By Robert Cavanaugh

If you are trying to sell something and you do not have an internet marketing plan, your business is toast. It is that simple. According to a recent study, 98% of people interviewed said they would research a purchase online before buying. If you are not attending to the internet marketing plan essentials, there is a very good chance that your ideal customers don’t even know you exist.

You probably have an overall plan. It probably outlines your promotions and sales campaigns. It probably lists where you will place ads in newspapers, magazines, etc. It might even mention your website. That is a good start. But no marketing plan today is complete without covering the internet marketing plan essentials also.

The Essentials of an Internet Marketing Plan:

1. Search Engine Marketing – A plan to research the best keywords and optimize your website and other content for those keywords in order to have your site appear within the first page of search results on each of the search engines. This simply cannot be overlooked.
2. Content Development and Marketing – Content is king today. Content is the information you can provide to the public that will answer their questions, meet their immediate needs, and show them that you can provide additional help through your products and services.
3. Lead Generation and Management – Once you get the attention of your target market, you can consider them sales leads. The next step in your internet marketing plan must be to engage them enough to get permission to contact them again and provide the additional information that will help them move from sales lead to prospective customer. Then each person must be managed through the process and the sales cycle until the sale is made and the customer relationship can be maintained until the next client need can be met by your company.
4. Public Relations/Media Plan – Whether you goal is to get an article in the local paper or to use an optimized press release to get the attention of your market, the press can be a vital asset for any business.
5. Blogging and Social Networking – These Web 2.0 tactics, which are absolutely critical in your internet marketing plan, help you demonstrate the relevance of your insights and your information, as well as your products and services. The amazing growth of social media has made it a vital sales tool.
6. Advertising – It is just as important to have your ads in the right internet publications and on the most important websites as on local billboards and in the local paper.
7. Website Development – Your website must be more than a brochure. It must be a sales tool and a marketing tool for your business. This vital part of your internet marketing plan is accomplished through both site structure and content.
8. Email Marketing – No business can afford to overlook the most effective and cost-efficient method of communicating with prospects and customers.

If you can attend to these essentials of an internet marketing plan, you business will be well on its way to great success. Each of these internet marketing plan essentials will need your attention, time, and investment to achieve the level of success you want for your business.

If you are a small business owner or professional and want to learn more about Internet marketing plans, you can access five free videos at http://videos.internetleadgenerationacademy.com. Topics include how to get on the first page of Google, how to set up a blog for free in under 5 minutes, how to create a video that sells without a camera, an example of three tweaks to the lead generation process that increased profits by 62% and why mobile marketing will soon be bigger than radio, TV, print and internet advertising combined.

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