There has been a lot of discussion among our clients this week regarding the value of technology. I think sometimes we get used to having answers and take the source of the answers for granted.
In this case, I am talking about tracking numbers and tracking technologies. Clients who have been with us for a few months or years get used to having detailed reports on their web traffic, details on how many calls have been tracked and fine details about their email marketing. I know you appreciate the service and the analysis because you tell me this in our meetings. But, there has been alot of questions lately about the cost of the tools.
Why does you need tools? Because you can’t do a root canal or a surgery with your fingers. The same applies to marketing. You can’t market without tools. Brochures, websites, blogs, online databases, email marketing, web track, tracking numbers. All of the tools are needed to track and execute your marketing plan.
Web sites need web track and interactive data collection so you can build a database of future prospects. With this database you can nurture future patients and current patients with inexpensive emails. This is the basis of one-to-one marketing.
Blogs needs blog software and email marketing to send out your blog updates. With blogs, you can extend your circle of influence and give a high volume of prospects and referral sources a feeling of access to you.
When you consider the cost of your technology tools, consider this...How much is your time worth? Using the DIY approach for web marketing technologies is not too far from wanting to change your own oil to save the $14.99. At some point, DIY becomes a losing proposition. (In case you do not know, DIY stands for Do It Yourself.)
If you want to do something DIY, you should do something that cannot be replaced by a tool. Take the hour you would spend doing your own email marketing or cost per click signup/analysis and spend it networking. This can be a much more useful use of all that time you have on your hands.
Have some time to check yourself out on search engines (something on which retainer and coaching clients get reports)? Try spending that time making new contacts in your communities for cross-marketing and joint promotions.
A lot of people like working on computers and will do it at night and in a lull during the day. That is fine. Being knowledgeable and plugged in is great. That is why using that time to do something you cannot hire out is the smarer move. If you are not comfortable networking... if it takes you out of your comfort zone... just remember this bit of advice I picked up along the way. I was told "You can't do anything great if you stay in your comfort zone."
If the new year has you ready to join your own marketing effort... bully for you. Welcome to the fight. Why not add a unique effort to your marketing plan by networking. We and your technology vendors will take care of the rest.
