• New Technologies - Good for Small Business
• Tips for Promoting Your Business on the Internet
• New Rules for News Releases

Archived Issues

New Technologies - Good for Small Business

Doesn’t it seem like every day there is some new technology affecting the way people communicate with each other? Blogs, Text Messaging, RSS Feeds, Podcasts, and other emerging technologies are coming at us fast and furiously, which can be overwhelming at first glance. But upon further inspection, all of these new technologies are really good news for small businesses!

For the first time ever, consumers are shaping how they want to hear messages from companies large and small. In the past, companies have relied on tried-and-true advertising methods such as TV ads, newspaper and magazine print ads, radio ads, and billboards, all of which are expensive and beyond the budgets of most small businesses. Studies are now reporting that these traditional forms of advertising are increasingly ineffective with today’s consumers, who are already empowered by technology. They often prefer newer ways of receiving content such as the web, wireless devices, cell phones, etc.

So how is this good news for small businesses? Because using new technology to reach a small business audience is not only effective, it is also quite inexpensive compared with more traditional forms of advertising. Today’s consumers are typically comfortable with technology, and have an expectation that information will be molded and delivered to fit their needs and preferences.

Small businesses can take advantage of this trend by using web marketing, online shopping, blogs, text messaging, or any combination of new methods currently available for delivering content to customers and potential customers. Using emerging technologies is effective, it’s inexpensive, and after all -- that’s good news for small businesses!

Tips for Promoting Your Business on the Internet

Many small businesses are pretty comfortable with standard, conventional marketing methods like newspaper ads, industry publication ads, or even radio and TV ads. But promoting your business on the internet can offer many advantages that will not only get your business noticed, but save you money as well.

Web sites are the most obvious internet marketing method, since virtually all businesses large and small have a web site for providing information to their customers. If your business doesn’t currently have a web site (even a small one), you are losing out on an enormous marketing opportunity and could be giving an unfavorable impression to customers who have become accustomed to accessing web sites 24/7. Customers are also becoming more comfortable with shopping online from company web sites. Recent studies show that more than 55% of all shoppers during the 2005 Christmas season made purchases online, making online shopping one of the fastest growing benefits a company can offer from its web site.

Web-based advertising is another promotion strategy that can be cost-effective and produce great results. Ads placed on sites that are compatible or related to your business are a good place to start, or search engines like Google and Yahoo offer click-ad programs that can be very inexpensive yet quite effective. Also consider listing your company in reliable internet directories (both paid and unpaid), as well as optimizing your web site for good search engine rankings.

E-Newsletters are another great way to communicate regularly with your customers. Repetition is key here; sending out a single email or newsletter issue cannot deliver effective results. Consistency builds your credibility and also keeps your company’s name and message in front of your customers on a regular basis.

Promoting your business on the internet can be much less expensive than the more traditional methods companies have used in the past. More and more, customers are looking for you on the internet, and having an internet presence that uses a variety of internet promotion strategies can be a valuable tool for your business.

With the popularity of the Internet, it appears that many of the “old-school” marketing rules are evolving, and mostly for the better. One example of this is the way news releases (more commonly known as press releases) are sent, distributed, and read by consumers.

The most positive change for small businesses is that there are so many ways to distribute press releases on the web, it has leveled the playing field between small businesses and their larger competitors. In the past, press releases were expensive to distribute, and companies had to pay a wire service to send the release to various news outlets. Then, it was up to the media journalists to decide whether they would publish your company’s news or not. If the media didn't write about your press release, then nobody saw it.

Today, press releases can be distributed via the web in any number of ways, including many low-cost or free methods available to anyone. Once it’s out there on the web, your press release can be viewed directly by anyone with an internet connection and access to search engines, RSS feeds, news sites, etc.

Also, you don't need to wait for some big company milestone to write a press release; you can write about any type of interesting company news - such as a new customer win or a new product feature. Since press releases can be viewed by anyone, though, you need to make sure you are speaking the language of your target audience. Think about who your readers are, what motivates them, what problems your company can help solve, and how you can convince them to become your customer. All of these things will help you write effective press releases that potential customers will be interested in reading.

It's important to note that traditional news wire services and other PR services are always a valuable part of any marketing program, especially if these types of services are in your budget. But for smaller businesses that cannot afford it, the web is a great way to get press releases out to the world without spending a lot of money.

Five Sparrows values your privacy and will never share, sell, or rent your information to anyone, and you may unsubscribe from this publication at any time.

Copyright 2006 Five Sparrows, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
3889 Hartland Hills, Hartland, MI 48353
www.fivesparrows.com