How Local Small Business Marketing Drove My Sales Through The Roof In The Dreariest Of Economies
Local Small Business Marketing Drives Sales
Is Local Small Business Marketing Right For You?
The Internet has changed the way that the world does business. It really has changed everything. People no longer stop what they are doing to reach for the Yellow Pages when they need a service or product. They reach for their computer and this has changed everything.
Has Local Small Business Slowed?
Where once you might have succeeded advertising your local business in the local newspaper, now you need to get your business online with local small business marketing My business targets my local community — most of my customers come from a five mile radius. Year on year it’s been getting harder and harder to hit my sales targets. It seems like each year there are fewer good customers out there. Can you relate to my story?
The reason for my struggles is likely the same as your struggles — I was not making the most of marketing my local small business online. It’s less about traditional offline media and all about the Internet now. How has the Internet has transformed local small business marketing? That is where eager buyers are looking for my products and services.
Local Small Business Marketing Is On The Internet
Since I started taking seriously what the Internet offers in terms of local small business marketing, my sales have literally shot through the roof. Where once I was struggling to make ends meet, now I’m struggling to cope with the avalanche of work I have coming in every single day — I need to add staff soon. There is no doubt in my mind that the Internet and its facility to put my local small business directly in front of eager buyers has changed my local small business for the better forever!
Marketing To Local Buyers Grows Small Business
I was taken completely by surprise that my business keeps growing, even throughout these current economic challenges. Not even this global recession has stopped my business from growing. My success is undoubtedly our change from traditional marketing methods to local small business marketing online.
Local Business Profits From Eager Local Buyers
I know that it might seem counter intuitive to use the Internet to connect with customers who are perhaps just a few miles from your door; but, look at the facts: The Internet is everywhere — in our phones, in our ipads and ipods, in our computers and in our cars and TV’s. More than 80% of Americans use the Internet regularly and more than 1 billion people each month search to buy locally.
Get Onboard Local Small Business Marketing
This Internet thing has changed the game of business by moving the goal posts closer for local small business. If you have a local business and you want to grow profitably in 2011 and beyond, wake up to these changes and get onboard. Local small business marketing is what you need to do right now.
Profit By Marketing Your Business Online
Profit By Marketing Your Business Online
Is Marketing Your Business Online Viable?
Are you looking for a real way to grow your business, get more leads and generate more sales? Let me say upfront, you can’t wrestle with your business and achieve a clear victory without marketing your business online. Don’t swat at me quite yet — I have my reasons which you’ll soon see.
I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 10 years now and I have a lot of experience growing businesses. Throughout all the business growth, I’ve been testing each method to find the best ways to improve business. I discovered that marketing your business online is the most effective way to gain popularity and attract a flock of eager buyers shopping for what you offer. Although there are still offline techniques available for growing business, many of these methods are waning and can sink your bank account. Especially when your business is quite young, you usually can’t afford to use high cost promotion methods. At times like these, can you risk investing in advertising with questionable return?
You Have Permission To Market Your Business Online
One of the greatest offline marketing business turn-offs today, consumers no longer accept intrusion marketing. They are not waiting to be told what is available for purchase. Instead, think about your own habit. When you get the whim to acquire something new, are you more likely to Google for it or scan through Yellow Pages?
Luckily, the Internet makes it possible for everybody, even those with tight budgets, to market their business online via websites, blogs, video, social media and social networks. Are you serious about serious business growth? Are increased sales and more of your best customers acquisitions that drive you through your business day? I suggest you consider marketing your business online. Perhaps the greatest thing about this is that it’s considerably less expensive to market your business online than ineffective traditional marketing ever was.
You Can Afford Marketing Your Business Online
Of course, nearly all business owners have a website. All by itself, how effective has your static online business card been for your business? Among the most effective online marketing strategies is participation in social media and social networks. I have been augmenting my website efforts with social media for over 5 years now and it’s been tremendously effective increasing awareness of my business brand.
Where Marketing Your Business Online Takes Place
Yes, there are at least 101 social media and social networks in which you can participate. Not all of them are equally effective for your business; and to participate in all of them will be prohibitively expensive. So, where to start? Where will it benefit your business most? Of the 101 possible, I recommend all businesses consider these three:
- Linkedln — The world’s largest network of professionals;
- Facebook — The 3rd largest “country” in the world; and
- Twitter — Customers, vendors, partners & competitors discuss you here.
Social Media Are Marketing Your Business Online
Social media are effective precisely because they empower consumers to participate in business development. What better way to market your business online than to ask your market what it will buy? Once you anticipate for what eager buyers are shopping, place your content there where they will find it and follow it back to your door. Marketing your business online is that simple.
How I Anticipate Eager Buyers Shopping For What I Offer And Convert Them Into New Sales Leads
How Do You Benefit New Sales Leads?
New sales leads are the crème of every business. Knowing the demand for your product is essential to be able to generate sales leads. It is a known fact that businesses survive and flourish on sales. New sales leads are the oxygen business breathes. How do you anticipate those shopping for what you offer?
Market Research Discovers New Sales Leads
Every business irrespective of size and type must conduct thorough market research about your industry. Perceiving the attributes of your market equips you with intricate details about it. Understanding the exact requirements and wants of your customers helps you serve them better. Once you see and know your buyer personae, tell your business story to the right people and new sales leads will come to you.
New Sales Leads Are Also Aware Of Your Competition
Market research also provides competitive analytics. With this information you can understand where to reposition your brand to achieve a competitive edge over your competition that will generate new sales leads. What do you have that benefits your customers more than what your competition offers?
Marketing To New Sales Leads
Communicating your main benefits to your customers is of utmost importance. To explain this better, let’s look closely at the 4 P’s of Marketing:
- Product — As explained earlier, knowing about the market dynamics equips you with diverse knowledge and helps you to position your product and service everywhere consumers are shopping for it. Redevelopment and re-engineering of your product in light of consumer demand is necessary to capture new sales leads. Furthermore, to induce repeat sales and referrals, give your customers reason to come back for more.
- Price — The price of your offering should reflect its value to your customers. Setting high prices without commensurate value will simply drive customers away. Even selling premium products, keep the high price in line with the perceived benefits. This not only attracts the cream crowd but also substantially increase your revenues. Truth be told, new sales leads are less concerned with price and more with what’s in it for them.
- Place — This is the location where you sell your offering, the distribution channel. Again make sure that your business is convenient to your customers and reduce their effort to the minimum. Your distribution system must be devoid of middle men. Proper replenishment of stock is necessary to avoid customer dissatisfaction and keep up with demand. New sales leads benefit from you being at the right time and place.
- Promotion — Perhaps, the most important aspect of generating new sales leads is your communication strategy. Based on your audience and product, marketing communications should nurture relationships. Whether you’re advertising or promoting sales, your desired result is to anticipate eager buyers shopping for what you offer. For example, during a sales lull, offering discounts and incentives will continue your revenue stream and keep customers interested in you, your business and your products.
How Do You Benefit New Sales Leads?
Generating new sales leads is a must for every business to survive in today’s cut-throat competitive world. Although it may seem more of an art than a science, knowing the benefits your best customers seek is a sure way to garner new sales leads.
How Online Marketing For Small Business Made Me Forget Yellow Pages And Awful Newspaper Advertising
Online Marketing For Small Business Is Effective
Online Marketing For Small Business Is Effective
Online Marketing For Small Business Is Effective
Marketing is undoubtedly among the most essential aspects of any small business venture. It is actually how businesses grow and how they continue to work toward profitable goals. However, marketing is also one of the most challenging areas for small business owners to manage. It is often difficult to figure out what type of marketing is needed and which is effective.
Keep It Simple With Online Marketing For Small Business
Small businesses might not know the best places to advertise or might not know which marketing agency to hire. For the most part, online marketing for small business is the ideal solution for most of these concerns. The strategies to carry out marketing online for small business are very simple to understand and are considerably more affordable to use compared with traditional marketing campaigns, such as newspaper ads and Yellow Pages spreads. If you think about how ineffective traditional marketing with wide-ranging strategies is today, you will realize that the amount of money you have to spend on these campaigns is wasteful.
Online Marketing For Small Business Targets Best Customers
Just imagine that you purchase a commercial advertisement from your local television station in the course of their most popular programs. Suppose your product is geared toward the younger market, but the program is targeting all age groups. Even though you might make several product sales and some of your ideal individuals might pay attention to your advertisement, you probably will not generate sufficient interest and sales to cover your considerable advertising costs. The truth is, more often than not, you would have wasted your money.
One Alternative: Online Marketing For Small Business
Now, think about online marketing as an alternative. Your ad is published online in places frequented by interested individuals who want to see it and buy it. These people are trying to find the information that your advertisement provides, whether they are seeking a specific product, your service or more information. Now, because of the brilliance of online marketing, the market you are targeting will find your website because eager buyers are shopping for what you sell. This makes a huge difference, because rather than placing an advertisement in a single spot with the hope that someone will actually see it, your ad will be requested by eager buyers shopping online for what they want at the moment they want to buy it.
Remain Flexible With Online Marketing For Small Business
Online marketing for small business directs customers directly to your business. Done effectively you get considerably higher quality leads. Measurement of traffic quantity and quality allows you to determine how effective each ad is. In addition, in contrast to traditional marketing, online advertising empowers you to easily make changes to your campaign even while it continues to run. Have you ever attempted to do this with traditional marketing promotions? Can you change your Yellow Pages spread once printed? Can you change your TV commercial after production? Traditional advertisements created by traditional marketing agencies could easily bankrupt your business if you insist on changes that are carried out effortlessly everyday online. Flexibility is key to online marketing for small business.
WARNING: Marketing Local Business Is The Best Way To Appeal To Impatient Buyers In Your Neighborhood
Marketing Local Business Appeals To Eager Buyers
In case you have just become a business owner, you should know that it is vitally important to find the best opportunities available for marketing local business. Doing all that it takes to get and keep consumers interested in spending money to benefit from your service will be your key to generate a lucrative profit.
Marketing Local Business Appeals To Eager Buyers
Local advertising campaigns have proven to be crucial for every business, whether you are a professional doctor or lawyer with some years in your field, or a roofing contractor starting out. It is always best to advertise locally even if your business is already established, because local buyers will be the first to invest their money in your products and services. Marketing local business is the best way to appeal to buyers in your neighborhood and for you to cultivate a successful business.
In many cases this exposure can expand from local to international with simple, positive word of mouth reviews. By using a marketing strategy that leverages testimonials, this will enable your business to thrive. When you are prepared with the best way to market your local business, you will not spend an enormous sum of money — not even in the beginning.
Marketing Local Business Requires Expertise
The most effective way to market local business and boost revenue is to enlist the expertise of a local marketing company. Once the majority of your community knows about you and also what you have to offer, then you should move on to other effective advertising strategies. Advertisements in the local newspapers, tabloids and magazines in order attract more customers used to be the only way. Those traditional methods may not be as effective today. All of your advertising must prominently display your business logo. It is a major visual component to your brand and can be seen everywhere. Your logo can look great on signs and billboards in close proximity to your business.
Marketing Local Business Exceeds Expectations
After you capitalize on these basic marketing techniques and your profit looks good, then you can continue to the next phase. Going beyond the traditional approach of creating brochures, pamphlets, leaflets and flyers to be distributed all over your local area, continue promoting your local business wherever eager buyers are shopping for what you offer. At all times you want to ensure that you are using all advertising options to your advantage. Striving to make earnings exceed expectations, you will find nothing more essential than effective marketing. You will discover that this is one of the best decisions you will ever make for your business.
Marketing Local Business Fulfills Dreams
Now is really the time to get aggressive with local marketing. Ensure that your local business continues to grow to the level you desire. Dream big! Always remember that the opportunities for marketing local business were never this easy. The sky is the limit if you are serious about success and you keep your finger on the pulse of your best customers. Marketing local business brings results.
Location Based Social Media Is Where We’re At
Connecting with others regardless of proximity is one of the strongest values Social Media brings to the table. My blog may be read in earnest around the world and I appreciate that. LinkedIn has brought business to table with people I’ve not met nor am I likely to meet (e.g., China, India.) Exchanging tweets across the universe is fun and rewarding. So, what is all of this hoopla about Location Based Social Media?
That being said, I do in fact live here, in this specific place, and not only to I reside here, but I shop here, I eat here and I come face-to-face with hundreds of people every week — right here in Minneapolis, MN USA. Most businesses I see do not benefit from ecommerce and shopping carts. Somebody in Afghanistan on the Internet can go to target.com and order a 4-slice toaster; Target will do the currency exchange and ship the toaster to them the next day — everybody wins. On the other hand, my dentist in Plymouth, MN is not likely to benefit from that Afghani shopper. My dentist has a service area outside of which he’s not likely to profit.
Location Based Social Media are the darlings of 2010. New social media platforms, known as Location Based Services, add a contextual layer of movement and proximity to our relationships online and offline. Location Based Services are smartphone applications utilizing GPS to provide information and social networking relevant to our current location. Location Based Social Media are our interfaces to these applications. We are exploring our community online, tracking our friends whereabouts, recent activities, opinions and we shout out to our world where we are and how we want to be found.
What does Location Based Social Media mean to you? ABI Research estimates, “By 2014 global LBS revenues will have surpassed $14 billion.” The more detailed information we have on prospect behavior patterns and social context, the better we find something truly valuable to offer them. We can also provide more specific, directed information based on the location of our best audiences. Location Based Social Media is particularly valuable for brick and mortar store front business who need to drive local traffic to their store, and for anyone promoting an event at a physical venue.
Basic Types of Location Based Social Media
Kate Shaw categorizes the main types of Location Based Social Media in a blog post “Comprehensive Guide to Location-Based Social Media.”
Social Check-in Sites
Social Check-in sites enable users to access information about businesses in the local area. At the same time, Social check-in sites encourage users to develop location based relationships with other users, with their other social networks and with local businesses.
Offer incentives to users to check-in and frequent your establishment. Compelling offers bring new customers to your location and build loyalty with your existing customers. Encourage users to check-in on any and all Location Based Social Media. Honor incentives you offer across any Location Based Social Media a user may use.
Listen to your guests! Review sentiment. Comment on posts. Acknowledge Testimonials and Referrals. Most Location Based Social Media have Facebook and Twitter connections that allow your guests to promote your business to their entire social network.
Some Location Based Social Media have search options facilitating keyword and brand term searches. Look for opportunities to promote special offers to users checking in to a nearby locations. Some Location Based Social Media have advertising platforms that enables marketers to purchase advertisements based either on category or location.
Social Review Sites
Social Review sites encourage users to publish online reviews, referrals and Testimonials based on their experiences at restaurants, hotels, shops and wherever you and your business are found in Location Based Social Media. Quality scores can be assigned to each comment based on this user-generated content.
Not all Social Review sites are Location Based Social Media.
Social Review sites are critical for brick-and-mortar business — do not skip your strategy here. Utilize Social Review sites for the free market research they offer — make the changes your customers ask for as appropriate.
Social Review sites enable businesses to publish local business content. Many Social Review sites facilitate offering coupons and discount offers to loyal customers.
Make absolutely certain that your guests remember that you exist on Social Review sites. Ask them for their Testimonial. Acknowledge customers that take time to post the positive reviews. Respond to your negative reviews with tact and consummate professionalism.
Local businesses need to listen closely to what their customers say about you, and respond to their suggestions and complaints.
There is no more effective marketing than Testimonials. Every review, every referral, every comment is a Testimonial to the quality of your business. The more positive Testimonials you accumulate, the greater your authority and credibility in your community.
In real life you cannot please everybody. Everybody cannot be your best customer. Some customers cannot be satisfied. The minority negative review is real life. Occasional dissatisfaction is more believable than saccharin drivel, and builds your online personality.
Social Scheduling Sites
Social Scheduling sites facilitate sharing your “social calendar” with your social networks. Individuals can find out about upcoming events. Networks of people can plan anything from birthday parties to movie dates.
Rather than publishing to the world where you are at at this moment, Social Scheduling sites facilitate sharing where you will be. Like a public calendar, you publish where you’re going, which events you will attend and with whom you are going.
Social Scheduling sites often include comment and review functionality. Other users comment, share information, and they can publish their own intent with a “count-me-in” button.
Social Scheduling sites can facilitate keyword searching, so customers and Location Based Social Media can find out about your events. Any marketing involving conferences, meetups, parties, or other get-togethers will benefit.
Conclusions About Location Based Social Media
Carefully examine the list of Location Based Social Media. Explore the pros and cons. Determine which platforms will best help you communicate with your customers. Marketing Local Business Online demands that you go where your customers are. Be found everywhere they are looking for you.
Listen carefully and learn from your guests. Self-reporting your location has a value in itself. Declaring your current location is more than just a piece of information — your intention is behind it. Suppose you’re in a bar and the name of the place is broadcast to your colleagues. That’s both a statement about where you are and an invitation to others. They can infer about your availability or your willingness to interact socially.
Engage with your guests — communicate — bring something of value to the conversation.
Remember that Location Based Social Media is very new. You are marketing to early adopters with voyeuristic tendencies and enormous digital mouths.
Be genuine. Engage your guests with open arms, a big smile and kind words. Offer them the right incentives at the right time. Your Location Based Social Media community will become your most loyal customers and loudest evangelists. Location Based Social Media is where we’re at.
Blog Writing Is Marketing Local Business Online
Blog Writing Is Marketing Local Business Online
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses Of Excuses …
Truth be told, all of the excuses listed below I have used myself. Yes, I’m as guilty — perhaps, more guilty because of my vocation — of irregular blog writing as many of you dear readers perusing this post. Writing my Blog is Social Media. For my Blog to be found I must publish. Search Engine Marketing assumes that my online marketing words can be found; therefore, blog writing is essential to my business success.
Knowing that it is human nature to avoid the unknown, those things in life and business that we do not understand, I, too, have procrastinated and equivocated. Today, Labor Day here in the USA, I want to take a few precious minutes to explore the very best, World Class excuses for not sitting down once or twice each week and scribbling to the world why, O why, are we in business?
Without Further Ado, Here Is My Top Ten List Of Blog Writing Excuses:
- I don’t have anything to say.
Really? How do you sell anything? What do you want to say to your Best Customer when she’s sitting eyeball-to-eyeball with you? I know that you are passionate about what you offer; and I know that you will have a great deal to say to every eager Prospect ready to buy what you do best. Suppose you said some of this online. Furthermore, suppose somebody new reads your online words. Is it beyond reason that some of them will be influenced by your words, and ask to buy from you? Blog writing is nurturing your relationship with your marketplace.
- Nobody wants to read my blog.
Rest assured, everybody is an authority in something — even you. Regardless online or offline, marketing your business requires you to build a relationship with each Prospect, nurture those relationships, and to service those relationships throughout your business life. Every relationship begins with a single conversation. Some will listen, some are not interested — that is the way of business. When you speak to a larger audience, what happens to the number of your listeners? What larger audience opportunity do you have than blog writing?
- I don’t like to write.
Do you like to write sales orders? Will you write a proposal for me? How do you feel when you endorse a check? Writing is an extension of what you have to say. When you are comfortable with speaking with great Prospects, the words drip easily from your tongue. Record your best sales presentation. Listen to yourself. How does that story you tell your Customers affect you? Put it down in writing a few hundred words at a time. Tell your story. Your Customers love your story and they’ll read your blog writing.
- I don’t have time to write a blog.
OK — time is of the essence. Do you have time to write orders? Do you have time to cash checks? If you find a simple method of attracting eager buyers who come to you to buy what you offer — will you find time to sell to them? Would you rather cold call or be found? I’m betting that when you sharpen your sales tools by honing the persuasive story you tell … I’m betting that blog writing will be well worth your time.
- My industry/company does not allow self promotion.
Actually, this can be one of the most challenging hurdles. For example, Financial Services professionals are subject to stringent regulations from the SEC and FINRA, and their broker/dealers and compliance departments may choose to restrict rather than interpret rules. Nonetheless, I find no shortage of commercials advertising one Financial Services provider over another. Find a way to express your personality, your trustworthiness apart from your limited business persona. When was the last time you bought from somebody you didn’t like? Blog writing is telling your story.
- I’m afraid I’ll lose my privacy.
Yes, it’s true. Those words you publish online are likely to live forever — and I do mean longer than your human life. You are a professional, and I’m asking you to keep professionalism in mind while writing your blog. Professionalism with personality … this is what makes your business better. This online universe is forcing us to be better businesses. Step up and be the personality for your business. Make your Customers so excited about you that they advocate for you in public, too!
- My customers don’t read blogs.
Really? Are you willing to bet your business on this assumption? Yes, it’s true, some people aren’t online often or ever. However, it’s very easy to demonstrate that millions of people are searching online for what your business offers. Google measures over One Billion online searches each month for products and services that the searchers can find locally. When was the last time you sold to a prospect from the Yellow Pages? One person reading your blog might tell ten people about you — but, only after your blog writing …
- My business cannot benefit from a blog.
Are you sure? If you want to be successful in this Online Age, you must step up and be a thought leader. The easier it is for Prospects to choose among competitors the better those competitors have to get to keep playing. Practice makes perfect — we’ve been told this forever. Your Blog is a tool. Blogging gives voice to the marketer inside of you. The more stories you tell, the better and more persuasive they become. Your blog writing shall become an influential book about you and your business.
- I’m afraid of bad blog comments.
Blog writing is a subset of Social Media, which, by definition, is social and public. Blogs are most effective as discussions. When readers actively participate, you have engendered a conversation — so much more than a one dimensional monologue. As in real life, you will disagree with some, and some will disagree with you. Focus more on gathering Testimonials, and less on trading widgets and widget services for money, utilizing widgets and widget services as a means to Testimonials. Won’t business be more fulfilling and everybody win?
- Blogging Return On Investment is too low.
Granted, measuring Blogging ROI is problematic. Measurement is your salvation. If you do not measure, how can you calculate ROI? If you do not know your ROI, how can you evaluate the value proposition? In this online universe, eager Prospects are already searching for what you offer. If they don’t find you, they will buy from somebody else. When you place your story everywhere they are looking for you, qualified Prospects will come to you. What will it take for you to be found everywhere they are looking for you? Writing your blog ensures your visibility.
Whether you agree with items in this list — or you find this all hogwash — I implore you to comment below. Tell us what you do — or don’t — get from blog writing. We want to understand what it is about blogging that does not work for you or your business. Furthermore, we want you to understand what you do not understand. Share with us — we will listen.
… Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
“The New Colossus,” by Emma Lazarus
How Will Blog Writing Change Your Business?
Why does Inbound Marketing matter to you and your Local Business?
Welcome to the Brilliant Ideas About Internet and Money Frequently Asked Questions Series, Part 3: What is Inbound Marketing?
Marketing Local Business Online Is Inbound Marketing
Previously, we discussed What Is Internet Marketing? itself:
“… a Marketing Relationship is a specific conversation between Business and a market. Therefore, Internet and Online Marketing are relationships between Business and customers and prospects that take place in the New Media of today, and New Media of the future.”
How have new customers found you in recent months?
Today, people find out about your Local Business in two main ways:
- Passing Word-of-Mouth recommendations, or
- Finding you on a search engine results page
Word-of-Mouth depends on the good will of existing customers. How would you like people publishing Word-of-Mouth recommendations online? Why not spend zero dollars marketing your Local Business?
What is Outbound Marketing?
In traditional outbound marketing companies focus on finding customers through:
- Building brand awareness,
- Advertising, and
- Promotion
Outbound Marketing includes:
- Focus on your product / service (advertising & promotions),
- Focus on your transaction (sales),
- Focus on your business (public & media relations),
- Focus on your post-sales support (customer service), and
- Focus on your customer after-the-fact (customer satisfaction)
Everyday, a typical consumer is overwhelmed with over 2000 outbound marketing interruptions!
They have become quite creative in blocking these interruptions, including:
- Caller id,
- Spam filtering,
- Tivo, and
- Satellite radio
Customers need to find a very good reason to visit your Local Business.
Marketing Local Business online is quite a challenge!
What is Permission Marketing?
Alternatives to intrusive and increasingly ineffective outbound marketing are based on what Seth Godin calls Permission Marketing:
“Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them …”
“It realizes that treating people with respect is the best way to earn their attention.”
For the business to engage the prospect, the prospective customer must grant either:
- Explicit Permission (e.g., request email or catalog), or
- Implicit Permission (e.g., follow a search engine result link)
Furthermore, Godin says:
“In order to get permission, you make a promise. You say, ‘I will do x, y and z, I hope you will give me permission by listening.’ And then, this is the hard part, that’s all you do. You don’t assume you can do more.”
What is Inbound Marketing?
Google reports more than 1 Billion searches each month for local products and local services.
Fully qualified prospects are already looking for products and services in your industry. Inbound Marketing is when customers call you to:
- Make appointments,
- Purchase products, or
- Gain information
When customers find you and like you, you can get business from them, from their friends and from their family.
“Home delivery is the milkman’s revenge… it’s the essence of permission,”
Godin says.
Online Marketing is starting to make more sense …
What comprises Inbound Marketing?
Rick Burnes suggested an intertwined relationship between three main components of Inbound Marketing:
Inbound Marketing Content
- Content is the substance of Inbound Marketing.
- Content is the information that attracts prospects to your Local Business.
- Content includes the Call To Action that converts prospects into customers.
Inbound Marketing Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- If people don’t know you exist, how are you going to do business?
- SEO makes it possible for potential customers to find your content.
Inbound Marketing Social Media
- Social Media amplifies the impact of your content.
- Widely distributed content will be discussed.
- Socialized content taken seriously becomes authentic.
- There is more trust when a person has a choice.
Marketing Local Business online must include both Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and SEO if you want your Local Business found.
Social Media have two sides:
- What you say about your business
- What others say about your business
Why Inbound Marketing?
Inbound Marketing has high Value
- Cost less than buying ads, PPC, mailing lists, print, etc.
- Blogs and Twitter accounts are free to start
- Higher Return on Investment (ROI)
Inbound Marketing is Effective
- Targeting specific markets is easier
- Prospects qualify themselves
- Pre-sold customers search, find you and ask to buy
Inbound Marketing has great Timing
- Prospects search for you
- Searching prospects are considering a purchase now
- Prospects considering a purchase are more receptive to your message
Godin remarks,
“One of the key drivers of permission marketing, in addition to the scarcity of attention, is the extraordinarily low cost of dripping to people who want to hear from you.”
What are Prerequisites to Inbound Marketing?
You need to do your homework and fully understand those looking to buy what your Local Business offers.
Your Market analysis includes:
- What groups of customers exist? (markets)
- Which customer groups do you prefer to serve? (target markets)
- What do they need?
- How do their needs change? (market trends)
- How do they use these products and services?
- What price are they willing to pay?
- How do they want to receive what they buy? (distribution)
- What do you offer that meets those needs?
- Who are your competitors?
- What are your competitors doing about your target market?
Exactly how are your customers searching for what you offer? It’s not enough to know how you describe your offering. What matters most are the exact words prospects use to search for it.
Simply make it easy for potential customers to find your Local Business.
“The Internet means you can treat different people differently, and it demands that you figure out how to let your permission base choose what they hear and in what format,”
instructs Godin.
How is Inbound Marketing Done?
Setup your web site to attract visitors naturally through:
- Search Engines,
- the Blogosphere, and
- Social Media sites
Don’t forget your Call To Action to convert visitors once they arrive on your web page!
The Inbound Marketing process is straightforward:
- You provide content of interest to people wanting to learn or know something.
- You share similar content from other people who do the same.
- Interested readers come to see you as an authority in your field.
- When somebody considers a purchase related to your expertise, they will come to you.
Inbound Marketing is like Word-of-Mouth with people passing recommendations online.
Seth Godin sums it up like this:
“Real permission works like this: if you stop showing up, people complain, they ask where you went.”
