Digital marketing and online advertising seem like they’re dominated by a few big names (namely, Google and Facebook). But that doesn’t mean your small business can’t make a big splash there with local customers looking for a provider. Get your copy of our free guide “How to Survive as a Small Fish in a Big […]
Whether you call it your marketing budget, marketing spend, or marketing plan…they’re all about the same thing: Making an investment in your small business’s success. Download your free copy of our guide “How To Make The Right Marketing Investments” now. It’s a great way to go back to square one and think about how to […]
Chances are, when you think of your marketing, you think of the pieces that go into it: Your website Your ads Your listings and reviews But today, your small businesses needs to make sure all those pieces work together to deliver better results, without adding hours of time to your day. Find out what’s included […]
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that the average internet user spends 2 hours, 24 minutes daily on social media in 2020. It may surprise you to hear that finding “funny and entertaining” content is the fastest-growing reason for using social. So, since we know your customers are (probably) looking for fun content, let’s quickly talk about […]
Whether you’ve been doing your own digital marketing for years… working with an agency or partner to do it… or if you’re just getting started, it never hurts to have a quick refresher on the basics of marketing your small business online. Our free guide, Small Business Digital Marketing 101, will walk you through everything […]
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 […]
Once Thanksgiving is over (and Black Friday, for you retail businesses), the days seem to pass more and more quickly leading up to Christmas — meaning your customers are in a frenzy to get their holiday shopping done. Don’t let the holiday season sneak up on your business ! As soon as November hits, you […]
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 […]
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, “Where You Should Have Ads Online,” comes in! It’s filled to the brim with the critical […]
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 […]
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 tool box with you! These tools are specifically crafted to help improve your brand awareness, website performance, social media reach […]
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 — and that includes the way your small business […]
Lots of small business owners we talk with think “I’ve got a website — I’m doing all I need to do.” But in reality, a website alone is just not enough today. The way consumers shop online includes search and social media and customer reviews and more. Watch this quick video for 3 basic things […]
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 […]
Email correspondence and email marketing are essential components of growing your business. And the way your business communicates goes a long way towards making a good impression — or a bad one. Just like with an in-person customer interaction, it’s important to put your best foot forward whenever you send an email. Making a good […]
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! […]
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 had a clear beginning, middle and end — and most customers followed a similar path. Today, the path a customer takes to get to your business is more unpredictable. The steps between awareness of your company and purchase of your service or product are many and varied, and […]
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 […]
When it comes to promoting your small business, “word of mouth” can be just as important as “www.” 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 community with a canned food drive, […]
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 of “what you’ll need to do tomorrow” is becoming “responding to […]
[Updated Sept 2020] As a small business owner, you know that sustaining and growing your business is a must…but finding the time to focus on marketing can be a real challenge. Like any big project, it helps to break your marketing efforts into smaller steps. You can use this guide to create an actionable plan […]
The Internet can be a scary place… and having to figure out your business’ digital marketing can be a pretty daunting proposition. Here are five tips to help you slay your digital marketing monsters and grow your business online. #1: Transform your social media into social marketing Congrats on getting your business set up […]
How to 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, we’ve partnered with our friends at Yell to gather some great — and mostly free! — ways to make sure your event is visible online. Make a […]
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 […]
In our experience, most local businesses want a blog on their website… but very few take the time to publish blog posts on a regular basis. We get it — deciding on what to post isn’t easy, and finding the time to sit down and write is even harder. After a while, you probably 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 […]
If your business isn’t leveraging the power of social media, then we hate to break it to you, but you’re falling behind. As a small business owner, you can’t afford to ignore social media any longer. When it comes to social media platforms that help small businesses, Facebook is the undisputed king. Creating a Facebook […]
30 years ago, when I was just starting out in marketing, my boss handed me a printed sheet of paper and told me to tack it on the wall. It was a list created by Erwin M. Soukup entitled “The 7 Steps to Stagnation.” Just like my boss passed it to me, I’m passing it to […]
Where do you stand when it comes to social media marketing? Social media is rapidly becoming a crucial part of marketing a small business. A recent report states that 70% of business-to-consumer marketers have acquired a customer through Facebook. Are you using social media to market your company? Here are some fast facts and quick […]
The holiday season is officially underway! With frequent down times and colder weather, countless consumers are spending more time hanging out on social media – which is the perfect place to reach your local audience. Here are a few tips to keep sleighing your social media efforts straight into next year. Map out your season: […]
Small business owners love to save time and money. That’s why it pays to have tools that work well without breaking the bank — and “free” is a price point that works for everyone! From useful online to-do lists and file sharing, to email campaigns and video calls, here are some of the best virtual […]
