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These challenges can be very overwhelming to a business Sales and Marketing Department. So, just where do you start? My answer is very simple. START! Yeah, that's right, "Just Do It." Stop making excuses. Pick one technique and do it. Don't focus on every marketing PR tactic. Pick one and do it with excellence. Of course a great way to decide which technique is indicated is to solicit customer feedback.

Here is an example, IDEACore, a technology firm located in southeastern Michigan is applying these principals. Over the last few months Joe Craig, President of IDEAcore and Tom Lavigne, Vice President, have had the chore of sitting down and setting web marketing goals. "We have been in business for more than 15 years, dealing with Fortune 500 companies. After awhile you become accustomed to steering the ship in one direction. We must continue to acclimate to changes in the quick moving internet world. We must review and adjust our web marketing strategies to take advantage of the new thinking in promotion. We are using the WEBMine system to mine key customer insights from the internet. We look for the pearls of wisdom from our customers that will help us gain insights into what motivates them. We're learning about their goals and challenges so that we can focus our improvements in areas that mean the most to our customers. We consider the use of WEBMine surveys to evidence consumer's needs, pivotal to our web marketing updates. IDEACore is one of many companies that is on the road to richer customer understanding. . The point is they are starting. They are defining the problem by first improving their customer understanding through the use of online surveys with WEBMine. Then, they can target the high value opportunities and apply the best tools in the toolbox. If customers reflect on issues around finding what they want, IDEACore may apply better Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and keyword tools. If customers reflect on keeping up to date about site changes, IDEACore may apply more RSS Feeds and periodic podcasting. If customers express that they access blogs to find things, they can beef up the use of blogging to get the word out.

QSoftGuide wants you to experience the power of learning about your customers to establish your web marketing strategy and has arranged a free three week trial of WEBmine Voice of Customer survey system. Please respond to this article by emailing james@qsoftguide.com I appreciate all comments. Also take our own survey at http://www.qsoftguide.com/cm/index.php?blog=2&title=qsoftguide_wants_to_hear_from_you&more=1