who you are, and what you do. One of the
maxims of
any advertising campaign is to try to make your company a
household word. Many of the major corporations such as
Budweiser
and Wendy's have discovered how to do this, and we could
all take a
few lessons from them.
First, and foremost, if you are serious
about doing business on
the Internet, you must have a web site. When visitors
arrive
there, it should be immediately obvious as to what you
actually
do. Too many web site developers forget this, and try to
impress
their visitors with graphics that take to long to load.
Don't forget - people visiting your site have come there
for a
specific reason. If you don't make it immediately clear
what you
do, they may just "click away". Any good ad will feature
what
benefit the person will receive by doing business with
you. You
want your "brand" to be loud and clear, and not hidden
behind a
lot of "glitz".
You must have contact information. A picture of you can
go a
long way to humanizing your web site. People prefer
doing
business with other people, not a nameless company,
without
any way of contacting them, other than a form to fill
out. You
must have a physical address, and preferably a phone
number where
someone can contact you. The more you can make your
potential
clients comfortable with you, the better your odds of
getting
their business.
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Verbal content is king. If your copy is not good, you
will not
succeed. Many web sites simply throw up a few graphics and a
few
"buzzwords", and wonder why they don't get a good response.
People have taken the time to come to your site and are
looking
for answers. A visitor to your web site, should leave with
few,
if any unanswered questions.
You web site must immediately tell the public exactly what
you
do. If it doesn't, you must create a brand, and feature that
in
all your advertising. It should be the first thing people
see
if they visit your web site. The web site -http://ListsAreUs.com
-gives a good example of this.. On the first page, without
having
to arrow down, you immediately know what the web site is all
about. All of their advertising, which is specific to the
market
they wish to reach, carries this brand.
If you are to succeed in your online business, you must have
a
brand that will not only be remembered, but reinforces what
you
are trying to promote. But that is not all that must be
done.
Newsletters and Ezines, specific to the market you wish to
target
are an excellent way to reach potential clients. While your
ads
should be brief, as people scanning a publication may skip
by
your ad, it must be compelling. This is where your brand is
so
important.
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A web site with a minimum of information however, will
normally
not obtain your goals. Face it, you got them to visit your
site
with your ad, and now they are looking for answers. If they
don't find what they are looking for, the odds are they
won't
come back. While your ad must be brief, here you can (and
must)
tell the entire story.
Branding is critical to your business. Once you get "your"
brand
to be a household name for your target market, you are on a
level
playing field, and well on your way down the road of
ecommerce.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine
the
"Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web
Site? Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday thru Friday.
Instructions on how to place your ad are in the Newsletter.
Subscribe at:
http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm
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