Not long ago those large yellow books that appear on our front door were considered the status quo in advertising. The marketing arena has changed dramatically with the onset of the personal computer, laptops, ipads, tablet pc’s, and smart phones which attach us to the internet nearly everywhere we go. Now when the consumer is looking for a medical office, dentist, chiropractor, lawyer, toothbrush, bicycle, restaurant, or auto part it is as simple as “googling it” to find where to go or who to call. The b2b world has also experienced this change as corporate buyers and business owners now have instant access to a multitude of suppliers’ as well as substantial amounts of additional information to influence the decision of where to do business right at their fingertips.
While every business model has different marketing needs in order to succeed, there is a growing trend toward the utilization of the internet to promote successful businesses. With such easy and instant access to information, the status quo has changed. Even businesses that have traditionally operated by gaining referrals are finding that they are losing business as potential customers/clients/patients are going to the business with a website design that they like better, or because they found the businesses website on the first page of google, or choosing based on favorable online reviews.
Who is winning? With the fast growth of interactive and social media influenced purchasing, the firms with a successful online marketing strategy are not just making waves; they are rapidly replacing firms still stuck following the old “tried and true” marketing methods. Whether you think you are ahead of the pack or working to catch up, if your business does not have an interactive marketing strategy in place, now is the time!
