In This Chapter

• Understanding customers
• Knowing how customers look for you
• Finding out where customers are talking about you

One essential element of a modern business is to proactively learn about your customers by becoming a customer of your own business. You probably think you already know all there is to know about your customer, but think about this conundrum: how can you learn more about the potential customer that never opts to purchase your product or service?

Unlike many venues, the online world offers the opportunity for savvy businesspeople to find out what motivates not just their own customers, but their competitors customers and even those inevitable browsers and visitors who never actually make a purchase.

This chapter will explore some of the many ways that you can glean this information from the Web and discuss how to leverage the knowledge to tighten and focus your own marketing efforts.