Larry the Ad Man's Blog

I hope you learn from my small business marketing and advertising tips.

"Advertising is to trade what Steam is to machinery" Thomas Cook.
It was an honor to be nominated for 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards.


Sunday, September 11, 2011

Getting back to basics

I have spoken to many business owners in recent months about the magic of Twitter and used real examples of how their business could benefit adding it into their advertising mix. So far, not many have taken up the mantle of using it. My latest conversation with one business was "An hour a day?" when I mentioned that's what one should spend on social media to have any success with it. So if you have no time as a business owner to handle social media and don't have a budget to pay someone to do it, then stick with the basics.

The old basics are gone. EVERY business used to spend some money on the Yellow Pages. I now know very few businesses that spend money there and even fewer who use the yellow pages. So what are today's basics? I would say that depending on your specific industry basics, You need a website, business cards, Flyers and a local area news paper/community newsletter ad to get to residents close to your business. I am thinking specifically of retail locations when I speak to these basics. Many businesses use their website to both promote retail and sell products online. It is important to have a strong focus on both as some may be looking you up to get your hours and location as apposed to buying online. Both types of customers are important, so consider all reasons why someone will want to find you and focus your energy in that direction.

It amazes me how many restaurants do not have a website, in Calgary. The amount of information, from location, parking, menu that a restaurant can display the website it tailor made for restaurants. So is twitter. Daily specials can be broadcast on Twitter.

Other industries have other basics when it comes to marketing. For some industries it's trade shows. Others it's transit ads and for many others social media. But if you don't have the basics, it will be harder to get and keep customers. Until next time, I am Larry "The Ad Man".

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