As a business owner, everyone wants to be online, market their site there and crack a sale with each visit on their website. But does everyone seriously undertake what it takes to be successful online? Or do you get swayed by every piece of information you read about online marketing in an effort to establish your presence on the coveted, oh so hallowed world wide web?
Beware! You might be taken in by such piece of information. It might be just a myth. These online marketing myths have the power to determine your success or failure on the internet.
Let’s debunk the myths about online marketing:

Myth 1: Create a website and you did it!
Most people and businesses consider it a must to have their own website and list their products and services, albeit for no good. I have come across several websites where the homepage looks so interesting and makes me actually want to delve deeper and check out what the site has to offer. Alas, my enthusiasm receives nothing but the message – “This page is under construction.” at the next click. Too bad!
It is not enough to own a website for your product or business and let it out on the www. You need to market it to your intended audience so that they visit your site. It requires out-of-the-world online marketing approaches and strategies to reach out to your target audience and convert them into customers and reap profits.

Myth 2: Online Marketing is similar to traditional marketing
This doesn’t hold true. In fact online marketing is an extremely special and a far-reaching mode to extend the scope of your product-line or services. Online marketing is like having an active conversation with your global potential customer, unlike the traditional marketing methods that are passive.
In the traditional marketing, you just advertise your product and wait for the customer to reach you. However, with online marketing you can reach your customer and that too at a time convenient to your customer (or prospective customer). Such is the revolutionary power of online marketing.
I recommend some more awesome points covering online marketing myths and how to bust these.

Myth 3: Professional online marketing services are redundant
Your prospective clients are out there, trying to reach product/ service providers like you, every moment. With experienced and professional online marketing service providers your business will stand out from the rest.
I’m sure you do not want to come across as an amateur struggling to make it online. Whether you are or not, your potential client should look up to you as someone who’s ‘been there, done that’, and not only once but many times! You cannot afford to lose any prospect. Can you?

 

Professional Aid

 Myth 4: Presentation is hyped too much!
Ok, now I am going to take the liberty of assuming that you do not want to follow the old norms. The very fact that you are reading this post corroborates that you want to stay ahead of others and bust the myths and set the facts from fiction. So here we go. No matter how authentic your product/ service and the related information is, what matters the most, at least at the outset, is how it comes across to the buyer.
Does the information about your product/ service reach your target buyer? It needs to enchant them, spell-bind them for that one moment in which they will decide to go for it! A run-of-the-mill website design or lackluster prose style definitely aren’t going to create magic! Extraordinary is what is expected.

Myth 5: Asking for your customer’s personal information is a no-no
Not really. It actually depends on how you present your business and your offering. Not all visitors on your website associate giving email address or other personal information with receiving spam (be sure to check out this resourceful article for an insight into this online marketing myth). You need to first build that credibility, that relationship with the prospective buyer so that they can trust you and go ahead with sharing their information.
They will then not hesitate and choose to be informed about your business and all what you have to offer in the future. Blogging can be used as an excellent online marketing tool to get larger number of people interested in signing up on your mailing list thereby giving you a chance to building a relationship with them.

Myth 6: Pricing the product/ service HIGH will portray it to be of high quality
Unfortunately for all businesses that believe this, this globally competitive age has something else in store for them. Prospective buyers are so aware and so savvy that they compare at least three products/ services before they zero in on one. Make sure your prices are, if not reasonable, at least competitive so that you don’t end up shooing away the customer at the mere mention of the word ‘price’.

 

 Myth 7: Pricing my product substantially lower than others on the market will attract more buyers
Again, it is an era of alert and knowledgeable buyers. They don’t mind spending a buck extra for dependable quality. And your price, lower than the most, is likely to make them lose confidence about your product. Don’t under-price your product so as not to repel the prospective buyer with aversion.

Myth 8: Building more and more new customers is the only key to successful online marketing
It is no doubt essential for the continuous growth of your business; but in the process of attracting new ones do not forget that it takes a lot more investment to create a new customer than it takes to retain the existing one. Be loyal to your current clientele and make sure you cater to their needs first and then go about building new customer base. Be in touch with the seasoned ones and keep strengthening your relationship with them so that they keep giving you business and new customers as well by way of recommendation.

Myth 9: Buying traffic is an effective way for online marketing to boom
Think twice about it. Does it make sense buying traffic if it isn’t resulting in   increased turnover for your business? If you don’t earn more than what you spend, it ain’t going to do you good. If you get fewer clicks, so be it, but make sure you convert most of the clicking visitors into clients leading to sales. And gradually establish your presence rather than resorting to unreasonable tactics. Explore a different angle to this myth to get more clarity.

Myth 10: Online Marketing ought to give fast and visible results
Trust me, I have taken years to build my business. There was no magic in my case (magic sagas & fairy tales are good for fictional books only). Incorporate measurability in the form of the number of subscribers and eventual buyers. Constantly monitor the figures and you will definitely need a little patience for the results to start pouring in. Watch this interesting video that busts some more myths about online marketing.
Even though I have a successful online business that gives me great results, I still introspect in retrospection and plan for future. I make sure I am worth that space I am using on the World Wide Web; else I would be wasting my time and your time. Make sure you do the same for your website and your visitors too! You cannot afford to build your website and have myths hovering around your online marketing efforts like the albatross around the neck it.
If you want to stay in vogue, be sure to get rid of those myths that I stated above. I know my list of myths isn’t exhaustive and being a keen listener that I am, I would love to hear from you. Send me your thoughts about other myths that I missed, your comments about this post and your views in general.