There are a lot of people using the internet to generate exposure for their businesses these days. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of people using the internet incorrectly in an attempt to generate exposure for their businesses as well. With blogs, email and article directories, it’s easier than ever to blast your information out to millions upon millions of people with little effort and as a result, just about everyone is doing it. The problem is that so few people are doing it well.

You can not simply write a vague article on a common subject that has already been written hundreds of times by hundreds of other people, post it on your blog and/or various article directories or email it to your mailing list, expecting to make any sort of an impact. If you want to make an impact, you’ll need to come up with something new and useful, something that hasn’t already been beaten to death. The keys are originality and usefulness. I’ll give you a perfect example in each case:

Example 1

I recently saw an article in an article directory titled “How do build an effective email list” which went on to say that you need to build an email list, and you should do so by allowing your website visitors to sign up on your website. The article then rambled on for about 150 words or so about how this was so valuable and you need to do it and so on, until ending with a large paragraph extolling the virtues of the author and her brilliant internet marketing experience. So, here we have an author publishing an article telling readers something they already know while not providing any original or useful information, then going on to talk about how wonderful she is.

Example 2

Take a look at Aaron Wall’s SEO Book blog where you will find frequently-updated, original and useful content on search engine optimization. Seth Godin’s blog is another example of someone who is doing it right and of course, our marketing tips blog is a fine example as well, if I may humbly say so.

The people who follow example 1 either they have no value to provide to their prospects and clients, or they have so little that they’re afraid if they give anything away, they won’t have enough left to sell. Unfortunately for them, this keeps them in a scarcity mindset and they never grow. The people who follow example 2 develop a following and build trust over time, resulting in far more revenue than they could ever hope to earn by keeping all of their knowledge to themselves. So, which group are you in?

When asked what they do, most people respond with a canned answer describing their job title. If you work in a large company doing a typical job, this is probably a suitable answer, but if you are an entrepreneur running your own business, this is far from a suitable answer.

People are busy, usually stressed and often wrapped up in their own world so when you tell them that you’re a lawyer, accountant, business consultant or whatever it is that you do, it does not stand out. To them, you are just another face in the crowd. They know that if they need the type of services you offer, they can simply visit a search engine, ask an associate or friend to refer them to someone or even pick up the yellow pages.

If you want to avoid this situation, it’s often as simple as perfecting your answer to the question. Hopefully, you’re more than just a lawyer, accountant, business consultant or whatever it is that you do. For example, one of our clients is an accountant that specializes in developing tax strategies for small businesses so they can maximize their revenue to become larger and more profitable. That’s pretty specific and definitely stands out from all of the other “accountants” in the area. Furthermore, you can bet that any small business owner who’s trying to grow their business will be interested when they hear that.

So take some time to determine what exactly it is that you do, and craft your answer around that. It will be one of the best investments of time you can make in your business.

There is really no one answer in determining the right time to hire a marketing company. For some, it may be during the start-up phase, ensuring that your products are the right fit for your target audience and the correct price points are set. For others, it may be when it’s time to move up re-brand your company and reposition yourself in your industry. However, there really are a limitless set of circumstances for each company.

The bottom line is to determine what you want to accomplish, and then determine if you are capable of achieving that on your own in a cost effective and timely manner. If handling your own marketing takes you away from your area of expertise, it has a negative impact on your overall business and you should hire a marketing company. Doing so allows you to focus on your area of expertise while continuing to grow your business.

Businesses will become more transparent.

More companies will begin to participate in open dialogue on a variety of business issues, such as pricing, innovation and service. Forward thinking business owners and managers are realizing that they can not hide from their competitors. Take a look at the insurance industry for example. When you visit the websites of most major insurance companies today, you can find not only their rates, but also the rates of competing companies. This transparency also extends to problems. The days of a few upset or dissatisfied customers being able to cause a finite amount of negative buzz about your company are long gone as the internet has given them the tools to destroy a brand in less time than it took you to build it. DreamHost knew this and took a proactive approach when pretty much everything that could go wrong, did go wrong by letting their customers know what exactly what was happening and what they were doing to correct it. Rather than trying to shift blame, they took responsibility and were very public about it and this helped them to turn a potentially crippling situation into a situation where they could show their customers that they really cared and would put forth the effort needed to fix their problems.

Businesses will become more focused

Niche businesses will become more common, and more importantly, more profitable than ever before. This is largely due to the power of the internet, allowing consumers the ability to find unusual products, as depicted in the latest Ask.com television commercials. In the past, businesses were forced to offer a wide variety of products because they could only serve a specific geographic range based on their retail location. Additional sales had to be generated via direct mail, radio or television advertising, each of which required a significant investment. Now you can have a website developed, implement a modest internet marketing campaign and reach the consumers most interested in what you have to offer all over the world through the major search engines. This intense focus allows you to get started with a smaller investment, reach a more passionate prospect who is more likely to convert to a customer and earn a larger market share more easily. It also make it easier to analyze your industry, your results and new trends so that you can make more effective business decisions.

Cross media marketing will become critical

No man is an island. Likewise, no single marketing channel is the answer to your marketing needs. All of the television advertising in the world will only do so much for your business because over time, people will become numb to it. The same goes for any medium. For example, most outdoor advertising companies will recommend their clients to move their billboard ads to different locations after several months because over time, people will become accustomed to seeing the ad and will begin to block it out. This isn’t the only factor in play here though. The other reason you need to utilize a blend of marketing channels to promote your business is because we live in a time-fragmented world today. With cell phones, email, TiVo and incredibly busy lives, prospects can’t be effectively reached in the same ways that used to be possible. On top of that, your competitors (as well a millions of other unrelated companies) are constantly bombarding the same prospects with their marketing messages, so you need to stay at the forefront of their mind – which means being everywhere. Ideally, you should utilize at least three to six channels to reach your prospects. For example, you could develop a campaign consisting of organic search engine optimization, online advertising, email marketing, direct mail marketing, and radio advertising, which would allow you to reach your prospects on their way to and from work, when they visit their favorite websites, when they check their email, use a search engine and even when they arrive at home.

Pricing models will change dramatically

Two distinct pricing models will thrive; extremely exclusive pricing and extremely competitive pricing. Consumers will look for one of two things, either something which they will gladly pay a premium for (Starbucks has done an outstanding job at this) or something that they view as a commodity and want the lowest possible price (E-Trade, for example). The middle ground will become no man’s land. The businesses that succeed will be those that determine where they stand and position themselves accordingly. If you need help deciding exactly how to position your company, you should read Blue Ocean Strategy and Trading Up.

There has been a lot of talk about the economy lately. Many pundits feel that it’s a dismal picture and getting progressively worse, while others point to statistics that show the economy doing better than ever before. The problem is that perception is reality and with the tremendous amount of negativity surrounding the economy, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Much of the uncertainty hinges on the unstable housing market and mortgage meltdown. For business owners, it works like this; as the number of foreclosures increases and banks begin to take greater losses, they reduce the amount of capital available to provide loans to small businesses. This obviously results in less operating capital for small business, who then in turn must reduce overhead and often, put any expansion on hold. Often, these small businesses are also forced to lay off employees. As this effect multiplies exponentially, less revenue goes into the economy because more people are uncertain about their income, or worse yet, no longer have income, which results in less revenue for businesses, and the cycle continues.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce the impact that this will have on your business:

• Offer more value for the same, or a lower price than your competitors

• Maintain or increase your advertising budget

• Utilize technology to reduce costs while increasing productivity

• Develop products/services that utilize recurring billing, such as those on a membership basis

• Innovate your industry (usually easier said than done)

• Become a resource by providing information and tools that your prospects need

The time to prepare is now, while you have the time and resources to do so, not after the economy has taken a rapid decline. Get started today and get the jump on your competitors.

Time and time again, we see endless so-called “marketing experts” claiming that their breakthrough product, training boot camp, or proprietary technique will enable you to effortlessly make millions almost overnight, in your spare time from your bedroom. They are liars. Simply put, they are preying on the masses of lazy people who will give it a shot and then quickly give up.

Marketing is not easy. It requires an objective point of view, foresight, innovation, and lots and lots of consistent, hard work. There is just no way around it. Don’t buy into the misconception that the internet takes the work out of marketing. There are millions of people competing on the internet. It requires just as much work, if not more than ever before because people are bombarded with a marketing message just about everywhere they turn, so they are less receptive than ever.

My point is for you to understand that marketing is going to be difficult. It’s going to be a lot of work. It’s going to take time. If you know that going in, you’ll have realistic expectations and you’ll be less likely to give up.

I was flipping through the pages of a book in Borders today and found a business card tucked neatly into the middle of a book. It’s good to know that people are applying the marketing tips they find on our blog.

If your company caters to other companies rather than consumers, it probably slows down around this time of year. While that’s generally a cause for concern, it can be used to your advantage by utilizing the extra free time to strategize and plan for the New Year, something most business owners don’t have time to do very often.

Sit down and take an objective inventory of where your company stands in the eyes of your prospects. What image do you present? How is your customer service? Have you set the most optimal (that doesn’t always mean the cheapest) prices? Now look at your closest three competitors. From a prospect’s point of view, how do you stack up? What are your strengths and weaknesses compared to them? Then ask your self, or better yet, your clients and prospects, what’s missing from your products or services. Ask them what needs are not being met by the industry. Find out if there are things that companies in your industry focus on that really don’t matter to them.

Now you know where you stand, where your competitors stand and exactly what your prospects want. It’s up to you to present the most powerful image and tailor your products or services to meet those needs. Sharpen your pencil and get to work!

I was recently speaking to someone who insisted that “advertising was pointless” and offered Coca-Cola as an example. Her opinion was that it was ignorant for them so waste so much money when everyone already knows what they offer.

At first glance, maybe it seems logical. But when you look at why the situation is what it is, it all becomes a lot clearer. Everyone knows about Coca-Cola products because of the billions upon billions of dollars that they have wisely invested in their advertising over the last one-hundred and twenty-one years. To get even more granular, their investment was never to simply let people know that they existed. It was to create an emotional bond. Think about your own memories of their (or competing) products. They may involve trips to the beach or picnics with your family as a child, or perhaps your first trip to a baseball game. It’s these memories that made their advertising successful. If they had just came out and said “here’s who we are and here’s what we do,” the message would have quickly faded into obscurity and a different soft-drink company would be a household name instead.

Think about this when you’re advertising your own company. Your goal should never be to simply let people know that you exist, that’s what a press release is for. Instead, it should be to develop a strong emotional bond with your prospects. The big picture is what your company does and the benefits your products or services provide. The little picture is the emotional bond that your consumers have with your company, but this is the most important aspect of your advertising. Of course, it should also contain all the basics of any successful advertising campaign: a clear explanation of the benefits, a powerful call to action and of course, contact information.

On the surface, the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin seems perfectly logical. In the real world though, it’s not. When it comes to investing, any money that you don’t spend can safely sit in your bank account collecting interest. However, when it comes to business, you have overhead and competitors eroding your revenue every single day, and simply not spending the money that you have will only delay the inevitable day when you’ll have to close your doors for good. That is, unless you invest it in the continued success of your company through effective and consistent marketing.

The businesses that make it are the ones that understand this. They are the ones that see marketing as an investment that generate more revenue, rather than an expense.

You don’t need to start by investing thousands of dollars in marketing each month, but you do need to start. Incrementally, your marketing will build upon itself until one day, you become a dominating force in your industry. Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and many other companies routinely invest millions, if not billions of dollars in their marketing each year, but they started at the same level you’re at today.