10 Marketing Ideas

• email newsletters
• networking
• referral programs
• frequent buyer programs
• free trials
• public relations
• search engine optimisation
• online ads
• invoice mailings
• letterboxing

Email Newsletters

Since the birth of the internet email has existed and is the most successful way of communicating with others online.  When done right newsletters create a loyal following of subscribers and, as long as your content is genuine and engaging, you can lead your subscribers to any buying proposition that you recommend.

Networking

From the offline world, networking has been the cornerstone of any business.  The more people you know and the more connections you make will lead to successful business.  All business is built on relationships and reputation.  Bringing this concept to your online business can be a challenge but with great rewards.  The advent of web 2.0 social networking sites has created massive networks that have still not reached their full potential.

Referral Programs

Personal recommendations have always worked well as a marketing strategy.  Online this can take the form of viral emails, videos or affiliate sites.  Working in with the networking concepts, once people start sharing with each other about what they have discovered trends can explode and millions have been made literally overnight.

Frequent Buyer Programs

This idea encourages your loyal customers to buy more.  The more they buy, the more you should reward them.  This has been used online successfully in the forms of bonus downloads, usually in the form of ebooks or software.

Free Trials

Another old idea that always works.  Free reports, free samples, free trials.  All this builds relationships and trust with new customers.  Make sure that what you give away is good quality or you will destroy the relationship before it is built.

Public Relations

Many businesses have used press releases a free form of advertising.  It still works today and sometimes even makes the 6:00pm news.  Press releases can also be released online or just submitting articles to online article websites can also attract potential customers.  Again, with articles, it has to be genuine and quality content.

Search Engine Optimisation

Learning these techniques will bring free traffic to your site.  Based on the keywords that people search for in search engines, once your site is discovered in the a list of search results people will visit the site.  Once they arrive at your site you need to make sure you can provide what they are looking for.

Online Ads

Advertising can work in the right areas, but most people ignore banner ads on websites these days.  Video ads are more popular now but it needs to be providing some useful content before it will really attract any attention.

Invoice Mailings

If people buy from you include a promotion with the invoice that you send them.  You have already gained their trust, this is a great time to build on the relationship and encourage them to participate further.

Letterboxing

Good for local business, a letterbox drop may still develop a relationship with your customers.  Don’t try it in email form…. that’s called spam and is very bad.