Marketing Guides for Small Businesses

When a potential customer arrives at your website, is it immediately clear to them how you can help them? Is your message clear? When your marketing message isn’t clear, you lose people immediately.  In today’s episode, Dr. J.J. Peterson, Head of StoryBrand and Host of the Marketing Made Simple Podcast, joins us to share how you can clarify your message. Since 2013, Dr. J.J. Peterson has used the...

Are you a plumber? And are you the same as every plumber or do you do things better than every other plumber? Are you a business coach that's the best at what you do? Are you a dentist that uniquely serves your marketplace? Whatever your business is, there’s likely at least one thing that differentiates you from all the other businesses offering the same or similar products or services. The questi...

Are you planning your marketing strategy and feeling overwhelmed with all of the different social media types available? Choosing the best social media platforms for your small business can help you find new customers, grow your sales, and increase your online presence, but they’re not a silver bullet. In today’s episode, we’ll look at what different social media platforms exist and what you shoul...

When many people think of SEO, they think of what is called on-page SEO. On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing certain elements on your web pages to rank higher on search engines and be found more easily by your potential customers–think content, headlines and headers, image optimization, title tags, meta descriptions, structured data, etc. If you want your page to rank, however, you’ll need t...

In today’s episode we’re talking about content writing. We’ll look at what it is, how it can benefit your small business and why your business should consider outsourcing your writing needs.  Tune in to learn how you can go about hiring a great content writer, how to vet potential writers and how to get the most out of your working relationship with a new writer.  Tune in to learn: What content wr...

When your prospective customers are looking for your product or service chances are high that they’ll Google it.  When somebody is looking for a dentist near them, they’ll Google it. If somebody needs a mechanic in their town, they’ll Google it. And when they Google it, they’ll see organic results as well as paid results.  Today we’ll be exploring the topic of Google Ads and how to get started wit...

In today’s episode, we’re talking about content writing–a cost effective way for your company to build brand awareness, increase your exposure on search engines, connect with your customers on a personal level and establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry. Tune in to learn what content writing is and how it can benefit your small business.  We’ll also discuss: How to choose the pla...

While it may be tempting to take a “set it and forget it” approach after you’ve developed your website, regular maintenance of your website is important for many reasons. Did you know that 88% of consumers are unlikely to return to a website if they had a bad experience?  Properly maintaining your site will ensure your visitors have a positive experience. Website maintenance ensures site security...

According to a Marketo study, 96% of the visitors to your website aren’t ready to buy yet. And depending on the source you view, research shows that on average it takes anywhere from 5 to 10 touchpoints before a buyer makes a sale. In B2B business, it could take up to 13 touchpoints to even generate a qualified sales lead. So, how do you help move your prospects along through your buyer’s journey...

Did you know that email marketing can have a 4400% return on investment? Studies show that for every $1 spent on email marketing, a company can see a return of $44.25. Email Marketing can be used for acquisition, branding, traffic, engagement, direct Sales, referrals, reactivation, and retention.  Needless to say, learning how to craft a compelling email that prompts your customers and prospective...

The experience a potential customer has when they arrive at your landing page may be their first impression of your brand. And first impressions, especially negative ones, tend to stick. Research shows you only have about seven seconds to make that first impression a positive one before your visitors decide to leave your website. Landing pages play a key role in conversion–they are all about getti...

Systems are everywhere in your business. You have accounting systems, service delivery systems, customer management systems, human resources systems and more. Even your facilities run on systems–think security, heating, ventilation and cooling systems.   In the same way, you need a marketing system. Marketing has become a complex dance of numerous strategies, tactics, tools, platforms, and best pr...

If you want to make sure your business is welcoming to all customers and clients, you need to go beyond considering the accessibility of physical spaces. You also need to take steps to ensure your digital spaces can be experienced by everyone, including those with disabilities. Assessing and updating your website’s accessibility isn’t just important from an inclusivity aspect, it’s also important...

These days, your website needs to be more than a digital brochure. It’s your 24/7, 365-days-a-year, always-on sales representative. Your website is where customers and prospects look before they ever engage with your business. Are you sure your website represents the best of your company? Your homepage and your ‘About’ page are the two pages that usually get the most website traffic. In today’s ep...

Today’s episode is about the Marketing Hourglass. The Marketing Hourglass is similar to the sales funnel but starts before a potential customer would be considered a prospect and continues two steps after the sale. The Marketing Hourglass is a practical way to understand how your customers become your customers and what type of marketing and content you can provide at each stage. It provides a lot...

Imagine if there was a way to get your brand in front of prospective customers who visited your website but haven’t filled in a form or called you.  And imagine if they viewed a particular product or service page, that you could influence them even after they’ve left your website using messaging related to the product or service they showed interest in.  It sounds impossible and a little too good...

As a small business owner, you’ve probably heard that one of the keys to growing your business is producing great content connect you with a larger audience. “Content is king,” we hear over and over again. We know we should be producing quality content regularly, but as a small business, how do we generate ideas for all of this content? How do we set aside time to create it all? In today’s episode...

Email newsletters are the daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter you receive from a company. Some of them are full of deals, others of announcements, others share tips or case studies, and others dive deep into one topic.  There are many ways to set up your newsletter. The key is to determine the best style, content and cadence that works for you and your ideal customers. And, most import...

Having an email list you can use for marketing still remains one of the most important things a business can have in their marketing tool kit, but growing that email list seems daunting to most small businesses. In this episode, we’ll discuss clever ways to grow your list for both email and text message marketing. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to build an email list and why having one is so i...

Anyone who has worked in a large organization understands that there’s often tension between sales and marketing.  The sales people complain about the quality of leads they get, where their tradeshow booth is located, or the lack of sales support materials to help them land customers.   At the same time, the marketing team sends what they believe are highly qualified vetted leads and think they ha...

It’s estimated that more than 50% of today’s total web site visits are mobile. That number is typically even higher for websites in certain industry categories, like food and beverage. While your website can act as your 24/7 salesperson, if it doesn’t work well for more than half of your visitors, you’re definitely missing out on potential business. Mobile optimization makes sure your website and...

“Finding good employees doesn’t work. Instead, start attracting top talent.” Ryan Englin, CEO of Core Matters, joins us for this episode to share his knowledge on recruiting top talent to your business’ open roles. Core Matters focuses on the issues of high turnover or high growth and what businesses need to do to fill their open positions. Even as a small business, it’s possible to compete for th...

Nonprofits are just like many small businesses - they need to make the most of their limited marketing budgets. In today’s episode, Ben Chambers, marketing and fundraising consultant for nonprofits of Team Kat & Mouse joins us to share his experience in marketing for nonprofits. We’ll discuss how to make your nonprofit stand out when you have a limited budget and resources. Tune in as we discu...

Are you the owner of a growing business wondering whether you should hire an in-house marketer or continue using vendors or marketing agencies? Both models have their pros and cons, though many business owners tend to gravitate towards hiring in-house employees because that feels most familiar. They think they’ll have more control, that results will be better, and sometimes think it will save them...

As an online directory and resource site for people looking for businesses, Yelp is a true powerhouse. But, there are also many myths about Yelp that lead business owners to miss out on using it as an opportunity for growth. Our guest this week is Alley Lieberman, Partner Account Executive, Yelp Inc. Alley joins us to help dispel many of the common myths about Yelp, like that Yelp is only for rest...