POB Marketing

I’m attending an Internet Marketing conference this weekend in Las Vegas with some of the world’s top Internet Marketers. But I almost didn’t make it.

I woke up on time and finished packing, but I’m notorious for always trying to squeeze in one more thing before I go anywhere. So, of course, I didn’t get out the door as early as I had hoped. In fact, it was a few minutes before 6:00 am and I had a 7:00 flight.

I glanced at my itinerary right before I left, but I’ve flown on American Airlines so many times I’ve got it down to a science. So I didn’t even bother taking a paper copy. I knew I could use the E-Checkin kiosk, scoot down the hall to the security checkpoint that nobody knows about and that never has a line, and still have plenty of time to spare.

Traffic was light that early in the morning so I made good time. The parking garage shuttle picked me up right away and I was standing at the checkin kiosk at about 6:15. Only, the kiosk couldn’t find my itinerary. I didn’t have my flight number or confirmation number either, since I left the paper copy at home. So I move down to another kiosk and tried again. No luck.

So now I have to go get in line at the regular counter to have a real person help me out. Waiting in line, glancing at the clock, I start to get a little nervous. Do I have the right day? Did I make a mistake somewhere? I know I have a flight. What was the problem?

Then it’s my turn at the counter and a nice lady asks me for my ID. I tell her the kiosk didn’t like me. She says her system has no record for me either.  I assure her that I am on the 7:00 flight to Vegas. She tells me that American has a 7:20 flight with a layover in Dallas. I reply that I’m sure I’m on a direct flight leaving exactly at 7:00. Something isn’t adding up.

Panic sets in as I pull out my laptop to search for the email confirmation. I find the record from… Southwest.

Then I remember: American didn’t have any direct flights at the times I wanted to leave and return. So I booked with Southwest. The nice ticket counter woman tells me I need to go downstairs, past the baggage claim area, out the door to a transfer shuttle bus that can take me to the Southwest terminal. By now it is 6:30 and she doesn’t think I’ll make it. I thank her as I pack up my laptop and start running.

I find the shuttle, tell the driver I made a huge mistake and am trying to make a 7:00 flight on Southwest. So he takes off for the other terminal. I check my clock - it’s 6:38 am. We get there and the driver wishes me luck - he thinks I have a chance. I rush inside and grab the first kiosk. Success!

The security line isn’t too long and I know how to take off my shoes and belt, take out the laptop, run everything through the security scanners and get back dressed like a professional.  With my shoes barely tied I make a mad dash for gate E20, arriving at 6:58. A nice woman from Southwest is waiting for me. She checks me in and I get on board. I’m the last one to get on the plane and the only one out of breath. But I made it, and that’s all that mattered to me at that moment.

The rest of the trip was uneventful: I was able to check into my hotel room early, the weather is gorgeous and the conference should be great. I’ll be meeting everyone for drinks later today. It’s good to be in Las Vegas.

AT&T was in the news recently as they are hoping to be able to stop providing printed White Pages directories. I guess they don’t make any money off of them, and something called “the Internet” is making these printed directories a little less necessary (to say the least).

I learned about this state of affairs from a Riverfront Times blog post I happened upon using that very same Internet thing. This post suggested that AT&T should get rid of the Yellow Pages as well. What surprised me were the comments attached to the blog post from people who thought the Yellow Pages still served a useful purpose. So, of course, I had to add the following reply myself:

POB Marketing Reply To Riverfront Times

Wow, I can’t believe the people that are coming out to defend the Yellow Pages. Wake up, folks. I work with a lot of small businesses in St. Louis and the Yellow Pages are just not working for them like they used to. They realize that everyone is searching on Google or relying on social media like Facebook and Twitter and if they don’t start implementing an Internet marketing strategy they are going to be left behind.

And don’t overlook the fact that Google is putting serious effort into local searches. In fact, just a few days ago Google started rolling out changes whereby local business listings show up even for general searches. What does that mean? Let me give you an example: In the old days (prior to a week or two ago) you could find plumbers in your area by searching Google for “plumbers st. louis” or “plumbers webster groves”, which would provide a map with a “10 pack” of local businesses in the geographic area you specified. Now you can simply Google for “plumbers” with no geographic modifier and the fourth result on the page is the 10-pack map of local businesses.

Why did Google roll out this change? Because most people who search for “plumbers” are looking for a plumber in their local area. And Google works very, very hard to provide searchers with exactly what they are looking for. And, guess what? A lot of searches on Google these days are for local businesses.

If the Yellow Pages isn’t dead, it’s certainly on its last leg.

Is It Dead Yet?

What do you think? Do the printed Yellow Pages still provide value? Are your Yellow Pages ads bringing in customers? Is the Yellow Pages the best way to invest your marketing dollars? Or are those days over? Is it time for you to figure out this Internet thing?

Targeting Local Searches to Gain New Customers

Google AdWords is a remarkable marketing tool. Unfortunately many offline businesses have never considered using it, because they believe that it could not drive traffic and sales to their local store. This is a common misconception, and one that can be quickly overcome. If you use Google AdWords in the correct way, you can harness its amazing marketing abilities, and target local online searches to drive new customers to your website.

Getting Started

Before you even try to set up a Google AdWords campaign, you need to do your best to ensure that your website is ready to receive the traffic that it will send to you. Since you have to pay for each click that you receive from your AdWords campaign, it is to your benefit to ensure that your site can quickly grab a visitor’s attention, and get them to commit to at least providing you with their contact information.

Direct response websites are best at doing this. They not only attract the customer by only giving the information that interests them, but they also allow you to build a client list through an opt-in form. Also, make sure that if your customers are able to order online, that the ordering process is simple and clearly laid out.

Choosing Keywords

Once you have your site optimized for the customers that your AdWords campaign will provide, you can move on to choosing keywords. A keyword is the term that a potential visitor will type into Google when they are searching for something.

You want to choose keywords that only target the exact type of services or products that you offer. For example, if you only sell “green balls,” then you would not want to use the keywords “balls” because that would target everyone looking for any color ball. Choosing generalized keywords is a bad idea, because it will only drive your AdWords cost up and your sales down.

Use a free keyword tool to come up with specific keywords that will get you results. For instance, you can search for keywords that have your city’s name along with your type of business or product in them. These are the best types of keywords to locate, because you know they are targeting local traffic.

Targeting Your Geographic Location

The Google AdWords program has a geo-targeting feature that allows you to specify specific locations. Once you have placed certain locations within this feature, Google will only show your ads for people searching from that area. This is an extremely useful feature, as it saves you from wasting your money, and ensures that your ad gets in front of people who really could become local customers and produce sales.

There are many benefits to using Google AdWords to drive traffic to your website and sales to your business. However, it is only effective if you know how to target local searches, and if your website is optimized for the visitors that click through to it.

If you have a traditional, image-based website, then you are losing money. Many offline business owners spend thousands of dollars having a fancy site designed, because they feel that it will appeal to customers. The truth is, however, that those types of websites are not effective at capturing leads and generating sales. They may be pretty to look at, but they aren’t any good as business and marketing tools.

A direct response website can capture a visitors attention and turn them into a customer, or at least capture their contact information for future use. You will find some of the most common differences between these types of websites and image-based ones in the information below.

Focus on the Customer

Direct response websites focus on the customer and what they need or want. Regular sites on the other hand, focus only on the business and telling the customer about their accomplishments. This is not what the customer wants to hear. They want to hear what your business can do for them and why they should buy your product or service.

Capture Contact Information

If your website has no way of (legally) capturing a visitor’s contact information, then it is just a waste of space. Once you get a visitor’s consent to be able to send them information, you can send them a step by step informational series that can detail how your business can benefit them, and why they should buy.

You can also send out specials and promotions in the form of a broadcast message, and save money on offline advertising costs. Imagine the power of sending a targeted sales alert to over 400 leads that you know have already expressed an interest in your company.

Increase Customer Service

Does your current website allow you to follow up with a customer once they have made a purchase? I bet it doesn’t, and this could be costing you future business. With a direct response website, you can easily set up an autoresponder message to go out to those who make a purchase. This message could ask their opinion on the service they received, or just include a link or promotion to drive them back to your website. The point is that your customer feels valued and important.

Develop a Relationship with Prospects

One of the most important things to do in business is to build a relationship with your potential customers. Studies have shown that people very rarely ever sign up for something or purchase the first time they view a product.

When you have a direct response website and a prospect signs up for your subscription list, you can turn them into a sale over time by keeping in touch through an autoresponder. You can continue to send them useful information, and they in turn can have time to decide to purchase whatever you are offering.

Direct response websites work for your business, unlike image-based websites which just sit there and look pretty. If you are not actively pursuing your website visitors, then you are literally letting the money slip right through your fingers.

As a business owner, you may wonder how in the world a blog could benefit your website. Many business owners think that if they set up a website about their product or service and then leave it, people will automatically find it. This is not true, however, and there are a wide variety of ways that a blog could help to not only boost your sales, but also drive in traffic that you never would have had without it.

1. Business Blogs Provide Useful Content

Content is king on the Internet, and most business owners do not realize this. When you have a website built for your business, the chances are that there is not very much useful content on your site. In fact, the content that is on there may not even properly represent what you are trying to sell or advertise. When Google goes to rank your website, and figure out what keywords it should show up for, they look at the content that appears on your website. It isn’t going to do much good if Google puts you in the number one spot in rankings for your contact email address, but that may have been one of the main pieces of content that Google received from your site. A blog allows you to produce good quality content that is optimized for related keywords that receive hundreds or even thousands of searches each month. It also allows you to offer your visitors concrete and useful information, which could be good for helping them stay longer on your website.

2. Business Blogs Support Social Networking

Services like Digg and Twitter are growing by the millions each and every year. Social networking is a useful sales generating tool, and it allows you to get your information out to literally millions of people each year. A blog allows you to produce content pages and information that you can submit to these social networking sites. Each time you make a new post, you can link it to these sites, and people who see it can visit your website. Think of the potential that thousands of visitors each month could have for your business.

3. Business Blogs Create Loyal Customers

With a blog on your website, you are given the opportunity to bring a little bit of personality and style to your website. Without a blog, your visitors do not really know or trust you. If you have an engaging blog that not only helps to advertise your services, but also offers a look into your personal life, you can create loyal customers that will come back time and again to see what is new in your blog.

4. Business Blogs Advertise Your Business

One of the main benefits of a blog is that is an absolutely free advertising method that lets you reach all your visitors and let them know what specials you have going on. Normally you may pay hundreds of dollars for one local ad. With your blog, you can reach roughly the same amount of people but without the expense.

5. Business Blogs Let Visitors Interact

If you have a blog on your business website, then you can let your visitors interact with you and others. This is a great way to learn how your customers feel, what they like or dislike, and more importantly what they react to. A blog can be a very effective market research tool. You also have the opportunity to receive testimonials, as customers will begin to report how much they enjoyed your product or service.

As you can see, there is a lot of potential in having a blog on your business website. Without a blog it is almost impossible to rank well with Google for your chosen keywords, or to advertise specials and important information to your customers. The benefits that a blog provides are surely worth the minimal effort that it requires.