Can Your Customers Find You?
It’s a common scenario. You have a great idea for a small business, invest time and money in getting the right supply chain, open a website or a physical location, and then… nothing happens. You know that people are looking for products and services like yours, but they never seem to find you. Increasing your business’s findability can be a ‘make or break’ solution that changes your company’s destiny. Here are a few ways to ensure that your company can be found by the people who are seeking it.
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Claim your name.
Your website name should be yourbusinessname.com. This is what people looking for you will type into their address bar, after all. In addition to claiming your name as a URL, you should claim your business name on social networking websites and business review sites as well as offline directories like the telephone book. This prevents having customers look for you and end up finding one of your competitors. It also will make you look like a more established small business.
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Use search engine optimization to drive traffic your way.
Good content is the key to SEO, and you should ensure that your website is full of it. Include keyword-rich content in your text, titles, and tags. In fact, almost every word on your website and social media pages should be a keyword of some sort. If you are unsure about what keywords are right for you, use Google’s Keyword Tool or hire a professional SEO consultant.
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Ask for feedback, reviews, and other ‘buzz’.
As a wise man once said: a happy customer tells one friend; an unhappy customer tells ten. Ouch. That means that you need to proactively seek positive reviews to counteract the occasional bad one. People are going to Yelp and other review sites to talk about businesses that they love and hate, and you need to ensure that these websites are filled with positive experiences with your small business. Ask customers to rate you honestly. Many businesses even offer a small incentive, such as a coupon, for referrals or other positive buzz.
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Get the media involved.
If you think you are too small for a major area newspaper or other media source to cover you, think again. Reporters are always looking for a way to fill the space on slow news days. Think of an angle. Do you do anything noteworthy or different? Figure out what sets you apart from the competition and then use it as a way to build your brand and gain exposure for your company and logo design. Which brings us to the last tip…
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Be noteworthy.
The best way to be found is to get people talking. The best way to get people talking is to give them something to talk about. Not only will this help relevant customers find you, it will give them a good reason to return. If you make a unique and enticing brand promise and then fulfill it, you will build customer loyalty and build your small business image at the same time.
