Small Business Entrepreneurs say, ‘We Don’t Need Online Marketing!’

 It’s not uncommon to hear from small business owners that they don’t need online marketing. Though that philosophy may have worked years ago – like let’s say, in the 1990s – in this day and age, not having an online marketing strategy in place is a HUGE mistake!

 As it pertains to online marketing, there are a number of opportunities for small business entrepreneurs to increase revenues and reach a whole new audience. By setting up a website, a small business establishes a reputable, trustworthy presence online. By engaging in search engine optimization or SEO practices, this gets a business’ name out there on search engines, allowing new customers seeking your products or services to find you. For some companies, designing an e-commerce platform allows them to sell products or services online across the country and even internationally. Also, by building social media profiles, a small business opens up a direct line of communication with new and existing customers, cultivating stronger relationships in the local marketplace.

 As evidenced by the benefits, for any company who are not pushing themselves to establish a strong online presence, they are giving up customers to competitors who are. Far from a waste of time, online marketing is a necessity to thrive and survive.

 I’m happy with the customers I have.

 A lot of small businesses will come at online marketing with the belief that business is doing good and they don’t need to be any busier than they already are. To a point, they might be right. If you don’t want to grow your business beyond its current customer base, don’t. There will come a time though when you might not be able to count on your existing clientele. When that happens, you need to replace those customers or begin to see your business shrink. In this case, online marketing is needed because it sets a company up for the future and ensures they are positioned to continue growing in a healthy, sustainable way.

 I find my customers offline and not online.

 Because some businesses operate offline, they think they need to stay that way. That’s not true. Everyone from basement repair and construction companies to roofing companies, to waste collection companies, to cleaning companies all have websites. That’s because they realize the more than 1 billion active Facebook users out there every day and the more than 5 billion Google searches performed daily. There are customers out there to be found for any company!

 I tried it. It didn’t work.

 Maybe the reason why online marketing didn’t work for you was because of the stakeholders involved. Good marketing wins customers. Bad marketing does not. If you’ve not had success, partnering with an online marketing company who knows their stuff might do the trick. Finding new customer channels and different, more cost-effective strategies are keys to success in marketing.

 It’s too expensive. I don’t see the point.

 Yes, online marketing comes at a cost – just like offline marketing does. Marketing is an investment though. It helps to acquire customers and depending on the quality of your service in addition to the quality of your product, marketing generates revenues. When done correctly, the ROI is worth it. There’s a high value in online marketing and for those that choose not to see it, other businesses will and those other businesses may just be competitors to yours. That said, there are many different online marketing strategies to choose from and not all components of online marketing may be recommended for a business.

 Speak to a qualified online marketing specialist for more information on what is appropriate for your business and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with an online marketing campaign that takes your company somewhere it hasn’t been before.