New customers generally come to you on the basis of recommendations. But wouldn't it be better to acquire new customers in other ways? Read how the Internet can help you in this respect.

1. SEO: Search Engine Optimization
Optimizing your own website is a mandatory program for everyone who wants to be found on the Web. Internal and external links, in addition to good content, are the most important success factors.

2. SEM: Search Engine Marketing
SEO has a long-term effect, but search engine marketing can also be used for short-term campaigns. There are two options: first, book the most visited, expensive search terms – usually for image reasons. Or, secondly, book many small, seldom visited terms. These are cheaper. You must decide whether the adverts should appear only on search engines or also on other websites.

3. E-Mail Marketing
Acquiring new customers by e-mail has its own rules. If you send unrequested e-mails without permission, you risk expensive warnings. The usual way is to acquire leads on your website. People who visit your website are interested in you. So, don't let these people go without asking them for their address.

4. Affiliate Marketing
This is a mandatory program for all online traders. Many website operators live from sales commissions for advertising interesting products.

5. Banners
Banners are the biggest budget item in online advertising. They have been the established way of developing brand recognition on the Web for over ten years. And, an increasing number of target groups can now only be reached via the Web. Because of the better targeting opportunities (target group selection), sellers of brand-name items are now shifting marketing budgets from traditional advertising to online adverts.

6. Online PR
Online marketing is often associated with a large budget. But there are other ways. If you have an interesting new product or service, you can introduce it to the world online quite cheaply. Interesting information spreads quickly on the Internet. Many press portals also publish press releases at no cost.

7. Online Directories
In real life you have the Yellow Pages, on the Internet you have online directories. These directories are playing an increasingly important role in new customer acquisition. The reason: this is where interested parties specifically look for a provider. These directories include city directories, service provider directories, tender portals, online catalogues, price comparison and auction portals and social bookmarking services.

8. Blogs
Blogs are a double-edged sword. If you can write well, you can extend your range and level of awareness. However, if you don't have a gifted author in your company, you would be well advised to stop the blog project rather than overtaxing the PR department.

9. Web 2.0 and Social Web
If you get out and about a lot, you generally have many contacts. This also applies to the Internet. Of course, it is time-consuming to register on all the social Web portals. But they do offer wonderful tools to get into a conversation. And more and more discussions between companies and customers are taking place on the Internet.

Author
Dr. Schwarz
Melanchthonstr. 5
D-68753 Waghäusel
Phone: +49 7254 95773-0
info@absolit.de