great teacher - time

Grow your business with Internet Marketing

Introduction
If you see the Internet as just another marketing channel like billboards or Yellow Page ads or printed brochures, then you are overlooking a major upheaval that is going on around you. The Internet is a significant infrastructure change for all segments of society. Companies and individuals are fundamentally changing the way they do some of the most basic business and work functions.
The Internet is a Two-way Communication Channel
There are two principal strengths of the Internet. One is the ability to communicate. Rich-media information can go from one individual to another individual via the Internet. That could be an animated web page, or a video clip, or a detailed quotation or a simple e-mail message. It's all powerful stuff and well justifies all the efforts.
Indeed this aspect of the Internet is causing major organizational changes. Companies outsource operational functions to other companies around the world. New alliances of companies are possible as each performs in some collaborative arrangement with its partners. It also means that many individuals are changing the way they do their jobs. There are now privileged ways of communicating with them. At the same time, they often need to put up walls to keep out unwanted intruders. That often includes sales people.
The Internet Creates Connectivity
The other strength of the Internet is connectivity or the ability to make new interconnections. This means that a purchaser can become aware of the existence of a new supplier and can then make contact. It has now become a reality as high-speed computers through advanced searching techniques find potential suppliers from around the world. This allows purchasers to look for suppliers in a much more thorough way. It also allows sellers to find potential prospects in ways never before possible.
Internet Marketing
Marketing is concerned with the total two-way communication between a company and its customers and prospects. Internet marketing is becoming the principal vehicle for this customer-contact process. Other traditional marketing activities still have a role but are often used in a complementary way to give maximum impact and return on the total effort.
Internet Marketing (IM) is concerned with the total process of attracting prospects and creating sales. Search engines can be powerful vehicles for bring traffic to a website. Maximising this is the objective of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) or Search Engine Optimization (SEO). These are part of the total Internet Marketing function.
Internet Marketing cannot be sub-contracted out since it is so central to the company's vitality and growth. It must be supported as a core company function. A web designer can rarely handle this aspect of Internet activity. A website is a key component but web designers have their hands full just handling all the intricacies of creating websites that perform as they should.
Developing the core Internet Marketing skills
One problem in developing the necessary in-house skills to do Internet Marketing successfully is that the Internet changes rapidly and continuously. The Internet is complex and different skill levels can produce very different outcomes. This can be catastrophic if the competitors know how to exploit the Internet better than you do.
To help reinforce your Internet Marketing skills, it is preferable to involve an Internet Marketing consultant or coach. Such an expert will be aware of all Internet developments and knowledgeable on the most effective ways of making sales grow. Such an individual can work as part of the company team to ensure the most effective Internet Marketing is done. At the same time, an outsider's perspective can ensure that plans are using the best techniques available and are realistic.

posted by sax @ 6:25 PM