10 Secrets all businesses should know

A common tendency among many businesses is to exclude the most critical party in their communications cycle – their prospects. I would like to share 10 of my secrets that are very well known among the marketing community, but secrets I feel not really understood among businesses themselves.

1. Blogs are not a fad. They are effective vehicles to transport your online brand and establish a trust relationship with your target audience. We as marketers use them. This should substantiate our belief.
2. RSS is not complicated and your business will be well off if you take the time to learn what it is and how to use it properly. Or you can just ask us.
3. Traditional marketing is not dead. Online marketing is essential to your overall marketing strategy though.
4. Banner advertising is still an efficient driver of sales and brand awareness. Working with smart marketers should be the differentiator between the bad and the effective.
5. We are not deaf to your questions. In fact, we are eager for you to participate in our discussions and it prides us to be able to provide you with our expert advice.
6. Your e-mails form roughly 85% of your business communications. Your first approach in targeting traffic to your site or blog should start with your e-mails.
7. Businesses do not pay enough time or money on their marketing efforts. While online marketing is much less expensive, marketing budgets should not be allocated when all other monies have been spent. As with everything in life, what you put in is what you’ll get out. Petty cash will result in petty marketing.
8. Social Media, Viral Marketing, Del.icio.us, et cetera are terms we use to title online components. These components translate to simple concepts that have existed for centuries. Marketing principles have and always will be the same. It is only the manner in which they are executed and the platforms used to reach target audiences that have changed.
9. We are able to use your ideas to fabricate online equivalents. The convergence should result in greater ROI. We are also able to devise strategies ideally suited for online and you should allow us to experiment with that.
10. The days of having a static website fulfill your marketing needs belong to the ‘90’s. We don’t evangelise new media for the fun of it.

It is a well known fact that all businesses will sooner rather than later adopt to a multi-faceted digital era. Marketers have already started spreading the word and preparing for the inevitable transition.

Many marketers believe those that are not already following the footprint of international markets will get left behind. I simply do not believe that, but my opinion is that best you know what is available to you than to walk down the path of ignorance, blinded by common beliefs and antiquated marketing practices.