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Ten Important Guidelines For Companies Using Interactive Marketing Communications

1. Remember That Interactive Marketing Is Direct Marketing
   Companies using interactive marketing tools are communicating directly with customers and prospects. These companies are attempting to generate responses, and in some cases actual orders, directly from those customers and prospects. This is direct marketing. Direct marketing is very different from traditional marketing and advertising in terms of approach, philosophy and the skills required. To be successful using interactive marketing, you need to be experienced in direct or Database Marketing (or work with someone who is experienced). We are sometimes asked, “How do you make money on the Internet?” The answer is that you first become experienced in regular direct marketing and Database Marketing via mail, telephone, fax, etc. Then you take that experience and combine it with an understanding of interactive technologies.
   
   
2. Remember There Are Other Interactive Tools Besides The World Wide Web
   The World Wide Web (WWW) receives so much attention, publicity and hype that some people consider it to be synonymous with the Internet or interactive marketing. Certainly, the WWW offers many exciting possibilities for marketers and consumers alike. However, there are many more interactive marketing tools that can be used effectively. Tools such as Gopher, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), auto response electronic mail, fax-on-demand, the commercial online services, and others are often less expensive and sometimes more cost effective than the Web. In fact, electronic mail (e-mail) is used by more people than the Web.
   
   
3. Provide Useful Information
   People who access the Internet and other interactive services are usually searching for information. They do not want to be bombarded with pure commercial messages. Provide people with useful information and they will have a more positive opinion of your company. Make a concerted effort to learn what information your customers and prospects will appreciate. Then determine a way to provide them the information in a convenient, useful and, if appropriate, entertaining manner.
   
   
4. Create Interaction Opportunities
   When using interactive marketing communications tools, make sure you build interactivity into your sites and content. Most people who use interactive services expect to provide input, make selections or somehow participate in the adventure. When people interact with your communications, they are likely to spend more time with them and likely to have a more favorable impression of your company and products. This, in turn, translates into a greater probability of people buying your products.
   
   
5. Provide Reasons To Stay In Touch With You
   One of the keys to marketing success is building ongoing relationships with customers and prospects. Don’t think in terms of a single contact with people. Think in terms of frequent interaction over a longer period of time. If you have a World Wide Web site, a fax-on-demand server or an auto response e-mail system, make sure first-time visitors will see plenty of reasons to return frequently. If you offer an electronic mailing list or other content people receive, be certain it will have lasting appeal. Make people eager to receive your next message.
   
   
6. Make Your Content User Friendly
   Large, flashy graphics may make your World Wide Web site look “cool,” but can frustrate and anger users if the graphics cause your pages to take a long time to load. Clever clickable images may be “creative,” but they are counterproductive if people can’t easily determine what to do. Make your content easy to read, quick to load and simple to navigate.
   
   
7. Register Your Sites
   Many companies invest large amounts of money in creating World Wide Web sites and other online content, but fail to help potentially interested people find the information. Their belief seems to be, “if you build it, they will come.” By all means, publicize the location of your site in literature, print and broadcast advertising, and in other media. But, your first tactic should be to register your site with the many search engines and directories, such as Webcrawler, Yahoo and Lycos, on the Internet. Also, publicize your site in key newsgroups, electronic mailing lists and commercial online service forums.
   
   
8. Make Information Available In A Variety of Forms
   Some computer users do not have access to all the interactive marketing tools. Others may not be familiar with how to use certain tools or may simply prefer one tool to another. Make your company’s information available via multiple interactive marketing tools. Put product information on your Web site. Offer it via Gopher and FTP. Include it in an electronic mailing list. Make it available via auto response e-mail and fax-on-demand. And by the way, don’t forget traditional mail, printed media, the telephone and video.
   
   
9. Make Information Usable To People With Different Types Of Computers And Browsers
   Everyone has Windows and uses Netscape Navigator, right. Wrong! In fact, the majority of online users do not have this combination. If you make software or other files available for downloading or as attachments, make them usable by people with different types of computers and operating systems. The WWW site that looks spectacular in the latest version of Netscape Navigator may be unintelligible to people using another browser. Why exclude potential customers from your audience? Make your content usable by as many people as possible.
   
   
10. Work With Someone Who Understands Interactive Marketing, Strategic Marketing And Your Company
    Many companies, in their anxiousness to use interactive marketing, have hired Internet specialty firms. Often, they’ve been disappointed with the results. Most of these specialty companies understand the technical aspects of the Internet. However, many of these Internet firms do not have good strategic marketing skills. Further, many such firms are not committed to understanding their clients nor the clients’ products and audiences. Your best bet is to work with a full-service marketing communications agency who understands and offers Creative and Media advertising services, Public Relations, Database Marketing, Strategic Planning, and other services in addition to understanding interactive marketing communications. Also, we think you will welcome the level of service that comes from an experienced Client Services Department.