There are unwritten rules in any venture as well as a good many written ones as well. To be taken seriously as an Internet marketer, there are certain protocols you will want to implement. It’s far easier for customers or potential customers to click on the big red “X” and move on to the next site than it is for them to drive in inclement weather to the next store so you won’t be able to count on sales from customers who just have to have your goods or services. Chances are, there are other Internet marketers providing the same or similar goods or services so you have to go the extra mile to make sure they purchase from you. In the following paragraphs, we’ll discuss some of the things you will want to do as you promote your products and services online.
Under Promise and Over Deliver
Just as in the brick and mortar world of dealing with customers, you want to exceed customer expectations. In fact, you must or someone else who does go the extra mile will not only get the sale, but the customer’s loyalty as well. Make sure your product or service does at least as much as you say it will and hopefully, more.
Listen to Your Customers
Your customers will tell you what they want if you will listen to them. They will tell you what they want when you see problems being raised on message boards, in forums, and in chat rooms. They will tell you what they want when they ask questions about your products and they will tell you what they want when they complain about your products or services. Listen to them. No one starts out with the perfect product but savvy entrepreneurs listen to their customers and meet their needs.
Keep Your Word
Always keep your word with your customers. Remember, you are building trust and relationships, which in turn will help you to grow your business. If you have offered a “no questions asked, money back guarantee, then honor that plain and simple without hassling the customer. While you may refund this sale, you will have gone a long way toward instilling confidence with that customer and they won’t hesitate to buy from you again.
Quality Content
Always use quality and unique content on your websites and blogs. If you outsource any of the writing or other content producing work, pay a fair wage to ensure you are indeed getting unique and quality content. Use plagiarism checking sites like Copyscape and make it known that you use these kinds of sites to ensure 100% unique content. While you certainly want to incorporate keywords into your content, irrelevant, keyword stuffed content will get you nothing more than a passing glance from customers who will buy from someone who took the time to construct and maintain a quality website. Remember, your website is the online equivalent of a brick and mortar storefront. Keep your shelves dusted and your inventory shiny and new.
It may seem funny that when your ultimate goal is selling, most Internet marketers engage in promotional techniques that aren’t supposed to look like they are selling! There are areas (such as online forums and message boards) that if you do nothing but offer a product for sale that you will be accused of “spamming” the board and subsequently invited to leave! What’s an Internet marketer to do? Well, as with any other form of marketing, there is a certain amount of psychology involved and this is certainly true with Internet marketing techniques as well. Although there are more than a few Internet marketers making a tidy sum marketing online, competition is fierce and there are some basic do’s and don’ts you should be aware of when it comes to promoting your products. In the following paragraphs, we’ll look at some of the “don’ts” Internet marketers should be aware of.
Putting too Much Emphasis on the Search Engines
Internet marketers who market only to the search engines without striving to meet their customer’s needs may find themselves without customers to market to. Keyword stuffed websites that offer little or no real value to customers may rank high in the search engines in the short term and may even produce enviable traffic. However, if that so called traffic is not buying anything then you really haven’t accomplished much. While search engine algorithms constantly change, your customer’s needs rarely do. Market to the customers first and the search engines will find you.
Violating AdSense or Affiliate Program Terms of Service
Unfortunately, Internet marketers can accidentally violate the Terms of Service of Google AdSense and affiliate programs without necessarily meaning to but the results can be devastating so it is vitally important that you read and understand all the requirements of ad revenue sharing programs and affiliate programs that you participate in. Just one infraction can get your account banned forever so it cannot be stressed enough that you abide by all the rules outlined in the agreement.
Assuming Dissatisfied Customers Won’t Talk
Whether you market in the brick and mortar world, online, or both, the word of mouth that evolves from customer dissatisfaction grows faster than weeds. Refuse to satisfy a customer and you’ll likely be the subject of a viral blog post that will stop other customers in their tracks. With numerous review and opinion sites all over the Internet, it pays to ensure that your customers are satisfied or at least that you have done everything in your power to satisfy them. While the words and opinions of satisfied customers don’t proliferate as fast as the ones of dissatisfied customers, you want your customers to pass along positive experiences after dealing with you or your company.