MDS Resource — Digital Ad Agency

Tag: local

  • Online Reputation Repair Can Be Avoided By Effective Online Reviews and Reputation Management

    Do You Know What People Are Saying About Your Business Online?

    What Is Online Reputation Management?

    Here’s Wikipedia’s definition of Online Reputation Management:

    Online reputation management is the act of monitoring, addressing or mitigating search engine result pages or mentions in online media and Web sphere content. It primarily involves tracking what is written about a client on the Internet, then utilizing sophisticated online and offline techniques in promoting positive and neutral content, while at the same time pushing down those links the sponsor may not want to show when their name is searched.

    Did you know the 2011 “Social Shopping Study” indicates that 50% of consumers spend 75% or more of their total shopping time conducting online product research? Furthermore:

    • 92% of Adult Buyers Regularly Check Online Reviews Before Purchasing
    • 70% of Consumers Trust Other Consumers’ Opinions That Are Posted Online

    Why Is Online Reputation Management Important?

    Marketing local business online flourishes because the whole world is coming online, too.

    1. Your prospects are online
    2. Your competitors are online
    3. Your customers are online
    4. That includes your unhappy customers, too!

    The Internet Has Changed Everything !?!?

    Local small business marketing has benefited in so many ways from the Internet. However, the online universe has also empowered consumers.

    • Before the Internet, businesses delivered their messages to consumers via one-way communication channels that they controlled (think – TV commercials)
    • Business NO longer completely control their message!
    • Thanks to the Internet, everyone comments on business messages via blogs, social media, customer reviews, etc.

    What Are People Saying About Your Business?

    Your company’s online reputation is being discussed:

    1. By former employees
    2. By bloggers
    3. On forums
    4. On social media
    5. In customer reviews

    Online Reputation Is Crucial For The BIG BOYS, Too!

    Don’t believe me? Google the company names for which these all too common
    namesakes sprang up:

    • www.walmartsucks.org
    • www.homedepotsucks.com

    What Are The Negative Effects Of A Bad Online Reputation?

    1. Bad customer experience
    2. Unresolved customer issues
    3. Bad reputation
    4. Lost revenue

    What Can Happen If You Don’t Repair Your Tarnished Online Reputation?

    Internet marketing for small business needs every advantage possible to succeed. A tarnished name puts you at great risk.

    1. You could lose existing customers
    2. New customers may be difficult to find
    3. Your business can suffer financial loss
    4. You could go out of business!

    What Happens When You Repair & Defend Good Reputation?

    1. Your positive good online reputation stands out from the crowd
    2. You will retain existing customers
    3. You will get new customers easily
    4. Your positive brand image will be credible & authoritative!

    How To Maintain Your Online Reputation

    Marketing your business online is about building and nourishing relatinships. So, too, is reputation management.

    1. Be proactive instead of reactive
    2. Monitor online conversations about your business
    3. Respond and interact with consumers online
    4. Regularly create and distribute positive content

    What Are The Benefits Of Actively Seeking Online Reviews?

    Actively seeking online reviews from satisfied customers is certain to:

    • Boost conversions, and
    • Provide feedback about your product or service

    Consumers trust and expect online reviews and, seeing them, will gravitate to your business.

    How To Get Customer Reviews To Build Or Repair Reputation

    Referrals and new sales leads continue to be your ultimate goal. What better way to build social proof than to ask for a review?

    1. Survey all of your customers for feedback all of the time
    2. Offer incentives in exchange for reviews (e.g., coupons, discounts, free samples)
    3. Ask customers to review products by placing calls-to-action on your product pages
    4. Send customers to your business listings on Google Places, Yelp, CitySearch, etc.
    5. Link your business listing profiles to your website

    Always Create Positive, Branded Content To Promote Reputation!

    Flood the first search engine results pages with positive, branded content:

    • Your well-ranked website must be the first result for your company name
    • On-going search engine optimization (SEO) for all of your webpages
    • Videos, press releases, photos, articles, etc. promoting your good name
    • Tips, tools, helpful tutorials & other useful content for your visitors

    Monitor Online Conversations For The First Line Of Reputation Defense

    Find out what people are saying about your business:

    • Do a Google search for your business name …
    • What do you find when you search for you?
    • Check articles, blogs, forums & customer review sites
    • Frequently check your own blog & website for comments
    • Pay close attention to the social network sites

    Reputation Repair Requires Response & Interaction

    1. Listen to what people are saying
    2. Be respectful
    3. Display a helpful & friendly demeanor
    4. Respond to both positive and negative comments
    5. Always quickly offer solutions to problems

    Why Respond & Interact To Fix Online Reputations?

    • It builds relationships
    • It allows you to actively manage & control your brand
    • It allows other people to see your point of view
    • It shows that you care

    You do care, don’t you?

    How To Repair Your Reputation

    Do you already have negative online comments and reviews?

    1. Make brand optimization your main focus
    2. Use SEO to drive negativity further down the SERP’s
    3. Create and publish videos, press releases & articles
    4. Create a blog — regularly publish fresh & unique content
    5. Engage in social media to build a loyal & eager following

    How to Improve & Fix Your Online Reputation

    1. Ask for negative reviews to be removed
    2. Promptly address issues
    3. Don’t ignore unhappy customers
    4. Don’t argue with customers
    5. Know when to walk away
    6. You cannot please everyone!

    Call Now
    Answer Questions: 612-235-6060

  • Reputation Management: 10 Things You Can Do To Repair Your Online Reputation

    Reputation Management And Your First Impression

    Who says you never get a second chance to make a first impression? Indeed, you may have a second chance, especially if that first chance was taken from you. In this world where your reputation is everything and your name is far more than mere label, reputation management is a business necessity.

    Internet media is complicated. Now we are all exemplary publishers and we the people build and extend the Internet a little bit more every day! Not only can anybody contribute; but, there are no rules regulating what is said, in which venue and how close any of it is to truth.

    Who’s to stop a vindictive person from anonymously complaining online where everybody can see it? Often, by anonymous, it’s true that many of these complainers hide behind a shroud because they cannot withstand the slightest scrutiny. Did you ever know somebody who complains every chance they get? Far from a majority, it only takes one acerbic comment to destroy a beautifully constructed reputation. One bad review from one disgruntled or obnoxious trouble maker and years of carefully crafted integrity can come tumbling down.

    How Can You Repair Online Reputation?

    So, what can you do to put Humpty Dumpty back together again? Can you really repair a damaged online reputation? Yes, you can repair online reputations. Is it as simple as removing negative online reviews?

    Sadly, no. For the most part, bad reviews are probably carved in Internet stone. But, one bad apple is no reason to throw out the whole bushel.

    Ten Effective Reputation Management Practices

    1. Review Sites

      Review sites, also known as citation sites, are essential to successful reputation management. When people see stars on business reviews, it is social proof that your business has very positive fans. Five stars clearly indicate a winner! Three stars leave people thinking average and so-so.


      What do you think when you see a one or two star rating?

      One way to repair an online reputation is to amass as many five star ratings as possible on many different sits.

    2. Blogs

      Blogs continue to be extremely popular communications tools. Whereas, many estimates count as many blogs as United States population, that number is less important than how business benefits from blogs. Whereas, web pages are intended to present static facets of your business, blog posts are quite different. Blogging allows you to present the day-to-day elements of your business, such as events, success stories and milestones.

      Furthermore, your public audience is invited to comment on and interact with your business through your blog. Therefore, blogs become a chronology of the good things about your business and how your public responds to them over time. A continuous stream of great news eventually removes the effect of negative online reviews.

    3. Pictures

      Yes, a picture is worth at least a thousand words! Even Google recognizes images as their own search category. All else equal, people browsing on the Internet are far more likely to look at pictures than read text.


      Don’t you want your audience to see clean images of your company and happy, smiling faces?

      Cleanup your online reputation by positioning a plethora of positive images high in search results. Basic search engine optimization of your images includes:

      • Main keyword in the image filename
      • Main keyword in the HTML alt tag
      • Keywords in the image description
      • Keywords in the image caption
      • Position images on the page in context

  • Video Testimonials

    Whereas, images are powerful, video is the single most powerful medium on the Internet! So much so, that Google often favors videos over most other online properties in the search results. Have you ever searched and found those remarkable video thumbnails on the 1st search results page?

    We all know that Testimonials are the best marketing promotion you can have, right? Video Testimonials are the most persuasive of all Testimonials. Keep it succinct, to the point and as specific as can be. Then, of course, position your Video Testimonials where they can be easily found and viewed.


    Who will remember that anonymous bad review?

  • Press Releases

    Tell everybody who is anybody what’s going on with your business. Press releases announce noteworthy events and accomplishments. They are designed to attract news media attention, so they can help you spread the word to a larger audience.

    The fact is, you always want a lot of positive attention for your business. You need even more when you’re recovering from bad reviews. Regular press releases help:

    • Generate traffic to your website
    • Give your company more visibility
    • Build your brand
    • Provide credibility and authority

  • Nullify Negative Keywords

    It’s a fact: Many Americans start their fact-finding and decision-making on the Internet. That’s good, isn’t it? Isn’t that why you’re on the web to begin with? They search and when they find you, you have a sales opportunity.

    However, when the 1st search results page includes links associating your company with “scam,” “scammers” and bad reviews, many people cannot get past the negativity. Instead, they use the back button and browse elsewhere.

    Your job, then, is to fill that 1st search results page with positive links to your business, whether they be blog posts, YouTube videos, Facebook or citations. The point is, if you have only one reference to your business on a search results page, there are many more opportunities for negativity. Bury a bad review with many positive references to you.

  • Local News

    Your business is part of your local community, isn’t it? How do you participate in your community? Have you contributed to a church group, civic activity or food drive? Do you partner with businesses down the block? Can you help celebrate and appreciate success stories in your neighborhood?

    The local Internet is a great source for local directories, special offers and collaborative opportunities with other local businesses. One of Facebook’s most powerful features facilitates “tagging” other business pages. Celebrate the best of your community online and ask other businesses to do the same. This will demonstrate your positive place in the community.

  • Thread Authority

    Often times, you can participate in forums to express your authority in your field and build credibility. Find a local forum or one specifically about your industry and look for opportunities to help and provide information. When you see a discussion to which you can add value, forget your sales pitch and simply offer great advice and free information.

    When time is right, start a discussion, again offering great advice and free information. You may also write an article to guest blog on some other blog and get a whole new audience remarking about your credibility and perceived authority.

  • Facebook

    Whereas, your website is mostly about your company and what you have to say about it, social media is primarily about what others have to say about you. Facebook is king of social media now, its members being the 3rd largest country in the world:

    1. China
    2. India
    3. Facebook
    4. United States

    Properly managing social media is a critical part of building your reputation in the community. Facebook done right is social proof, whether that be a Like, Share or simply interacting on your Wall. When many people are positively interacting with your Facebook page, newcomers start their relationship with you on a very positive note. Positive social media engagement and interaction is a powerful buffer to negative reviews that may be found elsewhere.

  • LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world. Thread authority, mentioned above, is especially applicable here, too. By participating in Groups and LinkedIn Answers, you can quickly increase credibility and be seen as an authority in your field.

    LinkdeIn Recommendations, however, warrant mention here as an extremely powerful tool to present positive Testimonials. Whereas, elsewhere reviews and Testimonials are often veiled in anonymity, LinkedIn Recommendations cannot be anonymous. Furthermore, since LinkdedIn members are exclusively professionals, their Recommendations are imbued with professional credibility.


    Nothing squashes an anonymous bad review like a recommendation from a credible professional!

    • Reputation Management Is More Than Putting Out Fires

    Although, you may not be able to remove bad reviews, certainly there are many ways to distract prospects with glowing references to your company. Truly, it takes a lot of work to build a good name and very little to destroy it!

    It’s been said that the best defense is a great offense. The simplest reputation management is to build a wall of glowing reviews before any bad review appears. Short of that, you now see many ways you can repair your online reputation once it’s tarnished.

    Call Now
    Answer Questions: 612-235-6060

  • 10 Internet Marketing For Small Business Ways To Attract Local Customers

    Easy Ways To Attract Local Customers

    The Facts About Consumer Internet Usage

    This trend continues to rise and Internet Marketing for small business must get on board with this — or perish.

    • Most Consumers search online for local products and services.
    • Approximately 35% of all Internet searches are for local things.
    • There are more than 250 Million searches on Google alone every single day!
    • Online marketing is predicted to be at least 15% of all media ad spending in 2013.

    Internet technology is GREAT … But, it has caused Problems for Some Local Businesses! Here’s why:

    1. Consumers are using online search instead of yellow pages and newspapers when looking for local products and services.
    2. Some businesses still spend thousands of dollars on ineffective traditional advertising methods.
    3. And, some businesses are not yet investing in online advertising and marketing. Are you?

    As a Result …

    • Business expenses continue to rise while profits decline.
    • Local Businesses are struggling to get new and repeat customers.
    • Great customers are buying from Local Businesses well placed online.

    Here Are 10 Ways Your Local Business Can Connect With Your Local Consumers

    1. Connect With Search Engine Visibility

      • You must work hard to gain better search engine positioning and rankings.
      • You must search engine optimize your website using on-the-page factors, making certain that your money phrases are in your content.
      • You must search engine optimize your website using off-the-page factors, persuading other sites to link back to you.
      • Claim, verify and optimize your Google Places listing
    2. Connect With Your Professional Website

      • All Effective Websites MUST Have:

        1. An organized and easily navigable layout
        2. Fresh, relevant and compelling content everywhere
        3. A strong Call-To-Action on every page
        4. An integrated lead capture system
    3. Connect With Email Marketing

      • Local Internet Marketing Money Is In Your LIST!

        1. Email marketing is cost-effective, automated and easy to deliver.
        2. Email marketing helps you build trust and credibility.
        3. Email marketing allows you to generate business on auto-pilot 24/7.
        4. Email marketing statistics are simple to track.
    4. Connect With Mobile Marketing

      • There are approximately 4 BILLION Mobile users worldwide!
      • By 2014, Mobile Internet usage is expected to exceed Desktop Internet usage!
      • Business websites must be Mobile optimized to accommodate Mobile Internet on-the-go users too rushed to squint, zoom and scroll.
      • Text message marketing promotes and connects with local audiences on the go.
    5. Connect With Social Media

      • Search engine optimization (SEO) is NOT enough! Hang Out With Your Customers and Prospects Online …

        1. Consumers spend many hours on social media sites every single day.
        2. Building relationships on sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube is necessary for business.
        3. Social media markets are so big, Facebook is the 3rd largest country in the world!

          1. China
          2. India
          3. Facebook
          4. United States
    6. Connect With Video Marketing

      • Online Videos are HOT … Perhaps, Too HOT To Handle!

        1. Videos increase your visibility in search results and positioning.
        2. Online videos help you develop trust and expert status.
        3. Videos increase conversion rates, website traffic and are the single most powerfl small business advertising!
          cVideos run on auto-pilot and set you apart from your competitors
    7. Connect With Publish Online Content

      • The Internet Revolves Around CONTENT! Effective Website Optimization Multi-Purposes Content Everywhere

        1. Publish keyword rich articles and blog posts related to your industry.
        2. Publish keyword optimized press releases to attract media attention.
        3. Publish content to online directories to drive traffic back to your website.
    8. Connect With Reputation Management

      • Do You Know What People Say About Your Business Online? Local Search Optimization Relies On The Social Proof Of Reviews & Testimonials!

        1. Pay attention to what is being said about your business online.
        2. Promote positive online reviews & testimonials about your business.
        3. A bad online reputation can negatively impact your business.
        4. Respond promptly and handle all negative remarks quickly.
    9. Connect With Online Classified Ads

      • Effective Marketing Local Business Is All About Promoting Your Business Everywhere Local Customers Hang Out

        • Online Classified Ad sites are free or are very low cost.
        • Craigslist is one of the most popular online classified ad sites.
        • Optimize your ads with effective keywords to show up in search results.
        • Images in your ads make them more attractive to consumers.
    10. Connect With Paid Online Advertising

      • Successful Internet Marketing For Small Business Quickly Learns Its Best Market From Paid Advertising!

        1. Paid online advertising is effective at gaining more exposure quickly.
        2. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is one of the most popular paid advertising methods.
        3. Google’s paid advertising platform is called AdWords.
        4. Facebook also has paid advertising to get in front of your best prospects.

    Call Now
    Answer Questions: 612-235-6060

  • WARNING: Minneapolis Local Business Wants To Be Found By Enough Of The Right People

    What's In The Minneapolis Local Business Forum for YOU?
    What's In The Minneapolis Local Business Forum for YOU?

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum is the brainchild of a local entrepreneurs who want to promote business growth in the greater Twin Cities metro area. Introducing business owners to each other and to local residents, we hope to kick start our local economy. The Forum is totally free and without obligation. Unlike other recent initiatives, we want you to remember that free bit. This is our commitment to you. That and, in exchange for your participation, we promise to deliver to you value that you are not likely to get elsewhere regardless of price. This community has given us so much and we are giving back to you, our community, with this mastermind group.

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum is About Free Exposure and Prosperity

    Minneapolis Local Business Forum focuses on providing ideas, strategies and tactics to grow your business. There is no free lunch; but, by banding together, we can act together today to promote and grow our businesses. Our forum is an opportunity for free exposure, valuable contacts and invaluable promotion for every business owner who decides to participate. This endeavor can only work for all of us when all of us contribute. In addition to solving your most difficult problem, others will benefit from the problems you have already solved. Participation in Minneapolis Local Business Forum can hook you up with other local business owners who could:

    • Complement your own skills
    • Provide contacts
    • Possibly use your services

    How can you help us get the word out to your local business neighbors?

    Although our goal is to jumpstart business throughout the Twin Cities, we are focusing on our own backyard now: Golden Valley, New Hope and Plymouth. Your credibility in this community is extremely valuable to us. Your help in promoting the forum helps your own business growth. Please, help.

    What’s In The Minneapolis Local Business Forum for YOU?

    Of course, you want to know, What’s in it for you? There are no guarantees. However, it’s widely known that “two heads are better than one!” Who knows? You and your business could:

    1. Make new friends and strategic partnerships.
    2. Identify possible vendors and clients.
    3. Solve problems with like minded professionals.
    4. Be recognized for your expertise.
    5. Showcase your business to eager buyers.

    Some Minneapolis Local Business Forum Tangible Benefits

    Yes, we want to grow our businesses, too. We are local entrepreneurs, just like you and everybody we are inviting to this group. In exchange for meeting you and sharing ideas, following are some of what we offer to you:

    1. Free exposure for your business.
    2. Free membership in the Minneapolis Local Business Forum.
    3. Free listing on the Minneapolis Local Business Forum website.
    4. Free video commercial about your business on your listing.
    5. Free Minneapolis Local Business Forum Facebook promotion.
    6. Free Minneapolis Local Business Forum Twitter promotion.
    7. Free access to our Minneapolis Local Business Forum LinkedIn group.

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum is Opportunity Knocking On YOUR Door

    But, you MUST participate. The Mayors of Golden Valley and New Hope have expressed their support for our forum and are actively recruiting local businesses. All business owners in our community are cordially invited to attend our inaugural meeting which will be:

    Tuesday, September 13, 2011

    6 to 7 PM (5-6 PM videos)

    Master Communications Group

    3410 Winnetka Avenue

    Back Entrance (East)

    New Hope, MN 55427

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum Website Is All About YOU

    At that meeting we are unveiling our website. Listings are free of charge for local business owners and include a complementary video clip about each business and business owner shot by local videographer Master Communications Group. Come early (5:00pm) to our first meeting and we will walk you through their free video at that time.

    Please, Join Us At The Minneapolis Local Business Forum Inaugural Meeting

    We would love to see you, too, on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 5:00-7PM. We very much look forward to meeting you so we can exchange ideas, share experiences and generally support one another in a proactive and relaxed fashion. Thank you, for your esteemed participation.

    Call Now

    Answer Minneapolis Local Business Questions: 612-235-6060

    Call MDS Resource For Special Offer Now: 612-235-6060

  • Give Me Search Engine Optimization And I’ll Give You Targeted Sales Leads

    Targeted Sales Leads Are The Goal Of SEO
    Targeted Sales Leads Are The Goal Of SEO

    I talk with a lot of business owners and executives. One of the biggest problems I’ve been hearing is the dearth of targeted sales leads. There are, of course, plenty of books written on just this subject. Some will say, buying leads is the way to go. Others will say that success comes only through referrals. Lately we’re hearing about the Internet being a bountiful source of qualified leads.

    Targeted Sales Leads Are On The Internet

    The Internet is a big place. How do you go about finding sales leads on the Internet; or, rather, how do targeted leads go about finding you and your company? We’ve touched on this before: the Internet, in a sense, is an enormous library and search engines are its card catalogs. As we learn to search and find what we want on the Internet — when we want it — we respond less and less to offline media. How, then, can you be found by these eager buyers on the Internet?

    Do You Need Targeted Sales Leads?

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is a tactic the goal of which is to get more business and more customers. Filling your sale funnel with sales leads is a marketing strategy accomplished online by three tasks:

    1. Be found by search engines
    2. Be found on 1st search engine results page
    3. Maximize the number of website visitors

    What Are The Requirements For Targeted Sales Leads?

    Of course, nobody can know your business better than you. In order to attract targeted sales leads, we must understand the products and services you sell. Furthermore, your unique selling proposition allows prospects to see the difference between you and your competition. Who is your very best customer? Why do best customers stay with your company? We must identify your buyer personas before you can use the keywords that your best buyers actually use to search for you.

    SEO Benefits Targeted Sales Leads

    For many, that is a lot of work, especially all of this thinking about your business from your customer’s point of view. Why go to all this bother? Google recently remarked that every day four billion searches are conducted, one billion of which seek something local to buy. Done right, SEO benefits you in several ways:

    • Search engines respect your website and place it on the first search results page for specific keywords.
    • People searching for specific keywords will find your website on the first search results page.
    • Being found by more searchers, more visitors will visit your website.
    • More people visiting your website could translate into new business.
    • Organizing your website to better be found makes your website more interesting to visitors.
    • Organization of web pages and content to better be found makes your website more interesting to visitors.

    SEO Deliverables Result In Targeted Sales Leads

    Whether you do your SEO yourself or pay somebody to do it for you, you’re hoping for more customers, aren’t you? SEO sits on the marketing side of business and can deliver the following:

    • A defined service area by which to be found in local business results;
    • A manageable list of keywords and phrases for which great prospects are actually searching;
    • Distribution of keywords by web page, focus and intent;
    • Organization of web pages by intent, theme and relevance;
    • Every web page detailed by keywords, title, headers, descriptions and service area; and
    • Solid foundation and flexible design for ongoing and growing first page search engine exposure.

    Some SEO Expectations Are Targeted Sales Leads

    Although black hat wizardry may fool search engines quickly, the history of search engine algorithm changes indicates that these tactics are short lived tactics and not strategic. Following sound relationship marketing principles, your online properties will attract great customers and steadily build great new business over time. The time factor must not be underestimated and optimal progress may not be appreciated before three to six months. Some keywords are more competitive than others and will take longer to show first page search engine results. Competitors want first page search engine results, too, and some competition will slow your website progress.

    Targeted Sales Leads Are The Goal Of SEO

    Being found is not enough; nor is being found by a lot of people. Being found by enough of the right people is the only true success in marketing, regardless of medium. Success is more a function of converting great leads into great customers than it is in simply attracting large numbers of random visitors to your website. Targeted sales leads, then, are the ultimate goal of search engine optimization.

    Call Now
    Answer Questions: 612-235-6060

    Call MDS Resource For Special Offer Now: 612-235-6060

  • How Local Small Business Marketing Creates Unlimited Opportunities To Be Found

    Local Small Business Marketing Solves Problems
    Local Small Business Marketing Solves Problems

    Local small business marketing sees every web page as another unique opportunity to be found. Traditionally, local small business advertising designed the home page like the dust jacket of a book and its table of contents. Usually any backlinks point directly to the home page, regardless what specific information the visitor was seeking. The only way to find and get to inner web pages is via the home page and elaborate menu navigations. Google and other search engines catalog web pages and their content. Every one of your web pages is an opportunity to be found for some specific content, keywords and phrases which introduce visitors to the rest of your website. Each blog post becomes another web page, another leaf on the tree that is your website. Blog software like WordPress facilitate categorization and tagging blog posts and phrases in your content which, in turn, provide additional opportunities for your content to be found and cataloged by search engines.

    Local Small Business Marketing Wants Great Customers

    Take a long close look at your very best customers. You know, those two or three customers who, if cloned ten times, would totally transform your business forever! If you had ten more of them you could simply fire the bottom ten customers, sleep better at night and you’d be ever so much more profitable at accounting time. Identify those factors in each of them that make them great customers. Imagine, if you will, one of your ideal buyers browsing the Internet looking for a solution to their problem which, unbeknownst to them is sitting right here in your hand. Their circumstances are far more than simply the keywords they type before clicking [Search]. Indeed, their circumstances include environment, education, age, family, ethnicity, geography, attitude, health and a host of other factors.

    Buyer Personae Love Local Small Business Marketing

    Why don’t you ask them why they bought from you? Why are they so loyal to you? Why do they keep coming back to you? What is your relationship all about? When you know your great customers so well that you immediately see them, or don’t see them, in a stranger you just met, then you have identified one of your buyer persona. Marketing ideas begin with the reality of your business.

    Aim High With Local Small Business Marketing

    If marketing is truly the relationship between your business and your marketplace, and every relationship begins with a single conversation, why would you ever intentionally go out of your way to start a conversation with somebody who does not fit your buyer persona? On the other hand, when you have an absolutely clear picture of your best customer in mind, if you meet a prospect identical to that best customer, what will you not do to convert them into another great customer? This isn’t so much a matter of scheming and plotting as it is an organizational principle. There are only so many hours in a day and only so many days in your life. Focus exclusively on those prospects most likely to become great customers. If you’re going to market anyway, aim high, aim at those that will benefit most from what you offer, from what you do best. So, when it comes to web pages, put yourself in your best prospect’s mind.

    Local Small Business Marketing Solves Problems

    What is it they most want to see? Paint them a picture of you and your company fully solving their problem. Tell them stories of how you have solved these problems for other people and how your customers benefit from your solutions. Everybody is an expert at something. When you go eyeball-to-eyeball with them across the sales table, you will tell them your most persuasive story. Put those stories in writing and publish them on your blog or web pages. Convert that to a video and syndicate it to Youtube and podcast it and publish it every way imaginable online. Seed the entire Internet with breadcrumbs, with stories specific to each persona’s needs … many will follow you and heed your call-to-action and convert from lead to prospect to great customer.

    Wasted Local Small Business Marketing Real Estate

    Small business marketing can’t waste web real estate. It’s not that you can’t create more. You cannot afford to confuse or mislead visitors. It wastes your time and theirs. Wasted web space is wasted effort that can produce nothing of value. If a web page does not have a specific purpose, if it is not intended for a specific buyer persona, it is more likely to turn away business.

    Call Now
    Answer Local Small Business Marketing Questions: 612-235-6060

    Call MDS Resource For Special Offer Now: 612-235-6060

  • How To Get Great Customers With Online Marketing For Small Business And Search Engines

    Online Marketing For Small Business Creates Great Customers!
    Online Marketing For Small Business Creates Great Customers!

    OK, sure, if you’re big business like Wal Mart or Amazon the Internet is great. But, what do search engines have to do with online marketing for small business? In short, search engines are a tremendous opportunity to be found. How’s it working out for you in the Sunday newspaper classifieds? How many new customers found you in the yellow pages last month?

    Online Marketing For Small Business Works Locally

    Truth be told, right this minute, right here in the Twin Cities, eager buyers are searching for what you offer. Anticipate these eager buyers and you have the opportunity to stand up directly in front of each of them and tell them your great story. Once you identify the buyer personae of your greatest customers, what’s to stop you from stalking your perfect prospects? Isn’t creating great customers the best action you can take in growing your business? Is it possible to have too many great customers?

    Search Engines Help Online Marketing For Small Business

    Let’s look closely at typical search engine results to see what’s in it for you. For the sake of illustration, we’ll use Google. Sure, lately we’re seeing a lot of commercials about Bing, and certainly Facebook, too, has an impressive number of searches. Google recently reported four billion searches every day, one billion of which are seeking to buy locally. With two-thirds of all search engine searches, Google epitomizes the online search experience.

    Depending on your specific search phrase, the Google search results page may contain three different types of results:

    Paid Search And Online Marketing For Small Business

    Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising may appear above all other results and/or down the right side. First and foremost, know that these are paid advertisements. Every time somebody clicks on one of these ads, whoever placed the ad pays Google. From the time you sign up to the time you start seeing results can be as quick as a few hours. Paid advertising can quickly pull prospects, test landing pages and gauge the market.

    Local Business Results And Online Marketing For Small Business

    Have you noticed the maps? Unless you’re totally oblivious to the Internet and online search, these last two years of online marketing for small business are remarkable because of the local business results.

    Google and the other search engines realize that there is an enormous demand for local and neighborhood search results. Why? Because eager buyers are shopping and ready to buy; but, they’re not prepared to put a new house in a shopping cart and purchase it from Amazon. For many items consumers still insist on buying from a person. They still put the relationship before the deal. And that is great news for local business.

    Getting on the map is not a function of paid advertising. Nor is it simply a matter of having a great website. Local business results feature businesses that are remarkable in their community. First, they claimed their listing in the local directories, such as Google Places, Yahoo! Local, Yelp, etc. Second, these businesses made the effort to standardize their listings everywhere, including using the same local telephone number and spelling consistently. Third, customers find them remarkable enough to leave online reviews, endorsements and testimonials for local business. The search engines are gathering many public reviews into the local business results.

    Organic Results And Online Marketing For Small Business

    Last but not least are the well known organic results. They are called organic because they are the “natural” ordering of all web pages cataloged across the Internet. Although, different search engines rank and order web pages differently, the notions of credibility and trust and back link references from other websites are shared. Clearly, if your business is found on the first page of Google results, eager buyers searching for what you offer may click on your link. Also, the more eager buyers find your link the more likely your business is to sell. Although, many say organic results are “free,” do not forget that consumer searches vary and the search engines change their rules to appeal to searchers.

    SEO And Online Marketing For Small Business

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of appealing to search engine algorithms in order to place high in their rankings. Effective online marketing for small business must consider SEO because each business must be found by buyers if they are to sell. Neither SEO nor marketing, however, is simply a matter of adding some ingredient to your website. If marketing is the relationship between a business and its marketplace, and every relationship begins with a single conversation, how many conversations with eager buyers do you want online?

    Online Marketing For Small Business Creates Great Customers!

    Is it possible to have too many great customers? Search engines are a tremendous opportunity to be found. Right this minute, right here in the Twin Cities, eager buyers are searching for what you offer. Is creating great customers your goal in online marketing for small business?

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  • How I Am Marketing Local Business Profitably By Anticipating Eager Buyers Shopping For What I Offer

    Great Customers Come From Marketing Local Business
    Great Customers Come From Marketing Local Business

    It’s no secret. Times are tough, job security is a thing of the past and there’s no free lunch. Never let it be said that you’re outdone and victimized by circumstances, right? You’re at the helm of a viable small business and you’re determined to make this work — er, determined to succeed! But, times have changed and marketing local business is not at all what it used to be. Nobody’s calling from the Sunday Classifieds or yellow pages. Few are answering telemarketing calls. Even you probably don’t open too much direct mail.

    Marketing Local Business Is More Than Internet

    Top it all with these young techies with their rocket science tales get-rich-quick on the Internet. Do you really believe that an award winning drop-dead beautiful website brings revenues in your door? Can it be true that simply appearing on Google Page One, whether pay-per-click or “free,” guarantees that online visitors will grease your palm? Where is common sense? You’re a consumer, too. Look at your own consumer behavior — do you buy from the first automaton that shows up on your phone or screen?

    Marketing Local Business In A Consumer Paradise

    What is the secret to marketing local business today? Whereas, ten years ago we still paid attention Sunday football commercials to see the latest features of the 2011 Chevy Malibu, today consumers don’t care to be told what’s available. The world is, indeed, your oyster. When you have a need, fill it. When you crave, seek satisfaction. When you are in pain, relieve yourself. The Internet is for consumers the universal mail order catalog. It is so easy to simply search for what you desire, shop it from thousands of vendors everywhere in the world and buy it when you are ready. This is a buyer’s world, a consumer’s paradise.

    Inbound Marketing Local Business Is Not Intrusive

    Inbound marketing local business is unlike any intrusion marketing. Render yourself findable and prepare to tell your story just like you do face-to-face:

    1. Anticipate eager buyers shopping for what you offer. This is the inescapable first and necessary step. Drop that silly idea that your market is everybody in the world. Your very best customer has a specific personality. Before they buy they have a problem. When you fully understand the problems you solve best, then you know very well those best prospects with whom you ought to speak. More to the point, now you know exactly how they are searching for their solution.

    Marketing Local Business Offers Solutions

    1. Put your company in front of them everywhere they look. One foot in front of the other — you learned that and toddled. Only after you fully understand how, what, where, when and why they are searching … only then can you know exactly where to stand to be seen. Offer them a sip of water to quench their thirst. Allow them to see for themselves that you have a solution to their problem. Be found by standing directly in front of your best prospects.

    Court Prospects While Marketing Local Business

    1. Court them, nurture them and never let them forget you. Once found, they have ample opportunity to get to know you. Marketing local business online makes you a publisher. Carve your best stories into the Internet. They will be there available to be heard forever. Although, you cannot know if you and a prospect met at the right time. You may not be a good fit for each other. They may not appreciate your business model. Respect them and allow them to get to know your company.

    Great Customers Come From Marketing Local Business

    It’s so easy online to facilitate the gathering of wonderful customers and prospects in your virtual place of business. Honor them and encourage them to openly discuss the solutions to real problems that you offer. When time is right the right prospect will step forward and convert into a great customer. Inbound marketing local business means that they found you, they partook of your hospitality and many of them like what they found enough to ask to buy from you.

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  • Ten Ways Local Small Business Marketing Will Drive Eager Buyers To Your Door Day In And Day Out

    The Price Is Right For Local Small Business Marketing
    The Price Is Right For Local Small Business Marketing

    As if succeeding at small business weren’t hard enough simply making ends meet, local small business marketing can be quite perplexing, too. When you’re small, so is your budget. Eager buyers are shopping for solutions to their perplexing problems. So, where are they if they’re not here in your office? Here are ten local small business marketing tips to attract their attention.

    Buyer Personae Love Local Small Business Marketing

    1. Know your buyer personae. Who is your very best customer? Who is she? What does she do for a living? Where does she live, hang out and shop for groceries? How will she know the best solution to her problem? When you know your best customers exceptionally well, exceptional customers will come to you.
    2. When you know your best customers, it’s little wonder that pleasing them, too, is so much easier. One size never fits all. When you’re shipping to customers perfectly suited to your products and services, meeting and exceeding expectations is the norm. Match your offering to those who need it most and you’re guaranteed to-die-for word of mouth accolades for your local small business marketing.

      3. Local Small Business Marketing Builds Networks

    3. Regardless your small, medium or large company, networking is at the center of gathering targeted sales leads. Your local chamber of commerce is the logical first step out in your community. Who knows better what your business needs to succeed than other successful business leaders in your neighborhood? Sharing local referrals with them logically leads to reciprocal business.
    4. In the online world, LinkedIn.com is the world’s largest professional network. It has numerous groups and categories with local focus eagerly seeking local solutions. Best of all, every Fortune 500 company’s executive management is represented on LinkedIn. Prospecting is as simple as participating in groups where local prospects hang out online.

      5. Local Small Business Marketing Uses Social Media

    5. Apparently, Social Media is here to stay. Facebook, for example, is the third largest country in the world and its membership has twice the population of America. Keep your business page up-to-date with events, new offerings and encourage your customers to contribute opinions and share referrals online.
    6. Twitter is a mystery to many small business owners. How much can be said in 140 characters? The key is listening, listening and more listening. However, when you hear somebody comment on you and your brand you need to respond. Give thanks for kind comments. Appreciate the customer service opportunity to solve problems quickly when you hear about them.

      7. Local Small Business Marketing Is Continuous Improvement

    7. In business, learning from your mistakes and duplicating success are vital. At the end of the day, the purpose of your business is to profit by satisfying human wants and needs. As you get better at building strong relationships with those whose problems are best solved by what you offer, you will succeed at attracting more of those best customer.
    8. Continuous improvement means getting better and better at solving customer problems. Continuous improvement is also getting better and better customers, many of whom will refer you to others in need. The best possible local small business marketing results in great customers standing up in public and testifying to the greatness of your relationship.

      9. The Price Is Right For Local Small Business Marketing

    9. Don’t sell yourself short. Price is rarely the real reason a prospect goes elsewhere. When you provide enormous value to eager buyers shopping for your solution, price is no object. It’s not the pain as much as it is the consequences of not relieving that pain that matters.
    10. So, what is your benefit to your customers’ painful problem? How do they value that benefit? How much will it cost them to forego your solution? When you’re in front of your ideal buyers, yours is the perfect solution. Solve their problem and you’re a savior.

    Local small business marketing is all about exchanging the right solution at the right price. Driving eager buyers to your door day in and day out is easy once you stop trying to sell to everybody. Anticipate eager buyers shopping for what you offer and local small business marketing puts you everywhere they look.

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  • If You’re Marketing Your Business Online, You Can Double Your Leads & Triple Revenues In Ninety Days

    Marketing Your Business Online Increases Sales
    Marketing Your Business Online Increases Sales

    OK, admit it, marketing your business online or offline is not the most interesting topic, is it? Working with your best customer on a great job that turns out perfectly for all of you is interesting. Summer golf tournaments and family vacations in Cancun and your sister’s wedding are interesting. Marketing your business is not quite there, it’s usually something more of a chore than interesting. So, what are you doing here reading this?

    Is Marketing Your Business Online Or Offline Working?

    Are you sitting around waiting for new customers to walk in your front door handing you money? Is that plan working so poorly that you’re bored to tears with nothing else to do but read this blog post? O, I’m sure it’s not that bad. After all, you could be pestering your receptionist instead, telling her a better way to file last month’s bills. Instead, you’re here looking for answers, right?

    The Marketing Your Business Online Question

    Answers to what question? If nobody’s reading your yellow pages to find you and call you and come on in, where are all of the new customers finding where to go to buy? Well, the Internet is teeming with consumers young and old. Google statistics pronounce that there are over four billion searches conducted every single day. More than one billion of those daily searches are by eager buyers looking to buy something locally. When would you like to be introduced to some of them? Of course, Google is not the only game in town. Facebook membership is the third largest country in the world, behind only India and China. According to iStrategyLabs, the number of Americans age 55 and over using Facebook grew nearly 59% during 2010. Do you think any of them are going to buy what you offer?

    One Marketing Your Business Online Clue

    Let me give you one simple yet priceless clue that you can take away from here and implement all by yourself this afternoon. ComScore reported more than 175 million unique American viewers in October 2010 watching an average of over 900 minutes of online video. In 2009 Cisco predicted that by 2013 video will be 90% of all Internet traffic. Video is here, video is popular and video is boosting brands of everyday businesses just like yours. Don’t believe me? Google four words: ‘san diego trial attorney’ — how many trial attorneys do you think there are in San Diego? Look closely at the top two results. The first result was put online nearly five years ago, and the second nearly three years ago. The search engines recognize that Internet users want to watch videos. Video is everywhere: on our smart phones, in stores, on television and everywhere on the Internet.

    Marketing Your Business Online With Video Is Easy

    The most watched videos are not Super Bowl commercials. Video is ideal for marketing your business online, because online video can be simple, easy and inexpensive. If you can make a Powerpoint presentation, you can do a simple voiceover, add background music and convert that into a great video marketing piece. Affordable video cameras are everywhere, too. Plan to tell your story online just as you would eyeball-to-eyeball with your best customer. Tell us how you solve problems for real people and how that has changed their lives for the better. Every company has something fascinating, unique or funny that put into a video people will want to share. You do, too.

    Marketing Your Business Online Increases Sales

    See? Marketing your business online is an interesting topic, isn’t it? Make marketing your business more interesting than a chore. If you’d rather sit around waiting for new customers to hand you money, then you better start being found by eager buyers searching for what you offer. After all, you could be pestering your receptionist instead, remember? You can double your leads and triple revenues in ninety days by marketing your business online with video.

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    Answer Your Marketing Your Business Online Question: 612-235-6060

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