by Michael Quintos

The Internet continues to offer superb benefits for our businesses. But though the number of firms, experts and publications on the topic are increasing, one might be surprised at how many companies still exclude the web from their marketing plans. Besides not saving time and money, those businesses are losing the impact that a strong web presence has on offline marketing components.

We'll explore a few ways that the web can enhance your advertising, event marketing, newsletters and other marketing vehicles. But before we dive in, let's review three keys to integrating and leveraging the power of the web:

• A complete marketing plan. While brochures, ads, events and websites all contribute to a successful marketing strategy, they are often treated and developed separately. They become dislocated pieces of the marketing puzzle. A solid marketing plan includes every piece for message consistency and solidarity. The result is increased revenue.
• Expert consultation. We all love the ad and web copy that we write. When we ask others for their opinions about our copy, they may nod and smile. Why then do we not see an immediate spike in sales or inquiries when the copy goes out? Objective insights are both rare and valuable. Consultation from marketing experts requires an investment, but it can mean the difference between mediocre marketing and that which is powerful, memorable and integrated into a plan that works.
• The right tools. Posting a flat, static website is not efficient Internet marketing. If your flyers and brochures are ready to go out, your site should complement them. To do so, it must include dynamic content and the right built-in tools. For example, users should be able to find and register for events and newsletters. They might want to request information through the site too. After taking inventory of your site's primary functions, you may also need a database to manage contact lists, software to create and update newsletters, and most important, a tool for editing your site's content.

Once you've developed a full marketing plan, reviewed it with marketing experts and selected the right online tools, you're ready to integrate the Internet into your strategy.

A friend recently called to (proudly) show me a new car he'd been building for months. When I arrived to see it, I saw not a vehicle, but parts scattered throughout his garage. The pieces were customized and polished, but only he could see a "car" among them.

When I'm asked to review a marketing strategy, I sometimes feel as I did that afternoon in my friend's garage. When that happens, I begin by assembling the loose parts into something a business can drive. I often start with the engine that powers the other pieces: the website.

To build this engine, the client and I start with the basic questions:

• What does your company do?
• Who is your target market?
• What messages do they respond to and why?
• What is the goal of your website?
• What do you need to achieve this goal?
• How will the site be managed and maintained?

This initial session includes more details, such as how the site should look, but these questions remain critical. Good marketing consultants help clients articulate what they do and identify their markets. The website's goals then become to support sales, increase revenue and communicate clearly with a well-defined audience.

After answering the key questions, I begin to map the site. First, I develop a "sitemap" of the pages. Secondly, I follow with the words and images that will appear on each page. And lastly, I integrate any special features or applications, such as contact forms or newsletter signups. Each of these steps deserves closer examination:

• The Sitemap. This is skeleton of the website. It begins with the home page and shows all secondary pages. Starting with a sitemap helps you restrain your site so that it's neither too sparse nor too confusing for navigation. Simplicity reigns supreme in this process. A simple sitemap for Widget, Inc. might look like this:
  • Home (welcome to the site)
  • About Widget, Inc. (company history, sign-up for the quarterly newsletter)
  • Widget Services (description of each service offered)
  • Our Clients (clients and testimonials)
  • Contact (how to contact the company and/or order products or services)
• The Content. Brochure copy is great - for brochures. Your website should be more interactive. Consider these tips for strong web content:
  • People have short attention spans, so be short and concise. No page should require viewers to "scroll down" to read more.
  • Speak to the readers in their vernacular and keep the content relevant. A bookstore's site might include the story of how the business began, or links to works of fiction by the owners. An investment bank's site might provide examples of how the company has structured private-equity deals to achieve high returns for clients and investors. What do you want people to think of your business? Say it, and say it well.
  • Create a sense of urgency and give your audience a way to act. We've all been bombarded with phrases like "Order now!" and "Limited Time Offer While Supplies Last!" You'll probably need to be more creative if you want people to do something. Strong web content can compel website visitors to use your products or services.
  • Direct your viewers. Your copy and layout should convey a specific idea of where you want visitors to go and what you want them to do on the site. The content needs to lead viewers to where they can purchase your products or services, subscribe to newsletters, contact you or act on what you have in mind.
• Features and Applications
  • Contact forms. These provide another way to contact you for support or information. They can be modified to suit both you and your audience.
  • E-commerce. A primary goal of online marketing is to increase revenue. Purchasing products and services at your site should be as easy as possible.
  • Newsletter subscription. Your website can help you build a reader list. Online tools can help you manage that list as well. This saves both time and printing/mailing costs.

The site must also be easy to manage and update so that it keeps pace with your ever-changing strategies and initiatives. An attractive, well-constructed site fails if switching an image requires two weeks of communication through several people.

Here again, having the right tools from the start is critical for success. Rather than struggle with a new technical skill or language to add a feature, find an affordable, flexible and easy-to-use system for managing your site. That way, you can make your own changes quickly without a mastery of web languages such as FTP or HTML.

This system should be web-based so you can manage the site from anywhere you have access to the Internet (a vital advantage if you travel often or work from multiple offices).

Advertising. Advertising remains a cornerstone of marketing strategy. The three main types of advertising are usually TV, radio and print ads, but direct mail, outdoor advertising and Internet banner and tile ads have their places in your plan as well. Integrating the web into your advertising is as simple as including the site address in all print-based communications. Here are some other considerations:

• Themes and campaigns should correspond between online and offline components. This "branding" consistency in your advertising maintains a cohesive company voice and image. This builds trust and familiarity among your audience.
• When promoting your web presence through your ads, you could offer an incentive to visit the site, such as a contest, a giveaway, a free newsletter or another special offer.

Grassroots/Guerilla Marketing. Promotional items such as flyers, posters, t-shirts, pens and bags are more than ways to present your company's name to potential clients: They're also great places for your website address. Include the site URL with promo items that correspond to your service (e.g. if you're a commercial printer, hand out letter openers, binders and other paper- or printing-related items).

Events and your web site integrate well in at least three ways: promoting the event, giving your site visibility at the event and highlighting the event after it's over.

• Promoting the event. Direct your audience to information about the event through both site content and links from the home page to the event page or window. Reinforce your call to action with an online registration form and an "invite a friend" feature that lets visitors spread the word (referred to as "viral marketing"). Include the time, location and contact information as well as compelling reasons to attend (e.g. contests, door prizes, giveaways). Refer to the website in your offline promotions of the event as well.
• Giving your site visibility. Set up a computer with access to your website at the event. This will allow event attendees to learn about your business and its benefits while they become familiar with your site. If the site includes more than just content, attendees could also enter contests, sign up for newsletters and register for e-mail news of future events. You'll be giving them reasons to return to the website while you build your marketing database. At the very least, be sure to get attendees' e-mail addresses so you can send each a thank-you note after the event.
• Highlighting the event. Most of us appreciate recognition. After the event, you can share highlights through blurbs and pictures that you post online or in newsletters. Employees and attendees alike are recognized, and many may pass on the news to colleagues (think "viral marketing"). This is an effective and inexpensive way to promote your website and your business.

Integrating online and offline marketing for events once again requires the right tools. Events may change up to the last minute, so a website management system for easy and immediate edits is crucial.

Another important tool is a "photo gallery" feature. A good website management system should include this feature to let you upload multiple images (such as event pictures) quickly and easily.

Newsletters may be one of the most effective but seldom-used marketing vehicles. Many companies avoid them because of worries about managing content and controlling costs to print and mail them.

Online newsletters can eliminate these concerns. In addition to being more cost-effective, they:

• provide useful, relevant information that promotes your products and services;
• present a showcase for clients, partners and providers;
• establish a forum for interacting with your audience;
• announce news and upcoming events; and
• create a "business community" of clients, prospects, vendors, etc.

I suggest starting with a quarterly newsletter and then making it more frequent if warranted. This way, you can gauge initial responses and stay connected to readers without "spamming" them every week.

You'll also want to complete at least three issues before marketing the newsletter. This buys time if other priorities arise and you can't work on new issues for a while. If you find that this project pulls you from other critical tasks, you can outsource it to other qualified experts. If, however, you're committed to managing a successful newsletter from the office, make sure you have the right software for creating, editing and distributing it.

In the early days of online marketing, almost everyone raced to post a web site for their company only to find that it had no impact. Many sites with dull, gray backgrounds and "coming soon" or "under construction" banners still appear today. These companies are often paying for a website but are too embarrassed to give out its address. Aside from wasting marketing dollars, these sites reflect poorly on a company, especially if the site no longer represents the current business.

The ideas we've reviewed here should be applied when redesigning a site. If your site is only slightly outdated, it may not require an overhaul, but starting fresh may still be the best route if the proper site-management tools are not in place.

By consulting with a professional when changing your site, you can save time, money and frustration - and leave your clients with positive images that linger in their minds.