Many people are turning away from traditional jobs for home-based businesses. Whether it is due to necessity from job loss, burn-out from the corporate world, or simply personal preference, the trend continues. Assessing and capitalizing on current and future Internet marketing trends is vital for the survival and success of both new and established online businesses.
While mass marketing was once an effective marketing tool, today’s savvy marketer will concentrate on a small segment of the market. When a marketer targets a small niche within the larger market, the business can better address the particular needs of that group. It also becomes easier to market the product. This translates into increased customer loyalty and greater profits.
A business which only focuses on its product or service, to the exclusion of all else, is not capitalizing on society’s current trends. The goal is assessing and addressing the driving goals, overriding worries, and unique issues within the niche. An example of focusing and meeting the needs of a niche would be reaching out to new Internet marketers who are frustrated with the cost, complexity, low quality and overwhelming options among online marketing programs. Offering free program reviews or selling an affordable, quality, all-in-one package would meet their needs.
That same company could post tips, articles, and even give away free ebooks to address these topics within society. Offering timely, relevant solutions will increase readership and expand the customer base.
Online consumers are growing increasingly more savvy, which is great for the ethical marketer. Consumers expect solid content on sites. The best sites offer clean, user-friendly interfaces. Information should be structured well and highly organized.
The demands of the modern Internet user leaves little room for hyped-up sales pages requiring the reader to scroll through pages and pages of fluff. Any business not willing to present the honest details about their company’s products and services will not last long online. Statistics show a disproportionately high return rate on products purchased through pages filled with empty promises and vague product descriptions. There is no room for deception online.
A better way to reach out is to make use of current trends in online marketing and technology. The newest online vidoes are reaching out to customers like never before, involving them in interactive online activities that create a connection between the potential customer and the product.
Even simple video productions results in a product that holds attention. Videos demand little from the viewer. Yet, they relay the important aspects of the product or site in record time. Videos statistically hold people on a site longer than text pages alone. The longer a visitor remains on a page, the more of a mental and emotional attachment they develop with the company.
In both online and brick and mortar businesses, customer service is crucial. A company that puts the client first will gain customer loyalty, which means current and future profits. A dedicated 24-hour customer service chat room is ideal, but many upstart companies cannot afford such a luxury. Business owners should ensure that someone can get back to customers as immediately as possible. An initial auto-response is a nice acknowledgement, but it is not enough. Personalized messages must freely flow from the customer service department, even if it is simply to inform the customer that they are still working on the problem.
There was a time when a long email list and an efficient spam program meant online success. The days of successfully spamming massive purchased lists are over. Today’s customer wants a relationship with a company, and online social networking enables such connections.
Social media and forums are great ways to connect with customers Businesses often use these means to encourage people to sign up for a newsletter. The newsletter is then another way to reach customers with promotions and helpful information. This organic list of interested, voluntary subscribers is a very powerful marketing tool.
There is no upper limit on the number of people that can achieve financial success online. By focusing on the changing dynamic of a highly fluctuating web community, businesses can meet the people where they are. Flexibility is the name of the online marketing game.