My title to this article is a little shocking, isn’t it?
Here’s what I mean:
Worst Enemy – spending a lot of money and getting absolutely no return on your investment
Best Partner – generate consistent online leads with reduced spending
Which scenario would you prefer? Of course, we all would prefer not spending our kids’ college educational fund on internet marketing. AND we would prefer consistently receiving leads to fuel our business growth.
I’m Charlie Montgomery. For over 40 years I provided marketing and business infrastructure consulting to small businesses. Ultimately, I chose to tackle the technological world, merging my expertise in small business with internet marketing.
Here are three things I learned.
1. Hiring a digital marketing firm differs from hiring a local printer. In the digital realm, distance may separate you from the technician, who in turn may sub out the work to someone from another country. This can lead to a disconnect in expressing your company’s heart and soul through marketing tools.
2. Deciphering technology can be challenging for those unfamiliar with internet vernacular, turning the creation of an online presence into a mystery for you, the client. Certain marketing processes are highly labor-intensive and translating these mysterious procedures into appropriate costs can be daunting. Choosing the wrong marketing tool can be expensive.
3. The advent of Artificial Intelligence has led to the creation of websites incorporating incoherent “word salad” in their copy. Search engines (i.e., Google) can identify AI-generated language, resulting in penalties such as reduced referrals of the website. Additionally, such a website lacks a personalized touch, failing to accurately convey your company’s value to the world.
What is the remedy? For websites, review the marketer’s portfolio thoroughly, focusing on the content, not just the pretty colors and pictures. READ the referral websites. For other marketing opportunities like Google Business Page and Listings/Citations, seek references you can call to verify timely completion and a positive return on investment.
In conclusion, the internet can either be your greatest ally or a formidable adversary for your business. The key lies in recognizing that you as the company owner have to take charge of your online presence and insist that your digital marketer communicates the desired message about your business to the world. Shape an authentic representation aligned with your corporate vision.
The choice is yours – will the internet be your best partner or your company’s worst enemy?