stephenwinbaum
Communications Coordinator
/ Moderator
Nov 6, 2006, 7:47 AM
Post #1 of 1
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Trillions and Trillions Served
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‘Billions and billions served’ is the wildly successful claim of McDonald's, the largest international fast food chain.
But the ubiquitous burger chain began as a single eatery in southern California, opened up several franchises, and then was sold by founders, Dick and Mac McDonald, to Roy Kroc.
The rest is history with Kroc driving the chain worldwide.
A similar business success is happening now, not with burger and fries, but in the technology area. Last month, the internet officially grew to 100-million websites. Like the McDonald brothers' first restaurant in San Bernardino, CA, the internet began inauspiciously. Its creator, Tim Berners-Lee, started it in 1989 as a sharing device for scientists researching high energy particle physics data.
That elite group has grown into an interconnected community with over one-billion users, according to Internet World Stats.
From 1989 to 1995, the internet grew to 18-thousand websites, and then rocketed into today’s technological giant. The internet is growing faster than McDonald's! Like fast food, there's something insatiable about it.
The internet:
Generates revenue for businesses.
Features advertising.
Is affordable for users as the price of home and business computers has fallen.
Is more accessible as the cost of creating websites has decreased.
All these comparisons between McDonald's and the internet provide a valuable lesson for summer camp owners.
Internet marketing potential has exploded through targeted traffic, search engine optimization, and organic search marketing — at an inexpensive price.
Camp owners have evolved into online marketing specialists to ensure growth in enrollment. They realize that the internet is superior to other media; word of mouth, camp fairs, referral services, newspaper and magazines, and TV & radio.
The growth in internet marketing among camp professionals is due to low prices and quantifiable results.
Camp owners can judge their return on investment by using web metrics which allow them to see the number of visitors to their websites — a significant benefit over traditional advertising. They can connect their advertising dollars against measurable results that affect their bottom line and then make budgetary decisions for the future.
But it's not only business that drives the internet, its community. The internet is a meeting place for people spread out across the continent; the world.
Everyone who's interested in summer camps can find and share information, learn about trends, news, and important events. It's more than an industry. It's a scene, a zone, a happening. It's a place to belong. It's a compelling force that keeps us coming back.
It's no wonder that the internet has grown to 100-million sites. Like the McDonald's adage, billions of billions — trillions of trillion (?) — are served.
Stephen Winbaum is the Communications Coordinator of MySummerCamps.com
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(This post was edited by stephenwinbaum on Jan 17, 2009, 4:23 PM)
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