Simple Interactive Marketing Tactics For 2010

2010. A new decade. A fresh start. A good time to start implementing some simple interactive marketing tactics!

If you've been following this blog (and thank you if you have), then you know about my passion for interactive marketing and aligning your sales & marketing teams to the realities of a Web 2.0 world. Though the sales and marketing concepts used back when I was a college student selling restaurant cleaning equipment by mailing prospects a VHS tape are still relevant today, the execution of those ideas has forever changed.

The sales and lead generation tools at your disposal on January 1, 2010, are a far cry from what you had to work with on January 1, 2000. The decade that began with worries about Y2K has ended with discussions on leveraging User Generated Content (UGC) to drive interest in your brand on social media sites like Facebook, You Tube, and LinkedIn.

Transitioning your lead generation and marketing tactics to embrace this new reality is no longer a matter of "if" but a count down to "when". Even for mid-sized companies. Even for B2B organizations selling industrial or technical products and services. Even for your business.

Get Going.

Viewing your marketing and sales tactics through the interactive prism may be a difficult transition for some on your team. They may have spent years building a career on becoming subject experts on off-line marketing tactics - marketing tactics that are now supplanted by interactive tools with which they may have little comfort level. Do not let this slow you down. Your team needs to embrace the new reality or move onto a new opportunity elsewhere.

You may also find that you do not possess the interactive skill level in house - this still relatively recent stuff after all. If that is the case, then I encourage you to seek out an interactive agency that has a track record of helping companies such as yours. If you are a strong B2B company, for example, then seek out an agency that has done work in that arena.

Here are some simple interactive marketing tactics you should consider for 2010.

1. Make A Game Plan. You need to know where you want to go before starting on the trip. Define your goals, set reasonable expectations, then measure the results and make changes accordingly. The great thing about interactive marketing is the ability to measure and react. Some ideas will work, some won't. By defining your goals, setting reasonable expectations up front, and measuring your results, you will be able to make the changes to your plans that will better maximize your dollars.



2. Re-Think Your Web Site. Your web site, which is usually how many mid-sized companies define interactive marketing, is your brand's face to prospects and customers. Chances are that the site was not developed with SEO, SEM, or lead conversion in mind. All roads eventually lead to the site, start here as you rethink your interactive approach.



3. Search Engine Optimization. The best way to increase your position on Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) is through organic search using simple tactics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). There are numerous tactics that can be used on your web site to increase SEO, as you re-think your web site ask your designer how to improve the site's SEO. If you haven't done so already, begin compiling your relevant key words.



4. Search Engine Marketing. SEM is made up of paid placements with the goal of increasing brand visibility on Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) for major search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Buyers who click on search ads tend to be at a pivotal point in their decision making process, making search marketing a great direct response and lead conversion tool.



5. Display Ads. Display Advertising through banner ads is excellent for branding or direct response. This allows you to place your brand on sites that your buyers find relevant. When using display ads for a direct response campaign, you may look at using pay-per-click (PPC) - paying only when a buyer clicks on your ad and is driven to your landing page or relevant page on your web site. For branding campaigns, you may want to consider looking at cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) because you want as many eyeballs looking at the display ad as possible. Display ads campaigns are also useful when paired with more traditional off-line marketing like print.



6. Email Marketing. Email marketing leans heavily towards direct marketing - using the same concept as direct mail but in a new medium. There are a number of factors that will drive a successful email campaign, but it all starts with the list you are using. Your best results will come from an opt-in list of current, past, or potential customers as they have invited you to communicate with them and have at least a passing awareness of your brand.



7. Social Media Marketing. Social Media Marketing refers to advertising placed on websites that feature user-generated content and user-supported profile pages. These include blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter among others. This is an effective channel to engage your customers in real time and to have an honest interaction with them. Social media is also a good means to begin the conversation about your brand.

Though I have given you a good overview of the simple tactics available, the most important thing is that you get started with your interactive marketing. Make a plan, look at your site, and call in some help if you need. Above all, start.