#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…

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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”

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

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

 

 

Monday Stats – Consumers Searching Locally

Today I came across the infographic below called “Local Search Evolved” by MDG Advertising.  This is yet another powerful reason why local small business owners not visible online are missing the boat. Great information!

GET COMPLIMENTARY EVALUATION

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

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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.

 

Is Your Local Small Business Ready For Mobile Coupons?

As a small local business owner you have probably from time to time used coupons or special discounts.  If so, the following information will give you another option for marketing coupons to your local target market.  If you are not mobile marketing it’s time to embrace it because your local consumers are ready.

As a small business owners offering a local service or product engaging customers online today is not an option any longer it’s a necessity.  If you are not communicating with your customers online someone else will and that’s not good for your business.

This is great news for you, the small business owner, because it gives you a place to begin and my job is to help you build your online presence using this priceless information.

It’s time to get started…..

Get your FREE Consultation Today!

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When To Engage With Your Customers Online

Check out the graph above from Argyle Social sharing the best time for a business to engage with their customers online.  This information is priceless if you are a local small business owner building your image online. And the winner is:  WEEKENDS!

As a small business owners offering a local service or product engaging customers online today is not an option any longer it’s a necessity.  If you are not communicating with your customers online someone else will and that’s not good for your business.

This is great news for you, the small business owner, because it gives you a place to begin and my job is to help you build your online presence using this priceless information.

It’s time to get started…..

Get your FREE Consultation Today!

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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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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

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The Big Shift For Local Search

If you’re a local business owner that relies on business from the traditional forms of marketing then your bottom line is shrinking daily.

Take a look at the following statistics:

“70% of US household now use the Internet as an information source when shopping locally for products and services” (Kelsey Group)

31% of all business buyers turn to a Search Engine first when looking for a locally based product or service

Product Research and Comparison shopping happens online, but 67% of those purchases happen offline (Accenture)

90% of purchases are made within 50 miles of a person’s home (Kelsey)

Consider the following local search data: 43% of all searches on the Google network included a geographical identifier.

o 86% of those people followed up with a phone call
o 61% of those people ended up making a purchase offline

This is great news for small business owners and my job is to help you build your online presence using this information to build our business.

It’s time to get started…..

Get your FREE Consultation Today!

 

What Is Local Internet Search?

As a small business owner in today’s world, you know that local Internet search is big and plays an important part in your local consumers finding your business.

Increasingly, your local consumers (within a 5-7 mile radius) are searching the Internet to locate businesses in their own communities. In fact, there are nearly 60% (20% online + 40% from mobile devises) of local Internet searches entered each month. The Internet has surpassed the traditional Yellow Pages and newspapers as the first source for local consumer service information and that trend is on the rise.

With these kinds of figures, it is imperative for you as a small business owner to understand the importance of the Local Internet Search. A great to begin is with a definition from Wikipedia –

LOCAL SEARCH

To get a clear picture for your small business and local search schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation today.