Get Over It!

A friend of mine was recently lamenting the fact that he spends too much time trying to persuade people to take action. He said he would much rather tell them to "get over it" and accept the need for his services, and then he could help them really make a difference.

I know exactly what he means, because I feel that way sometimes about some people's attitude towards the Internet.

So this article is a bit of a rant. Of course, I'm not talking to you. But perhaps you could pass this on to somebody who needs to read it.

The Internet is here to stay.

I've been using the Internet for 20 years. When I first started my business 10 years ago, I could understand people wondering whether the Internet was just a passing fad. But it's here to stay!

And it's not just for spotty teenagers building MySpace pages and unethical marketers sending piles of junk mail. It's a serious, credible, professional business tool.

And if you're not using it, you'll be left behind.

If you're a speaker, trainer, coach, consultant, author or other information expert, you'd better be using the Internet actively in your business.

And that means creating an on-line presence.

Not just a Web site. But more ...

Do you have an e-mail newsletter?
Are you publishing a blog?
Have you started podcasting?
Are you publishing articles on your Web site?
Are your articles appearing on other Web sites?
Do people find you when they search for your topic on Google?
Are you active in on-line communities?
Are you LinkedIn?
Do you even know what "LinkedIn" means?
Do you have a Facebook profile?

These things are no longer optional!

Well, OK, Facebook is optional. But the others are things you must be doing to demonstrate credibility, expertise and authority.

Have you ever done a Google search on a client before a presentation, workshop or consulting session? Well, guess what - they are doing the same to you! They want to know who you are, what you stand for, what you say, and why they should choose you. And if they don't find it, they'll find somebody else.

Your clients have the remote, and they're switching you off.

Here's an example ...

Are you a coach, trainer, consultant or speaker who works with sales professionals?

The REIQ - the Real Estate Institute of Queensland - has just launched a new Web site for its members. Instead of them going to workshops, seminars and training courses, they'll be doing their education on the Internet. The Web site has blogs, video, audio, podcasts, online courses, self-assessment tools, forums and much more.

I know, because I'm a joint venture partner in this project.

And there are thousands like it that I don't know about - and you don't know about - but they might be rapidly eroding your business.

So what can you do?

Glad you asked. Here are a few things ...

Collect e-mail address and send a newsletter.
Publish a blog.
Write articles and put them on your Web site.
Put them on other people's Web sites.
Create a short, sharp informative e-book and give it away.

"But I don't have the time."

Yeah, yeah. I hear that often.

Build a bridge and get over it.

If you don't have the time to be seen as the expert in your field, your clients and customers will find somebody who does!

Sorry if that sounds harsh. Well, no, I'm not really sorry. Maybe it's time to tell it like it is. This really is important. And I'm pulling no punches because it could make or break your business.

Key words: Internet Marketing, Web 2.0

8. Who are the People in Your Neighbourhood?

Understand the relationship that you have with people who interact with your business.

Broadly, they fall into three categories:

The top group, which I call "friends", are your customers - that is, people who have paid you in the past for your products and services.

At the bottom are "strangers" - those who have never heard of you before. They may have found you through an advertisement, by a referral from somebody else, from the Internet, or by some other means.

The "neighbours" are those who have heard about you but are yet to become customers. They might be, for example, the people on your e-mail newsletter mailing list.

Market differently to each group

Of these three groups, which is the largest? Well it's most likely to be strangers, of course. And that's why many businesses spend all their efforts marketing to them.

However, the catch is that they are also the most difficult market to convert into customers. They don't know you, like you or trust you - yet. So it takes a much more concerted sales effort to convince them to buy from you.

On the other hand, the easiest to convince are your existing customers - your "friends". People who have bought from you in the past are much more likely to buy from you again. Even if it's the smallest of the three groups, it might be far more responsive.

To get the greatest leverage from your marketing efforts, make sure you know whether you're directing it at friends, neighbours or strangers.

You MUST market to each group differently.

For example, most direct mail experts start by writing to strangers, and are happy with a 3% response rate. The other 97% just ignore the marketing - and can even be turned off by it. But that's OK for "stranger marketing". However, that sort of marketing is less appropriate when marketing to "friends" - and you certainly can't afford to upset 97% of that group!

So how do you market to "friends"? Nice and easy! If you've built up a relationship, you really don't have to try hard at all. It might be enough to just tell them about new products and services, and they will jump at the chance to buy them. On the other hand, if you try this sort of "no frills" marketing to strangers, they won't buy at all.

If you get this wrong, your WILL fail.

I've seen many businesses make this mistake - especially on the Internet.

For example, most businesses try to get more "traffic" (that is, strangers) to their Web site, but the Web site doesn't do enough to "sell".

I've also seen some marketers who do sell to strangers fall flat on their face because they've tried to use the same marketing techniques to sell more to their customers (friends). Instead of sending a simple announcement about a new product, they write a long, hyped-up marketing letter that upsets their existing customers.

It's true that occasionally a stranger will buy from you despite your weak marketing, or a friend will buy again despite your heavy-handed sales letters. But that's the exception! You'll get far greater leverage by matching your marketing to the type of person.

So keep in mind whether you're dealing with friends, neighbours or strangers - and adapt your marketing accordingly.

About The Author:
Gihan Perera is the author of "The Seven Fatal Mistakes That Most Web Site Owners Make - And How To Avoid Them" and "Spin: Turn One Idea Into Hundreds of Information Products". Visit http://GihanPerera.com and get your complimentary copies now.