The internet is an area that no-one has history in yet!
But there are a few things we do know!

Update your information
Make sure your information is accurate at all times. The internet does work, and people
will expect you to honour what is presented on you web site. Unlike an ad in a magazine
Your information is up to the world 24 hours per day all year 'round.

Even though you may forget it's there at times, your customer won't when it's time to book.
Internet browsers are explorers, give them something to find!

When people are on-line they want to see more than what they have already found in your
brochure. They want the opportunity to examine your product for themselves.

Give them that option!

Use offline media to compliment and value add!

Use your online address in existing offline mediums e.g advertise it with your conventional advertising, 
this way you give people the opportunity to find out more about your product passively. It wont be so reliant on how proactive you are 24 hours a day.

If a potential customer sees 6 ads in a newspaper and 1 has an internet address, it allows the potential client to touch, see and feel the product in colour, the others are just ads. Which one would you book?

According to US Statistics, the most effective way to promote the online medium (The Internet) Is to use offline mediums. Currently in America and the UK you will see many advertisements in local newspapers as follows:

Ford Mustang for sale - www.mustang@hotmail.com

This tells the internet audience where to find all the facts and keeps offline advertising costs to a minimum. In theory, if you normally spent $500 on one advertisement, by advertising your URL (Internet Address) in a local paper, you could run the ad up to 50 times.

Needless to say, you must understand your demographic audience, but try it!
We have, and it works...Big Time!

Give your on-line clients incentive to book online.
They're in your virtual shop, don't let them walk out!

Offer specials, incentives or discounts!

Do not confuse your marketing Vs your advertising.
The way to best sell your product is to sell the concept first.

Explain to your market what the river is, where it is, what you do there and what fun it is.
Once they have been sold on the concept, show them the product.
Product first….. makes no sense! (especially to first timers and internationals)
This should be taken into account with your marketing strategy (no matter how small!)

Use one campaign to get people to the river and then a direct "call to action" to sell them on the product.

Do you know your Internet clientele?
Up to 67% of all internet enquiries come from the government network. Generally speaking, this is a fairly affluent market and one that potentially may be interested in booking or exploring holiday options, as they are a local or sub local audience.

How about Seniors on-line?
Increasing numbers of older people are showing interest in information technology.

The adoption rates of PCs and the Internet for this group have increased substantially over the last couple of years. Research findings dispel somewhat the belief that the Generation X'ers are the most technologically active age group.

During the 1998 Christmas online shopping boom, increasing numbers of buyers were older people. One consultancy found that in this period the average online spend by consumers aged between 50-54 years was $626, considerably higher than the average amount of $210 spent by consumers in the under 25 age group.

The study revealed this group to be PC-equipped to a high level (95% penetration).

Main Internet uses include emailing friends and family and sending digital photos.

In Australia too, the proportion of older citizens using the Net has increased significantly. A recent report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (http://www.abs.gov.au/) found that in the twelve month period to May 99, 10% (0.4 million) of persons aged 55 years and over were Internet users, compared with 5% in the twelve month period to May 1998.

Organise your site
When browsers (users) are viewing your web pages they are virtually shopping.

This is a VERY real market.

Just like people walking into a shop, these potential clients expect things to be laid out in an interesting way with plenty of choice and competitive options.

You will find the operators doing best out of the internet are the people re-arranging their store periodically, offering new packages and competitive packages and above all appearing that they care about the customer in their store.

Remember: Your internet store is open to the world 24 hours a day!

Do you understand how your Web Page operates?
Your clients do!

On the Murray River Web Site you have a web page (or pages).

Internet users (or browsers) can view these pages and ring you direct or if you have email they can email you direct. Bearing in mind these people are internet users they will prefer to contact you via this medium. If you do not have email you are possibly missing business.

Each week we get 5 - 10 enquiries like "can you please send me information about your boat", we do not know which boat they are referring to, as operators without email addresses come through to our generic area as lost mail.

If you want or need a "murray-river" email address (and you don't need a computer) talk to us soon it does make a difference!

Statistics
When assessing a web site, remember that a hit counter only tells you who is coming through the front door. (The home page) A properly run web site has hundreds of doors. Many people will enter via search engines at any page, so it is important to know via statistical software who is entering a site and from where they came.

For example: If a person searches for "Mildura", they will find the "Mildura" page, not the front page of the site, (where the hit counter is) consequently no hit will be recorded for the site at a front page level.

In contrast, many of the hits recorded on a front page, are false. E.g. if someone was looking for "Arthur Murray" they might find the "Murray River" web site, which of course is a mistake, but still records a hit.

You will notice the Murray Site only runs a hit counter on the second page, to ensure no mistakes are recorded.

Secondly, we run very accurate statistical software and can ascertain where people come from, how long they are there and what they look at!

Search Engines
Why not register your boat with the search engines?

Technically each person with a web page on the Murray River Web Site has their own web site, so why not visit the search engines and register your boat. If you need the address, let us know!

E commerce
A recent study discovered that top e-merchants fall short in many areas of marketing and customer service. Rubric gave 50 people $50 each to buy one item at major e-commerce sites.

Communication-Only about half of sites surveyed tried to cross-sell products by asking customers if they would like to receive information on related items. And of the few sites that did get out follow-up e-mails, 84% did not make the 30-day deadline, widely considered optimal.

Personalization-That beacon of effortless e-commerce, personalization, also needs more work. Follow-up e-mails and content on return visits were infrequently tailored to the interests of a particular shopper. Moreover, only one in 25 sites personalized messages, and only one in four recognised repeat buyers.

Customer service-While 57% of sites offered a self-service means of checking on an order's status, 40% of e-tailers didn't even respond to e-mail order enquiries:

Service Feature: Percent of Sites That Offer
Responded to inquiry 60%
Cross-sell 53
Recognize repeat buyers 25
Personalize communications 4

The good news is that while e-commerce is booming, market potential is virtually unlimited, which should be music to the ears of the mushrooming eMarketing industry.

Source: 1999 ICONOCAST http://www.iconocast.com

How about some promotions?
Banners pointing to your site.
Give Aways (CD ROMS, Screen savers, Pictures, etc)

Find reasons other than your product for people to visit