February 1st, 2010
by Lorrie Thomas
When I speak, teach and train various web marketing subjects, I often start sessions by defining the true meaning of web marketing. Since “web marketing” is a phrase that means many things to many people, I wanted to set the record straight to help you apply one of the best forms of marketing correctly to your organization.
Let’s start first by defining the true definition of marketing. Marketing is correctly defined as “maximizing exchanges”. Exchanges can be various things like: leads, calls, online inquiry form completions, email newsletter signups, downloads, inquiries, networking, sales, and repeat sales. Marketing is not about tools (like websites, email technology, blogs, social media, TV, magazine ads, Public Relations, etc) is is about HOW the breadth and depth of marketing tools are used to build relationships.
Remember that marketing means making relationships, keeping relationships, cultivating relationships and re-kindling relationships.
Web tools and technologies are simply support mechanisms to help support organizations build relationships.
If I had a penny for every time I was asked for the Top Ten Ways To Make Money by Using Web Marketing online, I would be rich. Instead, I find myself re-training brains to understand the real meaning of marketing first (to educate from the right foundation) and then teaching the way the web can work to support the five ways marketing works for organizations.
The Five Ways Marketing Must Work for Your Organization and What it Can Do:
1. Marketing can build awareness. You can have the best products or services in the world, but if nobody knows, what’s the point? Awareness can come from many ways including: advertising, search optimization, referrals, online marketing, traditional marketing (TV, radio), social media, word of mouth marketing (and in these online days “word of mouse” marketing).
2, Marketing communicates. Getting our message in front of current and prospective customers is key to success. Communication can serve as information distribution (pricing, value, competitive value, distinction, product/service information, etc.) Communication can also serve as a way to help educate a current or prospective customer so they understand what your product/service provides and why it is something they want or need. Communication is critical with marketing.
3. Marketing connects. Meaningful marketing makes relationships. Successful marketing helps build the “know, like and trust” factors (so people know you/your organization, like you/your organization, and trust you/your organization.” We connect through our stories, expertise, passion, content, video and much more.
4. Marketing serves. Marketing is about serving before selling. Remember:
“Good leaders must first become good servants”
- Robert Greenleaf
Customer Service is part of marketing. We can drive all the customers in the world to our businesses or organizations, but if we can’t or don’t serve them well (and repeatedly serve them well) then there is a serious flaw in the marketing puzzle. Marketing needs to be a customer service tool, whether you are selling product or providing a service (for or non-profit).
5. Marketing sells. Yes, marketing does need to support sales and drive sales. To achieve this, all the points above must also be a part of the marketing puzzle.
Defining web marketing:
Web Marketing (also defined as online marketing internet Marketing and eMarketing) is simply defined (thank you Wikipedia) as “using the web to market products or services”. Web marketing can include a number of options, including:
- New Website/Web Redesign/Website Optimization
- Search Engine Marketing (Natural Search, Paid Search, Local Search)
- E-mail
- Online Advertising
- Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, Wikipedia, Podcasting)
- Affiliate Marketing
- Website Analytics to Measure Performance
- Viral Marketing
- Mobile Marketing
- Video
- Gaming
- Article Marketing to eZines, etc
It is not online tools (see above) that make web marketing matter, it is how we use the tools that make marketing matter.
The old rules of marketing was about a ”one to many” approach, where now, new rules technologies allow organizations (large and small) to have “one to one” direct relationships all through a simple internet connection!
To make marketing matter, a clear business model needs to be defined and strategy needs to be set. Web marketing, like any other marketing, needs to have a clear strategy and purpose.
Web Marketing is a Revolution and an Evolution.
The classics that make marketing matter (see steps 1-5 above) will always apply, however, the revolution of web marketing and it’s continual evolution make it critical to never stop learning about the options that we have at our fingertips. We create new ideas by learning, we execute them when the idea seems like a good one, then we monitor our results…then create, execute and monitor all over again. 
Web marketing can brand, build and boost business in ways we never imagined (and for a fraction of the cost, on flexible terms and in a fun way!)
If you want to learn how to use the web to brand, build and boost business (for profit and non-profit) then you are at the right blog!
Web Marketing Therapy Related Links:
- Learn How to Boost Your Business With Online PR: Get the Lowdown on Low-Cost Online Marketing, July 9 at 12pm PST
- Top 10 Ways to Make Money from Your Site
uberVU - social comments
(February 1st, 2010 at 12:31 pm)
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Bill @ SBCC
(February 1st, 2010 at 3:25 pm)
Web marketing applied to my photo hosting site, dedicated to promoting rescue dogs for adoption and/or fostering.
The Web Marketing Therapy article inspired me to reflect on ways that I already (and maybe, even should revisit) the way I use the five above techniques. However, for this response, I would like to focus on the first three in terms of my smugmug site:
http://billsolis.smugmug.com/
(Reviewed links 2/1/10.)
1. Marketing can build awareness.
Smaller sized dogs, between one and five years old basically “sell themselves,” hence, are the easy to promote and adopt out. Based on this observation, I have chosen to promote medium-to-larger sized dogs at the dog rescue site, by photographing these first.
Although I am new to the use of the smugmug photo hosting site, I am aware of, and have configured my account to build Internet wide awareness by implementing some user-friendly optimizing settings:
-Keyword “plug ins” for search engines, e.g. the pit bull mix “Denver” is linked to the tags: “medium, large, adoptable, affectionate, zip code, Ventura County, Canine Adoption and Rescue League (CARL), Petfinder, pit bull mix etc.”
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=14136803
2.Marketing communicates.
Simply put, I use my photography to combine my joys of photography, pet portraits, people portraits and storytelling.
3.Marketing connects.
My photo hosting site is interlinked with at least four different websites:
-Official dog rescue site that I promote: CARL
http://www.carlvc.org/
-Petfinder (which I consider the “Google” among all animal rescue websites: catalogs and updates search by animal type, size, gender, any special needs, and geographic location.)
http://www.petfinder.com/index.html
-Search engines that I intentionally optimized with: bing, Google and Yahoo
-Dog videos of the CARL doggies done by Studio 805/Ventura County Star (online version of local newspaper.) See the CARL website and click through different dogs to see which dogs have their own photo galleries and videos.
http://www.vcstar.com/videos/
Here is my current foster dog, adoptable Tim, by Studio 805:
http://www.vcstar.com/videos/detail/adoptable—tim/
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(February 3rd, 2010 at 5:34 pm)
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yair kronfeld
(February 5th, 2010 at 5:46 pm)
First I would like to say that I find this blog very pleasant to read and navigate. After reading the liked articles, I learned that the most important thing that we are about to focus on in the course is relationship. These relationships are between the business and customers and potential customers (“serve and support”). From what I have also seen by reading the comments to the articles It’s about relationships with other businesses. They reply to your articles and Professor Thomas replies back. By writing back she helps their article be more visible and by writing back Professor Thomas can add her link to her blog.” There is no “I” in “T E A M”. A relationship means playing on the same team, for the same cause, pitching and catching (sometimes you do one more than the other) and working towards the same end goal”.( The Art of Relationships (and what Valentine’s Day can remind us about Marketing)) By providing good service the potential customers would maybe be willing to use the business’ paid services since the customer already loves using their services, so why look further. The current customers will not leave your business to look for a different paid service if the business provides for their needs well.(support)
Now how do we really serve our customers? Well, I guess it depends on the character of one’s business focus but it’s still about education. –“Your blog can educate and offer helpful advice”( Articles can be distributed on the web to share your expertise (it’s selfish to keep it all in your head anyway”) Web Marketing Needs to SERVE to Sell!)”
Yair Kronfeld
Search Engine Marketing, Get Some! » BSFxDesign
(May 6th, 2010 at 1:03 pm)
[...] rid of your old misconceptions about what is Web Marketing [...]
Su DeCoste
(August 29th, 2010 at 12:41 am)
Wow, lots of information to digest in these posts. I would say that my idea of web marketing has definitely changed based on what I thought it was (eyeballs on ads, click through rates, statistics). I feel more connected to the purpose behind the things I’ve been doing and enlightened to the fact that I need to become more engaged in ‘why’ I’m doing them. Understanding that the foundation begins with serving the customer really cleared my vision in terms of how to use the tools I’ve put in place. It clarifies what the goal really is: to serve and support, educate, communicate and understand the customer. Sarah Caminker’s post\ Why Companies Are Afraid To Talk To You\ totally struck a chord with me. It confirmed that some of what I am doing is working; good customer service I’m definitely behind the curtain talking to and responding to customers!) and pointed out areas where I’m definitely lacking; I don’t really have a plan or strategy to effectively use my tools. I post to Facebook and Twitter and add product reviews to my blog, but with no clear strategy as to how to use them to create and support relationships with our customers. This reading has really helped me begin to understand that connection (likeability, trustability, responsibility, etc.) and effective communication are the key to customer interest, engagement and loyalty that will ultimately help drive sales.
I had some ‘ouch’ moments when reading your “Art of Relationships” Valentine’s Day post. I could almost see you cringing as I thought about the marketing I’ve created that didn’t address the relationship with the customer; e-blasts I sent just for the sake of sending them and especially ‘Engaging in some form of marketing (SEO, Social Media, Emails) without having a “how will this help me connect with my customer in a meaningful way?”.
The theme that kept jumping out for me throughout the reading is the idea of having a purpose and strategy (and the fact that I’m missing them!). Is there a way to suss that out? To boil down what I’ve already been doing to find the nuggets that I can dust off and put together to create a strategy (or strategies)?
Elizabeth Millar
(August 29th, 2010 at 8:32 pm)
I agree with you when you say that, “Marketing is not about tools (like websites, email technology, blogs, social media, TV, magazine ads, Public Relations, etc) is about HOW the breadth and depth of marketing tools are used to build relationships.”
I’m in my second year of working in a specifically eMarketing role, and about a year ago I implemented my company’s first social networking campaigns. It didn’t take long for me to learn that just having Twitter and Facebook accounts isn’t enough. Social Networking requires a lot of participation and communication that goes both ways; you can’t just expect your customers to jump on your Facebook page and start buying your products. Knowing the technology and resources that are available is one thing, but learning how to properly use them is another.
I also think you really hit the nail on the head when you say that it’s “critical to never stop learning about the options we have at our fingertips.” I must learn something new about eMarketing on a daily basis. Whether it’s from attending a webinar, reading a blog, or snooping around on competitors’ websites, there’s always more information out there to learn. The web/online aspect of marketing is evolving as I write this reply, so it’s impossible to say that you’ve learned it all.
Kasey Madigan
(August 30th, 2010 at 12:33 am)
I live my life by the philosophy of, “Never stop learning.” There is always more out there that I want to absorb and conquer. Even with subjects that I feel I am knowledgeable about, I am always thrilled to learn something more.
This blog has caused a shift in my perspective on marketing. I had thought that marketing simply referred to advertising. Now I know that marketing is so much more than that. “Marketing is about serving before selling.” It is more than convincing people to purchase whatever is being sold. It is about communicating and about relationships and even about loyalty. It is about building and keeping customers.
I also learned that social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter and other tools of online marketing are not what’s most important in marketing but how they are used; “It’s how we use the tools that make marketing matter.” These sites are used every day by millions of people, but so few actually understand what a powerful marketing tool they can truly be or even how to use them properly.
This blog has gotten me excited about learning more about marketing. I want to learn what works and what doesn’t in this world (marketing). And how to utilize the many marketing tools that are available to get the maximum results. But most importantly I want to learn how to communicate with people and build positive, profitable marketing relationships.
Tieler Rollins
(August 30th, 2010 at 6:30 pm)
While I agree with most of the points outlined in this blog, the most compelling takeaway for me, is point number 4: Marketing serves. In my business, I am continually blown away by the number senior-level executives, Sales Reps, and Biz Dev personnel who can rattle of their company’s one page “About Us” pitch, but still have no concept of basic client/customer service. Everyone wants to sell you the latest technology with all of the bells and whistles, but can’t tell you in 10 words or less, how it is beneficial to YOUR business. To take it a step further, once the contracts are signed and campaigns are launched, it is nearly impossible to get someone on the phone, especially when the occasional technical glitch happens. Service is always (in my opinion) the most important aspect of any business relationship.
Lorrie Thomas
(August 31st, 2010 at 1:19 pm)
Thanks for your great thoughts!
Gabriella Larkins
(September 1st, 2010 at 10:32 pm)
As my own business experience, I have to admit that we weren’t very satisfied with a lot of the Marketing that is out there. We have a wine shop in town and tried a couple of different things to get new customers. For example, a map for tourist in town spread out in a bunch of hotels. We never got one person in our shop from that, at least nobody ever mentioned anything. And it was not cheap! The best marketing for us so far was the “word of mouth”. I do agree with you that Marketing communicates. Offering your customers some nice treatment, good prices, will definitely make them come back. Customers like to feel special and receive attention. I am just starting to notice how the marketing online is becoming so effective nowadays because everyone is following the technology and don’t have time to go everywhere. I agree that Marketing is a relationship. We buy what our customers like and serve them the way they want. Our store is slowly becoming what our customers want. Another kind of marketing that is helping us a lot is sending our customers online newsletters every week of a new product giving them comments and reviews that they like to hear. It gives a voice to the shop! Building a customer relationship has been the most effective marketing for us.
Lorrie Thomas
(September 1st, 2010 at 10:40 pm)
I do have moments of cringing, but as a Marketing Therapist, I’d rather help change behavior vs. criticize it. I like to see energy go where it counts and when we use web measurement to QUANTIFY efforts, we essentially “listen” to see what works and what does not.
But yes, when we can pump some love into our marketing, it helps
Purpose and strategy are spot on Su – exactly! We create strategy by defining our goals, measuring past efforts, looking at the competition, optimizing what does not work and adding (in the right order) need to haves and nice to haves.
I am not one to throw the baby away with the bathwater. The good can be clarified when the web marketing house is feng-shuied
We first:
ASSESS our situation, identify what works and what doesn’t
OPTIMIZE what needs to be fixed (so you work off a healthy foundation)
then add NEW channels (you wouldn’t buy online ads to drive traffic to a web site that sucks and waste money, right?)
Keep reading and learning and you’ll learn how to find the good and optimize the not-so-good
Lorrie Thomas
(September 1st, 2010 at 10:55 pm)
thanks Gabriella! I hear so many tales of business owners doing “not cheap” marketing and getting zero results – ugh! Web marketing can support you and help your word of mouth marketing get extended even further into word of mouse (computer mouse!) marketing. It sounds like you know how to connect with your customers and tools like email, social media and local review sites will rock your business!
Jennifer Cilluffo
(September 2nd, 2010 at 8:30 pm)
Over the years I have worked in the restaurant business for 7 and now in the retail for 2 and have seen and used many different forms of marketing. I completely agree when you spoke about marketing making meaningful relationships. while waiting tables I would have a lot of guest come there just to see me, I would know exactly what they wanted to a t and they just enjoyed that to the fullest. The food business is a hard one now of days because of the market and my boss had tried everything from home made commercials to billboards and then later realized neither had been working but word of mouth had been a big part of his business and he didn’t even have to pay for it. I now work at Babies R Us and am a PRA personal registry advisor which means I sign up new moms for there baby shower and give them a store tour and answer the questions they might have. Threw the entire process I have to call the registrant at least 3 times to make sure they don’t need help. As far as marketing we really only have signs for the service so were lacking on participants and I find your advice and think it may be helpful with that.