Can A Local Business Use Search To Get New Customers?

Local business owners might feel left out of the Internet.

That sounds like a really weird statement - how can anyone be "left out" of a medium that is so pervasive in everyone’s life?

I’ll tell you - ignorance, brain washing, comfort.  And none of it is their fault.

#1 - Many local business owners have NO IDEA how to use the Internet to promote their business, no clue on what’s available, and can’t find resources if they wanted to.

#2 - Brain washing.  I’m going to tick off some people here, but I talk to business after business, right here in my town, and EVERY SINGLE PERSON THINKS THE YELLOW PAGES ARE THEIR ONLY CHOICE FOR ADVERTISING.  Geesh - are you kidding me?  The Yellow Pages have done a great job brain washing their clients to think that if they don’t advertise in their book, no new customers will ever grace their doorstep again.

BS

Here’s the proof: Ask this question of yourself: "How many leads have you gotten from the Yellow Pages this year?".  If you don’t know, if you don’t track, if your not a restaurant, plumber, or emergency dentist - I bet the answer is not many or I don’t know.

The Yellow Pages is a terrific advertising opportunity for certain niches, and can be for your local business.  But if you rely on this ONE medium for new customers and clients, YOU ARE SUNK.  Unless you embrace more mediums to promote your business, you’re pumping water into a leaky bucket.

All I ask is that you challenge your annual Yellow Pages Bill (yeah, I wrote BILL because so many of you pay it like your utility and phone bill!!).

Folks - It’s not a bill, it’s a proposal.  Negotiate, challenge, and question EVERY advertising opportunity.

#3 The last thing is mentioned is comfort.  It’s just easy to do the same thing year after year when business is good, huh? 

"Yep, run my ad again". 

That’s a sweet sound in any ad rep’s ears!

When the economy was good here in the USA, every one made money hand over fist.  Times were good, business was plentiful, and money poured into our bank accounts.

Well, welcome to 2008 (and don’t think the election will make 2009 easier).

The economy is not good, so now you MUST challenge yourself to do something different, something new, something that is accountable and effective as promoting your business :

The Internet.

I’ll tell you how over the next few days.