The primary concept is that online marketing works best when you email people who already know you. Therefore, successful online marketers build their "house file" or "e-list" (lists of prospects and their email addresses) using the process outlined below, and then sell to those people via email marketing.
Here’s how it works.
1. Build a website that positions you or your company as an expert, guru, or leader in your field or industry. This is the "base of operations" for your online marketing campaign.
2. This website should include a home page, an "About the Company" page and a page with brief descriptions of your products and services (each product or service description can link to a longer document on the individual item).
3. You should also have an "Articles" page where you can post articles you have published on your industry or area of specialty, and where visitors can read and download these articles for free (e.g., a home improvement contractor would have tips for small do-it-yourself home improvement projects).
4. Write a short special report or white paper relating to the problem your product or service addresses, and make this available to people who visit your site. They can download it for free, but in exchange, they have to register and give you their email address (and any other information you want to capture).
5. Consider also offering a monthly online newsletter, or "e-zine." People who visit your site can subscribe free if they register and give you their email address. You may want to give the visitor the option of checking a box that reads: "I give you permission to send me email about products, services, news and offers that may be of interest to me."
6. The more content (useful information) on your site, the better. More people will be attracted to your site, and they will spend more time on it. They will also tell others about your site.
7. The model is to drive traffic to your site where you get them to sign up for either your free report or free e-zine. Once they register, you have their email address and can now market to them via email as often as you like at no extra cost.
8. The bulk of your online leads, sales, and profits will come from repeat email marketing to this "house" list of prospects. Therefore, your goal is to build a large e-list of qualified prospects as quickly and inexpensively as you can.
9. There are a number of online marketing options that you can use to drive traffic to your site. These include social media marketing (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs), free publicity, email marketing, banner advertising, affiliate marketing, search engine optimization, and direct mail.
The key to success is this: try many different tactics in small and inexpensive tests, throwing out the ones that don’t work and doing more of those that are effective.
Source: This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter.
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