Traditional Marketing vs. Online Marketing
Traditional marketing, i.e. Radio, TV, Print et al, poses significant barriers for a start-up business. Obviously, it’s very expensive. It’s also inefficient, by almost any definition. They lack targeting, and rely on being exposed to a wide audience with the faint hope that a tiny fraction of one percent of the audience will view the ad at precisely the time and place that they are alert, and that they are interested specifically in what you have to offer.
All Americans are guaranteed our rights to free speech as stated in our Constitution. It’s a wonderful thing, and as Americans, we’re all grateful for it. Until, of course, it’s used against us. Unfortunately, free speech allows anyone to post anything they want about you online, regardless of its veracity or lack thereof. There are a relatively select few out there that abuse this right and use freedom of speech for negative purposes. Social Media, blogging platforms and “complaint” websites provide increased surface area for those with malicious intent to commit defamation. These acts committed online are also difficult to actually remove.
There is a shared norm among the owners of industrial businesses that says it is impossible to market and sell industrial products online. This misconception could not be further from the truth.
Paying between $2.00 -$5.00 per click for advertisements on Google can get expensive. That is why it is imperative that you make sure your sale is juicy, meaning that the revenue per order must be high enough to justify the per click cost. Also, your conversion rate must be such that you are breaking even, at an absolute minimum.
It’s safe to say that the vast majority of teenagers in the United States aspire to attend university or college one day. Even if they may be too young to really see the enormous benefits of furthering their education, it’s highly likely that their parents or caretakers will be looking out for their best interests… and where are they all looking? Online! The bulk of the population, from hopeful teens to anxious moms and dads are online searching, at this very moment, for an educational institution to meet their needs. All of these institutions, however, are competing for new enrollments. Think about how many universities and colleges there are in your state alone. That’s a lot of competition. So, what are they all doing to attract sign ups? What are they doing to target prospects online? Surprisingly, not a whole lot…
CPAs are similar to certain other professions such as attorneys, dentists and physicians. They require advanced degrees and training. They need to stay on top of new trends and developments. Many have specialties. They all can be offered through a single individual or through multiple, even, large numbers of colleagues under one roof. 95% of them also offer their services primarily to local markets.
These days, it’s becoming more and more difficult for companies to bring in new business. Competition is becoming fierce and consumers are now more sophisticated and informed than ever. Many of their purchasing decisions rely on reviews and referrals from a trusted source – whether it is a friend, family member or a company they already do business with.
There is really no doubt that the generation of awareness, interest and inquiry into your goods and services, otherwise known as lead generation, is a huge aspect of online business… especially if you are a B2B company. If you are selling products or services to businesses, you simply must have a lead generation strategy. 
Consultation is a tough business. You must not only set the right expectations for the client, but you must also understand your client’s perspective on your performance. Many times, regardless of what product or service you provide, you and your client will have a difference of opinion on technology, approach, staffing, training and a multitude of other topics. No matter what the consultation subject matter, it is important to understand where your client is coming from, what their modus operandi is, what they know and what they think they know. That said, there are a few primary considerations that are always important towards achieving client satisfaction.
Even twenty years ago, when people thought of marketing and data analysis, they thought of television and radio ads, billboards, flyers and Yellow Page listings. Then, marketing was a gamble because there was no way to track the success of your campaigns without spending thousands of dollars or more. Market research was impossible for every company, except those with a huge budget. It required you to survey hoards of people, to pay them and the people who conducted the surveys. And the truth is, not much of that data was accurate or useful.
There have been so many critical and life changing updates at Google search in the past 12-16 months, it’s pretty difficult to ignore. The fact is that businesses are in ongoing panic mode over the fact that many of them have lost 50% of their traffic. Search marketers are running out of logical answers to complicated algorithm questions that only Google knows the real answers to.
