In the fast changing, online world we live in, the reality of an online presence is far more complicated than the simplistic reasons we gave a few days ago. It simply doesn't end with trying to inform, educate, entertain, expose or sell something. It is really much bigger than that.
Database marketing is a huge industry. Many people have no idea how much data exists about themselves from their everyday consumer behavior. If you are thinking credit reports, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Think:
- Name, address and telephone
- Motor Vehicle and Driving records
- Criminal records
- Court records
- Health information (allowable use/as applicable)
- Political contributions and party affiliation
- New Mover information
- Education
- Ownership information (planes, boats, cars, RVs, motorcycles, etc.)
- Tax Lien information
- Foreclosure
- Bankruptcy
- Magazine Subscriptions
- Membership Groups and Affiliations
- Professional Certifications
And this is really just a small glimpse of the data available. This doesn't even touch the data that you may unwittingly provide people (or don't mind if you were aware) through things like:
- Surveys
- Product Registration Cards (often thought to be warranty activation cards on new products, but really a database info gathering tool)
- Product Purchases
So what's the point?
The point is that if you build an online presence, you are always interacting with your audience in some way. They will exchange information in exchange for something of value to them. Often times when the apparent reason for site to exists doesn't jump right out at you, it may be because the economic value of readers, and the permission based marketing opportunities they agree to, is far more valuable than simply trying to inform, education, entertain or sell something. Or at least sell something today.
So, back to Covey's principle of beginning with the end in mind, know that the end may be just the starting point of the reason to have an online presence. If you are trying to use an online presence for business purposes, you should be aware of the bigger state of business today. And if executed properly and with the thoughtful restraint of common sense based marketing practices, can prove to be far more fruitful than the seemingly simple and straightforward reasons to have a site.
