DISQUS

Hadi · 1 year ago

Hi John

We managed to persuade a local hardwood furniture maker, Peter Fox, to start blogging - purely for the SEO benefits.

Not only is he really enjoying blogging and improving his search rankings, but sales are up too!

Check out his hardwood furniture site.

Mark Nagurski · 1 year ago

An inspiring post for both small businesses and small business marketers.

In my experience working with small businesses, the problem often comes from terminology and the preconceptions that this post addresses.

However, if you ask any small business owner would they like to find better ways to relate and connect with their customers the answer is 'yes'.

Likewise if you ask whether or not their personality plays a role in attracting and keeping customers the answer is also a resounding 'yes'. This is even more vital for the very smallest of businesses.

And that's what social media should be for small businesses - better tools for doing what small businesses have always done; building relationships with their customers.

It's also a great way to differentiate yourself from the multinationals and big box retailers.

JudyAnn Lorenz · 1 year ago

Blogging and posting articles has worked wonders for me. I still have to get the really social things like MySpace, LinkedIn and FaceBook figured out, as well as doing a podcast. Blogging has made a believer, so now it's get to work!

chrisbaggott · 1 year ago

Hi John,

We have a small client, Greenfield Liquors. basically a small liquor store in a small town in Indiana. They have a customer who loves wine write posts on wine as well as solicit drink recipes from customers on the blog directly.

They try to target content based on other publications write ups. For example if the Wine Speculator reviews a product they will make sure that they have a post on that product too. That way when a potential customer reads the review and then goes to google to find who locally carries the product they are standing there waiting :-)

Try it: type - Svedka Vodka, Greenfield - into Google.

Social Smocial... The two number one activities online are email and search. Both great tools within the reach of even the smallest businesses.

Chris Baggott
CEO
Compendium Blogware
www.compendiumblogware.com

Thriveal · 1 year ago

John-

I'm trying to heavily use social media to (1) build our CPA's exposure regionally and (2) offer great business content to our readers weekly.

And we're spreading out! We started in Greenville, SC 10 years ago and are moving into Atlanta, GA (two hours away).

Learning social media is fun, but it can also add great immediate business content for our readers and encourage them and help their businesses grow.

<a href="Check out the description of our Thriveal Theory on our site"http://www.blumercpas.com/ThrivealTheory.pdf

Thanks, Jason M. Blumer

Thriveal · 1 year ago

Oops. Here is the link I was trying to pass on (I'm new to this html stuff):

http://www.blumercpas.com/ThrivealTheory.pdf

Sorry about that.

Thanks, Jason M. Blumer

Doug Mitchell · 1 year ago

Hi John:
We're using video, podcasts, e-learning, blogging, you name it at RentalMetrics where we target "Heavy Equipment Rental and Construction" businesses which tend to be very old school. Part of our content teaches businesses in this sector to embrace the "web 2.0" stuff to be different, memorable, and findable. Sometimes its like dragging a 500lb sled behind a rented mule...but this is a huge advantage waiting for the taking.

Joanne Turner · 1 year ago

Hi John, All the way from australia. I am a cosmetic doctor and started a new practice just over 12 months ago in a highly competitive business area. We built our hands and mortar business mostly using a cosmetic medicine blog and social media. Something I could not have achieved with conventional advertising (I could not have afforded the exsposure through conventional means). I had no idea what a blog was 14 months ago, but took the advice of my webdesiger...you need a blog. We have very stringent rules about advertising things like botox and fillers in Australia, and a blogsite has helped me sidestep some of this by focussing on long tail key word searches. I have not used my wordpress blog in a conventional manner, something people just do not seem to get. I have since dabbled in Myspace, advertised on Facebook and currently planning videos for UTube and email marketing strategy. I am not an expert at this, but I know I have left so many of my competitors scratching their heads. Whats more, it is fun and interesting and so much less stressful than dealing with print advertisers. I only hope no one catches on too soon.
Dr Jo Turner

web Content · 1 year ago

Many of our clients are in low-tech industries, industries where one might not think SEO and online marketing would really be necessary or effective, and that really is the advantage of them using us to take care of their marketing needs... Their opposition isn't using the Web to full advantage.. These guys are finding that online marketing and advertising really is more cost-effective, with a further-reaching, quality grasp, than traditional marketing..

Josh · 1 year ago

Very enlightening. Definitely good advice.

Chip · 1 year ago

I learned a great deal about/ and made some greats contacts in the social media community at Inc. Magazine's annual Inc. 5000 conference. I'm heading back this year. I highly recommend. Check it out. Anyone can attend.


http://secure.lenos.com/lenos/inc/Inc500Washing...

Pete · 1 year ago

Great post. WineLibrary is doing amazing things with blogging and social networks. It is attracting a whole new audience to the wine world and driving a ton of commerce.

Paul Chaney · 1 year ago

John, this stuff actually works! I love it! I think we always knew it would/could and it's nice to see it come to fruition, especially where small business is concerned.

Jon · 1 year ago

Let's face it. Social Media is still a new and growing platform for business, and it's only going to get better. ANY business can benefit from utilizing some form of social media. It's very inexpensive, or usually free, and you are reaching out to millions of potential customers.

I think the real question lies in how can we make social media more personal? What can we do to take away all the smoke and mirrors that discourage people from using forms of social media? Answer that question, and there really is no reason for many contemporary forms of media.

Matt · 1 year ago

great story - I can believe it helped him, but its very cool to hear that someone who runs a fishing lure business has benefited from social media.

Jesse Kanclerz · 1 year ago

I work at a plumbing wholesaler, and we’re currently dabbling with a blog format for our year long travel incentive program. However, I wouldn't say we're using the medium as part of a long term strategy to better connect with our customers.

The Lures podcast is a great example of how low tech can successfully use social media. Thanks for sharing it.

Jesse Kanclerz · 1 year ago

By the way, earlier today I stumbled across the website of Greenwerks, a Chicago contractor. Their niche is green construction and retrofitting. Plus they are using social media, specifically a blog on their website.

Includes a lot of great examples of how they run their business so it's friendly for the environment, and how you can do simple things to lessen your impact.

Compared to other contractors, this one is ahead on the curve.

jbrown · 1 year ago

I'm really shocked at the amount of feedback on here. I never really thought what we were doing was that unique until I looked around at the rest of the industry... I hope my case helped at least one of you get some ideas for your own business.

JB

Holly C Bertsch · 1 year ago

I read your article and decided to set up my blog on wordpress. It is still under construction, but I plan on incorporating it into my website and hopefully getting some traffic. It seems like a natural progression to make my current and future customers happy and comfortable during the remodeling process. And maybe I could make a few extra bucks at it. We have a remodeling firm and the blog will feature mostly remodeling tips for people undergoing a home renovation.
Thanks!

Peter Ericson · 1 year ago

A doctor client has been lightly blogging for 6 months, and I mean maybe once per month. Already his blog traffic has increased substantially and he has seen the power. Here is his site: http://thyroidbalance.com.

Getting business owners to blog is like pulling teeth for the most part. I don't have time, I don't see the value, etc. It drives me batty.

10 years into this business and I hear the same excuses I heard in 1998 about building a website!

Whoever blogs 1st 1st in their business will win :)

Great article!
Pete

Ken Ronshausen · 11 months ago

I targeted the building trades industry 10 years ago with web design, hosting and ISP services. That in itself was a tough nut to crack. Social media marketing acceptance is moving at a slow pace in my neck of the woods. I hit a brick wall and was searching the web for remedies. The podcast with Jason Brown of Brown Lures is going to help me break the ice and help me re-tool my approach.
KR

used skid steer loader · 4 months ago

I work in the construction industry and there is still a lot of small businesses who don't even know what social media is. It is dissapointing.