localsearch

Why your business can no longer ignore local search marketing

Local Search is getting a lot of attention lately. Local search is experiencing explosive growth, and both merchants and marketers are getting vocal about going local. 

Businesses spend $90 billion yearly on local advertising and this amount is growing rapidly.

 Local search is replacing the Yellow Pages as the preferred way consumers find local businesses and services and is the natural evolution of Yellow Pages directory advertising moving to the internet. Local search is important because it can help businesses dependent on local customers to be found by local prospects and by appearing in more than one local search engine’s results pages. Local search is intended for a brick and mortar business with a physical address that people in the community will search for and visit. 

Local Search is a pivotal part of the small business online marketing arsenal. However, it isn’t only for local companies. Many big companies are using local search to increase their brand and build local relevance. Franchises and chains are advertising individual locations in the local search engines. The real action in internet local search is in getting national advertisers and small service-oriented businesses that don't advertise in newspapers or on TV stations.

Local search marketing gives companies the ability to have a very targeted top listing without paying for it. For businesses wanting to connect with consumers, networking through local search is a great opportunity because it targets users while they are shopping. In fact as local search and business reviews become more widely used and spread to mobile phones you may find local search increasing sales.

Local search marketing does face some serious challenges. Like the Yellow Pages the only businesses that benefit are the ones that are included in the directory. Businesses that are not listed in the print Yellow Pages or the local search engines have a very poor chance of being listed in the local search engine results.

Since local search is still in its infancy and its search criteria are different than the standard search engine, there's an opportunity for pioneering businesses to create an online presence for their local market. Mainly because so few other businesses know they can do this. Over 50% of all local searches are “directory assistance” searches. However, the lack of websites among small neighborhood businesses is estimated by some to be as high a 70%. Needless to say, most of these businesses have not taken any steps to promote themselves online so their chances of being found in a “directory assistance” search by their customers are poor.

Depending on whose numbers you choose, local advertising is worth somewhere between $22 billion and $94 billion, including all forms of advertising and marketing, from yellow pages and newspapers to direct mail, magazines and local TV and radio. The growth associated with local search online is simply a reflection of the usage of search engines and the rise of the Internet as a daily utility in people's lives.

Local search is growing more popular with your next generation of customers and if your business isn't listed in the local search engines you could be losing valuable business. For small businesses, especially with a local focus, Local Search is an essential ingredient in surviving the turbulent economic times ahead.

 About the Author:

Terry Mickelson has a unique understanding of local search marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, link popularity building, social media and they way they interact with one another in real life to generate traffic and increase revenue. Since 1998 Terry has been helping companies from mom and pop’s to fortune 500’s get found locally and nationally in the search engine results pages. Terry can be reached at 480-626-4807 http://www.getfoundlocal.com

11 Steps to Creating a Brilliant 60 second Commercial

Word of mouth advertising can be one of the best forms of advertising available. However many people get stuck in a rut and assume that they people they network with know what they do and who a good lead for them is. An effective 60 second commercial, delivered with spunk at a meeting can energize the room and have a long lasting effect on your business.

1. Keep it short and focused.      You can give a presentation and tell people about all of the interesting features      and benefits your company offers. But, this isn’t the time or place for      that – yet. Experts suggest keeping your networking pitch to under 60      seconds. A brief message that catches and holds the attention of the      people in the room is perfect. If you sound like you are quoting brochure      or ad copy, most everyone will tune out. Keep it focused on achieving your      desired goal – getting the people in the room to be looking for      opportunities for you.
2. Brainstorm words and      images. Think about what sets your company, your services and you      apart from your competitors. Then, come up with words and images that      illustrate these ideas.
3. Lead with the benefits.      A stranger doesn’t care about you or your company. They don’t care about      your products or services. They don’t want to know how long you’ve been in      business or about your experience. They care mostly about themselves. If      you’re going to interest anyone in yourself, your organization and what it      provides, you have to make your networking partners understand how to      explain to their customers/prospects  WII-FM, or what’s in it for me? So, open      your 60 second commercial with how your work benefits others. 
4. Be real. Though you’re      presenting your self and your company, don’t even think about selling the      people in the room. If they want what you have they will ask. In other      words, don’t  treat your 60 second      commercial like a sales pitch. Instead, focus on building a relationships..
5. Tell a compelling story. People      love stories and storytellers. They engage us and let us feel free to      interact and converse. Telling a story with your commercial is a great way      to interest the listener and ensure the conversation moves forward into      the details of what you do. For example, tell a story about someone      finding a solution to a problem – the solution, of course, is your company      or product.
6. Don’t tell too much. Rather      than divulging every aspect of who you are and what you do, you must      create a 60 second commercial that compels the listener to ask more. The      best ones transition into conversations driven by the listener’s      curiosity. This has the dual impact of engaging your fellow members and      enabling you to go into greater detail on your products and services.
7. Stay flexible. No      matter how much time you spend developing the perfect pitch, you’ll have      to adapt it to each group, change it up to include other products and      services you offer.. Also, it’s vital to keep it updated and      practice it regularly.
8. Be specific about who you want to do business with. “A good      lead for me is…” makes it easy for the people in the room to remember when      they come across people. The more specific you are, potentially the fewer      leads you will receive but they will be of higher quality.
9. Create a memorable hook. People remember things like jingles,      tag lines and humorous sayings. I remember (and still remember the persons      name 10 years later) Wayne from Infincom closing a 60 second commercial      with “Everything we do we Dudley Do Right” and a company called Royal      Plumbing cleverly saying “A Royal Flush beats a Full house every time”
10. Leave Behinds. It is very important to leave behind for      everyone a flyer, brochure, catalog or at least a business card. Even if      people know who you are and what you do this is another opportunity to      reinforce your message.

Overtime we all become a little lazy when we attend a weekly networking meeting. It is very easy to assume that the people in the room know all about your business but studies show that very few people actually can accurately repeat the benefits of doing business with you to a prospect. Better they have something to refresh their memory each week.

Networking meetings can be an effective method of developing a network of eyes and ears – people who are looking for business opportunities for you. If you treat it like the expensive advertising it really is.

Terry Mickelson has a unique understanding of local search marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, link popularity building, social media and they way they interact with one another in real life to generate traffic and increase revenue. Since 1998 Terry has been helping companies from mom and pop’s to fortune 500’s get found locally and nationally in the search engine results pages. Terry can be reached at 480-626-4807 http://www.getfoundlocal.com