Getting started: 1. Make profit from your website
Businesses spend lots of money developing their websites and more often than not, they forget about them. They fail to promote them and understand their real value. The investment in a website should be making you money, shouldn't it be paying for itself? A website is a powerful marketing tool that helps your prospects understand who you are and what you can do for them, while making it easy for them to contact you. Help them to find it. Extra tip: Take some time to decide how you can get more visitors to your website. Read on, for more help here...
2. Increase your Internet exposure with Google
Many businesses believe that getting to the top of Google is still beyond them without spending a small fortune. But, there are many things that you can still do. Firstly optimise your web content with the keywords you want to be found with. Change your content regularly as Google loves fresh content! Tweet often, and in your Twitter Bio say what you do and where you are. Google loves twitter too. Finally, start that blog this year. Blogging can increase your search engine ranking. Extra tip: If you have a Wordpress website install a plugin called WordPress SEO and spend some time learning how to use it. This robust plugin helps you walk through the SEO process for every page or post on your website.
3. Use Social Media and meet your customers in their own environment
I can bet a million-to-one that not all your customers are outside your business premises right now; however, many thousands of them are on Facebook and Twitter as we speak. People and customers need to be found and social media is where they hang out. There are three ways to use Social media 1) Update your status with what you do (don't over do this though) 2) Share articles and tips with others or 3) just chat with people. Number three is my personal favorite. Remember, before your friends were your friends they were just people that you did not know, but then you began a conversation with them, which in turn, led to friendship, trust and admiration. The same applies to your customers. By softly interacting with them they’ll learn to respect you, gain knowledge about your business and gain trust in you. These things are important ingredient when we all buy. Extra tip: If you are still not on Twitter, make this year the year you start picking up business from one of the most powerful FREE marketing tools, ever.
4. Use text messages to keep in contact
E-mail marketing has its place, but nothing gets opened quicker than a Text message. To quote Sales expert, Phil Jones, "Text messages are like heat-seeking missiles; people consider them so important that they will even open them in the middle of a meeting." You can legitimately collect a customer’s mobile number and freely text them from time to time by asking them for it in return for keeping them notified of special offers and promotions. If you are a restaurant, this can be used effectively; a timely text message on Saturday afternoon could result in more reservations on Saturday evening. Extra tip: insert a web link in a text message to a mobile-friendly web page with pictures and more information - to bring the message home with colour.
5. Mobile Websites Are Required
One in three Google searches are done on a Smartphone today. If you want to increase brand engagement, your business will need a mobile-friendly website connected to your existing website so you don’t miss out on this opportunity. If you want to increase customer care and show that you appreciate your mobile customers give them a mobile friendly website they can read off their Smartphones. Smartphone Internet users often complain when they land on a website not optimised for a mobile phone that they can’t find contact information, but touchscreen phones can incorporate a "one touch" Find us, E-mail or “Click to call” button! Problem solved. Extra tip: Allow an expert to guide you about how mobile users use the Internet on a Smartphone and what key features they want to see in order for them to buy from you.
