4 Ways to Carve Out Time for Your Industry, Even When You're Busy

When you're a small business owner, everything's on you. Between booking jobs, making a schedule, and managing a team, there's hardly time for anything else. And if there's any time left at the end of the day, you probably want to spend it with your family, right? However, you know deep down you should be devoting at least some time to honing your trade. After all, industries are constantly evolving and growing, as new products come out and equipment improves. So, the big question is, how do you … [Read more...] about 4 Ways to Carve Out Time for Your Industry, Even When You're Busy

3 Errors New Businesses ALWAYS Make (And How to Fix Them)

For new businesses, there's a lot to do when you first set out on your venture. Unfortunately, there's no book or step-by-step guide that tells you everything you need. Sure, there are countless articles and e-books about the fundamentals, but the nitty-gritty stuff you have to do for your web presence often remains a guessing game. That's why it's so easy for new businesses to make mistakes when putting your company out there on the web. You're bound to hit some stumbling blocks as you go. … [Read more...] about 3 Errors New Businesses ALWAYS Make (And How to Fix Them)

7 Quick Tips to Turn Groupon Groupies Into Loyal Customers

Have you ever offered a promotion on a daily-deal site like Groupon or LivingSocial? The experience of running a Groupon or LivingSocial promotion can be a mixed bag, to say the least. On one hand, you make a lot of new contacts and your phone rings off the hook for a short time. On the other hand, you don't make as much money as you hoped, and the overwhelming majority of these new contacts are just there for the discount. These bargain hunters, or "Groupon groupies" as we like to call them, … [Read more...] about 7 Quick Tips to Turn Groupon Groupies Into Loyal Customers

How to Start Promoting Holiday Services in October (and Why You Should)

Do you have a plan yet for capitalizing on the holiday season? We know, we know: "It's only October!" But we all know the holidays have a way of sneaking up on us before we're ready. This year, why not plan ahead? That's why we put together this quick guide to help you jump-start your winter advertising early. By following our suggestions in this blog post, you'll promote your seasonal services and set yourself up for a busy, fruitful winter. (Better stock up on coffee now!) Why Market Seasonal … [Read more...] about How to Start Promoting Holiday Services in October (and Why You Should)

How to Handle Customer Reviews: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need

You don't need to be a marketing whiz to understand that customer reviews are vital to your business's growth. Ask any local business owner who has spent time improving their web presence, and they'll tell you: Customer reviews can make or break your business. For instance, most people are aware that: The majority of U.S. consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust recommendations from friends. Reviews prove your authenticity to search engines like Google. Therefore, your local … [Read more...] about How to Handle Customer Reviews: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need

How Voice Search Is Changing the Way You Need to Write

Are you one of the millions of Americans who own a smartphone? Then you're probably aware of voice search. You hold down a button on your phone, ask a question out loud, and voilà! In a matter of seconds, your phone gives you an answer. The New Language of Voice Search However, Siri doesn't just magically have all the answers. Instead, your phone's virtual assistant transmits your question directly to a search engine (most likely Google or Bing, but we'll refer to Google from now on for … [Read more...] about How Voice Search Is Changing the Way You Need to Write

Branding 101: How to Make People Remember Your Business

Let us paint a picture for you. It's Saturday morning at the local supermarket. You're in the meat section deciding between porterhouse and rib eye when you spot a familiar figure. You immediately recognize the person in front of you as the girl with the blue hair from high school. You haven't seen her in over a decade, but she still dyes her hair the same color. It only takes you a second to remember her name because that shade of blue is burned in your memory. Her name is Lucy, and she always … [Read more...] about Branding 101: How to Make People Remember Your Business

How One Local Biz Went From Zero to 400 Calls Per Month

You already know being visible and discoverable online is key to attracting new customers. However, knowing this basic fact and putting it into action are two very different things. Wouldn't it be easier if you could follow a real-life example? That's why we put together this case study highlighting one of our clients, Advantage Disposal. Based in the Schenectady, NY, area, they're a local trash collection and waste disposal company that transformed their online presence, going from 4 incoming … [Read more...] about How One Local Biz Went From Zero to 400 Calls Per Month