When people talk about the need for processes, it always sounds so heavy and burdensome. You’re better off thinking in terms of checklists. Checklists seem lightweight and simple—not as threatening as a “procedure.” All good Internet marketing requires processes to execute properly, so let’s see what you should check off your list each time you perform a task.
- Name a product. One a product is named, it’s expensive to change, so this might not be the best place to “do it wrong quickly.”
- Improve your existing site. Most folks agree that they should use measurements to pinpoint places for improvement, but they get hung up in metrics reports instead of the real issues. Get a list of questions you can ask about your own site to find ways to improve.
- Write a compelling headline. E-mails, search ads, Web pages, and just about any piece of content needs a headline that causes readers to click through.
- Write powerful copy. Your writing must be simple, easy to read, and easy to find to achieve your marketing purposes.
- Send a marketing e-mail. Every time you use e-mail to communicate, you need to think through what you’re doing.
- Record an audio podcast. Reach your customers right on their iPods with the right audio content.
- Record a video podcast. A regular video series can set your brand apart from the rest.
- Start an online community. Social media is based on communities that bring people together with something in common.
In making this list, I intended to “do it wrong quickly”—there are undoubtedly other tasks that need checklists and probably more steps that should be on these lists. Please let me know what’s missing and help me add it. Thanks.
Want more tips to raise your Web marketing success? Check out Search Engine Marketing, Inc., which contains a complete step-by-step program for successful search marketing for your business. For more ways to improve your overall Internet marketing, take a look at Do It Wrong Quickly, an indispensable guide to the new ways of marketing.





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