Business owners who want a strategy for understanding the role the Internet can play in their company should begin at a familiar and safe place – their company and what their company is doing right now. While terms such as SEO, social media, CRM, and blogging may sound foreign and imposing to someone not familiar with them, in practice they describe new ways of doing old things.
Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service Examples
To understand the Internet, then, let’s look at common business activities and how they’ve been managed traditionally and how the Internet has affected them. Consider the classic functions of marketing, sales, and customer service.
Marketing
Marketing is charged with understanding the customer, building traffic, developing leads, and enhancing the brand image. To accomplish these tasks, marketing has traditionally used research, used outbound, push tactics like TV, print ads, direct mail, and email, and has issued press releases.
Today, to accomplish these same tasks, marketing now follows customer conversations online, uses inbound, pull tactics based on attracting interest through relevant content, and being prepared for potential customer interest by optimizing its website “real estate.”
Sales
Sales is charged with generating leads, converting leads to customers, and retaining and growing customer activity. To accomplish these tasks, sales has traditionally used cold calling (on foot and by telemarketing), personal sales calls, and participating in seminars, trade shows, and other events.
Today, to accomplish these same tasks, sales can barter online content for contact information, use a CMS (content management system) to match the prospects’ needs throughout the buying cycle, and use online sales meetings and virtual trade shows to enhance the customer relationship.
Customer Service
Customer service is charged with taking service calls and handling customer complaints. Traditionally, to accomplish these tasks, customer service has used the phone extensively and has reacted to problems.
Today, customer service can anticipate problems by listening in on customer online conversations and can act proactively, defusing problems before they erupt into crises.
Conclusion
The desired outcome of the tasks are the same, but the tools have changed. By learning the new tools of the Internet, the business owner has new, more, and often better ways to accomplish the same task. New methods don’t have to be used exclusively- they can complement traditional methods. However, as more competitors use more of the new tools, it is important for every business owner to at least begin to identify how these tools can be integrated into their everyday operation. The only “must” is to jump in and start to learn about these new tools, now.
Additional Resources
For a summary chart of Understanding the Internet, click here.
For relevant resources that expand on these topics, click on any topic, below.
The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott-a new classic.
Definitive Guide to Lead Nurturing by Marketo covers what lead nurturing is, its basics, and how to calculate ROI.
Top Tools for Social Media Management by MarketingSavant is packed with bullet point information.
Online Competitive Intelligence is authored by Gary Hennerberg. It is a fast-paced but comprehensive PowerPoint presentation filled with relevant screen shots.
Online Marketing Opportunity Report by Hubspot sorts out how the online conversation is being made with social media, blog, and search engine activity.
How to Attract and Retain Customers With Content by Junta42's Joe Pulizzi is a primer on the value and action steps needed to create a powerful content-generating engine.
3 Steps for Preparing to Blog by Zephyr Marketing's Greg Elwell is a cram course on blogging basics, and one that is guaranteed to help you score high.
Tools and Trends in Marketing Technology by MarketingSavant is your 89 page textbook with extensive sources, references, and citations. It may be the only source you need.
Marketwire's News Release Presentation Kit covers the basics of creating an effective news release.
Optimizing Leads by Jigsaw and Avitage shows how to match your sales process to the customer's buying process.