You’ve probably noticed the business results map that comes up in Google when you perform a local search. If you search for “bakery boulder colorado,” for example, you’ll see 10 results with business names and phone numbers next to a map. That’s local search. And it’s the latest, greatest, and affordable online advertising opportunity for local businesses.
86% of local searchers follow up by making a direct contact and 61% of those make a purchase. New, local, and mobile searchers want to do business with you, if they can find you. You want new customers to grow your business, but do you show up where they’re searching? Local search maps optimization will move your business listing into the top 10 spots.
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Posted in Advertising, Marketing, Online Marketing, Search Engine Marketing
“Social Media” is all the buzz lately. An unbelievable amount of marketers out there are branding themselves as Social Media Experts. Whenever a new marketing channel is created, it’s exciting, especially because others are dying: think print advertising. But what does this mean to your business? Should you add social media to your marketing mix?
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Posted in Marketing, Social Media, Web Design
These are times for the bold. If you want to stay in business, that is. All of a sudden, business isn’t rolling in like it used to. You have to try harder. Work harder. Market better. Some will get discouraged by it all, but others will get excited and see opportunities. The question is, which side are you on? Are you planning to stay in business or close your doors?
If you plan not only to stay in business, but to come out of this recession with a gain in market share and stuck-like-glue customers, it’s time to grab the bull by the horns, if you haven’t done so already. There are plenty of companies doing business during the recession. There are consumers spending money. There are industries that do just as well or better during recessions. Think health care, education, law, or anyone in outsourcing. Are you interested in selling to folks who are buying?
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Posted in Marketing
Sometimes you can be very clever with your advertising and get away with it — people will get it, remember it, and praise your cleverness. Maybe they’ll even buy from you. But most of the time, advertisers take cleverness too far, and the whole campaign becomes meaningless and useless.
I was fooled by an ad just this past week. As I’m browsing through the newspaper I notice an upside-down ad. I think to myself, “Wow, the newspaper misprinted this ad — sucks for the advertiser — and I’m sure they’ll raise hell!” There was no prominent headline (upside-down or not!), so I didn’t stop to look at it.
The next day I see the same ad, still upside-down, but in black & white. I think, “I can’t believe this! The newspaper printed it upside-down AGAIN! What morons!” I don’t stop to check out the ad in detail because all I can think of is how incompetent the newspaper is.
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Posted in Advertising, Marketing
You could have a great location for your business. You could have a wide selection of quality products at reasonable prices. You could use effective direct response marketing tactics in your advertising campaigns. You could drive loads of prospective clients to your business as a result of your advertising. And you can ensure that they don’t return. You could be Ace Wine & Spirits store in Boulder.
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Posted in Advertising, Direct Response Marketing, Marketing
As a follow up to the Coca-Cola wannabes that produce ineffective “brand awareness” ads that feature the company name as the most prominent element, here is an ad that I’ve seen in the Boulder Daily Camera for many months now: a store that sells beads.
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Posted in Advertising, Direct Response Marketing, Marketing
I love looking at ads in magazines and newspapers. It’s one of the funnest ways to see which companies are wasting their marketing dollars by placing bad ads and which ones are doing a good job. The ones that are doing a good job typically will have their ads running for a long time because they are effective in generating leads.
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Posted in Advertising, Direct Response Marketing, Marketing
I read a newsletter written by Dan Kennedy, one of my marketing heroes, where he talked about using other industries’ marketing tactics for your industry. One often hears companies say “Well, what they’re doing is great, but it wouldn’t work in my industry.” That is often not the case.
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Posted in Marketing
When I interview a potential graphic designer, one of the most important questions I ask is “In an ideal world, what design projects would you work on?” Inevitably, they’ll pick one that is their favorite, be it print design, web design, or identity/branding design. So, I let them work on the projects that they enjoy most because I am a true believer in specialization.
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Posted in Marketing, Web Design, Web Development
