Whether you’re the owner of a local business or a large organization, there’s a lot to be gained from establishing an online presence. Last weekend, as I was wandering around my local farmer’s market, I overheard a woman upset that the fresh produce was cleaned out, and the web-savvy farmer slipped her his card and suggested placing an order in advance on the site.
A farm with a website; isn’t that some kind of oxymoron? The fact is, local internet marketing isn’t difficult, expensive, or time consuming, so why shouldn’t farmers and everyone else be marketing their business online?
Local businesses realize their customers are going online in greater numbers to search for local products and services. However, there is considerable confusion and frustration on the part of local businesses on how to reach customers on the Net. They don’t know where to start, or whom to turn to. –Fred Waters, President Local Online Marketing Association
If you’re sitting at your computer reading this blog, brainstorm some local businesses you visit on a weekly basis, who could benefit from simple, easy to use (free) online tools to spread word about what’s going on in their business:
- Libraries: calendar to promote the weekly schedule of children’s book reading.
- Grocery Stores: calendar to promote weekly specials, or a list of special events.
- Gyms: online calendar to promote weekly schedule of exercise classes.
- Restaurants: online calendar promoting weekly specials, or list of events -maybe promoting a wine tasting
-Clothing Stores: online calendar/list of events to promote sales, arrival of new inventory.
Next time you stop in, it’s worth taking a few minutes to extend yourself and share with them a package of online marketing tools that will help to more effectively reach their community. And then, next time you check back at their website, you’ll learn something new (maybe Sunday-1/2 priced wine night) and probably share that with someone you know..and they’ll share with friends and family..(and that is the secret behind Spongecell’s reach!)
A very excellent point. Internet marketing works so effectively on both the smallest and grandest levels.
If i could ask you a question, how do you hurdle the negative attitude that has unfortunately followed PPC marketing and other internet marketing methods, in which the media has all too often incorrectly addressed its ineffectiveness in allusion to the tricks used by the black hat marketers?
Thank you for your comment and question. It’s unfortunate that online marketing as a whole has earned such a negative reputation. The negative attitude attached to PPC marketing, is the result of bombarding internet users with irrelevant messages that reduce them to nothing more than another “click”. Successful online marketing tools, are able to deliver interesting and more important meaningful messages to the right people. Spongecell allows marketers to do just this; target those users with a proven interest, and in turn, implement relevant & wanted messaging.