What are you trying to achieve?  Are you seeking a job, seeking to gain skills and contacts to garner a promotion, starting your company, doing consulting while you look for a job, or trying to find companies for investing?

1. What are your skills? Can you write, answer questions, create web sites, program, create web art, create interactive media, or use search engines and social sites effectively?  Can you do SEO?
2. How much time do you have?  Can you spend an hour a day, eight hours a day, or only a few hours a week? It is easy to take on a big task and then after a couple of weeks you lose time and interest.
3. What is your deadline?  Are you unemployed an need to be earning money quickly, or do you have time to work on it at as a supplement to your existing job? 

Answer these four questions and then come up with a goal statement, a mission statement, and a set of priorities.  This is the beginning of your online marketing plan.

As we discuss the different ways to do online marketing see which ones fit your plan parameters.  Do only those that fit your goals and mission statement, and hit your priorities. The others can be used at a later time.

After looking at this blog, Bart Kemper wrote:

Steve — I haven’t approached any VC stuff. … You’ve seen my website … how would VC be applicable?

Bart also mentions he does not want to give up any ownership.  That is for discussion at another time; let us first focus on how this blog could help the your company if you are not an investor and not seeking investment…now.

First some background: Bart’s business is Kemper Engineering Services, LLC in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The web site is www.kemperengineering.com.  You can read about their background, client list, goals, market, and mission statement.  There is an impressive list of clients.  Their goal is to grow to become one of the “premier engineering companies for the innovation, design and analysis of equipment and products”.

Bart is far from retirement and Kemper Engineering Services will be around for a long time.  They may never need an investor. However, I am thinking of the possibilities…what situations could arise that Bart could use this knowledge?  Go visit his site and think about how he could use this information…

What if they are working with a client that needs them to evaluate a product design? It could be a startup for the client to invest, or it could be for the client to attract investors.  Understanding the concerns of the client is first step in landing that client and then following through with delivery.

One of Kemper’s engineers develops a patented item, and they want to take it to market.

What if the company decides the best way to fund it is with outside investors?  So, they seek out and design their own patented product, form a company around that, and seek out investors to take it to market.

What if a startup is seeking funding, and asks Kemper Engineering to be on standby so that once they get funding they can fund Kemper Engineering to help them develop a product?

What if a startup asks Kemper Engineering to bet on the future with them?  Assuming that Kemper Engineering even considers that, how would Kemper Engineering evaluate whether the startup was worthwhile? It may be a cool, useful product that is very marketable. However, the startup may have problems.  Kemper Engineering should act like an investor.

FYI, not every company should consider “betting on the future” projects.

What if Kemper Engineering is asked by an investor to evaluate an engineering company or to come in and help an engineering company on the short term?

I think you get the idea.  It opens up more markets and types of clients; especially for a growing company working in high technology.

Kemper Engineering is working with high technology and will be exposed to many new patentable products.  They could be in a situation that they are working with someone who is trying to attract investors, or they might be working with the investors!  By being versed in the considerations for an investor and a fund seeking firm, they would more likely be the company of choice when someone considers hiring them.

At the very least, it can be some interesting conversation fodder at his next networking meeting, opening up some doors to new projects.

Another answer published Next Monday wh one more answer a week after that.

PS Bart: You will have to come back then.