What the heck is an Online Marketing Strategist (and WIIFM)?

An online marketing strategist will work with you to develop a comprehensive online strategy using your existing website (or help you get one) and develop your presence on the Internet. The name of the game is getting people on your "list". A list is your email mailing list that you use to connect with clients (current and prospective).

The strategy includes some of these services:

• general virtual assistance
• project management
• article submission
• blog
• event promotion
• ezine
• teleseminar
• product development
• video/audio
• web 2.0
• website maintenance
• shopping cart integration

WIIFM

WIIFM (also known as What's In It For Me) is that by building your list and stretching your reach all over the globe, you will have more customers entering the "marketing funnel" which ultimately leads to sales.

Marketing Funnel

Ever wonder what a marketing funnel is or looks like? A marketing funnel is simple. The premise is that you have a large target audience who are looking for information you offer. Once they land on your website, they will sign up to receive the information you provide to them for FREE. This is usually in the form of an ezine where you ask for someone to give you their name and email address in a sign up box. You can also offer a free gift to entice them further such as an audio, tips, a report, ecourse, ebook, or other item. Now that you have ‘hooked’ the person, you want them to become your fan (kind of like a fan club). You offer more products and services, but for a low-cost fee (usually under $100). Once they buy from you, chances are they’ll buy again and again. So, you build higher cost products and services to satisfy their needs. See the visual illustration and further details below.

Progressing through each level: In order to progress through each level, lead generation is a must! You can’t simply start at the bottom if no one knows who you are. List building with a contact capture form on your website is not going to get the numbers of people in your funnel that you need in order to turn around and sell your paid and well paid products and services.