To many Internet marketers, the above question can be a massive headache. It’s like asking someone how do you do “walking” or “reading”. The knee jerk answer is, well, “you just do it (online marketing)”.

But that really isn’t a very helpful answer, I would say online marketing and the answer to that question “how do you do it” can be broken down into three or four easy tit-bits.

#1 – Plan.
Online marketing is no different from traditional marketing, and it should be treated as such. You need a marketing plan.

A marketing plan sets out clear objectives and lists the actions you will take to achieve them. Perhaps most importantly, it looks at how you can ensure that your plan becomes reality.

A marketing plan includes factors such as deciding which customers to target and how to reach them, how to win their business and keep them happy afterwards, as well as continually reviewing and improving everything you do to stay ahead of the competition.

So, when it comes to writing an online marketing plan you need to:

• Establish who you’re going to target. Your traditional audience, or maybe branch out.
• Seek out what websites or communities they belong to. Whether that’s forums, social media, blogs, chat rooms etc. – This is where you should be focusing your efforts.
• Decide which additional methods you will be using to target your customers. Whether they’re pay per click adverts, social networking etc.
• Decide which services you will be offering and brainstorm the buyer objections, and then find answers to them. – This will help with the conversion process to actually gain customers.
• Put together a time-scale for when you will do what in your plan and stick to it.

Remember to make your plan elastic though, so it can stretch if new things come along.

#2 – Action. 

You now have your plan, you’re ready to take on the world. It’s now time to start “marketing”.

From your plan you will now know where your competition hang out and which methods you’re going to use to target them.

It’s really now up to you and dependant on which sources they are using.

My top tip for action online is to be engaging. That’s ultimately what you want, an engaged captive audience who believes you’re the expert in your field.

Other tips to create an engaged audience whilst being active online are:

• Post/chat regularly. As frequently as possible in fact, although, match the speed your audience are talking at. If they’re only posting twice a day, do the same. Remember though, if you are only posting once or twice a week then it could be a long time between posts if your community misses one or two of them. There are studies that show posting between 3-5 times a day can be a good amount.
• Focus on engagement. You want a conversation really, so ask questions, post tips, links and photo’s that your audience will appreciate and comment on. When you make the posts about your audience and what they need rather than selling, you will develop a richer and deeper relationship with your community. Which will lead to more sales.
• Have a call to action. Escort and court your customers so they can easily buy from you. Include “click here for 10% discount” in posts for example, or “offer limited to 10 people” – this gets people clicking and acting.
• Don’t oversell. Remember, the key to really selling online is engagement. So don’t just link drop all the time and hope you get a click through.

#3 – Outsource. 

You’re busy, perhaps overstretched and so is your team. But you know you must be online and marketing yourself or your competition will definitely be cleaning up with their swanky new website.

What’s the answer?

Outsource when needed.

The very best business owners and managers focus on cost effectiveness. In some instances it’s worth training someone in-house to help with online marketing, but in most cases it isn’t.

So, if you need help, I can help – shameless plug here!

Fingers crossed the above post helps you with your online marketing. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask.