E-Marketing Techniques

E-marketing is the process of marketing a brand using the Internet. However, it seems that most people I encounter, have the misconception that it is all about having a cool web site. A website can be very dynamic, including animated graphics, even audio-visual experiences, but unless your website actually engages its visitors in an exchange of information, it’s still brochure ware. Your website should be a valuable corporate asset, rather than an overhead expense.

Your website should respond to visitors as would your receptionist in your office, It should serve as your virtual receptionist. It should direct visitors to the location in your website that is relevant to their purpose for being there, just as a real receptionist would. Your site should have clear and simple navigation and regularly updated with relevant content. You can effectively communicate aspects of your company’s knowledge and expertise that your clients and business partners might not otherwise learn about. Also, with the appropriate input forms and search engines, you can allow clients and potential clients to tell you something about themselves that could help lead to a future sale for your company, while receiving specifically requested information that they may find useful and valuable.

E-Marketing Techniques
An effective e-marketing program should consist of, at a minimum:

• Company website.
• An online sign up form.
• Email client/application capable of sending and receiving HTML-formatted messages
  Examples of company projects.
• Personnel contact database.
• Adobe Acrobat software for producing universal-format electronic documents (PDF)

Here’s a list of website content items that can keep visitors returning to your site regularly.

• News – updated stories about company events, people, awards and customer stories.
• Free stuff - people do like free stuff. For example, you can have a monthly “free” newsletter offering that anyone can download.
• Do a podcast - offer expert advice.
• Discussion groups – Share your expertise in an interactive manner. If you specialize in a particular area, invite clients and prospects to an online discussion through one of the many inexpensive chat room services such as webex, dim-dim or yugma.