Most smaller companies are set up to service local clients. Dentists, carpet cleaners, plumbers, chiropractic therapists, divorce lawyers and hundreds of other types of firms use either a store front, office or drive on-site to supply services and goods to a local customer base.
If you're Starbucks or a retail chain, you benefit from countrywide advertising and a recognizable building. But over 95% of firms are not hooked up to widely known brands and firms. For them, the most important and difficult task is getting customers.
Yellow Page directories have historically been the first thing tiny firms include in their marketing mix. Some would do local newspaper advertising, maybe include a card in a US mail pack sent out by others, do some direct mailings of their own to local residents, test a radio ad and, if they felt especially generous, pay for local TV commercials. Sadly, none of these strategies will generate the quantity of new customers they used to. In most examples, the owner of a small business will now actually lose money on each of these marketing approaches.
The Internet is the answer to successful client signup, for two reasons:
1. Consumers make less use of the normal media. Yellow Page directories are usually recycled upon delivery, or used to hold doors open and prop items up. Newspaper readership is way down, as folks wish to get today's stories today (online), versus getting yesterday's news today (in print). Radio is being skipped in favor of online music services. Television commercials get skipped as spectators TiVo their way past them.
2. When you advertise in a paper, direct mail or radio, almost all of the people that receive the message aren't at all curious about what you are selling. Yet, you are paying for each and every one of them to get the wasted ad. In the meantime, individuals who go surfing to hunt for "houston chiropractor" or "carlsbad carpet cleaner" are positively interested in that service in their area.
The key for each business is to start phasing out the marketing methods that are not creating new customers, and step up attempts to become seen on the web. It's possible to get ranked high on Google and other search engines, as well as listed in the various online directories that consumers use, whether or not you've got a website. Do not delay. Your potential customers are going to the competition who appear online, while you are waiting to start.
If you're Starbucks or a retail chain, you benefit from countrywide advertising and a recognizable building. But over 95% of firms are not hooked up to widely known brands and firms. For them, the most important and difficult task is getting customers.
Yellow Page directories have historically been the first thing tiny firms include in their marketing mix. Some would do local newspaper advertising, maybe include a card in a US mail pack sent out by others, do some direct mailings of their own to local residents, test a radio ad and, if they felt especially generous, pay for local TV commercials. Sadly, none of these strategies will generate the quantity of new customers they used to. In most examples, the owner of a small business will now actually lose money on each of these marketing approaches.
The Internet is the answer to successful client signup, for two reasons:
1. Consumers make less use of the normal media. Yellow Page directories are usually recycled upon delivery, or used to hold doors open and prop items up. Newspaper readership is way down, as folks wish to get today's stories today (online), versus getting yesterday's news today (in print). Radio is being skipped in favor of online music services. Television commercials get skipped as spectators TiVo their way past them.
2. When you advertise in a paper, direct mail or radio, almost all of the people that receive the message aren't at all curious about what you are selling. Yet, you are paying for each and every one of them to get the wasted ad. In the meantime, individuals who go surfing to hunt for "houston chiropractor" or "carlsbad carpet cleaner" are positively interested in that service in their area.
The key for each business is to start phasing out the marketing methods that are not creating new customers, and step up attempts to become seen on the web. It's possible to get ranked high on Google and other search engines, as well as listed in the various online directories that consumers use, whether or not you've got a website. Do not delay. Your potential customers are going to the competition who appear online, while you are waiting to start.
About the Author:
The Molosomar Team are professionals at online marketing for organizations that want more business. They go beyond just the technical stuff, helping their clients be more effective at converting protential customers into actual accounts. Molosomar specializes in the three keys to your online success - visibility credibility and conversion.
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