| As pay-per-click costs increase, companies need | | | | The people we interview are happy to do these |
| to find new ways to save money to get visitors | | | | recordings, because it gives them an opportunity |
| on their landing pages. In addition, companies need | | | | to get in front of their target audience and get |
| to have a plan to not only drive traffic to a | | | | free publicity. Quite often the people we interview |
| website, but to gain customer loyalty for repeat | | | | also have a database, so we asked them if they |
| visits. | | | | would introduce our site to their list. This afforded |
| Too often companies only focus on increasing | | | | us another opportunity to build my client's |
| website traffic as their method of strategic | | | | database and create more viral marketing buzz |
| Internet marketing. While it is good to increase | | | | for the site. This technique is known as cross |
| website traffic, the ultimate goal should be to | | | | promotion. |
| make sales and generate leads. Just having traffic | | | | In 2006, Disney and Pixar Studios came out with |
| is not enough to make a website successful. | | | | the animated movie Cars. As part of a cross |
| Collect E-Mail Addresses | | | | promotion deal with Disney, McDonald's featured a |
| In the off-line world, the rule of thumb is that it | | | | toy car in all of its Happy Meals. We are all familiar |
| takes at least seven touches or interactions with | | | | with this technique, as it's been going on for |
| your potential customer before the sale will occur. | | | | years. But now we are seeing this technique also |
| What most people don't realize is that this same | | | | being used on the Internet. |
| situation occurs on the Internet. Generally, a | | | | Another example of cross promotion on the |
| person that comes to your website is not going | | | | Internet is what AOL is doing with an online reality |
| to buy the first time, that's why it's so important | | | | game called Gold Rush. The site has enjoyed 10.7 |
| that you get their e-mail address. Have a form on | | | | million unique visitors since September 2006. |
| your homepage that entices people to opt in to | | | | Participants play a game similar to a scavenger |
| your e-mail database. | | | | hunt, where they answer questions and solve |
| Give people a reason for them to give you their | | | | puzzles, but they look for clues in "other |
| e-mail address before they leave your website. | | | | AOL-owned sites like MapQuest; in the pages of |
| One of my clients sells women's designer clothing | | | | some of the site's magazine partners such as |
| on the Internet, and they needed to increase their | | | | Star, People, TV Guide, Entertainment weekly, |
| visibility through strategic Internet marketing. We | | | | and also on some of the CBS shows like Survivor |
| came up with a plan to create an online members | | | | and Heroes." |
| only club for the women who shopped on this | | | | This successful site was the inspiration of reality |
| site. In order to join the club, visitors simply filled | | | | TV guru Mark Burnett, who was the brains behind |
| out a form with their name and e-mail address. | | | | the hit show "Survivor." It cost $10 million to |
| Create a Community | | | | make the site, and it's already taken in $25 million |
| In two short months, this company was able to | | | | in advertising. According to a Newsweek article, |
| add 5,000 names to its database. But rather than | | | | "Gold Rush has also taken product placement to |
| using the database as only a way to solicit more | | | | new extremes: let's call it "advertainment," in |
| business, we decided to create more value for | | | | which the products from advertisers like |
| the company's customers. We used their online | | | | Chevrolet, Coke zero, and Best Buy are |
| club to create a community of women who were | | | | entertainment, integrated into the action no |
| more than just customers who bought clothing. | | | | differently than say, pop songs belted out by the |
| For example, as part of the club's benefits, each | | | | kids on American Idol." |
| month, we interview famous hair stylists, writers, | | | | Fresh ideas are what businesses need to be |
| psychologists, make-up artists, and then make | | | | successful on the Internet. The big companies are |
| these audio recordings available to their online club | | | | spending millions to attract visitors to their |
| members. Since the choice of the clothes you | | | | websites, but it doesn't take millions of dollars to |
| wear determines your attitude and identity, we | | | | fund strategic Internet marketing that works for |
| pick topics that complement and enhance their | | | | your website. All it takes is a creative idea that |
| members fashion statement. | | | | works to attract your target audience. |
| Cross Promotion | | | | |