SmallBusinessNewz

What Would Sudden Exposure Get You

Yesterday I introduced the concept of Destination Search Engine Marketing (Destination SEM) which emphasized that SEO isn't about "getting" top rankings. Getting rankings leaves open the implication that you're achieving a result that you don't necessarily deserve. Destination SEM focuses on building a website that is truly exceptional in meeting your audience's needs and actually earns top search engine positions.

Setting Your Rates Right is Critical

Tired of making too little and working too much? Not sure how much to charge for your services? Whether you’re a consultant, coach, therapist, designer, or you offer some other type of service, setting your rates right is critical to your long-term success. It’s also one of the most difficult jobs most of us have to tackle in our businesses. If you have something valuable to offer the world, you need to charge enough to do more than just make ends meet. Otherwise you won’t be able to keep offering your services and helping your clients.

Customers Leaving Your Site Too Early?

You can't close a sale through your website if you can't keep the customer there. The Bounce RatesCaroline Melberg at Small Business Mavericks asks a good question: "Is your bounce rate too high?"She talks about seeing what pages on your site have the highest amount of bounces and fixing what is wrong with them to keep visitors around. They're Not Getting Away That Easily

Increasing Perceived Value

Rich Schefren recently interviewed Dan Ariely. The recording is freely available online here. In the call Dan highlights how companies can increase perceived value and get their customers to spend more by creating a decoy offer, which is discussed in the first chapter of his Predictibly Irrational book.

Getting To Know Your Customers

If you expect people to include your small business when they are out burning $4+ gallons of gas, it may help to connect a little more personally with them.

Giving Away Your Product for Branding

Giving your product away for free may not seem like the best way to do business, but it can be an excellent way to build your brand. Of course this will not be feasible for all businesses or all products, but if it won't set you back too much, why not give it a try? This is one of Mark Nagurski's "big business sponsorship ideas to market your small business".

Online Businesses Pay Attention!

If you've been reading SmallBusinessNewz for a while, you can probably tell that we can't get enough of the customer satisfaction talk. It is after all, one of the most important elements to running a business.

Is Your Business in a Rush?

Rushing in business rarely pays off. There are many areas in business where you may be rushing or at least tempted to do so, but in the end you may end up hurting your business or at least not reaping the maximum benefits possible. Rushing Your Products

Thinking About Rebranding Your Business?

Sometimes when business isn't going as well as planned, it pays to consider changing your image. Making your business seem fresh in the public eye can be huge for attracting new customers. The important thing to remember when trying this approach however, is to not let down your current customers. They are after all the ones keeping you in business in the first place.

Give the Customer a WOW! Experience

When was the last time you truly had a WOW! experience? I had one not too long ago, and I still can’t stop thinking about it.With spring on the way, it was time to get new flea and heartworm preventatives for my dog, Sadie. I decided to try ordering from 1-800-PetMeds because I had just gotten a discount coupon and catalog in the mail from them. And it turns out they had a couple of items I’d been having trouble finding (all hail the finger toothbrush!)