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Are you in business? Are you spending ridiculous amounts of money for a one-year membership in your local yellow pages directory?
How is that working for you?
Come on … think about it. When was the last time you used the yellow pages to look up a phone number yourself? Either you googled or called 411 directory assistance, right?
So why waste your money for something that no longer works?
This is what you have to ask yourself … Do you have a website that makes you money, or just an online business card? Because if people can’t find you, what’s the use!
While reading a local newspaper today, an article was written about the change in marketing that is happening everywhere. It was an interesting article, and the basic question was … whether to have a yellow page ad or a Google one.
Here’s a fact according to Newsweek ….. over 91% of people say they use the Internet search engine (Google) to find local products and services. That is awesome. Even well-known computer and online expert Chris Anderson of Wired says “It no longer defines your Google brand.”
Smart local businesses are no longer advertised in local newspapers or local yellow pages. Instead, smart companies focus advertising resources on building a strong web profile (a good brand) and ranking high on Google locally. Smart businesses know that local consumers are more likely to go online and use Google to find local products and services.
Google is the new yellow pages!
Today you must have a good online profile, you must have a blog or a website, you must be willing to learn the secrets of online marketing or pay someone to do it for you, and you must understand the power of branding.
Budgets are tight these days, and online marketing and branded web profiles are a very powerful tool. Just 5 years ago, most businesses used the yellow pages. Just two years ago, most businesses were listed in the online directory of the yellow pages.
You must be using Google today!
More than 76% of offline businesses will move most of their marketing to the Internet this year. Hosting, video creation, and list building will be key components for businesses to get online and succeed. It’s like the gold rush of over 100 years ago.
History repeats itself again.
Offer picks and shovels (tools for success online)!
Local businesses must have the tools for their online marketing requirements, they must also acquire the knowledge to advertise effectively online, and they must have the right information branding.
Local businesses will be more interested in getting a good rank on Google than in having a yellow pages ad that no one will read. The change is happening now.
What are you going to do?
