Four Ways using Google Alerts can Dramatically Support Business

by Lisa Illman

I have been successfully using Google Alerts for years, in not only my business, but also as a tool for sales development. Google alerts are great for entrepreneurs as well as sales and marketing professionals. Four ways Google Alerts have brought me immediate results include the following:

1. New Clients

This is a top notch way to get new prospects delivered right to your in box. If you are a sales person, you will want to set up Google alerts to stay on top of prospective clients that are making the news. For example, if you sell cardiovascular equipment to hospitals in the Northeast, you might want to set up alerts with keywords hospitals, cardiovascular, Connecticut. Use each state you cover for a new Google Alert. Now make a cup of coffee and be ready because you will be emailed newsworthy updates for your prospects and possible contact names shortly!

2. Brand Awareness

Stay on top of your brand and get in front of any negativity that hits the Internet through Google Alerts. You will be emailed as soon as your brand is published. Getting only positive postings on the Internet? Fantastic! You might want to send that blog writer who mentioned your business a thank you email.

3. Competition

You know as well as I do, watching your own business is a heck of a lot more important then staring at someone else’s. BUT there are times you will want to know about new product introductions or price increases your competition has either announced or has been written about. Stay on top of it, have it emailed to your in box. You’ll also get to see their press releases immediately that could announce the departure of a top-notch employee, perhaps a new one for you!

4. Industry Trends

I love to read documents, newsletters and white pages specific to my industry, but sometimes it is cumbersome to sift through all the topics and find something I am following. Set up a Google Alert to hone in on the points of significance. Nobody said becoming an industry expert had to be difficult!

To set up Google Alerts, simply go to Google’s create an alert page. Now add some key words that you are interested in following. If you want to follow your competition, add their company name. If you are looking for industry trends, add the industry with the keywords associated with your interest. You might need to play around with the key words once you start getting the emails by either narrowing your search or broadening it. Now sit back and let Google email you a wealth of good, customized information right to your inbox!