Why your customers would rather Google and how you need to connect the dots

It’s overwhelming we know.

There used to be a time when money was your most valuable commodity. If you had a large advertising budget you would outshine the rest. Communicating with your customer through traditional media did the trick. You would place a snippet in your local paper, maybe record a radio piece, design a great-looking magazine advertisement or print some flyers. Your customer would phone you and 1,2,3 the job was done.

Even though constant visual reminders are great for brand building, traditional media is losing market share. Your customer is no longer interested in sales talk, they want to know how you will add value to their lives.

What’s with the jargon?

You regularly hear the words, Facebook, Twitter, blogging, online presence, web traffic and SEO. What does this have to do with running a business?

Human attention is in short supply, we are now living in an attention economy and suddenly no one is interested in your sales message, they would rather Google.

It is all about having a unique positioning – your website is no longer just an information source, it is an online sales tool.

You have to drive your traffic to find you. It is all about having a presence, communicating about your products and services online (in a way that appeals to your customer) and allowing your content to bring your customer to you!

So what are the 5 vital steps in your new sales cycle?

Strategy

We know, you need results and you need it now! But without a plan, this is not likely to happen. So, where do we start?

Your business needs to be analysed, with the help of a customised online communications strategy. Wow, big concept!  This is a document that determines who you are, who your target audience is, what excites them, why your product or service will benefit them, where you can find them and how you should speak to them.

Web Design

This is not just about pretty pictures. Web-users respond very differently to reading an article in a magazine or brochure than browsing a website.

In traditional media, communication only went one way. With great web design, fresh content, the use of video, photographs and innovative applications, your customer’s online experience of your brand will improve, helping to build trust and credibility.

Web Development

How do you develop a website that serves your target audience?

• Is your customer on mobile? If so, your site needs to be responsive.
• Do you want to sell online?  You need an efficient and seamless e-commerce system.
• Need to do regular updates? Take control through a content management system.

Using the latest best-practice web technologies and optimisation techniques, your website can serve as a powerful communication tool for your clients.

Online Marketing

Traditional media spoke to the masses about products they did not really need.

It was usually very expensive and very difficult to measure.

Online marketing mechanisms can provide highly measurable results and cost-effective ways to succeed.

This includes an active social media presence.  Remember the attention economy?  Your customer consumes information in smaller chunks, they find the information online, if it appeals to them, they will engage.

Management

Your online presence is valuable so you need to take care of it.

Find a provider that offers efficient systems and progress tracking, as well as daily and monthly reports.  Your needs, target audience, pricing and competitors will change in the future.  So a mere word of advice – ensure that your online presence is maintained, updated and (most importantly) found.

It seems to be an online jungle out there. Can you afford to wait?