The Most Effective Marketing Strategy Is Free! Here Is Why

Have you ever heard of "Viva Voce"? Yes, the old "Word of Mouth" advertising. Believe it or not (well, It's hard not to believe!) this is the oldest form of marketing. When our ancestors had no technology, when there was no TV, no Internet, no Telephone or no Fax machines were around and people could only send messages to a faraway land using a pigeon, they used "Word of Mouth" to get new customers, perhaps without even realising it! It would be interesting if they used pigeons to send to every neighbourhood to advertise! The world would have been just one massive "Trafalgar Square", 6 or 7 years ago!

Here is what Wikipedia explains Word of Mouth:

Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up.

People Talk

When it comes to experiences, people talk to each other about two main things:

Small Business Marketing Strategy: Create Yours in 4 Easy Steps

Small business Marketing requires a strategy that not only simplifies your effort but saves time and limited resources.

There are so many ways you can go about promoting your business online and offline: guest blogging, social media, networking, speaking, introduction letters, seminars and workshops and the list goes on; but the one thing you need to remember is that each of these activities are just a means to an end, and not a end in itself.

You need to understand why you're using a particular channel. It's not okay to hop on to Twitter or LinkedIn because everybody else is doing it, and it's just the thing to do; you'll need to set goals which will then determine which marketing channels / activities will get the best results.

Here are 4 steps to help you create a marketing strategy that produces great results.

Step 1: Identify your low hanging fruit

You need to know who your warm prospects are. Be clear on who is ready for your services NOW. There's no point pitching to people who aren't ready to be plucked. The result of not getting a clear idea of your ideal prospect is a marketing and social network that is big, messy and does not CONVERT well into sales and profits.

Your Online Target Marketing Strategy

So you've decided to market online, but what will be your target marketing strategy? There are tons of customers out there, but how do you get in contact with them? How do you weed them out from everyone else? You are offering a product that they want, and you need them to find your website, so that you can make a sale. To accomplish this you must use some successful target marketing strategies.

Getting traffic to your website is useless unless it is targeted. Your job is to find your niche of buyers that are interested in your product or service.

Article Marketing

Article Marketing is one of the better ways to direct traffic to your website. This will help separate your niche group of customers from the whole. This is one of the easiest ways to market online. Everyone that reads your article will have been searching for it on the web and will be interested in what you have to say. They will be more inclined to buy your product or service, if it provides enough value for them. There will be hundreds if not thousands of people who will read your articles, and a good amount of people will not buy from you. For the ones that do, you will have narrowed down your target market somewhat.

Sales Marketing Strategy: What Steps Are Taken Before Outlining a Plan?

Internet marketing has increased in significance because companies see the direct benefits of reaching a broader target audience. A sales marketing strategy must be developed to receive the best results from this advertising endeavor. Smaller businesses were once able to get by with a simple brochure or basic website; however, search engine marketing techniques have shown how traffic increases generate further sales. A company has to keep up with innovation to remain competitive and advance their success. Websites are a portal for generating online sales and increasing customer awareness. Every person with an internet connection immediately goes online when they have a question or need a precise product. The days of physically driving to a store or calling to ask about an item are long gone. Customers today want the additional convenience offered by making an inquiry online. Sales consulting services are used to develop a winning strategy for generating an increased presence.

Sales Consulting Services: The Importance of Evaluating a Company's Current Position

Sales consulting services begin with the creation of an optimized site for promoting the products that are offered. Back end design is used to make the site more visible to search engines. Quality content must be part of the generated or updated website because it draws customers in and adds value. Organizations with an operational site will need adjustments for search engine optimization and content refreshment. These factors are commonly assessed by a professional service when determining a company's current position: