Marketing 101 - How to Market Your Business Like the Pros
by Kath Blackwell
Not wanting to drive myself out of a job as a marketer and consultant for adult industry programs, I still felt that I owed my fellow webmasters a glimpse into the marketing techniques, patterns and necessary efforts required to build a successful presence on the 'Net.
We all know the basics of getting the word out on our sites - webmaster resource press announcements, involvement in the community, participation in industry events. But if we want to move forward to the next level, we need to start thinking like the big guys - on a much larger scale. You must see your business as a professional business before you can more on to the next step - and creative and savvy marketing techniques are a great way to help lift yourself up to that level.
We've discussed the importance of having a viable, working business plan before launching a new program, company, business or service - but having a sound marketing plan is also an essential tool in building a successful business. Knowing where you are, where you want to go and how you want to get there, are all vitally important elements of your business world. A marketing plan sounds like a huge concept - something that's out of reach and hard to get your mind and arms around - but when you break down the most important elements and lay them all out in front of you, it's actually quite simple.
Here are some of the techniques, skills and tools that you will need to set up a basic marketing plan. Don't expect to learn all the tricks of the trade from this - or any - article. Most of the techniques you will need to succeed come from true-life experiences - trial and error. Getting there is half the fun and most of the educational process. So, bearing that in mind, let's get started on a mini tour of the world of Internet marketing.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF
Getting to know you...getting to know all about you... Getting to know the people behind the companies that power our industry is something that webmasters really enjoy doing. Networking is one of the top priorities of today's webmasters, whether it's at an industry conference, in an online chatroom or through the "FAQ" and "About Us" sections of the webmaster program site.
If you are unknown to the community you need to make a proper introduction. You can start out small and go out to the top ten to twelve webmaster resource communities, and post an individual - non-spam of course, no cut-and-paste - introduction, and get to know the folks. However, with the large assortment of webmasters, webmaster hangouts and also a huge number of webmasters who don't even READ the boards - you'd really have your work cut out for you.
If you are known to the community but are starting a new company or are moving into a new direction, then you will want to make sure people know the company with which to associate you, what your responsibilities are there, and where they can contact you now and in the future.
Whether you are new - or just changing gears - a powerful press release is in order. Writing a press release is really quite easy. You don't even have to be a writer - really! * Ducks from the other industry writers! * All you need to know is 1) what you want to announce; 2) basic information about your company, what it does, what it can offer and 3) knowledge of the basic format of the traditional press announcement. The basic format consists of: title; location of your company ("cyberspace" is acceptable); the date of the release (if you desire); a paragraph or two telling of your announcement including Web site URLs in parentheses; and a follow up, "About COMPANY.COM" paragraph. The final paragraph can be used to detail when your company was founded; a little bit about your experience and basic contact information for your team. Many companies use this final paragraph as a standard "reminder" in future press releases as well to ensure that the webmaster community understands what they do and how long they've been doing it.
Once you've got yourself a solid press release - and have checked spelling, grammar and structure - it's time to get the word out there. Make a list of today's top dozen or so webmaster resources - and don't forget the industry magazines. Get a list of the press release contact people, and then either individually e-mail the press announcement to them - along with a quick introduction about yourself - use the form that they provide on their sites or post your announcement to their press sections online. Make sure you read the terms of these sites, respect their rules and always provide a reciprocal link in your webmaster area - even if it is not required. It's just good business etiquette. After all, these people are your media - your sounding boards - the way you get your messages to the masses. It's all about washing someone else's back if you want them to wash yours.
Once the announcement is out, make sure that you go back to the sites at which you've posted, to see if there is any discussion about you or your company. Sometimes webmasters will ask questions on these message boards and you want to make sure that you have registered for their posting memberships and are ready to respond in a quick and positive manner. Follow-through is very important when you are making that first introductory impression!
Part 1: Getting Started
Part 2: Building a Positive Presence
Part 3: Get Involved - Be a Part of the Community
Part 4: Become an Industry Leader - Work Toward the Future!
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