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7 Small Business Internet Marketing Strategies that Work

November 14, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

More so than any other group, small businesses are the ones who can benefit most from online marketing strategies. This article is going to discuss 7 small business internet marketing strategies that can help increase revenues and brand awareness at the local, state, or national levels.

 Without further delay, here are 7 tips that your small business can use in order to increase business via internet marketing.

1. Build a website. Chances are your business may already have a website, but if not then investing in a quality website is one of the most important steps you can take to gain business via the internet. Now, a website itself is not going to make a dramatic increase in your business profits, but it does lay the essential foundations that all small business internet marketing campaigns must possess. Quick tools like Go daddy’s website tonight are actually terrible, because they cause many technical headaches, and the websites created will never attract the new business you desire.

2. Focus on social networking. Websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are great places to meet potential customers. Social networking websites have enabled individuals to connect globally, meaning that many unexplored small business frontiers are now starting to be explored. Joining groups on Facebook that are relevant to the products and services that you offer is just one way to get started. Online social networking is the wave of the future, and it is a terrific small business internet marketing strategy.

3. Install a company blog on your website. Blogging is one of the most fun (and inexpensive!) tools that small business owners can use to build their online brand. Blogging is an essential component of small business internet marketing, because it enables companies to announce new products and services, as well as inform existing clientele quickly and easily. (Important tip: Make sure to share blog posts on your small business social media platforms).

4. Submit a press release. Press release submission is one of the most effective ways to inform potential customers about the products or services that your company is selling. Whether your business is a professional practice (Doctor, Lawyer, etc.) or a retail business, submitting a press release is a great way to get the word out. (Hot tip: One of my favorite press release websites is a site called prlog.org. It is 100% FREE to submit a press release, and the website gets a ton a exposure online).

5. Write articles. Article marketing is one of the best ways to publish a mountain of content promoting your small business. Internet marketing for small businesses is all about generating leads and sales via different marketing channels, and article marketing is one of the best. To date I personally have over 1,000 articles online, and these articles have generated over 250,000 view to my various web properties! Below I have listed 10 of the most popular article directories where you can submit your small business related articles:

-ezinearticles.com

-goarticles.com

-articlesbase.com

-articledashboard.com

-searchwarp.com

-buzzle.com

-ideamarketers.com

6. Conduct keyword research. This is kind of an insider secret, but if you are reading this post then I want to leave you with something that will wow any small business owner. Google actually has a tool (https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) that gives estimates of how many times a particular phrase is searched for on a monthly basis using Google search. For example, if I use the Google keyword tool and type in "Atlanta injury attorney" I find that approximately 14,800 searches per month are performed for that phrase. If an Atlanta injury attorney could rank on page 1 of Google for that phrase then they would not need any other form of marketing! (Note: Improve a website's search engine rankings is known as search engine optimization or SEO. To enquire about SEO services offered by Matthew Lord Consulting
visit: Atlanta SEO services.

7. Analyze Your website Stats. A common program that is used to analyze website traffic is called Google Analytics. This tracking software (available FREE from Google) enables small business owners to check how many times the website is visited, and is also able to track the source of the visitor. For instance, if your website gets 200 visitors, Google analytics will show you where the traffic came from (Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc.). Being able to see this data enables small business owners to determine which online marketing strategies are working, and which ones are not. Unlike print advertising, small business internet marketing strategies can be tweaked easily for optimum performance.

These are 7 small business internet marketing tips that any business owner can use to generate new business via the internet. No matter what type of business you operate, marketing online is a great way to expand your horizons and ultimately increase profits. If you need help in designing a detailed internet marketing campaign for your small business then simply visit
http://matthewlordconsulting.com/services/internet-marketing-consulting/ or pickup the phone and
call me at 706-975-8045 today!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: internet marketing for small business, small business internet marketing

A Simple Facebook Marketing Strategy for Your Company

November 9, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

Note: This is going to be really quick post to show small business owners how they can benefit from
Facebook marketing campaigns. The below video is an example straight from Facebook's official Youtube channel:

Let me just come right out and say it: Any business who is doing online marketing should be using
Facebook to market their products and services. While Facebook may just seem like an overblown
conversation for many, it is actually a powerful marketing platform that small business owners can
use in order to generate leads using the internet.

While creating a facebook page for your business is great, I am going to discuss one particular
marketing method that most business owners are not aware of: Facebook Ads. Basically, Facebook
has introduced a PPC (Pay per click) program that business owners can use to directly target their potential customers
by demographics. Businesses large and small are using Facebook ads as an incredible marketing tool, and so can you!

Facebook Ads allows you to target your ads based on the following.

-Age

-Location

-Likes

-Interests

These are demographics that you can use to reach your target customers in an efficient and cost
effective manner.

Let's work through an example shall we?

In this scenario we are going to discuss how a classic car dealer can benefit from marketing via
Facebook ads.

If a company is interested in selling classic cars to individuals, then they can
actually use facebook to target their ideal customer by geographic location and interest. If you
want to reach classic car enthusiests within 100 miles of Atlanta, then you can actually setup a
Facebook campaign that is specifically designed to reach those customers!

Facebook ads are relatively inexpensive compared to other marketing methods, and they can provide
the most targeted advertising that is possible anywhere on the internet. If you are a small
business owner looking to improve your online sales then try Facebook Ads. You will not regret it!

I have had several hundred targeted visitors to various websites in a matter of days thanks to Facebook Ads.
With the simple to use interface that Facebook has setup, you can do the same.

If you would like to truly learn how to explode your business via the internet then visit:

http://matthewlordconsulting.com/services/internet-marketing-consulting/

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: facebook ads, facebook marketing strategy

Lead Valves: Generating Cost Effective Leads Via the Internet

October 25, 2010 By Matthew Lord 1 Comment

This a short Powerpoint Presentation I created to show small business owners a few ways to generate leads using online marketing. Enjoy!

Lead valves (atlanta marketing consultant)

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: online lead generation, small business lead generation

Web Designer Vs. Marketing Consultant

October 23, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

The internet has revolutionized the way businesses reach out to potential customers. Business owners are now beginning to understand that having a dynamic “web presence” for your local business is one of the most important investments they can make. In this post I want to talk about web designers and marketing consultants, and show you which one you should hire for your business.

When most business owners think about starting a marketing campaign online the first thing they do is hire a web designer. Now, I offer web design services myself and I know many well respected marketing consultants who do the same. With that said, a web designer is good at putting together a creative design that you will love. That sounds great right? It might be a good start, but a pretty website will not bring you more customers.

Web designers are important, but they simply cannot deliver the same results for your business that an experienced marketing consultant can.  Let us look at a scenario played out over a 30 day period. One will examine the business that hires a web designer, and the other will examine a business that hires a marketing consultant.

30 day scenario (web designer)

Day 1: You contact a web design firm to discuss your project. As a small business owner you want a basic website so potential customers can find your business online. The web design firm quotes you a price of $2,500 for the web design alone. No search engine optimization, blogging, or social media marketing is included.

Day 15: After a few slight revisions you receive the finished product of your website. It looks great, and you fork over any remaining balance on the $2,500 arrangement.

Day 30: You have a great looking website, but you are sitting there scratching your head wondering “why is my new website not attracting any customers?”

30 day scenario (marketing consultant)

Day 1: You contact a marketing consultant and schedule a face to face meeting for the following week.

Day 5: You meet with a marketing consultant (Hopefully me!) and he asks some of the following questions:

1. What are you currently doing online to attract new business?

2. How many people per month visit your website?

3. Do you have a lead capture mechanism in place on your website in order to generate fresh leads?

4. What is your target market?

5. What are you doing to actively reach your target market?

6. Does your website have a strong search engine presence?

7. Are you leveraging social media in order to spread the word about your business?

8. What are you currently spending on advertising/marketing?

9. Is your staff trained to answer incoming calls and emails correctly?

10. What do you feel is the strength of your marketing campaign?

11. What do you feel is the weakness of your marketing campaign?

12. etc.

(Now, these questions are not meant to interrogate; but they do help provide valuable information so that a marketing consultant can diagnose the profit leaks in your business. Chances are most business owners can increase their revenues 20% or more, but just do not know how to use the internet in order to attract new business and retain current business).

End of Day 5: Marketing consultant collects a check from you and begins working on a dynamic internet marketing campaign that will produce results.

Day 15: You have a great looking website that is optimized for prime search engine placement, but you also have a facebook page for your business, twitter account, and lead capture form that is funneling business leads to your office. In addition, ineffective marketing tactics have been cut, and you are now getting much more bang for your advertising buck. Your target market is clearly defined, and your new marketing consultant is working hard to make sure you receive tons of leads, which will turn into new customers.

Day 30: You have received 20 leads via the internet over the past month, and have managed to convert 12 of them into paying customers (In this example I am talking about businesses providing a service: auto repair, dentist, contractor, plumber, etc., but it applies to any business).

At the end of the 30 days your web designer was paid $2,500 and maybe delivered 1 new lead. I bet you were expecting much more for your generous investment!

However, your marketing consultant delivered 20 leads, which turned into 12 customers. Each one of these customers have a lifetime value of approximately $3,000 (much more in many industries) So you just created an additional $36,000 for the lifetime of your business for an upfront fee of around $4,000 (for every $1 you spent you received $9 in return). Each month you pay a marketing consultant a small retainer fee in order to build your online brand and deliver fresh leads!

The result: More customers and a great ROI for your business.

At the end of the day a web designer is simply giving you an online flyer for your business, while a marketing consultant is designing and executing a complete marketing campaign that will reach your target marketing and provide incredible results in a very short period of time! If you want to learn more about what my Atlanta internet marketing consulting services can do for your business then contact me today at 706-975-8045.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: atlanta internet marketing, atlanta marketing consultant

How to Get a Local Business on the First Page of Google

September 8, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

If you are a local business owner you have probably been bombarded with phone calls and emails promising to get you on the first page of Google within your local market. While that certainly sounds like it will help business, how does the process actually work? This article is going to outline 3 critical factors that will give your website the “authority” that it needs to appear on the first page of Google.

1. Give Google what it wants! I know that phrase sounds big, scary, and technical but it really does not have to be that complicated! While SEO does have many intricate components that need to be evaluated by a professional, the basic concept is very simple:

Give Google what Google wants!

That may seem like oversimplification, but look at it from Google’s perspective:

 Google made itself a household name by giving internet searchers exactly what they were looking for. Google has one goal when it comes to organic search engine listings, which is showing people relevant search results that are closely related to a particular search query. While the Google algorithm is complex the desired result is quite simple.

2.  “On-Page” search engine optimization. On-page search engine optimization involves the factors on your website that will contribute to its ranking success. In order to get a local business on the first page of Google you must have a few things in order.

-Wordpress. Wordpress is a web design platform that makes ranking your business website much easier. If you are not using Wordpress then you are not maximizing your search engine marketing potential.

-Title. Most small business owners start a website and title it with the name of the business. While that should certainly be part of the title a business website most also incorporate keywords that are specific to your industry and geographic location.

Here is an example: If you are a chiropractor in Kennesaw, Ga. then part of your website title should be “Kennesaw chiropractor” or “Chiropractor in Kennesaw.” The page title is very important, so make sure that you incorporate keywords that your target market would use to find your business on Google.

3. “Off-Page” search engine optimization. Most business owners believe that quality website content alone will rank a website on the first page of Google. While quality content is very important, another aspect that is just as important (if not more so) is link-building. Link-building is essentially the process of getting other websites or web properties to link to your business website. A link is considered a “vote” in the eyes of Google, and the more quality links that you have the greater your chances of getting your local business listed on the first page of Google.

These are 3 simple suggestions that will help increase your search engine rankings and get your business on the first page of Google. While almost all business owners know how important it is to have a strong web presence few have the time or knowledge to make it happen. At Matthew Lord Consulting we pride ourselves on providing quality website design and internet marketing services to fit any small business budget!

For a FREE Consultation Call 706-975-8045 Today!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: how to get a local business on the first page of google

Why Your Business Needs E-mail Marketing

August 3, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

Quick: What is one of the easiest and most “hassle free” methods of reaching your current customers as well as potential  new customers?

If you answered email marketing, then you would be 100% correct!

Many business owners simply dismiss email marketing, because they think it is time-consuming, or expensive. The truth of the matter is that email marketing may provide the highest ROI of any marketing method period!

Email marketing starts with a “contact form” which is also known as a lead generator or lead capture form. When people fill out a contact form located on your company website, they are giving you permission to contact them with related products or services.

In fact, many email marketing companies now use “double-optin” software in order to verify that the person who requests information about your company is really interested! This eliminates the “SPAM” issue, and keeps you 100% compliant with the CAN-SPAM Act.

When using a quality email marketing company such as Aweber or Getresponse, a company can actually automate the process by selecting the specific “date and time” when emails need to be sent. This automation means that you can write 12 emails at once, schedule them to go out once per month as a monthly “newsletter,” and then basically put your email marketing on autopilot!

Email marketing enables you to remain visible to your customers on a monthly or even weekly basis, which will boost your sales, increase customer retention rates, and boost referrals.

So, I bet after reading this you are thinking “Matt, how can I get started?”

At Matthew Lord Consulting we setup personalized email campaigns for each and every client, and if you would like to have this done then fill out the contact inquiry form in the bottom right-hand corner of the page, and I will get back with your personally!

Call 706-975-8045 Today for Your FREE Consultation!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: email marketing

Google Caffeine: Has Google shifted from “Link Love” to “Content Love?”

July 27, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

The Craze of 2008, 2009, and early 2010 came down to one word: Links. In every SEO circle advanced SEOers were preaching just how important links were for obtaining high search engine rankings.

Now, don’t get me wrong; those who were preaching this philosophy were right on the money: Until Google Caffeine came along.

Google Caffeine is the new brainchild of Google, and according to Google’s official blog it gives its end users (your potential clients) 50% fresher search engine results. Talk about a shift in philosophy!

You can read the official post by visiting the Official Google Blog.

I have personally believed for a long time that Google’s search engine algorithm was a little off. What I mean by this is the fact that aged sites with no new content were found all over the top of the search engines. Google was favoring aged domains, and not giving the new guys much of a chance!

Of course, with Google releasing “caffeine,” its new indexing system, the SEO game has changed drastically. Links are still important, but fresh content is now more important than ever. It seems that Google wants to see your website as a living, breathing entity as opposed to a static webpage that does not get updated for months at a time.

Are links still important? Yes they are. In fact, I built about 10-15 high PR (PageRank) links into http://www.matthewlordconsulting.com just yesterday. However, I am going to start focusing more of my efforts on writing fresh content for the company blog, and I advise that you either do it yourself, or hire a marketing consultant to do it for you.

If you would like a free consultation from Atlanta marketing consultant Matthew Lord then simply view the internet marketing consulting video located under the services tab of Atlanta Internet Marketing Consultant Matthew Lord’s website.

Call 706-975-8045 today and setup your free consultation!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: atlanta internet marketing, atlanta marketing consultant

Is Your Website a Flyer or a Marketing Machine?

July 22, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

What is effective online marketing?

When you ask most business owners this question the typical response is “Well, I have a website.” Understandably this is what most business owners believe internet marketing to be, when in reality it is just the tip of the iceberg. Here in this article I want to share with you what internet marketing really is, and reveal the strategies that will turn your “online flyer” into a cash producing machine for your business!

While a website is an important part of any online marketing strategy, it is only the first step. That is why I say there are two types of websites:

1. Those designed by typical web designers.

2. Those that are designed by professional marketing consultants.

Now, aesthetically there is nothing wrong with the majority of websites that are designed by traditional web designers. After all, web designers are judged basically on how well a site is designed, and how well it looks. This is great for a hobby site, but when you are putting up a website that is going to be the cornerstone for marketing your business online, you need to rethink your strategy.

A marketing consultant who specializes in online marketing (like myself) is going to come in, look at your website, and make the necessary tweaks and changes to turn your website into a marketing machine.

So, what types of changes are we talking about?

First and foremost, you need to install a lead generation form. This is a form that is clearly visible on the home page of the website, and makes it easy for people to contact you. Most websites just have a “contact us” page, and while there is certainly nothing wrong with having this page, you also must have a form that is strategically placed on your website.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it could literally increase your revenues thousands of dollars per month. Now, just think if this simple looking tweak is able to increase your revenues substantially, what else can a marketing consultant do to increase your business profits substantially?

I have given you one free strategy that you can use in order to turn your website into a marketing machine, and there are plenty of additional tried and tested internet marketing techniques that can be implemented in order to increase your business profits.

No matter what your current online marketing efforts consist of, you can always be doing more to build your brand, and drive targeted visitors to your business website. I guarantee you there are plenty of marketing strategies that I can implement to increase your business revenues, and potentially even cut your overall advertising budget drastically!

Seems like a win-win situation don’t you think? All you have to do is fill out the contact inquiry form at the bottom right hand corner of your screen, or to speak directly with Matthew Lord simply call 706-975-8045.

I look forward to designing a complete internet marketing campaign that will help you crush your competition and increase your business profits!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: effective online marketing, professional marketing consultants

How an Atlanta Marketing Consultant Can Help Your Business Grow Leaps and Bounds

July 19, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

If you have owned or operated a business in the Atlanta area, then you know just how hard it is to stand out from your competition. The size of Atlanta means tremendous opportunity for business owners, but it also means tremendous competition. With that said, many Atlanta business owners are going to the internet in order to separate themselves from their competition.

You see, the vast majority of business owners are starting to see the potential of marketing their business online. Unfortunately, for most business owners this involves setting up a simple website, and not much else. While setting up an initial website is a great first step, that alone is not going to increase your bottom line by a significant margin.

If you want to know exactly how to increase your bottom line with internet marketing techniques, then you need to consider hiring an Atlanta marketing consultant. You see, when it comes to web based marketing there are so many avenues that you can potentially use to increase your business exposure, and thus increase your income.

Here are a few marketing strategies that I typically suggest to my clients:

-Article marketing

-Video marketing

-Search engine optimization

-Email marketing

-Social media advertising (Twitter & Facebook)

-Blogging (Big one that 99% of businesses are missing out on!)

Now, why would I give this information out free of charge to Atlanta business owners who are reading this? Simply put, I want to help businesses succeed, which I can accomplish through internet marketing. The simple reason for this post is to inform you that hiring an Atlanta marketing consultant who is familiar with the various intricacies of internet marketing can vastly improve your bottom line, and improve your ROI for your current marketing efforts.

If you want to talk with me about your business, or setup a consultation feel free to call me at 706-975-8045, or simply fill out the contact inquiry form at the bottom right hand corner of the page.

I look forward to showing you first hand how Matthew Lord Consulting can increase your online business exposure, and thus increase your business profits!

 

 

Filed Under: Article Marketing Tips, Blog Tagged With: atlanta business owners, atlanta marketing consultant

How to Market Your Small Business Online to a Local Audience

June 28, 2010 By Matthew Lord Leave a Comment

Hello fellow business owners,

Today I wanted to share with you something that is a little different. Instead of writing a long (yet informative) blog post like I usually do, I decided that I am going to help your business by sharing with you a powerpoint presentation I designed that reviews the general aspects of internet marketing.

Now, none of this material is incredibly advanced, but it will give you a rough outline of some marketing strategies that you can (and should be) using to promote your business online! I hope you enjoy this presentation, and be sure to check out the rest of the website. If I can do anything for you, simply email me at matthewlordconsulting@gmail.com, or fill out the contact inquiry form located at the bottom corner of the page.

Enjoy the presentation!

Click Here to View the Presentation

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: atlanta internet marketing, atlanta marketing consultant, small business local marketing
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