Check Your Online Listing

Check out GetListed.org, or at least their free tool that lets you check your "claimed" listing in major search engines.

It's far from perfect at this point, mostly because the site is busy talking in "lingo" and not in local business-speak. But if you already sort-of understand your way around the local online lingo, it's a nifty check-up of whether you have dotted your i's and crossed your t's.

What do I mean that the site talks lingo? I typed Dr. Abed, 95126 (my dentist) and it showed no listings, even though when I went to Google and typed Dr. Abed 95126, she came up top of the listings. I typed in Zanotto's, (a neighborhood market) at it showed that the name had not been "claimed" on Google, Yahoo, Live but that it had 72 "citations" on Google. There was a link to click through and claim it, but no discussion on what "claiming" the name meant.

EDIT: Got a really nice note from the GetListed folks, and they pointed out that Dr.Abed's ZIP was 95128 - they are SOOO correct, which is what I get for making assumptions - and that her office is listed when done correctly.

Why, oh why (she asked again and again) do the online folks think that local businesses have nothing better to do than learn search-engine speak.

Anyway, Miriam Ellis writes a nice entry on why GetListed is good and useful and even necessary - and says nice things about the founders.

Online Ad Design for Radio & TV Advertisers

The partnership between 2AdPro and MediaSpan was announced* today - (*Full client disclosure is due here: I worked on this announcement, but that isn't the only reason why I like this partnership.)

2AdPro and MediaSpan Enable Radio and Television Stations to Create Custom Online Display Advertising for Local Advertisers

It's good news for small business and here's why:

1. It's a benefit to local advertisers to have as many ways as possible to get an online presence.
2. Not every small business wants to go the route of self-service search advertising, but hiring a designer is costly.
3. This has left a lot of small advertisers scrambling to find low-cost online display ad creations.
4. The ability to work with the local radio or tv station (with whom many small advertisers have an existing relationship) opens up a lot of opportunities.

Anything that opens up online advertising - inexpensively and professionally - is a good thing.

Community Coverage Up - What's It Mean for Local Businesses?

Today there's a story in the NYTimes, As Papers Struggle, News is Cut and Focus Turns Local, primarily reporting on a newly released study from Pew Research, The Changing Newsroom: Gains and Losses in Today's Papers.

Among other interesting tidbits, the study shows that 62% of a cross-section of American newspapers have increased community coverage.

One of Pew's key conclusions is, "Papers both large and small have reduced the space, resources and commitment devoted to a range of topics. At the top of that list, nearly two thirds of papers surveyed have cut back on foreign news, over half have trimmed national news and more than a third have reduced business coverage. In effect, America's newspapers are narrowing their reach and their ambitions and becoming niche reads."

So how does that play out as an ad vehicle for local businesses? Sadly, it doesn't much matter.

While newspapers fumble with content and formulas and business models, they are still locked in the past so far as an ad vehicle. The old model is, "We have lots of interesting content, which brings readers, which means any ad you put alongside that content will get eyeballs."

Well - the eyeballs are diminishing, the page size is shrinking, the content is not compelling, but the ads are still smished together on page after page.

Is any newspaper saying, "What can we do to so advertisers get better visibility? Are we tracking results our advertisers get and working on helping them get better results? Are we helping readers find ads that are of interest to them? Are we using all our media together to be sure that an ad buy with us becomes valuable content to our community? Is our content and our advertising working together to provide a valuable product?"

As far as I know, it's not happening.

I get the whole separation of advertising and journalists. Honest. But the whole model of how advertising fits into the changing face of the newsroom is one that demands exploration.

Big Idea for Small Blog - how web to print increased readership and revenue

Interesting post in Read/WriteWeb byJosh Catone, Who Says Print is Dead? Local Blog Finds Success Offline.

It's a brief case study of The Flying Pickle, a hyperlocal blog in New Zealand that organized its best posts each week into a print edition that it delivered via post directly to the homes of local residents.

This is one of those smart but simple ideas, a 'bootstrap' marketing tactic that could work for small online sites, local community papers, and neighborhood blogs. Check it out.

edit: Here's the link to the original case study published by Zeta Prints

Your local businss on the web

Research guru Tim Stehle sent me a copy of the All Business Newsletter, bringing my atention to an article titled, Is your business findable on the Web?

The author's point is that no business is so small that it can afford not to have a web presence, and that even if an owner doesn't have the time/money/expertise to do a complete web site, there is always a blog.

Her conclusion is, "It's up to you to build a strong Internet presence as part of your marketing plan. You can do it with minimal costs and a little investment of time."

The part about an Internet presence is spot on. But the part about minimal costs and a little investment of time...well, I don't want to nit-pick here, but a strong web presence pretty much takes more than "minimal costs" and "a little investment of time."


Anyone who has ever tackled a blog will tell you it takes a lot of energy, thought and time to write two or three times a week. Week in and week out. And it needs to be designed so that crucial information about your business is easy to find. And a website? Keeping it fresh, relevant, and "above the fold" in web searches takes a lot of work.

I don't mean to deter any local business from a web presence. It IS crucial. But a small business owner needs to understand that like any advertising or marketing effort, a web presence is not a one-time investment. It's an ongoing expense in today's world, and factoring in that time and cost is as important as any other element in a business plan.

The End of Advertising As We Know It

IBM Global Business Services has a new report, The End of Advertising As We Know It, that is a great read for those (like me) who care about such things.

It's received lots of press already, but I include it here so you'll have an easy link.

The report has a lot to say to the media and agencies that are engaged in the business side of advertising, but all this certainly impacts local businesses. It's already common to find small local businesses struggling for creative ways to market the business without having to spend all day at the computer watching keywords, listings, consumer reviews, etc.

Now we have a forecast that shows increased consumer control, growing niche media, and reliance on self-serve advertising models.

How can small business survive and thrive in this environment? More to come in future posts.

Flying SUX

There's a marketing bonanza in hidden places, as the Sioux (Iowa) Gateway Airport recently discovered. The city really didn't like its FAA moniker SUX, but finally decided to embrace it -- with gusto. "Now the whole world knows about us," says airport direct Rick McElroy.

From USA TODAY's Airport Check-in column: "Airport director Rick McElroy says news reports about the airport's new marketing campaign are no hoax. For years, local officials asked the Federal Aviation Administration to change the airport's SUX three-letter airport identifier to something less, well, embarrassing. Now the airport is celebrating its code with a brash new slogan, 'Fly SUX,' as well as a new website (flysux.com) and a line of Fly SUX-printed T-shirts and caps. ....

"In a story from last week, the Sioux City Journal notes that the airport's move to embrace its unique identifying code comes after officials there previously "doggedly fought" to dump the code. The paper writes "in 1988, Sioux City officials, enlisting the assistance of its congressional delegation, petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to drop SUX. At one point, the FAA offered the city five different options -- GWU, GYO, GYT, SGV and GAY. Not wild about any of the other choices -- particularly the latter -- airport trustees eventually called the whole thing off."

Christmas is Underway for Local Retailers

September 20 the National Retail Federation released its forecast for the upcoming 2007 holiday season -- predicting that sales would be weak for all but luxury items. Today begins the NRF series of releases going into more detail.

October 16 - Consumers to Take Conservative Approach to Holiday Shopping

• U.S. consumers plan to spend an average of $816.69 on holiday-related shopping.
• These shoppers will spend an additional $106.67 on special “non-gift” purchases by taking advantage of special promotions and discounts to treat themselves.
• This brings total planned holiday-related spending to $923.36, an increase of 3.7 percent from 2006.
• 40.3 percent of shoppers will begin holiday shopping before Halloween.
• Discounters can expect the most traffic as 68.4 percent of consumers plan to shop there (compared to 70.3% in 2006).
• Department Stores will also see a lion’s share of traffic as 58.2 percent will choose this format (vs. 61.6 percent last year).
• The Internet will once again play a crucial role for retailers this holiday season as consumers, on average, plan to do 30.2 percent of their shopping online compared to 28.9 percent in 2006.

How Your Local Biz Can Benefit from Enviro-Concerns

Matt McGee gets a "real marketing" award for his post on how to get some buzz from the increased interest in "green" businesses. I've reprinted his "how to make this work for you" below, but his entire post is well worth the read, and he explains why now is the time for small businesses to get in on the act.

1.) If you have products in your inventory that can legitimately be called green-friendly, break them off into a new category on your web site and promote it heavily on your front page, to your mailing list, etc.
2.) If you run a service-oriented business … well … I’m not sure how many people will care that you just switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs, but they might care if you do that, and make your fleet of service trucks eco-friendly, and get your employees involved in an outdoor cleanup/community service-type event.
3.) In either case, once you’ve gone green, contact the media — both online and offline. And by media, I mean TV, newspapers, local independent papers and magazines, and (since you need links), local and regional bloggers.
There you go: Get links and buzz by going green. It’s all the rage. And they say it’s good for the earth, too

Better Tchotchkes For Airport

Columnist L. A. Chung is 100% correct -- San Jose's airport needs better local tchotchkes!

The Mercury News writer filed a wonderful piece alerting us that the airport is asking for "proposals to provide Mineta San Jose International Airport's new North concourse with the best mix of restaurants and retail outlets...."

What do airport visitors want? Really good, really relevant Silicon Valley Tchotchkes!

So here's your chance. Be inspired by Chung's vision and have your say NOW because when the new terminal opens in 2010, it's too late.

Says Chung, "For all of you who are sick of little Victorian-house refrigerator magnets in the airport gift stores, or dopey mugs depicting outmoded desktop computers, either shut up, or speak up. Hold the airport's feet to the fire."

Chung didn't detail how - but here are some ways to let your voice be heard: the Airport Commission is an advisory body to the San Jose City Council, so email your council member. Here is the webpage with airport contacts/information for retail and food vendors. Here's the email for community input about the airport in general.

Yelp, Your Small Business, and Local Marketing

The first time I heard of Yelp was a year or so ago on my way out of a local restaurant. Knowing I had enjoyed the meal and service, the waiter handed me a card that said, "If you enjoyed your meal, please post your comments on Yelp." I went online, I posted, and I've used Yelp many times since.

Today I read a blog post, "Can Yelp Help Your Small Business".

Jennifer Laycock writes, "Chance are high that you've never heard of Yelp, so you probably have no idea what it says about you. This is a mistake. Yelp is growing and it's growing fast, drawing more than 1.8 million users turn to it for information each month. In fact, I've found myself looking at top five search listings for Yelp on Google time and time again in the past couple of months. That's why I'll ask you again, what does Yelp say about you?"

Check out her entire post to see why you should know what Yelp is saying about your business. It's one of those local marketing tactics that you should know about and care about.

5 Cheap and Easy Ways to Market Your Local Business

1) Work your customer list. Eighteen months ago I plunked down a five-figure payment to an air conditioning/heating company to bring my 1940's-era house up to date. I was pleased with them and when I had problems after the installation they were on my doorstep in a day. It's a family owned business, and I know from talking to the owner that they are always looking for referrals.

But I have never once received a follow up. We've gone through two air conditioning seasons and one winter check up season and I have never gotten a note from the owner saying, "Our customers are our best advertising. If your neighbors and friends are looking for air conditioning or heating service or upgrades, here is a 10% coupon for them and my personal cell phone. I promise you they will receive great personal and professional service."

2)Partner with other local businesses. A spa nearby my home did that recently - they sent me a note and said, "We're offering you a 15% discount plus our next door neighbors, XXX coffee shop, have given us coupons for a free coffee and pastry."

I thought that was a dynamite idea, and I stopped by to interview the folks at the spa to ask about the response they received. But when I got there, and saw the coupon from the coffee shop, it was a dud! For one thing, the coupon was a buy one-get one, which isn't quite the same. And the coupon had expired a month before the spa sent the mailing. The receptionist at the spa just shrugged when I pointed this out. Think I'd ever trust them to give me a spa treatment? My impression is they are sloppy and careless.

Still, the concept was good, and worth trying.

3) Find referral sources. There are plenty of places that could send business to you, but you need to make your business known to them and keep in touch. There is a hotel in downtown San Jose that has a beauty salon but (since I'm a regular customer at the salon) I happen to know that they frequently cannot meet the needs of hotel guests. Yet when I stopped in at a nearby salon and asked if they stayed in touch with the concierge at the hotel, the owner said, "No. They have their own salon. They aren't going to send me customers."

4) Develop a mailing list and work it. I stopped by an estate sale a couple of years back, and signed up for the mailing list. Since then, every month, faithfully, I've received a mailing advising me of that month's sales, including pictures of items for sales. I've been back several times, and on occasion, have told friends about items coming up for sale.

5) Donate services to local charity auctions and fund raising activities. Some businesses act like it is money out of their pocket, and they will only donate goods or services "when a special customer asks." But it's more than just placating a good customer when you donate something to help area non-profits. It's a way to get your name out to a wider audience, to get new people into your store, and, really, it's the right thing to do if you want to be part of the local community.

Local Marketing for Social Organizations

Eiler Communications of Ann Arbor, MI has a handy blog entry about how local organizations can get wider press coverage. Great tips for anyone who works for or with a non-profit.

Here's the example they give:

But let’s say I want to go bigger. Let’s say I have a story that I think will appeal to a larger audience (like the fact that we are trying to start a social enterprise with homeless families). Where does one begin to look when trying to get more exposure? How does one reach out to large publications? Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated!

And here's the first part of the answer. If this is at all your "thing," it is definitely worth a read of the entire article:

Obviously, national or multi-national organizations have an easier time obtaining national media coverage than smaller, local organizations. But smaller organizations can and do obtain national coverage. The trick is to tell your story in a way that shows national media you’re worth writing about.

First, it’s important to realize what journalists are looking for. The criteria for newsworthiness are timeliness, proximity, impact or relevance, prominence (is someone well-known or famous involved?), conflict and novelty. The more criteria met by your story, the better your chances of being written about. That being said, there are a few tricks of the PR trade that can help you fit within the editorial scope of your target national publications.

The Future of Small Business

Intuit offers a fascinating look at the next decade of American business in the Intuit Future of Small Business Report, a three phase study authored by the Institute for the Future.

Phase one, released in January, focused on the dramatic changes in the face of small business, as seasoned baby boomers, kids fresh out of high school, mid-career women, "mompreneurs" and new immigrants come together to create the most diverse pool of entrepreneurs ever.

The disruptions that have beset workers -- economic, social and technological change — and an increased interest in flexible work schedules — will produce a more independent workforce seeking a better work-life balance.

Phase two of the report was released June 26, and finds that tomorrow's successful small business owners will be far more reliant on technology than their current counterparts. They'll be more connected in a mobile world, market to customers in ways only imagined today and blur the lines between the virtual and physical worlds as the hype surrounding today's technology becomes tomorrow's reality. The findings include three emerging technology trends that will revolutionize the very nature of running a small business:

• On My Time, On My Terms – In a connected world, small business management will increasingly be "on my time" and "on my terms" for owners.
• Global, Local, Virtual – The evolution of the Web will fuel small business formation, operations and innovation.
• From "Push" to "Pull" – The small business marketing approach will shift from "push" to "pull."

The very nature of local business, retail and service included, is dramatically shifting. Anyone in the field of marketing to, or for, a local business should read this report.

Contests for Local Businesses

Looking for local online marketing ideas for your small business? Check out the winners of Yahoo's Ultimate Connection Contest, three local businesses that won a $25,000 Yahoo ad budget plus other perks.

And if you missed out on the Yahoo contest but still want to turn your really good marketing into cash, the UPS Out-of-the-Box Small Business Contest is open until September 1 with a chance to win prizes from $5,000 to $25,000.

Greg Sterling Talks About How and Why

The always-articulate Greg Sterling has a link to his webcast called "Local Search Advertising: Challenges and Opportunities," in his post on Search Engine Land.

He also discusses some of the real-world issues facing small businesses when it comes to the complex array of online strategies, and the cottage industry that has emerged to help small business get real about local search marketing.

If you are at the execution-end of marketing for a local business you can't go wrong reading his ideas on both strategy and practical "how to."

Clicks & Bricks is Important Local Strategy

Retailers that have started a hybrid of online/in-store marketing, like Sears and REI, have found that customers who use this strategy are more likely to buy additional products when they pick up their items, according to Patti Freeman Evans, an analyst at Jupiter Research, in an interview with Practical eCommerce.

Freeman Evans believes smaller, local merchants should learn from industry giants, and says that within the next three years, "nearly half of all retail sales will be influenced or transacted online."

She explains that, "The 'influenced-by' number comes from the people who will go online maybe to just find a store or maybe to do days and days of research on a product. Then they go offline and make the purchase."

If you are involved in local marketing, and trying to make sense of what to do now to prepare for the next few years, this is a must read..

Paris + Prison = Great Lease Rates?

Check out the TMZ story to see and hear the local auto ads for a sales promotion based on the Paris Hilton headlines. Quick-wit or half-wit marketing? You decide:

Paris Hilton's incarceration is causing unexpected benefit for the residents of Toms River, N.J. -- a fantastic deal on cars! Lester Glenn is offering a "Paris in Jail Sale" during the celebutante's stay in the pokey. "As long as Paris stays in jail," their radio commercial boasts, "You can get a Hyundai Santa Fe for just $159 a month with no money down and no security deposit." Get 'em while you can!

Community Involvement

When I saw that Deloitte & Touche had created a 24-page report titled "Beyond Numbers" which was described as its "Community Involvement Annual Report" I wondered if it was a "get real" moment. 24 pages to tout what they should be doing anyway? Sounded like puffery to me.

I explain: I am a huge advocate of community involvement - I've volunteered with local non-profit organizations for the past two decades of my working career and firmly believe that absolutely every business should be fostering involvement in the local community among its employees.

As I read the report, I realized this was REAL marketing...and the fact that Deloitte & Touche is putting themselves out there, committing the company as a 'best example', is very impressive.

A recent survey from job board TheLadders showed that 89.2% of execs believe that if a company has the ability to make a positive impact then it is that company’s duty to strive for it. The majority of respondents – 87.3% – also said that they would not work for a company that had a reputation of negative social responsibility.

Almost half of those surveyed – 45.1% – said that, not only do their companies participate in numerous events and organizations, but they promote employee participation as well. However, 29.6% of execs say they are unaware of any social programs initiated by their companies. Another 25.3% said that while their companies do promote social responsibility, employees are not encouraged to participate.

Given the fact that less than half of companies are doing what they believe is the right thing, the Deloitte & Touche commitment is even more impressive.

Barry Salzberg, D&T's CEO, said, “Successful businesses thrive in healthy communities. That’s why we’re committed to helping build strong and vibrant nonprofits. We bring our passion for business excellence into our community involvement efforts, helping nonprofits achieve their critical social missions. "

Evan Hochberg, national director of community involvement, Deloitte Services LP, noted that “this report is a story of our efforts to make a greater impact in our communities by strengthening the effectiveness of nonprofits. It is a strategy to which we are truly committed.”

Thumbs up! Great job! My hope is that "Beyond Numbers" gives the good folks at Deloitte & Touche a platform to speak at every business conference and to every business magazine.

Survey Snafu

And did you hear about the marketing-turned-creepy at Target...?

Since Target is a local retailer, even though it's a national chain, I decided this wasn't too far off base ... and the lessons are universal.

Anyway, last week Target emailed a survey to customers with questions such as whether people feared their lovers might leave them and, if they disappeared from the face of the earth, would anybody notice. News reports said it was designed to help compare the psyches of their customers to Wal-Mart customers.

The survey was stopped within 24 hours.

The Target folks aren't idiots and they're not insensitive. They were just a bit myopic about how people would react. It can happen to anyone...it can happen to you.

So here are two lessons: 1) Remember that an email doesn't always "read" the way it was intended when it was written and 2) Never get so caught up in what you want from the customer that you forget it is your job to serve them...not the other way around.

Oh, and stay true to your word: Though I'm sure Target framed that survey within a context, on the Target Web site it says, "By providing your e-mail address, you will receive updates on special offers and promotions from Target."