Below is an article that talks more about this.

By LEISCHEN STELTER Mainebiz contributing writer 10/17/11

Real estate broker April Tracy says QR codes give potential buyers instant listing informationBeen noticing those black and white pixelated boxes in advertisements, on posters, doorways and even adorning your morning cereal box? Quick Response codes, or QR . . . → Read More: QR Codes Are Increasing Customer Interaction]]> QR code usage is increasing.  More businesses are starting to see their value, and more consumers are starting to use them.  This of course, enhances the customer’s experience, thus enabling a business to building that relationship into more purchases.

Below is an article that talks more about this.

Cracking the code | QR codes gain ground in the battle for consumers’ attention

By LEISCHEN STELTER
Mainebiz contributing writer
10/17/11

Real estate broker April Tracy says QR codes give potential buyers instant listing informationBeen noticing those black and white pixelated boxes in advertisements, on posters, doorways and even adorning your morning cereal box? Quick Response codes, or QR codes for short, are a type of matrix barcode that directs users to a specific webpage when scanned, usually via a smartphone.

While they aren’t quite considered mainstream yet, QR code usage and popularity are on the rise. In June of this year, 14 million mobile users in the United States — about 6.2% of the total domestic mobile audience — scanned a QR or bar code on their mobile device, according to a study by comScore, an Internet retailing site. The study found that users are most likely to scan codes found in newspapers or magazines and on product packaging.

That behavior represents a huge opportunity for businesses to engage directly with progressive consumers, says Amanda O’Brien, vice president of marketing for Hall Internet Marketing in Portland. O’Brien organizes Social Media Breakfast Maine, a monthly networking opportunity for local businesses to discuss and learn about trends in social media. QR codes have been on her radar for several years now, but she says local businesses are still trying to figure out how to effectively use them in their marketing strategies.

“You have someone’s attention and they’re doing some sort of physical interaction with your company and you should capitalize on it and give them something unique,” she says. The biggest mistake she sees are businesses using QR codes without a bigger marketing strategy. “Too many [businesses] are putting it there just to put it there and they’re not thinking forward and not using it well,” she says, for instance, by simply driving people to their homepage. The link the QR code directs people to must be engaging and interesting, she says.

Set the goal, then pick the tool

O’Brien advises businesses determine first what their marketing goal is and where they’re going, instead of picking the tool first and then creating a marketing plan. “If your goal is to get more customers in the door or more people to redeem a coupon, figure out what tools will get you there,” she says. She likens QR codes to other new technology such as social media, which many companies have jumped into without a goal or a plan in place. “Many people sign up for Facebook and Twitter and then get completely overwhelmed and realize it’s not going anywhere and there’s no goal,” she says.

Sea Bags Inc., a Maine-based company that makes handmade tote bags from recycled sails, is using a strategic approach with QR codes, incorporating them into its marketing strategy in multiple phases. The initial goal is to educate consumers about the company. “The goal for this, believe it or not, is not to sell more product, it’s to build awareness of our brand,” says Beth Shissler, president of Sea Bags, headquartered on Custom House Wharf in Portland. “We want to show the consumer that we are authentic to who we say we are, that we’re here on the wharf and we’re using recycled sails.”

For this initial rollout, the company collaborated with its marketing agency, Kemp Goldberg, to produce a two-and-a-half-minute video for its website. Beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, Sea Bags will include bag tags (also made of recycled sails) with QR codes printed on them directing people to that video on YouTube.

Implementing this strategy took about six months of talking and planning, says Shissler. The company’s next phase will be to highlight some of its key partnerships, also through a video. Down the line, Shissler says there are plans to include QR codes with limited edition bags that provide information on the pedigree of the sail a particular bag is made from.

She hopes QR codes will contribute to the reach of her marketing capabilities. “These tags will be included on overseas shipments and could help build our brand overseas. It’s a cost-effective way to advertise in areas that would otherwise be prohibitive,” she says. But Shissler doesn’t want to get too ahead of herself. “First we want to introduce the company and then introduce the mantra of the company, and then we’ll get to the specific product,” she says.

QR codes as a value-add

Social media has been the cornerstone of the marketing strategy for South Portland real estate company The Cohen-Tracy Team at the Maine Real Estate Network, says broker April Tracy. The company opened a Facebook account in 2008 “and that’s how we built our business,” she says. “Had it not been for Facebook, I don’t know where our business would be.”

Implementing QR codes is the most recent addition to the company’s marketing strategy. Tracy first learned about QR codes in 2009 while attending a Social Media Breakfast Maine event where someone wondered out loud why real estate companies don’t have QR codes at their properties so potential customers can scan them and see the details of the listing. “It was genius,” she says. In July of this year, the company began adding signs with QR codes at its listing sites. “Now we have a ‘Scan Me’ sign at all of our properties that takes people directly to that [property’s] specific webpage so you can see everything you need to know about the listing.”

Tracy foresees QR codes saving time and money. “In our business, we get so many phone calls on a listing with people asking how much it is and how many bedrooms, and if more people knew how to use these QR codes, it would cut down on that,” she says. By adding signage with QR codes, the company also anticipates a reduction of printed fliers and fewer expensive DVDs that include the same information.

In addition, Tracy doesn’t have to waste valuable time replenishing information tubes with printed fliers or DVDs. Once QR codes take hold in the mainstream mindset, she thinks customers will be more satisfied because they have easy and quick access to the exact information they want. And it could boost the company’s image. “The more tech-savvy people are out there, hopefully they will see that we’re using QR codes and will list with us because they know we’re savvy too,” she says.

Being considered ahead of the curve is important, especially if your primary audience is technologically advanced. The Portland Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed at boosting local music in Maine, recently printed 10,000 fliers with a map highlighting venues that regularly offer live music along the Congress Street corridor. Included on that flier is a QR code. “Because we could only fit so many venues on the map, we felt it was important to have a QR code that brings people to a Google map with 30 more live-music venues,” says Sam Pfeifle, secretary and co-founder of PMF. Once at the Google map, the user can sort music venues according to type of music, visit a venue’s website or click on the map for directions. “People expect us to be on the cutting edge and using QR codes shows that we’re aware of cutting-edge technology,” he says.

In addition to including QR codes on printed fliers, the PMF also puts a QR code sticker on the plastic case that holds the fliers, so even if it’s empty, the QR code can still be scanned and the information shared. In the three weeks the fliers have been on the streets, Pfeifle says there’s been a noticeable increase in traffic to that webpage, although it’s still early to determine the campaign’s effectiveness.

Link to original article: http://www.mainebiz.biz/news48610.html

If you’re not yet using QR codes, and your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

For merchants, going mobile is about more than simply making cell phones or Pads another point of purchase—it’s an opportunity to interact with and influence customers at every stage of the purchase process, Dave Gill, vice president of client services for The Nielsen Co., told the Mobile Commerce Forum in Houston. Michaels Stores Inc. has taken that . . . → Read More: Coupons on Smartphones]]> Yes you can send your customers coupons on their smartphones.  Here’s how one company is doing that to good effect.

Mobile Commerce Forum Report: Coupons pick up speed as a mobile marketing strategy

Michaels Stores has an iPhone app that allows shoppers to receive coupons and offers.

For merchants, going mobile is about more than simply making cell phones or Pads another point of purchase—it’s an opportunity to interact with and influence customers at every stage of the purchase process, Dave Gill, vice president of client services for The Nielsen Co., told the Mobile Commerce Forum in Houston. Michaels Stores Inc. has taken that insight and created a mobile strategy that focuses on the pre-purchase stage with coupons delivered to customers by text.

Though Michaels sells online, the craft store chain also wants to get shoppers in the door to be inspired by the craft projects and materials on display, Chris Hershberger, manager, marketing technology at Michaels, told attendees. “We want to come up with creative ideas that drive traffic into our brick-and-mortar stores,” he said.

Discount coupons help achieve that. Michaels has an iPhone app that allows shoppers to receive coupons and offers, and the retailer expects to launch an Android app this week, Hershberger said. Mobile is providing an important alternate means of coupon distribution for Michael’s and other large chains that have traditionally used newspapers for that purpose as more consumers turn toward digital media and away from print, he said.

“Coupons on the handset are gaining traction,” he said. Data from Nielsen, a market research company, show that in the second quarter of this year 17% of mobile phone users surveyed said they had downloaded a voucher or coupon on their mobile device, Gill said, compared to 34% who made a purchase using a mobile device. Michael’s chose to enter mobile couponing with text messaging rather than displaying QR codes that shoppers could scan in store because of consumers’ greater familiarity with text messages, Hershberger said.

He also offered other insights from Michael’s experience for merchants developing or refining mobile coupon strategies. For multichannel merchants such as Michaels, “It takes a lot of planning to lay out a good coupon strategy,” he said. “You don’t want to push the same offer out on a mobile handset that you put in the newspaper. With mobile, be more personalized in the offers–you don’t want to ‘spray and pray.’”

Hershberger noted that unique mobile coupon offers, different from those Michaels runs in newspapers, drive consumers to the retailer’s mobile app. “Knowing the offers will change is one of the primary reasons people go to the app,” he said.

Merchants need to educate themselves on the mobile landscape before implementing a mobile coupon strategy, he added. “Know the different devices and operating systems. Learn about QR (quick response) codes versus SMS (short message service text messages). Develop a knowledge base before you go out there and conquer,” he said.

Consumers’ location and the time of day also provide important context for mobile couponing, he added. “You don’t want to send out text messages at 5:00 a.m. before people have had a cup of coffee,” he said.

Link to original article: http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/10/11/mcf-report-coupons-pick-speed-mobile-marketing-strategy

If your web presence isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.  And enhance your customers interaction through SMS text marketing.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

• Offers made via SMS text marketing has consistently gotten response rates up to 20% – that’s 10 times more than traditional advertising methods such as email, direct mail, and newspaper ads which usually get around a 2%-3% response rate.

• Most consumers always have their mobile phone by their side, which means that they will receive your message no matter where they are.

• Studies show that approximately 90% of consumers read their mobile text messages within minutes.

• Research shows that 29% of mobile users . . . → Read More: SMS Text Marketing Facts and Benefits]]> • According to researchers, 73% of consumers would like to receive special offers on their mobile devices.

• Offers made via SMS text marketing has consistently gotten response rates up to 20% – that’s 10 times more than traditional advertising methods such as email, direct mail, and newspaper ads which usually get around a 2%-3% response rate.

• Most consumers always have their mobile phone by their side, which means that they will receive your message no matter where they are.

• Studies show that approximately 90% of consumers read their mobile text messages within minutes.

• Research shows that 29% of mobile users are open to scanning a mobile tag to get coupons.

• SMS text marketing has shown to be successful in most business models and has been utilized most for retail, promotions, communication, and appointment setting.

• Studies show that mobile coupons will become more relevant over the next several years.

• Analysts are predicting that SMS text marketing will eventually be the preferred method of servicing customers and clients with things such as appointment reminders, surveys, self-help services, and more.

• Using QR codes is the perfect way to make it quick and convenient for your audience to opt-in to your SMS list.

• SMS text marketing is a “permission-based” form of marketing where the customer initiates things by texting in a keyword to join your list. In exchange for their subscription, you can offer them an incentive, such as a coupon, free goods, free information, etc. Once the person has subscribed to your text messages, they are now a part of your list and will receive all of your future marketing text messages.

• SMS text marketing puts your subscribers at ease because they can opt-out of your list at any time. However, since they opted-in to join your list, most of them WANT to receive your messages.

• SMS text messages can go viral, which means they can spread like wildfire. This is because your subscribers will often forward your offers to friends and family, which will give you more exposure and more sales.

• SMS text marketing allows you to reduce your advertising costs while increasing sales and customer loyalty at the same time. This method is inexpensive compared to other marketing methods and usually gets a much higher response rate.

• With SMS text marketing, you can reach a group of people who are interested in knowing about your products and services within minutes.

• SMS text marketing helps you to establish two-way communication between you and your customers.

• SMS text marketing is great for local retailers of all types wishing to promote products or services, provide purchase incentives, and increase customer loyalty and retention.

• It’s easy to track results of a SMS text marketing campaign as recipients of your text offers have to come into your establishment and show you the offer or coupon right on their cell phones in order to redeem it.

• Since most mobile phone users have their phones within reach at all times, SMS text marketing is the ideal way to alert people of time-sensitive information, such as an appointment reminder.

• If your business revolves around retail, communication, or appointments, SMS text marketing will be the perfect addition to your marketing tool-kit.

Here’s eight reasons you should be utilizing SMS marketing to help grow your business.

If you haven’t heard, SMS Marketing is big business. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent every year in the United States on text messaging . . . → Read More: SMS Marketing – The Reasons Why]]> SMS Marketing is also known as text message marketing.  Its the sending of text messages with a marketing message to your customers smartphones.  This is an excellent way to keep in contact with your customers, and to let them know of special deals, special products, and to entice them to return with text coupons.

Here’s eight reasons you should be utilizing SMS marketing to help grow your business.

Eight Reasons Why Your Business Should Use SMS Marketing

If you haven’t heard, SMS Marketing is big business. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent every year in the United States on text messaging campaigns. Businesses from Fortune 500 companies down to mom and pop shops have jumped on the SMS marketing bandwagon.

Not convinced yet? Here are eight reasons why your business should use SMS Marketing.

1. Text Messaging Is Affordable

SMS Marketing is very affordable. We’re talking about pennies per message. A small business can get started for as little as 10 to 20 dollars a month.

2. High ROI

We just said SMS marketing is affordable. But can you really get much out of 10 to 20 dollars a month? Absolutely. Let’s look at a quick example. Say you’re the owner of a local restaurant and you’ve collected a list of opt-in phone numbers of your patrons (more about opt-ins below). Now you want to send a message to 100 of your customers offering a free appetizer with any entrée. You’ve spent 20 dollars to accomplish all of this. Text message open rates are about 95% but let’s assume only 20 of those customers actually redeem that coupon. You’ve just drawn in 20 new reservations for 20 dollars.

3. Text Messages Arrive…Instantly

Forget email spam filters, postage and drawing visitors into your website. When you send a text message campaign to your marketing list it arrives in seconds.

4. Insanely High Open Rates

We just said text messages are opened 95% of the time. Compare that to email that is opened, at best, 25% of the time.

5. Permission Is Key

That phrase we mentioned earlier – opt-in – is what makes SMS marketing so effective. Consumers have to opt-in to join your text messaging list – they are telling you they want to hear from you. They do this by texting your keyword to a short / long code or by signing up via a web form. And if they ever want to stop receiving messages all they have to do is reply STOP and they’re automatically removed from your list.

6. It’s To The Point

A text message is limited to 160 characters. That means you need to say exactly what you need to say. Whatever you’re offering you get to the offer quickly. There’s a reason why over 95% of text messages are read and this is it.

7. Everyone Has A Mobile Phone And We Love To Text

Nearly every American has a mobile phone. We sent over 2 trillion text messages in 2010. If you aren’t sending text messages to your customers you better believe that your competitors are.

8. Text Messaging Is Green

Forget direct mail which gets tossed in the garbage. A text message is digital which means it’s green. Your SMS Marketing campaigns will drive sales and save the environment too!

Link to original article: http://www.mobilemarketingratings.com/eight-reasons-sms-marketing.html

If your web presence isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Here’s 5 good reasons to do so.

September 28, 2011

The following is a guest post by Kevin McGuire, Vice President of Product for Motricity.

The reality is that mobile is no longer about the phone, it’s about being connected. Many predict that mobile Internet traffic will soon surpass that of traditional wired broadband. For enterprise brands and agencies, this trend is proving to be a disruptive force that is completely changing the way that marketing and advertising campaigns are being developed. Here are the five . . . → Read More: Why You Should Think About Mobile Marketing for Your Business]]> Every business owner should at least consider mobile marketing.

Here’s 5 good reasons to do so.

5 Reasons Why Every Brand Needs to Think About Mobile First

September 28, 2011

The following is a guest post by Kevin McGuire, Vice President of Product for Motricity.

The reality is that mobile is no longer about the phone, it’s about being connected. Many predict that mobile Internet traffic will soon surpass that of traditional wired broadband. For enterprise brands and agencies, this trend is proving to be a disruptive force that is completely changing the way that marketing and advertising campaigns are being developed. Here are the five reasons that every brand needs to think mobile first.

1. Large and Growing Audience: According to CTIA, there are more than 300 million mobile phones in the U.S., which is almost on par with our current population of 312 million people. From a global perspective, there are more than 5 billion mobile subscribers. The rate of adoption for mobile is incredible, especially as compared to personal computers. In June 2008, Gartner reported that 1 billion people had PCs and estimated that number would reach 2 billion by 2014.

2. Consumer Demand: Unlike traditional methods of marketing/advertising such as direct mail, online banners and e-mail, mobile campaigns are based on an opt-in or expressed user actions like browsing or using an application. As a result, consumers are more likely to be engaged and responsive. According to a 2010 Harris Interactive poll, 42 percent of men and women between the ages of 18 and 34 identified themselves as interested in receiving text alerts from marketers.

3. Ability to Personalize: Mobile numbers are tied to a person, where an internet connection is not. The demographic, geographic and device-type information tied to a mobile number gives marketers and advertisers the ability to create highly personalized campaigns.

4. Superior Response Rates: According to an Opus Research report, mobile marketing/advertising is far superior to that of traditional online campaigns with response rates that are often twice to 10 times higher. In terms of ROI, that’s a staggering number.

5. Constant Access: Mobile phones are our constant companions, providing almost unlimited access to the content we crave, regardless of location or time of day. According to a recent CNBC article, 75% of people polled never leave home without their mobile phone.

About the author
Kevin McGuire, is the vice president of product for Motricity, which delivers relevance-driven merchandising, marketing and advertising solutions for mobile operators, brands and advertising agencies. Kevin has been on the forward edge of mobile applications and platforms for over 12 years, leading product, marketing and engineering teams at start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, Alcatel and Adenyo.

Link to original article: http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/5-reasons-why-every-brand-needs-to-think-about-mobile-first-18821/

If your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

QR codes link the offline with the online By Christopher Poon, September 27, 2011 – Straight.com

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of barcodes are those blocks of lines on the backs of grocery-store items. Generally, these linear barcodes are used for cataloguing and purchasing goods and not much else. Now, with smartphone use on the rise and device capabilities constantly improving, a different kind of barcode is becoming increasingly common—QR codes.

Ask many people what a . . . → Read More: Use QR Codes to Link Your Online and Offline Marketing]]> QR Codes can be a very useful link uniting your offline and online marketing efforts.  Here’s an article discussing different ways to use QR Codes.

QR codes link the offline with the online
By Christopher Poon, September 27, 2011 – Straight.com

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of barcodes are those blocks of lines on the backs of grocery-store items. Generally, these linear barcodes are used for cataloguing and purchasing goods and not much else. Now, with smartphone use on the rise and device capabilities constantly improving, a different kind of barcode is becoming increasingly common—QR codes.

Ask many people what a QR—or quick response—code is and typical reactions will include head scratching, shoulder shrugging, and many an “I don’t know.” But show them the little boxes with the black-and-white patterns that are popping up in the corners of billboards, posters, and ads, and they’ll likely pull out their phones to see what that code has to offer.

“It’s convenient when I’m using my phone,” Christina de Castell, manager of online information and news at the Vancouver Public Library, told the Georgia Straight by phone. “It’s easier to scan a QR code than to type in a search.”

Developed in the mid 1990s by Toyota, QR codes—a type of two-dimensional barcode—were intended to be quicker and easier for machines to read while also storing more information. Since the technology was made available licence-free, it allowed other developers to adapt it for a variety of uses.

Fast-forward a decade and a half, and the codes can now be found on all kinds of media. For de Castell, QR codes are simply a way to get somebody something they need quicker than before, which is why the VPL introduced them last year.

“At the library, we’ve got QR codes on our new bookshelves that people can use to get a list of other new books at the library,” de Castell said. “That means they’re instantly interacting and can browse for new books right away, without having to wait until they get home or remember until they get in front of a computer.”

She added that the library has also used QR codes in magazine ads.

Other increasingly prevalent uses for the codes—apart from the all-too-common ad linking to a brand’s website—include recipes at the supermarket, links to artist videos at galleries, and professionals putting them on business cards.

“The potential is almost unlimited,” Mark Binns, chief marketing officer for Mobio Technologies—a Vancouver company that helps companies take advantage of QR codes—said by phone. “I mean, there’s the really boring use where you scan and are then taken to a website, but the more interesting stuff is around payments.”

An example of the latter, Binns noted, is one local coffee company that has ads on various transit routes.

“You can scan the barcode when you’re 10 minutes away [from your stop] and you’re taken to the Ethical Bean Coffee menu, where you can select the coffee you want and how you want it, your morning muffin, and then you can pay for it instantly on your smartphone,” he said. “Then you just show up and everything’s waiting for you—no lining up required.”

And if, coffee in hand, you end up wandering around Gastown, keep an eye out for more of the codes in the windows of some of the neighbourhood’s heritage buildings. They’re part of an ongoing initiative by the Gastown Business Improvement Society.

“A lot of people are interested in the history of the area and have no idea where to start,” Leanore Sali, executive director of the society, said by phone.

To remedy this, the society stuck codes on some of the buildings that, when scanned, link to the history of the site as well as photographs of how it looked as far back as the turn of the century.

“We used to do guided tours of the area,” Sali said. “Now, when you scan these building codes, you can do your own walking tour at your own pace. We hope to eventually have them in every building in the area.”

“They are bridging the gap between the offline world and the online world,” Binns said. “If you look at static media such as a newspaper or a poster, so far those media can only push you a message; they can’t interact with you. If you put a QR code on it, suddenly there’s much more to it.”

Link to original article: http://www.straight.com/article-471851/vancouver/qr-codes-link-offline-online

If you’re not yet using QR codes, and your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Here’s a simple Q and A covering QR Codes.

Posted: September 22nd, 2011 by Suzanne Stock of Marketscan

You may have seen them in catalogues, or displayed on shop windows, on the back of business cards or perhaps you have seen those black and white squares packed with strange black and white shapes on the menu outside a restaurant. But what on Earth are they?

Well, those little patterns are called QR (Quick Response) codes and they contain . . . → Read More: Using QR Codes for Direct Marketing]]> You’re seeing more of them every day – QR Codes that is.  Because their marketing usefulness is without question.

Here’s a simple Q and A covering QR Codes.

Essential Guide on Using QR Codes for Direct Marketing

Posted: September 22nd, 2011 by Suzanne Stock of Marketscan

You may have seen them in catalogues, or displayed on shop windows, on the back of business cards or perhaps you have seen those black and white squares packed with strange black and white shapes on the menu outside a restaurant. But what on Earth are they?

Well, those little patterns are called QR (Quick Response) codes and they contain encoded information that can be read by an application on a smartphone. The appearance of QR codes has been pretty sudden (you probably didn’t notice any at all six months ago) and so many people are still unsure what they do, or how they work. So below we try to answer some of the questions that you may have about QR codes and in doing so, hopefully give you a better idea of how they may be able to work for you.

Q. So we know that QR codes contain information that can be scanned by a smartphone, but what does that mean exactly?

A. Let’s start at the beginning. QR codes have actually been around for years. They were developed in Japan by a subsidiary of Toyota, primarily as a method of quickly and easily tracking motor parts. They work in a similar way to a bar code, but because they can be decoded by a smartphone application rather than requiring a specific scanner as with barcodes, they are available to be read by everyone, anywhere and at any time. The technology already exists; the user just needs to open up the QR reader application on the smartphone align the QR code in the centre of the screen using the camera, and the code will be automatically scanned.

The minimum recommended size for a QR code is approx 35mm x 35mm; anything smaller and the phone may have trouble scanning it successfully. There is no real maximum size; it will just require the person reading the code to stand further away in order to fit the code into the phone camera screen.

The QR code itself can contain up to 7000 characters of text, however that is only the beginning of how these codes can be used. They can automatically dial a phone number, send the reader to a social media profile, download a map showing business location details, display images, even play a video. It enables the reader to immediately and simply access further information about a business. No need to remember a phone number or type in a complicated website address.

A QR code is a clear call to action for all smartphone users, and the speed and ease with which these codes can be scanned means that the call to action is more likely to be acted upon.

Q. Right. I can see the use they may have for businesses selling B2C, but can they also be useful to businesses selling B2B?

A. It’s true, QR codes are largely being used by B2C businesses at the moment, but B2B businesses are awakening to their potential. If you’re selling products or services either to individuals or businesses, the immediacy of the QR code will still appeal to your customers. They can drive visitors to your website to request an information pack, run a video in which you demonstrate your products or services, or download a special QR reader voucher. Put one on your advert so the reader can access your brochure online or find out more about the special offer in your advert. And think of the space you can save on those printed communications.

Q. Would you say that QR codes are actually appropriate for all businesses?

A. It all depends upon your audience and who you are you trying to reach. As we know, QR codes can only be read by a smartphone. Are your potential customers likely to own smartphones? And also, as the use of QR codes is still relatively new, the people accessing them are likely to have a certain amount of high-tech knowledge. Does this sound like the customers that you are trying to attract? If so, then go for it. Including a QR code on your sales letter demonstrates you are at the forefront of current technology. But if you are not sure that your target audience are likely to use the QR code it may be worth simply keeping an eye on things for the time being. Why not ask them in your next survey?

And remember that not everyone you will want to reach will have a smartphone, so if you do use QR codes treat them as an addition to your sales message, not as a replacement.

Q. If I have a QR code printed on my business card that takes the reader to my Facebook page, but I subsequently stop using Facebook and instead want to take the reader to a LinkedIn page, will I need to create a new QR code and re-print all my business cards?

A. Although each QR code is unique and will last forever, it does not mean that the information it points to needs to last forever. It’s possible for any changes to this information to be made at the back end without the QR code itself needing to be changed. Your business cards will remain valid; the QR code will now point to your LinkedIn page rather than your Facebook page. However do check that you know how to do this before getting those QR coded business cards printed. Some websites offer this facility whereas others do not.

Link to original story: http://www.marketscan.co.uk/news/essential-guide-on-using-qr-codes-for-direct-marketing-0005302

If you’re not yet using QR codes, and your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Mobile websites should be all about simplicity, functionality, and ease of use for the visitor.

The below article covers this as it pertains to mobile websites for the hotel and lodging industry.  But the principles discussed are applicable to mobile websites for just about any industry.

I strongly encourage hotels to move towards establishing a mobile presence without delay. As with every new adventure in technology, there is a right way and . . . → Read More: Mobile Website Basics]]> What should your mobile website look like and work like?

Mobile websites should be all about simplicity, functionality, and ease of use for the visitor.

The below article covers this as it pertains to mobile websites for the hotel and lodging industry.  But the principles discussed are applicable to mobile websites for just about any industry.

Mobile Website Design Basics: What Every Hotel Needs to Know.

Posted on September 7, 2010 in Hospitality & Travel, Mobile Marketing by Vikram

I strongly encourage hotels to move towards establishing a mobile presence without delay. As with every new adventure in technology, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. Here are some points for hotels to consider when taking the mobile leap.

Avoid “Walled Gardens”

Hotels must stay away from “one size fits all” templated solutions. These solutions offered by third party sites are a short-term gimmick to get hotels to sign up and start paying monthly fees to “rent” their mobile websites. Why is this a bad idea?

For those of you old enough to remember the 1999-2000 era, templated websites were all the rage. It was simple: with a few clicks, you got a website and you paid monthly rent. What a scam that was! You didn’t own anything, and you didn’t build any rankings on search engines.

Fast forward to 2010, when everybody owns their website and domain, and nobody in their right mind should ever give up control of their website to someone else. Mobile website template sellers are selling the exact same thing their counterparts did in the past…it’s still a terrible idea! Always insist on developing a fully customized mobile website that you own and control – it’s worth the investment.

Simplicity Rules

Due to the ubiquity of generic hotel internet marketing agencies, hotel websites have largely become a menagerie of heavy flash and high-resolution graphics resulting from the mass produced templates these marketing agencies have forced upon their clients. There is also the super artsy GM, owner and occasional Director or Sales who wants to capture the “spirit” and “experience” of a hotel stay on the hotel’s website.

For successful mobile website design, hotels need to check their design divas at the door. Mobile screens are too small to capture your magnum opus, and speed will always be an issue. Think Google.com home page, not Yahoo.com, and you will be successful…unless you want your hotel to be the Yahoo of the mobile world.

Phone Number Is a Must

If you do not have a prominent phone number listed on your mobile website, you have failed. This is like buying a shiny new car without a steering wheel. It simply has to STOP. Always provide your mobile website visitor with a  “click to call” option. Often, mobile users are on the road looking for quick contact information; never frustrate your guests by withholding it.

Color It Simple

Not leaving white space on your mobile website is extremely frustrating to users. The small screen size makes the lack of white space a factor in turning off visitors. Navigation needs to be in clear and easy-to-see colors. Funky color schemes that look great on a laptop browser can just be confusing on a mobile phone screen. Good contrast is key in making your mobile content appetizing for consumption on a mobile device.

Targeted Content

The mobile website visitor is looking for content that can be consumed efficiently and without having to click too deeply into your website. Effective mobile websites prioritize the content mobile users need to find quickly, eg, Contact and Location, Rooms, Rates. They don’t try to tell epic stories – save the long version for your non-mobile site. Keep it to the point, and your mobile website will do great.

Videos & Images

As a rule of thumb, omit these items. Mobile broadband speeds in the US really do not permit anything fancy to play. Your prime focus should be on giving the visitor the immediate information they need.

Simple Navigation

Simple navigation is a must on a hotel mobile website. Clicking is hard on a mobile device, and burying information under multiple layers is bound to frustrate your visitors.

Mobile Friendly Booking Engine

Hotel booking engine technology is constantly playing catch-up to the real world. Mobile websites that do not let your guests book a room will deprive your hotel of direct mobile revenue. There are some creative ways to bypass this issue if you are stuck with a dinosaur hotel booking engine. A “Call Now to Book” or a simple “Request a Room” form can deliver mobile-direct revenue for your hotel.

Mobile web is rapidly converting your guests into avid surfers on their mobile devices. It’s time for you to get serious and invest in the right mobile website for your hotel. Follow the basics I have listed, and you’ll be off to a good start!

Link to original article: http://www.evisionworldwide.com/hospitality-travel/mobile-website-design-basics-what-every-hotel-needs-to-know/

If your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

New Customers are Great, But Don’t Forget Your Old Ones By Walter Dailey Published September 21, 2011 FOXBusiness

I recall speaking with a client about the launch of their ad campaign. Their business had been doing well and the company decided to ramp things up a bit and become more aggressive. As I reviewed their strategy for their campaign, I began to inquire about their target audience. They indicated that they . . . → Read More: Don’t Forget About Your Regulars]]> Its often easy to focus all your marketing attention on acquiring new customers. But don’t make the mistake of forgetting about those who got you to where your are today.  Check out this article.

New Customers are Great, But Don’t Forget Your Old Ones
By Walter Dailey
Published September 21, 2011 FOXBusiness

I recall speaking with a client about the launch of their ad campaign. Their business had been doing well and the company decided to ramp things up a bit and become more aggressive. As I reviewed their strategy for their campaign, I began to inquire about their target audience. They indicated that they were going after top earners in some of the most affluent neighborhoods in their area. In fact, they were prepared to dedicate more than 80% of their marketing budget to do so. What will happen with the remaining 20%? They indicated that they would target their core customer with the amount left over.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This company was looking to grow; however, they thought that growth could be achieved by chasing pie-in-the-sky customers while virtually ignoring their existing customer base. You see, the success for this company was created by its huge cache of “average” customers – not multimillionaires. In effect, these guys pushed their bread and butter customer aside as they actively pursued a huge payoff.

Let’s clarify. It’s not wrong to go after new customers. However, it’s vital to know the value of the “bird in the hand”.

Look at the following and think about how you’re using your marketing budget:

Bonus Customer
Your bonus customer will be the person that shows up out of nowhere and makes a substantial purchase. If you’re like most small businesses, you begin to hope that every customer will be like this one. In response to this apparition, many will shift their marketing from their core to this rare customer – not understanding that this particular buyer may not be back again. Be sober in your thinking; only allocate a small portion of your resources for the bonus customer. After all, they are just a bonus (as the name implies). So place them third in line with respect to your marketing efforts.

Seasonal Customer
Seasonal customers (for most businesses) stop in once or twice a year. Though they may not account for the lion’s share of your revenue, it’s quite likely that they are the very reason you can push past the break-even point. Make them a second-tier priority and reserve at least a quarter of your budget to target this important group.

Bread and Butter Customer
Core customers are easy to indentify, they’re the ones that, literally, keep your lights on. These individuals will most likely account for 50 – 70% of your overall revenue.  If you look closely, you’re likely to find common ground among those in this group. They may share: a certain neighborhood, income level, age range, marital status, world-view, education and more. It’s up to you to figure out who they are so that you can market yourself in a more focused way. Remember, this group is your core; if they go away you cease to exist. No other group should receive more marketing attention than this one.

Walter Dailey is a marketing speaker and proven creative strategist. He’s the lead consultant and executive producer for Dailey Sound Vector Media, a creative services organization that specializes in jingles, radio ads and marketing campaign development for small businesses throughout the US.  Ask Walter your questions at walter@dsvmedia.com

Original story: http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/marketing-sales/2011/09/21/new-customers-are-great-but-dont-forget-your-old-ones/

This article speaks to that.  Take a look.

Business Sense: Add ‘WOW’ to your marketing efforts with QR codes Dennis Hunter/For the Times-Standard Posted: 09/11/2011 02:30:26 AM PDT

Have you noticed those jigsaw puzzle-like rectangles that are starting to show up in newspapers, magazines and everywhere else? They’re called QR codes. Quite frankly, they’re the new rage in marketing. Recently, I attended a credit union marketing conference where I was introduced to them for the . . . → Read More: Add to your Mobile Marketing with QR Codes]]> Using QR Codes for mobile marketing is growing fast.  Its also a good way to enhance a mobile visitors experience in getting to your website, and then making use of it.

This article speaks to that.  Take a look.

Business Sense: Add ‘WOW’ to your marketing efforts with QR codes
Dennis Hunter/For the Times-Standard
Posted: 09/11/2011 02:30:26 AM PDT

Have you noticed those jigsaw puzzle-like rectangles that are starting to show up in newspapers, magazines and everywhere else? They’re called QR codes. Quite frankly, they’re the new rage in marketing. Recently, I attended a credit union marketing conference where I was introduced to them for the first time. At the conference, an ad in the L.A. Times for a local furniture store had a QR code. I scanned the code with my smartphone and watched a 30-second TV commercial for the store. I was “wow’d” and couldn’t wait to get back to become the first to use the QR code here on the North Coast.

Here’s the official Wikipedia definition of a QR Code: “A QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) is a type of matrix bar code (or two-dimensional code) designed to be read by smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, a URL, or other data.

”Created by Toyota’s subsidiary Denso Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional bar codes. The QR code was designed to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

”The technology has seen frequent use in Japan and South Korea; the United Kingdom is the seventh-largest national consumer of QR codes.”

We use other QR codes to take readers to short videos of our staff which can be a very effective and interactive marketing technique for a local business.

Creating a QR code is simple and virtually cost-free. There are several QR generators on the market. Simply go to the Internet and search for them. When I created the above QR codes, I went to a generator to input our URL and hit “generate code.” I then got back an image, saved it and have included it in our print advertising.

To make the most of QR codes in your marketing, consider:

* Providing alternative response options for those who do not have a smartphone.
* Including instructions for how to use the code and downloading a QR reader.
* Making the codes easy to read. Keep them simple and preferably black and white.
* Testing them before using them. Test them on a variety of readers and a variety of smartphones.
* Directing users to a site optimized for mobile browsers to ensure the best possible user experience.

There is astounding potential for QR codes to connect consumers to more information, special discounts, surveys, videos or even to your own web site. If you’re looking for new ways to engage your customers and put that “wow” factor in your marketing, incorporating QR codes into your existing marketing efforts may be the answer.

Dennis Hunter is vice president of marketing with Coast Central Credit Union.

Link to original article: http://www.times-standard.com/business/ci_18872080

If your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Here’s an article that explains what they are, and how they can be used for marketing purposes.

Using QR Codes For Small Business Marketing Karen Leland

While on vacation seven years ago, entrepreneur Rico Elmore couldn’t find a pair of sunglasses that would fit on his not-so-small noggin. Elmore’s hefty-head experience spawned an ah-ha moment, and today he is the proud proprietor of Fatheadz Eyewear, a company that makes oversized sunglasses and extra . . . → Read More: Using QR Codes For Small Business Marketing]]> QR Codes.  You’re going to see a lot more of these strange looking black and white squares.  And they can become a valuable piece of mobile marketing for you small business.

Here’s an article that explains what they are, and how they can be used for marketing purposes.

Using QR Codes For Small Business Marketing
Karen Leland

While on vacation seven years ago, entrepreneur Rico Elmore couldn’t find a pair of sunglasses that would fit on his not-so-small noggin. Elmore’s hefty-head experience spawned an ah-ha moment, and today he is the proud proprietor of Fatheadz Eyewear, a company that makes oversized sunglasses and extra wide eyewear for folks with large heads.

Always looking for ways to innovate, Elmore has recently been using mobile marketing, and QR codes in particular, as part of his plan to engage customers.

QR codes (Quick Response Codes) are commonly aimed at mobile phone users. If you have a camera-equipped smartphone with a QR code reader, your phone can scan the image of a QR code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network or open a web page in your phone’s browser.

“In early 2011, I was flipping through an outdoor retailer trade publication when I saw a QR code in the magazine,” says Elmore. “I thought it was very cool and decided to look into how we might start using them in our marketing.”

Within 60 days, Fatheadz had integrated the use of QR codes into their campaign involving the ongoing sponsorship of race car drivers.

“For all of our sponsored drivers, we give them a ‘Hero’ card they can autograph and give out to their fans,” says Elmore. “We put a QR code on the back, and when the fan scans it on their mobile device, up pops our web page.”

Once on the website, fans can see information about their favorite race car driver, including which sunglasses they wear — and buy them. Elmore says the QR code campaign has increased web traffic by a whopping 10 percent.

What’s next? Elmore says he plans on expanding the use of QR codes to prospective retailers by printing them on business cards and other marketing collateral and then linking them to product videos on his site.

Dan Hollings, an expert on mobile marketing, says that video is one of the most effective uses of QR codes.

“The key is to create a short video (under three minutes) about your product or service or some useful information relating to your product or service,” says Hollings. “Then post the video on your website, YouTube and Facebook and link a QR code to it that brings the visitor to the video. It’s as simple as that.”

Even though QR codes are relatively simple to set up and use, many small businesses don’t know where to begin. To start, check out Qr.net and createandtrack.com, just two of the hundreds of sites that offer QR code creation.

Still feeling a bit shy about bringing QR codes into your marketing mix? Get your feet wet by using one yourself. Now that you know what to look for, you’ll see them everywhere. So download a QR reader on your smartphone and scan away. Who knows, you might just end up with a pair of your favorite racecar driver’s sunglasses.

This article originally appeared at Xero.com, online accounting software for small business.

Karen Leland is a freelance journalist, best-selling author and president of Sterling Marketing Group where she helps businesses negotiate the wired world of today’s media landscape — social and otherwise. For questions or comments, please contact her at kleland@scgtraining.com.

From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-leland/qr-code-small-business_b_929644.html

If your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Look at this from RICG…

While a number of marketing companies are looking to integrate mobile devices into their advertising efforts, it seems some consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with the web browsing experience on handsets.

According to a survey conducted by Compuware Corporation, 71 percent of global mobile web users expect websites to load just as quickly as they do on their home computers. However, 46 percent said websites load slower than they . . . → Read More: Your Website on a Smartphone]]> Consumers are frustrated with websites that are not mobile optimized. How does your website look and function on a smart phone?

Look at this from RICG…

Consumers express dissatisfaction with mobile web experience

Published July 21, 2011

While a number of marketing companies are looking to integrate mobile devices into their advertising efforts, it seems some consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with the web browsing experience on handsets.

According to a survey conducted by Compuware Corporation, 71 percent of global mobile web users expect websites to load just as quickly as they do on their home computers. However, 46 percent said websites load slower than they would like. Additionally, 57 percent of consumers have experienced issues accessing websites from their handsets during the past year.

“We conducted this study as a follow on to our 2009 study that showed mobile users had high expectations, but the majority experienced poor mobile performance. Almost two years later, user expectations for mobile continue to increase, but companies are still not meeting mobile users’ needs for fast and reliable experiences,” said Steve Tack, CTO of Compuware.

More advertisers are looking to invest in mobile marketing this year, with a recent JP Morgan report indicating budgets are expected to exceed $1.2 billion. However, given the response to Compuware’s survey, this platform may not always be ideal for advertising.

If your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Watch this short video to see what Google has to say about this growing trend and opportunity.  Then ask yourself if your website is useful to people who visit on a smart phone.

This video presents key findings from “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Consumers,” a study from Google and conducted by Ipsos OTX, an independent market research firm. The findings come from research conducted at the end of 2010 among 5,013 US adult smartphone Internet . . . → Read More: Mobile Marketing – Ignore at Your Own Risk]]> Smartphone usage is growing at an incredible rate.  Therefore, opportunity for mobile marketing is also growing at an incredible rate.

Watch this short video to see what Google has to say about this growing trend and opportunity.  Then ask yourself if your website is useful to people who visit on a smart phone.

>

This video presents key findings from “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Consumers,” a study from Google and conducted by Ipsos OTX, an independent market research firm. The findings come from research conducted at the end of 2010 among 5,013 US adult smartphone Internet users. Google commissioned this research with the objectives to better understand how smartphones are used in consumers’ daily lives and how smartphones have influenced the ways consumers search, shop and respond to mobile advertising.

If your website isn’t ready for the mobile revolution, then you are loosing revenue. We can help you catch up and take advantage of increased exposure and an enhanced experience for those who find your site on their smartphones.
Contact Loren Squires at 303.280.3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com

Not quite, but they are getting there. Here are some very eye-opening statistics about how much they are being . . . → Read More: Smartphones – They’re everywhere.]]> Smartphones. Its seems there are everywhere these days.

Not quite, but they are getting there. Here are some very eye-opening statistics about how much they are being used.

From Microsoft.

Instead of putting all of your eggs in one basket, it’s best to drive website traffic through several sources. This way, you can cast a wider net, resulting in more traffic, and track the efficacy of each source.

Before you begin, you should understand the core concepts of Search Engine Optimization (aka Search Engine Marketing). In order to increase your website traffic and attract qualified prospects, you need to understand three things:

It used to be that businesses without websites ranked equally as well as those without, but this is no longer the case.

This is good news for all businesses who have a company website but not so good for those that don't.  While having a website for your business has always been a good idea, it's become more vital as a result of this change.

Here are seven additional tips to help you improve your Google Places' rankings:

1.    Pay close attention . . . → Read More: More Google Places Tips]]> Towards the end of 2010, Google made a number of changes to the algorithm that determines the position of your Google Places listing.

It used to be that businesses without websites ranked equally as well as those without, but this is no longer the case.

This is good news for all businesses who have a company website but not so good for those that don't.  While having a website for your business has always been a good idea, it's become more vital as a result of this change.

Here are seven additional tips to help you improve your Google Places' rankings:

1.    Pay close attention to your "on page" Search Engine Optimization. This includes the keywords/keyword phrases you are targeting, all standard SEO practices, and ensuring that your business name, address and phone is listed exactly on your site as it is in your Google Places listing.

2.    In addition to building backlinks to each page of your site, it's also a good idea to build backlinks to your primary "citation" references (usually found on directory sites like Yelp, InsiderPages, CitySearch, etc.)

3.    Build backlinks to your Google Places page itself. As most won't do this, this will give you an added edge.

4.    Do some social bookmarking of both the pages where your citation references are found as well as your Google Places listing itself.

5.    Use a phone number with a local area code for your primary number. If you're currently using a toll-free phone number, I recommend you get a local "virtual number" and use that instead. You can list your toll-free number as a secondary number.

6.    Instead of uploading your images direct to your listing, choose to add them from the web. I recommend you upload your images to either Flickr or Panoramio and make sure to "geo tag" your images with your businesses' address/location information.

7.    As with your images, it's wise to "geo tag" your videos as well. This causes your videos to play a dual role… they increase your ability to rank because you've chosen to add them to your listing and because they are now considered to be a citation as well.

In the end, optimizing your Google Places listing is very much like optimizing your website. Your goal should be to give as much helpful information as possible that will benefit those looking for a business like yours and to outperform your competition.

As it takes a significant amount of work to thoroughly optimize a Google Places listing, you will frequently find that your competitors are lacking in one or more of the areas mentioned in this article.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Major take-aways from video.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google . . . → Read More: Tips for Increasing Your Online Visibility – by Google]]>

Major take-aways from video.

• Think about what searchers are going to type when looking for your services.  Then make sure those search terms are on your website.
• The title tag is most important.  The description tag is the second most important meta tag.
• Getting links to your site is critical for reaching the first page of Google for your search terms.
• Having a blog is a good idea.
• It doesn’t take 6 months to get indexed by Google.  There are way to make it happen much quicker.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

While both strategies must be employed for best effect, most SEO Consultants begin with the on page optimization work before beginning their off page optimization efforts.

In this article, I’ll cover some of the things that can be performed to your website in order to increase its ability to achieve better rankings. First, however, you must understand that each and every . . . → Read More: Website Factors That Affect Your SEO]]> Search Engine Optimization is generally comprised of two distinctly different activities… optimizing the website itself , referred to as “on page” optimization, and increasing the authority of the website  in the eyes of the search engines, referred to as “off page” optimization.

While both strategies must be employed for best effect, most SEO Consultants begin with the on page optimization work before beginning their off page optimization efforts.

In this article, I’ll cover some of the things that can be performed to your website in order to increase its ability to achieve better rankings. First, however, you must understand that each and every page of your website needs to be SEO’d. This will not pose too much difficulty if your website is rather small but if you have dozens (or hundreds) of pages, the work to be done will be substantial.

Here are eleven website factors that may affect your SEO:

Meta Title

Your “meta title” information is added to the page source (i.e. your website coding). This may be done manually by your web designer or added through a WYSIWYG editor if your site uses some form of Content Management System (aka CMS). On some dynamic platforms, the meta title is created automatically as soon as the page is published.

Generally speaking, your meta title should be kept relatively short (no more than 60-80 characters) and should include the two-to-three keyword phrases you are specifically trying to optimize the page for.

Meta Page Description

Some may argue how much this affects SEO but there are other benefits to writing a good meta page description as well. Google will only display the first 156 characters (including spaces) of your page description so it’s best to use that as your maximum length.

Your page description text should read well, include your primary keyword phrase at minimum and be somewhat exciting. The page description will generally be shown to searchers just beneath the clickable title. If your description tells of a benefit or evokes curiosity in the reader, you will enhance your ability to get visitors.

Meta Keywords

Most will tell you that meta keywords are worthless when it comes to SEO and I would tend to agree.  However, if you are going to add meta keyword information I would recommend that you keep the amount to no more than about five terms in total.

It’s bad practice to add dozens of meta keywords to each page and you may actually get penalized for doing so.

On Page Content

Your on page content should be unique to your website if at all possible and should also include the keyword phrases you are targeting. You don’t need to worry about the specific “keyword density” anymore as that is mostly a thing of the past but it does help to include the terms you are specifically targeting at least once.

Your Web Page URL

If your website architecture allows you to control the name of each page, it’s best to see that it includes your primary keyword phrase.

If you were targeting the term, “search engine optimization,” for example, you might cause the url to be: domain.com/search-engine-optimization or even domain.com/search-engine-optimization.html

Both examples work quite well so use whatever version is easiest for you to achieve.

Your Web Design

You may be surprised to see “web design” included in this list but it can affect your SEO in a variety of ways:
•    Your design should be attractive and professional so as to keep your visitors on your site as long as possible .
•    Your coding should be as “clean” as possible and should validate with the “W3C validation tool” whenever possible.
•    Your images and coding should be optimized so as to maximize the speed of your site. This is good for both SEO and human visitors… no one likes to needlessly wait.

On Page Link Text

As you can control your on page link text, you can increase your optimization for a term by using the term in the text link that points to your other page. The gain is generally considered minimal so this should only be done sparingly and only when the keyword phrase is relatively short.

Links Pointing To Other Sites

This topic may surprise you but most SEO Consultants agree… the search engines’ believe that no one website is the “be all, end all” authority on a topic and therefore expect a website to link to others on the same topic.

Of course, there is a downside to this practice… you may find that the visitor leaves and never comes back. An intelligent strategy is to link to informational only sites, like Wikipedia, that do not provide competitive products or services.

Visit Duration

Many search engines now track how long your visitors remain on your site. The longer the average is, the more apt the search engines are to believe your site is relevant to the keyword phrase that brought them to your web page in the first place.

Visit Depth

In addition to visit duration, they can also track how many pages of your site the visitor looked at before leaving and which specific page they exited from.

You can see this data for yourself when viewing your web stats and can use the data to help you improve your visitor’s experience.

Page Load Speed

I touched on this when I spoke about web design but your page load speed is also affected by the speed of your web hosting. It may not be a major factor, but the search engines are paying attention to how long your pages take to load.

It makes sense, really. The search engines do their best to deliver the best possible visitor experience and if your pages take forever to load, it’s easy to conclude that many are probably irritated as a direct result.

If you address the majority of the topics contained in this article, you’ll be on your way to well-optimized pages. With a strong SEO framework, you’ll find that your off page optimization efforts yield better, and quicker results.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

While there are many ways this can be achieved, here are five tips to explore:

Google will display more than one listing for your website if it feels that more than one of your web pages is relevant for the searched upon phrase. To improve your chances, you need to ensure that your “on page” SEO is solid, that . . . → Read More: How To Dominate The First Page Of Google]]> Most website owners are thrilled when their site is found on the first page of Google for a particular keyword phrase. Aggressive marketers/SEOs however, know that it’s possible to occupy more than one (of the ten) of the organic listings for a term.

While there are many ways this can be achieved, here are five tips to explore:

Multiple Listings

Google will display more than one listing for your website if it feels that more than one of your web pages is relevant for the searched upon phrase. To improve your chances, you need to ensure that your “on page” SEO is solid, that you are creating meaningful “meta titles” and “meta page descriptions” for each page and are building links to your internal pages.

Web 2.0 Properties

It is possible to create content on a variety of “Web 2.0″ sites like Squidoo.com, Hubpages.com, Scribd.com and dozens of others. It is generally free to create these pages and each of these can be optimized around your targeted keyword phrases.

Website Directories

Many website directories allow you to list your business on their site. As the listing will receive its own url, you can optimize these pages for the SERPs.

Just a few of the directories include DMOZ.org, VieSearch.com, Jayde.com, and ExactSeek.com . You will also find that there are a number of “Yellow Page” type directories that will allow you to create a listing.

Review Sites

There are many sites that allow consumers to rate their experiences with a particular business. Through sites like Yelp.com, InsiderPages.com, CitySearch.com and others you can create a listing for your business and allow others to rate you.

These types of sites tend to rank well in the search engines and can definitely enhance your business’ exposure.

Video Marketing

Many videos are now ranked on the first page of Google for their optimized terms. This happens via what Google calls its “Universal Search” feature. Through Universal Search, Google pulls news, video, images, local and book information into its regular search results.

Videos submitted to sites like YouTube.com, Vimeo.com, Viddler.com and many others tend to rank well in Google. As each site has great authority with Google and the other search engines, it can be relatively easy to get your videos to rank quickly.

While it requires a solid plan and a lot of effort, it’s quite possible to secure a number of listings on the first page of Google. This technique, known as “Conversation Domination,” will help you firmly establish your business as an authority and can dramatically improve the amount of targeted website traffic you receive.

Before you begin, you need to ensure that you are performing this work for terms that are likely to bring you the kind of visitors your business needs. Otherwise, you may see an increase in traffic but not an increase in business.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

While it’s relatively easy to create the listing, it can be much more challenging to get your listing to appear on the first page for the keyword phrases you are targeting.

To that end, I offer the following seven tips:

1.    Choose you keywords carefully.

Before creating (or claiming) your listing it is important that you do thorough research. You should know what keyword phrases you want to rank for and what your competition looks like for . . . → Read More: Google Places Tips]]> With Google Places, formerly called Google Local, you have the ability to create a high-quality free listing for your business whether you currently have a website or not.

While it’s relatively easy to create the listing, it can be much more challenging to get your listing to appear on the first page for the keyword phrases you are targeting.

To that end, I offer the following seven tips:

1.    Choose you keywords carefully.

Before creating (or claiming) your listing it is important that you do thorough research. You should know what keyword phrases you want to rank for and what your competition looks like for the terms you intend to target.

I recommend that you do not optimize your listing for any keyword phrase that does not currently have a Google Places listing associated with it. If you search Google for a phrase and don’t see a Google Places listing, it’s best to choose another phrase.

After you’ve come up with the keyword phrases you plan to target (I recommend 5) it’s wise to study your competitors listings to see whether their listings are complete. Have they filled in every field? What keywords are they targeting? Have they used their maximum allotment of photos and videos?

The answers to these questions will give you an idea as to whether you can expect to outrank one of the listings currently found on the first page.

2.    Fill out every field completely.

There are approximately 20 fields to fill out when completing your Place Page listing. It is imperative that you fill out each and every field as the omission of even one can negatively affect the ranking of your Places Page.

3.    Utilize every available category.

Google will suggest one category specific to your business and require you to use it. However, you can also add more categories and it is important to do so.

Using your keyword research, use your remaining keywords as the category names until you have used every additional category available to you.

4.    You’re allotted ten photos — use ‘em.

It may seem basic, but it’s true. Each business owner is afforded the same opportunities when creating their Google Places listings but many don’t take advantage of them.

Google allows you to use up to ten photos and I encourage you to use every one of them. You can also enhance your optimization efforts by renaming your images to include your keyword phrases before uploading them.

5.    You’re allotted five videos — use them too.

As it is a bit harder to create videos than photos, you’ll frequently find that your competitors fail to use their entire allotment.

However, you can create short “slideshow” type videos (which are merely a collection of photos put to motion) quite easily. If you search Google for the phrase, “slideshow maker,” you’ll find a number of tools that can help you make these types of videos online.

You’ll need to upload each video to YouTube.com before you can add it to your listing.

6.    Understand citations and build as many of them as possible.

A citation occurs whenever an online reference is found for your business and services. In Google’s eyes, it’s a validation that your business truly exists and that it offers the type of services you list on your Places page.

It’s important that your citations closely match the information found on your Places page. You can create your own citations by submitting your information to a variety of online directories including Yellow Pages, Super Pages, CitySearch, Insider Pages, Yahoo Local, Localize and a number of others.

7.    Get reviews and ratings.

Google will automatically display reviews it finds on sites like yelp.com, insiderpages.com and demandforce.com. Having a lot of positive reviews is not only helpful for your Google Places SEO, it can help you get business that might have gone to a competitor otherwise.

Ask your existing clientele to post a review of your business on the site of your choice and if necessary, offer them some form of bonus for completing the task.

If you spend the time to follow each of these seven tips, you’ll be well on your way to getting your Places page listed on the first page for a variety of terms.

Just like traditional SEO however, don’t make the mistake of neglecting your listing after completion. While you’ve completed the majority of the work, it’s wise to continually build new citations, get more reviews and ratings and respond publicly to the reviews you receive.

If you would like to get your Google Places Business Listing to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

This is especially true when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. Sometimes, the information may have been valid in the past but is no longer valid and sometimes… it was never valid to begin with.

Here are ten SEO myths and their corresponding “truths”.

1. It’s impossible to outrank a web page with a Google PageRank higher than your own.

While Google’s PageRank indicator may play a minor role in determining search engine placement, it’s not a critical factor.

If you conduct a few searches on Google you will find . . . → Read More: 10 SEO Myths]]> The internet may be called the “Information Superhighway” but that doesn’t always mean the information is correct!

This is especially true when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. Sometimes, the information may have been valid in the past but is no longer valid and sometimes… it was never valid to begin with.

Here are ten SEO myths and their corresponding “truths”.

1. It’s impossible to outrank a web page with a Google PageRank higher than your own.

While Google’s PageRank indicator may play a minor role in determining search engine placement, it’s not a critical factor.

If you conduct a few searches on Google you will find this to be true. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to find a page, with a lower Google PR, outranking a page with a higher one.

2. Having an XML Sitemap will boost your rankings in the SERPs.

It is wise to create an XML Sitemap but don’t expect to see any rank improvements. The sitemap is useful to the search engines and will help them crawl your site more efficiently but it won’t help you “leap frog” your competitors.

3. Including “meta keywords” will improve your SEO.

Most search engines disregard the “meta keyword” information altogether. While it can’t hurt to include a handful of relevant terms, it’s not time well spent.

4. It’s imperative to update your homepage frequently.

If changing your homepage content is good for your visitors and business model, then have at it. Otherwise, just leave it as is.

That’s not to say that your entire site should be stagnant but that there’s no evidence to conclude the necessity to update your homepage’s content on a regular basis.

5. Trading links with other webmasters is just as good as building quality “one way” links.

Trading links (aka Reciprocal linking) was something that worked a long time ago but it is no longer effective for improving one’s rankings.

The only time that the trading of links makes any sense, is when both webmasters may benefit from the traffic that may come from the partner’s site.

6. SEO is a “set and forget” activity.

Most webmasters (and business owners) wished this were true but it’s simply not the case. Effective Search Engine Optimization is an ongoing activity and if you’re not going forward, you’ll find your rankings slip over time.

This is especially true as it pertains to link building. The search engines monitor your inbound links and if they find they find they are dwindling over time, they assume your page is losing its relevance.

7. Using Heading Tags is crucial to your SEO.

The use of Heading Tags (i.e. H1, H2, etc.) is useful to define your site’s content but don’t expect them to make marked improvements in your rankings.

8. Hiding a bunch of links on your pages is a good idea.

Google, and the other search engines, are incredibly smart and can spot the occurrence of “spammy links” quite easily.

Whether you’re using a teeny-tiny font size to display them, coloring them the same as your page background or using CSS to move them so far off the page they can’t be seen by visitors… the search engines know!

This practice is foolish and trust me on this — no good will come from it!

9. There is an optimum keyword density for your on-page content.

This may have been true in the past but it’s no longer relevant. It’s wise to ensure that your targeted keyword phrases appear somewhere on your page but don’t bother calculating the density percentages.

It’s much better to write content that will be found valuable by the humans reading your content than to concentrate writing for the robots.

10. Paying a firm to “register” your site with “hundreds of search engines” is a wise investment.

This type of offer may sound appealing, but it will do little, if anything, to improve your search engine rankings or generate meaningful website traffic.

As knowledge is power, this information will help you waste less time and money on outdated SEO tactics or those that never worked in the first place.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

In truth, the exact opposite is true. Most web designers know very little about SEO and this includes those with college degrees in Website Design.

Even web designers with a degree are not taught the ins and outs of SEO.  They are given some definitions and a little  time explaining the basic concepts. However, they aren’t actually trained in the art and science we call SEO. They are told that work should . . . → Read More: Most Web Designers Do Not Know SEO]]> The world of web design is complex and fraught with misinformation. Chief among them is the belief that most web designers have a solid understanding of Search Engine Optimization (aka SEO).

In truth, the exact opposite is true. Most web designers know very little about SEO and this includes those with college degrees in Website Design.

Even web designers with a degree are not taught the ins and outs of SEO.  They are given some definitions and a little  time explaining the basic concepts. However, they aren’t actually trained in the art and science we call SEO. They are told that work should be performed by an individual/company that specialized in Search Engine Optimization.

I agree with this, as web designers are “artsy” by nature and not best suited to things that are highly technical. That’s not to say that there aren’t some who are good at both, just that it’s probably the exception rather than the rule.

The real problem is that most clients know little about the web design process and mistakenly believe that their web designer has optimized their site for the search engines. As many web designers forget to discuss the topic with their clients, the site is put live without being optimized.

To improve your chances of getting a beautiful website that is well-optimized for the search engines, it’s important you understand these three factors:

Web Design

In this phase, your web designer will work with you to create a nice looking website according to your project specifications. This part is primarily graphic in nature but it does form the foundation of the entire project.

Website Coding

After the website graphics are finished, the design will be coded such that it can be understood and displayed by browsers like Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc. Some web designers will use a program like Adobe’s Dreamweaver to code the design while others will hire a web coder to do the process manually.

As a general rule, designs that are “hand coded” by a code specialist are more likely to follow the standards set by the Worldwide Web Consortium (aka W3C). They are also more likely to be “lighter” in their design, which is beneficial to SEO.

Search Engine Optimization

After the site has been designed and coded, the work can begin to optimize the website for the search engines. This is best performed by a SEO Specialist.

The SEO Specialist’s job is to work closely with the client in an effort to understand their business and what outcome(s) they are looking to produce. With this information, the will begin the process of keyword selection and set about optimizing each page of the site.

In addition to the work performed to the site itself, the SEO Specialist will perform a variety of “off page” tasks. These tasks may include linkbuilding, social bookmarking, the creation of citations as well as many others.

As you can see, successful web design is a rather complex topic and frequently requires the work of several specialists. Armed with this information, you’ll know what questions to ask to ensure your project is completed to your satisfaction.

After all, a beautiful website that receives little visitors won’t help you achieve much in the way of new business.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” This is a set of techniques and processes used by a SEO Specialist to improve your website’s rankings in the search engines for a particular set of keywords, or keyword phrases.

Of course, the real goal is to increase targeted website traffic in hopes of generating new business. It’s just that this is . . . → Read More: SEO Terminology]]> One of the reasons Search Engine Optimization seems so complex is that it there are so many foreign terms used. In this short article, I’ll list some of the most common terms and will try my best to give you “geek free” definitions.

1. SEO

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” This is a set of techniques and processes used by a SEO Specialist to improve your website’s rankings in the search engines for a particular set of keywords, or keyword phrases.

Of course, the real goal is to increase targeted website traffic in hopes of generating new business. It’s just that this is achieved through better search engine rankings. Studies have proven that the top 1-4 listings get far more traffic than the others found on the page.

2. SEM

SEM stands for “Search Engine Marketing.” Defining SEM is a bit tricky as many authorities have varying ideas as to what the term means.

However, as a general rule, SEM Specialists use three distinct practices to promote their clients’ websites:

•  Traditional SEO techniques including both on-page and off-page search engine optimization strategies.

•  Buying paid ads from the search engines that offer this type of service… primarily Google, Yahoo and Bing.

•  Buying paid “inclusions” from the search engines. This is paying a search engine company for a guarantee that the website will be included in the search.

3. SERPs

SERPs stands for “Search Engine Results Pages.” Basically, it’s the page that is returned to you whenever you use a search engine.

The goal of SEO is to improve your web page’s ranking amongst the other “organic” listings in the SERPs.

4. Keyword Phrase

A keyword phrase is any set of words that is searched upon by internet “surfers.” It is the goal of the SEO Consultant to determine which keyword phrases are most relevant to your website/business and are likely to bring you targeted website traffic.

These keyword phrases are then used in the optimization process with the intent of getting your web page’s strong rankings for the chosen terms (aka keyword phrases).

5. Backlinks

Defining backlinks gets a bit tricky only because there are a variety of other terms that mean basically the same thing. You may also hear them referred to as text links, anchor text links, hypertext links, one-way links or contextual links.

A backlink occurs whenever another site links to yours. The link could come from an image or banner type graphic or it could be a linked piece of text.

For SEO purposes, the text links are of primary importance with the goal being to get links that include the keyword phrases you are optimizing for.

While there are hundreds of other SEO terms to learn, these will give you a good framework to build upon. Whether you are learning more so you can improve your own site or just want to be able to communicate better with your SEO Specialist, I encourage you to keep studying.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Broken down, however, Search Engine Optimization (aka SEO) is really not that difficult to understand.

The search engines, like Google, try their best to “index” web pages for terms they believe are relevant to the content found on the page. They do this because it’s in their best interest… the better their results, the more likely users will continue to use their search engine.

As each “search engine results . . . → Read More: Search Engine Optimization 101]]> Search Engine Optimization, also called “Search Engine Marketing,” can seem daunting at first. There are a myriad of technical terms to learn and to the uninitiated, can appear to be some form of “computer voodoo.”

Broken down, however, Search Engine Optimization (aka SEO) is really not that difficult to understand.

The search engines, like Google, try their best to “index” web pages for terms they believe are relevant to the content found on the page. They do this because it’s in their best interest… the better their results, the more likely users will continue to use their search engine.

As each “search engine results page” includes about ten “organic listings” (i.e. those you don’t have to pay for) your goal is to have your page indexed on “Page One” for a set of terms you believe relevant to your content and business.

To do this, you simply give the search engines what they want.

So, what do search engines want?

Search engines want a number of things but here are some of the “core ingredients” that are common to Google, Yahoo and Bing:

1. Quality content (and design).

The better your content is, the more likely the search engines are to help you promote your content through better search engine placement.

But how do the search engines determine the quality of your content? Since they do this through an automated process, they had to come up with metric that would allow them to make an educated guess.

They measure the time each visitor stays on a page and also watch where the visitor goes when they leave. If they stay on your site for several minutes and then visit another page on your site, that’s good. If they leave your page in 5 seconds and never return, that’s bad.

2. Ability to easily determine what phrases to index your pages for.

As your pages will be found when someone conducts an internet search, the search engines need to index your pages for terms (called keyword phrases) they believe are most relevant to your on-page content.

You can help them by ensuring that each page of your site is optimized around 1-3 keyword phrases. After choosing which keyword phrases to target, make sure to add them to your “meta page title” and “meta page description” at minimum.

Also, it’s important that these keyword phrases appear somewhere on your actual page… the content that can be read by your human visitors.

This helps the search engines to index your pages more easily and you will be rewarded for your work.

3. Getting as many “votes” as possible for each page of your site.

In internet terms, each link to your site is seen as a “vote” that your page is relevant to the piece of text that is linked.

So, if you want a particular page of your site found for the keyword phrase, “best Los Angeles plumber,” you’d be wise to get as many websites as possible to link to your page using this phrase in their “anchor text.”

Anchor text is merely the words that create the clickable link. If the phrase, “best Los Angeles plumber,” is linked to your web page, you just earned a “vote” for that page.

The more links you can get with that term, the more likely your page will be to rank well for it.

While there are hundreds of techniques to improve the SEO of a website, these principles are truly the foundation. If your pages contain great content/design, are optimized for a handful of relevant keyword phrases and are linked to from other web properties, you’re on your way to improved search engine placement.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

90% of online commercial searches result in offline brick and mortar purchases. (comScore)

82% of local searchers follow up offline via an in-store visit, phone call, or purchase. (TMP/comScore)

80% of budgets are spend within 50 miles of the home. (DMA)

74% of internet users perform local searches. (Kelsey Group)

73% of online activity is related to local content. (Google)

68% of buyers like to compare prices online, before buying in an offline store.  (Accenture)

67% of people prefer to research online before buying from . . . → Read More: Interesting Online Statistics]]> 7% of American internet users use the internet to shop, of which 57% characterize their behavior as shop online, purchase offline.  (NPD Group)

90% of online commercial searches result in offline brick and mortar purchases. (comScore)

82% of local searchers follow up offline via an in-store visit, phone call, or purchase. (TMP/comScore)

80% of budgets are spend within 50 miles of the home. (DMA)

74% of internet users perform local searches. (Kelsey Group)

73% of online activity is related to local content. (Google)

68% of buyers like to compare prices online, before buying in an offline store.  (Accenture)

67% of people prefer to research online before buying from physical stores.  (Accenture)

66% of Americans use the Internet to find local businesses (Comscore).

66% of Americans use online local search, like Google local search.

61% of local searches result in purchases. (TMP/comScore)

58% of customers prefer to locate items /stores online before purchasing offline.  (Accenture)

54% of Americans have substituted the internet and local search for phone books. (comScore)

35% of all searches are local. (DM News)

25% of internet searches have a purely local commercial focus. (Kelsey-Bizrate)

For every one dollar U.S. consumers spend online, another five or six are going to offline purchases that are influenced by online research.  (MIT Technology Review)

So with this information, I have a couple of questions for you.

• Do you have an online presence for you business?
• Is it complete?
• Is any one finding you online?

If you can’t answer these questions with a strong ‘yes’, I can help.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

There is a very significant shift taking place right now on the internet, that has to deal with how ideas are communicated.  That shift is away from static words on a webpage, and towards video.

Think about how so much of society and marketing is based upon the television.  The vast majority of us have grown up with the tv, and most all of our news, information, and entertainment is centered around it.

With the wide proliferation of high speed internet access, videos have quickly become commonplace all over the web.  In fact, Youtube, the online video sharing site, . . . → Read More: Video for your Website]]>

There is a very significant shift taking place right now on the internet, that has to deal with how ideas are communicated.  That shift is away from static words on a webpage, and towards video.

Think about how so much of society and marketing is based upon the television.  The vast majority of us have grown up with the tv, and most all of our news, information, and entertainment is centered around it.

With the wide proliferation of high speed internet access, videos have quickly become commonplace all over the web.  In fact, Youtube, the online video sharing site, is the second largest search engine on the web right now.

If you’re using a website to attract visitors and prospective customers, there are real advantages to using videos on your website.

There are several ways to use video on your website.

• Product marketing videos – Show people your product, not just tell them about it.

• Product demonstration videos – Show your product in action, show the benefits.

• Product instructional videos – Show people how to best use your products.

• Client testimonial videos – Real people talking to your visitors about their experience with you.

• Product endorsement videos – Other people talking about your products or services.

Obviously, using a video on a website will greatly increase the conversion rate over just words on the page.

So if you’d like some videos on your website, I can help.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Think for a minute, just because you’re there doesn’t mean that people and other businesses around you know about you. People may notice a new business, or a new building, but if you’ve been at your location for a while you may be just part of the surroundings that don’t get noticed.

So how do you get noticed? Search lights and marching bands? Well maybe.

Here are some more practical suggestions to getting you . . . → Read More: Neighborhood Marketing]]> Let’s say you have a business. It could be a retail or service business. Let me ask you this, “Does your neighborhood know about you?”

Think for a minute, just because you’re there doesn’t mean that people and other businesses around you know about you. People may notice a new business, or a new building, but if you’ve been at your location for a while you may be just part of the surroundings that don’t get noticed.

So how do you get noticed? Search lights and marching bands? Well maybe.

Here are some more practical suggestions to getting you noticed in your neighborhood.

Door Hangers.

Yes, they are a bit old fashioned, but with how electronic everything has become these days, some of the older methods of marketing are becoming more effective.

A door hanger delivered to houses in your neighborhood can draw attention to your business. They can inform people of your location, your hours, your products and services. The hanger should also contain coupons for new customers to provide an incentive for people to visit.

Neighborhood/Community Festivals.

Does your neighborhood, community, or area of town have a yearly festival, fair, or celebration of sorts? This is an excellent opportunity to participate and increase your exposure. Join in, rent a booth, create a sidewalk display, sponsor a float in a parade, sponsor a stage if the event has musical performances. Basically, become an active member of your neighborhood.

Host/Sponsor Events.

Are there organizations in your neighborhood that do fund raising events? Such as, school groups, (sports, arts, & music), or other community and civic organizations.

A large parking lot can be used to host car washes, a farmers market, or an art fair. Your front sidewalk can host bake sales, garage sales.

The idea is to get creative in interjecting your business into community events.

Coupon Books.

Frequently neighborhood businesses will pool some of their resources to create a coupon book that they then give out to their customers. If your surrounding businesses do this, be sure to participate.

Employee Discounts.

If you know some of the local business owners in your neighborhood you could start a reciprocal employee discount program. This is where you offer an employee discount to another business’s employees, in exchange for your employees receiving a discount to the other business. This can be facilitated with simple business type cards.

Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list. Just a bit of a primer to get you thinking about increasing the visibility of your business in your neighborhood.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

It is presented by Matt Cutts from Google.  He, probably more than anyone else, knows how Google really works.  And there are some lessons to take from this that I’ll discuss below.

Here are some take aways from the video that you can make use of, that will help how your web site appears in the search results.

Title Meta-Tag.

This . . . → Read More: How Google works]]> Here’s a video that I think some of you would like to see.  Especially if Google is a bit of a mystery for you.  It provide a brief and simple explanation of what is really going on when you search for something on Google.

It is presented by Matt Cutts from Google.  He, probably more than anyone else, knows how Google really works.  And there are some lessons to take from this that I’ll discuss below.

Here are some take aways from the video that you can make use of, that will help how your web site appears in the search results.

Title Meta-Tag.

This is one of the most important factors for on-page SEO (search engine optimization).  Each page of your web site should have its own title.  It is this title that is the briefest description of what the page is all about.  You should make sure that it contains at least one, preferably two keyword terms relevant to the content of the page.

The title of the page should go in the meta-tag “<title>’ in the header section of your page.  For example: <title>How Google Works</title>

Description Meta-Tag

In addition to the title tag, your description tag is also a very important piece of information about the web page.  Here you should also use relevant keyword terms in your description.  Not a list, that’s next, but a brief description about what is contained in this web page.

This meta tags looks like: <meta name=”description” content=”Your description goes here.”/> For example: <meta name=”description” content=”A brief description and video of how Google performs searches.” />

Keyword Meta-Tag

This is where you put your keywords, relevant keywords that are used in the body of the web page.  Be careful not to ‘stuff’ this with dozens of keywords.  It is more important to use a few accurate keywords about your content, than it is to stuff dozens of unrelated keywords here.  The relevancy should be for the page these tags are on, not for your web site in general.

These keywords are what you want to be found for when people are searching on Google for what you are offering.

This meta tags looks like: <meta name=”keywords” content=”keyword one, keyword two” /> For example: <meta name=”keywords” content=”How Google Works, Google searches, searching with Google” />

Making sure that these three simple meta-tags are properly crafted will go a long way to helping your web site be found by people searching for your services.  It is to your advantage to make sure they are completed correctly.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

One percent die.

There’s not a lot we can do about that. Its the old ‘death and taxes’ thing. Fairly unavoidable.

Three percent move away.

There’s not a lot we can do about that either. People move, now more frequently than ever. Often out of the reach of our businesses.

Five percent follow a referral.

These people get a referral or recommendation from a friend or family and decide to make a switch away from your business. Referrals are a very strong motivating factor. They’re the . . . → Read More: Why customers leave]]> If you’re wondering about why customers leave or don’t return, here’s what studies have shown.

One percent die.

There’s not a lot we can do about that. Its the old ‘death and taxes’ thing. Fairly unavoidable.

Three percent move away.

There’s not a lot we can do about that either. People move, now more frequently than ever. Often out of the reach of our businesses.

Five percent follow a referral.

These people get a referral or recommendation from a friend or family and decide to make a switch away from your business. Referrals are a very strong motivating factor. They’re the strongest form of marketing there is. Do you have a referral system in place?

There is something you can do about this. Make sure you are constantly providing unparalleled and unsurpassable value to your customers. If they are then referred to another business, make sure that business doesn’t measure up to your level of service and value.

Nine percent switch due to price or better product.

Some of this may not be preventable. But I bet a lot of it is. Why don’t you have the best product? Or if you do, why don’t your customers know that?

Also, the service you provide along with your products should be considered as part of the total product package. Do your customers understand this?

Fourteen percent switch due to product or service dissatisfaction.

You can’t please everyone. And your product may not be the best fit for everyone. So some of this may be unavoidable. But if you strive to solve your customer’s problems, not just sell them something, then this percentage can be minimized.

Now, if you total these percentages up you have 32 percent. And only 32 percent. So why to the majority, 68 percent, of your customers leave and don’t return?

Perceived indifference. In other words, they don’t feel appreciated.

They don’t feel like they matter to you or your business. They feel unimportant.

Let me ask this question, what is your business’s most valuable asset? I would submit to you that its your customers. This is the asset your business can’t live without.

Do your customers feel like they are your most valuable asset? You may believe this, but does everyone else in your business believe this and treat your customers accordingly? Is this message getting through to your customers? Are your customers really loyal or just satisfied?

Is your service so good that your customers wouldn’t even consider shopping around? Or following up on a referral?

Here’s another way of looking at this. Figure out what your long-term customer value is. Once you do, I bet you’ll take a second look at how you serve your customers, and at the level of value you provide to them.

Don’t let them feel unappreciated. Make sure they know just how valuable they are to you and your business.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

SEO is basically a method of getting your website to appear on the first page of Google’s search results for your services and products.

Here I’m not going to tell you how to do this, (that would take a small book), rather I will explain why it is vital to your online visibility, and growing your business.

Recent studies have shown that about 80% . . . → Read More: Search Engine Marketing for Small Business]]> If you’re a business owner then you’ve probably grown tired of people pitching you on their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) marketing services.

SEO is basically a method of getting your website to appear on the first page of Google’s search results for your services and products.

Here I’m not going to tell you how to do this, (that would take a small book), rather I will explain why it is vital to your online visibility, and growing your business.

Why is ranking high in the Google search engine for your “Money Words” SO IMPORTANT for growing your business.

Recent studies have shown that about 80% of American consumers turn to the internet FIRST when looking for a product or service they need. That means 4 out of 5 prospective clients start their search online, NOT in the Yellow Pages!

The reason why is this, people looking for your services or products can find out significantly more information about you by looking on the internet, rather than looking in the Yellow Pages.

You can put a great deal of information on your web site, such as: your different services, different products, info about your experience, testimonials, areas served, how to contact you, pictures, videos, and articles. Everything a prospective customer needs to know to grab their phone and call you.

HOWEVER, you can have the most fantastic web site, with all the information anyone could ever want, and that has all the bells and whistles, BUT if nobody can find it, it does you absolutely no good.

If you are not on page one of Google’s search results, then you are virtually invisible.

How important is it to get your site on page one of the Google search results?

In the last several years, Google has claimed around 65-70% of all internet searches. That means 7 out of 10 prospective clients use Google to find products and services in your niche.

About 42% of those searchers never look past the first 3 listings found on page one of the search results.

About 95% never look past the first page of search results. Therefore, if you’re not on page one, your online market just shrunk by 95%. Of the remaining 5% only 1% looks past page two of the search results.

This means that 99% of the people who use the internet to find your products and services never look past page two of the search results.

If you are on page 3, 4, 5, or higher of the search results for a particular keyword, you are essentially invisible.

This isn’t pretty information, but its true. You could spend significant money on the most awesome web site ever, and if its buried on page five of the Google search results, you’re not getting the return on investment that you should be.

Optimizing your web site so that it can be found by people searching for your services in your locality is absolutely critical to your business’s survival. It is very easy today for people to search for your services in your locality, and find several options for what they are looking for. You need to present yourself as one of those options. You need to make it easy for people to find you.

The more people who can easily find your web site, and learn about your services, the more people will contact you.

If you are on page 3 through 10 of the search results for your services, you might as well be invisible. The odds of some one finding your websites, and calling you is really quite minimal.

However, moving your web site out of the search results wasteland and onto the prime real estate of Google’s page one, will definitely make a significant difference in the number of people contacting you. Then its up to you to provide them with what they are looking for.

If you would like to get your website to the first page of Google for your products and services so that more people can find you online, then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

What are they up to?  Why haven’t they been around lately?  I wonder if I should do anything about that?  No more wondering – I haven’t got time.

Are you, or have you been in this position?  And if you check you customer database, how many of them have you not seen in the last year?  I bet if you total up every customer you haven’t seen in the last year, you’d have a nice . . . → Read More: Reactivating Lost Customers]]> Suppose you happen to remember and old customer you once had.  The last time you saw him or her wasn’t that long ago, maybe a year or two.

What are they up to?  Why haven’t they been around lately?  I wonder if I should do anything about that?  No more wondering – I haven’t got time.

Are you, or have you been in this position?  And if you check you customer database, how many of them have you not seen in the last year?  I bet if you total up every customer you haven’t seen in the last year, you’d have a nice list of potential returning customers.

So what do you do about it?  Easy, you go after them.

They were customers once, why not again.   It doesn’t take that much effort, and the rewards could be substantial.  Instead of me explaining it, here’s a diagram.

The most important thing here is the ‘Irresistible Offer’.  Its got to be good, not break the bank good, but its got to be enticing.

Here’s an example:

I set up a lost customer campaign for a client who runs a massage therapy clinic.  We came up with a list of over 2,000 customers that he hadn’t seen in the last 6 months.

We made the ‘irresistible offer’ a modified two for one discount.  The coupon was for $x dollars off for the old customers, AND the same $x off for a friend of theirs who had not been in for a massage before.

The plan was to entice an old customer to return, and to make a new customer at the same time.

We sent out 500 personal letters per month from the owner to the old inactive customers which contained the coupon.  This went out early in the month, and the coupon had an expiration date of the end of the month.

The results were quite nice.

The first month 9 coupons were returned.  Meaning 9 old customers returned, and brought 9 more new customers.  This was a 1.8% return on coupons, and it made a 14% increase in customers than the prior two months averaged.

In the second month we had even better results.  20 coupons were returned.  That’s 20 old customers, and 20 new customers.  This is a 4% return on coupons, and a 32% increase in customers over the same two months as before.

As you can see, rediscovering or reactivating your lost customers can make a significant difference.  This also speaks to not loosing them in the first place.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

However, some of these same businesses don’t know, or even understand the concept of long-term customer value.  They will spend incredible amounts of money on advertising and marketing to potential customers, while neglecting their existing customers base.

We’re working in a different economic climate now, where attracting new customers is increasingly difficult.  That means that replacing an existing customer will be very expensive in both money and effort.

Research has found that 60% to 80% of a business’s lost customers were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very . . . → Read More: Satisfied or Loyal Customers]]> Most businesses understand that it is a lot less expensive to keep a customer than attracting a new customer.

However, some of these same businesses don’t know, or even understand the concept of long-term customer value.  They will spend incredible amounts of money on advertising and marketing to potential customers, while neglecting their existing customers base.

We’re working in a different economic climate now, where attracting new customers is increasingly difficult.  That means that replacing an existing customer will be very expensive in both money and effort.

Research has found that 60% to 80% of a business’s lost customers were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ right before they took their business elsewhere.

So why did these customer’s leave?  Because there is a difference between a ‘satisfied’ customer, and a ‘loyal’ customer

Here is how Richard D Hanks, President of Mindshare Technologies, differentiates between a ‘satisfied’ and ‘loyal’ customer:

Satisfied Customers

• Focus on price
• Shop around for bargains
• Run to a competitor if you mess up
• Don’t provide critical word-of-mouth advertising
• Buy less and test your competitor’s products and services
• Are easily lured away by competition

Loyal Customers

• Focus on value
• Reward you with loyal patronage
• Are forgiving of an occasional slip-up
• Shout your praises and recommend you to their friends
• Buy more and sample across product and service lines
• Are resistant to competition

With the high cost of attracting new customers, your goal should be to maximize the value you provide to your existing customers.  The more value you provide, the more loyal your customers will be.

Take the time to build those relationships, and be of real service to your customers.  Don’t let price be a determining factor.  Provide as much personal value as possible to your customers. Don’t let them be just ‘satisfied’.

Determine which of your products or services provide the most value, and therefore loyalty, and then invest your resources accordingly.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

A recent study into the value of a referral program determined these two attractive conclusions:

Source: Philipp Schmitt, Bernd Skiera, & Christophe Van Den Bulte (2010) “Referral Programs and Customer Value”

Think of all the possible contacts each one of your clients . . . → Read More: Referral Marketing]]> Referral marketing is an often overlooked facet of marketing. Word of mouth referrals are extremely valuable. When people are looking to make a buying decision, that often ask friends or workmates for their ideas about who to buy from.

A recent study into the value of a referral program determined these two attractive conclusions:

• Referred customers exhibit a higher contribution margin, retention, and customer value.

• Referred customers are more valuable in both the short and long run.

Source: Philipp Schmitt, Bernd Skiera, & Christophe Van Den Bulte (2010) “Referral Programs and Customer Value”

Think of all the possible contacts each one of your clients has. Family, work, social, it could be dozens. That is a pretty good market to tap into.

If you can set up a structured referral program you will instigate your clients talking about you, and referred you to others.

To run a successful referral program you just need to need to take care of three easy steps:

1.  You need to do a great job for the customer.

2.  You need to ask the customer to refer you.

3.  You need to reward the customer for referring you to someone else.

That’s all there is to it. Just adopting this one change into your business will land you new customers almost immediately.

There are many ways to set up a referral program. Be creative. One example is offering $50 to every person who refers a paying customer to you. (Or some other amount.)

Or for 5 leads (5 names you can contact) you can give a customer 10% off their own cost.

Or create a referral card that each of your clients can hand out to friends and family. The card can be for a discounted service, and have your client write their name on the back. When the referree purchases your product or service, you’ll know who referred them, and then they will get the same discount when they return.

All you have to do to build a profitable referral system is to provide a great service to your existing customers, explain to them how the referrals work, and they will be happy to refer you to others. It is really that simple, and it works.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Some of these lost customers comes from people moving away.  People don’t stay in one place for very long any more, statistics show that about 40% of people will relocate in any five year time span.

So businesses need to replace those customers they loose every year.

One of the best sources for new customers is new residents – people moving into your business’s neighborhood.  To do this you need to get the attention of these . . . → Read More: New Resident Marketing]]> Most business share a common problem.  Over time they lose customers.   Much of the time this is unavoidable, and can amount to about 20% of their existing customers.

Some of these lost customers comes from people moving away.  People don’t stay in one place for very long any more, statistics show that about 40% of people will relocate in any five year time span.

So businesses need to replace those customers they loose every year.

One of the best sources for new customers is new residents – people moving into your business’s neighborhood.  To do this you need to get the attention of these new movers, and encourage them to try out your business while they are still new to the area.

Moving is certainly not stress free.  New residents are looking for ways minimize the stress of moving, and to make this transition time easier.  And this transition time can last for many months.  During this time new movers are far more likely to try new products and new services than at any other time.

This makes new residents a great source for new ‘regular’ customers.  Local businesses need to attract these new residents, impress them with their goods and services, and turn them into new repeat customers

Probably the best way to do this is through direct mail marketing.  There are lists available to businesses that report on new residents by geographical boundaries.

The direct mail marketing can consist of a friendly ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ letter, in conjunction with an incentive.   The incentive can be any kind of coupon to entice them into visiting your business.

Once they get to your business its up to you to provide them with the best service possible, that will turn them into regular customers that keep returning.

A regular, periodic new resident campaign can more than make up for the usual customer erosion that occurs, and will help build your business in a steady sustainable fashion.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Here is the definition of marketing according to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

Marketing is “the process or technique of promoting, selling, and  distributing a product or service.”

And here is the definition of advertising:

Advertising is “the action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcement.”

So you can see that by definition, marketing is much broader than advertising. Advertising is actually a part of marketing.  But it’s . . . → Read More: Marketing vs. Advertising]]> When most people think of marketing the first thing that pops into their head is an advertisement.  This leads many people to believe that marketing and advertising are actually the same things.  They aren’t.

Here is the definition of marketing according to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

Marketing is “the process or technique of promoting, selling, and  distributing a product or service.”

And here is the definition of advertising:

Advertising is “the action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcement.”

So you can see that by definition, marketing is much broader than advertising. Advertising is actually a part of marketing.  But it’s not the only part of marketing.

Sure advertising is a major part of marketing, but it isn’t even the majority of marketing.  The two terms are not interchangeable.  And marketing is much larger than advertising.  Therefore, in order to be successful with your marketing efforts, you have to concentrate on much more than just advertising.
What is Marketing?

The next logical question to ask is: What is marketing?

You just read the definition of marketing above.  And from that definition you can see that marketing is pretty much everything.  This is a fact that you need to always remember.

Marketing is everything!

It’s everything you think it is and it’s everything that you never thought was part of marketing.

Again, everything you do is part of your marketing efforts.  Sure, marketing is the mailing you do once a year and marketing might be calling past customers to see if they need your services again.  And marketing is putting flyers around the neighborhood and giving away Frisbees with your business name on them. Marketing is all of the direct efforts you make to promote your business.

But marketing is so much more than this too.

Marketing is also the way your present yourself, how you present your product or service, how you deal with customers and potential customers, its your expertise, your goodwill, your ability to more than satisfy your clients.  It’s the quality of your product, or the quality of your service.  Its how you deal with people you have contact with, and how people you don’t have contact with perceive you.

All these things that marketing is, makes it very easy, or very hard, depending on how you look at it.  If you accept that marketing is everything, then its easier.  If you are constantly trying to determine what part of your activities are marketing, so you can put your marketing hat on, then it gets more difficult.

Just accept that virtually everything you do sends a marketing message.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Most likely a lot of people ask you . . . → Read More: Elevator Speech]]> An elevator speech is a quick speech that you can give that explains or describes what your business (or product) is all about within about a half minute or so.  It’s called an elevator speech because you should be able to give the speech in the amount of time it would take to travel in an elevator.  It’s usually about 150-200 words.  But it can be as little as 10 or 15 words.  It just has to be effective in communicating what you’re all about and explain the benefits of your service or product.

Most likely a lot of people ask you what you do.  Many of these people probably have an interest in such a service or know someone who would be interested.  If not, most likely the person will at some point run across someone who is interested in your service.

If you have a great elevator speech then you can reel in all of these potential customers.  Elevator speeches are especially beneficial in helping people remember you when they (or someone they know) need your service in the future.

You want to take the time to put together a great elevator speech.  And you want your elevator speech to be built around your USP.

To create an elevator speech you just have to list all the benefits you offer (remember you made a list earlier when you were figuring out your USP).  Then take the greatest benefits and try to work them into an elevator speech.  Be sure to concentrate on what’s best for customers.

Creating an elevator speech should be very easy for you since if you have already created a USP.  In fact, your elevator speech could simply be your USP.  Just make sure it clearly tells people what you do and why you’re the best at what you do.

Also make sure your elevator speech isn’t too long or boring.  It should roll right off your tongue naturally and quickly.  And it should have a hook that will pull in potential customers.

For example, your elevator speech might be something like:

“Hi my name is (insert name) and I’m the owner of (insert business name). We specialize in (insert USP).”

Obviously you won’t include your name and/or your business name if the person already knows it.  And again, make sure you practice your speech enough so that it flows naturally and doesn’t sound forced or rehearsed.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

The message needs to grab the attention of people and make them want to use your business.  The message also has to set you apart from other people.

This is commonly called a USP, a Unique Selling Proposition, and it is essential to your marketing message.  You need to set yourself apart from your competition.  You need to have a . . . → Read More: Your Message]]> One of the basics of marketing is to create a unique message that you want your business to communicate.  You need to decide on what you want your business is to say to people.  This message will be laced throughout everything you do.

The message needs to grab the attention of people and make them want to use your business.  The message also has to set you apart from other people.

This is commonly called a USP, a Unique Selling Proposition, and it is essential to your marketing message.  You need to set yourself apart from your competition.  You need to have a USP.

To completely understand what a USP is let’s quickly breakdown each letter.

•    The “U” stands for unique.  This means you set yourself apart from your competition.  Not only should you stand apart from your competition, you need to actually stand above your competition.  You need to rise above them.

•    The “S” stands for selling.  It convinces people to buy what you’re selling. So in this case you are convincing people to buy your businesses product or service.

•    The “P” stands for position or proposition.  Position is just where you place yourself in relation to your competition.  You want to place yourself above everyone else.  Proposition is trying to sell something to others.  In this case, you’re trying to sell something that is a cut above everything else.

If you want your marketing plan to be successful then you need to stand out from your competition.  This means you have to be unique.

Some of the most successful USPs include:

•    Dominoes Pizza promising to deliver your pizza in 30 minutes or the pizza is free.
•    FexEx promising to absolutely deliver a product overnight.
•    The Subway chain positioning itself as a fast food alternative that will help you lose weight.
•    American Express credit cards claiming they are accepted everywhere in the world.

And when you sit down to create your own USP, you should start with one question.  That question is:

Why should a person choose my business over any other business?

Your USP should answer that question.

And it should be that question that is always in the back of your mind while you’re coming up with your own USP.  Because if you can create a great USP – a great answer to why people should choose your business – it will make a difference.

In order to come-up with your own USP, there are some very specific idea-generating steps you can go through.

Step 1: List all your benefits

Step 2: Make it Unique

Step 3: Solve a Need

Step 4: Be Specific

Step 5: Write Down Your USP and Perfect It

Your USP should be as short as possible but as long as it needs to be.  In other words, it should clearly state what you want it to state but there should not even be one extra word in it.

You’ll probably want to write down your USP and then wait a day or so before you begin to edit it.  Also, allowing a couple other people to look at it and make suggestions is always a good idea.

Once your USP is all set and ready to go, you should then make sure it’s on all your marketing materials.  This needs to include your business card, all your advertisements, invoices, postcards, your Website, letterhead, and everything else.  This includes any type of marketing that you might take part in.  And remember, everything you do that’s related to your business is and should be considered marketing.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Most business owners don’t pay much attention to their customers if they aren’t already in their store. After all, how is the business owner suppose to keep in contact, and build a relationship with his/her customers when they aren’t in the store.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to build a relationship with your customers and prospects with . . . → Read More: Keep Your Customers Happy and Returning]]> If you ignore your customers, they will keep returning and continue to be happy, paying customers for as long as they live.

Doesn’t make much sense does it? But this is happening every day in countless small businesses across the nation.

Most business owners don’t pay much attention to their customers if they aren’t already in their store. After all, how is the business owner suppose to keep in contact, and build a relationship with his/her customers when they aren’t in the store.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to build a relationship with your customers and prospects with regular contacts. A way to say hi, educate them, offer specials, and keep them updated with what is going on with your business.

Well, there is a way to not ignore your customers, so that they do keep returning.

It is called Email Marketing.

Here’s my definition of email marketing:

It is not blasting out 100,000 emails from a list you bought or rented. That’s probably spam. Something you want to stay away from at all costs.

Numerous studies have shown that email marketing is one of the most successful and productive marketing strategies a business can pursue.

Consider the following findings:

Here are some additional thoughts to consider.

Email marketing is far reaching.

Almost everyone has an email address. Most people will share theirs, given the right incentives.

Email marketing is proactive.

Customers and potential customers do not find your material by accident, you sent it to them.

Email marketing is targeted.

You aren’t sending emails to people are aren’t interested. They have given you their permission to email them because they are interested.

Email marketing is measurable.

You can measure the success of your email campaigns by tracking opens, clicks, forwards, and other actions.

Email marketing builds relationships.

When given a choice, people buy from other people they know, like, and trust. You can build that kind of relationship with your customers, and potential customers with email marketing.

Email marketing works.

According to the Direct Marketing Association’s research, email marketing generated a return on investment (ROI) of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Its not likely you’ll find that kind of ROI from any other form of marketing.

Email marketing is cost effective.

Compared to mailing through the post office, email marketing is much cheaper.

You do not need a website to take advantage of email marketing.

That’s right. If you don’t have a website, no problem.

When properly crafted, email marketing helps you to become, and remain visible to your customers and prospects alike, with highly targeted messages at minimal cost.

Like everything else there are ways to do email marketing, and ways that you should not do email marketing. The articles found here cover many of the do’s and don’ts, and give you some ideas to think about when exploring if email marketing is right for your business.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

The other main difference between email marketing and direct marketing is that email marketing is permission based.  You do not send any email to any one without their permission.

Permission is gained when some one signs up to your newsletter, or asks for additional information from your website.  Or when they give you their email address in person.  Anything else is considered spam.

Basically there are three steps to email marketing.

1.    Building your list of customers with their email addresses.  . . . → Read More: What is Email Marketing?]]> Email marketing is essentially the same as direct mail except that instead of sending mail through the postal service, messages are sent via email.

The other main difference between email marketing and direct marketing is that email marketing is permission based.  You do not send any email to any one without their permission.

Permission is gained when some one signs up to your newsletter, or asks for additional information from your website.  Or when they give you their email address in person.  Anything else is considered spam.

Basically there are three steps to email marketing.

1.    Building your list of customers with their email addresses.  And importantly, getting their expressed permission to send them emails.

2.    Preparing Email Campaigns. Deciding what to communicate, and when. Crafting the emails.  And then sending them out.

3.    Measure and analyze the process, and the results. And make any necessary changes.

The purpose of email marketing is two-fold.

First, to enhance the relationship that a business has with it’s current customers. This is done to cross-sell, and up-sell products and services.  And to build customer loyalty and build repeat business.

Secondly, if your email list includes potential customers email marketing accomplishes the multiple contacts that are often required to make that first sale.

The key element of email marketing is that it helps a business develop a relationship with its customers, and potential customers.  This is probably the most powerful aspect of email marketing.  It can provide the business with regular contact with people who are already interested in what the business has to offer.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.

Returning customers. If you offer a recurring service, and can remind them when necessary to return, they will appreciate that, and return. If you keep track of that, instead of relying on them to do so, that’s one less thing for them to worry about.

Customer loyalty. These days more people than ever shop for value. If you continually provide value to your customers with your product . . . → Read More: What You Gain With Email Marketing]]> Stay connected.
Personalized emails speak to an individual, not a group. Customers don’t want to be one of a group, they want to be special. And an educated, appreciated, incentivized individual feels a more personal connection with your business.

Returning customers.
If you offer a recurring service, and can remind them when necessary to return, they will appreciate that, and return. If you keep track of that, instead of relying on them to do so, that’s one less thing for them to worry about.

Customer loyalty.
These days more people than ever shop for value. If you continually provide value to your customers with your product and services, AND with your emails, you will increase the long-term value of your customers.

Establish multiple contacts before they even visit your offline store.
It is common knowledge that it take multiple contacts to create a new customer. With email marketing to potential customers this can be accomplished before they even enter your store, and meet you.

Educate your customers, even your potential customers.
Do your customers know how to best utilize what they just bought from you? Do they know about other complementary products or accessories? What if they have questions? Your emails can remind them to call and ask their questions.

Trackable marketing efforts.
Do you know the ROI of your different marketing investments? An email marketing system can be set up to track customer responses.

No website necessary.
A new start-up, or small business does not need to have a website in order to use email marketing. Though you can collect names and emails through a website, there are other ways of building your email list.

Return on Investment.
The Direct Marketing Association states that the ROI on email marketing is 70% greater than any other direct-response marketing vehicle.

If you would like a comprehensive customized online and offline marketing plan for your business then contact me at 303 280-3451 or LorenSquires@gmail.com.

I’d be happy to work with you to grow your business and introduce you to more customers.