The blog about small business marketing

Can Inbound Marketing System Can Increase Revenue? standard

Can Inbound Marketing System Can Increase Revenue? By now everyone knows that the Internet has changed the way business gets done. As a business owner, whether you are a manufacturer or service provider, the question you might be asking yourself is: how can I use the Internet to make my marketing more effective and boost sales? Organic search, individual users and companies freely looking for information and solutions online, is also now an established part of the social and economic landscape thanks to Google and other potent search engines. Just by using organic search to learn about digital approaches, you have probably come across a whole array of terms and concepts that weren’t around 10 to 15 years ago. Search engine optimization ...

Will Your Search Ranking Result In More Conversions? standard

Will Your Search Ranking Result In More Conversions? How do you insure that a good search ranking will result in more conversions to clients or customers? A significant investment in traditional local SEO may not bring in a lot of new business. EG: A high ranking for a search string like 'Edison Managed IT Services' will not likely draw a significant number of leads in and of itself, as IT and business managers don't tend to make vendor decisions based on organic Google searches. IT services are a strategic relationship like legal and accounting and get established via trust. It pays to invest in creating amazing content for the web that will help companies save money (IT in this example). So do ...

Inbound Marketing Begins With Good Search Tactics standard

Inbound marketing begins with good search tactics. We all want to see great organic search engine results. Where else can we get a daily (hourly?) measurable snapshot of a result in our business? And many small business owners, especially retail enterprises and craftsman/tradesman, need to be found by people residing or playing in a few specific geographic areas. They want search results to rank high so their business can be found on the web yet cannot justify the high fees most SEO firms set. If you have a website, and a marketing plan, and are interested in learning how to improve your inbound marketing results here are some Search Engine Optimization (SEO) basics that can be done to assist your local ...

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FRANCHISOR GOES BANKRUPT? standard

For the past three years I have been working on a book, chronicling my experiences as a franchisee and sharing the experiences of other franchisees in a broad variety of industries. As you would expect as a business coach I am often sought out by new business start-ups, many of whom are exploring a franchised business. One of the most frequently asked questions is: What happens if the Franchisor goes bankrupt? In the up-and-down economy we have been dealing with it has been proven that no business is 100 percent safe from failure. In the case of a franchisor declaring bankruptcy, the franchisees face a unique set of challenges. The relationship between franchisor and franchisees is one in which the parent ...

Want to define your company’s culture? standard

Want to define your company's culture? Herb Kelleher, the CEO who made Southwest Airlines famous, once said the following:“Southwest’s communication, its message, is its people.” That comment tells volumes about the culture at that company. It means that the employees are so engaged, and have been provided with the necessary coaching and training to be an extension of the marketing arm of their company. If you have flown on Southwest you probably know what I mean. And they have over 25,000 employees! Imagine the impact of 25,000 people spreading the word on a product or service. They are more than ambassador’s- they are actually missionaries because they have drunk the Kool-Aid and are out there converting as many customers as possible ...

How to get the word out about products and services. standard

How to get the word out about products and services.? Small to medium sized companies all struggle with how to get the word out about their products and services. The best have found that there is no magic marketing formula or technology that produces instant results, and that every entrepreneur has to create their own unique vision and then a strategic plan (aka the roadmap) if they wish to achieve success. Many solo entrepreneurs are hopeful that they will find the kind of instant fame that will help propel them beyond their sales expectations. While I suppose this could happen, it is extremely rare. In my line of work I see new business start-ups, trades people, and private contractors who are ...

Buy Local: An Interesting Idea Whose Time May Have Come? standard

Buy Local: An Interesting Idea Whose Time May Have Come? As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that at gift giving time nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is! It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Consider these suggestions: Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair ...

Don’t Make These Branding Mistakes standard

Don't make these branding mistakes; there can be legal implications. Branding is not only a marketing concern. Here are a few do’s and dont's when it comes to designing your brand. DO make sure your brand graphically promises what you deliver. Meeting expectations is one of the best ways to avoid legal problems. DO be different. If your brand looks like everyone else (or worse, like someone else in particular) then your chances for protection are slim. DO make sure your brand includes multiple product names, slogans, color schemes, etc. so you have options in case something goes bad. DON’T spend a lot of money implementing a brand without researching whether you are stepping on someone else’s. Just think about having to cancel your ads, ...