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10 Ways to Supercharge Your Website by Monika Beck @SuccessHarbor

March 23, 2017 by Monika Beck 1 Comment

by Monika Beck | Featured Contributor

Small businesses need to remain competitive in the marketplace. An effective, well-designed website is an important factor in achieving that. Even if you only have a small marketing budget, a website should be your top priority. A great website should encourage new leads and help you maintain existing customer relationships for maximum brand visibility. Here are the ten must-haves of a great website for small business.

1. Adequate domain registration

Domain registration is a factor in Google’s algorithm for site credibility. The longer you have the same domain, the more stable and thus credible the company appears. It’s also important to ensure the contact information on your site matches that supplied when you registered the domain.

2. Fast load times

Think about when you use any website. If the pages take too long to load, how likely are you to persevere? You could have an excellent website but the client will never know it if they move on before it loads. Slow loading times will also affect your site’s ranking, as this is a factor in search engine algorithms.

3. Mobile-friendly design

Many people search for information on the go. They either don’t have access to a computer or are multi-tasking while away from it. Your website needs to have full functionality on mobile devices, otherwise, users may go to a more convenient site. The most important factors in mobile-friendly design are responsive design, readability, and navigation.

4. Outstanding home page content

When a potential client has navigated to your home page, they need to feel impressed. Home pages that aren’t user-friendly or are unprofessional cause users to believe this represents the qualities of the business. It’s important to appeal to the client’s needs and address how your business can best serve them but in a concise way. A small amount of information or a photo of your team makes it easier to visualize contacting you. Most importantly, include a call to action. You are telling the client what they need to do next. You could direct them to other pages or suggest they contact you for a free quotation. Make it firm, positive and clear.

5. Convenient contact information

Once you have your audience interested, it’s essential they can easily contact you. Aim to provide several different ways that prospective clients can reach out to you. Phone numbers and email are essential and should be featured on each page. Include a separate contact page which allows emails or forms to be filled out on your website. Your address and a map also help you to appear more credible. The more they know about you and the easier you make the experience, the better.

6. A blog

Blogs are important for their impact on SEO, as well as their ongoing nature. Your website is likely to be quite static, but your blog provides valuable new content to keep users interested. For example, a website for a divorce attorney’s firm could have a blog which features practical advice for those having a difficult time navigating divorce.

7. Evidence

Potential customers like nothing more than to hear about others’ experiences. Testimonials, portfolios and case studies all help explain the value of your business. Evidence of your company’s worth is an excellent way to entice new customers. For example, an alarm company in Palm Desert could include a testimonial from a customer who was very happy with the service and products because it worked – a break-in was prevented at their home.

8. Off-site tips

Off-site tips are other ways of extending your business’s reach on the internet. These could include social media accounts or a Google+ business page. For example, for a reserve study firm, one of the tech-savvy consultants could tweet news about the business. A reserve study consultant could also post tips on a Facebook page which are useful to HOA clients. Each of these can include links back to your website. It’s a great way to remind people about doing things at certain times of the year and boosting visibility. You remind them of your presence and your value.

9. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is valuable to help learn about a website’s efficiency and reach. As a free tool provided by Google, it is highly recommended to implement this. It can let you know how many visitors your site gets and how they found you. It also shows how much time visitors spend on your site and information on SEO performance.

10. Google Search Console

Google Search Console is another free service which monitors the health of your website according to Google. Understand page load times, page errors, mobile device performance and keyword ranking data with Google Search Console. It helps you check that Google can access all your site’s content and how Google Search sees your site.

Above all, remember that clients need to see your value through your website and you need to understand how well your site is functioning. Follow these ten must-haves for increased sales and a more successful business.

Monika Beck

Savvy web designer with a twist – Monika Beck with Webene – San Diego, CA.

Monika BeckMonika Beck is passionate about website design, web programming, ecommerce, and building businesses. She is a serial entrepreneur and the cofounder of Success Harbor a website dedicated to help entrepreneurs succeed. Success Harbor interviews successful entrepreneurs and publishes topics relevant to business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Monika started Success Harbor with her cofounder in order to ease the life of entrepreneurs through original research, tips and unique content. Monika is also a web designer and cofounder of Webene, a website design and online marketing firm based in San Diego, CA. Webene specializes in mobile-friendly responsive websites built on the WordPress platform. Monika loves playing classical music on the piano.

www.successharbor.com/hire-us/

The Basics of Establishing a Web Presence by @DeborahSweeney

May 27, 2016 by Deborah Sweeney Leave a Comment

by Deborah Sweeney | Featured Contributor

A 2014 study by Google found that a little over half of small businesses have a website, though it’s likely that number has gone up since the survey was done. Still, the fact that a little under half of small businesses don’t even have a website it appalling – without one you are losing customers every day. Over 50% of people surveyed said they look up a business online before making a purchase, and that same study found local searches are twice as likely to lead to a purchase. Creating a solid web presence, though, is more than just parking a site under ‘yourbusiness.com’ – you’re going to have to put in a bit more effort to see any real returns.

Domains and Websites

This is step one – buy your company’s related domain name and publish a site. The site doesn’t have to be fantastic, and there are plenty of services online that’ll help someone with little to no web experience publish a decent looking website. When designing it, though, remember that over 60% of all web traffic is now mobile, so at this stage use eye-catching graphics and write short, easy to read content. Your business’s name, address, phone number, and services offered should all be front and center. As a side-note, don’t ignore other top-level domain variants like ‘yourbusiness.net’ or ‘yourbusiness.biz.’ They aren’t as important as a .com, but it’s never a bad idea to buy as many reasonable tld variants as you can.

Social Media

Social marketing is more than Facebook, though having an active profile there is important. You’ll want to register your business on every major site – Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Instagram or Pinterest if you think you can market your product visually. Google+ needs to be on your list as well. Recently the site has been making moves to separate + from the more important ‘Local Listings,’ but that hasn’t happened yet. So grab a ‘Google My Business’ page while you can, and make sure your listing is up to date and looks nice. Then when Google inevitably separates their local/business section from Plus, you’ll be in a good spot to adapt to whatever changes Google implements.

Blogging/Cross-Blogging

Content marketing is how you turn your web presence from good to great. 70% of consumers now say they prefer to get to know a company through articles over ads, so producing good, well-written content is a must, especially if you’re based online or do business with people you do not personally see. The idea behind blogging is to foster trust in, and recognition of, your brand, so don’t just throw 800-word ads up every week and think that’ll do. Rather, you need to identify good topics about which you can write knowledgeably. When you’re first starting out, try focusing on common questions or sources of customer frustration. Then, as you get some experience, you can venture into advising on industry-specific issues. And, once you’re seen as something as a thought-leader, you can try cross-blogging with other companies and outlets. The more links into your site you have, the better your search engine ranking.

Creating a web presence requires much more than a website, though it’s a good place to start. The majority of your target market browse the internet, and a strong web presence makes it much more likely they’ll recognize, trust, and eventually patronize your company. Different business will have different needs, but at the very least make sure your business has a presence with its own site and on the major social networks. Then, as you grow, you can work on expanding that presence through content marketing. Before you know it your own small business will be popping up all over the internet!

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Deborah Sweeney – Legal Expert, CEO, MyCorporation.com – Calabasas, CA

As CEO of MyCorporation Business Services, Inc. (MyCorporation.com), Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With her experience in the fields of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah has evolved from lawyer to business owner. She has extensive experience in the start-up and entrepreneurial industry as she has been involved in the formation of hundreds of thousands of businesses for MyCorporation.com’s customers.

Ms. Sweeney received her JD & MBA degrees from Pepperdine University. She is active in the community and loves working with students and aspiring entrepreneurs. She serves on the Board of Regents at California Lutheran University and is a founding member of Partners of Pepperdine. Deborah has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in the areas of corporate and intellectual property law. Ms. Sweeney is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites. She is a regular contributor on Forbes, American Express, Social Media Today, and BlogHer among many others.

In her ‘free’ time, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin (8) and Christopher (6). Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Follow her on Twitter @deborahsweeney and @mycorporation.

Deborah Sweeney

www.mycorporation.com

5 Biggest Website Marketing Mistakes of All Time by Monika Beck @SuccessHarbor

May 2, 2016 by Monika Beck 3 Comments

by Monika Beck | Featured Contributor

Prepare your company for success by learning from others’ mistakes. Avoid these common website marketing pitfalls.

Developing and maintaining an online presence can seem like a daunting task. However, faced with so many options, it’s crucial that your company is able to stand out from the competition.

There are so many ways to market your company online, from search engines and social media to websites and blogs. Because of the number of options, benchmarking your success can seem overwhelming. Luckily, you can identify any gaps by asking yourself if you have made any of these common website marketing mistakes.

1. Your customers can’t find you

In order to grow your business, you need to find potential customers. Search engine optimization (SEO) brings customers to you. The basis for SEO involves selecting keywords customers will search for and then incorporating these phrases into your website and online content. Start by researching common keywords connected to your products and services and use them wherever you market yourself online.

2. You don’t play to the strengths of social media

The power of social media platforms stem from their ability to engage users. Unlike passive advertising channels, creating a Facebook page or Twitter account gives you the opportunity to have a conversation with your customers. In addition to demonstrating the value of your business, think through how you can encourage feedback and discussion with your posts and updates.

Effective social media accounts make a connection between your brand and the needs and interests of your customers.

If a customer decided to like your Facebook page or follow your Twitter account, you already have an invested audience. Content on your social media page should be of value to your customers on its own. Build your brand by engaging customers instead of directly selling them products.

3. You don’t create reasons to visit your site

Websites require content to bring in more traffic. Blogs are a simple, but effective way to generate regular updates on your website, creating more reasons for customers to visit your site.

Starting a blog from scratch can seem daunting, but understanding the basics can give you a head start.

Website content should be continual and relevant. Evaluate your time and resources and set goal to post a new blog each week or multiple times each month.

4. You don’t have a plan

Even if you have all the tools readily available, you still need to make sure all your efforts come together to accomplish your goals. Developing parameters and plans gives your work focus and reduces wasted time and effort.

Plans clarify what you are trying to accomplish and what actions will help you achieve your goals.

5. You don’t measure your success

Similar to not having a plan, not measuring your success makes it difficult to determine how you are performing. Using analytical tools allows you to track your performance and see what is working and what isn’t creating value for your company.

Remember: your website is your company

Your online presence is a vital component of your brand and your business. When you create content on a website or post an update on social media, you are communicating important information about your company. Avoiding these common mistakes is one vital step to building an effective brand and creating a strong online presence.

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Savvy web designer with a twist – Monika Beck with Webene – San Diego, CA.

Monika Beck is passionate about website design, web programming, ecommerce, and building businesses. She is a serial entrepreneur and the cofounder of Success Harbor a website dedicated to help entrepreneurs succeed. Success Harbor interviews successful entrepreneurs and publishes topics relevant to business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Monika started Success Harbor with her cofounder in order to ease the life of entrepreneurs through original research, tips and unique content. Monika is also cofounder of Webene, a website design and online marketing firm based in San Diego, CA. Webene specializes in mobile-friendly responsive websites built on the WordPress platform. Monika loves playing classical music on the piano.

Monika Beck

Savvy web designer with a twist – Monika Beck with Webene – San Diego, CA.

www.successharbor.com/hire-us/

Tips for Building Your First Business Website by Monika Beck @SuccessHarbor

April 5, 2016 by Monika Beck 2 Comments

by Monika Beck | Featured Contributor

Every new or existing business needs a professionally done and optimized website. For people who have never owned a website before, the procedure for starting one is usually seen as a daunting task. The following are tips for designing and coming up with your first business website.

Have a Clear Goal

Each and every business is unique due to the fact that they address different customer needs. Do you need your first business website to be an avenue for individuals to purchase your products? Then you have to design it around that goal. A website without a clear purpose has no benefits. It only serves to waste money and time.

Your Own Content Matters

Before you start building your website you should be certain about what you want it to say. According to George Meszaros, Webene’s CEO, a website without great content is just a pretty face. Whether you plan to hire an editor or someone to polish the content of your website, you should still be in charge of the website content.

Clearly state Purpose

What is your business about? How do you help your customers? That is what your website should be about. Your website is a tool for your visitors to find the information they are looking for. Make sure that the crucial points about your business are clear and easy for visitors to find.

Inform your customers What You Can Do for Them

You should try and read your website’s content as a visitor. Describe how you help your customers. Give them examples. Talk about the process. Show case studies. Answer every possible question about your solution. New website owners should focus on the benefits they can provide to their customers and clients.

Use calls to Action

What do you want visitors to do once they are on your website? It is important that you are very clear about what action you want people to take. Call to action is an approach that enables clients to better understand your goals and objectives. Do you need them to subscribe to your newsletters? If that is what you want, it is important that you include a sign up form on your website.

Add a Page Hierarchy

All business websites incorporate a variety of pages. You may opt for a simple website format that usually includes a homepage, a contact page and an about page. You can also choose a website that has a main services page which provides a general view of the different services that you provide. These are some of the things to consider before coming up with a site or hiring someone to design a website for you.

Draw Inspiration

Are you uncertain of how you need your first business website to look like or how you need your content to be arranged? All you need to do is to look around for sites that interest you. Do not copy, but look to be inspired. Searching for outside motivation can offer you some assistance with getting an idea of what you need from your new website.

Professional Website versus Personal Accomplishment

Small enterprises that are faced with financial constraints are likely to opt for the DIY route to come up with their website. Some businesses have used this route successfully. However, it can be troublesome for new business owners. Customers, on the other hand, don’t care what a business owner went through to come up with a website. All they care about is a professionally done website. Therefore, no matter how much effort you put and you end up with an unprofessional website your business is likely to be negatively affected.

Own Your Domain

It is recommended that every business obtains an actual domain name. A few suppliers offer free domains that are accompanied with extensions. A domain that goes like yourbusiness.com is easier to remember than yourbusiness.wordpress.com. It also appears more professional. Your domain should be easy to spell and memorable.

Build Your Site on WordPress

There are many ways to build a website. A proven website platform is WordPress. All things considered, WordPress is the best one out there. It contains a variety of customizable options. WordPress makes a great starter website and it will grow with your business.

Consider the Future Growth of your business

If you plan to develop and expand your business rapidly, think carefully before picking a low-cost website host. You might chose a free or low cost hosting solution that works today, but it will limit your growth in the future. In the event that your business outgrows these platforms, changing and transferring your contents to another host is a headache.

Get a Designer You Admire

If you are looking for someone to design your website, look for someone whose work you like. One of the most ideal approaches to do this is by looking at the websites that interest you. Look for its designer and make contact. Start a conversation about having your website built.

Ask for Samples and References

When you have a couple of names to choose from, assess their previous works and ask for references.

Examine Pre-Made Themes

Not all business owners have the required resources to contract web designers. There are lots of pre-made themes that can be purchased online. This however requires a person who is very hands-on. Themes that you buy require a lot of work on your end. Try to find a theme that goes well with your brand.

Avoid Free Themes

Free themes are not as secure as those ones that have been purchased. You don’t have to spend a lot to obtain secure themes. There are good themes that are cheap and can guarantee security to your website. There is also better support with paid themes.

Include a Face

A photo of your team or your CEO is one of the basic and most important components your website should have. Customers need to see a face that they can associate your business with.

Recount a Personal Story

Another approach to make your potential clients feel closer to your business through your site is to tell your story. This may include stories about the founder of the business or what motivated creation of the business.

Set Up Easy Contact

Each and every business website, whether big or small, should show multiple ways to contact the company. This may include phone numbers, email addresses, physical address and if possible a map guide. The more ways you offer individuals to get in touch with you, the more likely they are to interact and associate with your business. In case you have not provided your email address, make sure that there is a contact form. Visitors can use this form to send messages or ask questions about your product or service.

Make Text Easy-to-Read

Visitors should be able to read all the text in your website since this is where they obtain information. You should not change your fonts to fancy letters thinking that it is cool. It is not. A website should have easy to read font.

Include Great Images

Images and pictures add value to the information on your website. Such visual elements may include team photos, pictures of your products or services etc. You should not overwhelm your visitors with unrelated pictures. Every image you add to your website should have a purpose. These photos and images should also be of high quality.

Include Customer Testimonials

Client testimonials are crucial components to include in your website. If your business is new, try and offer some free or highly discounted services just to get a few testimonials first. Just a few positive words from customers can go a long way in boosting your credibility.

Include Video Elements When Possible

You can include video testimonials. Other types of videos that describe your product and are relevant to your business can also be included. You should ensure that these videos are of high quality.

Demand a Mobile Site

Regardless of the type of content you choose to incorporate on your site, ensure that the site can be easily accessed from mobile devices. Having a site that isn’t supported by mobile devices drives away potential customers.

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Savvy web designer with a twist – Monika Beck with Webene – San Diego, CA.

Monika Beck

Savvy web designer with a twist – Monika Beck with Webene – San Diego, CA.

www.successharbor.com/hire-us/

7 Quick Tips for Starting Your Business on Pinterest by @BBorowicz

December 22, 2015 by Brittney Borowicz 3 Comments

by Brittney Borowicz | Featured Contributor

Social media platform, Pinterest, isn’t just for DIYers and women’s apparel. With over 70 million users, Pinterest has become a valuable tool for many small businesses looking to drive sales or connect with potential clients.

There are many tips that businesses can use to increase their visibility, website traffic and overall branding. Here are seven to get you and your company and brands started…

Start with your website. Make sure each product and/or service has a visual element so that others can Pin that image to their Pinterest boards. Make it even easier for your audience by including “Pin It” buttons near your different products so that those items can be shared quickly.
Find what people are searching for and who is doing the searching. For example, if you are an indoor air quality company and see that yoga studios are searching for your product/service or similar indoor air quality products/services, create a Pinterest board about the subject of yoga and how clean air positively affects your body. Work to create the best board on this specific topic including valuable visuals and articles as well as the products and services you have to help those yoga studios keep their air clean. (This is a real example of a company I worked with in the past.)
Use keywords. Pinterest is a great search tool. Just as with all other parts of the internet, keywords are important so that those looking for your product/service can easily find them. Pinterest is also great for SEO and keywords and phrases will help drive Google and Bing to your Pinterest boards.
Include your URL in your Pin description. This works to drive people back to your site and helps those people remember your name for the future.
Include your price in your Pins. Although this is a more controversial tip, it will get people who are truly interested in purchasing your product/service to click and convert. Pins that include their price also convert more than those without it.
Engage with your audience and community. Comment on and Like Pins from people and other companies that may be interested in your products or services. This helps build a sense of trust with potential consumers and alerts people of your presence when they may have been unaware of your company before.
Not all brands are meant for Pinterest. Just as with other social media channels, your audience may just not respond well. Brands and companies should not be on ALL social media platforms. If Pinterest may be a good platform for your brand, take the time to do it right and measure your success.

Want to follow me on Pinterest? Click here!

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Brittney Borowicz is an integrated marketing professional with a strong communications background specializing in journalism, public relations and social media. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Brittney has spent the past few years working with entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Chicagoland area to enhance their marketing and social media efforts.

Prior to her current role as the Marketing Manager for an embedded networking company, Brittney realized her affinity for all things media and marketing while working in radio and television and as a professional presenter. Later, she began working at a couple of small marketing agencies in Chicago as a Public Relations and Sales Director and Account Manager, which required her to be well-versed in coordinating specialized public and media relations strategies, creative marketing initiatives and cohesive sales process implementations.

As a strong believer in intimate consumer/brand involvement, Brittney helps her clients create content that engages and educates brand audiences while establishing each individual or company as a thought leader in their industry.

Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website

Brittney Borowicz

Brittney Borowicz is an integrated marketing professional with a strong communications background specializing in journalism, public relations and social media. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Brittney has spent the past few years working with entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Chicagoland area to enhance their marketing and social media efforts.

www.brittneyborowicz.com

How to Conquer “Technophobia” by @slideberry

September 7, 2015 by Guest Post 1 Comment

by Ling Wong

I have seen many women entrepreneurs feeling stuck with the “technology” piece in their businesses – e.g. setting up and updating their websites, hooking up payment and shopping carts, using an autoresponder/email newsletter service etc.

When they do it themselves, they spend hours and hours “trying to figure it out.” Not only are they wasting precious time on tasks that don’t tap into their strength, but they also feel so defeated that their self-confidence takes a hit across the board.

When they outsource the projects, often times they come short on the basic knowledge to effectively select and communicate with their VA or developer – creating situations in which the projects seem to take “forever” (thus holding up other marketing activities) and at the end, they get hit with a jaw-dropping invoice.

Good news is, with the widespread use of WordPress platform, and the great improvement in user experience in most online applications, it is not difficult to gain “working knowledge” of the typical online marketing tools an entrepreneur needs.

(If you are refraining from “technology” because you have a sour taste in your mouth from the early 2000’s, please try again before whining.)

1. DIY? Success Is an Inside Job

First Thing you need to do to “conquer technology” is to stop saying “I am not tech-ie.”

If you go in thinking you can’t handle it, you will consider the bumps and hiccups as evidence that you are indeed incompetent.

You don’t have to be “tech-ie” to make things work on WordPress, or to format an email on MailChimp.

If you are thinking “tech-ie-ness” is what you need, you are barking up the wrong tree.

To make technology work for you, you need clarity on what you want to achieve so you can find the simplest and most elegant solution to help you translate your business goals into a marketing plan and optimal user experience.

A lot of times, learning the basics (even the intermediates) is about having a clear head and the openness to ask the right questions.

Don’t hide behind the “I am not tech-ie” defeating self-talk as an excuse.

If you don’t preconceive what you can or cannot do, you may be pleasantly surprised by what’s possible.

2. Outsourcing? Some Personal Responsibility Goes a Long Way

When it comes time to outsource, there are a few things YOU can do to make sure your project runs smoothly – regardless of your level of technical competence.

Pay attention to scope:

Make sure you clearly communicate and agree what is included, and what is not. Review the timeline with your developer and set the expectation of milestones and deadline.

If you are charged by the hour, you may want to set a cap on how much you want to spend in advance. Have the developer report periodically on the “burn rate” and ask that you be alerted if you are likely to go over budget so you can prioritize. If you are charged a flat fee, you want to review the scope carefully to make sure everything you need to achieve your marketing goal is covered.

Educate yourself on the basics:

You don’t have to know how to code, but understanding the basics, knowing what questions to ask and using the correct terminologies can help facilitate the process.

Miscommunication can lead to your developer building something totally different that what you *think* you are getting, wasting precious time and money. Plus, developers tend to show more respect and are less likely to give you BS if you take the initiative to know your part.

Know your responsibilities:

When do you need to provide content and images so the project can stay on track? When do you need to review the site on staging and provide feedback? When do you need to participate in testing? Mark these dates on your calendar and make sure you set aside time to do your part.

Ask your developer what else you need to set up in advance, e.g. hosting, purchasing licenses for themes or plug-in etc. Consolidate any information you need to provide into one document or one email so your developer can find them easily. Your cooperation makes your developer’s job easier and he will be more likely to get back to you in a timely manner (who wants to deal with client-from-hell?)

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Ling Wong is an Intuitive Brainiac. Through her unique blend of Business + Marketing coaching with a Mindset + Psychic Twist, she helps the highly creative, intuitive, multi-talented and multi-passionate maverick solo-entrepreneurs distill ALL their big ideas into ONE cohesive Message, nail the WORDS that sell and design a Plan to cut the busywork and do what matters, through her intuitive yet rigorous iterative process born out of her Harvard Design School training and 10 years of experience in the online marketing industry.

You can find Ling and grab her free “How to Find YOUR Winning Formula” Training Series on her site.

Guest Post

How to Boost Your Business with Good (and Bad!) Online Reviews by @BBorowicz

March 13, 2015 by Brittney Borowicz Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Joi via Compfight cc

With the influx of information available on the internet, businesses and consumers are spending more time researching the products and services of different companies before they buy. The buyer wants to know they are getting the best prices, the best products and the best services they can and with the internet, they have a choice of many different companies. Because of this abundance of information, the buyer is in truly in control of the buying process.

So when the buyer is in control, how do you make sure they choose you?

The best two sales and marketing techniques I have found to make sure a buyer chooses your company for their end product and service needs are…

Reliably publish valuable and informational content about the product and/or service you are trying to sell and
Utilize your customer reviews and testimonials.

Why do content and reviews matter? To make it simple: People want to do business with people and companies that they like and trust.

With the internet taking out the person-to-person aspect of a sale, you must find other ways to build that trust and likability factor.

Reliably publishing valuable and fun content helps build credibility and thought-leadership for your company among your potential and current customers. However, when a potential buyer is not going to read your content — either out of laziness or because they are unaware of it — the least they are going to do is read your reviews. Not every business highlights their reviews and testimonials though, which is not ideal for a buyer looking to potentially do business with your company.

Word-of-mouth is still a huge thing, even with the internet. Consumers are more likely to believe another buyer of your products and services about your business than they are to trust the marketing person who publishes your content. This makes reviews and testimonials extremely powerful when it comes to building trust with a potential buyer.
Bad reviews aren’t so bad! Businesses are constantly afraid of a bad review and rightfully so, but they won’t ruin your business. No company, product, or service is perfect. Although all perfect reviews on your website may seem… well… perfect… nobody is going to believe it. So what do you do when you get a bad review? Address it and fix the problem! When a potential consumer sees that you were responsive to a problem and took the steps you needed to make another consumer happy, they are going to trust that your loyalty and interest remains with a buyer, even after the sale has happened. This ups your company’s likability factor as well.

Here are three ways you can effectively utilize your good (and bad!) reviews to boost your business:

Respond to reviews… both good a bad – A “thanks” or even an “I’m sorry that happened but here’s how we are going to fix it” can go a long way. Responses to reviews shows that you care about your customers as well as adds a personal touch to your brand.
Feature positive reviews – Grabbing quotes from positive reviews and posting them to your website, social media, or in email blasts helps to reinforce social proof when people go to visit your website.
Value each piece of customer feedback – Both positive and negative reviews can offer your company great insight to your products and services. From positive reviews, find the things your company is doing well and keep doing them! These are the things your business should be promoting and talking about when trying to sell your products/services to potential buyers. From negative reviews, find the things that your company is not doing so well and fix them! The best part of feedback from all reviews is that customers will provide you with insight you may have not had or completely overlooked.

There are many things that can be done to further make sure a buyer chooses your products or services but these two sales and marketing initiatives are a start. Give the buyer reasons to trust you, like you and ultimately choose YOU.

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Twitter – LinkedIn – Personal Website

Brittney Borowicz