The other day I found myself in an interesting discussion about small business advertising and the Internet. I was asked for my opinion on a marketing program offering web advertising for $ 125 per month on some web site. I asked about the Web site’s traffic and the number of leads it would generate. There was no data in the Web site’s sales material, but the sales rep still was convinced search engines loved the site. With no data to look at, I couldn’t make an informed decision. In the rush to market products and services on the Internet, we often forget the end goal is not to spend our marketing budget, but to increase sales.
Finding simple ways to test new marketing channels helps focus those dollars in areas that produce results. Here is a list of places to help you focus your marketing messages and monies on the right local audiences. Google Local | www.google.com/local/ddd Google Maps is a great resource for finding local businesses. You can add your business through the Google Local Business Center. As Google becomes the de facto yellow pages, having your business show up in local searches and on maps could be a big advantage. When people in our area type in ?auto transport? or ?car shipping?, a local map with our business information appears which lets them know that we are in their area. Try spicing up your listing with pictures and videos. You can even set up special coupons to track customer leads Google sends your way. Yahoo (http://listings.local.yahoo.com] and MSN (https://llc.local.live.com) have similar programs. Craigslist | www.craigslist.org Craigslist is a great resource for free classified listings. Started as a San Francisco events Web site, it has grown to an international service for local classifieds and forums for more than 450 cities worldwide. With more than 25 million U.S. customers per month, this is a wonderful place to post ads.
Remember to post at least once a week to keep your ad close to the top of the listings. And don’t forget to post comments in the forums. It never hurts to be seen as an expert in your field. Local TV & radio Web sites check your local newspaper and television web sites. Many times they offer free online classifieds. This is a great way to test the effectiveness of each station without paying for on-air ads. Another option is to leave comments on their forums and news stories. A series of well thought out comments can help people get to know you and your business. Remember to list your name, company name and Web site below each comment. Be authentic and add real value. Create special landing pages on your site for other Web sites you are test marketing. (For example: www.mycompany.com/google.html] For phone calls, use special referral code language such as “Ask about our Craigslist discount.” By investing a little time, you can use the Intemet to refine your marketing messages and find your target markets. Remember, it pays to experiment and track.
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