Have you listed your business on Yelp yet? No! What the hell are you waiting for?

But all seriousness aside, Yelp is great for the small business. Yelp is what the Yellowpages should have become had they been on their game. Yelp will help you if you don’t have a website acting as a de facto website, and it will give you a powerful backlink if you do have a website. Plus it will drive hundreds of visitors to you.

Here is a great article giving 4 reasons why Yelp is perfect for your business:

Yelp for Business: 4 Steps for Success
Samuel Axon

For local small businesses, Yelp isn’t just an option — it’s a necessity. People in urban centers use it to choose where to go to dinner, where to buy clothes, and where to be entertained. Users decide where and how to spend their money using Yelp, so if your business is local, you need to curate your Yelp page.

If your business has been around long, you probably already have a page; you’re just not holding the reins yet. You’ll want to step in and take control of it as soon as possible, because using it correctly can bring you new business and prevent any negative word of mouth from hindering your growth and success.

Claiming or creating your Yelp business page is easy; just fill out a couple of online forms and answer a quick, automated phone call. It takes less than five minutes. Once you’re signed up, you’ll have access to tools that will help you engage your customers and spread the word about what you’re offering to the community. Here are a few basic tips for successfully leveraging the tools Yelp offers you for the benefit of your local business.

1. Fill Out Your Business Info Completely

Customers refer to Yelp business pages to learn about a business before going out to visit in person. If the information on the Yelp page is incomplete, they’re likely to move on to a competitor that provides more details simply because they’ll better know what to expect and are less likely to be surprised, be disappointed or have their time wasted.

The administration page for business owners offers a slew of fields and choices for sharing information to make it easy for users to know exactly what to expect. If you provide the information they’re looking for, they’re more likely to become reliable, paying customers. So fill out as much information as you can, and keep it up to date.

2. Respond Constructively to Customer Reviews

Last Spring, Yelp gave business owners the ability to respond to negative reviews, either to privately make apologies to reviewers or publicly correct misinformation. Don’t skimp on using this feature because you’re afraid of making things worse; it can turn a bad situation around. Dissatisfied customers will often give you a second look if you communicate to them that you value their input and are making changes to improve your business.

Yelp published an easy-to-use guide to constructive user review responses on its website. It includes examples of how not to respond to user reviews and how best to. Some of the tips are obvious, but some of them aren’t. They’re worth a look, as is my colleague Josh Catone’s recent post, “How to Deal with Negative Feedback.”

3. Make Offers and Announcements Regularly

Yelp allows you to share special offers and announcements not just with the people who visit your page, but with members of the larger community who might not even know about your business. When you create an offer or announcement on Yelp, it appears in the offers and announcements directory for your city. People who have never heard of your business will see them there. They’ll even find you in search results.

The more of these offers and announcements you make, the more likely it will be that Yelp users will discover your business, so come up with creative ways to draw people in, then share the news.

4. Display Yelp Badges on Your Website or Blog

Yelp provides badges that you can embed on your business’s website or blog that show that you’re on Yelp and engaged with your community. They’ll even tell visitors how many positive reviews you’ve had.

These badges give potential customers the impression that you have existing satisfied customers vouching for you, so they’ll be more likely to trust you with their business. The badges also act as links between your Yelp page and your other online outreach efforts. People can click a badge to read reviews or get more information. If a satisfied customer visits your site or blog, the badge might lead that person to leave his or her own positive review.

Is Advertising on Yelp Worth it?

You may also choose to advertise on Yelp. It costs between $300 and $1,000 per month — it’s kind of like a premium account — but there’s a chance that you’ll increase your exposure if you opt in, because you’ll appear at the top of the list when users perform a search related to your business.

There are a few other benefits as well. For example, you’ll be able to feature one good review of your choosing at the top of the list on your business page. You still can’t edit, move or delete other reviews, though.

It’s difficult to measure exactly how much these premium benefits will help you; it depends on a number of factors unique to your business and your city.

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Below is a great article that I found from a Facebook friend whom I also follow on Twitter. This article brings up an interesting topic: Should you cross-post updates to your various social media outlets?

I personally do cross-post. I found that it is very time saving. However, I do have multiple businesses and every update is not necessarily appropriate to each of those businesses. So in this regard cross-posting may be limiting me. What are your views?

Should you cross-post updates to Facebook and Twitter?
By Ari B. Adler

Consider your audience before posting the same update to multiple social media channels

The root strategy for any public relations initiative includes creating your message, determining your audience, and finding the best way of delivering your message to that audience. But now, with social media, technology has given people the ability to blast identical messages to different audiences.

LinkedIn allows you to post your status update simultaneously to Twitter. You can automatically feed your tweets to Google Buzz. You can connect tweets with your Facebook status updates or your Posterous feed. And with third-party software like Tweetdeck, you can post the same message to multiple Twitter accounts, Facebook and LinkedIn with the touch of one Send button. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on whom you ask.

“I don’t cross-post, because I use each tool for a slightly different purpose. Therefore, I target messages for each audience,” says Angela Dockett, marketing and communications manager for the American Cancer Society in East Lansing, Mich.

“I’ve done it, but am starting to back off,” admits Jason Dobson, a professional gaming blogger in Broken Arrow, Okla. “Audiences can be quite different between social media sites, and the messaging needs to reflect that.”

Although there is some mingling of followers and friends from one platform to the other, the style of how people communicate on those platforms differs, especially from a language standpoint.

While Twitter often is filled with abbreviations and symbols, those same messages appearing on a Facebook page could be confusing. Still, that hasn’t stopped some people from connecting their accounts.

“I post Twitter to Facebook, because I have friends and family finally on Facebook that don’t get Twitter. It’s too much of a hassle for me to keep up with both,” says Colleen Lin, senior rich media producer for the Dallas County Community College District in Texas. When asked if the audiences were ever confused, Lin said they were at first.

“I had some complaints, but I find that most people ‘hide’ me (on Facebook) if they’re irritated,” she says.

For some entities, particularly government agencies and universities, cross-posting may make sense.

“We cross-post, using Facebook for students and future students; Twitter for corporations, media and parents,” says Laurie Creasy, a new media specialist at Penn State.

Creasy said they aren’t using quite the same message everywhere, but Penn State hopes all the separate networks see similar messages. She noted the messages on Twitter are “more professional.”

In Rhode Island, the state Department of Transportation uses the exact same message on multiple networks, according to Dana Alexander Nolfe, RIDOT’s chief public affairs officer.

“I have a very broad target audience, and I think my goal is to get my message to as many people as possible. With so many venues, and to ensure consistency, I cross-post my message,” Nolfe says. “Some social media have a good-size audience, and some are very small, but my feeling is if MySpace, for example, is the only place someone is going to go to get RIDOT’s message, then I am going to continue to ensure that the message gets out that way.”

Some argue that business accounts should be given some leeway when cross-posting.

“The audiences are completely different if you are coming from a personal perspective,” says A.J. Teachout, owner of Ulu Marketing in Detroit. “My Twitter followers are likely not my Facebook friends, or friends at all for that matter, so they will not care to hear about what my kid did the other day. My Facebook friends actually know me and care to hear more personal details.

“That being said, from a business perspective, I think it’s a wise move. Your audience is in it for the same reason—to learn more about the business and, likely, your messages will be similar.”

In the end, it’s up to the individual whether to cross-post. With social media being such a new conduit, there’s no proven right or wrong way to do things—yet.

“The bottom line is: Know your audience and how they might be different across multiple networks and social sites,” Teachout says. “How would that affect your message?”

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By Dewitt’s Media

The world seems to revolve around the Internet these days, making it vital for Web sites and businesses to get out there and make themselves known. It’s dog-eat-dog when it comes to Web marketing, so you’ll have to do whatever it takes to get to the top. One of the best ways of getting the word out about your business and/or Web site is to use social media networks like Twitter. Here are some reasons why you should use Twitter and how it can benefit you.

1. Creating a Brand: As a company, your top goal is to create a brand that will sell the products and services you offer. Making consumers loyal to you is what keeps a business thriving. On Twitter, it doesn’t matter if you’re a startup or a small business that’s been in operation for ten years — anyone can build a brand. Your best bet is to create a personal account if your company isn’t well-known yet — people don’t like to talk to LOGOs; plus, a personal account will make you friendlier to Tweeters. Humanizing your business is always an effective route. By having your business up on Twitter puts you in the position to show the world that you are a part of the online community. You will become a social personality that will slowly but surely bring in more followers, who can eventually become loyal customers.

2. Touching Base with Customers: Every business wants to be able to connect with their customers on a regular basis and Twitter lets you do just that. After branding, this should be your top priority. The reason Twitter is great for businesses is because it allows them to communicate with consumers directly. It’s like attending a worldwide party and being able to stand up in front of everyone and speak (and everyone actually listens). Those that are following you on Twitter will receive updates on your comments each time you post something up. You can also turn things around by keeping track of what your customers are tweeting. Getting to know them personally will help you to create a better brand and products/services that are more customer oriented. Also, make sure to reply back to customers as quickly as possible — they love that.

3. Getting Feedback from Customers: After working with a few tweeters that you’re connected with, you will likely receive feedback about your companies services and/or products, and how they can be improved. Just make sure that you can take criticism because it can be used for your benefit. Listen to what your customers have to say and try your best to cater to their needs.

4. Marketing for Free: Sounds too good to be true actually, but Twitter allows you to market your company without having to spend a pretty penny. You’ll be able to connect with potentially millions of people who in your eyes are potential sales. Marketing on Twitter is simple, whatever you post on your account will be seen by whoever looks into your profile and by those who are following you. In order to gain more followers, you should take the time to search around for people to connect with. Don’t become a spammer, be genuine and you will steadily build a group of followers. In most cases, tweeters will spread the word about a company they have enjoyed working with, which helps to increase followers and business for the company.

5. Building Links and Traffic: Getting more traffic to your site can easily be done using Twitter as well. Once you’ve created a personal or strictly business persona on Twitter and have developed followers, you will find it very beneficial to post up links to your business Web site. It will help to bring in more visitors and if you create great content for the site, you will be well on your way to building quality links. Developing content that offers information that is valuable to readers will help to keep people coming back to your site. You will even find a great deal of conversions of visitors/readers to buyers. Consider posting up a link to have people follow you on Twitter. When people see that you have a Twitter account, it shows that you are more than just a LOGO. When they follow you they will receive updates about your offerings, which brings us to the next reason why you should use Twitter.

6. Posting up Deals, Coupons and News: Everyone likes a great deal and as we all know, it’s a great way to bring in more buyers. By posting up coupon codes and special deals for products and services that you’re offering, it will catch the eye of many tweeters who could use your business. You can even make it a special deal for tweeters who are following you — that could help to get you more followers you can advertise to. Any company news that you would like to inform customers about can also be done through tweets. Keep customers and employees in the loop.

7. Keeping an Eye on Competition: Unfortunately, you’re not the only business on Twitter who is looking to get some attention. Use it to your benefit — keep an eye on your competitors to see what they’re up to. Whenever they’re offering a deal, try to outdo them, but don’t get too competitive to the point where you’ll end up losing money. You can look at the tweets their customers are giving them — these could be good reviews or complaints. If you see someone having a problem with the competitor, tweet them and see if you can offer a “helping hand”.

8. Increase Sales: Another great reason to use Twitter is to help increase the sales of your business. Since you’ll be receiving more attention than you probably ever have, you will receive the chance to sell more to more people.

9. Networking: Tired of attending local networking events that seem to never work? Now, you can effectively network with companies and individuals that are more likely to help you bring in more customers. Connecting with like-minded people can help to increase peer recommendations and testimonials.

10. Finding Prospects:You can use Twitter to find potential clients; you just simply type in keywords that are related to the services or products that you offer. You can then follow the users that pop up on the search results. Then begin tweeting about topics that are parallel to what you have to offer. Keep in mind that you should use direct messages or offline communications to keep prospects closed away from public channels.

Conclusion: Overall, using Twitter to boost your company’s or Web site’s visibility can be done with a few clicks of the mouse. Most of the work has already been done for you — all you have to do is make an account on Twitter and begin following and being followed. Make sure to stay active with tweeting to ensure that you build a reputable brand for your site or business.

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September 16, 2009

Last week, I was asked for ideas on ways brands can participate in social media circles despite the fact that they don’t have frequent new product announcements and company news.

It’s a good question that I think keeps some brands away from social media. They realize that ongoing, consistent participation in social media gives their brands the best shot at standing out and connecting with customers, but they don’t feel like they have enough new things to share.

Since social media is not best used solely as another way to distribute news releases, I highly recommend that you outline the types of content you’ll share in your social media efforts as you develop your strategy and identify the places where your brand will participate.

Here are a few ideas to jump start the discussion. Please share your ideas in the comments.

Loosely-related Valuable Stuff

What is the big picture, end benefit that your brand or product delivers that adds value to the lives of your customers? Relief? Joy? Knowledge? Confidence? Health? Bringing people together? Once you’ve identified your end benefit, share anything in your social spaces that also delivers that to the people you’re connected with, even if it’s momentarily.

For example, SunTrust Bank gives you tools and tips to make solid, confident financial decisions. The company is kicking off its social media participation and one thing it’s doing purposefully is starting discussions around everyday ways to Live Solid. If I worked with a baby products brand, I’d spend a little time every day scouring YouTube and other places to find short baby videos and stories that remind parents why they love being parents.

Industry News

Don’t just share your news. Share news related to your overall industry that your customers might find interesting. It’s a way to keep them informed without it being all about your company.

For example, if you’re in a regulated industry, share updates on proposed, pending and new regulations. If something is proposed that would have a negative impact on the ability of you and your competitors to run profitable businesses, share your concerns with your social media connections. If appropriate, try to inspire and mobilize them to share their thoughts with regulators.

Your Personal Side

People want to do business with people. Actually, they want to do business with people they like. Empower your social media community managers to be human and share tidbits about their daily lives. Ask questions and acknowledge and implement the answers from people who take the time to respond. This helps humanize your brand and create personal connections with current and potential customers.

What would you add? What other types of things can brands share in social media spaces to add value to the conversations?

Here is a link to the original article: http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/09/16/3-things-to-tweet-that-arent-about-your-brand/

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I don’t know about you, but I am starting to get really sick of Twitter.

Lately all I am seeing is Twitter spam. MLM and Porn follows that I have no interest in. Tweets that are blatant calls to buy something. Agh!!!

Whatever happened to giving good information. Asking questions and answering some? What happen to communication, or as is the new buzz word “engagement”? That is what I am looking for, but apparently many people just don’t get it.

I want to learn and engage with you on Twitter. I don’t want to look at your porn or be “sold” on your latest and greatest twitter scheme to get rich quick.

Twitter spamfest is not what I signed up for.

People to need to pay attention to people like Chris Brogan and Gary Vaynerchuk. Emulate what they do. Engage with your followers and then invite them to your party via your website/blog. Get your followers to WANT to follow you.

I want to read funny stories. See great pictures that you took. Learn about YOU, as a person, but not as a salesman…Because dude, you suck at selling.

Anyway that is my rant.

Peace.

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Ever wondered why social media is the way to go?

Many of my potential local business prospects have no clue what they are missing with social media…This video will explain it all.

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One of the most important things a company can do is build a good reputation and making sure that reputation is spread like wildfire on a grass roots level. One the best tools for this is testimonials.

But lets be honest, how many local businesses actually collect testimonials let alone promote them? Very few. Yet you see all the major corporations getting and using testimonials from their customers. Why? Because it is effective marketing.

Internet marketers, especially the rich ones, thrive on getting and splashing success stories all over their sales pages. Books have endorsements from leaders in the world on the back cover. But so few business, and the majority of local businesses even refuse to collect them.

No joke. I went to Dible Builders here in my hometown to let them know of good techniques which may help them overcome this housing crisis. I was told by their 80yr old marketing director pointblank that they were NOT going to get or use testimonials, because this gentlemen stated “No one is going to want to have their name associated with us!”. Speaks volumes doesn’t it.

Well if you have a shitty product, then of course no one wants to put their name in association with yours, but if you have a great product and service and you do an awesome job, then why wouldn’t they be a reference for you.

If you belong to charities or groups and they say you are the greatest thing since sliced bread, why wouldn’t you want to scream that from the rooftops? Only an insane person wouldn’t want to promote that. It is only good for business.

The thing about social media is that now you can, to a degree, control what gets said about you and your business. You can influence other to spread your message far and wide.

I had another businessman, Ken Sudall from “Go Green Glass” express to me that there is no use for Facebook or Twitter in his business. What? Are you nuts? Of course there is. Facebook and Twitter is not about driving business to your business, it is about relationships. Driving business to your business is secondary.

However, you can get a lot of your Facebook and Twitter friends to spread tons of good news about you. And that, my friends, is effective marketing.

Good news made well known is the definition of good PR. Getting that message is object of marketing. Good marketing then is spreading good PR out to the big wide world.

Success stories, testimonials, or whatever you call it are good news, thus it is good PR. You must get that passed out by the boat loads. Social media is a tool to help with that.

But don’t forget the importance of testimonials. People believe what other people say about you more than what you say about you. Get tons of people saying good things about you and the battle is over, get them to say it a lot and the war is over.

Good News Made Well Known is your best strategy. Use it, and use it often.

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Posted by Beth Kowitt, Reporter
July 26, 2009 8:59 AM

For Ashton Kutcher, winning the race to 1 million followers on Twitter before CNN was not about being victorious in a popularity contest.

Instead, it illustrated that “one individual could have as much influence on a social network as a media conglomerate,” he said at Fortune’s Brainstorm: Tech conference.

He also noted that it signifies a shift in turning media back over to consumers, who are now also content creators and editors. This dynamic “has and will forever change media,” Kutcher said.

Now more than three months after hitting the 1 million mark, followers of his Twitter handle “aplusk” come in at 2.9 million. He said he Tweets to stay close to his fans, to raise awareness about causes that interest him, and simply because it’s fun.

It also allows him to engage his fans even more directly by involving them in the creative process. During the making of “Five Killers” (due out next year), Kutcher was looking for a joke to tell during a scene. After Tweeting about it, hundreds came pouring in and one got plugged into the movie. “We’ll see if it makes the cut,” he said.

It’s a smart marketing tool as well. Kutcher said that movie studios spend half their budget for a film just trying to let a potential audience know it’s being released. “I can do it for free by pushing a button,” he said.

Responding to the notion that movie stars are becoming less important, Kutcher said, “I don’t have three million followers because I’m really good at putting up content.” He noted that he shuts down a website every day because he sends too much traffic to it from his Twitter feed.

But he did acknowledge that people in the entertainment business are going to have to start to embrace the web and leverage the platform or they won’t be able to demand the same fees.

Kutcher said that he’s starting to see the convergence of television and digital media, and his company, Katalyst Media, is trying to capitalize off of that by working across multiple platforms and finding the intersection between them.

“If we can have our foot in that arena and understand that space…we’ll have a leg up when convergence actually does take place,” he said.

While Kutcher is currently a Twitter devotee, he said that it’s likely that someone else might create a microblogging tool that has a better search and syndication function. But right now he’s happy to Tweet anywhere from zero to 20 times a day to lift the “curtain” between him and his fans.

He’s also not above poking some fun at himself. In the run up to the conference, Kutcher Tweeted: “Headed to the Fortune tech Brainstorm in Pasadena. Gonna do an onstage interview. Quick someone invent me [an intelligence] pill.”

But when it comes to Twitter, the world’s most popular Tweeter knows what he’s talking about.

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Do You Really Care About Your Customers And Interested In What They Have To Say?

Social media is a powerful tool. Even a casual understanding of it will lead almost everyone to that conclusion. And it is not just a passing fad.

Being part of a social group is old as the caveman. There has always been social networks in one form or another. Social media is just an extension of that phenomenon. You need to embrace this new media or you will be left behind.

But for our day and age social networking (media) has evolved. It is no longer secret societies and magic gatherings, it is open and global. The internet has changed the rules on so many levels.

Where in the past it was hard and cumbersome to find out what your customers thought and said about you or your brand, today it is written on every wall or profile page. Good, bad or indifferent. Whereas before we had hire surveyors to find out what our customers thought, we can now go to their Facebook profile or Twitter profile and find out everything there is to know about them.

We can easily find out the books they read, the clubs they frequent and even their political affiliations. Getting demographics is a cinch thanks to the internet.

Because of this our marketing efforts have to be robust, efficient and quick.

But underlying all of that is the fact that social media allows you to interact with your customers in a way that we have never been able to before.

Social media (networking) is an amazing marketing tool. But only use social media for that and you will eventually lose. You have to listen and care what your customers are saying and either act on or handle what they are saying about you or your business.

Here is a great video that explains a little more of what I am trying to say:

If you liked this article then share it with your friends by clicking one of the buttons below. Thank you for reading and good luck.

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2 Reasons You Don’t Promote Your Business On The Internet And Why That Keeps You From Booming.

I just couldn’t figure it out. I keep going to businesses and telling them all about my marketing strategies and how I can help them harness the power of the internet to double, Triple or even QUADRUPLE their business and they seem just not to care…

Okay; that is not exactly true…they do care, and are even interested in utilizing my services. But they don’t. Why?

Why are you so afraid of using the internet to expand your business? Is it because you think you know better than me? Are just too busy? Don’t have the money? What is the reason?

Well I know why you don’t use the internet. And it isn’t because you don’t have the time or the money…those are just excuses you say to me just to get me out of your office.

No, the reason you don’t use my services, or the internet to market your business is because:

1. You don’t understand the internet really, and it overwhelms you, and
2. You are just plain scared.

And you know what? You are absolutely right. The internet is scary and overwhelming. It isn’t that it is hard to learn, it is that there is just so much too learn. It is hard to find the place to start.

I got it! Really. I understand.

The first thing that you should do is just pick one internet tool; like Twitter and learn the ins and outs of it. Master it. Learn how to make it yours and “work the system” so to speak.

Once you have done that, then pick another aspect of the internet like YouTube. Master that.

And while you are doing that. Search the internet and learn everything that you can. Go as slow or fast as need to you so that you understand what it is that I am trying to do for you.

It is all very simple really. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll be alright:

1. Pick on thing to learn on the internet.
2. Study it.
3. Practice it.
4. Master it.
5. Search the internet and study something else.

It really is just that simple. Read it, practice it, do it. A very simple formula to mastering the internet and marketing.

Don’t let the silly excuses like time or money get in your way.

Remember: Read it, practice it and do it! Bada bing, bada boom.

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