Know-How Exchange : SEO/SEM

could you use SEO, pay per click programs and Internet marketing?

This is a fairly elaborate question becuase there are many dimensions to this question including:

- target market
- services and products offered
- advertising channels
- value proposition
- differentiation
- positioning
- etc.

Anyhow, there are several aspects of your efforts that will be the same as ifyou were in the U.S. There are also clear distinctions and elements that you will have to address becuase you are overseas and unfortunately- this often has negative implications as well as legal ramifications in some cases.

I will try to give you a general advice on this since covering all aspects of this question can clearly be a thesis or marketing plan.

First of all - define the following:

- Your capabilities, expertise and capacity.
- What makes you different or better than the rest?

Once you sit down and have the above - then write a business mission statement (for yourself) that defines in your own terms - who you are and who is your target market.

Make sure now that based on WHO you are and WHO your client is that you select:

- The appropiate service and product offerings.
- The appropiate pricing.
- The appropiate marketing message

Now hopefully, you have positioned yourself optimally in the market - addressing the pros/cons and your SWOT.

Now that all is define -set goals and milestones and start getting to work. Set a goal is doing:

X amount of calls
X amount of emails
X amount of posts

(whatever your advertising channels are). Once you start doing this - you will see that you might need to adapt your:

- service offerings
- prices
- message
- OR even target market

Without knowing anything about your market - I can tell you these facts becuase I have been long enough in this business. You will have to address the following weaknesses (or perceived weaknesses) when targeting the U.S. and UK as target markets.

- LEGAL ISSUES - I will have to address in your image and communication the issue with privacy, safety and confidentiality. Many U.S. businesses have the impression there are many legal and Intellectual properties issues risks with an offshore company in India, China or BRIC.


- TARGET MARKET

Therefore- I personally would not go after medium or large businesses or government institutions. I would focus on the small businesses that operate in non-critical industries where this risk is virtually non-existent. I would specifically target those small business or individuals that are either starting a business or are looking for the best bang for their buck

- POSITIONING -

Based on the above - I would try to position my company as a one that provides the BEST VALUE (best bang for the back. Here your are being VERY competitive in pricing ,perhaps not the lowest, but you are also addressing all their quality concerns and providing excellent customer service.

- CHANNELS -

I would use B2B websites, classified websites, freelancing sites. There are very competitive - but here is where you will find your target market. I would also look to partner with SEO and Web Design companies in those countries. These companies can serve as your proxies and even if there are the face to the client - you are still making money.

As I said there is much to cover - but this can take a whole day.

I hope this helps.!

Robert