Internet advertising continues to boom as businesses rush to use a medium that is targeted, cost-effective, and flexible. With its huge reach, and keyword orientation, search engine advertising is among the most popular ways to advertise online. David wrote this article as a guide for people who want to increase the effectiveness of search engine advertising and individuals who want to start advertising on search engines for the first time. The Post-Gazette ended up running it as the lead article in the business section.
It comes in three parts. The market and the players. The way to choose keywords to maximize your profits. How to measure your search engine advertising to make sure you're getting the job done. (That's the simple math). Read all three. Don't forget to read the information on Affinity Programs that is linked below. That will help you use the Internet to keep in constant contact with the most important prospects you have... your current customers and the people they know (also known as referals).
Getting repeat business and referals from your customers
Large companies have traditionally been able to operate affinity programs, loyalty programs, and constant communications programs to get repeat business and stay top-of-mind with their customers. They are often in the form of frequent traveller, frequent shopper, or frequent buyer programs. Now, with help from the Internet, small companies can operate their own loyalty programs -- and big companies can get more out of the affinity programs they already operate.
The result is marketing campaigns timed around the most likely time purchasers buy, programs that help sales forces have continual contact with their clients and prospect even when they don't have time for personal sales calls, and a cost-effective way for marketers to maintain constant contact with their most valuable markets.
This is a program used by savvy marketers such as GEICO.
Bonus link: A resource that turns good sales people into great sales people
