(0:55) Manage your Internet presence well and you can gain new customers; do it poorly and you will fall behind. Success requires an understanding of how potential customers are using the Internet to make their purchase decisions. A lack of understanding will lead to a marketing message that is ineffective at best, detrimental at worst.(0:42) The Internet gives you access to potential customers on an order that no other communications medium has ever done before. You can reach far more boaters for far less money. But it also allows your customers to broadcast their own messages about the businesses they frequent. You need to know how to manage the conservation.
(0:32) If you are new to tracking your presence on the Internet, you should take some time and just listen. Listen and understand how you are perceived, what boaters view as your strengths, and where things could be improved. You need to listen objectively to really understand how your marina is perceived. Is it what you expected, or want? It's not always an easy thing to do especially if the messages are not all positive. But not knowing is far worse.
(0:14) Google has a great tool for following what others are saying about you on the Internet. Google Alerts allows you to track the places you are mentioned on a website, in a news story, on a blog, or in a forum. It lets you stay on top of what is being said by others right now. This is an invaluable tool for managing your Internet presence. It is one that you should start using today.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
