IDEA BRIGHT MARKETING & RESEARCH CORPORATION
The E-Marketing 2.0 Planning Handbook
Resource Guide for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses
2010
130 W 8TH STREET, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA 16501
Finding Customers Looking for You
The E-Marketing 2.0 Planning Handbook for Small to Mid-sized Businesses
“Business has two functions – marketing and innovation” ~Milan Kundera – Novelist, 1929
Idea Bright Marketing & Research Corporation Erie, Pennsylvania Copyright © 2010 by Idea Bright Marketing & Research Corporation All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America First Edition 2
Idea Bright Marketing & Research Corporation 130 W 8th Street Erie, Pennsylvania 16501 www.ideabrightmarketing.com
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Table of Contents E-Marketing ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 How Can a Website Work for Your Business? ............................................................................................................... 7 Choosing a Website Developer ................................................................................................................................. 7 Content Creation ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 What is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing? ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Where to begin? .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Testing your Campaigns ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. How do Search Engines Work? ....................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. What Matters with SEO? ............................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Keywords ............................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Don’t Overdo It ...................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Crawl-ability/Accessibility ...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. In-Bound Links ....................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. What is e-mail marketing?.............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Benefits of E-Mail Marketing ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. E-Marketing Plan .......................................................................................................................................... 19 New Website Development Form ...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Internet Marketing Glossary..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..30
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Introduction to the Handbook This resource is provided by Idea Bright Marketing & Research Corporation (Idea Bright Marketing) to help small to mid-sized business marketing professionals make strategic planning initiatives about introducing or enhancing electronic technology marketing for their respective organizations. This handbook provides the foundation necessary to increase the knowledge and understanding of electronic marketing practices and their impact on businesses in today’s marketplace.
Readers discover the fundamentals necessary to create proactive electronic marketing strategies and educate themselves on the current best practices different e-marketing channels. Supporting documentation and statistical impacts are referenced throughout this handbook to emphasize the importance of each element.
Prior to reviewing this handbook, it is highly encouraged to familiarize yourself with the glossary that contains common phrases and terminology relating to electronic marketing. After reviewing the information in this handbook, it is strongly encouraged that you speak with a professional technology marketing professional to ensure the best possible solution for your organization or business.
Feel free to contact Idea Bright Marketing at the conclusion of this course to learn about more programs available. You can visit them on the web at www.ideabrightmarketing.com.
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What is E-Marketing E-Marketing
E-marketing means using digital technologies to help sell your goods or services. These technologies are a valuable complement to traditional marketing methods whatever the size of your company or your business model. The basics of marketing remain the same - creating a strategy to deliver the right messages to the right people. What has changed is the number of options you have. Though businesses will continue to make use of traditional marketing methods, such as advertising, direct mail and PR, e-marketing adds a whole new element to the marketing mix. Many businesses are producing great results with e-marketing and its flexible and cost-effective nature makes it particularly suitable for small businesses. (“What is e-marketing?� Business Link) There are a wide variety of mediums to promote a business electronically and we’re going to discuss the initial, and most critical, basic elements of these mediums. The following diagram displays each element of e-marketing that will be discussed in this handbook.
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Website Development
How Can a Website Work for Your Business? A website can have many different functions for a business. This is becoming increasingly evident as the “electronic” generation begins to enter the work force and implement computer usage to record highs in the business place. In 2006, according to the “Survey of Electronic Commerce and Technology,” 85% of businesses in North America were utilizing high-speed internet connections to conduct business electronically. Today, having a brochure on a website isn’t enough to compete with the ever increasing demand of electronic business practices. Today, some of the most common uses of a corporate or business website are: • • • • • • • • •
Transacting Business Online (e-commerce) Customer Relationship Building Lead Generation Niche Marketing & Message Placement Expanding Markets Reaching Broader Target Audiences Streamlining Sales Processes Pre-Qualifying Potential Customers & Clients Reduce Marketing Expenses While Increasing Profits
Choosing a Website Developer If you have ever sourced a web project, you very well quickly may have learned that there are plenty of “website developers” out there. The next question we must discuss is how to select a web developer to design and implement such a critical element of your business.
Before we start, let’s reemphasize that it is highly encouraged to have a professional complete your web development and design. We have all heard the following comment:
“…I’ll just use my nephew to design my website; he’s good with computers...” 7
It’s possible that a poorly designed website can hurt your business more than it helps.
While this may be true, keep in mind that marketing electronically is now an extremely complex process that requires a lot of technical expertise to be done correctly. While your nephew’s work may seem extremely good to you, odds are, if he’s not a professional website developer or programmer, there are many critical elements to the design that may actually hurt your business more than help it.
When deciding on your website’s developer, keep these three things in mind:
Interview them as if you were hiring a new employee Ask a lot of questions and get them all answered Clearly define the project requirements and timeline
In order to make the most out of your relationship with your website developer, you want to ensure that you are thoroughly prepared for the process. Before selecting any project to begin you want to work with your prospective website developer to create a solid plan for the design of your new online storefront. Just as you wouldn’t hand a builder a blank check to build a house, you shouldn’t start a website development project without a clear plan in place. To achieve this, discuss these five items with your developer to: Create a project plan Create measurable objectives 8
Set Timeline Develop an overall e-marketing strategy (We will begin this today) Budget the project and discuss unforeseen costs
Content Creation Content is one of the most critical elements to a website. Updated and fresh content that is relevant to your customer base will be the basic foundation to creating a solid website foundation. There are 8 rules that we want you to remember when creating website content.
Write Well Easy to Read (Keep It Simple) Have a Point Make It Urgent
•Spelling, Grammar, Tense, Punctuation, etc. •Headers/Subheaders (One Paragraph per subhead), Bullet Points, Images, etc. •Each Page should have one purpose/Action Item, Make it OBVIOUS •Deadlines, Special Offers
Get Personal
•"You" (Second Person), Write like a conversation, Speak to your customers needs, Use their language
Be Consistent
•Font, Writing Style, Punctuation, Timing/Frequency
Sell Benefits, not Features Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
•Don't describe the product - Explain how it will make their life better •And proofread again, Buddy System, Spell Check
A robust content strategy is essential. Here are some ways to expand content: • • • • • • • • • • 9
Create and promote an informative guide Development and distribute a white paper Solicit user generated content Add a blog and get the word out Write articles Expand a FAQ section Build case studies Create a glossary Review product Add testimonials
Download the Rest of the Guide by Contacting Idea Bright Marketing
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