In today’s internet era, there are more ways than ever to stay on top of what your customers are thinking, what products and services they are looking for and which competitors they are taking a look at, and everyone likes to be on top. This information is crucial in building a solid customer and marketing plan, as well as defining your products and services. How else are you going to know which mail boxes to stuff your color copies into in your pre-dawn sales blitz? Check out these internet based services. They can give you a leg up in understanding your customer's preferences and behaviors.
1. Google Analyticshttp://www.google.com/analytics/
Google offers a free service called google analytics. Through this service you attach a quick tracking link to your website and bingo, all sorts of valuable customer data gets tracked for you. You can access information about how often your customers visit your site, how long they spend on each page and where they are accessing your site from. This is a small list of things you can easily track. This tool is great and easy to use. Go ahead, become a cyber stalker.
Spend 5 minutes and learn about how Google Analytics can help you. tour.html
2. Survey Monkeyhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/
Survey Monkey is another tool that has a free option. You can easily create online questionnaires and surveys and send them via email or post through your website. It’s a simple and easy way to get valuable customer insights. “Haven’t you always wanted a monkey?” (BNL)
Survey Monkey has a quick list of ten reasons, why they can be your best online tool. Check it out at http://www.surveymonkey.com/Home_Reasons.aspx
3. Twitterhttp://twitter.com/
If you haven't realized it yet, Twitter is the newest indispensable tool for business. No matter how much you hate it. Not only can you use it to communicate with your customers, you can use it to find out what they think and want as well. And you can stay abreast of what Obama thinks of Kayne West.
Watch Charlene Li’s (author of Groundswell) insights into how Twitter can provide you great marketing insights. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFzMucc4Dw
4. Webinar Feedback Sessionswww.gotomeeting.com 
With the dawning of internet based communication tools like Go To Meeting, it is now as simple as pressing a few buttons to run online focus groups and feedback sessions with customers. What a great way to share images of your new product line or get feedback on a new service offering. The key to any of these tools is thinking outside of the box. What can you do with it to find out what your customers think? That’s assuming you really want to know what they think!
Check out Go To Meeting’s video Tutorial for some great ideas on how to use it to get customer feedback. Product Demo
Four Internet Tools to Check Out Today, To Help You Get More Customer Insights!
1. Spend 5 minutes and learn about how Google Analytics can help you. tour.html
2. Survey Monkey has a quick list of ten reasons, why they can be your best online tool. Check it out at http://www.surveymonkey.com/Home_Reasons.aspx
3. Watch Charlene Li’s (author of Groundswell) insights into how Twitter can provide you great marketing insights. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFzMucc4Dw
4. Check out Go To Meeting’s video Tutorial for some great ideas on how to use it to get customer feedback. Product Demo