When companies have exhausted ALL other marketing avenues to no avail, they often (out of desperation) turn to pricing.  “It has to be our pricing, if we lower our prices we will attract more market share…” That may work if you are WalMart or IKEA, but relying on price to sell your products or services can ultimately result in a huge dilemma when you need to raise them due to market pressures, market conditions, etc.

I had a great conversation with an Ad Agency exec today about Cheap, she brought up this point: “What is Subway going to do when they have to raise the price of the 5 dollar foot long?” You know the day will have to come, lettuce prices may skyrocket, flour or rent prices may jack up, Jared falls off the wagon and starts hitting the Twinkies & Deep Fried Hot Dogs again. The fact of the matter is this: the marketplace will more than likely react adversely to this change.  By backing your product into a pricing war, you back yourself into many uncomfortable corners.

It doesn’t pay to be cheap, it doesn’t pay to sell by price.  When your sales team and your web site start selling value, amazing customer service, passion, expertise, etc., amazing things start to happen.  You start being remarkable. If you can sell at a great price and STILL offer value, amazing customer service and passion, the ball is all in your court.

Does your web site focus on pricing or being amazing?

Call me today and let’s discuss: 407-830-4550.

When I get a new prospect on the phone, the first question I ask is elementary: How can I help you today? 9 times out of 10, the answer I hear is the same…. I’m frustrated with my existing web design / Internet marketing company:

“They don’t answer the phone when I need something changed on my web site….”
“I can’t even find myself in the search engines after three months!”
“They take forever to update my web site!”
“They never get back to me in a timely fashion”
“My web site sucks.”
“My web site just doesn’t convert.”
“The content that they have been delivering looks like amateurs composed it.”
“They just don’t get it.”

I could go on. When it comes to one of your most important marketing pieces, don’t you think that you should LOVE the company you are working with? Shouldn’t they be proactive and call YOU? Shouldn’t they be watching your web site and seeking new opportunities for you? Shouldn’t they be eager to meet with you to explore new marketing possibilities? Shouldn’t they be a true marketing partner? I think so, and my clients think so as well.  If you are sick and tired of being ignored, tired of amateur freelancers with ZERO marketing experience, tired of sub par work, you need to experience my company.

Call the Orlando web design and Internet marketing experts today: 407-830-4550 or Nationwide: 866-998-6886.

I’ve talked to many prospects in the last two weeks and keep seeing a trend that is gnawing away at me daily.  People are constantly getting bad information, they are getting their heads filled with BAD SEO advice, with BAD video marketing advice and with BAD Social media advice.  I thought it would be helpful to post my 5 key Internet marketing fundamentals that you need to know.

1.) Don’t skimp on your web design.  Your web site is the vehicle that needs to be driven. If you are driving a 1978 baby poop green station wagon, odds are, it’s gonna break down soon. Also, hire a firm that TRULY understands SEO (make sure that you can find them in Google!). Many web design firms claim that they are fully experienced with SEO but don’t have a clue.

2.) Write your web site copy FOR your prospects, NOT for search engines.  Sprinkle in keywords where appropriate, Google knows what to do with the rest.  CONTINUE to add copy and rich content to your web site, the keywords will start to flow naturally.

3.) Make it your business to know where your prospects are hanging out online.  If you are selling business to business are your efforts better spent on LinkedIn or would you prefer hanging out with all of the MLM spammers on Twitter? Know your market, know where TO market.

4.)  Stay on top of your competition.  Follow them on Social Media, interact with them if possible. What are they doing? What’s changing, how are they addressing changes in market conditions, etc.?

5.) BE the expert.  Set yourself apart from your competition by contributing your expertise to prospects and clients.  Be a giver and reap the benefits.

6.) Look, A Squirrel! Stay on course.  Despite many Gurus beliefs, people do not instantly become overnight millionaires online.  Focus on the big picture and stay focused. Do, of course, watch for other marketing opportunities online, i.e., new social media applications, a youtube campaign, etc., but focus on providing expertise at all cost.

7.)  Sip from the right fire hose. To succeed online, you must educate yourself.  For marketing philosophy, stick to Seth Godin, for seo tips and Internet marketing advice, I prefer Search Engine Watch, for Google information, I hang out at Matt Cutt’s Blog, Matt works for Google and provides valuable insight: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/. For all things web design, I prefer Smashing magazine and for social media news and info, I visit Mashable.com

8.) The Internet is not a miracle worker.  If your company can’t get it together, if your product is mediocre, if your sales team does not bother to follow up or call the leads back don’t bother trying to market it.  There are too many companies dedicated to greatness that ‘get it’ and treat customers, vendors, employees and prospects like gold.

9.) Don’t just Set It And Forget It. This may work for the Ole’ Ronco Showtime Rotisserie, but it does NOT apply to the Internet.  Keep your web site up to date, current, relevant, attractive, clean and then do it again, over and over.

10.) Work with experts.  Just because Billy the Intern took a few courses in College about flash and web design does not qualify him to build, market and promote your corporate web site.  Honestly, you run the risk of losing more money by trying to skimp on hiring professionals to build and promote your web site.  Keep your team focused on your corporate mission and trust your web site and Internet marketing to professionals.

THE BOTTOM LINE.

Above all, don’t believe everything you read online. Don’t buy into the guaranteed results, don’t buy into the get rich overnight stuff, and PLEASE don’t pay the GURU who is going to build 92,000 inbound links to your web site and make you a millionaire tomorrow AM by 11:15.

Call me, we are those experts. In Orlando: 407-830-4550, Nationwide: 866-998-6886. Web Design, Internet Marketing, Social media. www.ontargetwebsolutions.com.