There was a day when you were lost without a phone book. Chances are the Yellow Pages were in the back. In a larger city, you probably had two books, White Pages for regular listings and Yellow Pages for businesses and services.
Bring back memories?
By the end of a year, the books would be all dog eared (with
apologies to the dog) and maybe there were some pages missing. But you used the books constantly. Business owners set aside budget to make sure
their Yellow Pages ad was seen. For many
it was a critical part of a simple marketing plan - word of mouth and the
Yellow Pages, a great combination because it worked.
Red Alert!
Do you know where your phone books are right now? Do you even have a phone book in the house or
at the office? If you do, what’s it used
for?
- A booster seat for your friends 3 year old?
- A door stop?
- Kindling for the fire place?
- Support for that cabinet with the broken leg?
- A convenient stand for your computer monitor?
The point is that a marketing plan requires planning and
measurement of success. Most have
multiple components or touch points as you interact with your current and prospective
customers. So what’s your plan? And, do the Yellow Pages even matter anymore?
Computers, tablets and smart phones
It’s too expensive, I don’t have the money
It may be the world’s biggest excuse for having a lousy
website or no website at all. Yet many
of these same businesses spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars per month
advertising in the Yellow Pages or in the new online Yellow Pages.
Time to change
Evaluate your return on investment and ask yourself, am I better
to get my on line presence in shape by today’s standards or continue to spend
money on a product that is no longer relevant for most current and prospective
customers?
For many businesses the money is available, what’s missing
are the guts to make the decision to take your marketing plan in a new
direction. Old school or new? You must choose to survive in the digital
world.
Important questions
- Use your money wisely (as silly as that sounds). Look back at your marketing history and ask yourself what worked and why? Now, ask yourself is that tactic relevant in 2012?
- Remember that the key to being found on line is making sure that your Search Engine Optimization is set up properly so that your business ranks among the first few listings in a Google search. When was the last time you got expert help on your web strategy? Do you even have a website?
- As you create your 2012 marketing plan, consider the quality and the user friendliness of your website content. Are you trapped in the ancient ways or is your website dynamic and built to generate traffic?
- Is everything up to date? Is your website content rich? ? Do you provide the information your current and prospective customers are searching for? (The percentage of Canadians researching purchases prior to shopping at a store is growing all the time)
- Do you tweet? Do you have business profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn? Are your social media connections presented in a way that makes you proud? Is the information provided to your followers relevant and valuable?
- Video is the next big thing. Taking still pictures is easy. So is uploading to most websites as well as Facebook and Twitter. Do you have a decent digital camera and do you use it weekly in the promotion of your goods and services?
- The harder part is video. Some predictions suggest that 80 – 90% of web content in 5 years will be video. Are you ready? Do you have a YouTube account as a part of your social media marketing strategy?
- Your 2012 marketing plan must include a thorough assessment of the past. Here’s a big one that requires thought and discussion. Are you ready for tomorrow or are you spending marketing dollars on the wrong things?
- If you must list your business in the local Yellow Pages go minimal. Contract for your business name and phone number only. In the appropriate category of course! What do your competitors do?
- Where will you find the budget dollars to do what’s critical for the on-going survival of your business? Will they come from breaking old habits?
Business boot camp - 2012
As we approach the New Year, it’s time for resolutions. Out with the old and in with the new. Shed some pounds. Quit smoking.
Promise to be a nicer person. What
about your business?
- Where will you shed pounds?
- What bad habits will you quit?
- And, how about the relationship you have with your customers?
- Is your future in the Yellow Pages or is your future on line?
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