Good Internet marketing strategy starts with recognizing your customer’s goals
What is the very first step to take when you decide to either build a new website or evaluate the old one? Think about only two things:
- Who is your target audience?
- What is their goal?
It is so simple, yet so easy to forget. It is all about the customer…not you. It is natural to lose sight of the customer in the web building “process.” There is so much to do! You have to find a webmaster, help communicate management’s passion, find the right marketing message, set sales goals, and think about your customer service requirements. Then you need to take pictures, write meaningful content, research keywords, approve design….on and on and on.
When all this is done you have to ask the question… what’s in it for the customer? If the answer is not clear, you have to go back a few steps and start over. Wouldn’t it be easier to start with that question first?
Before you look at your website do a couple of exercises:
- Write down the description of three different kinds of customers and why they are looking for your website. What do they want to get out of the time spent there? Your phone number and location? Product specification? Do they want to meet you? Learn about your capabilities, industry knowledge, investment opportunities or purchase product?
- Next describe in detail who these “typical” customers are. Make up a name, assign them an age, and a job. What level of education do they have? Where are they located? Make them as real as possible and include things like web experience, product (or service) knowledge, and market and application knowledge.
- Then write descriptions of goals you believe they have and include a realistic level of detail like: “Bob is 54 year old engineer with a degree from Purdue working for a large aerospace manufacture who is looking for a reliable, cost effective way to get parts made closer to his office. He has lots of practical experience but is lousy at using the internet…” Then, have an experienced associate do the same and compare your notes.
It is just as important to know the customers (or business) you don’t want. Describe those people too.
In the end, you want a customer-oriented website that meets their needs and expectations. An effective website will speak to the right kind of customer, answering their questions and leading them easily to what they want or need from you. Do this well and these internet visitors will reward you with leads and additional business. Isn’t that the bottom line of what a business wants to achieve with a successful internet marketing strategy?
admin on June 29th 2007 in Web Strategy