Marketing on the internet - Sticking to the basics

When marketing on the internet you will likely be exposed to various promotional strategies or techniques that are more dazzling than they are effective. Now there is nothing wrong with trying new marketing tactics in an effort to build your business but never lose sight of the fundamentals. As tempting as it may be to rely upon a tool or technique that 'offers' more results for less effort, it is important to keep your eyes open to how effective they may really be.



Always be mindful of the fact that to build your business you will need a quality product, a solid reputation and the ability to connect with customers. Although gadgets and gimmicks may deliver on their promise of less work, they do not always deliver the results. It is up to you to determine if the time you invest is worth the return you are getting.



Here is a quick look at the fundamentals you need to focus on and the reason for the attraction to some of the newer marketing tactics we become exposed to.



Fundamentals



1) Exposure



No matter what you are promoting online in order to build your business you need to increase your exposure. get yourself out in front of people There are some nifty software products and marketing tactics that will help your cause but the image you project must be developed and maintained by you!



2) Connecting



In order to convert people into buyers you will need to develop a connection with them There is no substitution for human interaction and this is what it will take, in some manner, to connect with others. Gaining their interest or 'triggering' a desire can only be accomplished through some form of interaction. On the internet the written word is the primary channel of communication therefore developing good copy writing skills will be helpful!



3) Trust



Building trust is one of the most important things you can do when working online since it tends to boost the effectiveness of any of the promotional strategies you may use. Trust building is not something you can expect to accomplish with the help of automation or software but instead results from the way you interact with others. Displaying respect or a willingness to be of service to people are great ways to build both trust and solid reputation online.



Gimmickry



1) Fast



Our attraction to any new gadgets, tactics or gimmicks when working online stem from the natural desire to improve our performance and with less effort. One of the primary benefits usually touted when any new marketing tactics are presented is the speed and ease with which they work. Who would you not be attracted to that? But sadly, in many cases the product or technique demonstrates an inability to deliver on the promise.



2) Convenient



Another popular benefit used to promote the purchase and/or use of some tactics or gimmicks is their convenience and ease of use. Products or techniques like this normally serve to automate certain time consuming functions but here again, the job they do may not be as thorough as you would want. On the other hand the temptation to build your business on autopilot is hard to resist!



3) Empowering



Simply possessing any type of software or marketing tactics that can 'speed up' or 'automate' certain functions of your business is an empowering feeling. Of course that feeling does tend to fade as the realization that some of those 'tools' are ineffective begins to dawn on you. However, simply having the hope, even for a short period of time, that you can drastically improve your productivity is an uplifting feeling! As any internet marketer will tell you, hope is one the their biggest assets and if they did not have it, they probably would not be seeking success online!



Marketing on the internet offers the use of many gadgets and gimmicks that promise to decrease your efforts while increasing the results! Unfortunately some of these promotional strategies or gimmicks fall flat on their face when put to the test. The allure of many new marketing tactics is the automation and of course the convenience associated with it. It is important however to be mindful of the fundamentals that are required, as discussed above, in order to build your business successfully online. With that being said as you find yourself employing the use of any new gimmicks, gadget, tactics or techniques always monitor their use insofar as effectiveness and bottom line results. If you do not find an improvement in the performance and/or results of your business this is simply a tool you do not need!



By: TJ Philpott

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/online_business/article_8501.shtml