starts when a web site is being planned... And is not what many think: just banner advertisement and search engine optimization, Adwords at Google or Pay per click at MSN
A site nobody is interested in or a web site that offers products nobody wants to buy, will not have the success targeted, even when a million dollar budget on online advertisement is reserved. A site which is supported by an online marketing strategy from start and which is based on an online concept will however be worth the investment to promote further on the Net.
A well thought through online marketing strategy demands thorough understanding of the internet. It requires knowledge of the restrains, possibilities and costs of the technical aspects.
A good marketing strategy for the internet is based on involvement and interactivity with your online target audience. Interactivity is achieved through technique combined with scripting/programming and a creative mind.
An effective online marketing strategy is therefore much more than simply a slogan, pretty pictures and also more than just a collection of products displayed on the Net. It is presenting what you have to offer in an convincing and appealing way. It is about providing sufficient and proper information about your services or products that the user can feel confident about before he/she buys, orders or books. Online marketing is about CREDIBILITY and trust.
"What do your clients want and need from you?" is the starting point of any good internet marketing strategy. It is by far the most important question and therefore needs to be answered. The answer to this question is transformed into an online application, serving your clients and the result will be that your site will be visited and used.
The Company you hire, need to work closely with your marketing department if your Company has one, and manage the target group research if this required information is not up to date. The Company you hire have to analyze your existing infrastructure which requires input from your IT department. It is very important that the Firm you hire knows' whether you have a CRM and how it is structured or which customer information is saved in your databases. The Firm you hire has to know your objectives, targets and your next mile stones to be able to align your e-commerce project with your business perspectives.
The results of there findings will be documented and delivered to you. You need to receive detailed information about what is possible and what has to be improved first, to be able to implement the online interactivity and data collection you want. We cannot rule out that a specific feature on your web site cannot be realized under the current situation unless you will improve first, for example, your database.
All this guarantees that the marketing strategy will be revealed at the launch of your site and not a minute earlier.
Billy Horner is one of the the founders of Visual Orange Co., Ltd., offers search engine optimization and online marketing in Ayutthaya, Thailand. He has been involved in web development and marketing for 8 years in Asia and has helped several businesses to succes http://www.visualorange.net