The Case For Cash

An important emphasis has been put on local, small business in the wake of the recent financial problems around the country. Here in Michigan, we are urged to "buy local", "support Michigan business" and put "Michigan first". I have always done my best to do that but I will admit I am doing it more often and with more focus than ever before. In considering how I can personally support local business, I am also trying to use cash as often as possible. Why am I making this case for cash? Let me share a few thoughts.


1) Using cash helps reduce small business costs.
The same purchase made with a debit or credit card costs the business more than if paid for with cash. The costs associated with the convenience of a business accepting debit/credit cards usually consists of a set transaction fee and a percentage of sales fee. Other bank and processing fees may also be applicable. Obviously none of those fees are incurred by the business when purchases are made with cash.

2) Cash can be withdrawn without cost to the consumer.
Many small businesses have the ability to accept debit/credit card payments but on certain sales (say those under $5) they have little or no chance to cover their costs. As a consumer, consider using cash as often as possible for purchases under $10. With ATM's on every corner, it is easier than ever to get cash conveniently. And with free cash withdrawals, it does not cost a dime to have cash in hand.

3) It is a win-win-win.
If the consumer supports small business through patronage and helping keep costs down, that small business has a chance to keep prices down and stay in profitable business. If that small business provides good products & services at good prices along with local expertise & service, consumers will want to support the business. The consumer wins, the business wins and the local economy wins.

It is obviously not rocket science, but the case for cash has clear benefits to local economies. So the next time you are at the ice cream shop, the fruit farm, the pizza place, etc., I urge you to support them with your patronage as well as your cash!

Tips For Better Web Site Performance

Web site performance is a unique topic among small business owners - some are aware that an effective web site can be a great asset, while others are satisfied just having some kind information on the Web regardless of it's performance. I suggest that all small businesses can see a dramatic ROI from improvements to their web site. Here are a few tips to achieve better site performance:

1. Make sure the site design is appealing and follows good usability standards.
   A web site can be optimized for good performance and even rank well in search engine results but no conversions result. If the site is too cluttered, has bad design or is just basically unappealing, site visitors will not find what they are looking for and will give up using the site. Usability tells us web sites have 4-6 seconds to grab a first-time visitors attention - so be sure the design & layout of the site is effective.
   


2. Utilize keywords visitors would use to find the site.
   Turn your focus to the site visitor. The actual purpose of the site is not necessarily self promotion, it is to serve the site visitor. So build your site around keywords that Internet users would type in a search to find your products or services. Then help them find that information quickly and easily on your site.
   


3. Get the right people doing the right jobs.
   With the ease of web site builders and content management systems offered by hosting companies, many small businesses develop their own web sites. Their are literally thousands of new sites created every day. Many site owners believe they can administer the technical, content and search optimization aspects of their site, not to mention the Internet marketing of the site. I suggest that using a professional in those areas can make all the difference in your site performance. It is very unlikely small business owners know all the ins-and-outs of web site development. The ROI for using professionals in at least one those areas far outweighs the cost to get it right.
   


4. Make quality a goal of your site.
   Don't settle for a pieced-together, half-hearted web site - it won't attract many site visitors, it won't rank well in search engines and it certainly won't have many conversions. A small business would never think of creating other marketing materials of poor quality - so why should they settle for a poor quality web site, which has the potential to reach significantly more people? They should do what it takes to create a high quality site, even if that means hiring a consultant or designer.

Just like many other aspects of doing business, what is put into a site is likely what will come out of it. So I suggest small businesses take the steps necessary to achieve better web site performance and enjoy the significant results of doing things right!

Facebook Community Pages & Your Social Marketing Plan

Well, there has been lots of buzz the last few weeks about changes being made on the social networking site Facebook...and reaction has been both critical and optimistic. The changes went live this week and it has left many wondering what it all means!

Just about the time businesses and on-line marketing gurus really got a good feel for using Facebook for business promotion, the new "Community Page" has been introduced. So what does that mean to your marketing plan? First, let's look at a quick run-down of how these pages function (at least as of this writing):

1. Group Page - Created by a user and those that become group members may have various posting rights, as determined by the group administrator. Content may or may not generate stories in News Feeds of those who are members of the group. Content of the page is not indexed by search engines.
   
2. Community Page - Created by Facebook and maintained by them, updating information & profile pictures using Wikipedia. Related posts from other people on Facebook may be displayed also. Content does not generate stories in News Feeds of those who "like" the page. Content on this page is indexed by search engines. As is stands right now, once the Community Page becomes very popular (a certain number of fans), it will become a community administered page which means everyone will have the ability to post on the page.
   
3. Official Page - Created and maintained by authorized representative of a business, brand, celebrity or organization. Content is created by authorized user and it generates stories in News Feeds of those who "like" the page. Content on this page is indexed by search engines.

So the idea that Facebook is trying to get across through this change is that Group Pages are for interaction about specific subjects, Community Pages provide information about specific topics from Wikipedia (and potentially other sources) and Official Pages provide professional content from a business, brand, celebrity or organization.

In considering what this means for your social marketing plans, I suggest taking the wait and see approach for now. Things are literally changing by the minute as these new updates work through the Facebook system. Don't panic just yet about the impact of Community Pages but also, don't bury your head in the sand.

Who's On Facebook?

Remember the great comedy routine, "Who's On First?". The hilarious and ambiguous skit by Abbot and Costello left you wondering who really was on first. And many people are asking the same question these days about Facebook - who is on there and what does that mean to me?

Well the answers are easier to find and decipher than those in the comedy routine. Facebook tracks that information themselves and provides the details through their Social Ads Platform. And here are some interesting details, taken right from those statistics :

1. The largest number of U.S. users on Facebook are ages 35-54 years old - that is 29% of the user base.


2. The largest increase in users came in the 55+ age group - up 922% since 2009. That turns out to be over 8.8 million new Facebook members over the age of 55 in the last year.


3. During 2010, Facebook grew to over 103 million users in the U.S. That is up 144% from 2009.
   

So what does that mean to businesses trying to get the most out of the social networking site? It tells us that Facebook is still growing - at an impressive rate. And that growth continues to represent an excellent opportunity for marketing - so it is worth the time and effort to use it as a part of any marketing campaign.

It also tells us that the use of Facebook is not as lop-sided as it once was. Even over the last year, Facebook has morphed into a place for those over the age of 25 to connect, discuss and develop business. Before that, it was often assumed it was a phenomenon for those under 25. The new reality is that the middle age demographic is engaged in the social networking community.

So now that you know who is on Facebook, use the information to tailor the social networking portion of your marketing. And if your business has not started working with social networking, maybe now is a good time.

Tips For Web Site Success

Creating a successful web site can be quite challenging for small businesses. However, with a few tips and thoughtful plans, the puzzle pieces begin to come together so any web site can increase its effectiveness.

1. Define "success" for your site. Web sites are diverse and can serve any number of purposes - from on-line brochures to dynamic sales portals. Take time to decide what the function of your site is and then determine what is success for that function. Would success for your site be a specific number of visitors? Or would it be an increased percentage of sales? Or possibly success would be an increased number of visitors that register on your site. Regardless, once you know what success is in your eyes, you can tailor the site to meet your goals.
   
   
2. Concentrate on good design principals. There are basic design principals and concepts that all web sites should employ. Sites should be user-focused and easy to navigate. Keeping things simple helps users find what they need quickly and almost effortlessly. There are many cool, cute & clever functions that can be created on a site but if it does not serve the visitor, leave them off the site and stick with good, basic designs.
   
   
3. Make sure your site is usable. This may sound odd but it is important to consider. Once visitors make it to your site, they need to be able to use the site and understand the content. This is closely related to the good design principals noted above. The navigation should be clear and in a prominent place. Again, cute & clever won't get you very far if the site visitor can't decide how to get around your site. Make sure content is well organized and tailored to help users find what they need.
   
   
4. Promote, promote, promote. Make sure everyone knows you have a web site. Put your URL on business cards, letterhead, e-mails...anything that leaves your office. Market your site like you would a new product or service. The more people that know about your site, the more potential visitors you can get. And as your web site traffic increases, you can begin measuring the effectiveness of your efforts.

So having an effective web site isn't rocket science but it does take some time, thought and persistence. It helps to have assistance from a professional developer but the tips noted above are practical and can be used by any web site owner. As with most marketing tools, a web site only increases its success with your commitment and effort.