Good vs Great Web Marketing Strategy

Are you struggling with how to create a web marketing strategy? As a web designer with 12+ years experience, I come in contact with many business owners embarking on the journey of creating a web site for the first time, or businesses who have shifted in some way or another and need to redesign their existing web site. The best advice I recommend is to sit down, map out your goal, and take the four following major areas into consideration. Focus your attention on these four key marketing strategy elements, they will make the difference between a good web site and a great web site.

Establishing a Business Brand

Unique is the most important word for your business brand. Your brand becomes the unique identity for your business, and it’s all the thoughts, feelings and expectations that are associated with that identity as well. People think about brands in terms of the overall impression they have of them, including logos, colors and images; personal experiences of the product or service; and even news reports about the company. This total perception, living in the heart and mind of your customer, is your brand.

Brands need to be positioned, which means defining who they’re for and why they’re the best choice. For example , if we have an intended audience (families on a budget) and a differential (kid-friendly, stylish rooms); this is the beginning of brand building. In addition, you should articulate a brand promise that lays out what to expect from an experience of your brand.  

Examples of a brand

• Volvo promises its cars are the safest.
• Ben and Jerry’s brand promises innovative ice cream flavors and social responsibility.
• FedEx promises your packages will be delivered overnight.

I promise you can increase sales without selling out. What’s your brand promise? Unenlightened marketers skip this step entirely and doom themselves to commodity status. Do you want to be just another entry in the Chamber of Commerce directory? Of course not! You want to be the Starbucks of your profession.

Starbucks proved the power of branding by transforming a measly pennies-per-cup beverage into an experience its audience would pay scads of money for. They expanded the coffee playing field from simply aroma and flavor to include atmosphere, skilled service (not from wait staff, but “barristers”), fair trade and more benefits than my poor little truck stop coffee counter had ever heard of. How can you transform your own commodity into a brand? (Hint: differentiated value)

The irony here is that almost every business has a brand identity of some kind, just not necessarily the one they want. You've heard people refer to “the expensive place,” or “that weird guy who does something tax-related.” Then there's the reference “cars for old people,” or “the ones made in sweat shops.” You see people brand you on their own. The point is to brand yourself on purpose and put the information out there where your potential clients can see and hear your business brand identity. Work at making it as prominent in the minds of your audience as the other impressions they receive. If you don’t do it, someone else will do it for you, and you might not like the results.  

Know your audience Know who buys your product. What are their interests? What is precious to them, enough to prioritize above other purchases? Well-positioned brands have a clear audience, a unique selling position and make a compelling promise.  

Not sure you have what it takes to be a brand? Visit my website and click to leave a voice message and Lynn K. Thompson, the branding pro, will help you develop a branding package for your business. Whether it's a logo or a complete marketing package, she can help you put your personal stamp on your business brand.

Develop A Twelve Week Strategy

Create a twelve week strategy to take you through the second quarter of 2013. As we end the first quarter, many business owners should be evaluating their bottom line to see what they can improve on for the rest of the year. The biggest challenge increase sales. Don’t stop by just adding a dollar value, make sure you add a goal with a number to help you know you have accomplished the goal. A great example, “I will increase customer base by 20%”.


Begin by thinking of new and different ways to attract customers. Use this as an opportunity to build on what’s already working. If you have a product or service that’s successful, create an add-on to keep your customer engaged, and interested in your service. For example, if you successfully provide group travel, think about offering group trips to travelers who frequently travel. Building add-ons also help to attract new and similar customers.

Understand the Sales Process

If you analyze the steps a customer goes through in order to make a decision to purchase, break down the steps and focus on improving them, you will become better at the sales process. Break down the steps and work through them every 12 weeks. You will absolutely improve.

How To Attract Customers

Many business owners only deploy a handful of ways to attract customers. Make a list of your products and services. Once the list is created, sit for an hour and make a list of ways to attract customers. Revise and rework the list every 12 weeks. For example you are a travel agent, what kind of travel group subsets can you attract? Can you provide travel for skiers,  golf tours, ministry groups?

Capture Your Best Buyers

Build a special program for your best buyers. Work on them regularly. If you focus on your best buyers your business will grow rapidly. Let’s face it we all know and love our best buyers, our favorite customers. Can you imagine what it would be like to have a list of favorites?
Create a profile of what your best buyer looks like. Use traits like, industry, business type, look at where you would find similar buyers. Focusing on attracting and retaining the best buyers will help to lower your marketing cost.
Looking for a way to attract new customers, need help creating a plan? Call me for a free consultation 678-460-7781, or click here to send me a message. I love to help small business owners become more successful. Know someone who needs to read this information, what not share the knowledge by clicking on the links below?