I talk to SMB (small and medium business) owners and marketers all the time about the basics of internet marketing. I tell them what is out there for them to take advantage of including search and social media. These are smart people but the vast majority of the time they are ignorant of (or maybe afraid of?) the internet and its many opportunities.

Once these concepts have been presented in a way that removes the mystery and mysticism that we internet marketers like to portray (note to internet marketers: Stop doing that! It’s ridiculous) they almost always have the same response: “A-HA!”

It’s a business epiphany of sorts for these folks and the level of excitement is almost always very high. Trouble is that the initial enthusiasm fades pretty quickly when the reality sets in that this all requires real work. It’s like a business energy drink of sorts. These SMB marketers drink it in and get a huge rush then the crash happens that leaves them drained.

So how do you get past the “A-HA!” into the real world? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Get educated – Invest the time and resources to obtain at the least a decent foundational understanding of internet marketing including search (organic and paid), social media, local opportunities etc.
2. Assess the opportunity – Internet marketing and social media almost always sounds interesting and exciting but not every technique applies to every business. Quickly assess how much can actually be done based on the type of business and the clients among other factors.
3. Make a plan – Once you determine what areas are worth your time (local search, paid search, SEO, social) according to your business and industry take the time to plan your efforts. Internet marketing can spin you circles if you do not have a road map of sorts to follow.
4. Be flexible – Internet marketing is always a work in progress. Change and experimentation are the words of the day in this area and the SMB marketer who is new to this will have to just relax and go with it.
   Assign resources – This means people and money. Doesn’t take much of either really but it will take commitment and passion to make it work.

So get in and stay in the game after the “A-HA!” moment. Commit yourself to success using the internet to generate business. What else are you going to do? Wait for the government to bail you out, Mr. / Mrs. SMB? Now that would be a HUGE “A-HA!” wouldn’t it?

SMB Takeaway: The initial excitement of the SMB regarding the potential that internet marketing and social media offers is exhilarating but the reality can seem daunting. Well, it’s not as long you go about it in a way that makes sense and leads to success rather than frustration.

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About the Author: Frank Reed's blog Frank Thinking About Internet Marketing provides practical advice and insight for Internet marketers from local SMB's to Fortune 500's. Frank provides Internet marketing services through FT Internet Marketing, Inc. In addition, Frank is a regular contributor to Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim and Mike Moran's Biznology blogs.