13

Sep

Internet Marketing. What’s That, Like a Website?

Posted by: Jeremy Reither

There are professions that are, for the most part, well enough understood by most people that a member of that profession can – at a cocktail party, for example – in just a few words, state what he does for a living and people just kind of get it.

Then there are the rest of us…those who either have to accept the blank stare or tailor an explanation based on what little we know about the person asking “what do you do?” You could always make something up or deflect, but let’s pretend you actually want this guy to know what you do.

“I’m a real estate agent.”
Usually greeted with a nod and ‘ah, ok.’

“I’m a professional services consultant”
Typically greeted with a furrowed brow and/or silence.

You’ve answered the “what do you do” question, so you know which group you’re in. Personally, I’ve always been in the latter, and I was reminded of this recently when I answered someone’s “what do you do” question as I normally do in a social setting: “internet marketing.” The exact response from the guy (who happened to be a small business owner) was: “Internet marketing. What’s that, like a website?” I couldn’t disagree…I mean, websites are part of internet marketing, but there is so much more to it I didn’t know whether to try to clarify or just say, “yes.”

By the way, this guy’s response validates two things about the perception of internet marketing as a service: (1) it’s still not even on some business owner’s radar, and (2) assuming he’s not alone, that means there’s still a ton of opportunity out there.

The thing about the cocktail party scenario is, we can usually tell if “that guy” doesn’t quite get what we do. We can read the look on his face or interpret the questions he asks (or doesn’t ask). But with your marketing messages (ads, emails, your website, etc.) you don’t always get a chance to clarify your message so quickly…so it pays to try to get your value proposition across concisely, in terms that your prospective clients understand. This actually ties back to a topic we’ve covered on this blog recently – about how to think like your customer, and how important it is to realize your prospective clients don’t always use the same terminology you do.

So here’s the real takeaway: if it takes you more than 4 words to explain what you do at a cocktail party, it’s a safe bet your marketing messages are leaving prospective customers unsure about your offerings, too. So, tune in to what people think about what you do – listen  to questions from customers, read the comments on your blog, and check your website analytics. That refined elevator pitch you come up with will serve you well at your next mixer, but it could help make your marketing more effective, too.