How is it that some of our franchisees have a GREAT web presence, get awesome leads and use the online tools available to them, while others remain benign to what they can do with the Internet as a marketing tool? Do they spend more money to get this almost unfair leverage over competition? Are they at an advantage because they have a grasp on how these elements plus traditional promotions grow a business? Resoundingly, the answer is YES.
Let's understand what has happened in our marketplace. The web and all it delivers is the game changer. Prior to a society that uses Facebook and Twitter each day, our marketing efforts were broad and large in scope. Like casting a net into the ocean and hoping you'd catch something. (Anything!) Marketing your products and services was easier, but less measurable. Get a yellow page ad. Do a direct mail to hundreds of other businesses. Hang signs for passers-by to read. Don't forget, change things usually only once a year and hope like heck it flies. All good, common sense implementations, with positive intent, but who knows which pieces worked, stuck with a consumer, or bombed?
Now, we search online for anything and everything. We can see results (or not!) from our efforts and measure them in clicks, dollars, cost per thousand, email forms submitted, you name it. This is where we are, can you say you're on board? If so, don't be stymied into believing it's just you, it's also your friends, relatives and customers, too. I find that folks who ordinarily would never have engaged desktop computing now do so with regularity because of sites like Facebook. It's real easy to upload vacation pics and keep your status shiny and new for friends to see and share. They may not realize it, but they are customizing their "personal websites" every day. And it works! People are being driven to these social sites and they like the experience. Give some of the credit also to smart phones. Why wait idly in line for anything when you can surf the web while standing there and get answers. In this new realm, people are becoming marketers of their lives to their friends and business contacts. They do this because they can, technology has made it easy. They also do this because they have to ~ in order to hold a conversation these days with the rest of us...
Is it too late if you're not into the "web scene?" Can you catch up with the scores of people and businesses "in the buzz" of web marketing? Yes you can, here's how to, laid out in some simple steps. Your only requirement is flipping the switch on some things you aren't doing right now. It could require a change in habit, a change in thinking on your part, and a willingness to say, "YES". Try this:
- Participate in the AD FUND for your brand. Get involved, learn about the things they're doing to promote your store online. Move forward in this direction.
- Customize your store's website! A huge plus is treating it like your Facebook page. Don't leave stale pictures up on your doorstep, put new, vibrant photos and stories of how locals loved your products and services.
- Update your PRESS ROOM, NEWS or LOCAL HAPPENINGS pages to get lots of coverage regarding towns and communities you service. The search engines like this, your customers love it, say YES and do it!
- Setup profiles on Yahoo Businesses, Google, MSN and Microsoft's new BING search pages. Detail who you are as a business, where you are and what you do. This helps your search engine relevance greatly!
- Let other local businesses help you promote your store by linking to your business' site - Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, BNI, they will each help you promote your site if you'll ask.
- Get involved in social media - Many stores have a Facebook page for their business...and a Twitter account and a LinkedIN page. Each one is free, each addresses a different segment of interest among your potential client base... say YES and do these yourself or delegate it to a GEN Y employee that will relish the chance to perk up your sales doing something they know well!
- Use Flickr.com (photos) and YouTube or Vimeo.com (videos) to get more in depth info into the hands of your customers. Some stores have been very creative in doing this, and the results show! Have some fun with it, the boundaries have yet to be drawn, so use these FREE sites to help promote what you do. Link them to your website and grow.
Does any of this seem far fetched? Too difficult? Probably not, if you'll commit to doing it. It is a departure from the norm, but realistically, we are not going back, things are more likely to keep moving in this direction at a more rapid pace than before. Call us, we can help! We have suggestions, best practices, dos and don'ts.
Say, "YES" and experience what others are getting - a new, fresh response to their store and products.
-dm