NOTE: This article is part of the fluff-busting Dealbreakers! series (inspiration: 30 Rock).
JT: Is Internet marketing really necessary?
Red: Well, maybe a better question is: "Are you visible to decision-makers?"
A recent survey of 4,000 B2B buyers by MarketingSherpa showed that 80 percent went and found their marketing company. This demonstrates a shift in power. Your prospects are out hunting for vendors and you have to be present where they are looking. A smart B2B internet marketing campaign can help you magnify your attractiveness.
Four tactics can raise your visibility and build demand for the long-term.
1. Search Engine Marketing: Focusing on keywords, keeping your site current and connected.
2. PR 2.0: Publishing articles and commenting and guest-blogging in all the right places.
3. Tailored Communications: Helping people make good decisions.
4. Ongoing Monitoring: Keeping tabs on how you are perceived in the digital world.
All of these strategies involve the Internet at their core.
Take Away: If you hear from a B2B agency that internet marketing is not important, that should be a dealbreaker.
Your Turn: How do you get found online? Share your best practices.
