Build a better mousetrap and the whole world will beat a path to your door
David Rosam on Jun 20 2006 at 11:17 pm | Filed under: Marketing, SEO copywriting, Search Engine Optimization, The Power of Words
I bet you’re already groaning at the naivety of Emerson’s words. Back when I was foetus copywriter, it was one of the great un-truisms of the industry. Of course you need to let the world know about about their wonderful new mousetrap, that goes without saying, doesn’t it?
So why do so many companies (even large ones) invest so heavily in their better mousetrap and keep schtum about it? I’m talking, of course, about the money poured into Web sites, corporate identity and so on. Yet somehow at the same time, omitting to plan for a realistic budget for promoting the thing.
If you build it, the chances are they won’t come. There’s so much competition out there for both organic (natural) search and PPC (pay per click) that just about any site - established or new - needs to invest seriously in SEO/SEM, or few people will ever find their way there. And low traffic means low profits.
Internet marketing is as serious an undertaking as any other part of the marketing mix, and in an increasing number of cases requires a similar level of investment.
Unwelcome news? Maybe. But if businesses are going to be successful on the Net, they must understand the extreme competitiveness of the online marketplace. I’m afraid too many are simply failing to face up to reality when they put their plans and budgets together.
