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Have a twitter account? Then follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/smbusinesscoach

Are You Tweeting?

Are you a small business owner? Are you twittering? Don’t know what twitter is? Or maybe you know what twitter is, but you don’t know how to monetize twitter. Want to learn how to use twitter to grow and market your business…?

Well never fear… we have quick crash course in understanding and learning how to tweet yourself to more profits in this blog post! I am also going to try to keep the writing minimal in honor of micro-blogging.

Learn what the basics of twitter is in the following video made by The Common Craft Show :

What can twitter do for your business?

• Meet like minded colleagues
• Puts you on the cutting-edge, get news as it happens in your industry
• Share resources that make you more productive
• Keep up to date on internet marketing and SEO news
• Have the ability to really inform those that follow you on Twitter to the News content on your site or in your retail business
• Increase the subscription rate to your blog

TIP: Remember, the power of Twitter is not a traffic driving tool, it is a relationship building tool. The traffic will only come if you build relationships first. To build a good relationship takes a two way conversation, make sure it is not all about marketing, marketing, marketing – you do that and you will fail using this brilliant tool. It is all about giving, giving, giving! Be a giver and you shall receive back 10 fold.

Twitter is about building relationships ; building contacts with like minded people, and cultivating a stellar online reputation. Click here to learn how 50 plus other people use twitter to help grow their businesses.

Learn how to use twitter search to help grow your relationships on Twitter with the following video:

Post in the comments below how you niche and twitter account address and what type of relationships you are looking to make…?

Other Useful Twitter Resources

TweeterLater – Send automated thank you notes to new followers, and automatically follow new followers,
if you choose to do so.

TweetBeep – Like Google Alerts for Twitter

TwitterDigest – Just a daily run down of who you want to follow tweets

Twitter Hand Book Blog – Top ‘Twitter How To’ resource for business.

The Big Juicy Twitter Guide – Step by step guide to using Twitter for business.

Twitter & Education? – Yep, it’s good for that too!

Tweetburner – tracking for twitter

Fun – The Twitter Song:

Here is how NOT to Twitter:

Want to sign up for a twitter account? – Twitter

Have a twitter account? Then follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/smbusinesscoach

Don’t forget to post your twitter link and who you would like meet on twitter below!

Small business owners today know that they need a website to compete. More and more people search the internet to find shops and services in their area before hitting the streets. Having a website is a crucial way to make an impression on potential customers and get the word out, no matter how modest your business.

Many local business owners wonder, however, how useful a website can be on a practical level, and might be leery of investing the time in creating one if they’re not sure what benefits they’d reap. Won’t my business get lost, you may be asking, among the thousands of other sites catering to the same clientele?

Not if you make your site easily searchable for your local customers. The most important immediate goal of your website is to hit the top of the search engines, and this is easily done if you know what your potential customers are searching for and can optimize your site with the right keywords. If you run a small shop or other business that caters to local customers, your only real competition is the other businesses in your area. People searching for your type of business online will be using local search keywords. If I live in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto and want to find a flower shop nearby, I will use “flowers” or “flower shop,” “Toronto,” and likely “Cabbagetown” in my search. I will not waste my time pulling up hundreds of thousands of flower shops across the globe.

Many businesses are not aware of how to optimize their sites for such searches using location-specific keywords. You can have the competitive edge by knowing this valuable information! And it’s not rocket science-you don’t have to be tech-savvy to make your website work for you!

• First, decide what the best keywords are to use in highlighting your location. How specific do you want to be? Do you want to target customers in an entire city, in a specific neighbourhood in that city, or in a larger geographic area (perhaps you have a store in a small town that attracts tourists from other areas). Perhaps you are located on a well-known street frequented by a particular target market (for example, Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles)-you can include the street as well. Remember to tailor the keywords to the way people who live in the area actually say the name, such as informal nicknames or short-forms.
• Make the location keywords stand out in search hits by using them in the text and the code for your headlines, and using them liberally within the actual material on your site. The more you emphasize your location, the more relevant the location will seem to the search engine looking for you.
• Make your business easy to find on your website itself. Your address should be displayed on every page, along with a phone number including the local area code. Include a directions page on the site with a Google map.
• Use local internet listings to help publicize your business. No need to pay for this service-many of these are free! Search engines will find your site more attractive if it is listed on a range of local directories. Below is a list of reputable local internet listings:

Google Local – Be sure to check out our FREE Google Maps Course

Yahoo Local

Live.com Local

Craigslist

AskCity

Local.com

TrueLocal

AOL’s City Guide

CitySearch

Be sure to get a listing on your local city’s directory, just type in your search engine ‘your city’ then directory an bunch should come up. Remember, making your small local business stand out on the web is easy-if you learn how to think like the search engines do!

Universal search has been around for over a year now and it is obvious to most SEO’ers that it is not going anywhere. I have created a video below on how you can use universal search to inform you on what to do when it comes to search engine optimization for your blogs and websites on Google’s search engine.

Here is what is going on with "Small Business Online Marketing " today in the blogsphere!

The Internet can be a treasure trove of opportunities for small business owners, if you just know where to look. For example, did you know that Google offers the option of creating a marketing coupon for your business listing on Google Maps ? Google Maps has ballooned in popularity over the last few years, but surprisingly few businesses are taking advantage of this free, easy to use, but still little-known marketing tool.

Setting up a Google coupon is simplicity itself. You just fill in the boxes with the relevant information on the coupon template, come up with a snappy, enticing title, and a sub-heading, and click. A printable coupon will appear by the listing for your business. You can edit or delete your coupons easily at any time.

Here are some examples of customer-attracting coupon titles for various businesses:

Save on books!
Buy one book, get a second 50% off

Free Personal Training
Two free sessions with new membership

Kids Get in Free!
Free with one adult admission

Drinks on Us!
Free beverage with purchase of entrée

Try Our Hot Stone Massage
50% off with purchase of any other service

Two Can Dine for Less
Buy one regular meal, get the second free

Free T-Shirt!
Join us today, receive a free club t-shirt

Get More For Less!
25% discount with purchase of $100

Customer Appreciation Day
Visit us May 1, 25% off any purchase

We Value Your Business!
10% off all new releases with coupon

See, it’s easy to come up with inventive coupon ideas to lure customers. If someone is searching Google Maps for your business, why not provide a coupon as an added incentive for them to visit your establishment? It may make the difference between someone walking through your door, versus the door of your nearby competitor!

Have a Google Local Listing with a coupon?

Put the the link to you local listing and coupon below! Share your example and get a little link love to your Google local listing – good for everyone!

One of the dominant trends in the marketplace is the growing influence of online reviews of products and services, whether those of online companies themselves, or traditional "offline" businesses such as hotels and restaurants. As more and more of the consumer population surfs the web to shop, research potential purchases and compare prices, online reviews have become a prominent forum for customers to sing praises and vent their frustrations. In today’s internet climate, everyone truly is a critic!

If your business hasn’t yet started using online customer reviews, you may be nervous about venturing into uncharted waters. But if you are confident in the value of your business and the products or services it provides, using customer reviews is a win-win. It is a good idea to research the websites of other companies in your industry. If many of them are using reviews, you must too, to keep apace with the competition. If they are not, you can gain a competitive advantage by using online reviews-it gives potential customers something to go on and sets you apart from your competitors.

(Statistics found above at eMarketer.com )

If you decide to allow customer reviews on your website, the temptation may be to cherry-pick only the good ones and discard the bad. Don’t be afraid to post bad reviews! Online consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated, and will likely be suspicious of a business with nothing but glowing testimonials. They know that no business, no matter how hard it tries, can achieve 100% customer satisfaction. The odd bad review will lend credibility to the good ones, and the fact that you are allowing negative as well as positive feedback will be a testament to the integrity of your business. Of course, if you receive mostly or many negative reviews you probably need to do something to improve the quality of your products or services anyway!

It goes without saying that when posting online reviews honesty is the best policy. Don’t make up reviews or, as mentioned above, include only the good ones. Again, consumers are sophisticated, and your credibility as a business is at stake. Maintaining customer trust is always of paramount importance. Consumers are smart enough to weed out spurious or malicious reviews. Provide some evidence that real customers provided the reviews, so visitors to your site don’t assume you simply wrote a bunch of blurbs yourself.

Remember, quality is often more important to consumers than price. Especially in customer service-oriented industries, such as hotels and restaurants, people will be willing to pay a little more for something if they feel more confident they will be satisfied. And few things inspire people more to take the effort to provide written feedback than bad-or good!-customer service. Online reviews are one of the best ways to build that consumer confidence every business needs to thrive on, and to give your customers the empowering feeling that they are being listened to and that their opinion matters.

In the competitive online market, standing out from the crowd can be difficult. Creating a website for your business that instills a sense of trust in its visitors is a decisive factor in building-and maintaining-your business’ reputation. Having a professional, approachable, secure website is essential to survive for any length of time in today’s market. You will only have one chance to make a positive impression on a potential customer-so every detail counts. Follow these rules for crafting a successful website and you will attract, and be more likely to keep, potential customers rather than lose them to the competition.

Presentation matters -

Having a website that is poorly designed can be incredibly off-putting to visitors. Make it attractive, professional-looking, well-organized, easily navigable and appropriate in its appearance to the type of customers you are trying to attract. Having an overly flashy site for sober-minded business types, for example, will likely send them scurrying to someone else’s products and services. Visitors should never be confused when searching for information on your site, so make its layout and structure intuitive. Check all your internal and external links to make sure they work properly: nothing erodes a surfer’s confidence in a website than dead links and error messages.

Language matters -

In the era of dashed-off e-mails and text messages, many people think grammar, spelling, proper punctuation and clean prose don’t really matter much anymore. However, sloppy, careless and error-filled writing will grate on a reader, if only subliminally, and make him or her doubt your competence. Also, make sure your language is suitable to your audience. It is possible to strike a casual, relaxed tone without losing a sense of professionalism. Don’t be afraid to have a personality; customers want to connect at some level with the businesses whose services they use. And keep the tone positive when describing your business: negative comments about your competitors are off-putting to readers.

Let your visitors know who you are -

People want to know that there are real, living people behind websites whose products they might use. Have an “About Us” page that provides substantial information about you, including pictures, with contact information, including a phone number, address, e-mail address and fax number, which actually provide easily accessible contact. If your identity is unclear, a customer is less likely to trust your business.

Keep it fresh -

Providing new content regularly, such as interesting articles relevant to your potential customers, will encourage return visits and-again-reinforce the sense that there are real people actively engaged in the website. A blog is a perfect way to fulfill this requirement.

Use testimonials-

Publishing verifiable testimonials from real customers, or even case studies of customers who have had success with your products or services, will build consumer confidence in you and show visitors that you run a business that has really achieved something and has staying power.

Make it interactive -

Allow for customer comments, even discussion forums on relevant topics. People want to be engaged and will stay longer or return often if they feel they have a say. Having a forum can help build a strong community around your brand & services.

Be responsible and truthful -

Never make false claims about your products or services. Avoid over-the-top or unrealistic statements about your business. Do not fabricate or use suspicious customer testimonials. Your website’s number one goal is to present a responsible, trustworthy and confidence-building face for your business. And online customers are rightly cautious and weary of scam-artists and exploitation-and more than willing to publicize them in blogs and other online forums. Don’t give your visitors anything to worry about.

Make your terms crystal clear -

Prominently display your returns/refunds policy, as well as all other terms of service. Don’t let potential customers feel they need to sift through fine print-they’ll just go elsewhere. And never manipulate customers with pricing that doesn’t tell the whole truth, such as shipping costs, taxes and other costs over and above the base price.

Use advertising appropriately-

Advertising from companies that are reputable and known to others reinforces a visitor’s confidence in your own business. But make sure any advertising is relevant-and appropriate-to your type of business. Having a BBB image or “as seen on TV” or “as seen in “such magazine” can really build trust.

Link with other reputable sites-

Again, visitors will feel more comfortable with your site if they see familiar, reputable logos, such as Google Search, Pay Pal, Visa/MasterCard Logos, etc.. If you are involved in prominent industry associations, by all means post links to these as well.

Provide security to your customers -

The importance of this cannot be overstated, even if it should be obvious to anyone trying to sell goods and services on the internet. You should use the highest level of security when dealing with credit card purchases, and make sure your customers know so. Clearly post your security and privacy policies, and provide prominent links to them on any page on which your customer will be submitting personal information.

If you take these important steps when setting up the website for your business, you are making your long-term success that much more likely. Small online businesses come and go every day, and consumers have far too much choice to be willing to settle for the second-rate.

Other web design resources you may like:

Another interesting article: ‘Top 10 Mistakes in Web Design‘ that I found useful and insightful.

What a Good Website Designer and a Web Developer Should Know about …
- The topic is as broadly debatable as Windows over Linux is but it all boils down to the two important keywords: development and design! A good web designer offering web site design services must know the differe. …

10 ways to make your Web site design project go smoothly
- Time and time again, I have seen companies struggle with Web site design projects. Initial Web site design and redesigns of existing sites may each face a few different challenges, but overall, they are similar. …

Many small business owners are still not sure what Web 2.0 is. The following video should begin to fire off the connectors that will bridge this gap, and help you understand how your customers control your success. If you are a small business owner, it is imperative you start this journey of better understanding and harnessing the power of Web 2.0.

Social Media simply means that users contribute to help create a website’s content. This concept is not really new; it has been around since the birth of the Internet (back then it was called “message boards” and “bulletin boards.”). However, using social media and social marketing (referred to as Web 2.0) is the hottest trend these days—and it’s a trend that’s not likely to go anywhere soon.

Web 1.0 had a static, one-way interaction with internet surfers. The webmasters and designers provided all the content and the people who surfed clicked around reading other people’s published works. Internet surfers were merely spectators.

Fast-forward: today, Web 2.0 is thriving! Anyone with an internet connection can create and contribute amazing content without knowing anything about web design, html code, etc. People can easily add photos, videos, comments, tips, reviews, articles, statistical data—you name it and the “collective” is adding it. Just look at the growth in blogging and e-zines and the rise of sites like Facebook, Myspace, Squidoo, Flickr, YouTube, Epinions, Wikipedia. This is not about to disappear.

So what does this all mean to the small business owner? A lot! It means people are gathering by the millions online to find like-minded people to have conversations with, and are creating niche communities where they will share, visit and return (all the while consuming products and services faster than ever before). If you are not smack dab in the middle of all this interactive energy, then the chances of your business not surviving may not be far away.

The good news is that this is all very easy to grasp, and the tools available make it inexpensive and easy for anyone to participate. If you are a small business owner but are nervous and scared because you are not tech-savvy, don’t be intimidated because times have changed and webmasters have designed the internet so anyone can contribute. This is a huge opportunity for you and your business to find the vibrant interactive communities that are just dying to know about you!

This is a very important video for business owners to watch. It is about 8 minutes long , but it will open your mind to start to look at the world differently and how you may want to start marketing your business. Web 2.0 is very real and it is essential to your success that you understand what it is and how to use the tools available at your finger tips to help grow your businesses.

The Video/PowerPoint presentation was first made for a faculty meeting in August 2006 at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado, United States. The presentation “went viral” on the Web in February 2007 and, as of June 2007, had been seen by at least 5 million online viewers. Today the old and new versions of the online presentation have been seen by at least 11 million people, not including the countless others who have seen it at conferences, workshops, training institutes, and other venues.

Let us know in the comment section below, what you think of where we are going and how Web 2.0 is effecting the way we will market our businesses?

Now I am not the sharpest knife in the cabinet, but I get this very common sense approach to SEO from Google’s Matt Cutts. Did catch him saying use Google’s Local Listings…? A must for every small business.