Trying to generate new leads for your small business?

Want to be found on the internet for your local business?

Tired of feeling like you are competing with businesses across the globe or large corporations that seem to own the online marketing space?

Well, small local businesses, there is hope for you to be found on the internet and get new customers by learning how to add keywords to a website.

As marketing and business consultants we have the privilege of meeting with a lot of businesses out there who are doing their best to keep up with the ever changing world of marketing. They recognize the importance of the internet and the fact that they need to increase website conversion to keep their sales funnel moving forward. With so much out there that feels new, where do you begin to make sure that your efforts really do increase website conversion and don’t just become a bunch of activities that make your marketing folks look busy, but don’t really make a difference?

Today we’re going to talk about what makes a good website completely useless and what you can do to fix it.

Sitting here tonight, watching the first game of the NFL 2013 season, I am reminded at how many aspects of sports can teach us about life and about business. There are so many ways playing on a team and having a common goal relates to our daily lives and (for the purpose of this blog) to our small business internet marketing strategy.

Have you ever gotten to the end of the day, knew you had been incredibly busy all day, but been unable to identify exactly what you accomplished?

Lately here at Half a Bubble Out, we have crossed paths with a number of small business owners who are Baby Boomers or just becoming grandparents, asking about the validity and tangible benefits of using social media in their small business - specifically in using lead generation techniques to get new customers.

Natasha, one of our amazing bubblers, got engaged this week to Johnny, her sweetheart sheriff. A lawman with great taste in rings! Well done Johnny! Along with that, she turned 25, which she insisted feels old. As someone who is old enough to be her mother I take offense to that statement, but decided we would celebrate with her anyway. Engagements, birthdays, anniversaries, parties…events are worth promoting and getting excited about.

Sitting at your desk, writing another email, a friend pops in and gives you a gift. You open it, and see your favorite type of candy.

Your heart sings, there is a huge smile on your face and you thank her.

You not only thank her, but you acknowledge her thoughtfulness--How did she know you love {insert your favorite candy here}?!

It was so nice of her to think of you, and take the time to give you a gift. How thoughtful and considerate!

Now, think about the question, what makes a good website?

Sitting at my local Starbucks and staring at this blank sheet of paper, I realized something. People are so used to hearing what they should and shouldn’t do for marketing and especially internet marketing. They are probably tired of hearing you need to blog, it will do x, y, and z for your business. Blah, Blah, Blah… I don’t want to keep repeating what everyone else is saying, and I want to give you something you can use, or at least relate to.

Although landing pages are a great internet marketing tool for converting website visitors into leads and eventually customers, they don’t play the game solo. They are part of a team and it is the team that makes the best landing pages THE.BEST.