#1 Reason Why Local Business Owners Need A Website!

As you’re reading this post, I’m going to assume you’re asking yourself why, as a local business owner, you need a website.   Listen, you are not alone there are many local business owners that have not taken one step toward obtaining a site for their business.

Did you check out those numbers provided in the infographic above from mdgadvertising.com?  Think about the changing habits of your family and friends.  Where are they going to find information, place orders, etc?  Online.

The #1 reason why I believe local business owners need a website is because the consumer is searching for products and services online.  Plain and simple!  You need to be where they are so they can find you and not your competitors.

I recently came across a blog post from Entrepreneur titled “Why You Need a Website“.  This post is dated October 2004 and the answer is still the same…

Yes, if you have a business, you should have a website. Period. No question. Without a doubt.

Therefore, let’s make it easier for your local consumers to find your business when searching for your product or services online.

Whatever your reasoning for not having a business website now is the time to take steps and get the information you need to get your business a site today.

Want to know how others view your business online…

Related articles

• Your Business’ Online Reputation (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)

 

Your Business’ Online Reputation

Many local small business owners believe having nice website means their “Online Reputation” is intact.  However, there is so much more to online visibility than just a nice website.

There are many ways for local consumers and business owners to interact online to create the reputation of a business online.

In today’s online market place most of your online reputation is built outside of your website.  For example

• Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn
• Review Sites
• Blogs

… just to name a few.

Are you beginning to understand the various ways your business’ online reputation can be influenced good or bad without involving your website.

Since I mentioned your website, let’s talk about a few practices that can build good reputation management.

These same practices go for any other web properties you may have as well such as Facebook Fanpage, Twitter page, or blog.

You can also utilize these practices with other web applications like Facebook Timeline, Twitter or your blog.

• Your business website is not your personal webpage – It should be managed professionally and kept business-related.
• Be polite in your public posts and responses. Never argue with a customer or reply with rude comments.
• ALWAYS comment on responses made by your customers and your potential customers – never ignore them. One of the best things you can do is to stay in communication with your audience and keep it as professional as possible.

Keep in mind to maintain your current customers and to win new ones is your goal.  You are online not to make friends or enemies.  Make sure you stay professional and keep your composure even when it can be very challenging.

Want to know how others view your business online…

Related articles

• REPUTATION MANAGEMENT ALERT: Online Review Sites Spell Big Trouble for Small Businesses (prweb.com)
• EnemyGraph: Making the Destruction of an Online Reputation Easier (soshable.com)

 

Tweets Are Reaching Far Beyond Twitter

I was watching Dancing With The Stars yesterday and I noticed the interaction of tweets from fans at home.  Viewers that may never use Twitter were reading tweets and enjoying comments that added to the experience of the program.

As a small business owner take note of the Edison Research in the chart above.  These are reasons for you to consider engaging with your customers and local consumers using Twitter. Twitter can not be overlooked when it comes to improving your business visibility in the local market.

Today consumers expect to see your business’ Twitter link when finding your business online.  So why not give it to them.  Twitter is a tool to assist your business in building and maintaining relationships.

Think about ways you can use Twitter for your business.  Below are a few suggestions listed in How To Use Twitter For Business published by Hubspot.

The most obvious business use of Twitter is to meet potential customers and leads the same way you would at networking event or trade show.

However, you can also use it to:

1) Develop and promote your brand

2) Interact with your customer base

3) Track what people are saying about your company and brand

4) Create buzz around upcoming events

5) Help individual employees act as liaisons to the public

6) Promote other content you’ve created, including webinars, blog posts or podcasts

7) Develop direct relationships with bloggers and journalists for potential PR placement

Using one or more of these suggestions will increase your local visibility which increases local business.

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

LAB Small Business Services online complimentary evaluation will reveal how past, current and future consumers view your business online.

 

An Internet Presence Is Important!

As a local small business owner you probably understand that having an internet presence is important. You may even have an awesome website for your business.

This question is what are you doing with it?

Just some food for thought!

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LAB Small Business Services online complimentary evaluation will reveal how past, current and future consumers view your business online.

 

The Search Is On!

As a traditional local business owner transitioning from the days of the yellow pages and newspaper to online marketing I thought the Google commercial below is inspiring.  It shows how powerful it is to have instant information at your fingertips at anytime.

Google, the largest collector of information, recognized the importance of local searches to consumers. As a result, Google created Google Places  – it’s a way to present searchers what they’re searching for in their own local towns or cities – whether it is a restaurant, dry cleaner or attorney.

This is why as a local business owner you want your business online so you can be found.  Being located online is more affordable than you might think.

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

LAB Small Business Services online complimentary evaluation will reveal how past, current and future consumers view your business online.

 

Social Media Success Guide

I came across this great social media success guide.   It gives a great overview of the many steps that goes into a social media campaign.

For local small business owners it lets you know that social media is a detailed process and why social media managers are so vital to the success of this type of internet marketing.

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

LAB Small Business Services online complimentary evaluation will reveal how past, current and future consumers view your business online.

 

Monday Stats – 1 Billion Users!

 

Photo Created by Idea go’s

Today, I came across an article by Google listing their 12 predictions for 2012 and the one I found most interesting is the first one “More than 1 billion people will use mobile devices as their primary internet access point.”  WOW!

The same article has a report called  “Our Mobile Planet: Global Smartphone Users” with some great stats.  As a small business owner if you’re looking for reasons to tap into mobile marketing check out these stats.

Even more interesting for you is 92 percent of your local target market is searching from their mobile phones to find local information (page 15). Let me say that again, 92 percent! Now is the time to put your business in the position to be seen by your local target market searching on their mobile devices.  Get the information you need today to take your business to the next level.

For more stats download Google’s report   “Our Mobile Planet: Global Smartphone Users”

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Latest News ~ Google TV Really?

Wow, I came across an interesting video on Google expanding into interactive TV and they aren’t the only ones. Check out the details below from Mashable.

Google and Interactive TV

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Local Business Websites

By now, as a local small business owner, you know the importance of having a website. However, I’m finding many local businesses without one or their site is beautifully outdated and non-productive. Websites aren’t just to look good but to provide a valuable service (experience) to your customers and those seeking your product or service.

Your website is giving your customers and local internet searchers the reason they need to do business with you and not your competitors.

How do you view your customers?  Below is a great clip from a business marketing giant, Jay Abraham, that addresses my point and I believe taking your website seriously is a major piece of the puzzle for building long-term business growth.

Just some food for thought!

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LAB Small Business Services online complimentary evaluation will reveal how past, current and future consumers view your business online.

 

Friday Basics – Marketing Local Business – The Difference

Friday Basics today will close out our three part series on Marketing Local Business  with “The Difference.”

Dinah Washington sung a song years ago called “What A Difference A Day Made.”  It’s a romantic song, however, what I love about it is The Difference one action made.

In part one of this series the action to change The Path for marketing your small business on the internet. In part two taking the action to switch from being The Hunter to The Hunted in your marketing efforts will make The Difference in your marketing efforts.

The whole point of making the decision to take the action to switch the path to internet marketing and becoming the hunted by your customers and leads is to make The Difference…

• in your visibility to your local market online
• in how you communicate with your customers
• in how you introduce your business and your product or service
• in improving your bottom-line

The Difference can be the “sun and flowers where there use to be rain”.

Enjoy Dinah!

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Related articles

• Friday Basics – Managing Your Reputation Online (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)
• Marketing Local Business ~ The Path (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)
• Marketing Local Business ~ The Hunter or The Hunted? (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)