Let’s imagine for a second that you were to walk into any local business you know that is doing very well and ask the owner what his or her marketing plan consisted of. You can bet your bottom dollar that they will tell you that they put a major focus on their online marketing efforts and that it is paying off big time. Not only that, you will surely be told that if it weren’t for the efforts put forth toward marketing on the internet that the business would not be doing nearly as well as it is.
Today, people from all walks of life – from the typical college student on a limited budget to the busy executive with a fat bank account are first turning to the web when looking for products and services. This means that if you plan on succeeding in any business endeavor, you had better make sure that customers can find you online because otherwise you’re doomed. But how exactly do successful business owners market online? They are doing much more than just slapping random ads around the web. Instead they’re using newer, proven methods which will be outlined below.
Social Networking is Key to Driving Customers Through Your Doors
Social networking is what the most successful business owners turn to first online in order to draw customers into their businesses. Why? Because social networking has been proven to be an excellent way to spread the news about products and services. Did you know that over half of all active Twitter users today suggest companies and/or products in their tweets? It’s true. Messages travel quickly through social networks and they can become viral very quickly. Two-thirds of all small businesses out there today have a company page on a social networking site. This is because it’s widely known that this medium is one of the most affordable and effective ways to market products and services.
Geo-Targeting Draws Customers into Brick and Mortar Businesses
A growing number of searches conducted on Google are location-specific as people on the move who are carrying smartphones are using their devices to find products and services near them. Using services like Google Places and Bing Maps is allowing business owners to be seen by potential customers who are out and about. Businesses making use of these services are providing consumers with the convenience of finding what they need to buy when they want to buy it. When a business uses services like Bing Maps and Google Places they’re also boosting their customer base by making themselves visible 24/7.
Deal of the Day Sites are a Hot Trend in Internet Marketing
Often referred to as the “bargain bin of the internet” deal of the day sites provide consumers with terrific deals on all types of products and services. The hard-hitters in this industry are Groupon, Woot and Living Social. The general concept is the same for all: The lower price being featured combined with the limited availability of the deal creates a sense of urgency with the consumer which compels them to buy, even if they weren’t actively hunting down the item. These web services are providing business owners will an outstanding way to build their customer databases with consumers who’ve proven that they’re buyers. These sites also offer a good way to move dead inventory and are ideal to use when introducing new products.
Trending Online Web Marketing Tactics+Effective Offline Marketing=Success
In order to succeed in growing your local business, you have to make use of the latest online internet marketing tactics like those mentioned above. The key is to combine these tactics with proven offline marketing methods such as making use of banner printing services so that some eye-catching feather banners or signs can be make for your business.