What Are My Employees Saying About My Business?

The year is 2010 and just about everyone has embraced at least some form of Social Media at this point.  Let’s face it, even your grandparents are probably on Facebook.  If you are a business owner then you have probably thought or heard about the implications of social media and how it can affect your business.  At times it is very hard to see your employees “waste time” on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, but rather than looking at it from that angle…  why not look at how the social media habits of your employees can actually HELP your business.   If you haven’t thought about a social media policy at your place of work… now just might be the right time.  There are some great advantages to having a social media policy at your office and believe it or not, they can be beneficial to business.  Many Pittsburgh businesses just don’t have a social media policy, but trust me when I say that ALL businesses should have one.   Your policy should be written into your employee handbook, talked about during meetings, and make reference to what is acceptable and not acceptable at your place at work.

1. Make sure that your employees are not saying bad things about your company: There are ways to perform post searches on Facebook and Twitter to see what employees and other people are saying about your company.
2. Give Everyone a Clear Goal:  If people are going to be on Facebook/Twitter at work, at least make sure that they are posting something positive about the company.  It could be something about how great it is to work there or how excited that are to be involved in a new project, etc…
3. Get People Excited About Your Business: Get people excited about what you do!  Don’t just post coupon after coupon or deal after deal.  People will get tired from that and they just don’t want to see specials and promotions in every single post.
4. Don’t De-Value Your Social Media Marketing-   Getting instant sales from your social media marketing is usually not the end result.  Social Media creates a buzz, makes people aware, and hopefully gets people to come back to your site more than just once.  There are times when you will have people that buy directly from a promotion or discount that you mention  from your social media marketings, but you should look at it as more than just creating an instant ROI.

In the end, social media should be what it already is… the act of being social.  Just think of it as one big giant cocktail party with a whole bunch of people that don’t necessarily all have the same interests and likes.  Many people may get along, but others may not.  Just make sure that you are courteous and polite because let’s face it- no one wants to be pitched all the time.  Relax and carry on a conversation so that people can actually understand what you are talking about.  Industry jargon is good for people in your industry, but not always people who buy your products or services.  Give someone enough information so that they trust in you and your business, but don’t overwhelm them or else they can split and you probably won’t get another chance to get in front of them again.

It has been almost a year since we had a story on Frank’s Tire and Automotive in Bethel Park, Pa and a lot has happened in the last year.  When I met Frank, he was in the middle of a nasty PR dispute with a gentleman that was unhappy with the cost of service that was provided by Frank’s Auto Service Company.   The person that was unhappy wrote letters, contacted the BBB, and wrote negative reviews online wherever he could find them.   I’m not here to take sides or say one party was wrong or one party was right, that is completely between them.  This interests me because so many people these days are flocking to the internet to provide reviews and share their experiences.  What are the ethics behind posting negative reviews online and the ethics behind all of the positive ones out there as well?

Reputation management in Pittsburgh is such a hot issue right now because of the number of people that are now online.  All of your businesses history and information is now online for all the world to see.  There are even sites such as Rip-Off-Report and Pissed-Off-Consumer that collect negative reviews and allow business owners to respond to them.  In my opinion, the best way to carry that on would be to allow both sides to present their side and allow the people reading the reviews to make their own decision.

So far Frank has been pretty mellow about the whole situation.  He showed me a book with hundreds of letters from satisfied customers that he has collected over the years that he proudly displays in the lobby of his auto repair store in Bethel Park.  The person that wrote negative reviews about Frank’s Tire has gone as far as building a website and naming it (FrankstireandAutomotive.com)  The laws of the internet allow this and right now there is nothing that Frank can do to get that website removed or pulled down.  It’s quite a shame that it has had to go to this point, but when people aren’t happy these days, they take it out online instead of in-person.

A few key points to remember if someone has written a negative review about your company is that they cannot mention one of your employees by name, If they do, you can ask whatever service they left a negative review on to delete it and more than likely they will.

Chris Reidenbaugh Sales & Marketing Manager

How do I know what to do?

I have heard this question so many times, you would think my answer would be the same for every occasion right?  If you answered yes, you would undoubtedly be incorrect.  The majority of people that I see using Facebook and Social Media as a business tool are not doing a good job.  I worked with a client for six months to help them achieve close to 9800 new fans only using social media and not any type of paid search to generate those results.  Our six month agreement is over and now I see that they are dropping fans every week.  The posts they make are not engaging and EVERY single mention is about a coupon or an offer.  How about some useful information instead of  ”mention this and get 15% off”   Don’t get me wrong, they are really nice clients and they do a great job with all of their other types of media and advertising.  They just don’t know how to step away and decrease the salesman and increase the information.  Facebook Marketing makes so much sense to most advertisers because they can get solid and truthful feedback on their brand.

Most business owners are obviously fiercely loyal to their product, service, or brand and they let it show on a daily basis.  Social Media allows someone to post a comment, give praise, advice, or criticism without actually having to e in front of that particular business.  If you have a great product and great service- then you are in pretty good shape from the beginning.  If you do not however, you will need to step back and allow yourself to understand that sometimes, you have to make sure you talk and converse WITH an unhappy customer and not AT an unhappy customer.  One of the best things that a potential customer/client/patient can see is that you made a mistake, AND made it right.

A while back I wrote about a furniture store that actually complained and grilled a customer that said they felt the value of their sofa was not what was advertised.  The person handling the business social media for this company told them to “save up and buy a better sofa next time” You should have seen the number of people that commented on that post. It was like throwing gasoline on a fire…  You could imagine that customer probably made a status update that would have been characterized as incendiary.    Here is a short list of common sense tips that  I use when either teaching business social media or handling it for one of my clients…  It’s my “short list of gold tips” but then again… It may not be everyones.

1. Keep it real- honesty is the ONLY policy online.  Remember that when you are posting something online, the person viewing it probably has some sort of screen capture program.
2. Have a conversation- Don’t be pitchy or pushy with people who value your information.  If they are a fan, follower, or friend…  they already see value in what you offer.  If someone asked you to buy 293 times in one week, wouldn’t you get tired of it?
3. Give and ye’ shall receive-  Give advice on what you do.  If you are a carpet store, give stain treatment tips, if you are a restaurant- give away a free drink for a promotion.  You will get a lot more for giving something away when it is something that people like.
4. Frequency-   If I am selling mattresses, it is not likely that I will have a repeat buyer every six months.  Most people keep them longer so consider giving tips on how to get a better nights rest, or allergy free bedding materials.   If you are only giving away coupons, what value is it if someone wont use it for another five years.
5. Make It Fun- Use a scavenger hunt, a giveaway, a promotional video, or anything that you can think of to be creative.  Don’t just copy your competition.  People see right through it.

My quick five points aren’t the most important things that you will need to know about social media.  They are just what I practice and preach with my particular clients.  IF you have any questions, tips, remarks, or just plain disagree… leave a reply. After all, isn’t social media all about interaction anyway?

QR Barcode Technology Comes to Search Magnet Local

Higher Images, Inc. announces the addition of QR Barcode system within Search Magnet Local ™ (SML). This gives SML clients the ability to utilize this powerful system to connect users to their clients specials, promotions  and videos quickly and effectively.  Initially used for tracking parts by vehicle manufactures, QR Barcodes are now used in a much broader context.  Both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (known as mobile tagging) are quickly becoming hot applications for mobile marketing.

Business owners will be able to print out or save the QR Barcode that connects any Cell Phone user with a Barcode Scanner to a mobile version of Search Magnet Local. This ability to immediately display a video commercial or online coupon/special creates an immediate call to action and impulse to buy.  The QR Barcode is also downloadable to an image file that businesses owners can use for print advertisement.  QR Code Online Coupons can increase the number of clients that enter your business as well as the amount spent on your products and services.

Another innovation from Higher Images to help their clients Market More Effectively. For further information on Search Engine Optimization, Website Design, Video Optimization, or Social Media Marketing, contact Higher Images, Inc. at 412-203-1996 or chrisr@higherimages.com.

Chris Reidenbaugh – Internet Marketing & Sales Manager

Let’s face it, just about everyone now has at least HEARD about Facebook and Twitter.  Most people that we talk to still don’t really understand how to use  them to actually create business… but people have at least heard the term “social media marketing” being kicked around the office in marketing meetings.   The one example that I can think of was a company that really wanted to start their social media marketing off with a bang.  They figured that all they had to do was put their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube logo on their home page and website visitors would be so eager to become their “fans, followers, or in some cases clients” that they never thought about the cardinal rule in Social Media Marketing for businesses- What’s in it for the person they are trying to reach?  Why would someone spend the time reading your posts, tweets, or status updates if they bought a washing machine from you a year ago?  The answer is that they wouldn’t and that is where most businesses fail at social media.

You need to be able to have a conversation with someone online without coming across as a pitchy salesperson.  Giving a fan, follower, reader, or anyone interested in your business personal attention and time is something that is critical to being successful in your social media marketing approach.   Instead of pimping out your business at every opportunity, offer them a tip or something that can generally improve their experience with your product or service.  If you are marketing a mattress store then give them tips on how to sleep better or what types of mattresses may help people with allergies.  If you are an electrician, offer people energy saving tips and ways to help lower their electric bill.   If you feel comfortable having a conversation with your friends and fans, then social media can be a great way for you to connect with not only your current customers, but also people who will take an interest in your product or service.   We’ll leave you with a screenshot from a company we worked with to develop their social media marketing strategy and they continue to be successful almost a year later (and 10,000 more fans on Facebook as well)

One of Higher Images Highly Satisfies Social Media Clients.

Almost every business these days has a domain name, however the problem is that very few of them really understands the domain process or even understands the difference between their domain/hosting/email.  If you are among those folks that really don’t understand, I would highly encourage you to visit Wikipedia and read a little about domains here.

Everyday, I get snail mail asking if I want to renew my .ch, .tw, .au domain.    I don’t own any domains in that contain those ccTLD’s (country code top-level domains).    They are scams attempting to get me to buy domains that I don’t need and don’t want.  The wording on the letters that I get is very vague and unless you read really closely, most people might think it has to do with their .Com, .Net or other valid address.  The truth is it’s a scam.  I’ve been getting letters like this for years now, and I’m sure that many people have fallen victim to those companies, which is why they continue to push the envelope of how far they can go.

I was really surprised today when I received an email from “support@onlinereminder.biz”  reminding me to renew one of my many domains.  All of my domains are paid via credit card they will not accidentally expire EVER(remember: I have literally hundreds of domains. I’m not gonna forget about something as simple as keeping a current credit card on file).  So out of curiosity, I clicked through the email to a group called DomainRenewalOnline.org.  They wanted $79.95 to “renew my domain”.  In the email they do state that “You may also contact your current domain provider in order to perform the extension.” <This is the second to last sentence in the email, and it is buried inside an unformatted block of text(almost like a terms and conditions statement).   They state they are performing a service to business to keep their domains from expiring.  That is 100% False, they are not renewing your domain for you they are transferring it to a different registrar(where you might still have to pay more money to “renew the domain”).   They are trying to take advantage of people who don’t understand how domains work.

The internet really is the wild west when it comes to domains/hosting/email.  If you are a business owner who has received one of these emails, please contact your Domain provider to renew your domain.   If you don’t know who your domain provider is, find out!  Its important that you keep track of your assets like cars, laptops, and cell phones, your domain is no different.  Your domain is an asset to your company, don’t let yourself fall victim to one of these scams.  If you are a Higher Images customer, please feel free to contact your sales rep if you would like additional information about your domain and what you can do to protect it.

And again I will re-iterate: “DomainRenewalOnline.org IS A SCAM”

From ComputerWorld:

With Google and Microsoft Bing taking slightly bigger bites out of the search market, rival Yahoo is hitting a bit of a slump.

Market analysis firm comScore Inc. is set to announce this afternoon that between September and October, both Google and Bing inched ahead. The increases were far from dramatic but at least they saw increases.

According to comScore, Bing’s share rose from from 9.4% to 9.9%. At the same time, Google saw a share bump, moving from 64.9% to 65.4%. While comScore hasn’t yet made all the figures available, analysts did confirm that Google in October saw a 17.4% year-over-year increase.

Yahoo, which remains in second place between market leader Google and third-place Bing, didn’t have such a strong month. Yahoo saw its share slip, slipping from 18.8% in September to 18% last month, according to comScore.

Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, Inc., said Google, with steady control of more than 60% of market share, is such a force to be reckoned with that Bing is doing well to make even modest headway.

“Bing has established a position that is, for now, stable,” said Gottheil. “If Bing innovates effectively, it can move forward. It’s in a not bad position, considering Google’s momentum, but there’s nothing happening now to show that it can take share from Google. With Google, it’s not so much about growth any more, but the large number of people for whom Google is the search engine. Google is an ocean liner. It’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot time to slow it down.”

When it comes to Yahoo, Gottheil said the company’s search presence is on a downhill slide that could become hard to control.

“Yahoo’s search engine now is a lame duck,” he added. “Yahoo has been on a long-term decline. The battle between Bing and Google raises awareness about search engine capabilities, and may drive some users to try other products, but basically, Yahoo has not given its search engine users a good reason to stay.”

In September, comScore reported that Bing increased its share of the competitive market by 4.5% between July and August. The new search engine held a 9.3% share of the market at the end of August.

Also that month, comScore noted that Google had slipped 0.1% to hold 64.6% of the market at the end of August.

A website needs to be thought out from a multitude of viewpoints.   How many consumers out there “google” a search phrase like “window installers pittsburgh“  then go to a website to read more information?  If you guessed that it as a good amount- then you have won tonight’s door prize which is a quick FREE lesson in website conversions.  Once they get to the website that they clicked on, then they are going to look thru the website until they find something that grabs their attention and calls out to them.  Once they have found what they are looking for on a particular site, then they make the decision on whther or not they will actually contact that business.  It seems easy right, but what if that consumer wants to look at other businesses before they start to contact them?  You have a de facto phone call answering war to see who they call first and who actually converts that call from an interested buyer into a sale or appointment.  That my friends, is what a website can do for your conversions.  People just don’t automatically call you because they have been to your website and if someone tells you that, you should run in the opposite direction.

If you are looking for a website marketing company that can actually make your phone ring AND — get this — provide you with accountability for your marketing efforts, then by all means- give us a call today 412-203-1996.   Stand Out From Your Competition.

Making the Internet work for you!

Search Magnet Local, The Complete Business Internet Marketing Solution!

The Internet can be a complex place to do business. There’s search engine optimization, technology, website updates… not to mention how to find out what’s working and what’s not.  Who can you trust to handle your local internet marketing? We’d like to simplify it for you. We’ve taken the mystery out of doing business on the Internet though a unique service that does it all, and delivers on the one objective most business owners have… bringing new prospects and customers to you day in and day out.

You’ll no longer need to jump through hoops when you’re producing a geographically-targeted marketing program… your website, statistics, and the results are all here in one place.

It doesn’t stop there.

We’ll get you placed high in the search results for the most common search terms that people use when seeking a solution to their needs. Search terms that cry out for your products or services.

It’s the way business should be done online.So go to Search Magnet Local and see why you CAN’T afford to go with anything different than SML.  With results that you can track, local SEO built in, and a customizable website that makes you money,  you can’t turn this down.