Ryan Nelson

What exactly is Interactive Marketing? The simple answer is to have a conversation with your consumers and prospects by engaging them with creative non-intursive forms of media.  There are 100’s of Interactive Marketing tools that can be used to make a businesses successful in the Online Marketing arena.  I focus on a small amount of the tools, why?  Because if you can master 5 or 6 of the 100’s of online media outlets you will have a manageable marketing mix plus an incredible ROI for your marketing dollars.   I have tried them all and have narrowed down the 5 essential tools needed to drive traffic and enhance your current revenue streams, while at the same time building new ones.

1. Social Media Promotions – This is FREE!  The problem with free is time and management.  Online Promotions can start with an Enzine articles, Wordpress blogs or Twitter, Facebook and Social Bookmarking.   These do not work if you don’t take the time to manage them.  Simple writing a blog or making a Twitter account won’t make you money.  Managing and engaging your prospects with this media is the key to all interactive media.  Companies need to target their audience and hear their voice, needs and concerns.  Listen to the social media community and follow the topics related to your service or product.  Give your audience the answers to their questions this will give turn your brand into an online authority and bring legitimacy to your company.

Example: Janet is a friend of mine and she got a flat tire on the way to her parents house friday night.  She posted on a Tweet on Twitter that she hates firestone and ranted about how she just bought these tires a week ago and now she is stranded.  Triple-A sent her a Tweet to give them a call and they would give her a 25% discount.  She called Triple-A.   Triple-A cashed in with their Twitter.

2 days later guess who tweeted her a support line for new tires?  Firestone.  They bought her 4 new tires for her troubles.  She re-tweeted to her list of people thanking Firestone.  New Customers! Saving Costumers! and never talking to the costumer but engaging them.  Now I want to buy firestone because they back their product and will take care of your needs even when they are at fault.

Social Media is great if you have  the time to manage the accounts.  Many corporation are now hiring social media consultants for this reason alone, to make friends online and answer Q&A’s for potential prospects.

2. Search Engine Optimization – Having a Google friendly website is the most essential element of your online presence.  I you fail to show up in the Top 10 of Google I like say thanks for playing, better luck next time.  This is why?

This is the average (CTR) click through rate on a Keyword Search Result with Google:

• #1 – 40% Clicks
• #2 – 15% Clicks
• #3- 12% Clicks
• #4 – 11% Clicks
• #5 – 9% Clicks
• #6 – 5% Clicks
• #7 – 2.5% Clicks
• #8 – 2.5% Clicks
• #9 – 1.5% Clicks
• #10 1% Clicks
• #11 – #1000 – .5% Clicks

So the question is do you have a online brochure at the bottom of your business card? or an online active selling tool?  With a keyword analysis and focused targeting double and triple traffic can change the face of your business.  Within 120 days I helped a companies website generate over a 200% profit for the entire companies revenue with online sales.  This is a instant game changer if you have a niche product or have local services for your community.

Local SEO: Doctors, Lawyers, Real Estate Agents, Bars, Entertainment, Events and the list goes on and on.  Local SEO can generate fast results while building a worldwide online brand.

Example: Local Houston plumber “friend of mine” was having a hard time keeping his business open during this economy.  So I told him I would help him out with his  Web Presence.   Within 2 weeks after his website index, he generated over $10,000.00 dollars of new tickets for his services.  At the time he was number 3 in Google and #1 in Yahoo.  Almost ever person who went to the internet for a plumbing solution clicked his website.  I re-designed his site for the process of selling and over 58% of his traffic made it to his contact information.  This was probably the quickest I every reached number 3, and I didn’t even get paid. Your Welcome Jerry! Contact Me For More SEO Information

3. Mobile Marketing – With the release of the iphone, Blackberry, Android and all of these extremely technically sound wireless devices; SMS messaging is now the number 1 form of communication in the U.S. according to the Nielsen Report.  So utilizing the number one form of communication for your prospects would be the fastest way for your brand to connect with their needs and wants.  This does not mean text to communicate and have Q&A’s.  This means promos, text2wins, polls, voting, text coupons, info2text, fan interactions and event promotions.  SMS subscribers are without a doubt the most qualified interactive media prospect or lead.  Consumers opt-in to a service, they initiate the conversation with your brand, then your brand gives them an incentive, all streamline, no management, conversion communications, with zero effort, all via SMS Text Message.  You would think little management mean big fees.  It is the opposite.  Leading Mobile Marketing Company WHAMmobile Inc. has solutions for all businesses.  They have set up campaign for local antique dealers to professional sports.  Depending on your marketing visibility and messaging your business could start a mobile marketing campaign for as little as $69.99/mon to custom platforms as high as $25,000.00/mon.  If you want to engage and inform the public about your product, mobile marketing with WHAMmobile has an option for all businesses. SMS Marketing Solutions
Try It! “Text: Ryan  /  To: 444888″

4. Lead Capture – Content is KING!  The more content you have online the more visible your business will be for your targeted audience.   Daily Blogs and Articles are essential for recognition but with no funnel system your writing is serving ZERO purpose for conversions.  Aweber and Mobile Marketing are to ways of generating leads.  Giving a 10% discount to your prospects for joining you Mobile Club or FREE service for opting into your Aweber mailing list is a great way to engage in conversation with your consumer. BE WARNED! Abusing the opt-in is the quickest route to destroying your brand.  SPAM mail or Blasting random text messages daily is the quickest way to stain your brand and become an annoyance to your prospects.  All email and SMS messages should contain value for your consumers i.e. “Coupons, New Promotions, Events and New Products” Listen to the social media community and use their input for promotional ideas within your email marketing list.  Take care of your leads and give the consumer valuable messages.   This element of marketing should not focus on selling a product or services, as much as selling your brand and its value.

5. Management - Management is the key to Interactive Media.  Building the email campaigns, blog sites, SMS Solutions and writing an article is not hard. The daily grind of managing the media and SEO “Search Engine Optimization” can become intensive and exhausting.   The time and care to to create a revenue generating Interactive Marketing Solutions is where 99.9% of social media failures occur.   So if you don’t have time to manage a Interactive Campaign you have 2 options: Pay Per Click Ads or Interactive Consulting and Management firm assistance.

Note: Tips & Advice
1. Focus on a few of the Media Outlets not all of them.  Master 5-10 for maximum results.
2. youTube is a great tool to utilize on all your Interactive Media sources.  Video conversion rates are typically higher than written information.
3. If a SEO Consultant guarantees you a #1 spot in Google….  RUN!  It is impossible to guarantee positioning in Google because of so many elements involved with search results.  If a consultant promises a number 1 results they are using Black-Hat SEO Tactics or they are a desperate SEO consultant lying for work.