6 Secrets to Creating an Amazing Small Business Website
November 22, 2010
Finally, small business owners everywhere realize they need an online presence if they are going to compete in today’s world. Small business owners who just a year ago adamantly argued that their customers aren’t using the web are now jumping on board and admitting – yes, indeed they are.
But slapping up a website just for the sake of having a website can defeat the purpose – and can even harm your image if it isn’t done right.
If you’re thinking about creating a website – or even if you already have one – follow these 6 rules to make it the effective and powerful marketing tool it should be: 
- The website is not about you. A prospect is not looking for information about you; they are searching for a solution to their unique problem or need. THAT should be the focus of your home page. Use words and phrases they would use to describe their pain and then outline the solution you have to solve it.
- Have an offer. Get the most out of your website by using it as a lead generation tool. If someone spends time on your site, don’t just let them click away without engaging them further. Offer a newsletter, a free report, or even a free consultation. Do something to get them to act so you can find out who they are and market to them further.
- Be Unique. Beware of canned website services; you know - the ones that offer websites for CPAs or Chiropractors or Attorneys. They all the look the same, they all have the same content, and they make it really hard to differentiate you from your competition. Invest a little bit more in a site that allows you to stand apart from the crowd.
- Your website is your online storefront. Your website is very often going to be the first impression people get of your small business. Make it visually appealing. Make it interesting, informative and engaging. Make it different – add some fun elements, or news stories or free tips that your target market would be interested in. Make sure it’s professional- and PLEASE check your grammar and spelling!
- Use testimonials and case studies. Yes, your home page should be about the prospect and their problem – but once you’ve engaged them and gotten their attention, they will want proof that you can deliver as promised. Having a page of testimonials and case studies is a great way to demonstrate that you can deliver as promised.
- Make it easy for a prospect to contact you. Have a contact page that is easy to find, with your email address, and/or phone number. Put your phone number on the home page (some experts recommend having it on every page of your website). Finding a way to contact you should not be a game of “Where’s Elmo?” If it takes more than a second or two – you risk losing them – and they could mean a lost sale.
4 Steps to Finding Focus for Your Business
November 9, 2010
“What do you do for a living?” You get asked that all the time. How do you answer it? “I’m an electrician”, “an attorney”, “a dog groomer”? Are you and your business defined by your title or role – or are you known as the company that solves a specific problem for people?
Working with a client recently and taking her through the “finding focus” stage of developing a marketing system reminded me of that important question.
So many of us think we are the actions we perform – and not the problems we solve.
Your clients don’t hi
re you just because you’re an attorney, a dog groomer or an electrician – no matter how good you are. They hire you because they’re sick of dog hair all over the house, or because they’re afraid of getting raked over the coals in a divorce, or their power went out, the turkey is in the oven and they have 20 guests at their house.
When you understand why people really hire or buy from you you can begin to develop your marketing messaging and develop product and service packages that people want to buy! This process will also: 1) Help you stand apart from your competitors and 2) Help you communicate to potential customers in a way that can prompt them to buy.
So, what problem(s) do you solve for your clients? And does your company offer a product/services mix to solve their specific problems? If not, here is what I want you to do:
- Make a list of the different types of customers you work with; are they female, male, single, or married? Where do they live? How much do they earn? Etc….If you sell to businesses, is it a services based business? Retail? What type of business? How big? How long in business? This step will help you understand, first, who you serve best. Next we’ll look at the specific problems each segment has….
- List the specific problems they have before they hire you – Hint: they own a dog, need legal representation, or own a home with electricity aren’t enough… It needs to be a specific problem. Lots of people own dogs and never visit a groomer… so the mere fact of owning a dog is not a trigger to make someone a purchaser of grooming services. You need to dissect your client list and study them. When they call you, what problem do they say they need solved NOW?
- For each specific problem listed, think about the solution you provide – or can provide. For example: customer problem – “sick of having to vacuum my house every single day because my dog sheds so much… I don’t have time!” Solution: Create a service that reduces amount of dog hair around the house. So now, you are the service that reduces dog hair around the house, eliminates days of vacuuming and gives me more free time to do other things… see how that’s diffferent/better than, “I groom dogs”?
- Create product and/or service packages or bundles to solve the unique problems of each segment of your target market. Example: “We have mobile grooming packages that include: weekly cut, shampoo, and groom and at-home brushing services 3 times per week – guaranteed to reduce the number of days you vacuum from 7 to 1! Allowing you to spend less time cleaning and more time with your family! ”
Once you complete this exercise I guarantee you’ll have a better understanding of what you really sell, how to package, communicate, and sell it to your target market!
Market Research- the sneaky way
November 1, 2010
This article is a reprint of a recent blog by Randy Aimone, the Business Pediatrician. Randy is a Certified Duct Tape Marketing Coach, and like Fortune Marketing Company, helps small businesses install marketing systems that work. Randy’s goal is to, “help small businesses get healthy and stay healthy”. You can view his original post here: http://businesspediatrician.com/business-tools/market-research-the-sneaky-way/.
Market Research is generally one of the most cost-effective investments a business can make. But ‘proper’ market research is expensive and time consuming and can easily be confusing. Do you do statistical research? Focus Groups? Surveys? Informal Interviews? All are good and have their place, but all are also greatly limited. So what’s an entrepreneur to do?
One idea is this:
Until the mid 80′s the market research that Burger King would do before deciding to open a new front was very simple.
They would ask- “Where is there y a profitable/busy Mc-Donalds with property for sale within a mile?”
If they found a location- Burger King (logically and correctly) assumed that Mc Donalds had already done the marketing research, traffic pattern research and economic forecasting. srErgo, a good location for a Mc Donalds was almost always at least a decent place for a Burger King. That was pretty much it for nearly 20 years.
Burger King just needed to put someone with a click-counter to watch for a few hours counting traffic to gauge the storefront’s health. Nothing fancier than that.
So how does this apply to you?
In nearly every industry, there is a similar large company that you can fly under the radar of and copy large elements of their marketing research. I’m not suggesting you carbon copy their business by any means- but you can easily copy their pricing, their packages, and the level of detail that they give in the marketing materials.
So here’s your homework- Find a regional or national company in your industry. Take and steal all the promotional information you can. Secret shop them for insight into their processes- Yes, that’s correct- I said shop at your competition. Trust me- most major regional and national companies do so on a regular basis.
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+Carolyn Higgins, President of Fortune Marketing Company
- Carolyn Higgins, President of Fortune Marketing Company specializes in helping small to medium sized businesses get the customers they need to sell more, increase profits and achieve all of their business and personal goals. We do this by implementing and managing marketing systems based on data and strategy - there is no guess work. For more information visit us at: FortuneMarketingCompany.com. We'd be glad to help!
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