In order to have a successful website the first thing you need to do is to develop a successful marketing strategy. You need to promote your website to those who may have the most interest or need for what you are offering for sale. Whether you are selling products, services or money making opportunities you still need to have a plan for getting your message to your target audience. You don’t want to waste time and effort by randomly choosing targets you think “might be” interested. You will be more successful in your marketing efforts if you take the time to develop a marketing strategy rather than beginning without any kind of plan.
Why is it so important to identify your target audience? Wouldn’t the law of averages help you reach more people? While those statements may seem sound and lead you to believe in their validity, quite the opposite is true. When you take the time to identify your target audience you will promote your business only to those who are most likely to be interested. Case in point: you live in Hawaii and sell surfboards. Would it be any advantage to promote your website to people living in Alaska? While you may pick up a few sales from those planning to go on vacation, the potential is minimal. The law of averages is not going to help you unless you reach those who have a need or desire for what you are offering.
You do not want to go in blindly when you begin to promote your website. Before you are ready for business you need to take the time to develop a plan — don’t just sit down and start randomly promoting your website. This is important because only when you develop a plan first can you identify your target audience. In fact, before your website goes live you should already have a marketing plan in place and have begun marketing efforts.
Once your website goes live you should have nothing left to do on your initial efforts except to get the word out to potential customers that your website is ready for business. Your next marketing plan should focus on bringing in additional customers or prospects but still within the scope of your target audience. While some of your efforts may reach those outside of your target audience, you do not want to exert time and energy on the small numbers of customers you may reach.