Blog articles that explain it all

Why your business needs a website, even if you've never left town.

Many business owners think that they don't need a website because they are a local business and have no plans to sell anything online, or even just a couple of towns over. They think this because they don't understand how people use the internet and what they do with it.

Let me enlighten you a little bit.

Google is used mainly as a research tool, not a shopping tool.

Yes, many people use Google to find products to buy. But this doesn't mean they are buying these products online. Many people use Google to gather information. The large majority of people still prefer to touch something before they buy it and simply use Google to research the product or service before they make a purchase. They also use it to find where to purchase what they are looking for.

It takes much more time and effort to flip through hundreds of pages in the phone book than it does to type 3 words in Google. People decide they want something, go to Google to see where to get it, and end up in your shop or office later that day to get what they want. If you are not on Google then this extremely large segment of internet savvy users are much more likely to end up as one of your competitors clients who does have a web presence.

Google is the new yellow pages, the yellow pages is the new door stop.

Google has gone and surpassed the yellow pages so fast it'll make your head spin. The yellow pages are on their death bed. How many phone books do you have sitting at your house? I have at least 3 and I can't even remember the last time I used them. The only reason I still have them is because I am too lazy to take them to the dumpster, that and they weigh 20lbs a piece.

So if the yellow pages worked well for you in the past, then you should probably get ready to make the switch online. Before you know it the yellow pages will cease to exist and your business may be right along side it.

It's not called the information superhighway for nothing.

The internet did not get its nickname for no reason. It really is the information superhighway, as cheesy as that sounds. As I said, people use the internet to gather information. It is a place where thousands of potential customers can go at anytime of the day and learn about you and your business. You don't have to call them, write them, talk to them or anything.

Potential clients go to Google and get information about your business. If you have a great website then the chances are that you will be seeing them in your place of business sometime soon. If you have no website or a bad website, then chances are the business across town will be seeing them very soon.

There are literally hundreds of ways to use your website to promote your business. Getting a great website is just the start, but it is a start that can go a long ways

A while ago Google introduced a "geographic box" at the top of its search results. This is tied in to its mapping feature, and, when it was first introduced, the engine would display three results at the top of its search results whenever somebody entered a geographic modifier into the search box ("Atlanta widgets," for example). The Google algorithm then has the intelligence to determine whether the query calls for results that are primarily local in scope

Since that initial trial, Google has obviously found that its users appreciate the feature. The engine now displays ten local search results at the top of the listings for certain queries, provided that they have a geographic modifier attached. For example, if you type in "Palo Alto Pizza" in Google, you will see ten results alongside a map that shows the location of ten Pizza places in Palo Alto CA.

It should be noted that you will not see local search results for all queries that contain a local modifier. In certain instances, it almost seems as if Google somehow "knows" when a geographic modifier really means that you only offer services in a particular area. Yeah, those guys are pretty good.

So how do you get your business's website on Google Local Search?

3 Steps...

1. Call Steps Marketing (we can help you with all that, but if you want to do it yourself...read on)

2. Sign up for Google Business Center (www.google.com/local/add) and make sure that your business profile is thorough and complete

3. Be sure that your website has a clear contact form with your name address and phone numbers all in text format, NO IMAGES!

There are many resources on the Internet to turn to if you are looking for local search engine optimization for your regional website, like Steps Marketing!

You'll find that many customers prefer to deal with people that are local, even if the business is national, or even global. A businessperson that is looking for, say, marketing consulting, may be inclined to work with someone with an address in close proximity found through local search. It just feels more comfortable - if something goes wrong, he or she can request a meeting, rather than calling an 800 number.

E-Commerce is a great way to start your own business and not have to pay large expenses like rent, utilities, insurance, employees and maintenance. You can start your own business selling anything from clothing to digital products and have your store up and running in weeks instead of months with a traditional brick and mortar store. It is also much cheaper to get your store running as you do not have to worry about decoration, painting, carpet, safety codes and a million other details which will drive your costs through the roof.

Here are just a few of the advantages to starting your own E-Commerce store.

1. You do not have to steal little Johnnys college fund to start your new business.

That's right, little Johnny can still go to college after you start your new business. While starting a traditional brick and mortar store will cost you more than a brand new Mercedes, an E-Commerce store will cost you closer to a 1995 Honda Civic (but it looks better, I swear!).

You do not have to buy paint for the walls, pay to bring the building up to code, pay for cash registers, shelving, cabinets, or anything like this. All you pay for is a website and you are ready to roll!

2. A fraction of the monthly expenses.

That's right, you will be paying next to nothing compared to the monthly costs of running a traditional brick and mortar store. Not only are you able to avoid the crazy costs of employees (not to mention the crazy employees themselves) you also get to eliminate your rent, utilities, insurance and maintenance costs. These are major costs associated with running a business that you don't have to worry about.

3. A fraction of the work!

This might be even more important to you than the monthly expenses you can save. With an a E-Commerce business you do not have to tear out the old carpet and put it in new, or paint the building, or clean trash out from the previous occupants, or install cabinets and shelving, or follow safety regulations, or, or, or! There is so much LESS work that needs to be done you won't have to drag your sleeping bag down to the shop and live there for the next 4 to 6 weeks. We handle all of the "work" for you and you can spend those 4 to 6 weeks doing important things like deciding if blue M&Ms really do taste better than the red ones.

Why does Steps Marketing make such awesome E-Commerce websites?

This is because we have been doing it since before Joanie loved Chachi. Well, maybe not that long but you get the point. We can create full E-Commerce solutions with the ability to list unlimited products, create user accounts, run online promotions and gift cards and about 937 other features for you to play with. We also use Google Analytics so you can track visitor information to your new store and learn where they are coming from, how often they come to your site, how long they stay, which products they look at the most, how long they look at products, which pages they are most likely to exit from and a whole host of other statistical information.

Your new store can also be integrated with all of your Social Media applications such as Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, etc. We can also help you collect your customers email address to send out newsletters, special promotions, information on new products and just about anything else you would like your clients to know.

Be sure to check out our Social Media Guide to learn more about how we can help you promote your new online store.

Twitter is the latest in the social media craze, and for good reason. Twitter allows you to connect and network with thousands of people. You can keep in contact with your current customers, become friend with you customers friends, network with other businesses in your area, and you can even network with people in your same industry in other parts of the world.

Here are a few ways Twitter can help your business.

1. Network with other businesses.

You can use Twitter to meet and network with other business owners who you may be able to share business with. Do you own a hair salon? Maybe a local day spa will want to work with you and refer clientele back and forth.

2. Meet your clients friends.

You can look at your current clients profiles and start conversations with their friends. If one of your clients is having an interesting conversation on his Twitter page you are more than welcome to add your thoughts. This is the great thing about Twitter, people are not excluded. It is not weird for you to share your thoughts on someone else's conversations. This will then lead to others talking to you and you being able to get your business name out there even more.

3. Keep your clients updated.

Just like your blog, Twitter is another great place to update your clients. As a matter a fact, you can even integrate Twitter with your blog so every time you post a new blog it will show up on Twitter and vice a versa. If you are having a special or a sale or have a new product Twitter is another great place to let people know.

4. Share ideas and problems with others in your industry.

This is probably my single favorite use of Twitter. Say you own a Sushi restaurant in San Diego. Maybe you are having problems with your Saki distributor or you’re marketing campaigns are just not doing as well as you would like. Well with Twitter you could ask your network of 37 other Sushi restaurant owners all across the US and get their advice and opinions. Maybe an owner up in Carlsbad has a great Saki distributor and he will give you their number. Or maybe an owner over in Chicago just created a new marketing campaign and would be happy to share his thoughts on what works and what doesn't.

I am sure you have a million questions you would love to ask other owners about but are unable to ask the ones you know because they are your direct competitors. Well now with Twitter you can ask other owners all around the county or even the world.

These are just a handful of the ways Twitter can help your business. Integrating Twitter with your website, blog and other social media is a surefire way to drive traffic to your website, and ultimately your business.

Still unsure exactly how a website is going to bring you business? Let us help you out.

Think of your website as the ultimate commercial. Scratch that, it is even BETTER than a commercial! Commercials only come on once or twice a day and people can't watch them when they want to. You can only show a limited amount of information and it costs you money every time they run.

An awesome website can attract more viewers, give them more information and do it all at a much cheaper price. Here are a few ways you can use a website to help your business.

1. Put your web address EVERYWHERE!

That's right EV-ERY-WHERE! Print it big and clear on your business cards, your brochures, flyers, billboards, postcards, letterhead...want me to go on? Ok. Your shopping bags, business receipts, business sign and just about everywhere else you can think of. People may not always come into your business to see what you offer, but many people will go to your website to see what you offer.

2. Stop collecting change and start collecting Emails.

You know those crazy people who will run out into the street if they see a nickel? Yeah, be crazy just like them except do it with Email addresses. Email marketing is probably the most cost effective, and just downright effective, ways to keep your clients coming back and keep them spending money. Having a sale? Send an email to your list of current and post customers. Have an awesome new product you want to tell them about? 30 seconds and one click of a button later and they all will know.

The bigger your list, the more effective your campaign. Have a signup sheet by the register and make sure to ask each and every person who comes through the door if they would like to be included.

3. Use Social Media

Social Media is going to be right up there with collecting emails. It is free and allows you to connect with people instantly. Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, YouTube and the list goes on. These are all great ways to both stay in contact with current clients as well as get in touch with new clients. Be sure to check out our Social Media Guide for more information on Social Media.

4. Cross promotion.

This is another free and highly effective way to promote your business and website. Find a business owner who has a similar target market as you. Offer to send an email to your clients letting them know about his services if he does the same for you. For example, say your business is a bar and grill. You could team up with a mens clothing store and each one of you could let your clients now about the others services. Include their website in the email and your conversions will go way up. This is free and both of you are bound to gain new customers.

5. Ask clients to leave you a review on Yelp.

Ever used Yelp? It is a place where past customers can go to leave a review of you and your service for others to read. Once you start getting a dozen or so positive reviews you will start attracting a lot of visitors to your website, and also to your business. People put a lot of faith in testimonials and this is exactly what Yelp is for. An easy way to get reviews is to just put a small sign up by your cash register asking people to leave you a review. If you can get 1 review per day you will end up being the highest rated provider in your niche in no time at all.

These are just a small handful of the ways you can drive traffic to your website and to your business. Be sure to read our other articles and learn more about how to use your website to make more money.