March 3, 2014
Twelve Marketing Tools Most Small Businesses Don't Get Right (Part 2 of 2) By Cliff Ennico Signage.
RANDYE: The jury is out on how effective social media advertising is for small businesses, but if you're going to do it, then DO it. Update your postings every day. Set aside 10 minutes first thing in the morning or before you go to bed at night. You don't have to use all the available social media platforms. Choose venues that are appropriate for your business. For example, an accountant has no business wasting time with Instagram(r) or Pinterest(r); he or she should be on LinkedIn(r). Just the opposite, however, would be true for an interior designer or hair salon whose work needs to be seen visually. Once you have established a social media presence for your business, you need to link your website to your postings and tell people to "follow you" (on Twitter(r)) or "like you" (on Facebook(r)). Finally, you need to reach out to your clients to tell them you're on social media and make it easy for them to find you. If you have a retail outlet, put up a sign by the cash register, or have front line employees talk about it during the checkout process. CLIFF: One of the dirtiest secrets of Internet marketing is that most people learn about new Websites from offline sources such as newspaper articles and recommendations from fellow humans. E-Mail Newsletters. RANDYE: Don't try to do this yourself. Use an e-mail marketing service, such as ConstantContact(r), that looks professional and guarantees that your newsletters comply with federal and state anti-spam laws. If you do use your own e-mail account to send "blanket" e-mail messages, make sure that:
Video on your website should be on the home page. Why? Because Google(r) indexes home pages with video higher in its search engine rankings than it does sites that have no video, or where the video is buried on an interior page. A home page with video has a 54% higher chance of landing on "page one" of customer searches. CLIFF: A link to a YouTube(r) page is great, but won't have the same clout with search engines. Live Appearances. CLIFF: When people are looking for contractors or professional help, they don't buy your services. They buy you. Getting yourself in front of prospective customers and letting them know you are easy to deal with and affordable can be a great way to build brand recognition and "buzz" in your community. But your personal appearances won't generate results if your audience comes away thinking they are glorified sales pitches. I personally find that talking as little about myself and my law practice works wonders when I give a talk to a local business group. I focus on the information my audience came to hear. RANDYE: Remember to make your talks both entertaining and informative: you can't teach anyone anything if you can't keep them awake. Be sure to give your audience lots of takeaway handouts with your contact information on them. And always - always - close your talk by offering a free consultation or other benefit to your attendees. Cliff Ennico (cennico@legalcareer.com) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit their Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2014 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. Posted by Staff at 7:10 AM |