Marketing

Why You Must Have A Business Website

Here’s some surprising news, or at least it was for me. A 2018 survey by the marketing firm Clutch revealed that about one-third of small businesses do not have a business website.

If you own one of them, I urge you to make building a business website your most important priority.

Granted, through online listing sites and social media, there are plenty of ways you can have an online presence without investing in a website. But, they don’t come close to the power of a having your own little piece of online property.

Now, you may be thinking, “I’m just one woman shop,” or “I’m just a freelancer. I don’t need a website.”

Wrong answer. First of all, you’re not “just” anything. You are a business owner.

And even the smallest of businesses benefit from the online presence that a website provides.

A Business Website Helps Customers Find You

At the most basic level, a website helps your business be discovered by customers or clients that might not otherwise know you exist.

It’s as important, or in some cases, more important than having a phone. Your web address serves as a destination that can and should be linked to all of your digital marketing efforts and included on any printed marketing materials you use to promote your products or services.

It gives potential clients and customers a place to go to find out more about what you offer, and it works on your behalf, 24/7 to promote your business.

A Business Website Gives You Credibility

A business website also lends legitimacy and credibility to your business.

Whether you are serving the consumer market or doing business with other businesses, people are discerning about the companies they buy from. A well designed business website communicates success and professionalism.

Redirecting your domain name to your company Facebook page just doesn’t cut it. It is a temporary solution at best, and by temporary I mean days or weeks, not months or years.

I always cringe a bit when I click on a business website link and it sends me to Facebook. It just makes me think the company isn’t very successful. Potential clients or customers want to know that you are good at what you do and having a business website gives that impression.

This is particularly important for freelancers who are offering services to businesses. Potential clients want to know as much about you as possible before they contact you for a proposal or meeting. Certainly, your LinkedIn profile can give them the rundown on your career experience. But a having a business website says loud and clear that you are serious about what you do, and successful enough to be investing back into your business.

A Business Website Gives You Control & Ownership

If you are relying on a redirect to your company’s Facebook page as a stand-in for having a business website, let me remind you of something. You don’t own Facebook.

You have no control over decisions and changes that Facebook makes to policies, algorithms and such. If Facebook decided tomorrow to pull the plug on business pages or start charging a fee for businesses to have a Facebook presence, you’d be left scrambling to find another solution. Your online presence is essentially your digital storefront. Wouldn’t you prefer to have control and ownership over it?

Enough about why you should have a business website, let’s get to the how. You have a few options.

Use DIY Business Website Builder Software

Cost is often an obstacle and the reason that small businesses forego building a website. But, there’s been a rise of DIY website builders like Wix, SquareSpace, and others. These companies are making it more affordable and easier than ever to build small business websites.

If you’re short on cash, one of these platforms can help you get a good-looking business website up and running quickly.

There are some downsides to using these services though. You’ll have to contend with shared hosting and design limitations. Your website visitors may experience slower load times and you may not be able to get your website to look or function exactly the way you want.

Also, some of the DIY platforms do not offer complete backups of your site. That means if you want to move your site elsewhere in the future, it may not be easy to do so.

Hire A Website Developer

If you can afford the investment, I highly recommend hiring a professional web developer to build your business website. That could be a freelancer or an agency that specializes in website design.

A professional website developer can work with you on securing your domain name and hosting as well as the navigation, functionality, layout and design of your new site.

It’s essential that your site be easily accessed on a mobile device. Your developer can ensure that as well.

Content management systems like WordPress, make it easy for you to make ongoing content changes and updates to your website. Let your developer know if that’s something that you want to be able to do. He or she can build the site with that in mind and train you to use the system.

Cost of a new website will depend on where you are located and the complexity of your site. It can range from $500-$10,000+. Many developers offer hosting and maintenance services as part of their website build packages. A reliable hosting service is a must. If your web developer does not offer hosting, he or she can likely recommend a service for you.

My first business website in 2012 cost $1000. A year later I spent another $1200 for a redesign. A year of two later, I dropped another grand on another redesign. Looking back, I should have sprung for $2500 – $3000 initially to get the site I wanted to begin with.

I wish I had thought of it not as an expense, but as an investment in my business, because it is. My business website generates revenue for me and attracts new clients. It’s critical to my business. It’s paid for itself over and over again.

Bottom Line

Whether you sell online or not, a business website is essential if you want to attract new customers or clients and be competitive.

Having a website for your business gives you an opportunity to tell your story, differentiate yourself from your competition, and communicate your value proposition.

Still don’t think you need one? Do a Google search of your competition. If your competitors are online and you’re not, who do you think will get the call when a potential customer or client is searching for the products or services you offer?

Change One Thing To Make Business Networking Pay Off

Despite all of the ways we are able to connect with potential customers and vendors online, face-to-face business networking continues to be an important part of growing a small business. Problem is – few of us are born networkers.

I’m an extrovert. I have spent enough years in media, marketing and public relations to get pretty good at striking up conversations with strangers, but I know it doesn’t come easily for everyone.

Having worked at a chamber of commerce for several years, I have seen some awkward attempts at business networking. And I understand why. No one really ever trains you for business networking. You are just expected to show up to an event and know what you’re doing.

The Typical Business Networking Experience

Let me paint the picture of a stereotypical business networking experience.

You walk into a room full of strangers and you do what you think you are supposed to do. You pass out your business cards, deliver your elevator speech, move on to the next person or group of people and repeat the process.

My friend, you are guilty of drive-by networking.

What do I mean by that? Put yourself in the shoes of the person on the receiving end. Here’s how that might sound to them.

“Hi, I’m Michelle. I have no idea who you are or what you do, but let me tell you how great I am and why you should do business with me.”

I’ve seen it happen over and over again. It’s ineffective and honestly, annoying. Who wants to be on the receiving end of that?

The problem with this method of business networking is that it focuses too much on the quantity of contacts rather than the quality of contacts. Sure, you may walk out of a networking event with a stack of business cards, but you were likely unsuccessful at making any true personal connections. Also, you possibly guaranteed that some of those folks are going to avoid you the next time you enter the room.

My First Business Networking Fail

Let me tell you about my first time trying to promote my business at a networking event. Boy, it fell flat.

I walked into a meeting of a local public relations group. It was my first event as a new member. I was still working for another company, but was looking forward to networking with this group to try to grow my freelance business. I marched up to someone and introduced myself.

“I’m Michelle West, I work at company z and I also do freelance writing.”

The person on the receiving end of that looked at me, grimaced, and said, “Yeah, I do too,” and walked away.

I was horrified. As a result, it took me a long time to get up the courage to just walk up to someone and introduce myself again.

Here’s what’s so strange about that scenario. I had been successfully networking for years while working jobs for other people. But things got weird when I tried to promote myself. It’s like the wheels came off my networking bus. I was nervous and awkward.

Also, I forgot the cardinal rule of business networking. It’s not about selling. It’s about building long-term business relationships. Good business relationships are just that—relationships. They cannot be forced and they are rarely developed through a rapid-fire, drive-by networking style.

Change Your Business Networking Mindset

So, instead of promoting yourself, consider trying a different approach called Positive Networking®.

The term has been trademarked by Shepa Learning Company. The strategy turns the tables on the “promote your business” method of networking, and it yields better long-term results.

As an added bonus, it takes the pressure of you to sell yourself and makes business networking a lot more enjoyable. Consequently, the more enjoyable it is, the more you will do it. The more you do it, the more your business will grow.

What is Positive Networking®?

It represents a shift in attitude. Networking is no longer about you, it’s about the people that you meet.

So, instead of going into a networking situation with the goal of selling your business, you approach your new contacts with the intent of discovering what you may be able to do for them.

Ask questions. Get to know them. And think about how you might be able to help them grow their businesses.

Perhaps you can connect them with a resource or someone within your network that might be a potential customer or vendor for them.

You may be wondering how this is going to benefit me?

It’s simple. People do business with people, not businesses. And they are more likely to do business with someone they know and trust. If you approach networking from the standpoint of starting a relationship instead of closing a sale, you’ll begin developing that level of trust.

Also, it makes striking up a conversation at a business networking event so much easier. You no longer have the pressure of figuring out where in the conversation you should start reciting your elevator speech. You are just getting to know a new friend.

Network Like You Know How

Business networking done right is not able generating sales leads. It’s about building a circle of friends for your business.

Also, the reality is, very few people that you meet at business networking events will ever become your customers. Their true value is in their potential to refer you business. And, they are more likely to do that if they feel they know you and trust you.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

So get yourself to a business networking event ASAP. Practice your new skill and start building a circle of friends for your business. Network like you know how. Because now you do!

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Email Marketing 101

Virtually every type of business can benefit from email marketing. Email marketing can help you connect with customers to stay top of mind and help you build long-term relationships with members of your target audience. It’s also an easy and affordable way to market a business. Here are some tips to get started.

Build Your Email List

Your email list is one of the most important assets you have. A high-quality list is worth its weight in gold. When you first get started with email marketing, it’s normal to have a smaller list, or no list at all. The most effective way to start building your list is simply to ask.

Whether it’s over the phone, in person, or online, tell customers about your email communications and ask if you can add them to your list. If you have a physical store, put out a sign-up sheet in a prominent place, like right by your register. If your business is internet-based, send customers a follow-up email after an order and ask if they want to join your list. Include a Join My Mailing List “tag” on your website and Facebook page. If you have employees who interact with customers, be sure to train them to ask as well.

Embrace the Soft Sell

Marketing today isn’t about promotions – it’s all about engagement. Email marketing is a great way to communicate with current and prospective customers. The key is to keep the “sell, sell, sell” mentality to a minimum. Instead, give subscribers information they can use.

For instance, restaurants could share a few of their favorite recipes with their fans. A boutique could offer unique gift ideas. Accountants can share tax tips. Nonprofits can add content that goes beyond a plea for donations, and instead, brings their mission statement to life.

If you provide valuable, relevant content, your subscribers will open and read your emails. And as an added bonus, they will also share them with their friends. Include social sharing buttons within your email to make it easy for customers to share your content with their contacts.

Be Consistent With Your Email Outreach

Consistency is important, but often small business owners can’t keep up because they have so many other things on their to-do lists.

This is where email marketing services like Constant Contact, MailChimp and others can help. The beauty of using an email marketing service provider is that you can develop content ahead of time. Create your content when you have time and schedule your emails to go out whenever you want.

The frequency and timing of your communications will be different for every business. By testing alternatives and monitoring your subscriber feedback and unsubscribes, you can establish the frequency and timing that is right for your audience.

Once you have established a schedule, adhere to it. Keep in mind that communicating too infrequently can be just as bad as communicating too often. If you wait too long to reach out to your audience, your list and the permission you fought so hard to obtain can become stale.

Develop an editorial plan so you don’t have to struggle to find topics to cover each month. Take a look at your calendar to decide what information to communicate and when.

Keep Your Emails as Short as Possible

You want to be respectful of your subscribers’ time. Consider providing “teasers” in your email and linking back to your web site or blog, where people can find more information or finish reading your content.

Remember, while balancing the right amount of content is important, what really matters is that you are offering value. Understand what your audience wants to hear about so that you can deliver content that is meaningful and relevant. Consider conducting a brief survey of your newsletter subscribers to understand what they’d like to hear about in your newsletters and how much of it they’d like to see. If you are using an email marketing service provider, use the open and click rate data from previous email newsletters to determine what your readers are most interested in.

Combine Email Marketing With Social Media to Reach More Customers

Consider social media the able assistant to your email marketing efforts. Combining email marketing with social media marketing can provide a substantial “lift” in your results. Email delivers your message. Social media extends your reach.

Using the two channels together can be as simple as sharing a link to your email newsletter across your social channels. You could also add “Like” and “Tweet” buttons inside the email body. Your audience will share your message as long as you provide solid content and make it easy for them to share.

Leveraging Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool

There are countless ways to reach new customers and grow your business. From traditional advertising to social media outreach, the options get more abundant each day. But perhaps the most powerful marketing tool to grow your business is the same one that generations of business owners have used – relationships with existing customers.

Existing Customers Are Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool

Existing customers have always been the best marketers for small businesses. Their role is often referred to as “word of mouth” advertising. With the advancement of technology and growth of social media, the relationship you have with your current customers is more significant than ever before. They have become an even more powerful marketing tool for your business.

Think about it. When a customer visits your place of business and they have a good experience, what do they do? They reach for their phone to tell their friends and family about it. If they have a poor experience, you know what happens? They reach for their phones even faster.

Happy existing customers may be your best allies in helping you market your business and reach new customers. Ensuring that your customers have the best experience possible is
where you come in.

Learn names.

Try to learn the names of repeat customers. Remember their names and use their names to greet them when they return to your business. This simple act can make your returning customers feel welcomed and create a more personalized customer experience.

Reward loyalty.

Another easy way to keep existing customers happy is through exclusive deals, discounts and giveaways. One of my favorite customer loyalty programs is through a locally-owned natural foods store that I frequent. I have a loyalty card in my wallet and every time I check out, the person at the register scans the card. For every dollar I spend, I collect loyalty points. When I’ve collected 300 points, I get five dollars off my purchase, on the spot. I love it when that happens!

Meet Their Expectations – Every Time.

Regular customers are regular customers because you have trained them to expect certain things when they show up at your business. It may be the quality of your product or service. Perhaps, it is the perceived value. Or, it may be the fun and welcoming atmosphere of your store, the friendliness of your staff, or your wide selection of products.

Whatever it is, deliver on those expectations each and every time they visit. If you don’t know why they keep coming back, just ask. Feedback from regular customers can help you continue to meet their needs and the needs of future customers.

Taking care of your existing customers will keep them coming back for more. If they really love your business, they’re going to refer more customers your way through positive online reviews and word of mouth referrals. Both are powerful marketing tools.

According to Vendasta.com, 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Though customer reviews often come unsolicited, it’s ok to ask for help. Let your loyal customers know that you are trying to grow your business and ask if they’ll help you reach new customers by posting an online review, providing a testimonial, or telling their friends. Most will be more than happy to lend a hand.

Choosing the Right Promotional Item

Here’s something I’ve discovered about small business promotional products. If you can dream it, someone will help you put your logo on it. From the ubiquitous ballpoint pens and coffee mugs to backpacks, cell phone accessories and, wait for it…waffle makers, yes, I said waffle makers, you can slap your business logo on just about anything.

But just because you can doesn’t mean that you should. Here are some tips for choosing the best tradeshow giveaway or promotional product for your business.

Don’t Just Go Shopping

Last Spring, I had an exhibit booth at a regional chamber of commerce conference. In planning my booth, I entered the rabbit hole of researching small business promotional products. Bad idea. I emerged hours later with an overload of ideas swimming in my head.

I took a step back and recalled some great advice from a friend that used to be in the promotional products business. It was something she called the “triple crown.”

Three Criteria for Choosing Small Business Promotional Products

The “triple crown” refers to three important criteria to consider when choosing small business promotional products – affordability, usefulness and connectivity to your business.

Affordability

I had a slim budget, so I definitely needed something that was inexpensive.

I wanted to try to squeak by with $150 or less spent on the giveaways.

There were about 250 attendees at the conference. I knew not everyone would show up at my booth, but the conference offered vendors with an opportunity to put items in the attendee conference packets. I definitely wanted to take advantage of that. So, I would need at least 300 items – 250 for the packets and 50 extras to have at the booth.

With my tiny budget, that was going to work out to about 50 cents per item, not counting a set up fee, which can range from $20-$75 and shipping. That definitely limited my options.

Usefulness

I was in search of something that was fun and would catch attendees’ attention as they perused their packets or walked by my booth. But, I also wanted that item to have some “staying power.”

Knowing how many unneccessary plastic objects that I have accumulated over years of attending trade shows and conferences, I wanted to choose a promotional product that was useful. I wanted something that conference attendees would use after they returned home, but I didn’t want to just settle for pens or mugs.

Business Connectivity

Finally, it was important that the item related to my business. I was launching a new social media posting service and I wanted a promotional item that would tie back to it somehow. I wanted it to remind attendees of my service when they were using that item back at their home or office.

I thought about some of the promotional items that had made an impression on me, like the housecleaning service that used a compressed sponge as a business card, or my friend Christy’s giveaway to market her massage therapy business when she sponsored a charitable event.

The Search

Mine was a tall order. But as I went back down into that rabbit hole of small business promotional products research, at least I had some criteria to use to make a decision.

My booth design was coming together to send a strong message about my new social media posting service. I had already designed and ordered some fun, brightly colored posters. I needed something that would reinforce that theme, and then it occurred to me. What about something that incorporated emojis?

A few Google searches later and I found my item – emoji buttons! I was able to print two different versions and put my website address on the rim of the buttons.

At 22 cents per button, a coupon code for free shipping and a production process that did not require a set up fee, they were my triple crown. I ordered 325 for $77.75.

With the money left in my budget, I was able to print 250 business card-sized promo cards that encouraged attendees to stop by my booth to check out the new social media solution. I pinned the buttons that were to go in the attendee packets to those cards.

Voila! It was a fun, memorable and inexpensive promotion. They were a hit! Attendees were wearing the buttons and coming back for more. My booth traffic was awesome.

Remember the Triple Crown

Bottom line – when you are considering investing in small business promotional products, keep in mind that you don’t want to spend money on something just to give it away. It needs to serve you as a valuable marketing tool. Use the “triple crown” criteria to put your promotional products to work for you.