By Chad Buckendahl

Last week, we reviewed the growth of online marketing and the proper approach to selecting the right tactics for your business. As promised, here is a matrix with Internet Marketing tactics that have withstood the test of time, including the use of each and a description:

Affiliate Marketing

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

There are three types of affiliate marketing methods (internal affiliate program, CPA network and traditional affiliate network) but they all are very similar in implementation and management and all work with publishers/affiliates to generate sales for a Web site. Affiliate marketing leverages networks of publishers/affiliates that actively promote offers using various Internet marketing tactics and in return get paid by the merchant (you) for every transaction.

Partnering with affiliate networks is a win/win – it allows affiliates/publishers to more easily find and participate with a broad spectrum of merchants and it allows merchants to participate with a large number of publishers/affiliates suitable for attracting a larger audience.

Housefile E-mail Marketing

Primary Purpose: Retention

Sending e-mail communication to individuals that have opted-in to receiving communication from a specific company and have made a previous purchase. Mailing to your current list of customers (however small your list is) is one of the most important Internet marketing tactics you should employ if you have not already done so. I’ve seen list’s get stale in a matter of months whereby the consumer that indeed opted-in, didn’t hear from the company for too long and then when we mail the list, there are a ton of complaints that you don’t get if you’re mailing regularly. If you only have one product to sell, mail information to your opt-in list that they would deem valuable. Stay in front of your Housefile by mailing them regularly.

Third-party E-mail Marketing

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

Sending e-mail communication to individuals that have opted in to receiving communication from a partner company and have agreed to entertain third-party offers. There are too many options within this tactic to cover in this article but by doing a bit of homework, you will be able to find several companies to test with. This tactic is one that I’ve seen mature more than any other over the last five years.

Display

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

Display advertising leverages display networks to show ads to consumers that visit Web sites belonging to their network of display properties. The role of a display network is to serve, track and report the distribution of creative from advertisers to publishers. Display ads can be in the form of textual (i.e. copy) ads or banner ads.

Co-reg

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

Co-registration advertising involves a collection of Web sites that allow visitors to choose one or more offered products that they are interested in receiving more information on. For providing their contact information, interested consumers are provided additional offers (such as points, free samples, etc) for agreeing to get more information. This is one of the more explosive tactics in the arsenal but one of the hardest to manage profitably.

Lead-gen

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

The same as Co-reg except instead of only getting the opportunity to opt-in and receive offers from a third-party, the consumer can immediately navigate to the third-party site to make a purchase.

Organic Search

Primary Purpose: Both

Contextual advertising where results are returned based on the natural indexing of the Web site. The specific search engine algorithm determines how high/low each Web site ranks based on merit of the site’s content and other factors. There is a long timeline to make a significant impact on revenue/sales but once in place and working, it really is one of the more effective tactics available today.

Mobile Marketing

Primary Purpose: Both

Sending advertising messages to and through mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets. This tactic is still very immature but growing rapidly as distribution becomes available through companies offering this form of advertising.

Offline-to-Online

Primary Purpose: Both

Ironically, this tactic is one of the most overlooked by marketers. Converting offline shoppers (i.e. retail, radio, catalog, television, etc) is not as challenging as one may think. Consumers are going to the Web more and more to do research and actually complete their transaction. The method that I’ve found that works best is to offer deeper discounts and free shipping to encourage consumers viewing offline media to visit a Web site.

Monetization

Primary Purpose: Retention

Increasing the value of a customer by getting them to convert on multiple offers (first- or third-party). This tactic is often used during the click-through, while the consumer is on the Web site and in the purchasing path or has just completed the transaction. The tactic can be used effectively during and post transaction.

Podcasts

Primary Purpose: Both

Hosting online/streaming events discussing topics highly relevant to the host businesses product/service line to captivate a highly targeted audience.

Auctions

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

Posting products on third party sites that allow consumers to bid on various products. The highest bidder wins the right to purchase the product with said bid.

Social Media

Primary Purpose: Both

The use of networking sites such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. to promote a specific product or service.

Viral Marketing

Primary Purpose: Both

Leveraging word of mouth to get consumer’s to continue to pass on the intended message of the organization.

Mobile Marketing

Primary Purpose: Both

Mobile text marketing lets you reach an audience even when they aren't on the Internet. You can provide current customers with information on promotions, new products or anything else that can get them interested. Text messages can even include links to your Web site pages for customers with Internet capable phones, allowing them to interact with your company that much more. It beats a phone call and they are guaranteed to at least read what you've got to say.

Daily Deals

Primary Purpose: Acquisition

Daily deal sites such as LivingSocial.com, Groupon.com, and Tippr.com that allow a merchant to submit discounted offers to a wide range of consumers subscribed to their daily deal newsletter and visit their daily deal Web sites.

About the Author: Chad Buckendahl is the Director of Marketing for 2Chads Consulting. He oversees strategy and partnerships with leading media and Internet companies. He leverages his industry knowledge and business network to help develop companies by launching them into new distribution channels.

Before joining 2Chads Consulting, he launched the first Internet-based marketing programs for some notable companies such as New York Life Insurance Company ®, Whole Foods Market ®, OxiClean ® and Video Professor ®, where he held senior level positions. Learn more at www.2chads.com.