Want to Catch More Business and Exposure?
Tip: use a net — The Internet
Fred: Do you remember how difficult and expensive it used to be to get any recognition for your business? Local advertising was costly. Forget about national or global, that was for the big business fish.
Lyna: I read that the CEO of Forbes has said that business decision makers don't look to TV and newspapers anymore as their top source of information: they go online. It seems that using the internet for marketing has become the most effective way to promote almost any business.
Fred: You're right. For example, if you want to buy a camera or a VCR, the latest trend in purchasing these items is to go to the website of stores like Circuit City and Best Buy. See what they are offering: the price, the features, etc., and comparison shop before you go to a store and make a purchase. You can even order it online. All the big stores and chains have web sites.
Lyna: And the smaller stores? Fred and I just returned from a trip out west where we happened to find a great little art gallery that had some wonderful sculptures from local artists. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to make a purchase. We asked if they had a website and they said NO. Wow, just think of all the exposure and sales they are missing out on! Not only are we unable to purchase anything from them unless we go out that way again, but they won't be making any sales from all our friends who would have seen the art pieces on their website.
Fred: Even artists and musicians can use the internet to get more exposure. For example, let's say you have a band that plays local clubs every weekend. You have a good following. Why not create a website that can keep your fans up to date on your new songs and places where you will be performing? Why not offer these fans a free CD for every 5 or 10 people they get to sign up on your mailing list? Why not download part of a song so others can hear it and want to buy it? Why not ask fans to book you in clubs in their town? See how this can work for you?
Lyna: www.myspace.com has millions of people surfing the websites that are on it--especially musicians and performers. You can get a free website and video or audio demo. It's a great networking tool that Fred and I use for our radio show--and we've had huge results. Bob Baker is a guru in helping musicians to promote themselves. He has a blog on using My Space in his newsletter. His website is www.thebuzzfactor.com.
Fred: The internet also has many networking sites where business people can connect through forums and message boards. One that I use is www.ryze.com. I've found both the B2B group and the Small Business Owners groups (http://b2b-network.ryze.com/ and http://sbo-network.ryze.com/) to be very helpful. When Lyna and I were creating our website we made a post on the forums for people to give us feedback. Because of this, we implemented changes that not only made a more attractive site, but also kept us from making a huge mistake--we had not clearly stated that we have a radio show. (The main purpose for our website is to get people to listen to Growing Your Business.)
Lyna: In a nutshell--The Internet:
- lets you have a website which is an inexpensive tool to bring a higher return on your investment
- allows you to market and network with the entire world
- allows your information to be available 24/7
- allows you to reach potential customers and increase your exposure through networking sites.
Fred: So grab that net and catch those opportunities that can help you become a big fish.
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