Whether you have built an empire or are just starting a business, internet marketing is probably the most cost-effective option you have. The trick is, you have to do it WELL. But it’s all good! You just have to approach it the same way you would if you were planning a party.

Any kind of marketing (like partying!) is a human experience. There are definite etiquette rules for a successful party and strikingly similar rules apply to marketing.

If you want to plan an epic (internet marketing) party, here are a few key factors to consider:

Who Do You Want to Invite? (or Who is Your Target Demographic?)

We’ve all thrown those parties where we invite people that don’t mix. Like the time you invited your Friday night drinking buddies AND your elderly aunts who think alcohol is the devil’s brew.  Of course the two groups of people didn’t mesh (surprise, surprise!) and both left early, leaving you alone with way too many bags of Cheetos. Waa waaaaaaaa!

It’s a much better idea to be more niche. Instead of inviting everyone in your address book, invite similar, select people that you know will get along and tailor the party to them. Same goes for marketing. You may think it’ll bring you more business to invite everybody, but being more targeted will allow you to really connect to your audience on a personal level and ultimately lead to a higher conversion rate.

You always want to choose a party invitation that reflects YOU, and your publicity should follow suit. No one wants to sit around listen to someone yammer on about how great they are, but if you tell a compelling human STORY, people will connect with you on a personal level.

Party Venue (or in This Case…Your Physical Website)

WHERE you have the party is also a very important factor. You want it to be comfortable and convenient for your guests. Nothing worse than being shoved in a tight room on uncomfortable folding chairs, while some chick is reading bad spoken word poetry (what the heck?!).

Same goes for your website. You can spend thousands of dollars on good SEO and pay-per-click ads, which might very well generate a ton of visits to your website. However – it doesn’t mean anything if visitors jump off your site immediately because it is not well designed, not user-friendly, and doesn’t allow them to quickly find the information they need. This is why it is crucial to have a website that represents your target audience with well-laid out information. You want them to STAY at your “party” – remember?

People

When you’re at a party, who are you drawn to? The guy in the corner that clearly hates his life and everything comes out of his mouth is negative? OR the guy who is laughing and engaged in meaningful conversations? Stupid question.

Whoever your customer service representatives are…make sure they actually LIKE people. They are a HUGE part of your marketing. Nothing turns potential clients off faster than rude or disengaged customer service. Who cares how many people contact your office if they don’t actually convert into customers?

These are just a few examples. Apply “party” to your marketing vocabulary and see where it takes you!