Answer: The Yellow Pages.

For decades, the Yellow Pages were THE place to find a local business. Need a plumber? That’s under “P.” Some people would call the number from the biggest ad on the page. Some would call the number of the first name in the book (probably AAAAA Plumbing), and some would call the number they recognized.

For longer than most people can remember, the Yellow Pages were the only place to find information about local business. Now, let’s fast forward 10 years…

While consumers still consult the Yellow Pages, their decline is inevitable. A recent study conducted by ComScore has found that search engines are now consulted more often than the venerable Yellow Pages. At some point in the not-too-distant future, people will look back fondly upon the days when they had to use a book to find a phone number. Search engines will soon become the main tool people use to find information about local business.

Of course, using a search engine has some limitations. For argument’s sake, we’ll talk about the limitations of Google, the most popular search engine in the world:

• Everyone who uses a search engine uses it differently. Most people will search for some variation of the word “plumber”, such as “Denver plumber”, “plumber in Denver”, or “plumber 80203″. Of course, some people can’t spell “plumber”, so they’ll search for “Denver plummer”. The irony here is that while some of the people typing “Denver plummer” are actually looking for a “Denver plumber”, there’s a good chance that most of the people typing “Denver plummer” are actually looking for information about Jake Plummer, former quarterback of the Denver Broncos. The point: everyone uses a search engine differently, and that makes it harder for a business to get listed.

Most people searching for “Denver plummer” are probably looking for this guy, but some of them are looking for a “Denver plumber” and simply don’t know how to spell.

• Google only generates 10 “organic” (a.k.a. non-paid) search results per page. When someone searches for “Denver Plumber”, they usually only look at the top 10 results (the first page). Imagine opening the Yellow Pages and only finding 10 listings in every category - what happens to a business that isn’t listed in the top 10?

• Google only offers 10 “sponsored” (a.ka. paid) search results per page. Google only allows 10 advertisements on a page, so if more than 10 plumbers want to advertise, someone is going to be left off the first page.

• Google is more concerned about the user’s experience than they are about ad revenue. Google has a complicated computer system that will only show the ads it determines to be “high quality.” The determination of an ad’s quality has almost nothing to do with revenue. In other words - you can’t buy your way onto that first page (not without making sure you have a quality ad anyways).

• Google is constantly changing itself. Google uses an extremely complicated algorithm (a complicated computer program for you newbies), and as problems or shortcomings are found, the algorithm is updated. These updates can dramatically change search results - the top 10 listings today could fall off the first page tomorrow.

In short, the biggest limitation to a search engine is this: unlike buying an ad in the Yellow Pages, most business owners simply don’t have the time to make sure their business stays on top.

Fortunately, we’re available to help. Contact us to find out more about our services.

Big thanks to everyone who attended, our kind and generous families, and all our well-wishers (including quite a few clients - thank you).

Tuesday, Sara and I begin a 2 month long trip to China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and possible Cambodia. During the month of October, I’ll be available on a limited basis. However, November and December are normal working months and we have planned to work and travel (we call it ‘international telecommuting’).

I’ll be available via email during the entire trip, but I’m not going to post anything to the Spork Marketing blog during this time.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us - just because I’m traveling doesn’t mean we aren’t working.

Jason

Spork Marketing on Facebook

Facebook is the fastest growing social network on the internet and it is widely expected to eclipse Myspace in the near future.

Demographically speaking, Facebook’s audience is older and on average more educated than the Myspace audience, so it’s a very good fit for business. It’s also FREE to list your company.

I tell everyone I know to join Facebook - it’s very easy to get started and it’s a great networking tool. It’s also one more way to build awareness about your product or business. While Facebook’s collection of business pages is somewhat limited right now, it’s likely we’ll see some fairly advanced search and location features integrated into Facebook in the next 18 months, including a way to locate businesses in your area that your network of friends have found useful.

Some ‘futurists’ are even going so far as to predict that social networks (like Facebook) will one day replace traditional search engines (aka Google.) People will use their network of friends to find products and services, research, etc. People often ask friends and relatives for advice about what to buy, where to get a specific service, etc. If Facebook develops a good database of users and businesses, they have most of what they need to come up with a good system for word-of-mouth advertising.

In other words, you might want to get your business listed. It’s likely that Facebook users will be able to use Facebook to search for and find local businesses (as well as review what friends have to say about these businesses) in the near future.

If you need help with setting up your company’s Facebook page (or if you have more questions about the benefits and reasons to participate), please contact us.

First, for those of you who don’t know, Elance is an online community where freelancers bid on projects posted by anyone who registers as a “buyer.” This work can be writing, coding, web development, public relations, SEO and SEM, etc. - basically anything that can be done virtually. It’s a worldwide marketplace, so people in India can bid for work side by side with people in Indiana. While it might sound like the lowest bidder has the advantage (and thus The Simple Dollar’s recommendation not to mess with bidding on Elance), that’s not always the case. You can win a bid on Elance even if you’re not the lowest bidder. I know because I often choose bidders that don’t offer the best price.

Here’s how to win a bid on Elance and build a business at the same time:

1. Don’t bid on projects that don’t require thought or skill. If the project you’re bidding on is simple and requires nothing more than time and a basic understanding of a computer, don’t bid on the project. Someone in a foreign country with a much lower cost of living will beat you every time. If you do get the project, you’ll be earning $1 an hour (or less). What’s the point of that?
2. Research the person posting the project. Do they post projects and then never choose a bidder? Do they have a lot of negative comments from successful bidders? Look for signs that the person posting the project is more trouble than they’re worth before bidding.
3. Make sure you understand the exact scope of the project. This can be more difficult than it sounds because a lot of Elance projects are posted by people that don’t know exactly what they want. So, you may have to ask quite a few questions to know what’s going on.
4. Bid with profit in mind. A lot of people will tell you that if you bid with the idea of making a profit, you’re going to lose. However, the truth is that every successful Elancer makes profit on every job they take. Remember this old saying when you bid - “If it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense.“
5. Build the value in your service by impressing the poster with your bid. When I say “impress,” what I mean is that your bid should demonstrate your skill and understanding. Tell them what you’re going to do and how. Don’t bore them with details, but don’t gloss over your efforts either. It’s important the person choosing the bid understands the time and effort that goes into your work - people always pay more if they understand the value of what it is they’re buying.
6. Follow-up with the bidder. It’s not enough to place a bid and hope for the best - send an email the day the bidding process ends and remind the project poster that you are available to clarify your bid.
7. Negotiate smartly when you can. If you’re contacted by the project poster and asked to lower your bid, it’s time to see if you can extract a concession from the poster. Can you get them to change or eliminate some aspect of the project? Will they agree to send you some additional work? You’re not in a great negotiating position when you’re bidding for a project, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try and negotiate anyways. The worst they can say is ‘No.’
8. Understand that you’re going to lose most of the bids you place. If you’re doing it right and bidding a fair price for your services, you’re still going to miss most of the bids you make. The problem is that a lot of people bidding on Elance don’t understand their own costs. However, if you follow my process, when you do win a bid, you’ll likely win a new client too.

Of course, Elance is just one way to build a client base. The best way to build a client base is thru referrals - so make every job count. The person you’re working for is your best source of new clients.

La Jolla Independent BMW is located in San Diego, California. They specialize in general BMW service and repair. They undoubtedly compete with every BMW dealer for customers, and I’m sure they have to compete with quite a few other independent shops. What is a local repair shop to do in this market? How do you get noticed? Then there’s the fact that the BMW dealerships in San Diego spend hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars every year advertising sales and service. How could the “little guy” hope to compete?

With a smart internet marketing strategy.

Start with their blog - BMW service blog. They post every week or two about a variety of topics, including quite a bit of free service advice. They also blog about some of their customer’s vehicles - very smart. What better way to get people excited about you and your business than to ask them if you can blog about their car? They’ll tell everyone they know to check out your blog, you’ll get blog visitors, build your brand, good-will, etc. Genius.

But they’ve also done a good job of maximizing search engine opportunities. By listing their business with Google, they’ve managed to gain quite a bit of a search engine presence. Search for “san diego BMW repair” and they’re the third map result.

This shop has also been smart about asking their customers to review them online. The Google business page linked to above has 5 reviews of 5 stars each - awesome - and La Jolla Independent BMW has reviews on Yelp.com too. Guess what? They’re all good.

Finally, take a look at their website BimmerDoc.com. It’s not the prettiest site I’ve ever seen, but it has the basics. Address. Phone number. The email address or “contact” link is easy to find. They’ve got a quick summary of their services on the main page, and they’re even selling some parts. Not bad at all.

Here’s the best part - everything is working. I emailed them and they’re currently re-investing in the website. Here’s the second best part - this level of internet marketing is very inexpensive. A few hundred dollars a month gets it done (and maybe a lot less if you’ve got a good writer on staff).

Do they have room for improvement? Sure, but who doesn’t. If you want some proof of the concepts I’ve been pitching, I think you need look no farther than San Diego’s best Independent BMW repair shop.

If you think a widget would be good for your business or service, please contact us.

Image copyright Flickr user powerbooktrance.

While some crotchety types (like me) undoubtedly find this annoying, it’s a safe bet that this practice is good for business. After all, many independent coffee shops have adopted this same naming structure despite the fact that it bears little resemblance to the native language. It must be working.

The point here is that even a small thing, like calling a “large” a “venti,” is a part of building a successful brand.

Here are some small things you can do to build your small business brand:

1) If you don’t have one already, get a professionally designed logo. The emphasis here is on professionally designed. If your logo wasn’t designed by a professional, it’s time to pony-up the money and get it done. Consumers (especially website visitors) perceive a logo as a trust symbol - they’ve learned not to trust businesses with cheap looking logos. NOTE: Don’t spend a fortune on this. $200-$250 MAX will get you a very nice logo. In fact, most professional graphics designers will give you half a dozen logo ideas at that price and at least a couple of revisions on your favorite design.

2) Put your logo on everything. From your company vehicles to your employees to your pens to your website, put your logo everywhere you can. When customers learn to identify your business from nothing more than your logo, you’ve achieved something. The best part of this strategy: it’s very inexpensive. You can get custom printing on most items for a nominal fee, and custom decals for your vehicle are surprisingly affordable.

3) Align your business with another brand. One of the best ways to grow your own brand is to identify yourself with a stronger brand. While it’s usually best to stay away from polarizing brands (such as political and religious affiliations), there’s no reason not to support a charity or organization that you feel strongly about. Donating $500 to the local woman’s shelter (for example) is a great way to show the caring and nurturing side of you, your business, and your brand (not to mention helping some people out). Just make sure that you’re making an honest and sincere effort before you start advertising your affiliation. It’s not good for your brand if you advertise how much you support the local chapter of the Sierra Club when your company doesn’t recycle.

4) Blog. We’ve written extensively about the benefits of blogging for the small business owner. The short version - blogging boosts your brand’s authenticity, builds and strengthens personal relationships, and builds trust. Read our business blogging basics and how to create a business blog for more information.

5) Event marketing. “Events” don’t have to be huge get-together’s for thousands of people. Events can be attending a chamber of commerce meeting, bringing snacks to a customer’s office, or providing a space for a local group to meet. The key to a successful event is to make sure that you or your company has some sort of impact. Did you provide free food for the group? Did you ask the speaker some great questions? Did you offer to send everyone something of value in an email? The event is successful when everyone takes note of you or your company in a positive light.

Each of these ideas can be implemented for no more than a few hundred dollars each (if not much less), and in that sense they’re very “small.” But don’t let their small cost fool you - the largest brands in the world implement these same techniques.

There are exceptions to this rule of course, but the key lesson here is this:

Internet marketing videos don’t need to be professionally produced in order to be effective or popular. In fact, there’s a mountain of evidence to show that professionally produced internet videos are often at a disadvantage when compared to lower quality consumer generated video.

Why? Authenticity.

What consumer-generated internet videos lack in quality they more than make up for in authenticity. Because today’s consumer has been inundated with slick advertising, they’re much more likely to trust a poor quality video made by a regular person than anything produced by a professional.

While many businesses are tempted to create their own low production quality videos, there is often some concern about these ads effecting a brand’s image. Low quality ads can send the wrong message about a company’s inherent value. Most large corporations wouldn’t dream of airing a low-quality TV ad on network television for fear it would damage the public’s perception of their company. Right or wrong, people often associate good quality advertising with good products and services. Case in point: Would you go to a doctor for a life saving surgery if you saw her in a cheesy infomercial earlier that same day? Exactly.

Clearly, there’s a balancing act that must take place between authenticity and brand image. I would argue that context should be used to find that balance. Let’s take a look at this street sign advertising an Aruban jewelry store.

This street sign has numerous spelling and grammar errors, yet it enjoys prime placement along the main thoroughfare in Aruba’s prime tourist location.

The meaning of the sign is clear, and in that respect it accomplishes it’s basic mission. However, the numerous spelling and grammar errors clearly indicate the sign was written by someone without a solid grasp of the English language. Will consumers see this street sign as an indicator of honesty and authenticity, or will they assume that the sign’s poor grammar is a harbinger of poor communication with the jewelry shop staff?

Looking at the context of the sign, the answer quickly becomes apparent.

1. This is a sign for an inherently expensive item. Most consumers expect excellent service when they purchase expensive items, and this sign indicates communication could be a problem. Why would a consumer risk a bad experience when they have so many other options close by?

2. The sign is placed along a busy street in a tourist area of Aruba. Nearly every other sign in the area is clear and grammatically correct, so this sign draws attention to itself in a negative way.

3. The sign itself is old and worn. If the consumer had any doubts about this shop’s customer service because of the sign’s many grammar errors, those doubts are likely reinforced by the fact this sign hasn’t been replaced for years. Certainly the shop’s owner must have found out by now that their sign has errors - why haven’t they fixed them? What about fixing the scuffs on the sign itself? Are the shop owners cheap? Do they even care? These aren’t questions a potential customer should be asking themselves about this business.

4. The message on the sign doesn’t match the “authenticity” test. The sign raves about “platinum, exclusive, and handscrafted (sic)” items. The emphasis of the text is on premium and exclusive merchandise, yet the condition and message of the sign itself screams “low rent.” Perhaps if the sign emphasized low prices and values, the poor condition and grammar of the sign would seem more appropriate.

The bottom line: The quality of any advertising should meet the same minimum standards as competing ads, it should match the perceived quality of the product or service being promoted, and it should be updated and reviewed regularly. The only thing worse than making an advertising mistake (like this poorly worded sign) is allowing that mistake to go uncorrected for years.

While authenticity is crucial to a great marketing piece, it must be balanced against these tests in order to avoid damage to the brand.

There’s no sentimental reason for choosing a spork - instead it’s just a fun word for a utensil that symbolizes efficiency, simplicity and effectiveness. Since this is what our marketing firm stands for, the spork seemed to represent our company fairly well.

Here’s what a spork is for anyone who doesn’t know:

Officially, the word “spork” is actually a combination of the two words “fork” and “spoon.” It resembles a spoon with tines (see image below).

No one knows who officially invented the spork, though many have claimed it by registering for trademarks and patents both in the United States and in other countries since the late 1800s. The first official reference to the word “Spork” appeared in the 1909 Century Dictionary. The spork was defined as “a long, slender spoon having at the end of the bowl projections resembling the tines of a fork.”

Today, most of us know about the spork from visiting fast food establishments like Taco Bell (though Spork Marketing feels strongly about the fact that there is no connection between its brand and that of fast food) or from the small packets you get for picnics that include a spork, napkin and a salt and pepper packet wrapped in cellophane.

There are many varieties of sporks. Popular with campers (because of their utility) a variety of sporks can be purchased online. They can be made from plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel. There are folding sporks, sporks with an integrated knife edge on the handle, sporks with very long tines, sporks with big or small scoops, and sporks can have as few as three tines, or as many as five.

The point is this: Even though sporks are simple tools, they come in many varieties and are made for many different purposes. A spork can be customized to fit your specific needs.

The next time you see a spork, I hope that you think about Spork Marketing. I think that you’ll come to visualize Spork Marketing as simple, efficient, and effective marketing.

Useful Spork Links:
Spork.Org - Lots of interesting Spork trivia
Wikipedia’s spork entry.

My free online marketing advice flash cards from American Express.

First, the highlights:

• AMEX did a great job of emphasizing useful website design. It’s something I’ve harped on before, but good websites aren’t necessarily flashy or pretty. In the words of AMEX “good websites are “interesting and of value to customers” and “simple to understand and easy to navigate.” Good advice.
• They also emphasized the importance of joining social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook . These sites are becoming increasingly business oriented, and for good reason - they’re a great way to network with a lot of people.
• AMEX members can save 5% on Yahoo search marketing (placing pay-per-click ads on Yahoo.com) and small business services (like web-hosting and domain registration). Not too shabby.

The low points:

• The worst piece of advice by far was the recommendation to start blogging using “sites such as Typepad and Blogspot.” Bad idea. Both of these sites suffer from tremendous amounts of spam blog posts (especially Blogspot) which devalue and undermine both systems. Conversely, self-hosted blogs deliver search engine traffic and customers directly to your website and guarantee credibility. Self-hosted blogs are the only way to go.
• The “natural” search marketing advice was very vague and not terribly useful. Granted, it’s very difficult to explain search engine marketing on a 5-by-7 flash card. The card recommends that you can optimize your website by starting “with a broad list of 50 words that describe your product or service” and then narrowing your keyword list down by being specific and using free keyword research tools. As great as it is that AMEX is trying to explain search engine optimization (SEO), I think it would have been better to direct people to read more information. After all, what decent explanation of SEO fails to include info about title tags, anchor text, directory submission, website structure, etc?

In defense of AMEX, each of the cards recommend that you visit openforum.com/onlinemarketing . There’s an “online marketing” PDF that you can download, but it’s not very good. Half of the SEO discussion is devoted to putting 10-15 keywords in your website’s META tags. Talk about bad advice. Not only are META tags 90% useless from an SEO standpoint, but they should never be flooded with 10-15 keywords. One or two META tag keywords per page is a good rule of thumb. There are some good points here and there, and considering how much it costs, it’s worth a read if you know absolutely nothing about online marketing. Still, there’s an old expression that comes to mind: “Free advice is worth the price. “