The secret to successful Internet marketing for social entrepreneurs & solopreneurs

What is the secret to successful Internet marketing for social entrepreneurs and solopreneurs?

Creating a relationship with people who are interested in what you have to say.

And what is the secret to creating a relationship with them?

• Offering valuable information they can use
• Being consistent

Let’s discuss each of these points separately. In the end, you’ll have a practical master plan for success!

Offering valuable information they can use

If you don’t have a large advertising budget, I recommend something called Information Marketing.

You provide valuable information to people that they can use.

When you do this, people come for the information. They may then buy from you, as well. It’s rare that people come to a site they don’t know and buy on the first visit. Instead, they’re more likely to sign up for some free information. If they find the information useful, they’ll buy from you. That’s because they have learned that you know what you’re talking about and can give them value.

But a one-time relationship isn’t enough. That’s where the second principle comes into play

Being consistent

You may have heard about research that shows that people need to see a message about 7 times before they buy. Of course, this isn’t an absolute rule, but it’s a good guideline.

When you consistently provide valuable information the following happens:

• People see your message many times, so it eventually sinks in
• People start to trust you because they see that you are reliable and responsible

What constitutes being consistent?

• You should post a blog entry at least once per week. More is better.
• You should send out an email at regular intervals. In my experience, once per week is ideal, but some people send out a semi-monthly or monthly  email newsletter.

Is email enough?

Email is the most effective way to actually sell your service or product, but it isn’t enough. You need to reach people where they are. That’s where social media comes in. People can sign up for your Twitter feed, like your Facebook page, or subscribe to your YouTube channel.

So you need to inform people via social media channels as well. But in the end, it all comes down to email.

What’s the bottom line for an effective Internet marketing plan?

What I’ve just said in this post leads to the following Internet marketing plan:

1. Blog at least once per week.
2. Post a notice of your blog post in your social media channels.
3. Send out an email linking to your blog post, preferably once per week.

Note: You should also send out dedicated emails for new products and other marketing campaigns.

Once you set up this schedule, you can automate or outsource a lot of it.

Just remember to provide valuable information consistently.

Then, people will flock to your blog and email newsletter. They’ll tell their friends and colleagues about you. Your list — and your sales — will grow and grow!