Online marketing is no longer an option, but a necessity for distributors that hope to differentiate themselves from competitors and grow revenue. So make sure customers can locate you when they look for your company and products online, says Bob DeStefano in Why Online Marketing is Essential for Distributors.

“If Google can’t find you, no one can,” he says.

Online marketing targets the tech-savvy Generation X as well as millennials who “don’t know a world without the Internet, cell phones and text messaging.” And if distributors allocate their marketing dollars wisely, they can expect a measurable return in the form of qualified leads and sales.

DeStefano says distributors should think about the knowledge they already share with customers and integrate that into their websites. They may also want to provide information that doesn’t relate directly to their products, he says, “because who do you think they’re going to come to when they’re ready to buy? The company that was so helpful in every aspect of their business.”

Read about new ways to market your company effectively in Why Online Marketing is Essential for Distributors.