Sandra is my esthetician who keeps my skin looking young. She had to close her business during the COVID Pandemic for two months. In July, she sent out an email asking her client base who plans on returning to gauge interest and decide whether to open again or close completely. I immediately booked an appointment to see her.
During my appointment, Sandra told me about 25% of your clients had returned. She’s still on the fence about closing down. As a solopreneur, Sandra’s business is HER; her ability to provide a service is how she makes her living. When I first started in marketing, that was me too.
Sandra’s business is a “want”, not a “need”. Between the COVID pandemic, job losses, and fear of the economy, businesses that rely on disposable income will struggle throughout 2020 and 2021.
The #ShopLocal movement was meant to help local businesses during the holiday shopping season. It seems relevant today with all the UPS, FedEx, and USPS trucks rolling around our neighborhoods. Competing on Amazon’s level for small product sales is impossible. Small businesses like Sandra face the challenge of getting the word out about products they sell and encouraging people to come back into ultra-clean spas.
To get the word out about your business, Google has several features that you can take advantage of for free.
Google is a powerful search engine that turned its name into a verb, “I’ll google that.” Just having a website is not enough to get found in search results. I’m not going to get into all the ways your website can get noticed, but here’s one hint – Google Reviews.
For business owners who have a small marketing budget, Google Ads can work well to get people in the door, but there first has to be “googling” something. The cost per click is based on competition, so if you have a lot of competitors, this can be a significant expense.
What if your marketing budget is minimal, like Sandra? If your local business has people “googling” for your products or services and a physical location, you can utilize Google My Business (GMB). It is your Google map listing where people can leave a review and find directions to your location.
Did you know you can post on your GMB listing just like a Facebook post? Go to business.google.com and sign in. Create a post for an offer, an update, or an event with an image, and some text – same as you would for a Facebook post. It will appear for seven days on your profile and displays under the title “From the owner.”
Here is an example:
If your business needs help getting found online, we’ve got solutions. Contact Edge Digital for help developing your business’ SEO Strategy.
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Kim works with brands since 2011 to develop and manage their digital and social media strategies; meet company objectives, such as increasing leads, engagement, and website traffic, utilizing best practices, the latest tools and strategies; and develop quality content. She is a problem-solver who loves a challenge when it comes to increasing sales.