Bringing Technology into Your Marketing Plan

Integrating technology into your marketing plan can have positive and significant effects on your business. With the right tool and the right message, you can easily become globally competitive.

We are at a very dynamic moment in business. The economy is weak, consumer confidence is low, and a record amount of people are unemployed. Budgets are being cut and businesses are being forced to do more with less. But how? One way is to find new ways to reach out to customers. As technology continues to evolve, business and marketing change along with it. Using social media is just one way you can use a different perspective to become globally competitive.

Whether it is because of competition, or because of a need in the international markets, many companies are finding it necessary to start expanding their businesses internationally. By using the Internet, and specifically, social media, companies can break out of their regional box and find success internationally.

Even if you have no plans for your business to "go international," building technology into your marketing plan is still a good idea. People are finding ways to avoid traditional forms of advertisement. At the same time, people are using the Internet more and more. A good website, a Twitter account, and a regularly updated blog are a good start. Read Intelligent World for more examples. The point is, Bringing technology into your marketing plan can reach far more people than a radio or newspaper advertisement. If you do this correctly, you can even get more local traffic to your website.

These technology tools do not cost much money, and in some cases, they may be less expensive than traditional forms of advertisement. The biggest expenditure you will have is that of your time spent learning about social media, and starting to use it. The time and creative energy will pay off.

Below are some tips you can use to integrate social media into your business:
1. Define your target audience
2. Refine your website based on your target audience. Build one if you do not have one.
3. Make sure your message is clear.
4. Build your brand on social networking sites if it makes sense for your business.
5. Manage your online reputation.
6. Stay in contact with your customers
7. Follow up with news and trends, and take advantage of it if possible.

Read Intelligent World for more examples.