Monday, December 15, 2008

The following is an email I received and thought I'd share the information with my readers.

INTERNET MARKETING 1

Hey Paul!

These days, nearly everyone wants to use the internet to grow their business. In my opinion, the internet is absolutely one of the most powerful tools available to an M L M 'er or networker.

But there seems to be a lot of misconceptions about how the internet works, and today, I'd like to give you a peek behind the curtain, and get an idea of what goes into internet marketing.

For a marketer, we are usually concerned about two different types of websites. The first type of website is called a data-capture webpage, or a "squeeze page". These types of websites are designed to get the contact information of a prospect.


Then, that contact information is then used to build a database of individuals who might be interested in your types of products or services.

For example, if I were marketing a health powder, I might put up a squeeze page that offered people a free newsletter about health tips, the latest health trends, etc. At that point, I would be building a database that I know is interested in my type of product solution, and recognize the value of living a healthy lifestyle.

The second type of webpage is a sales page, where you are actually trying to sell something to a prospect. For example, if I were marketing a telecommunication service, or a video email service, I would build a web page that incorporated all of the basic marketing elements (AIDA, or Attention, Interest, Decision, and Action), with a final call to action being the actual purchase of one of my telecom or video email packages.
Many distributors buy these company-produced "replicated" websites. The pitch most distributors get is that by having an internet presence, the distributor will be tapping into internet marketing.
Unfortunately, replicated website do very little to position YOU, and do a great deal to position THE COMPANY. You see, the only difference between YOUR website the and the 5,000 other replicated websites are the teeny, tiny bit info regarding the name and contact info of the distributor. Which means that you fade in along with all the other distributors out there.

Replicated websites are fabulous post-consumption tools, meaning that after your prospect has made an initial purchase, a replicated site is great for follow-up orders. However, they are terrible at inspiring the initial purchase. For that, you have to give your prospect a good reason to take that leap of faith.

Marketing is about being CREATIVE, about STANDING OUT. To do that, you have to know how to craft compelling, eye-popping, jaw-dropping copy. Copy that grabs your prospect by the throat, and drives them into your message.


By the end of reading your copy, your prospect needs to be nodding their head, saying to themselves "you know, this guy/gal knows what they're talking about". You have to know your audience, and know what they are looking for. Then, you have to give it to them. THAT...is marketing.

So many of us in networking think that we have to sell people on what we have. We think that we have to convince others to take a look at what we got. Many distributors do exactly that...and fail.

Marketing is simply the Art and Science of giving everything we have to everyone who needs it. Marketing is about finding people who already have the desire. At that point, our only job is to fulfill that desire.

In the next issue, I'll discuss the other side of internet marketing...driving traffic to a website.


Walking This Road With You,

- Josh

Joshua Fuson
Business Growth Specialist