Why Doing Good Online Marketing is SO Important

Many companies, both large and small, are still reluctant to dip their toes into the ocean called Social Media.

Why are many companies so reluctant to start using Social Media? After doing some research, I have come to the conclusion it is because of the age old fear that most of us go through - the fear of change. Many companies believe the old ways have worked for years – why should they change now? A number of people have told me they don’t have the time and/or they don’t want to waste their time on this "fad". Many have no idea what the different sites have to offer.

To use an example, a lot of people know about Facebook profiles but they have no idea about Facebook Pages. Consequently, they think Facebook is just a site where people share stories and pictures about their families, play games, talk about what they ate for breakfast or other things just about as mundane.

The Old Ways of Marketing

Until recently, people have thought that the only type of effective marketing is what is referred to as static marketing. The concept of this type of marketing is what many call "one to many". The mediums used with this type of marketing are TV ads (often where someone is screaming at you about the product – think of Billy Mays or Joe Isuzu) . Billboards – those lovely large signs that litter up our beautiful landscape. Print advertising is effective – that type of advertising goes back for years..

The problems with that type of marketing are as follows:

TV remotes and DVRs. Nowadays just about everyone has a remote so we often just push the mute button – especially when an obnoxious ad comes on. If a show is recorded, most people fast forward through the ads.
Short term - has to be done over and over for people to become aware of the product and/or service.
Very impersonal. No relationship is build and no loyalty is developed. People will go elsewhere if they feel they can get a better deal.
Expensive – the cost is prohibitive. It really limits who can do it – companies have to have deep pockets.
Random – no way to track who is getting the message and how effective it is.

The New Way of Marketing

Social Media is here to stay – it is not just a fad. Marketing online is a two-way conversation and is about communicating with others instead of "preaching to the choir". People are now going online to check out products and services long before they buy. They want to know what the product or service is going to do for them.

Recently I read an article about how many companies are missing the boat. The author used an example of about looking for a car that he and his wife were planning to buy in about six months – they were in no hurry - just wanted to know what was out there.

He went onto the sites of several large automotive companies. Everything he found was very cut and dried. He then decided to browse some of the different dealerships in his town. All he could find was information about financing deals if he was willing to bargain within 48 hours. There was literally nothing personal on any site or anything to make him want to stay on the site.

What if instead, he had gotten information on different cars, had learned about the people in the different departments and had read some personal stories of customer satisfaction? Or what if there had been a landing page where he could have downloaded something of value. How about some blog postings about the inner workings of the dealership or tips about how to prolong the life of your car. Wouldn’t this interest you more and make you more willing to bookmark the site for future visits?

This is what the new marketing is all about. If you are not embracing the idea, you had better think twice. Otherwise, one day you could find your inventory is high and your client base is low.