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Ten Ways to Include the Web in Your Sales & Marketing

By: Thomas Wood-Young

The Internet has proven it can generate sales for just about any type of business. The key to online marketing success is proper integration with current sales and marketing activities, as the Web compliments what you already do effectively. Here are ten ideas to make that happen.

1. Make it Part of the Plan
The first step is to include the Internet in your marketing plan. This may seem like common sense, but many companies still do not mention the Web in their marketing strategy. The Web plays three important roles in your company's marketing action plan. It can be used to develop a brand, generate leads, or produce sales orders directly as a sales channel. All Web efforts should fall under one of these three strategies.

Additionally, it is a very important part of your sales process either generating leads directly for your sales team, providing the sales team with content that helps close a sale, or maintaining customers via online customer service.

2. Use it to Build a Consistent Brand and Message
The Web is a key communication touch point for customers and key business associates. Often, customers make their first impression of your company on your Web site, then come back to learn more based on their initial visit. Keep in mind that visitors to your Website are already qualified or they would not be on the site. This is different from other forms of mass marketing where your message is seen by many who have little or no interest in your offering.

It is important that the Website matches all components of your company's communication pieces in look and content. This includes your logo, business cards, advertisements, brochures and anything that is seen by your customers. This sends a message to your target market that you will be consistent in your service and product offering and that you know what you are doing. It is a sign of professionalism.

3. Gain Customers with Knowledge-Based Content
Visitors come to your Website to get information that will make their job easier or enhance the quality of their life. They do not want to read content about your company, but rather content that helps them meet their goals. Gain more customers by providing knowledge-based content that gives current and potential customers answers to specific questions and helps them solve problems. To do this properly, you must get inside their heads and understand exactly what they are looking for. One of the best ways to do this is through visitor surveys and usability testing. The ability to see your Website as your customer sees it will bring great results for your business.

4. Take Advantage of the Web's Great ROI
Internet marketing should provide very good Return-on-Investment (ROI), when compared to other sales and marketing expenses. If the ROI is not strong, then there are probably problems with how you are marketing online. Be careful not to set unrealistic expectations and set up tracking mechanisms for online activities.

5. Monitor Web Statistics to Tune-Up Sales
Get the stats you want on a weekly basis from your Web hosting company. You should be reviewing the number of unique visitors by month, which pages on your site are drawing customers, search engine referrers, conversion rates, number of email signups for your newsletter and other key stats. Understanding where your visitors are coming from and what is most interesting to them can help you tune-up your sales approach online and offline.

6. Combine Offers Incentives
Discounts and special offers should be combined with the Web and traditional media to generate maximum impact, increase sales, and build the brand. Send customers to your Web site for a coupon and expose them to additional benefits. Your Web pricing should reflect the cheaper costs of selling on the Web. Remember, the best promotion of all is lower prices, and free shipping is a popular method for increasing sales.

7. Use the Web as a Sales Channel
Allow customers to order on the phone, Web, in-person, fax and any other channel that works for your customers. Make sure the marketing plan addresses how your sales channels will work together and not compete. If you can sell online, then do it. It is a numbers game because no matter what you are selling, someone is likely to buy it direct from your Website.

8. Integrate the Website in the Sales Process
Use the Website as a key selling milestone for your sales staff. If a sales person can get a potential customer to the site, then this should be key in moving them through the sales process and towards closure. Talk to your sales team and ask them how they would like to use the Website as a selling tool. Provide content on the site that pushes customer hot buttons and gets them excited about buying from you. Make it extremely easy for Web visitors to contact your sales team.

9. Leverage it for Market Research
Pull data and stats from the Website to better understand your target market. Place surveys on the Web and call customers to ask them what they would like to see on your Website. Conduct user testing studies to better get inside the head of customers. These results are critical to a winning marketing strategy on and off the Internet.

10. Appoint an Internet Marketing Manager
Develop a Web marketing action plan and don't leave these items to chance. Assign someone on your sales and marketing team the role of Internet marketing manager. Find someone who has an interest in the Web and set them loose to learn more and take accountability for integrating the Web into your overall marketing plan.

As you can see, the Web is an important part of sales and marketing. The process of integrating the Internet into your marketing efforts should not be taken lightly. Develop a strategy and action plan based on the steps above. If done properly, sales should increase as you reap the benefits of an online marketing program.

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