Dont Baffle Me
Congratulations, all you Internet marketing people you. You now command a whopping 3% of total advertising and marketing budget. Hey, it's better than, well...2%. And the number is trending higher. That's good too.
But what if I told you that people spend nearly as much time on the web as they do in front of the television?
Did you know that TV commands almost 40% of all ad spending, while the web gets only 3%? How about newspapers? Businesses spend almost as much on newspaper ads as television, but guess what? Consumers spend less than 10% of their time reading newspapers.
Clearly, if you judge just by the numbers, the web is underfunded. Why?
I have a theory: to most business decision-makers, the people who sell the web channel are geeks. They talk in web jargon and acronyms. For example, if I was a business owner (which I am) and had an inkling that email marketing might be successful for my business (which I do) and called an Internet marketing consultant to meet with me, here's what I might hear:
"Thank you for calling me in. What we provide is an ASP email solution that has easy-to-use WYSIWYG tools which, in addition to providing you outstanding content management, tracks click-throughs, white list status, and user conversions in real-time."
As a business decision-maker, I think: What did that geek just say to me?
Or let's take search marketing: "Sir, I'd like to talk to you about how we can dynamically measure your keyword PPC programs within the Google AdWords or Overture network to, again, track real-time user conversions using state-of-the-art web analytics systems, which, by the way, are an ASP model so your IT guys don't have to get involved. Isn't that great!?!?!"
Yeah. Not so great, pal, because YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO ME!
And we wonder why web marketing might be underfunded? The fledgling field is so proud of itself for its snazzy lingo and sizzling software that it's forgotten that this is just marketing -- only possibly a whole lot better in many ways than traditional marketing.
To get decision-makers fired up about investing in the Internet marketing channel, strip out the jargon and the acronyms and get down to business. If you do so, then you've finally got what everyone wants to buy: better marketing. Instead of selling "conversions" and "ASPs" -- which have no language connections to traditional advertising and marketing -- talk in real business language. A conversion is a sale or a lead. A user is a customer. Keywords are just words and language. Every Internet t erm has a seasoned business equivalent. Use them.
If we want to justify more than a 3% budget allocation for our web marketing efforts (which we can and should), then we need to talk about business in language that decision-makers use everyday. And whatever you do, if you say "it's just marketing" then don't make it sound like IT.
Until next month,
About The Author
Andrew determines Cicerons strategic direction and leads the team in its ongoing quest for client success on the Internet. His 10 years of experience in Internet marketing provides a perspective that combines visionary creativity with common business sense.
Under Eklunds spirited leadership, Ciceron provides web marketing services to a diverse client roster that includes Best Buy, Jostens, US Bank, Hazelden Bookplace, Minnesota Environmental Partnership, Trend Enterprises, and Coldwell Banker Burnett.
Latest News
Nationwide Credit Card Processing Provider, BankCard USA, Engages ... MarketWatch - "Internet marketing is a large source of revenue for many businesses today," notes Alan Griefer, President of BankCard USA. "Click-fraud is more prevalent ... |
Reply.com Launches World's First Marketplace for Enhanced Clicks(TM) MarketWatch - "We are on a mission to make Internet marketing available to businesses of any size by making it easy and profitable to generated locally-targeted and ... |
Tripology Appoints Internet Marketing and Lead Gen Expert to Board ... PR Web (press release), WA - "His success as an entrepreneur and innovator in the field of online lead generation and internet marketing means he's done this before. ... |
 ABC News | Retailers rejoice: Cyber Monday sales figures rise Los Angeles Times, CA - "All online retailers are doing much more aggressive marketing," said Bernard Luthi, vice president of marketing and merchandising at Newegg, which offered ... Video: Online Retailers See Monday As Black Friday Consumers Benefit from a Frenzy of Around-the-Clock Online Shopping Online Retailers Dangle Free Shipping, Discounts |
Business road warrior opts for Internet marketing to keep family first DeSoto Appeal, TN - Around late April, Stephenson launched an Internet marketing company. Memphis Sudden Values could be coming to an inbox near you. "What I do is help local, ... |
Pontiflex Launches ROI Calculator, Enables Marketers to Easily ... MarketWatch - The calculator empowers online marketers and advertising agencies to proactively assess returns on their marketing dollars. This is useful especially in a ... |
As a Busy Mum of Three, Daniele Launched Her Successful Internet ... PR Web (press release), WA - Daniele started her Business following the Internet Marketing techniques taught in a course. Working from home on an Internet-based business is ideal when ... |
Zeer Announces Formation of Advisory Board MarketWatch - He has spent the bulk of his career in strategic marketing and consulting roles, and has been involved in Internet strategy since the early 1990s. ... |
 Internet Marketing News | Is the internet marketing future mobile? Business Feet, UK - Internet marketing gurus may have to learn how to make their adverts miniature in future, if the latest trends are anything to go by. ... 'Now is the time to address mobile online marketing' |
Social Networking Site Helps Effectively and Easily Build Blogs ... PR Web (press release), WA - Internet marketing through blogs has spread gradually over the years. The relaunch of professional blog hosting and social networking site for internet ... |
Resources
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Power Profit Marketing
Empowering The Internet Marketing Community With Great Marketing Tools, Manuals & Software
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35 Products For One LOW Price!
Get 35 Internet Marketing Products For The Price Of One!
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Make money on the Internet
How to make money on the Internet through Internet Marketing and work from home
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The Internet Marketing Master Plan!
How To Turn Your Passion or Hobby Into a $100,000 a Year Money Machine on the Internet.
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The Truth About Internet Marketing.
Discover the astonishing whole truth and nothing but the truth about Internet Marketing!
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NEW -- Marketing, Internet Marketing, email Marketing, Marketing plan, direct
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Offers Marketing tools, tips, strategies and techniques for Internet, email, direct and joint venture Marketing.
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The Esuccess Code - A Step By Step Guide.
Newest, Hottest, Most Cutting-Edge Internet Marketing Strategies You Can Use To Earn A Fortune With Little Or No Effort.
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Internet Business Marketing - Sen Ze's Mini-Encyclopedia Of Low-Cost, High-Profit Internet Business
Discover 19 Top Internet Businesses as practised by Top Internet Marketers and Internet Entrepreneurs from around the world.
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Internet Marketing - Pro Shop.
Internet Marketing.
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Web Site Design and Development
Web site design, development, and promotion guide for business and Internet Marketing web sites.