For decades, local mom and pop businesses could rely on word of mouth and traditional print services to garner customers. If the local businesses had a good or service that they wanted to promote, they could just call up the local newspaper and ask for an advertisement. However, as media has evolved towards more sophisticated routes such as the Internet, it has become increasingly more difficult (and oftentimes prohibitively expensive) for local businesses to stand-out against the crowd by advertising in both newer and older types of media.
Yet, local businesses continually find themselves facing a problem. As potential customers become more Internet savvy, local companies could be doing themselves a great disservice by not having some sort of exposure on the Internet.
According to Kelsey Research, 70% of US households now use the internet when searching for local products and services. In fact, it is projected that over 20 billion searches for local information will be made in 2007. 75% of Internet users have looked for services and products within an area close to their home or business. Moreover, recent Internet studies have found that some of the most searched queries in search engines such as Google or Yahoo are words such as local business, free, discount, cheap, and other terms bearing the connotation that the searcher is looking for something to purchase.
Although many may be trying to look for cheap electronics that can be shipped to their homes, it is also extremely apparent that consumers are searching for businesses in their local area that they can patronize. Most consumption on a day to day basis is not on items such as electronics that can be purchased online. People need automotive services, tutors, daycare, lawn care, restaurants, grocery stores, salons, plumbers, and much, much more within a few miles of their house. These daily rituals that we all engage in are all predicated on knowing where to find business. And as mentioned above, with an abundance of people turning to the Internet to find out where well priced, convenient goods and services are located, even a small Internet presence can skyrocket a business.
Unfortunately, the typical local business doesn't have a lot of money to spend on Internet exposure. Even if they do have the finances to build a website, the process can be cumbersome and somewhat daunting for the generations of small business that aren't well-read in the ways of cyberspace. If the typical website can run anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, is it still worth creating? Even if you get the website up and running, how will people find you? How high will you be ranked on search engines? If you are like me, all the worry involved takes away time from all the daily customer service issues that come with the territory of owning a business. Why should you spend an inordinate amount of money when there is no guarantee of getting more customers for your trouble? Many are pushed away because the return on investment just doesn't seem worth it.
If this is what you think, perhaps you can consider many other low cost options for your small business to get attention and some exposure on the web. Something as simple as a Facebook or Myspace account can be used to garner advertisement for your business. The Internet is all about content and link popularity, and having even a little bit can help. However, there are services that are beginning to expand the range of possibilities for local businesses and cater explicitly to them. Websites such as www.Cityslick.net and www.Merchantcircle.com allow companies to create local listings whereby customers can put basic contact information, slogans, product descriptions and photos, customizable coupons, appointment generators, documents, social bookmarking, and much more. The terrific part about websites like these is that they are not static; companies do not simply post a listing and hope for customers to show up. Consumers can browse, request deals, request appointments, chat with other consumers and businesses in the forums, and leave reviews.
If you decide to list on a business directory website, make sure that they are doing their best to get you the most exposure possible. According to www.webworkshop.net, Link text (the text that is clicked on when clicking on a link) is singly the most important factor when Google determines the rankings for any given search-term. To help a small local business website grow in this fashion, it is critical that business owners submit to local directories that can provide custom back links.
www.Cityslick.net in particular is proactive in its approach to ensure that these sorts of interactions occur. By using the latest search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, they are drawing customers to the website not only by promoting it as a way to find cheap, local deals, but they are also making it so that listings, just by themselves, have the same sort of visibility as traditional websites.
Local and small business owners have a multitude of things to worry about including how to best promote their venture. By using the internet to post to sophisticated business directories, companies can get all the benefits of having a website without having to pay a lot of money for their own website. Take a look. Your customers and business will thank you for it.
If you are a business owner, you understand better than anyone that the world has become a very "noisy' place. It's tough to get noticed in today's busy, overcrowded world-but that doesn't mean that it's impossible. Instead of spending your marketing dollars on mailers, flyers, and door hangers that get tossed in the trash, try generating publicity by hosting a community event with inflatable rentals.
Why inflatable rentals? In order to really get noticed, you've got to do something out of the ordinary. You've got to surprise people when they weren't expecting to be surprised. Inflatable rentals are just that-big, fun, colorful, and worthy of grabbing attention. They're also inexpensive to rent, quick to set up, and promote festivity. Imagine your typical afternoon drive home from the office. You could probably drive the route while in a partial coma. For the most part, the scenery and the events outside the window are the same day in and day out.
Now imagine one of the public places you drive past filled with big, bright, inflatable obstacle courses, a ring where people are wrestling in inflatable sumo suits, and lots of other big inflatable outdoor games. Chances are you'll lend this event more than just a quick glance. When planning your event, it is critical to ask the inflatable rentals company about the dimensions of the equipment and have large "hosted by" signs made to attach to the tops of the inflatable rentals to promote your brand or business.
Tailor the event for your target audience The goal of hosting a big community event with inflatable rentals is to be seen and embraced by the general community, but you'll want to "speak" to your target audience as well. For example, if your local business is a children's hair cutting salon, you'll want to spin your promotional materials as being a fun event for kids. Inflatable rentals aren't just for kids though; there are countless ways to bill a community event centered around inflatable rentals for adults as well.
If your local business is a restaurant and pub with an after work happy hour, sell the festivity as a way for professionals to unwind after work and have a brew on the house while racing their coworkers on an inflatable obstacle course. If your local business is a auto repair shop, bill the event as a place people can come to have fun while enjoying a ? price oil change.
Spreading the word Though you'll want to gear the promotion toward your target audience, it should be apparent in the advertising that everyone in the community is welcome and that no admission is required. The goal here is to get your name in front of as many people as possible so that people remember your name and associate it with a positive experience.
One of the most effective ways to get the word out about your upcoming event is through press releases distributed to your local television station, radio station, and newspaper. The more unique your event, the more likely these high profile sources will be to run your piece.
Publicity is Priceless When you go big with your event, big media outlets like newspapers and local television stations take notice. Imagine how much visibility your business could enjoy with just one short segment on a local news program or a feature article in the town newspaper. Paying for ad space in either would cost far more than the cost of a well planned event.
Beyond that, a spot on television, radio, or placement in a newspaper often sparks interest in other people who will want to talk about and publicize the event. Start by having big aspirations. Then think big about your promotional tactics. Soon you'll begin to see how your thoughts manifest into big advancements for your business.
Both Henal & Christine Harrell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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