Integrated Marketing Strategies for the Digital World

1. Usha Sliva usha@writechoiceforyou.com www.writechoiceforyou.com Image courtesy jscreationzs Digital Marketing Guide for the new businessman

2. Marketing has changed the way we view products and services. Shouldn’t it change the way we sell them? Image courtesy jscreationzs Out with the old, in with the new

3. Today, anyone can publish content on a website or blog. But it’s getting an audience to read and react that’s important. You can do that only by listening to what the consumer has to say, and giving them what they need. Image courtesy jscreationzs Become a publisher

4. Websites, blogs, social media, social networking..... these terms can be confusing. Which one can you use? Which one is the best one for your business? Begin by identifying your niche audience. Who are they and where do they hang out? Find your niche

5. Your customer is the king or queen. His opinions do count. Listen to what he has to say and react to it immediately. Image courtesy jscreationzs It’s all about the customer

6. Your website can be one of the best tools you create to communicate with your customers. Is it interactive? Do you provide great content – content which is useful – on it? Is it regularly updated? If you don’t, expect to lose, not gain customers. Websites

7. Email We’re used to sending and receiving emails. First it was on our desktops, then on our laptops and netbooks, and now via our smart phones. Email marketing can net you a wider audience of ‘listening’ customers. Send emails only once your customer has granted you ‘permission’ to do so. Use autoresponders like www.aweber.com and www.constantcontact.com for easy delivery. Image courtesy jscreationzs

8. Press Releases Online press releases create instant viral messages. There are hundreds of press releases sites which will distribute your release online, but only the top 10 are really useful. Use them wisely to send out targeted, informational messages. Image courtesy jscreationzs

9. Don’t underestimate the power of an ezine article. Directories like www.ezinearticles.com & www.goarticles.com &www.articlebase.com are strong contenders and have a large reader-base. But are your articles getting read? It’s all in the title and content, so ensure you get your message out with a strong heading and valuable text. Ezine Directories

10. What if you have lots to say? An ebook or guide will help you say it. Offer it for free to grow your client list. Offer it for a fee to expand your line of income. Either way, a well written ebook is an invaluable marketing tool. Don’t forget graphics – pictures, charts and diagrams – make for better sales. eBooks

11. Need to add authority to your message? Try creating a white paper which is a report or guide that offers authoritative advice. A white paper has to be factual and professionally written to hold weight. It will help educate your audience and provide them with answers and solutions. It has to be well researched in order to be believed. White Papers

12. Grow your customer base by providing them with regular, updated eZines or eNewsletters. Offer them solutions, discounts, advice and tips. Short regular text can prove effective for retail companies. Longer messages sent out less frequently work well for professional companies or as an in-house communication tool. Remember to get permission before you send out your eZine or eNewsletter. eNewsletters

13. A well written, updated blog can be one of the best tools to reach out to your customer. In order for it to succeed a blog has to be: Written in a communicative style Regularly updated Archived and commented on Shared Interactive Maintaining its own Unique Selling Points (USP’s) that differentiate it from its competitors Image courtesy IdeaGo Blogs

14. Have something you can teach online? How about doing it via an eCourse? eCourse are easy to upload and share. Offer them for free or as a paid course over a period or days or weeks. Combine them with teleseminars for added value. eCourses

15. Now you have a number of choices to select from. But which one is for you? Select one or more of the above by doing the following: Researching your niche. Listening to what they have to say. Writing and rewriting your objectives. Planning a short term strategy and a long-term strategy. Deciding on techniques – hiring a part time content writer, signing on to tools that help easy uploads etc – that work for you. Which one is for me?

16. usha@writechoiceforyou.com www.writechoiceforyou.com Thank You