Ultimate Guide to Local Business Marketing - Book Summary

Unlock the power of digital tools to boost your local business

Are you a local business owner striving to draw foot traffic to your place? Let's imagine you run a computer repair store, a cozy bookstore, or a popular deli. You've made your storefront visually appealing, distributed flyers over the weekend, registered your business with local directories, and even created a website.

However, the question persists — what's next? How do you ensure that when someone types in 'computer repairs' or 'best books' or 'deli near me', your business pops up on the top of their search results? The answer lies in effectively leveraging online marketing for your local business.

In our narrative today, we'll guide you on how to propel your business to the top ranks of Google search results and how to make your business so appealing that prospective customers can't resist the urge to visit or call. In the digital world we inhabit, merely having a striking storefront or distributing flyers doesn't cut it. It's time to chart out a robust online marketing strategy to expand your local business.

Today, you will discover:

- why search engines are essentially the modern-day Yellow Pages,

- the meaning behind popular acronyms like SEO and PPC,

- and why Google AdWords is often seen as the ultimate weapon for local businesses.

As the world goes digital, conventional marketing tactics lose their charm

Picture this: a seasoned lawyer with a sprawling client base and a hefty paycheck. He's relied on the trusty yellow pages for advertising for many years. However, recently, his influx of new clients seems to be steadily shrinking.

To reverse this trend, he ramps up his investments in larger, pricier print advertisements in local business directories. Unfortunately, this doesn't translate into an increase in client referrals. So, where is our lawyer going wrong?

Simply put, our lawyer is trailing behind the digital revolution; he hasn't adapted to the evolving market dynamics. In other words, he's banking on traditional marketing channels that have lost relevance in today's digital world.

This predicament isn't unique to our lawyer — many longstanding local businesses find themselves in a similar situation. Traditional advertising mediums, be it local business directories, billboards, print ads, or even commercials on radio and TV, don't yield the results they once did.

Reflect on this: when was the last time you flipped through the local Yellow Pages or were swayed to make a purchase after watching a TV ad?

A significant majority of local businesses in America grapple with marketing, an indispensable element for business success. Being top-notch in your field doesn't suffice if you're unable to lure new clients to your doorstep. The importance of marketing cannot be overstated, and in the current landscape, effective marketing equates to impactful online marketing.

In the past, tools like the Yellow Pages were the go-to advertising solution for local businesses, but today, search engines have claimed that throne. A decade ago, if you needed a lawyer, dentist, or plumber, you'd probably thumb through your local business directory. However, now, most people rely on Google or other search engines to seek local services.

At this very moment, there are scores of people in your vicinity browsing the internet, seeking a service similar to what you offer. The key question is — will they find your business online?

Though SEO is a handy tool to attract online clientele, Google's paid advertisements offer greater success

So, how can popular search engines like Google help potential customers discover your business online?

There are two primary strategies that Google offers to propel your business into the digital limelight. The first one involves leveraging search engine optimization, or SEO. This tactic involves selecting pertinent keywords to elevate your website's rank in the search results when someone is seeking the specific service you provide.

Let's consider a cosmetic dentistry business. The aim here would be to identify potential keywords or search terms a prospective client might use on Google to find a service like yours. Obvious choices for keywords would be "cosmetic dentist" or "cosmetic dentistry". Further, you could also incorporate specific product or procedure-related words such as "dental implants" or "crowns".

Bear in mind that Google's algorithm decides the relevancy of a website's content in relation to a particular keyword. Hence, the most suitable websites get displayed at the top of the search results when those keywords are queried.

However, it's important to note that pay-per-click, or PPC, ads hold an edge over SEO. The primary advantage being that PPC ads feature above the SEO results in a search.

This prime placement can make a world of difference since users often focus on the topmost part of the search results page, opting for the first link either out of convenience or sheer inertia to scroll down further.

Should you opt for PPC ads, you can expect an immediate return on investment. Right from day one, your website will occupy the top spot in Google search results!

On the other hand, effective SEO is more of a long-haul strategy. It could take anywhere between three and six months to start seeing tangible results, and outsourcing SEO to a professional firm can be quite costly. Many firms charge anywhere between one to two thousand dollars a month to curate the right keywords for you, without any sure-shot guarantee of success.

In the following section, we'll delve deeper into how to harness the power of PPC effectively, with a special focus on the leading search engine — Google.

Google's AdWords emerges as a formidable ally for small businesses seeking to draw local clientele

Google reigns supreme as one of the most potent and successful enterprises of the information age. But did you know that its ad services contribute to approximately 90 percent of Google's revenue?

This advertising program, known as Google AdWords, specializes in pay-per-click (PPC) marketing.

There are several reasons why AdWords stands out among other online marketing services. However, the most prominent advantage lies in the program's extensive reach.

On any given day, Google processes about 6 billion search queries. Each search attempt signifies a person's quest for a piece of information or a requirement for a service.

As a business, you have the opportunity to capitalize on this by responding to a search request with an offer. In time, this can lead to converting that offer into a profitable transaction. The real charm here is that Google already has the attention of potential customers, bypassing the need for businesses to vie for attention through conventional advertising mediums like TV, radio, or newspapers.

Another upside of online advertising is that the results are easily trackable. For instance, with traditional ads, you might know the number of newspaper subscribers, but there's no way to gauge how many actually glanced at your ad on page 10. Besides, print advertising can burn a hole in your pocket.

With Google AdWords, you have full control over your budget. You decide the cost per click, and you only need to pay when someone actually clicks on your ad and lands on your website.

Further, you can specify the day of the week and the time of day when your ad is displayed. Importantly, you can ensure that your ad is viewed by people residing in the vicinity of your business.

For example, you could configure your ad to appear only for searches conducted within a 10, 20, or 50-mile radius of your business — a perfect strategy for local marketing.

The first impression your website creates can be decisive in transforming casual interest into a concrete purchase

Google has the ability to guide potential customers to your website, but the effectiveness of your landing page holds the key to clinching a deal.

Your website's landing page is the first screen that pops up when a user clicks on an ad. The best landing pages have the ability to convert leads — the initial spark of customer interest — into inquiries or potential business.

The importance of a landing page can be understood through a simple mathematical explanation. If you manage to double the conversion rate on your landing page, you'll effectively double your prospective clientele. The conversion rate here refers to the percentage of site visitors who engage in an action beyond merely browsing, like dialing your store's contact number or subscribing to a newsletter.

Let's delve deeper into this process. Consider two advertisers — Advertiser A and Advertiser B. Both have identical ads, pay the same cost per click, and attract the same number of monthly visitors to their respective websites. However, Advertiser A's landing page boasts a conversion rate of 5 percent, translating to 50 fresh leads a month, while Advertiser B's conversion rate is 10 percent, yielding 100 new leads a month.

Since both businesses shell out an equal amount for advertisements, the cost of acquiring a new lead for B is exactly half of what it is for A. This example underscores how a compelling landing page can not only double your business but also trim down costs.

When crafting a landing page, ensure that it represents a call to action for potential customers. In simple terms, your priority should be to keep customers focused on the action you want them to take, such as placing a call to your business.

Steer clear of excessive distractions on your landing page, like an abundance of links or a questions-and-answers segment. A minimalistic landing page serves a dual purpose: you also want to avoid revealing too much information that could render it redundant for an interested customer to reach out to you.

Remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to developing an impactful landing page. There are a few more elements that you should be aware of regarding this crucial tool, which we'll explore in the upcoming section.

Masterfully craft your landing page, sculpting it to display the best features of your offering

What's the most failproof strategy to pique a potential client's interest in your business? If you're in the services sector, offering a free consultation could be your ace in the hole.

Your prime offering for new clients should be prominently and unambiguously exhibited on your website's landing page. This way, any visitor can easily find where to go and what to do next.

Here's a step-by-step guide to designing a successful landing page that effectively showcases your offer.

Kick start with the header section at the top of the web page. This section should accommodate only your logo to the left and a motivating call to action to the right.

Choose a compelling call to action — something as straightforward as, "Call now for a free consultation!"

Next up is the headline section of your landing page, nestled below the header. This section commands the highest readership on your page. Make sure this section encompasses text that describes the benefits of doing business with you or delineates the value you can offer a potential client.

Pose questions that encourage affirmative responses. By getting a prospective client into a "yes-mode," you'll increase their likelihood of reaching out to you.

For instance, if you're a chiropractor, you could ask, "Ready to bid farewell to your back pain?" You can then nudge those who respond positively to call for a complimentary initial session or to visit your premises.

Following the headline section is a contact form, ideally situated on the upper right-hand side of the landing page. Solicit only the bare minimum amount of information — such as the person's full name and email, and perhaps any specific queries they might have about your business.

Keep in mind, the more information you ask for, the more you risk discouraging a person from contacting you. So, keep it basic.

Rounding off the page is the proof zone. This is your chance to validate your business's credibility to your prospective client. Utilize this space to include customer testimonials.

Gathering data is pivotal in assessing the impact of your online marketing initiatives

Any savvy investor understands that quality, transparent reporting is crucial for making informed financial decisions when investing in the stock market. The principle remains the same for marketing. When you channel resources into marketing your business, you're essentially investing in its future.

Therefore, to ensure the success of your marketing efforts, you need insightful reporting that indicates whether your strategy is yielding dividends. However, before you delve into measuring success, it's vital to acknowledge that most new leads generated by local businesses originate from a phone call.

Local businesses operate differently than e-commerce platforms that primarily trade products online. A visitor on a local business's website usually won't make an immediate transaction. Instead, they'll either shoot an email or ring the business for additional information.

According to the authors, phone calls generate between 60 and 70 percent of leads for local businesses. Here, a sale transpires only after a client requests a free consultation or undergoes an initial session.

So how do you leverage your online presence to encourage more potential clients to give you a ring?

One powerful tool to achieve this is dynamic call tracking systems. These systems enable you to identify which ads and keywords prompt a client to place a call. Dynamic call tracking systems link call data to keywords used via Google AdWords.

For every ad and keyword you employ with AdWords, you can gauge not only the cost per click and the number of received clicks but also the conversion rate — the frequency at which a keyword results in a phone call.

Such data can prove invaluable in fine-tuning a marketing campaign as it highlights effective keywords and pinpoints those that need to be discarded. Utilizing a call tracking service can help you better manage your budget and enhance the overall effectiveness of your marketing strategy.

Concluding thoughts

The primary takeaway from this book:

As the internet continues to revolutionize the business landscape, business marketing strategies must evolve in stride. Traditional approaches like investing in print advertisements or business directories no longer yield the same results. To maintain a constant influx of new customers, your business needs to sculpt a robust online advertising strategy.