Gaining new customers is always a priority for a business. There’s nothing wrong with having a small client base. This means you have already built a solid relationship with your existing clients, but getting new customers gives you the chance to grow and achieve new business goals. 

So how do you successfully encourage new people to support your products or services? This is easier said than done, but not entirely impossible. Most of the time, business owners splurge their money and focus their energy on ways that don’t necessarily work for them. 

We don’t want you to fall into that trap and waste valuable time and resources. 

To help you expand your customer reach that will turn to increased business sales, upgrading your digital marketing strategies should be given the utmost priority. Here are 10 tried and tested ways to help you attract new customers.

1. Know Who’s Your Ideal Customer

No marketing strategy will work if you don’t know who’s your target audience. You could put out billboard advertisements in every street or get commercials in every tv channel but if they are not strategically placed or shown to where your target audience is, you will not get any good results. If your efforts to get your name out there don’t reach your target audience, then what’s the point? Answer this first, “Who’s your ideal new client? You have to identify their age, physical characteristics, location, income, buying habits, and so on. Think about what they want in life, their pain, their strengths, their aspirations, then identify how your business can make their lives easier.

However, it’s also important to not overdo it. Overstating your target audience makes it difficult to find potential customers, but making it too specific can also cut the chances of reaching them. This process could require some real work – meaning you have to sit in front of a computer for hours to research or go out there and talk to other people or assign a team to do it for you. This will give you significant information that will help your business in making and adapting marketing strategies that will surely grow your client base.

2. Always Improve Your Website 

People mostly come upon new businesses by searching online. Think of your website as the face of your business. If a customer looks at it for the first time, will they be wanting to get to know you more? Or are there some things that hinder them from doing so? These are the questions you have to keep in mind because there will always be room for improvement.

First, aesthetics. Does it look good? Are the texts readable? Does it reflect your brand’s identity? You have to make sure that your website is always up to date with the recent trends and technical developments.

Second, the user experience. Is it working smoothly? Does it take too long to load the pages? When a customer clicks a button, does it bring them to the correct place? Your website must be easy to use and navigate so that website visitors will not get frustrated and go to your competitors.

Last, relevancy. No one wants to see outdated content. It will only be a turn off to potential customers and it will send a message you’re not hands on to the other aspects of your business. Always update your website and it will encourage more new customers to learn more about your products or services.

3. Make Use Of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Now that you have made your website look great in the eye, it’s essential to take steps into how you can make it always on top of search results. This is where Search Engine Optimization or SEO comes in – it helps your brand to be more visible to increase exposure and drive more organic traffic to your website.

There are two factors you have to consider for SEO: on-page SEO and off-page SEO. The first one refers to any strategies such as header text, keyword placement, meta description, and many more that you implement on your own website. While the second one is about the techniques you have done to other websites. This one usually refers to links that will enhance the quality of your search rankings. 

It’s a common thing to know that if you’re not on the first page, it means that you’re more likely to receive fewer website clicks which also put your efforts into getting known to waste. Learning and mastering the best SEO practices will give you significant benefits in the long run. Instead of paying for traffic ads, you can save more resources by investing in your SEO actions. A brilliant SEO strategy will increase your visibility and make prospective customers come back for more. 

4. Ask For Your Customers’ Referrals

Without getting the word out that your business provides excellent service or product, you will not catch the attention of new consumers. You can ask for your loyal customers’ testimonials and include them on your website’s content or post them on your social media accounts. You can also take control of this process – create a way that will systematically get reviews from your customers. Don’t be passive and wait for them to give their thoughts. Instead, be proactive and make the most out of these referrals.

These positive words about your business will serve as a credible source for other people to give you a try. It’s difficult to gain the trust of people who encounter your brand for the first time, but with the help of these referrals from satisfied customers, it will make them feel more confident to support your business. 

5. Take Advantage of Social Media

Create accounts on different platforms so that your business has an online presence. With social media, there’s an assurance that you will reach a wide number of audiences and potential customers will notice your business. If you pay for social ads, you can always start small then increase the budget when you see a return on your investment. As the number of your following grows, make sure to listen and engage with your online community. Monitor the conversations (the good and the bad) about your brand and the industry. If a loyal customer posts a positive review about you, you can respond to it and make them feel appreciated. If they put a negative post out against your brand, you can address it immediately and properly. This will show your prospective customers that you have excellent customer service with these situations. 

Also, make sure to bring out fresh content as no one wants to see random and uninformed posts. If someone makes a comment or sends a message, respond timely. People always have a lot of questions and if you’re able to attend to them promptly, there’s a higher chance you can persuade them into giving your business a chance. The best part is that after you convert them into paying customers, they can share your brand with their family, relatives, and friends which will bring another wave of potential consumers.

6. Give Out New Discounts, Promotions

Everyone wants free things. Or if they are discounted. The thing is, giving out free trials or discounted products or services might not be the most practical option. However, this strategy can be exactly what you need to finally get more people to look at your brand. Most consumers have second thoughts with their purchasing process. When they have redeemed your rewards, this could serve as the last step for them to seal the deal with you. Let them experience that your products or services are truly the best value and through that, you will gain their trust and make them loyal supporters of your business.

7. Use Direct Marketing

One strategy you can incorporate into your marketing plan is when you ask people to engage by adding a call to action to your marketing materials. This usually comprises encouraging them to be a part of your email marketing list or asking them for more information. Through this way, you can identify and target people who could show interest in your future events, sales, promotions, newsletters, and many more. This strategy doesn’t mean that you can ask for them to do too much, you just have to make sure that there’s an increase in customers’ engagement. 

8. (Online) Networking

With everything that’s been happening, you might think the practice of good and old-fashioned networking can be difficult to do. Hosting and attending business functions with many people is not advisable right now. However, the industry is constantly adapting to the changes and there’s always the internet. Websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to connect with your former colleagues and friends that could bring potential customers. Meeting new people is a great way to build relationships that could lead you to clients who are actually interested to learn more about your business and turn them to paying customers. 

9. Become Partners With Us

Building a partnership with a business that complements your products or services can help you drive in new people into your client base without spending a lot of money. For example, an SEO company can team up with a company that performs website design. The trick here is to strategically plan how you will market each other’s business that will attract potential consumers. In the long run, you have made a benefitting relationship with your partners and loyal customers that’s important to achieve success. 

10. Website Retargeting

A high number of website visits is a good sign. It means that people are aware of and interested in your brand. However, website traffic doesn’t always equate to increased sales. Most of the time, people look at your website, then that’s the end. They might add some of your products to their carts, but there’s no last action. Why is that? There could be a lot of reasons and factors affecting their buying decisions. Therefore, it’s important to take steps into making these customers return to your brand and remind them to give that purchase a go. Remarketing or Retargeting are terms that are often interchanged, but they do one thing: show ads to people who have directly interacted with your website or any of your digital properties. When they go to different sites, ads relevant to your business will follow them. 

This helps to keep your name in their minds and hopefully convince them to convert. When you’re able to increase your conversion rate, you will generate more sales. Website Retargeting makes it easier to reach out once more to customers who are already interested in doing business with you. 

The Wrap Up

There’s no perfect marketing strategy that will tailor to all kinds of businesses. First, you have to identify your unique needs then use the ways that will give resolution to all of these. We have provided you with ways that will help you garner more attention from potential customers. It’s important to make a solid plan that will help your business expand its client base and achieve growth. With these strategies, you can start on your journey and find that winning streak.

Small Business Marketing

It’s imperative for small business owners to market their product and brand so they can consistently stay top of mind to potential consumers! Too many small businesses wither away silently because they were unsuccessful in their marketing skills. Consumers can’t buy what they don’t know exists! In addition to the lack of knowledge, consumers won’t take your product seriously if you don’t show them the value in your product.

So, how do you achieve this? Marketing! But wait. . .old school marketing doesn’t yield the same results as it did back in the day. Remember this trick: marketing involves placing your product information in front of the eyes of consumers.

Where are consumers GUARANTEED to be hanging out at today?

On social media, on the Internet and in their emails.

This is what the modern world refers to as “digital marketing”.

Digital marketing is CRUCIAL for the continuing operation and success of a small business. If you do it correctly, you may find yourself being upgraded to a large business or corporation with worldwide acknowledgment.

But, let’s keep things on a smaller scale for the moment.

Here at Oregon Web Solutions, we pride ourselves in helping small businesses thrive. It’s our job to ensure that you know how to carve your way through digital marketing and how it affects your business.

Let’s take a look at why it’s beneficial to work with a digital marketing agency.

1. Digital Marketing Costs Less In the Long Run

Many small businesses shy away from hiring a digital marketing agency for the false belief that it’ll cost them more money in the long run. This is NOT true! It actually costs you less in the long run.

If you hire people within the company to do the marketing for you, that’s a major cost outlay that you will have to pay payroll taxes on. Small businesses need to save costs where they can until they reach that special position within the market where consumers rely on them for their goods and services. That’s when they can easily afford to “get fancy” and hire a marketing team within its own walls.

To further add to this thought, if you hire a marketing team within your business, not only must you chunk out change for payroll but also for other employee benefits like healthcare insurance. If you choose to hire a digital marketing agency, the cost is MORE than cut in half. The reason for this is digital marketing agencies work as “sub-contractors” and things like benefits and payroll taxes get paid by then. Plus, since digital marketing agencies like Oregon Web Solutions do marketing for many different companies, they take advantage of economies of scale.

2. Hiring a Marketing Agency Allows You To Focus On Running Your Business

Most small businesses don’t have a marketing department. Thus, advertising and marketing behaviors are usually performed by the owner or manager. In most cases, this isn’t the best use of your key employees skillset. Plus, it can be very time consuming and stressful given everything else that needs to be done for daily operations!

An agency will listen to your goals, concerns and details of your business. Once we are educated on the nature of your business and how you wish to market your brand and product, we get to work! Marketing is a craft that agencies do all day long so they are quicker and more efficient about getting results. 

3. You Can Ask Questions And Seek Advice From Marketing Professionals

When you hire a digital marketing agency, you’re making an investment that ensures the best results for your business. Marketing campaigns require professional research and attention to detail. It involves a careful analysis of the market and how your product fits into the category of consumers’ wants and needs.

Once an accurate analysis is obtained, thorough planning is implemented to create the most effective campaign for your business. This involves strategic marketing tricks for social media platforms and search engine optimization for the company website and other online assets.

Working with the experts means that your working with the best marketing professionals in the business. At Oregon Web Solutions we have nearly a decade of experience working with small business’s across the State of Oregon. We know what works to get you more customers and how to get them quickly. 

4. Digital Marketing Agencies Have Tools & Software That Will Help You Succeed

Do you have the proper tools and expertise to effectively market your company with promising results? If you own a new, small business, you likely don’t. That’s another reason why partnering with an agency can be a great fit. They already have subscriptions to powerful tools like Moz, SEM Rush, Ahrefs and many others. These tools are very powerful and in most cases not affordable for small business owners. By partnering with a agency you get access to these powerful tools that can track your performance, numbers and effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.

If the numbers are low, they know how to tweak the marketing campaigns to get better results. Some of the necessary tools needed for professional marketing include analytics, strategic keywords, special automation tools, thorough research of competitors and in-depth search tools. The costs for these tools add up and can get very expensive. Fortunately, marketing agencies have these resources available for your benefit. Why not hand the digital marketing responsibility over to them and save yourself money and time?

Your goal is to produce high quality products or services; the agency’s goal is to effectively show consumers the value in your product or services.

5. Digital Marketing Agencies Understand the Importance of Claiming and Owning Your Niche

Vague, watered-down marketing does NOT showcase the value in your product. If you get on social media and state something like, “Are you hungry? Come eat our sandwiches! We make the best in town!”

Oh really? Do you think that statement will bring people to your restaurant? It might. However, it most likely will NOT. It’s not specific. What makes your sandwiches different from everyone else’s sandwiches in town?

Our staff at Oregon Web Solutions know how to navigate the marketing waters in and effective way. We know how to implement market segmentation for the best results in advertising your product. From there, the target market is discovered, and we position your brand to take advantage of this. Once the target market is determined, we work carefully by your side to craft an advertising plan that’s specific to that target group. You owe it to yourself to not take this task on by yourself! It can mean the beginning or the ending to your business.

6. Digital Marketing Agencies Keep Your Informed On What’s Working

Hiring a digital marketing agency does not mean that you never hear from them and have very little to do with the process. Clients are heavily involved with the planning and ideas for marketing their business. After all, it IS the client’s business!

You can expect to receive monthly reports that showcase the health of your advertising campaign. You’ll gain important information that’ll help you improve areas of your business and operations that will pull in more consumers. It only takes one bad marketing decision to send a business into a tailspin. No consumers, no revenue, no business. This reports can give you valuable insights that you otherwise would not have known. These insights can mean big breakthroughs for your business.

Therefore, agencies must stay in continuous communication with their clients to ensure that proper business decisions are being made and implemented to improve performance.

7. Working With An Agency Can Help Your Refine Your Own Process

If you run your business with the belief that you know everything you are going to miss out on learning new things. Working with a marketing agency will give you insights into how to be more efficient and productive with your internal staff.

You may have one of those light bulb moments when a digital marketer mentions an idea that seemingly stood in front of you all along. In many cases, you may be doing a process the hard way or failing at something all together. Great companies are often made by people combining their ideas and learning from one another. Agencies like Oregon Web Solutions have decades of experience refining their tactics, and when we work with clients they often learn to implement some of these streamlined processes that we use.

Let’s Sum Up Small Business Marketing!

We live in a time period where digital marketing is more important than ever. The general public is constantly glued to computerized technology whether it’s smartphones, computers, tablets and more. You can’t walk through a store without observing other people walk around with the smartphones in hand.

While traditional marketing techniques still work, they don’t work NEARLY as well as digital marketing techniques. For your small business, you’ll want a great website, email lists and effective social media platforms in order to find true success today.

Technical SEO Services

Here at Oregon Web Solutions, we are experts in helping your bring in more leads and customers from your website. Our goal is to give you higher Google rankings on search engines such and more targeted website traffic. What good is your business website is nobody goes to it?

We have the marketing tools and software to propel your small business in the right direction. Let us take the worry off your shoulders so you can focus on the business and day-to-day operations. We can build a customized marketing campaign that’ll showcase the value of your product or service.

In the end, you’ll end up saving TONS of money while pulling in more traffic to your digital platform and to your business. There’s no need to worry about hiring and training a in house marketing team. Instead, partnering with us will take a heavy burden off your shoulders. You can focus on doing what you do best while we handle the rest.

Free Marketing & SEO Analysis…

Interested in learning more? We make the process easy! Simply click the link below to claim your free website analysis: https://oregonwebsolutions.com/discovery-form

Have you thought about joining the marketing industry? Look to any business and you will see direct evidence of their marketing efforts. Their signage? Marketing. Their website? Marketing. Their radio/paper/online ad? Marketing. It’s hard to get away from it. In the digital age, it can feel like everything and everyone is marketing themselves all over the place, all of the time. With a generation whose eyes and hands are often glued to their computer or mobile device, we are constantly consuming even when we don’t think we are. With that being said, some may argue that marketing is dead. Or, at least, traditional marketing is dead. Back in 2012, The Harvard Business Review published an article titled “Marketing is Dead.” But, we don’t think that’s necessarily the case. Sure, marketing has evolved into an entirely new concept with the introduction of an internet and social media crazed generation, but at the end of the day, we believe marketing is still alive and well. While the description may look slightly different, we believe marketing is on its way to becoming more effective than it’s ever been.

In the age of social media, it can be hard to stand out amongst the crowd – this could be one of the reasons many company CEO’s and execs think marketing is on its way to becoming a dead industry. Consumer habits and the way they find and purchase things is changing rapidly along with technology. We can agree that traditional marketing tactics may no longer be effective for everyone, but marketing as a whole is quickly evolving and becoming more important than ever. With technology advancing consumers are changing and it is marketers jobs to ensure they are staying relevant, and up to date with new trends and consumer tendencies. In other words, the marketing world’s future is brighter than ever and advancing quickly. If you have ever thought about taking the jump into this industry, the time has never been better than now.

If everything we said above didn’t scare you off yet, chances are you are at least semi-interested in a digital marketing internship and what that career entails. One of the best ways to test the waters is to get a marketing internship. Whether or not you seek out a paid internships, summer internships, or full-time internships is up to you and who you are looking to work for. Marketing is at a dynamic crossroads – it is evolving and so is its role in companies and the digital landscape. Read on for all of the information we’ve compiled on marketing, and becoming a marketing intern.

What Exactly Does a Marketer Do? 

While the way companies market themselves is ever-changing, they way they analyze their customers is simple: collect relevant information and apply that to your companies products/services and how you can make them appeal to your customer base. While there is no set job description, at the end of the day, anyone looking into a marketing internship or career should probably have a stats driven work ethic. Marketers generally analyze the public demand for their product or service and turn those results into strategies to promote directly to their specific customer base. As they say, someone who is marketing to everyone is actually marketing to no one. Knowing your companies customer base is crucial to your marketing plans success. 

As for marketing interns, they will typically operate under the supervision of a marketing manager or CMO (Chief Marketing Operator.) Their duties can include a multitude of things depending on who and what they are marketing for. If you’re on the hunt for a marketing internship, we suggest checking out any prospective employers online presence, social media, etc. to ensure their values align with your own. After all, it can be hard to promote a company or product you aren’t completely on board with.

What Skills Do Great Marketers Have?

Problem Solving

• Marketers need to be continuously finding “solutions” to the “problem” of selling a company or product. The ability to be adaptable based on feedback or market changes is crucial to any marketers success. 

Detail Oriented

• A good marketer should know all the ins and outs of their company and product/service they offer. More importantly, they need to know the ins and outs of their target customer base to avoid accidental slip ups and turn-offs. Any gap in knowledge can result in unsatisfied customers. 

Time Management Skills 

• Marketing plans and all that they entail often have very specific parameters – one of them being timelines and deadlines. For example, if you have a new product launching on a specific date in 6 months you are likely doing market research, planning, etc. for quite some time beforehand. Putting any aspect of your plan off until the last minute can be detrimental to the entire launch. You know what they say… being three hours too soon is better than being even one minute late. 

Creativity 

• While being artistic isn’t necessarily a marketing job requirement, you do need to be able to see the “bigger picture.” With ever-changing trends, a good marketer will need to be able to think innovatively and keep their company ahead of its competitors. 

Communication and People Skills 

• A huge aspect of marketing is being a “people person.” You don’t need to be the most outgoing person ever, but this job is all about making connections and getting people on board with your idea. In addition, being capable of communicating with people (consumers, your marketing manager, and co-workers) clearly and personably is crucial to your success. You will not only be communicating ideas, strategies, etc. with people at all levels of your company, but you will be communicating your brand value to consumers everywhere.

How To Prepare For A Marketing Internship 

Consider What Type of Marketing You Want To Work In

• Have you considered what type of marketing internships you are interested in? Summer internships, paid internships, unpaid internships? Also, have you considered what areas of marketing interest you the most? There are so many different areas of work that fall under the term “marketing” that it can be tough to pick just one. Are you interested in Market Research only? Public Relations? Digital Media? Brand Management? Web Development? Check it out and do your research! The only thing worse than not securing an internship is securing an internship doing work you hate. Put in the work beforehand and reap the benefits of loving your job later. For digital marketing internships, companies rarely require hands-on experience as the point of your internship program is to learn and explore the marketing field.

Check Out and Prepare Your “Personal Brand” Beforehand

• Have you ever Googled yourself? Chances are that’s what your potential employer will do when looking to hire you for their digital marketing intern. While a quick Google search of your name may or may not come up with anything even related to you, it’s worth checking out. This includes reviewing (and editing!) your social media accounts to reflect your professional self, updating your LinkedIn/other online portfolios and ensuring there’s nothing iffy they can pull out of the woodworks. After all, a lot of marketing entails being on the interwebs and you want to position yourself there strategically and accordingly.

Write a Resume and Cover Letter That Stand Out 

• This may sound obvious, but a great resume and cover letter can go a long way! Some employers look for such specific cues on resumes and cover letters that they won’t even review ones that don’t meet their standards right off the bat. While you should always keep it quick and concise, this is your chance to make a first impression before even meeting them. A few rules to keep in mind: don’t repeat your resume when writing your cover letter, use language related to the job you are applying for, and use results-driven work examples when possible.

Actually Prepare For Your Interview 

• Again, this one may sound obvious but you can never be too prepared. Some helpful tips on how to better prepare yourself for you interview are: 
  • Do some research on the company and your interviewer if possible. Find out more about their brand, their mission statement, work they’ve done, etc. Doing so can help you make personal connections and help you relate to the company on a personal level. 
  • Consider reaching out to your marketing agency, interviewer, or the company CEO ahead of time to relay your appreciation for even being offered an interview. This can go a long way and keeps you at the forefront of their minds.

What Is A Paid Marketing Internship?

While internships are typically unpaid, it is not unheard of to secure a paid internship. While they can be scarce depending on the area you live in, and the career you are seeking, a little bit of research can help you find internships near you. Choosing between the two may seem like a no-brainer (who doesn’t want to get paid for work?) there are many factors you should take into consideration when applying, and deciding where you will intern. Depending on your circumstances, and if you have the resources to support yourself whilst NOT being paid, unpaid internships can usually offer more hands-on experience as they are usually within smaller companies. Another perk? You are more likely to secure a paid internship down the line if you have an unpaid internship under your belt already. Depending on the field of marketing you are seeking work in, your duties as an intern will vary greatly. Internships typically run on the same work schedule as your superiors (typically Monday – Friday) but events, errands, and more may add some variation to your working hours. While it can be hard to committing to working a full-time job unpaid, we recommend checking out both paid and unpaid internships. Both have perks, and both will benefit you as you continue your education in the marketing field.

Summer Marketing Internship Ideas

While you can find some marketing internships throughout the year, most companies offer more opportunities in the summertime to give college students a chance to get intern experience while working towards their degree. And as you know by now, marketing is a pretty broad field of work. You can do market research, brand management, development, and so much more. So, the type of marketing internship you should seek (and hopefully secure) should be related to your desired field of work. If you are looking into conducting market research, an internship promoting a brand via social media, etc. likely won’t be beneficial to you. Ask yourself, are you interested in working in the analytical field? The creative field? Be sure you are seeking internships and opportunities that will teach you these skills, and hopefully give you hands-on experience in your desired field of work.

The world of marketing is fast-paced and ever-evolving. As such, one might wonder about the realities of majoring in this field. Here’s a look at the top five things you need to know before making that crucial decision…

Is Marketing a Good Career for your Future?

The versatility of the marketing industry cannot be denied. When you have a marketing degree, the options are virtually endless. Every company, regardless of its industry, has a need for a marketing team or specialist and these positions are quickly becoming top-priority with many industry leaders. With a degree in marketing, you’re not limited to working in a particular field. There are so many companies all around the world who are in need of educated marketing specialists and the variety of jobs is endless.

The course curriculum for most college marketing programs revolves around the generic concepts involved in the industry. From public relations to consumer research, many of the fields covered when going for this major will pertain to any marketing job you might find after graduating. The essential information you’ll learn in the fields of advertising, marketing communications and strategies, sales, and management will provide a strong foundation for your post-graduation job. Of course, the potential classes offered will depend on the college, but most will apply at least a generic version of these courses.

Is Marketing a Bad Major?

There are a lot of fears surrounding many occupations, rendering the thought of obtaining a degree in those fields an obsolete idea. Could this be the case with a marketing degree?

While not necessarily falling into the category of a ‘bad major’, marketing is definitely for a certain type of individual. To find out if it’s right for you, you’ll need to become a little introspective. The following skills are some which are commonly found in those successful in the marketing industry:

1. The ability to write well.
2. Public speaking skills.
3. Organization skills.
4. Can differentiate between goals, strategies, and tactics.
5. Collaboration skills.
6. Strong research skills.
7. Basic understanding of social media algorithms and SEO compliance.
8. Keeps up with social trends.
9. Generate original concepts.
10. Understands data science and interprets consumer data accurately.

Things to Consider When Choosing a College Degree

• What makes you happy? Basically, what do you find exciting and consistently interesting? A passing hobby is all well and good, but when you’re choosing your college major, how you decide will determine the path your life will take. If you choose based on how much money you think you will be able to make, rather than going with a field you find interesting, you run the risk of winding up with a lower-paying job than you expected, doing work you don’t even enjoy. That’s no life for anyone. So, please, be careful and considerate of your future when making this most important selection. Determine where your skills lie, what you’re naturally drawn to, and find the right balance of enjoyment and occupational success for your life.

• Set a desired net worth or annual income. While you’ll want to choose a major based on your personal interests, it is important to keep in mind how much you might be able to make in that industry. For the best balance of potential income and general job contentment, make a list of at least three possible majors and understand the pros and cons of each before making your final decision.

•  Which college best suits your future plans? If you’re looking into a specific field, such as marketing, some schools may specialize in your chosen field. Choosing the right college is just as important as choosing the right major. Make a list of everything you’d like to get out of your courses and compare and contrasts colleges which offer those key concepts.

More College Major Choices

• Computer Science:

In today’s technologically advanced world, the field of computer science is continuously blossoming. Choosing this as your major will land you jobs like software developer, computer programmer, or a systems analyst, among many others. Common skillsets for people occupied in this field are critical thinking and analytical skills, strategic thinking, time management, and web design skills.

• Business:

Those who major in business will find themselves at an immediate advantage. This major has been one of the most popular, providing people with occupations such as accountants, financial analysts, management consultants and many more. A practical mind and strong organizational skills are key to success in this field.

• Psychology:

Understanding the way the human mind works has been a draw to theorists and philosophists, dreamers, and thinkers for eons.  When you choose to major in psychology, you’ll join the field of great theologians and philosophers such as Plato, Tversky, and René Descartes. Those who choose this field for their major typically have an inherent desire to obtain a deeper understanding of the human psyche and are not easily overwhelmed by convoluted texts and statistical data analysis.

• Chemical Engineering:

Many who choose this as their major will look forward to learning about the molecular structures of bioorganisms and how to modify and/or incorporate them in various ways. A strong background in chemical science and biology is likely to lead one to pick chemical engineering as their major. You also need great math skills and ease of understanding complicated formulas to be successful in this field.

Making a Decision On a Major:

All of these majors and more are viable options for any who deem themselves fit for their chosen industry.  Of course, taking the potential average salary for each possible major will play a large role in your overall decision. There is an over-abundance of information available on the web, and it can get a bit daunting at times. That’s when you fall back to what you know. Understanding what your strengths and weakness are and what makes you truly happy in an occupational setting will be the key to your future success. It’s easy to underestimate the importance of having an element of enjoyment in your career. After all, it’s called a ‘job’, right? Of course, we all have a job to do, and it’s not always going to be the most fun thing in the world. Which is why choosing a career path that’s in line with your hobbies and natural skill set is so crucial to the overall quality of your life.

Continued Thoughts on Marketing

Is marketing a good major? In the end, it is up to you to decide. We use marketing all day every day. If you were to personally ask me  if marketing is a goodmajor I would say absolutely if you are going to use it in the digital market. Everything happens through the web and it is only growing. Old school marketing can still work, but online marketing is where it is at.

The Degree Required For Online Marketing

That is the trick, there is no required degree for online marketing. There are training course and suggesting reading and studying I would do, but you don’t need a degree. Some of our best hires don’t have any kind of college degree at all. I’m not saying having a marketing degree wouldn’t help, but it is not required. It would look good however for an employer to see. It just shows that you are dedicated and can follow through.

While more and more marketing agencies and companies are stepping away from requiring employees to have degrees in the field, you may still be interested in attending school prior to launching your career. So what classes should you be taking, and what skills will they teach you? We discuss below:

• Consumer Behavior:
  • A consumer behavior course should discuss best practices and customer-focused practical marketing. It will generally also cover how social class, education, culture, behavior, etc. affect consumer behavior in the marketplace.
• Principles of Management:
  • This one is pretty straightforward – students can expect to be introduced to the principles of management and how it will be applicable to their market.
• Logistics Strategies:
  • Students will learn the tools they need to find the most efficient manner of service and goods distribution. While there are tons of logistics strategies, students can expect to learn core principles that will ultimately be applicable to their market, customer, and position.
• Principles of Finance:
  • This class teaches the role of finance in relation to overall business operations and the role finances play in the business community.
• Managerial Communications:
  • Students can expect to learn the ins and outs of written, technical, and oral communication used in business. All successful marketers should have excellent communication skills not only in their work but with co-workers and others involved with their marketing projects.
• Principles of International Business:
  • This course typically covers the multidimensional macro-environment of business on an international level. It should provide them with the tools necessary for the evaluation of problems on the global level.
• Principles of Marketing:
  • This course examines the basic marketing principles practiced in modern business including product development, product distribution, product promotion, and sales.
• Marketing Research:
  • Students will be taught the various tools and techniques used in marketing research. They should also expect to cover statistical analysis of research findings and how they would be applicable in the real world.

Thank you for reading our article on. If you are looking into online marketing be sure to reach out to us and ask what kind of required training we might suggest to assist in your future career or marketing major. There are never enough good marketers out there, so we hope you will be the next!

Online Marketing Trends for 2018 and Beyond

Staying ahead of the competition often means knowing what products or services are more in demand when figuring out what to offer potential customers. In addition to keeping track of trends on what to sell, however, successful business owners also have to stay up to date on how to sell. The following are a few of the online marketing trends that are currently underway and should only expand throughout this year and into 2018.

Content Marketing Will Reign Supreme Through 2018

Online marketing is overcrowded with websites and content, so this will force businesses that wish to compete successfully to tailor their content more toward niche markets. Marketers have already learned the importance of focusing on niche keywords when it comes to promotional methods such as pay-per-click advertising. If there are a million people selling shoes online then it’s completely pointless to bid on the keyword “shoes.” The competition on such a general term will result in an absurdly high bid being required to rank anywhere near the top under it. This is why experienced marketers learned that you need to bid for far more specific keywords to what you are selling such as “black leather boat shoes.”

This same type of niche marketing is happening more in content marketing now as well because the internet is flooded with content under every imaginable product category today. Content that targets a specific, narrow group of potential consumers will have much less competition than more general offerings of similar information.

Increased Use of Images

When it comes to grabbing the attention of someone quickly scanning an ad or website, a powerful or evocative image is generally more effective than text. Whether one is talking about Facebook ads or Google Adwords ads, it has been known for a while now that ads with an image perform better.

Infographics can be particularly effective because they combine the attention-grabbing power of a visual with content throughout it that helps to relay your message. They also look far more impressive than simple text and random pictures on a webpage and convey the impression to website visitors that you are a serious professional in your field.

Increased Use of Video

As compelling as standalone images and infographics can be, when it comes to grabbing a viewers attention, nothing beats video. This medium more fully engages a website visitor’s senses by adding sound and motion to the drab text and imagery that adorn all websites.

Putting a video on a website to increase visitor engagement is the best way to make your website stick out from the competition, and this trend is only going to continue through this year. The internet is swarming with an impressive array of video production companies that are booming thanks to businesses realizing that they need to stick out from their competition. Whether it is a corporate video, training video, educational video or a sales presentation, the message will be relayed with far more certainty through this medium.

The use of short explainer videos seems to be growing across the internet. These couple minute long animated presentations get a company’s message across to their target audience in a way that gets people to take action.

Video streaming is another one of those online marketing trends 2017 will see an increase in. Live streams on sites such as YouTube are an effective method for growing YouTube channels to offer current information in a more interactive manner.

More Native Advertising

Some people may find it annoying, but native advertising will undoubtedly be one of these online marketing trends that continues through 2018. These are those ads that disguise themselves to look like other content on the website they are on. One example of this is when you go to a site like cnet.com to download some free PC software, and on the download page, you see a square graphic that says “download.” When you click on it, however, you find it takes you to some advertiser’s page.

It is easy to see how this method may aggravate some people as they frequently think they are getting something else when they engage with the advertiser. This may make it especially important for those who use this method to have landing pages that grab the visitor’s attention even more quickly than usual.

Capabilities That Give Consumers an Immersive Experience

The next step in online marketing seems to be to give web browsers the feeling that they are more a part of the shopping experience. This is being accomplished through the use of augmented reality(AR), virtual reality(VR) and 360 degree videos.

The one thing that’s missing when we shop online, as opposed to going out to the store, is the knowledge that we are really just sitting at home staring at a screen. We are not really experiencing shopping as we do when we go out to the mall.

To set themselves apart from the crowd, increasing numbers of companies will utilize technologies that immerse the consumer in the company’s business through their internet device. You may have already seen these types of technologies on some real estate websites where they give you the feeling that you are actually in the home that you are looking at.

Online Marketing Trends 2017 and 2018

The above marketing trends for 2018 reflect the fact that there is a lot more competition online today. The trend in general is moving more toward more focused content and advertising efforts that are more interactive and immersive. This type of evolution of online marketing should improve the bottom line of businesses that stay on top of trends while also providing consumers with ads and information more tailored to their needs.