Reviews

How Your Small Business Can Get Better Reviews

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Obtain Reviews That Are Useful

In the past we’ve harped on how small business internet marketing takes several, ongoing, pieces to fit into the puzzle and reviews are just one of them. If you’re a small business owner and you’ve been putting in the effort to request reviews from your customers, that’s great, but how do you know the reviews will be useful?

Often times, when businesses ask for reviews as part of their marketing technique, they get one or two liners that say something like: “I love their services, they’re really great.” The sentiment may be there, but the message says nothing about the actual experience that potential customers can expect when visiting with you for products or services.

Before people buy anything they, generally, read reviews online whether it be a retailer for a product or a service related industry. People want to make sure they’re not wasting their hard earned money and reading useless reviews isn’t helping them make a decision. While you can’t twist your customers’ arms and make them write a better review, you can encourage the best kind of review in the way that you ask for them.

Your current review request:

“Would you mind taking a few minutes to write a review about your visit, today?”

A better review request:

“Before you leave, would you mind taking 3 minutes to write a review telling your story about why you came in and whether your issue was resolved today?”

Asking the first question leaves you open to receive more of those one-liners whereas the second question gets people thinking about their total experience and doing so tends to yield a longer, more insightful review.

If you don’t know where to direct people to leave you reviews, that’s a whole other ballgame and it’s one that we play well. If you have questions regarding anything mentioned in this blog, please feel free to give our small business internet marketing team a call @ 405-757-4540.

Small Business Website 2

Why Updating Your Small Business Website Is Important: Part 2

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Small Business Website Updates Vital To Validity

Websites aren’t like the famous rotisserie machine with the tagline “set it and forget it”. If you haven’t touched your website in over a year, there may be things that are outdated. With each passing year, technology has brought in a set of guidelines to follow. Your website might not be relevant to what it popular right now. In part one of this series, we talked about 2 reasons why it is important to keep your small business’ website updated. Today, we’re going to touch on 1 more reason why you should update your small business website.

Updates make your business look put-together.

We saved the biggest reason for last, because it’s the most noteworthy! As a business serving clients, you certainly don’t want to look unprofessional. There are a lot of competitors out there so you really do need to look well put-together and organized. The first place people will look for you, is online. Do you want your website casting you in a bad light? We hope not. No one wants to even think about doing business with someone that hasn’t got it together. Sloppy websites bring to mind sloppy business and who knows where those mental images could go.

Aside from potential clients, think about your current clients. The only way to keep them coming back to your website, helping you to stay relevant on search engines, is to give them a reason to want to come back. The first step is bringing your website out of the 1990’s and to reflect that you’re present in 2016! The second step is to offer minor updates every so often, such as latest news, recent activities, or important information found in your blog.

PS: Don’t actually promise updates, unless you plan to provide them.

In case you missed the first part of this post, let it be known that we fully understand the need to update your small business website, because even we have had to have a transformation of our own. You can’t look legitimate if you don’t look like you know what’s going on in the present. Get up to date!

Small Busines Website

Why Updating Your Small Business Website Is Important: Part 1

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Small Business Website Updates Vital To Validity

Perhaps, when you first put your website up it was the best thing since sliced bread, but there’s one thing you have to know and that is that nothing remains the same, especially in the digital world. New trends are always flowing and what was deemed relevant a few years ago may not be what gets you noticed, today. It’s crucial to update your website, especially if you’re still using something that looks like it was from the 1990’s. Today, we’re going to touch on 2 out 3 reasons why you should update your small business website.

1.) Updating makes search engine happy! Ok, so we’re not saying that search engines like Google have feelings; we’re not crazy. What we mean by making search engines happy is that they are programed to sort through content and deliver researchers the most relevant data possible. When you make modern updates to your site it makes your website look “alive” with activity. Now, we’re not saying that your small business’ website will sky rocket to the number one location on Google’s front page, but the changes might just boost your ranking one step closer.

2.) It allows you to convey your message. Yes, potential clients will be seeking for your small business and they need to know what services you offer, where you are located, and what times you are available, but there is more to a website than being a digital business card. Updating your website to allow for a blog location is important! Having a blog with ideas, issues, explanations of products or services, and important information can help you be more relatable to clients and allows you to convey the message that you are there to help.

Having undergone a website transformation of our own in the last few months, we understand why updating your small business website is so important. Not only does it allow you to get a newer, sleeker design, but it also brings credibility to your small business. Need another reason to update your website? Tune in next month for part two of this series!

Hashtag-Social Media

Do You Use #Hashtags On Social Media?

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Trending In Social Media

When hashtags first started being used by Twitter users, there were a lot of people that didn’t understand this new way to communicate on social media. Over the last few years, hashtags have become popular for different reasons, especially now that Facebook and other social media sites allows them. You may be wondering at this point, “how does my small business internet marketing campaign benefit from using hashtags?”

There has been some speculation as to whether hashtags are even still relevant in 2016, but the truth is that they are important. Here are few reasons that hashtags have been deemed important for small business internet marketing:

  • Google counts hashtag searches (Google+) and if someone looks for your hashtag your post could pop up.
  • Social media channels that use the hashtag system allow you to search by category so as to find all posts relating to a particular hashtag, giving your post another chance to be found.
  • Posts with hashtags tend to be more engaging and have more viewers, meaning you increase your chances of getting more business.

While it is still a relevant way to get noticed online, over using the hashtag symbol before words (ex: #smallbusiness or #internetmarketing) may get you into trouble. Writing a paragraph full of only hashtag words will most likely cause people to scroll past your post which will appear to be nothing more than spam. Rule of thumb: Stick to a simple method; only tag 1-3 words for business related posts.

Do you use hashtags on social media? If not, for the sake of your small business internet marketing campaign, you might want to consider trying it out.

If you have any questions or need help with any part of your small business internet marketing campaign, don’t hesitate to give Marketing 2 Point 0,Inc. a call @ 405-757-4540.

trust

3 Ways To Earn The Trust Of Your Customers

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Trust: Be More Than Just Another Business

Many small businesses get too aggressive with their approach to attempt attracting more customers. Rather than being the annoyance that will soon get you “unfollowed” on social media and untrusted by your audience, there are better ways to get customers in your door and that’s by earning their trust.

Today, we’re going to discuss 3 ways you can begin to earn the trust of your customers.

1.) Have A Clean Reputation: You better believe that your customers are digitally-enabled and smart about who they choose to purchase products or services from. Marketing yourself does go deeper than just having an online presence.

You also need to have a clean online reputation. Make sure you have nothing to hide, because if there is any dirt out there about your business you know customers are sure to find it!

2.) Show Them Some Respect: Earning trust from customers means you have to be trustworthy. Don’t be one of those businesses that puts fine print on everything and then charges outrageous fees.

Doing so will earn you a line full of customers bolting another direction. Listening to customer feedback and making changes, when necessary, to provide them with their wants or needs will help you gain their trust.

3.) Don’t Make False Promises: There’s nothing more frustrating to a customer than to expect a high quality of service and receive the total opposite. If for any reason you are unable to fulfill a customer’s wishes, it is important to contact that customer immediately and be 100% honest about the situation.

If your business doesn’t revolve around truth, you will eventually lose trust and customers!

Too many small business owners fail to recognize the importance of trust and then wonder why their customers look elsewhere. Don’t forget to listen to what your customers are telling you! Remember, your brand and everything about your business should start with a focus on how your promises will live up to the expectations of your customers.

To learn more or receive help getting started with a marketing plan, feel free to give us a call @ 405-757-4540 or click here.

small business internet marketing

Beakn For Small Business Internet Marketing

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Let Technology Help Your Small Business Internet Marketing

Have you ever stopped to wonder how you can increase foot traffic to your small business? You already know that doing so is extremely important and being top of mind is necessary to fulfill that goal. We’ve talked about many small business internet marketing techniques which included having an online presence, a responsive website, and keeping a clean online reputation, but today, we’re going to talk about a different type of technology. Enter Beakn.

How can Beakn be used for your small business internet marketing efforts?

Let’s take a closer look at what Beakn can do. This is a fairly new program that functions by using bluetooth capabilities to allow the user to do many things! Some of the functions include, but may not be limited to:

  • Detecting customers that are near your business and sending them special offers
  • Sending customer profiles via text message to business owners
  • Allowing businesses to send review requests to customers after they leave

Why is this significant for small business internet marketing?

Imagine the success of Facebook for just a moment. Now translate that into Beakn. Just like Facebook, anyone can be connected to Beakn with their own account. That means that the more businesses are using it for promotional offers, the more people will be downloading the app. That translates to more potential customers being able to receive your push notifications and more.

Some examples of push notifications might include announcing things like:

  • Buy 2 Items, Get 1 Free (or buy one service, get another free)

Of course, the special offers can be tweaked to fit whatever your small business has going on. Allowing customers to see special offers before they arrive cuts down on the time it takes for customers to purchase something or the buy cycle. Sending customer profiles to business owners, give them a leg up on customers. Finally, getting reviews from customers is a great way to boost your image online.

Let technology be a friend to your small business internet marketing.

If you have questions about Beakn our team, at Marketing 2 Point 0, Inc. is available @ 405-757-4540 to give you some advice.

Support

Marketing Support The Way You Need It

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The Right Tools With The Right Support

Sometimes people are too stubborn to ask for help. The truth is that everyone needs help at some point and it’s perfectly alright to ask. Purchasing a marketing package from a company shouldn’t mean that you get some services, get charged every month and never speak to them during the course of your contract.

The whole point of a marketing plan is to get your brand some recognition and you also deserve impressive customer support in times of need. At Marketing 2 Point 0, Inc. we offer support the way you need it, when you need it.

In fact, we offer support in several different ways.

1.) Face-To-Face: For customers willing and able to do so, we will arrange a monthly sit-down meeting to give accountability reports and updates as to the progress of our work flow. We don’t want you to ever feel as though you’re paying for nothing.

2.) Support Via Telephone: For customers that are further away or pressed for time, the most common way to keep in touch is by having a conference call.

3.) Online: We love emails! Sometimes people just want to check in with quick questions, without having to call anyone or have lengthy conversations. We get that and we’re perfectly fine with answering questions via email.

Not everyone is the same when it comes to seeking help or finding answers to their marketing questions. Some people despise chatting via email and others hate the idea of talking on the telephone. Whatever your preferred method of customer support is, we have options to choose from. We’re dedicated to giving you the right tools to help your business run smoother and we strive to provide you with the best support that we can.

Do you need internet marketing? If you’d like to request a free consultation, please feel free to click here or call us @ 405-757-4540.

Home Page Videos 2

Videos On The Home Page: Part 2

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Videos: Attention grabbers

As you may already know, we have talked about how blogging and vlogging is super helpful when it comes to small business internet marketing. In part one of this series, we also talked about how videos can be used on the homepage of your website to grab the attention of customers and improve branding. As mentioned, when people search for services and they find your website, it should tell them enough about your company to get them to look around the site. Videos are a great way to do just that! In part two of this series we will be talking about two more reasons why videos improve your small business internet marketing campaign.

Videos are helpful to improve small business internet marketing for these reasons:

  • Adding new content builds SEO
  • Customers get information without having to work for it

SEO: Search Engine Optimization is the at the root of small business internet marketing. It is what is working towards getting your website ranked on search engines like Google. So when other people go looking for services or products like yours, in your area, your website actually pulls up. At least that’s the idea. Videos are well-liked by the “system” and help to boost your SEO efforts.

Information: If you talk about what your business provides beyond the average small business, where you’re located and how customers can reach you, it’s giving them instant data that they didn’t have to go digging around the website to find. It’s effortless. People like effortless.

The power to improve small business internet marketing with the use of videos is outstanding. According to the Online Publishers Association, 80% internet users recall watching a video ad on a website they visited in the past 30 days and 46% of those people took some action after viewing the ad. Almost half conversion rate? That’s not terrible! The fact is that with so much information on your website, an introductory video makes it easy and more interesting for customers to understand your brand without reading a wall of text.

If you’re a local small business in need of some video production, we have a studio right in our office! Let us help you with small business internet marketing.

To get started with a marketing consultation contact us online or by calling us @ 405-757-4540.

Home Page Videos

Videos On The Home Page: Part 1

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Videos: Attention grabbers

We’ve talked about how blogging and vlogging (posting videos in place of or within blogs) can help with small business internet marketing, but now we’re talking about using videos another way. Whether good or bad, your homepage definitely leaves an impression on your potential customers. When people search for <insert your product or service here> and they find your website, it should tell them enough about your company to get them to look around the site. In other words, you need something to keep them from clicking the back button and videos make good attention grabbers.

Why are videos so great for people? How do they help with small business internet marketing? Both are fabulous questions and the answers are easy to provide as well! In part one of this series we will talk about a few reasons why videos are helpful:

  • Customers become more engaged
  • The video is a way to improve your branding

Engaged: It’s no surprise that with so much external stimulation in daily life that attention spans aren’t what they used to be. Videos are faster than reading and make people stick around longer.

Branding: Putting yourself on video gives customers a glimpse of what you’re about and gives you a chance to tell them about your business or some heartfelt message that they wouldn’t get from reading your wall of text.

If that’s not convincing enough for you to jump on board the video train perhaps knowing about the number of video watchers daily will peak your interest. Here’s some proof that small business internet marketing with videos can bring more website viewers. According to comScore, which measures online engagement and use, 100 Million internet users watch online videos each day and a lot of them are looking to buy a service or product.

If you want to know more about how videos can boost your small business internet marketing campaign, stick around for part two of this series!

If you just want to get started with a marketing consultation, feel free to contact us online or give us a call @ 405-757-4540.

Videos

Are Your Pitch Videos Too Long?

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Don’t post a snooze fest of a video!

Small business internet marketing has a lot going on and videos just add to the hype, but let’s face it, there is a lot to look at online. There are loads of ads, photos, banners, pop-ups, videos and more videos!

It’s no wonder with everything going on that the nanosecond a video is deemed “too long” people click away and they’re on to something else.

In the digital age (ie: the era we’re in now) people simply don’t have the attention spans that they used to when it comes to watching videos. While people do love videos, there are certain conscious guidelines the majority of consumers follow.

If you have videos on your website you could be damaging your small business internet marketing campaign with simple mistakes. Are you posting a snooze fest of a video right from the get go?

One of the strongest determining factors for potential customers to even click on your video is the length of the video.

TIP: You don’t have to show off EVERYTHING your business has to offer in one video. Haven’t you ever heard the saying “no one will buy the ice cream if you’re giving away the whole truck for free?”

The answer when making videos is to stick to short scripts. Anything under a minute is fabulous! In fact, 45-90 seconds is perfectly long enough to keep your audience interested in the highlights of your product or service.

Keeping it short will increase the chance of your audience actually making it through your entire video.

If you want to know more or need some help getting started in the right direction, feel free to contact us online or give us a call @ 405-757-4540. We’d be happy to have a consultation with you, give you more video tips and find out about your small business internet marketing needs.