In a down economy, setting up a website
and optimizing it for local search is a great way to not
only survive in the poor economy, but to thrive in a great
economy.
One of the mistakes many businesses
make in a down economy is to simply cut their current
marketing mix. But, using the same tactics and channels
with less investment leads to predictable results - fewer
sales leads and lower brand recognition.
Instead of simply spending less money,
spend it smarter by ramping up online marketing
activities. It is estimated that 81% of Web users go
online to research products or services before they buy.
Those are your prospects. Get in front of them with more
aggressive search and online advertising campaigns. In
fact, now is the perfect time to dive into local search to
attract online users right in your backyard.
You can replace your Yellow Book ad. A
website is much less expensive and can be updated when
needed, while your hard-copy Yellow Pages' ad can be
changed only once a year. Providing an up-to-date, easy
to navigate website for your customers is essential to
growing your business. You can provide more info in a
one- page website than in an entire Yellow Page ad.
Provide your location, store hours, services, products,
contact information, weekly specials, and more. As an
example, if you move just when the book is printed you
wouldn't be able to tell prospective customers for a
YEAR. With a website, you can tell them TODAY!
However, as you move more online, don't
forget branding initiatives. Many organizations,
especially small and midsize businesses, do away with
brand-building activities such as print advertising,
online banner ads, direct marketing, and broadcast media
simply because that is what their competitors are doing.
Instead, use that follow the herd mentality to
differentiate your business. Step up brand awareness by
filling those channels just as your competitors are
leaving them. You can often score media buys at a
discount, and even modest investment can reap big rewards:
Once the economy brightens and competitors rush back,
customers will already be familiar with you.
