Even if you haven’t done much to prep for Small Business Saturday 2019, here are some simple things your local business can do right now to get ready for one of the busiest weekends of the year. Make sure any extended or shorter hours are listed online Opening early? Closing late? If your hours are […]
Showing sincere appreciation is one of the easiest ways to build a closer relationship with your customers. It’s simple, but remarkably few companies ever take the time to genuinely thank customers. The secret lies in making your customers feel important. Your customers spend time and resources supporting your business, and they deserve a thoughtful acknowledgment […]
Less time doesn’t have to mean fewer opportunities This year, there are just 26 days between Black Friday and Christmas Day. That’s six fewer days — and one less weekend — than last year. Not only does that mean fewer weekends for holiday parties, it means your customers have less time to shop. If you […]
It’s time to get ready for Small Business Saturday® As a company that serves local business owners across the country, Hibu is proud to join with American Express to support the 10th annual Small Business Saturday® this Nov 30th. From corner stores to food trucks to online boutiques, each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, […]
When you’re running a business, there’s no shortage of things to worry about – competitors, customers, inventory, staffing — and a whole lot of other day-to-day worries. According to a recent insurance report, the top three “big picture” small business risks are: Liability risks Property risks Business interruption risks If you think about it, any […]
One of the most challenging parts of advertising your local business online is simply keeping up with non-stop evolution of the web. A few years ago it was enough to have a website, then it had to be optimized for mobile – now it has to be built for voice search too. And that’s just […]
Find the online advertising plan that’s right for your business Here’s the deal, you know your business needs to advertise online to compete today. But with all the options available, we know it can be difficult to figure out exactly where you should be spending your advertising budget. That’s where our guide comes in! It’s […]
A lot has been written recently about “bot” or robo-dialed calls. Most of us know them all too well. We get a call that looks like it’s coming from a local number, but we don’t recognize it. It could be our dentist or that chiropractor we called the other day or any number of real […]
It’s easy to get stuck doing the same old things when it comes to your social strategy. We’re all guilty of it. But the good news is that with our favorite social networks always adding new ways to connect and interact, there’s still an opportunity for businesses to try something that other brands aren’t […]
We live in a search-happy world When it comes to your business’ success, a lot of it depends on what customers find when they search for you online. While you may provide a great product or service, your reputation can significantly impact your business’ performance despite what you have to offer. I’m sure this isn’t […]
Running a small business is a never-ending, all-encompassing, time-consuming challenge. Most small business owners find they have to establish daily routines and set specific processes in place just to keep the minutia from becoming overwhelming. If you’re like many the business owners we talk with, taking the time to update your marketing is pretty far […]
When it comes to marketing your business online, having access to the right tools can mean the difference between meeting your goals and wasting your money. That’s why we want to share our digital marketing toolbox with you! These tools are specifically crafted to help improve your brand’s marketing, website performance, analysis, digital experience, […]
Think back… What do you remember about 2012? Who won the Super Bowl or the World Series? What long-time institution took its final bow and which modern day institution hit a huge milestone? Watch this quick video for a fast look back. Things have changed so much… or have they? Have they changed enough? As we […]
The two things you need to put the right message in front of the right customers Effective digital marketing comes down to two things: Making sure your correct business info is THERE — you need the right information online — like your name, address and phone number — for your customers to find you on directory sites, apps, voice […]
Knowing your competitors is crucial to your business. And neglecting to take some time to examine the strategies they’re using on Facebook, the largest social network out there, is a huge mistake that a lot of businesses are making. Don’t let the scope and sheer amount of information out there keep you from doing competitive […]
The way your business communicates with goes a long way to making a good impression… or a bad one. Just like you would with any customer interaction, it’s important to put your best foot forward whenever you send an email. It doesn’t have to be complicated, there are plenty of small things to remember that […]
It’s the middle of the summer. Half the country is getting hit with a heat wave, and the summer season is in full swing… so, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about the Holidays! Yes, those holidays – the ones at the end of the year. The time to start business-holiday planning is now! […]
Here’s how you can relax this summer knowing your online business listings are up to date. Ahhh, summertime. The weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining longer – it almost feels like there are more hours in a day… which is probably why so many businesses have “Summer Hours.” Of course, if you don’t […]
Hey there! Welcome to Digital Marketing 101 – well, at least it’s DM 101 for me. My name is Gabrielle and I’m currently one of Hibu’s summer interns. While I’m still getting the hang of it myself, I’d like to share with you some digital marketing tips and tricks that I’ve learned in my first […]
Quick – picture your customer. Male? Female? Young? Old? Well… maybe not as old as you think. You might have to knock a few years off that image – if not now, very soon… like later this year. According to our friends at the good old Pew Research Center, U.S. population projections say that very […]
Once upon a time, the customer journey used to have a clear beginning, middle and end and most customers followed a similar path. Times have changed, however, and the “traditional customer journey” no longer exists. Today, the path a customer takes to get to your business is unpredictable. The steps between awareness and purchase […]
It’s no joke — saying goodbye to these marketing myths can help boost your business online We’ve highlighted some foolish digital marketing myths before, but there are 3 truths in online marketing: What used to work is always changing There’s always something brand new There’s a LOT of misinformation about both Catching on to what works now […]
To help you make up for the time lost while you and your employees fill out your brackets, we’d like to suggest five basketball-style digital marketing moves you should be making to drive past your competition online. 5 moves to help you score new leads Post-up – The easiest move in our digital marketing basketball […]
Sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most to your marketing You love your local business. You work hard to make sure your customers love your local business, too. But when was the last time you took a few minutes to show your business how much you appreciate it? You don’t need to mail candy hearts […]
Don’t let the wrong online info leave your customers with a bad taste As a small business owner, you know there are plenty of conversations you don’t want to have with a customer. From problematic service calls…to billing issues…to unexpected interruptions in your service (like winter weather or power outages)…there are all kinds of calls and emails […]
Word of mouth can be just as important as www We’ve talked about the top ways to promote your business online and offline before, but let’s focus on the simplest things you can do offline to promote your business today. Get involved in local events From 10k runs to sponsorships to giving back to your local […]
Spoiler alert: Yes, you do! There are two things we firmly believe about digital marketing: You need a synchronized solution that includes MORE than just a business website …but you still need a business website We all spend so much time on Facebook, looking at digital business listings and checking online business reviews and seeing ads on our […]
How to be more responsive (even when you’re off the clock) Running a small business is a 24/7 job. You always take your work home with you, and even if you’re not “on the clock,” you’re probably thinking about what you’ll need to do tomorrow. As more businesses move their marketing online, a big part […]
We’re down to just under 20 days until #SmallBusinessSaturday 2017, we’d like to share 20 quick tips and tricks you can do to help your small business get the most out of the day. On Small Business Saturday 2016, 112 million shoppers showed their love for their favorite spots, and spent a reported $15.4 billion […]
Helping small businesses is at the heart of what we do here at Hibu -– that’s why we’re pleased to announce that Hibu is an official Corporate Supporter for Small Business Saturday® 2017, taking place on November 25. For those of you who don’t know, Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting local small businesses, […]
Pack the house for your next business event Whether you’re planning an in-store demo, an on-site workshop or organizing or sponsoring a community or charitable event, our friends at Yell gathered some great (and mostly FREE!) ways to make sure your event is seen online. Make a Facebook event page Facebook has a great events […]
Simple ways to add interest and drive interaction with your Facebook Page As most local businesses know, there’s a world of difference between “I have a Facebook Page” and “I use my Facebook Page to connect with my customers and grow my business.” Using both Facebook ads and posts is important. So is understanding the […]
Does your website highlight these “motivating factors”? As a small business owner, you know what makes your company great. You hear it from happy customers all the time: “What keeps people coming back is the QUALITY of my work. “My PRICES are very competitive and fair.” “When someone needs me, I’m there – FAST.” “I am a fantastic […]
Think like a publisher to drive traffic, grow your footprint and showcase who you are In our experience, every local business wants a blog on their website…but very few take the time to publish blog posts on a regular basis. We get it: it’s not easy to decide WHAT to post…and even harder to find […]
Small businesses can win big with mobile marketing You’ve already seen how you can “mobile”-ize your business for big results. If you’re still not sure about whether your business can have success with mobile marketing, or you’re trying but not seeing the success you want, here are six tips to help you get noticed with mobile marketing […]
Increase your ROI with the right plan It’s true that it’s difficult to put a number on a “Like,” a “Comment” or a “Share” – in fact, it’s hard to track the overall ROI (return on investment) to this thing we call social. And yet, having a comprehensive social strategy is an increasingly necessary component […]
Snapchat 101 for your small business While managing yet another social media platform (with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and/or Pinterest already in the mix) may seem daunting, Snapchat can be a valuable tool for small businesses – especially if you’re targeting a younger demographic. Snapchat is an app that allows users to send and receive […]
As part of our commitment to help small business owners keep up with changing marketing trends, we’re pleased to offer you this Free Guide to Facebook Marketing. Developed with our friends at MarketingBitz, this guide provides a roadmap to help businesses execute an effective Facebook marketing campaign. Your Free Guide includes all this and more… […]
Poor content that delivers poor results As you saw in part I of this series, UX (or “user experience”) mistakes are everywhere online. And while they’re easy to roll your eyes at on someone else’s website…they’re also easy to make on your own site. Here are a few content-related UX website mistakes that Inc.com highlighted. […]
