July 18, 2007 by Dave Clough.

If you are looking for a product or even a service, how do you go about finding it?  Well, it depends a bit on your personality type, but for the most part, people will either ask a friend what they know or who they used, or the person will turn to Google.  More and more people are going this route, and the trend will continue.

Google has a great program called AdWords that can put you on the first page of a search instantly.  Like you, the consumers have a short attention span and want results quickly.  They are not going to click through 10 pages of Google results to find you.  With Search Engine Optimization, you might be able to get to the front page in a few years at best. 

As stated in a previous Post, you want to use Email marketing for you existing customer base and I recommend AdWords for the new customers to find you.  This works locally too, but not as well as if your customers can come from anywhere in the US or internationally. 

Additionally, AdWords can help you quickly refine your message.  You can have a statistically valid sample in hours of what resonates with potential clients rather than using traditional market research techniques or using the inaccurate method of asking a few people.

Once you have your messaging refined, there are many more internet avenues to explore for more traffic: Banner ads, Audio, Video, Affiliate Networks, etc.  With a clear, effective message, your product can be marketed effectively to maximize ROI and Profit.

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July 5, 2007 by Dave Clough.

I have many clients who only spent money on Yellow Pages ads before I got to them.  Many spend tens of thousands of dollars per year on phone book ads, but they don’t know the return on that investment.  My usual question when I find this out is, “How much do you spend marketing to your existing customer base?”  Many times the answer is $0.00!

I have found (and studies have shown) that it is more cost effective to get more business from your previous and current customers than it is to get business from people who don’t know you.  With that said, I do not advocate that you focus all your budget on your existing base.  It makes most sense to divide your budget evenly, but you will see much more money from past and current customers.

Your existing customer base either knows your contact info and what you do, or they know how to find it.  For these people, a basic ad in the yellow pages is sufficient.  The graphical ads in the yellow pages is really for new customers who have never heard of you.  Local internet campaigns are gaining traction and will become commonplace soon.  If your customers are more than local, you have to be found by Google to get new customers (more on that later).

For your existing base, I recommend direct mail…preferably an email newsletter.  If you don’t have email addresses, make a concious effort to get them from everyone going forward.  Until that time, use postcards and newsletters via US mail to mine your existing customer base for more business.

More on building an email list in a future blog…

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July 4, 2007 by Dave Clough.