Professional Website Design

As I spend most of my time speaking to small, local business owners I have found that many of them feel overwhelmed from the technological advances that are being made; actually they may just have gotten a website up only to find, it’s not well optimized for SEO, the nav is poor and the look does not portray their business well–and now there’s blogging, Facebook, Google Analytics, Twitter etc…seems like a lot, and what should be done to increase my exposure?  One  question in this slower economy looms for small business owners, and that’s “what can I do right now to help me close more business?”  In offering what I will call a “Small Business Lifeline” here are 5 quick things that just about any small business owner can do right now:

1.  If you advertise in the yellow pages, make absolutely sure that a link to your website appears at the bottom of your Superpages etc. space.  So many local businesses ignore this, making them all but invisible to potential customers; if your competition has a link and you don’t, you’ve already lost the business.

2.  If you still advertise in print or on local tv, get your domain (www…) into the advertisement.  This will increase your site traffic, and enhance your ability to win new customers.

3.  Get your domain on EVERYTHING.  We had a customer in Pittsburgh who put his domain on his trucks, and he gets calls from potential customers who viewed his website all because they saw his website address as he drove down the street!

4.  Google your competition.  Sun Tzu…”know your enemy.”  Enough said.

5.  Most importantly:  Ask for the order!  Most businesspeople don’t realize that they are in sales, guess again.  Unfortunately most of us would rather not risk the “no” than asking at all.  In this economy getting business is a slug fest, so don’t be afraid to just ask, the worst they can do is say no.

More to come on the “Small Business Lifeline.”

Thanks for reading my rant.  Preston Ehrler

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TAGS: ask for the order, know your enemy, local business, preston ehrler, small business, small business lifeline, Sun Tzu, Webvantix Headlines