Obviously we are facing one of the most challenging economic periods in our nation’s history, yet it also poses great opportunities for small businesses to become smarter marketers of their products and services.
In our recent past, the booming economy allowed many small to mid-size firms to become complacent with their web presence (assuming they had one) as the phones were ringing and their sales channels were producing.
As these means of revenue constrict, and budgets are scrutinized, leveraging one’s website will become accepted as an economic necessity.
One could argue that now is more important a time than ever to market effectively as successful campaigns may award companies with market share they may otherwise not have been able to pry from their competitors in a flourishing economy.
Buyers are spending more time online than ever before doing research and comparing potential vendors. The content presented on an effectively designed website will serve to provide the information they need to make an educated decision and greatly increase the likelihood of them selecting you over a competitor who provides less information, or presents it poorly.
Another great benefit of online marketing is that the results are far more measurable than ever before thanks to web analytics. Even a basic analytic report will provide greater intelligence than most traditional marketing venues.
Take this opportunity and make the best of it. Odds are your tenacity has allowed you to weather many storms as you have grown your business. Rise to this occasion and carefully consider the wealth of cost effective marketing alternatives available to you.
Great start – but make sure you stick with it.