Let me start of by declaring that I once provided full service, custom development and web design for small businesses.  Now that I provide self-serve business solutions through the Go Smart Solutions brands, I can speak confidently from both sides of the table.   Most small businesses do not need a custom developed website.  There are so many self-serve tools online that empower small business owners to create their own online presence (WordPress, ClassifiedFlyerAds, Squidoo, Social Networks, etc.) without paying big bucks for custom work.  All small businesses really need is to be educated on how to use these tools.  Once they learn about the technology and how to “serve themselves”, they will be able to take their business to a whole different (and higher) level.

Here are the three main reasons why I feel small businesses should learn to serve themselves:

Empowerment

Nobody knows your business like you do.  Using self-serve online solutions for your business puts the power in your hands.  You have the control and can make decisions on what is best for your business.

Education

You might be surprised at just how much you can learn when you start using tools that are readily available.  You will learn about online marketing, SEO, advertising, technology and so much more that your competitors don’t know about. It will take a little time and patience, but the payoff will be huge.

Economics

You will save BIG.  And when I say “big”, I mean thousands of dollars or more.

In order to make “self-serve” work for your business, all you need is initiative, a plan, and determination. The effort you put in to learning to effectively “serve yourself” will pay off in more ways than one, and lay the foundation for a lasting change in your business.

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, you could get a decent response just from advertising your business in the local paper, sending out promotional ads via direct mail, or buying a spot in the yellow pages. No more. Today, hundreds of millions of people are searching the internet for information, products, and services. Newspaper circulation is way down, making those ads less powerful, promotional direct mail has become “junk mail”, and advertising in the yellow pages… wait, what’s that? Google is the new yellow pages, and the internet is the new source for gathering information, communicating, and buying stuff. Are you effectively advertising your business online?

A recent study by Nielsen Media Research found that more than 85% of the world’s population has shopped online, up 40% from just two years earlier. Combine this statistic with the fact that 87% of home buyers search for property online, and that 3 out of 4 car buyers also search online, and it’s hard to ignore the fact that people are relying on the internet for more reason than just to surf; they’re also there to buy. If you own or run a business – whether freelance, real estate, automotive sales, product sales, service provider, or anything else – then you need to be marketing online.

So, how do you advertise your business online? The options available to you are many, and if you are just getting your feet wet in this arena then things can be confusing and overwhelming. Do your market research due-diligence, consumers are not going to leave online shopping behind any time soon.  Here are a few options to get you started:

1. Website – An effective website is much more than a static placeholder. Take tips from articles like “10 Steps to Measuring Web Site Success” and the Google Blog.
2. Blog – Blogging can be very effective if done right. Refer to advice from successful bloggers like Chris Brogan, CopyBlogger, the Online Marketing Blog, and others.
3. Post Targeted Ads – These types of ads can create a broader online presence for your business and be targeted to your market.
4. Google AdWords – Create online ads based on a set of keywords and set your own budget.
5. Social Networking – This one can be tricky, and many people use it entirely the wrong way. However, if managed successfully, social networking can be a great way to build your brand and presence online. To start in the social networking arena (see Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), I suggest you do much more watching and listening in the beginning to get a feel for how it is done successfully in your market. Find and connect with others in your industry who have been successful, and define a strategy with measurable goals.

The most important thing about online advertising for your business is to start. Have questions on any of these advertising methods? Disagree with me? Have another to add? Post your 2 cents in the comment section below.

Photo credit: jaaron

If you run a business, own a brand, write a blog, provide a service, or sell a product, then you should have some kind of marketing strategy. With web development and technology making huge strides every day, there is no shortage of tools available for developing an effective plan for promoting your business. Among the commonly mentioned “Web 2.0″ marketing methods are blogs, social networks, Twitter, podcasts, and video, which all allow you to engage your audience, develop meaningful connections with clients and other like-minded people, and promote your business to people who actually want to learn about it. SlideShare is another (free) tool to slip into that marketing belt.

If you know how to use Powerpoint, then you already have what it takes to market on SlideShare. The site allows you to upload presentations from Powerpoint, OpenOffice, or a PDF file, and share it publicly on the web. As is typical with most social sites, you can connect with other people, comment on their presentations, and develop conversations and relationships with people who are interested in what you have to say. Easily share a tutorial, embed the slideshow into a blog post (like on the Influential Marketing Blog), show off your accomplishments (like Guy Kawasaki), share about your business (like Zappos), promote a property listing (like Realtor Teri Michon), or include links to it from your blog and online marketing material. There are a hundred other ways to use the service… what ideas do you have?

SlideShare presentations are placed into categories for easy visitor searching and can include hyperlinks back to your site, YouTube videos, and voice narration. This can be a very powerful companion for your existing marketing strategy; it’s easy, effective, and free.

It often surprises me how many business professionals do not stay in touch with their existing customer base.  When someone makes the decision to become your client, chances are very good that they are interested in your product and what you have to say about your business.  Are you keeping your clients updated?  Are you reminding them that you are “here” and “available”?  If not, they may forget and move elsewhere.  Here are a few ways to keep your clients reminded of “you” and your products or services.

Monthly Newsletters

Monthly email newsletters are a great way to keep your clients updated.  These newsletters can highlight product updates, discounts, relevant news and even tips.  Most will appreciate news and tips you offer them especially if it relates to them.  Perfect example are Real Estate Agents.  If you have a client base of past buyers or even buyers who are on the fence, most will appreciate monthly newsletters informing them of the local housing market, real estate news, home selling tips, current loan rates and even local events.  This will position you as the local real estate expert and increase their confidence in you and your services.  Creating Real Estate Newsletters is snap with the SimplyConnect Newsletter system.

Your Blog

Yep, a blog!  Inform your clients about your blog and let them know you often post valuable information on it.  Place an RSS feed and/or a subscribe option on the blog that will allow your clients to easily subscribe to it.  Feedburner offers a blog subscription option that will allow your readers to receive emails everytime you make a post to your blog. Remember to fill your blog with valuable, relevant content that will also attract visitors from the web via search engines. Here are some tips for writing effective titles for your blog posts.

Cards

This can get expensive if you do it often but once or twice a year is a nice touch.  We send out Holiday cards each year to all of our ClassifiedFlyerAds.com subscribed members.  Many of them send us cards too and many others will send us a thank you email for the card.  It’s a great way to show your clients that you appreciate them.

How do you keep in touch with your clients? Let us know!

Photo credit: littledan77

Online advertising for your brand has never been more important, and it is not as important today as it will be tomorrow. With reports continuing to show record revenue declines for newspapers and magazines, entire websites dedicated to the “death watch”, and fewer consumers than ever using print media as their main source for information, it is time to re-evaluate your advertising plan if print media is your only outlet. In addition, recent data shows that 3 out of every 4 adults use the internet, with 80% of them shopping online for products and services. It is now essential to have a plan for targeted online promotion.

Please don’t read that opening paragraph and start blindly buying ad spots across the internet, or start running pay-per-click campaigns without doing research. This type of action will most likely be a waste of your time and money. Instead, make an effort to research your target audience using online tools available, such as the Google AdWords Keyword Tool or the inbound marketing resources at HubSpot. Whatever time and effort it takes to do the research legwork will soon make up for itself many times over by providing valuable data for your target market, enabling you to effectively advertise your brand and business.

When you’re well informed and ready to start your online marketing campaign, there are many ways to make it a success. From blogging, to social networks, to targeted online ads via Google or ClassifiedFlyerAds, you can be confident in knowing that your online promotional efforts will yield higher quality results than print advertising has provided in a very long time. A closing note of caution; there are lots of ways to do online advertising and promotion the wrong way (i.e. spam, non-targeted, etc.) that will end up costing you your valuable time, money, and possibly even reputation. It is your duty and responsibility as a marketer or business owner to continually seek out knowledge and information that will make your online advertising a success.

Photo credit: Marshall Flickman