2014-06-07

Today’s marketing challenges need innovative yet simple solutions. For business to business companies, it is more important than ever to stand out from the crowd. For that reason, online marketing should be taken seriously. Why? Because if you do not have a powerful online presence, and a solid online marketing strategy, you are not going to be seen in today’s world.

There is good news, though. For companies who are willing to give online marketing the attention it deserves (finally), who build a compelling online brand, and who are hard at work engaging customers and building relationships, the rewards can be huge. If your company has been hanging back and not putting themselves out there in the online world, you are robbing yourself of growth and opportunity. 

Where are Your Customers, Competition?
You have to be where your customers are, and your customers are online. They are on social media, they are reading blogs. They are online looking for solutions to problems. If they can’t find you when they go looking for answers, then they will find your competitor, it’s that simple.

So how do you develop a good online marketing strategy? Use your target audience as a guide. Find them on their social media channels of choice, and go online to research your competition. Some of the best ways to engage with your potential customers is through blogging and social media.

If your business does not have a blog, or doesn’t spend much time on your blog, you are losing out on leads. Blogging is a great way to build your brand and let other businesses get to know you. Offering informative content on a regular basis and an opportunity to engage with you via comments and email is a great way to bring in new business, and keep your current customers loyal.

Social Media is Here to Stay so Use it to Your Advantage
Ignore social media at your own peril. Regardless of what you think of networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, these channels are not going away. They are becoming more and more powerful every day. This is where people and businesses alike go for the latest, the newest and the trending. Other networks that can boost your online presence are Google Plus, LinkedIn and Youtube.

Now, you don’t need to be on all of these channels, but you do need to be on some of them. The nature of your business and your prospective audience should determine where you focus your efforts.

One of the things that makes social media so powerful is that it is instant, and offers you the ability to communicate with other businesses in real-time and demonstrate that you’re a thought leader. You can also keep customers up-to-date on the latest news within your company and industry. You can glean valuable information from your customers by participating in social media; information you would not otherwise be privy to. This information will allow you to better serve your customers and build a better business.

Online Marketing Allows You to be ‘Everywhere’

A good online marketing campaign allows your brand to be “everywhere” and that’s a good thing. When your target audience sees your latest blog post on Twitter, or a video posted on Youtube, or downloads your free eBook or whitepaper from your blog, you are building trust with them. They will come to see you as a well-known brand that has the information they need, where they need it and when they need it. Businesses expect other businesses to be online, and if you aren’t, they are going to wonder why.

If your business has been putting the majority of time and energy on traditional marketing and advertising, it’s time to take a look at online marketing. While traditional tactics may still have their place, online marketing should become a primary focus. Inbound marketing strategies, such as blogging and social media can be combined with online advertising to create a truly powerful marketing plan that brings results and generates the leads you look for, the leads you will miss if you are not online.

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