Small Business Social Media: The Next Horizons
Small Business Social Media: The Next Horizons
When you think of social media sites, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn probably are the first three to come to mind. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll probably add Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat to the list. But there are several other social media platforms that are flying under your radar -- but may still take your small business places that you’ve never been before. Yes, there are...
Make the Most of Google My Business
Looking for a free way to boost your small business online? Google My Business is your ticket to driving traffic straight to your (real or virtual) doors! Google My Business is a business listing site like hundreds before it. The difference is, it’s optimized for local search. It helps you connect with people right in your own backyard who are looking for your products and...
To Groupon, Or Not to Groupon?
As a small business owner, you want exposure wherever exposure is available. Whether it’s social media, pay-to-play advertisement or even IRL marketing strategies (guerrilla marketing, anyone?), the more visibility you have, the better, right? But what if that “exposure” means that you peddle your wares at a significant discount, a la “daily deal” coupon sites like Groupon, LivingSocial or any other “buy this now and...
Small Business Guerrilla Marketing for the Internet Age
Let’s talk about guerrillas. They’re independent, often out-manned fighters who band together against a bigger, more prepared enemy using surprise, ambush, sabotage and hit-and-run tactics to accomplish their goals. Sounds a lot like a small business, right? Guerrilla warfare has long been a way for underdogs to gain a competitive edge, and guerrilla marketing is no different. In the brick-and-mortar world, guerrilla marketing often takes...
Here’s My Card: Should Your Small Business Go Back to Business Cards?
There was a time, not so long ago, when business cards were ubiquitous. You couldn’t go much further than the corner café without someone pressing a 3.5 x 2-inch piece of “very valuable contact information” into your hand. Wallets regularly burst at the seams, unable to contain the hundreds of cards ranging in condition from pristine to unreadable, depending on how often they’d been pulled...
Is Your Small Business Embracing Technology? (Hint: It Should)
Small business is increasingly going electronic. But is the switch from brick-and-mortar locations to e-commerce cause for concern? According to a recent Gallup poll, 15 percent of small business owners say it’s helping their business, while 16 percent say it’s hurting their business. That leaves a wide moat of 68 percent that say it hasn’t affected them at all. So … what’s the deal? Is technology...
Online Reviews: Your Small Business Needs Them!
Imagine you just moved to a new city. You’d love for someone to recommend the best restaurant, the most dependable babysitter or the most reliable mechanic – but you don’t know a single soul here. Where do you turn? Google, of course, or whatever your preferred search engine may be. You’ll patronize the restaurant, book the babysitter and hire the mechanic to fix your brakes...
Can Customer Referrals Boost Your Bottom Line? Yes!
Pop quiz: Which of the following two options will bring in more customers? A killer marketing campaign A current customer boasting to their friends and family about how awesome your small business is, how well they were treated and how much money they saved If you said B, you passed with flying colors. Yes, customer referrals hold more weight than even the best marketing campaigns...
Will YouTube Work for Your Small Business Marketing?
YouTube. To some, it’s a video sharing site that your kids use to watch videos of other kids playing games, making slime or “unboxing” their recent Amazon deliveries. But does it have a place in small business marketing? Is it a useful addition to your overall strategy? In short, is the time and effort you put in to making a video and sharing it with...
Brand Yourself: Designing Your Small Business Website
What does your website say about your small business? We’re not talking about the obvious stuff, such as hours, contact information and locations. (You should include those things; otherwise, what’s the point of your website?) But we’re talking about the story your website has to tell. Everything on your small business website, from your logo to the colors and fonts you choose, says something about...