I was recently asked to address the question: "What will it take for builders and developers to be successful in the post-recession new home real estate market?" This was part of a broader question posed to a real estate industry business cooperative, The RE: Expert Consortium, of which I am honored to be a member. From my area of expertise, and in about 200 words I answered as follows:
Builders and developers understand how different audience behaviors and buying habits have become. They also realize that their website has moved from a mere component of a marketing mix to the central hub of their entire marketing and sales plan. Knowing versus executing, however, are two different things, and most simply grapple with how to do a better job of Internet marketing with smaller staffs and slashed budgets.
The good news? Marketing on the Web can be done well without the enormous expense of traditional advertising methods. The problem? A lack of experienced guidance and measurable goals. Without these, even tech-savvy builders and developers tend to wander around the web ineffectively trying this and testing that or become so overwhelmed with the idea and expense of change that they delay or underfund the effort. A change in this attitude is critical. The days of launch-it-and-leave-it are over.
Leaving aside the discussion of wide open Internet creativity for now, effective web marketing must include an engaging and adaptable website base; ongoing organic search optimization; actively managed social media components; precision E-marketing and demographically, geographically and behaviorally targeted online advertising. It should also be mobile device friendly. Tracking all of the above is vital to long-term success.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Internet Marketing Analytics Gap Part 3 - Penny Wise and Dollar Stupid
When trying to save dollars in a challenging economy, the tendency is to put this critical component of your business in the hands of your nephew who just graduated and “knows a lot about computers and the Internet.” This is still being done despite that it fails nearly 100% of the time. Remember, the expert you bring on must be fluent in your language as well as their own. Your nephew may be a Facebook and Twitter guru. He may know how to build and launch websites, he may even know a thing or two about the your company but in the long run, the move will cost you a great deal more than you had hoped to save. In fact, an experienced Internet marketing expert should save you more in direct and indirect expenditures than he or she costs.
Internet marketing is a foreign land with a language all its own. If we want our businesses to succeed, we all have to venture there frequently. If you don’t know your way, better to go with an experienced interpreter and guide. Or, go it alone at your own risk.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
Internet marketing is a foreign land with a language all its own. If we want our businesses to succeed, we all have to venture there frequently. If you don’t know your way, better to go with an experienced interpreter and guide. Or, go it alone at your own risk.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Internet Marketing Analytics Gap - Part 2 The Importance of an Interpreter
Taking the language analogy a step further, if you plan to visit a foreign country and don’t know or plan to learn the language, it is ideal to have an interpreter by your side. You would expect such an interpreter to be fluent in both your language and that of the host country. He or she would be able to discern the subtle differences in linguistics, inflection and body language and would often need to adapt what you want to say and mean to how the receiver needs to hear and understand it and vice versa. Without such a companion, a visit to a foreign land is marked by confusion, meaningless babble, blank stares and lots of wrong turns.
Let’s face it, for many companies, the Web is such a foreign country. They got into their respective businesses--their native land--because of their know-how, their passion, their interest in leaving their mark on the world, a desire to deliver some highly valued human necessity, not because they had interest in marketing, website development, search engine optimization, social networking or website performance analysis.
Given economic conditions and the rapidity with which the marketing world is changing, a thoroughly experienced Internet marketing expert who knows both the language of your industry and that of the Internet is critical to the survival of your business. And though some feathers might get ruffled with this statement, don’t assume your Marketing, IT department or advertising agency is the answer. Many, if they are being completely honest, would admit that Internet marketing and the associated analytical performance evaluation falls outside of their area of experience and expertise. In fact, the good ones would invite such an addition to your marketing team. We have enjoyed several such instances in which the combination of strengths among various marketing disciplines has produced a much better result for our clients.
Traveling the Internet superhighway without a navigator is an easily avoided mistake. Watch for our next installment coming soon.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
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Let’s face it, for many companies, the Web is such a foreign country. They got into their respective businesses--their native land--because of their know-how, their passion, their interest in leaving their mark on the world, a desire to deliver some highly valued human necessity, not because they had interest in marketing, website development, search engine optimization, social networking or website performance analysis.
Given economic conditions and the rapidity with which the marketing world is changing, a thoroughly experienced Internet marketing expert who knows both the language of your industry and that of the Internet is critical to the survival of your business. And though some feathers might get ruffled with this statement, don’t assume your Marketing, IT department or advertising agency is the answer. Many, if they are being completely honest, would admit that Internet marketing and the associated analytical performance evaluation falls outside of their area of experience and expertise. In fact, the good ones would invite such an addition to your marketing team. We have enjoyed several such instances in which the combination of strengths among various marketing disciplines has produced a much better result for our clients.
Traveling the Internet superhighway without a navigator is an easily avoided mistake. Watch for our next installment coming soon.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
PR: 
LD: 
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Monday, June 1, 2009
The Internet Marketing Analytics Gap - Part 1
Learning Spanish would have been a lot easier if I hadn’t had to understand what the words meant. To me, Spanish was a string of easy-to-pronounce, phonetically obvious words. Aside from an accent, a tilde or an extra alphabetical character or two, saying or reading the words on the page was cake. But much to the detriment of my high-school grade point average, understanding those words and interpreting the nuances of the language was where things got murky...pea soup murky, in fact! I see a strong parallel between my misadventures with learning Spanish and how many companies use their Internet marketing analytics.
Assuming they pay attention to the available data at all (many don’t) most can only say or read the words on the page. Sure, most can look at traffic data and know when it’s rising or falling. Most can tie a traffic peak or valley to an outside event: a new advertising campaign, a press release, an e-blast or something like that, but when it comes to a more granular understanding of the abundant data the Web provides, what it truly says about their Web marketing initiative, how their company stacks up against the competition and, above all, what it can reveal about their audience, a gaping chasm exists between website key performance indicator (KPI) data and making meaningful, actionable sense of it all. At the bottom of this chasm lies a gnarled heap of wasted dollars, missed opportunities and failed marketing plans, that, with the proper commitment to experienced data evaluation, interpretation and Internet marketing guidance, didn’t need to wind up there.
Stay tuned for part 2!
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
Assuming they pay attention to the available data at all (many don’t) most can only say or read the words on the page. Sure, most can look at traffic data and know when it’s rising or falling. Most can tie a traffic peak or valley to an outside event: a new advertising campaign, a press release, an e-blast or something like that, but when it comes to a more granular understanding of the abundant data the Web provides, what it truly says about their Web marketing initiative, how their company stacks up against the competition and, above all, what it can reveal about their audience, a gaping chasm exists between website key performance indicator (KPI) data and making meaningful, actionable sense of it all. At the bottom of this chasm lies a gnarled heap of wasted dollars, missed opportunities and failed marketing plans, that, with the proper commitment to experienced data evaluation, interpretation and Internet marketing guidance, didn’t need to wind up there.
Stay tuned for part 2!
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
All A’Twitter About Twitter - Social Media Simplified
Like most everyone in Colorado, I’ve been glued to the NBA playoffs and our Denver Nuggets for the first time in a long time. Amid the dramatics, I’ve noticed something you may not have: the Orlando Magic play in the Amway Center, a major sports arena with naming rights owned by a consumer products conglomerate built entirely through social networking. So when I get questions about the importance of social media, including the blogosphere and sites like Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter, it’s easy to distill these seemingly vague and esoteric websites into one short marketing phrase: geometric message extension.
Once you have that idea under your belt, other nagging issues crop up. The one I hear most often is, “I don’t get it.” My answer, is that you don’t have to. You’re caught up in questions that don’t need answers. Yes, many people are actively involved in online social networking, each with varying levels of expertise. Yes, many are not your teenagers. Yes, many are older, affluent and business-minded. Yes, business connections can and are being made. No, it’s not going away anytime soon. Embrace these facts, put aside your encumbering desire to understand how these sites work and just start by getting started.
Which brings up the next question: “How do I get started?” I admit it, I’m supposed to be an Internet marketing expert; a guy who should just know how to do these things, right? Yep, I asked my teenage daughter to show me. I gathered my courage, leapt past my desire to understand and my fear of putting myself out there and did it. Now, as time permits, I’m actively networking on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter--three’s enough for now--and learning more every day. Start with opening an account on Linkedin (www.linkedin.com) or Facebook (www.facebook.com). Upload a picture, fill in a few boxes, click a thing or two and off you go. Dabble. Connect with a few old friends or business associates, learn from others and watch your networks grow.
Last question? “Who has the time?” Answer: No one, except, pretty soon, everyone. I remember wondering how email would ever take. Why would someone write when they could simply call? Well, there you go. Lesson learned.
The crux of what you need to know about social media? It’s simply a method of extending yourself, your company message or your product offerings to a network of people you know directly or connect to through their acquaintances. It’s exactly how Amway became so phenomenally successful. Take the leap. It’s easier than you think.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
Once you have that idea under your belt, other nagging issues crop up. The one I hear most often is, “I don’t get it.” My answer, is that you don’t have to. You’re caught up in questions that don’t need answers. Yes, many people are actively involved in online social networking, each with varying levels of expertise. Yes, many are not your teenagers. Yes, many are older, affluent and business-minded. Yes, business connections can and are being made. No, it’s not going away anytime soon. Embrace these facts, put aside your encumbering desire to understand how these sites work and just start by getting started.
Which brings up the next question: “How do I get started?” I admit it, I’m supposed to be an Internet marketing expert; a guy who should just know how to do these things, right? Yep, I asked my teenage daughter to show me. I gathered my courage, leapt past my desire to understand and my fear of putting myself out there and did it. Now, as time permits, I’m actively networking on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter--three’s enough for now--and learning more every day. Start with opening an account on Linkedin (www.linkedin.com) or Facebook (www.facebook.com). Upload a picture, fill in a few boxes, click a thing or two and off you go. Dabble. Connect with a few old friends or business associates, learn from others and watch your networks grow.
Last question? “Who has the time?” Answer: No one, except, pretty soon, everyone. I remember wondering how email would ever take. Why would someone write when they could simply call? Well, there you go. Lesson learned.
The crux of what you need to know about social media? It’s simply a method of extending yourself, your company message or your product offerings to a network of people you know directly or connect to through their acquaintances. It’s exactly how Amway became so phenomenally successful. Take the leap. It’s easier than you think.
Also, if you like short stories, please be sure to visit my other blog at shortstoryisland.wordpress.com
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