Any online production environment, call it eCommerce, blog, generating web of contacts (leads)… has a number of phases and marketing processes that users must pass. Any of these phases may be a vanishing point or a bridge to the next level.
I mention all this because we are not aware of the importance of looking at an online project as a whole and think that all parts must fit together to achieve the expected results on many occasions. A link misplaced can destroy all the previous work When not visualize this can give the following scenarios.
– Work phases of marketing in isolation without taking into account a whole.
– Do not detect where the leak is and think that “the online channel to us do not work.”
– Skipping steps or works them because they do not give importance (very typical for areas of web design or usability).
The 7 stages of marketing online
Once we are aware of the importance of the processes as a whole, see what these phases are:
1- Discover the potential audience: We cannot go to capture traffic if you do not know the type of customer marked on the marketing plan. Basically because these profiles define what actions need to be performed? Not all users “move” like the Internet.
2- Brand identity online: Need to create a well designed, usable, multi-device web thinking of tablets and mobile, and well indexed in Google. There is no point design and usability exists if not for search engines. For that, the web architecture is good first impression is essential for new relationships with users.
3- Attracting traffic: Once these well anchored on the Internet, touch to see “the window” to start seduce. For this you have two paths. Advertising or called PPC (pay per click) are as Google Adwords, social ads, online advertising … organic methods and techniques grouped with inbound marketing (social networking, blogging, SEO…).
4- Connect: Following the line of these phases, if users come to your site but do not interact, realize the work we have wasted. Here you need forms contact visible, simple web tours, attractive offers, and calls to action (CTA) to encourage those click both needed.
5- Conversions: At this stage we talked about sales. Realize that until step 5 we have not talked about this. Many times we talk about visits and sales only obviating the above. Whether the sale is given, as if there is only one record there is a whole work behind marketing automation to further increase the ratio of sales: “Getting the most from your database and generate sales.”
6- Involve users: We have different paths for this purpose:
– “Crosselling” a user to purchase more than once.
– “Upselling”: the user buys a product of value (+ billing).
– Specifiers: your customers become your promoters.
7- Measurement and analytical: here come into play metrics and KPI (performance indices).We can measure all marketing activities, that can be optimized to go plugging these leaks of potential customers. Google analytics is your friend to safeguard your “online production environment.”
As you have seen, the projects have to watch them to “bird’s eye view” to be aware of those details that can make a difference when you want to increase your customer base.
Do you think all these phases of online marketing? I left some? Some left over?