The economy has gotten rough, and you might be finding it hard to hit payroll. Unemployment is at an all time high and the economy is just starting to show signs of leveling out. While all of this may sound devastating to a small business owner, there are several ways to dig yourself out of the trenches.
You first need to analyze where your advertising dollars are going. It is a good idea to closely monitor all avenues of advertising to determine which ones are giving you a good return on investment. An ad that simply breaks itself even is not an ad you need to continue to fund and if you have no way to track the advertisements you can probably do without it too.
Needless to say, most print mediums are out dated and used, ironically, as paper weights. More and more consumers are turning to the internet to find the goods or services they are looking for. Can customers find you?
Once you have determined where you can shave a few pennies out of your advertising budget, you need to find online resources that can generate you business. One of the easiest ways to find reputable online advertising companies is to Google the keywords you think your customers would search for.
When the page pulls up, scroll through the links on the first page and find a good business directory. Be careful; don't jump the gun just yet. There are several items you need to consider when placing an ad online. A few things to keep in mind include:
Location, Location, Location
You want to be on the first page of the business directory, but most importantly you need to be on the "used" side of the first page. This means you need to be listed in the natural search results. Avoid paying per click, and avoid the sponsored link side of the page.
Just the Facts
Construct an ad that is easy to read, informative and to the point. Don't overload the customer with information they don't need to know. If you give the customer too much information, they won't have a need to pick up the phone and call you. Sometimes person to person contact is the easiest way to convey the reliability of your business.
Get Your Money's Worth
Too many people watch their advertising money disappear with no measurable return. Don't let yourself get lost in the shuffle. Dollar for dollar, it will be a better investment for your company to promote yourself through an online business directory. Find a company that will not tie you into a long term contract. Make them put their money where their mouth is and earn your hard earned dollar on a month to month basis.
Be Selective
Do not put yourself in a position to be one out of thousands. Find a business directory that limits the amount of members they take and also provide a source of credibility for you and your business.
TenList creates a win-win situation by connecting local businesses with local customers to provide a business directory with True Local Results for all. For a fraction of what other business directories charge, TenList can drive unlimited search engine traffic to your business.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Simmons
No comments:
Post a Comment