Marketing Questions from the Trenches

Shirley Frazier speaking at a trade show Not posting on a regular basis is out of character for me. My travel schedule has me on a steady stream of flights. When I arrive at my destination, the chosen hotel provides Internet options, but I admit to being too tired or busy to stay online as long as I wish.

Actually, it’s good to get off the computer and mingle with the people who attend my seminars at trade and business conferences. Every seat at a recent retail Web site seminar was occupied, and I expect the same this weekend when I present again in Orlando.

I was asked to place the seminar’s outline on a sister site and did so to accommodate attendees. The pages are an example of how to market after a seminar (give people a reason to visit your site). I could have added information on the page about consulting options, but I’d rather have retailers explore the site and become comfortable before I offer more.

I appreciate how traveling to different states allows me to find out which marketing options are working and which are a challenge for solo business owners. Here are three questions that I’ve answered that seem to be on many minds.

Q. How do I get to the top (of my industry category) in Google’s search engine?

A. Page one? Sure, it’s where everyone wants to be, but what’s the point when your core business is offline? It’s not as important to be on page one as it is to be first and foremost in the customer’s mind when they’re searching for the products and services you offer. A well-rounded marketing plan gets sales. That’s the focus.

Q. Is starting a Web site or blog better?

A. This depends on your ability to keep content fresh and timeless. Creating a static Web site is a good, overall start when you have no online presence. Blogs seemingly rise higher in search engine citings; however, if a blog’s date-posting format is not for you, stick with a Web site and consider adding a blog in the future.

Q. How can I get the word about about my business?

A. Sending postcards to clients on your internal mailing list is a start. From there, develop a brief newsletter sent on a weekly or monthly basis, filling it with links that lead back to your Web site or blog. Also, develop relationships with your state’s tourism division and merchant’s association to trade online links.

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