Alright, there’s something I want you to learn by heart:  If it doesn’t attract people, it’s not a functional website design. It’s a waste of time, money, resources and efforts.  It should be obvious, but it’s not.  Not to everyone out there, at least.  So I want you to channel and plan your internet marketing efforts based on this principle.  If it’s not attracting people, it’s not a website and you should stop investing cash on it right now.

It can be pretty, it can be state-of-the-art or sponsored by Internet’s heavyweights… if it doesn’t bring you more business chances, it’s not a website.

First things first:  why to have a web presence?

By now, I assume that you guys have had some experiences with the Web.  Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this (or maybe someone printed it for you… I don’t know… I can’t keep track of every single possibility…) .  The question I made to start this paragraph is not to force-feed you the multiple benefits of having a website.  I need you to seriously think about the main goal of it.

Do you want:

• …an online store?
• …to position your brand online?
• …to have a catalog so people can browse easily through your products or
• …to create a community around your brand?

These might be similar goals to the untrained eye, but each of them need a different set of strategies.

There is one thing in common:  commercial sites must be attractive and talk to customers and prospects in their own language.

Now that you know why… how?

Keep always in mind that:

1. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.  Make things easier for your customers.
2. Language should always be simple to follow.  Tell stories, make your offers exciting.
3. Spend less time talking of how AWESOME your company is and more time talking about the things you can do for your customers.

Of course, there’s not one way or a safe formula to get people to know you.  But clear goals and clear language can help you.

You know what else can help you?  an Internet Marketing Agency that understands your advertisement needs.

Honestly, guys:  Do you really think anyone, aside of your golf club buddies, is impressed about the amount of cash you spend on an Internet marketing agency?  That’s more of a reason to be embarrassed than one to be proud of.  That’s like saying you paid $500 for a club sandwich and a soda somewhere else…

… and here’s why:  Marketing is not the kind of investment that should be huge.  You don’t need to spend millions with an agency that will only guarantee regular results (the kind of results that come from framing a campaign within the bounds of traditional media).

You know what you really need?  Stop spending your money without rhyme or reason and find daring ways to promote your products.

“But… but… I paid millions for these exclusive sporks!”

There are two things you have to keep in mind:

• You need to invest on marketing and promotion
• You need to invest on marketing and promotion on regular basis.

You’re going to invest on marketing constantly and, trust us, it’s going to pay a toll on your budget.  But that’s the kind of investment (especially if your company is new) you cannot evade.  You’re going to have to give a lot before you recover your investment and make profit.

A few ideas to promote and place your products today.

1.  Be WRONG

This doesn’t mean to be crass or oblivious to evidence.  Create a campaign where you’re saying exactly the opposite of what your company stands for while conveying  its principles and commercial premises.  Take different turns to say the same thing, use conventions that aren’t inherent to your products or services.  More than being deliberately wrong, think outside the box and don’t fear mistakes.

2. Be LOUD

Think of a block party:  it’s nothing fancy, everyone gets involved, share drinks and have fun.  No need for state-of-the-art stereo systems: just crank it up and they’ll come.  When there’s a block party, it’s impossible not to get dragged by the euphoria (and what’s Brazil’s Carnaval but the most astounding block party ever?) and get in a vibrant, positive mood.  Be loud.  Just know how and when.  Create campaigns that cannot be ignored (and we don’t mean annoying pop-ups… just find ways to be too fun to be neglected…)

3.  Be CHEAP

So think about it:  why would you want to drain your company’s cash for meat-and-tatters results?  If you’re gonna invest so much and so many times on an internet marketing agency, you better know how to make smart choices.

We take care of every single aspect of web design like no agency does. and here’s why:  it’s the little mistakes, the unpolished ends what can bring a nice website to a screeching halt.

So you have your nice and tidy website, right?  Everything’s running smoothly and you’re sitting back, relaxing (maybe enjoying a Pina Colada and wearing a hawaiian shirt… whatever you understand as “leisure” is fine here…) All of a sudden, you get a call.  It’s one of the IT guys.

…the harbingers of bad news.

He, choking and gasping, tells you that you’re not getting any traffic to your site.  You ask yourself why, if you’ve invested lots of money not only to have a website you can be proud of but, to make sure you’re going to get noticed, you’ve spent a pretty penny on SEO and online marketing.  What gives?

It’s always those little mistakes.

1-    PDF files as part of online reading

Imagine you’re visiting the most interesting and appealing web site ever.  You’re surfing your way through pages of information and, all of a sudden… Boom! The flow gets broken with a PDF file. Even if you try, you will never be able to blend it into the rest of the web site.  It will always feel foreign to… well… everything you’ve done.

The worst part? Content on PDF is simply a nightmare to navigate.  All the dullness of a word processor, none of its benefits.

2-    Links that don’t change colors
Visitors need to know where they are at all times and that includes where they have been.  Links are the key on the navigation process. It is very important that people can see the pages they have already visited, or go back to one of the links they have already clicked on.

On achieving this, links changing colors is a must. Users have to be able to tell the difference between the links they have visited and the ones they have not.  As websites are becoming progressively complex, we cannot be bothered to memorize everything, can we?

3-    Text that can’t be scanned

It’s a fact:  online users don’t read, but scan instead.  Make evident what your content is all about. This requires online-writing expertise.  Here are some suggestions:

•    subheads
•    bullet points
•    highlighted keywords
•    short paragraphs
•    a simple writing style

4-    Crummy advertisement.

Sure all contents on a web site are  finally intended to sell something, but users will pull away from a site as soon as they feel like they’re being forced to buy something. Giving your readers a great content  will generally lead to a purchase, without them even knowing it!

If you want them to buy, give them something for free.  Contents are key in this transaction.

Always bear in mind that a web agency can do this for you, but you have to know how it’s done so you can demand nothing but quality.

We will be right back with new contents, tips and news from the Internet Marketing business.

Keep in touch.