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.

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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.

 

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!

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

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

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)

 

Marketing Local Business ~ The Path

In this 3 part series we are going to discuss the basics in marketing your products and/or services.  This series will share with you, the local small business owner, why the next chapter in your local business growth is internet marketing.

Let’s start with “The Path”.  The old path once driven in acquiring new customers locally has changed and has become the road less traveled.

The old path is the traditional forms of marketing local business such as,

• directory advertising
• trade shows
• full and half print ads
• cold calling

This is the old path due to the high cost and it’s becoming less and less effective in producing leads compared to the new path called internet marketing,

• website
• mobile marketing
• social networking (facebook, twitter, etc)
• blogging

The new path, internet marketing, is less expensive and potential customers are seeking your business/service.

That’s two reasons (less expensive and customers seeking you) to consider switch from the traditional path or at least expanding to include marketing online.

Oh, there’s one more important reason to consider internet marketing it’s called visibility.  Claiming your piece of your local online real estate.  You want to be there when your local customers are looking for your products and services.  Don’t disappointment them.

Tomorrow, in part two of Marketing Local Business find out if you are the “The Hunted or The Hunter”.

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

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

 

Friday Basics – Managing Your Reputation Online

Reputation management for local small businesses may not have been a big issue in the past, but, today the internet has drastically changed the rules. If you are a small business owner managing your reputation online is definitely something that cannot be ignored.

Online reputation management is simply a process of monitoring and addressing anything that is written about your business online. The actual “managing” of your reputation involves using strategic online techniques to promote positive and neutral content about your business.

Just about EVERYONE uses the Internet to research local businesses these days, but it doesn’t stop there. They are also using the Internet to voice their opinions about your products and services.

The growth of various avenues – such as forums, blogs, and social networking – has created an instant way for consumers to share their opinions about the businesses and services. While some people do provide “positive” feedback online, more and more people are using the Internet to voice “negative” feedback as well.

Therefore, as a local business owner it’s in your best interest to start monitoring what is being said about you online. It’s one thing to KNOW and do something about it… but it’s another thing to not even know what’s being said.

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

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

 

Small Business Marketing Strategy Online

The most powerful small business marketing strategy online, I believe, is building visibility and credibility in the local marketing.

Search around the Internet for local businesses in your neighborhood.  Search for your business online.  What do you find?  If you find …

• Incorrect or missing information
• Wrong address
• Bad, out dated or no reviews
• No consistency
• Outdated website
• or don’t find business

Then, your local consumer is finding the same thing.

Many small business owners work hard to keep solid visibility for their business location and create a professional atmosphere that is pleasing to their customers and remain clueless to how their business is viewed online.

This strategy begins with the business owner typing in keywords (2-3) into the search engine (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) that a local consumer would type if they were looking for your product or service.  Are you happy with what you found?  Chances are you do not like what you found.

Next, type in your competitor(s) into the search engine with the same keywords.  What do you see?  Chances are they are clueless as well.

Now, start cleaning up and building your image and also increase your visibility.  You will be amazed at the results.  Here’s a tip:  If you find that one of your local competitors uses this strategy then just become more visible and reach out to your local consumers using mobile or maybe social networks.

Start now and do not wait to begin using this powerful small business marketing strategy. Do what your competitors are not doing, yet.  Remember, you are not alone.   We are here to assist you with affordable online marketing and image solutions.

Get your FREE Consultation Today!

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• The Big Shift For Local Search (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)
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Small Business Internet Marketing

For today’s small business owners, Internet marketing has become a necessity.  Without using this method of promoting your products or services you are leaving money on the table and allowing many of your competitors to benefit from consumers located right in your own backyard.

In today’s market, if a consumer located in a 5-mile radius of your business cannot find your business or service when they search for it online then you are doing an injustice to your business and your local consumers. It makes no sense for small business owners to miss out servicing their local consumers because they have not listed or did not properly list their business online.

For example: If a local consumer types in veterinarian and the only listings that show are 7 to 10 miles away and there is a veterinarian within 2 miles of their home that is not listed.  The consumer will contact the veterinarian outside of their neighborhood to get service when there is a choice of a veterinarian right in their own backyard.

I remember as a child, there was a neighborhood store where everyone that lived within a few blocks shopped.  Not to mention it was the hot spot for candy.  Everyone knew about this neighborhood store.  There was also the neighborhood hardware store, doctor, dentist, etc. Today, as a small business owner, using the local search engines, you can build local visibility and credibility in your neighborhood.

Just like the neighborhood corner store, everyone in your local area should know your business and think of you when they are searching online for your product or service.

This is the definition of small business Internet marketing; building visibility and credibility online so local consumers can find and develop trust for your business.

Of course, there is a lot more to Internet marketing. There is a process and different ways to advertise your business on the Internet.  However, the foundation for small business Internet marketing is building a strong visible and credible presence, which begins with search engine listings so your local consumers can find your business.

Internet marketing for small business owners is just like traditional forms of marketing except you are advertising online where consumers are searching for products or services

Related articles

• What Is Local Internet Search? (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)
• The Big Shift For Local Search (lorriebrown.wordpress.com)