Technology has taken the marketing world from print media and focus groups to social media and Google analytics. And just like McDonald’s changed the pace with which we feed, so the Internet has changed the speed with which we consume information.

But beyond speed, we also receive so much more information than ever before. According to a 2007 New York Times article, the average city-dwelling consumer is exposed to up to 5,000 ads a day. That’s a lot of competition for a consumer’s attention.

The Necessity of a Website

Every business should have a website. It need not be flashy, unless your industry demands it, but you need to be available online. A modern customer turns to Google before they ever search other sources.

Another benefit of having a website is you can link it to Google Analytics. This is a free way to learn more about your demographics and the effectiveness of your website itself.

E-Mail Newsletters

If you have a website, having a regular online newsletter is an easy and highly effective additional marketing tool. You can have a sign-up  form available on your website. Use this sign-up area to also discover the demographics of potential customers – offering a catered mailing in return for answers to “gender,” “location,” and “age.”

This is also a great way to offer promotions and unique information  not available on your website. Make it worth the customer’s while.

Social Media: To Use or Not to Use?

Using social media is not a necessity. It really depends on your business whether or not what, if any, forms of social media would be appropriate as a marketing tool.

A business-to-business corporation would have less of a need for an online presence, whereas a business-to-consumer corporation would do well to create an online persona.

The best part of social media is you can quickly develop a relationship with your potential customer.

As technology and social media continue to expand, your marketing needs will continue to evolve. But it’s important to remember, that no matter how strong an online presence your business has, nothing can replace an actual conversation with a customer. Don’t get trapped behind the computer screen.

Traditional business dictates that sales leads be generated through sales people. The most common roadblock we face at Dreamscape Marketing when explaining the power of a website to potential clients is the “traditional sales” argument. A popular belief amongst brick and mortar businesses is that a website is simply a sign post for customers to navigate to when they need an email address, phone number or office location. These businesses believe their sales will only come from where they have always originated, a sales force. What these businesses do not realize, and what may end up hurting them in the long run, is that the market for sales properly utilizing the internet is enormous for ANY business model.

A strategically designed website, developed utilizing a combination of search engine optimization and content building techniques, could not only improve your sales, it could begin generating sales for you in your sleep! Businesses must realize that internet marketing is the future of traditional marketing. Within the next decade, as millennial’s enter the workforce, lead generation will fully integrate into the digital arena.

If you need a recent reminder of this trend, look no further than your own business. Four years ago, “green” business was restricted to paperless credit card statements and cell phone bills. However, today, I guarantee your business has taken some steps to become more environmentally friendly. Website development has assisted this movement with huge steps, integrating websites with operating systems and moving data from print to PDF just to name a few examples. Green marketing is now the future of marketing. In order to stay competitive in business, companies must be ready to utilize eco-friendly marketing techniques to stay on par with competitors.

In much the same way, lead generation through a properly optimized website is the future of sales. With a dynamic website that ranks your business for relevant keyword searches, your sales area will expand from regional to global. Another advantage is that your website, unlike your company’s salespeople, does not have a salary, health benefits, vacation, sick days, sales metric bonuses, or suffer from bouts of procrastination. It will work for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additionally, website development and optimization services can be performed to a level that fits within your business’s operating budget. Your return on investment from the proper development of a website can often be measured in multiples of spend. Using products like Google Analytics, marketing consultants can track this data for you and present it in a concise and clear manner.

We recently had the opportunity to work with Rhino Group Media,  a Philadelphia website development client. Rhino Group launched a site with an interactive flash sample portfolio that creates an unique experience for their site visitors, while simultaneously providing compelling sales messaging.

Instead of restricting yourself to your traditionally customers, think outside the box ahead of the curve. Using your website to generate sales leads today can lead to significant business growth tomorrow.