Bringing the Internet to the Neighborhood

What can an intenet marketer do to secure some business right in their own home town? There has been a real surge in excitement and attention paid to bringing Internet Marketing strategies to brick and mortar buisinesses. Local businesses can and do dominate the search listings for their products and services when an effort is made to make that happen. 

Localizing SEO

Marketing SEO to Local Businesses Leading the way in their ability to capture, process and close more sales, the savvy business owner uses Web 2.0 and SEO to obtain more customers at the earliest possible opportunity. With rapid rewards leading to greater profits, it doesn’t take long for the average business owner to see the leverage in having website and SEO services done sooner rather than later. Gathering Leads Locally Many times I am asked if I have a preference for the type of businesses that I work with. While I am able to help out the start-up company, my preference is to work alongside existing businesses. Pre-established business owners tend to have a better scope of what it takes to flourish. Even if they have managed to survive without an Internet presence, they quickly realize that by adding a well thought out and executed Internet Marketing Plan, they will be able to add prospects, customers, clients and most importantly PROFIT to their business. How Much Will it Cost? The part of this business that prevents it from ever becoming boring is the fact that each and every job, each and every design or project is always something new. When it comes to your local business merchants, it is difficult to fit them all into one template or business model. With that said, costs can vary dependent upon the needs and desires of the client.

These are considerations when pricing a project: Starting Costs:

Although I enjoy this work, I’m not in it for charity, I’m in it for a business. Clients should expect to pay between 1/3 and 1/2 of the estimated contract price up front. If this is an issue, you don’t need the business. I use the position that in my initial meeting to discuss a project, I’m going to see if I want the job, not if I can get the job. Ongoing Fees:

Many larger projects can take months to complete. When this is the case, a monthly fee is appropriate and to be expected. Measurable results should be taking place during this time. Maintenance vs. Residual Commission:

This is where the real sustainable income is generated. At some point after the project is completed you have really moved from a role of designer/facilitator to one of consultant and/or “business-partner”, sine you now have a vested interest in the continued success of that business. Be sure to discuss in the pre-contract stages whether your work afterward will be on a monthly maintenence fee schedule or if you’ll work for a commission, based on the percentage of growth accountable to your work. Guaranteed Satisfaction is Paramount As I mentioned earlier, I don’t go to see if I can get a job. I go to see if I want the job. With that said, I will continue to design and optimize a site for a client until he has at least earned back his intial investment. The best way to grow our own business is to ensure that our customers and clients are always happy with the work that we do for them. Make it easy for your clients to give you referals. The bottom line is that my work is 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED !!!