Sat, 11/21/2009 - 01:50 | Lyena
Ok, I get it - you do not have resources to hire a website developer or marketer. Yes, it costs money and effort and requires strategy and execution and more money. But there are several things you can do for free. One of them is adding your business to Google maps. It is not complicated. You just have to be prepared.
You will be asked for the business name, address, phone number, description, etc. Work on the description part - make it appealing to your potential customers. If you have pictures to include, make sure they are professional (good resolution, nice setting). You are allowed to add up to 10 photos. You can choose to include photos from the web (make sure they are yours!) or from your computer. Make sure you read guidelines for photo upload. Pictures should be square and the right size otherwise they will look crooked, stretched or weird. Have your business information ready. Be prepared to fill out your business hours, credit cards you take, additional information, like if parking is available.
Sun, 11/01/2009 - 01:18 | Lyena
Social media is a reality and it is not possible to ignore it anymore. While most small businesses cling to their proven sources of reaching out to their customer, smart business owners explore the world of Social Media. If you want to stay ahead of your competition, you need to be incorporating Social Media into your marketing plan. It will require a lot of time, effort and dedication, but remember - that's where your customers are spending their time. They are no longer looking for products and services. They are expecting the products and services delivered to them or recommended by friends. Social media revolution is upon us.
Sat, 10/17/2009 - 15:18 | Lyena
Social media became The Place to be in the past year. Americans spend 80% more time on networking sites in the past year alone, according to researchers. What does it mean to you? It means that your customers spend a lot less time on non-networking websites - websites like yours.
If you owned your business for a while, you have been around the block. You know, that being where your customers are is vital for your business survival. On the internet, the same principle applies. But don't rush to join all the networking sites and don't start pounding people with sale offers and coupons. People hate that. Instead, have a plan.
Sat, 10/17/2009 - 14:57 | Lyena
I keep noticing recently that more and more service companies are throwing a "free website" in with their services. This offer seems odd to me, but hardly unexpected. Clearly, internet is becoming incredibly important for marketing, branding, and just plain exposure. It is just natural that everyone will be trying to capitalize on that.
Sun, 10/11/2009 - 19:57 | Lyena
Notable is a great collaboration tool which allows you to quickly get feedback on design, content, and code on a website project. Reviewers can capture a part of your page screen (design elements, code, etc.) and add comments and critique.
Sign up for a free service or opt for a paid account. As a registered user, you will be able to quickly capture your screen using a Firefox plugin or an iPhone app and upload the images into your project's workspace where people can leave comments.
[via TechCrunch]