Welcome to the Opportunity Revolution

Kathy Hokunson, Site-Seeker, Inc.

It was recently reported that 73% of US companies use social media tools for marketing purposes, and by 2012 it is expected to be almost 90%. And with 46% of internet users interacting with social media on a daily basis, how to you capture the opportunities?

As we all start to feel the effects of the economy's recovery, it is refreshing to shake off the restraints and restrictions of the recent business-growth struggle. Instead of looking to simply survive, we are now looking forward to new opportunities and growth.

The choices that lay in front of us are both empowering and slightly terrifying. We are being offered more choices than we have ever had to grow our businesses, reach out to potential prospects, develop new markets and compete in the international arena.

Historically, our choices to market our companies and reach prospects were limited - industrial directories, market-niche magazines, and eventually, a brochure-like website. In the last five years, however, this pattern has begun to change. The options that now exist have significant reach, provide tangible results and are measurable - providing real ROI.

With the evolution of Internet marketing and social media, our industry faces the opportunity for revolution. The ways in which to reach further and grow bigger are plentiful.

Now is the time to embrace this revolution. If you're not sure where to start, consider the following . . .

Social Media
At first, LinkedIn was perceived to be a job-hunting avenue for those who found themselves non-recession proof. The truth is, it's just Facebook emulation for professionals, but, with real value - networking for success, making valuable connections that can lead to growth, opportunity and yes, even, sales.

The success of LinkedIn comes from three key areas:

1.  Community. Building a quality professional structure by connecting with people you know or have
     met or would like to meet.

2.  Engagement. Participating in conversations with groups where you are most likely to reach your
     prospects and customers.

3.  Networking. By building a strong community, your access to the connections of others becomes
     highly valuable. Identify companies you would like to work with, find someone you're connected
     with who is linked with someone who works for that company and request an introduction. If they
     are in your community, they will connect you.

Marketing
Blogging is an excellent way to build brand recognition, authority and thought-leadership among your clients, prospects and peers. Blogging will drive traffic to your website, improve your ranking in search engines and showcase your expertise.

With the tools the Internet affords us, you can quickly build a blog and start sharing your thoughts and opinions that are relevant to your market, to your clients and to your prospects. Blogging is also an effective way to support your sales and marketing objectives, strengthening your plans for future growth.

Measuring Effectiveness
Everything you do online must have a goal of driving traffic to your website. In order to understand what is working, and what is not, you need to have measurement tools in place. As Dr. Deming stated, "In God we trust. All others must bring data."

One of the most reliable measurement tools available is Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a free service which is relatively simple to install for your webmaster or web hosting company. With a tool like Google Analytics, you will know the volume of traffic you drive to your site from all platforms; how long visitors stay on your site and how many pages they view.

A deep dive into Google Analytics can even tell you how many visitors go to your contact page and, subsequently, how many visitors actually submit your conversion form. This information can also reveal what pages visitors like and don't like, what search words you are found for in Google and more importantly, what words you are NOT found for.

These simple recommendations are just a start. Many of your peers have embraced these platforms, as well as your competitors. Now is the time to change your thinking and look at new ways to grow your business and break the barriers that have held you back.

Lend me your ears, my friends, as the time for action is now. Are you ready to join the revolution?