I blogged a few weeks ago about how Internet Marketing was like building a house. The analogy is quite simple as house building is logical and progressive, but is based upon a clear plan. And a house is never really finished, there's always something that needs doing, or some change that you'd like to make. Having the time and the money are often the constraints, sometimes desire also plays a part.
In the same way, marketing is never finished, there's always more that can be done, given the time, the money and the desire. But is sufficient priority and conviction given to internet marketing? I don't believe so, not in the majority of cases and even more so in the current economic conditions. Many SMEs do not invest enough time or focus sufficient interest to this most fundamental activity. To establish the gravity of the situation, let's be clear on the subject. The Chartered Institue of Marketing (CIM) currently define marketing as:
"The management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably"
Note the "currently" as this clearly signifies a dynamic definition as a fair reflection of the constantly evolving environment. Internet Marketing is therefore one element of the entire marketing process and has been defined most succinctly by Dave Chaffey, as
"Achieving marketing objectives through applying digital technologies"
Just as Internet Marketing is just one element of the complete Marketing Mix, it comprises various components. These components can be classified into Operating Processes and Management Processes. The management processes primarily consist of Strategy and Planning and of Managing Relationships. The operating processes consist of Acquisition activities, Prospecting and Converting and finally of Retention. It is the operating processes that include the commonly understood activities of SEO, PPC, Social Media etc.
But all of these processes and elements are built through and from the core component of the corporate website. Unless this website is built upon solid foundations and is entirely consistent with the marketing strategy and plan of the organisation, it will fail to deliver. And no amount of investment in SEO, PPC, Social Media, Link building etc will correct this fundamental flaw. Reverting to the house building analogy, when you're suffering from subsidence, there's no point in redecorating to cover up the cracks.
Such a failure in internet marketing activities is all too common and is a classic symptom of strategic drift. Usually, within a few minutes of reviewing a client's site we can identify such fundamental problems. We will know very quickly how easy it will be to remedy the situation and to exploit a clear competitive advantage. Thus it should be clear that whilst Internet Marketing is not rocket science, it does require a solid foundation of real business development experience; and a clear understanding and application of marketing fundamentals as part of a cohesive integrated marketing strategy. Simply throwing the budget at the latest buzz activity as a quick refresher will not cover the gaping holes in your marketing strategy. Go back to basics and understand what it is that your customers want, then tell them about it.
