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Create an Internet Marketing Plan like the Grateful Dead

Posted by Jess Stark on 1/26/11 12:30 PM

A new year is here. It is a time for setting goals and making
improvements. What better time to take a look at your marketing plan and find ways to make it better?

How do you keep your marketing plan fresh and innovative? Simple. Listen to your customers, and provide them a forum to interact with you. Social media is a great way to do that. Utilize tools like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to give your customers ownership.

Differentiate

  • Create a unique business model. What are you better at than your competition? What are you worse at? Awareness of these things allows you to know what your strengths and weaknesses are.
  • Watch your competition but don’t follow. It is good to know what your competition is doing, but make your business your own.
  • Remember business model innovation is just as important if not more so than product innovation.

Be Memorable!

  • When your customer searches for your product or service, you want them to find you, not your competitor.
  • Make your brand name unique, but appropriate for your industry and target market.
  • Being found is more important than having the most memorable domain name.
  • Make sure your business and product name can easily be pronounced.
  • Utilize tools to brainstorm innovative names (search on Amazon.com, combine words, use an alternative spelling, alphabetize, change a common word slightly)
  • Do search engine tests to determine how common, and easily found you will be before making a final decision on a business name or brand name.

Build a Diverse Team

  • Combine diverse backgrounds on your team to achieve synergy.
  • Things are changing fast. Adaptability is more important than background learning. Know the right questions to ask.
  • A good marketing team consists of various people to meet the marketing roles for your business. (Analytics, Reach, Content Creators, Conversion)
  • Find talent outside your company, your industry and your comfort zone.

Remember, consumers are on line because it is a convenient way for them to get information fast. How are they seeing your business (or are they seeing it at all?)

Topics: internet marketing plans