Online Presence - Your Business is Being Judge

Twenty years ago few businesses had an online presence as basic as a web site, but today consumers will likely visit your web site and Facebook page before they ever set foot in your business. As a result, new and relevant content (like this blog!) is an essential part of your marketing strategy.

Think of a restaurant that you liked, and may have visited several times, but got bored because the menu never changed. This can happen to your website as well. If the content never changes, you appear to have nothing of value to offer. You need to be viewed as an expert in your area, by providing new and informative content that keeps your viewership growing and interested.

The number one reason web site changes don’t happen often enough is that you have to work your web designer, which can be both costly and limit your control. The good news is that there are options. In many cases, you can transfer your domain name (URL) and your current website over to a third-party host that features Custom Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress or Joomla. This allows you to make quick changes without needing to learn sophisticated code.

Collecting emails is another fundamental tool to use when growing your business. Use email services like Constant Contact, Mail Chimp or Listrak to collect customer emails so you can readily share information such as periodic sales, news, and industry updates and new product announcements and events. There are several good online email marketing products that will allow you to send copy and images quickly and easily. These products also provide detailed information such as who opened the message and who forwarded it to someone outside your list. You can view this data and evaluate the effectiveness of the message, adjusting future messages in terms of content, length of the message, time of delivery, etc. for better response.

Social Media like Facebook or Twitter are also essential and like web content, it should be current news and events, but also tied into your local community as well. Charities events or youth sports team sponsorships, for example, are a great way to have your business involved in the community and broaden your local audience.