Local business directories - the old fashioned way of marketing

It doesn’t seem that long ago when nearly every business was listed in the Yellow Pages or Thomson Local. It was the first port of call when seeking information about a company, product or service. If a company wasn’t listed, then a customer was less likely to use it – unless of course, they had been recommended by family or friends.

These directories were out of date as soon as they went to print. New editions were published a couple of times a year, so new listings often had months to wait before their ads appeared, and some businesses might even have ceased trading.

For most small businesses, these directories were their only form of marketing – maybe combined with a small ad in a local newspaper and some hand delivered flyers: without a large marketing budget (i.e. for TV ads and national newspaper campaigns) there was no way SMEs could advertise on a national basis – but the internet has changed all that!

Welcome to the Internet

In the early days of the internet, few companies had a website, and those that did, tended to be in industries that already used technology i.e. PC sales. Broadband hadn’t yet arrived, and dial up Internet connections were not only expensive, but also painfully slow. It was a long time before the small local businesses such as solicitors, accountants, or tradesmen had a web presence. Few could see the benefit back then, and to be honest, early on they were probably right, as the technology and audience wasn’t there – not to the level it is now.

How many of you (that have internet access) still reach for the yellow pages when you need something? Even if you don’t have a PC, you can still access the internet via a mobile phone and other devices.

All businesses benefit from a web presence

Because of the way the internet has developed, a web presence is now one of the key ‘must haves’ for any business – particularly smaller businesses and new start-ups. It’s the most powerful marketing tool on the planet and the most cost effective too. At a minimum, every business should list itself in the free online directories – that way they have at least some chance of being found.

A surprising number of companies still don’t see the benefit of having their own website. Some because they fear technology, others because they don’t think their particular type of business needs one – maybe because all their work is local and a fair bit of it is generated by repeat business through a good reputation, and by word of mouth.

What they don’t realise is a web page promotes the business, their products and services 24/7. It’s another means of contact, another way of communicating with existing and potential customers. Even a self-employed tradesman can benefit from a website: they can showcase their work and provide customer testimonials, they can take enquires out of hours – even manage their entire business online – cutting administrative overheads.

With a website you have unlimited potential to promote and grow your business. What’s to stop the self-employed tradesman from branching out? Maybe franchising, or targeting larger contract opportunities nationally. With a website, there is scope for growth for any business, however small, whatever their sector/industry. A company can re-invent itself through their website. A small specialist high street retailer that once relied on passing trade can now sell online. A solicitor can broaden its customer base to offer their services nationally. They can push their marketing messages out to customers (to both B2B and social networking sites) using web tools that automate the process and so much more.

Using the web can even reduce overheads

These days, websites can do more than just inform people. Content Management Systems make it so easy to manage your own website, requiring very little skill. Web based solutions can also help you work more efficiently. Applications such as Customer relationship Managers (CRM) can integrate with your website, taking care of everything from lead capture, marketing, sales, contact management and more.

Smaller businesses can fight back

The internet has levelled out the playing fields: smaller companies can now compete with larger organisations - they can promote and sell 24/7/365 days a year and offer bespoke products and services to a much wider audience. As a result of technology, they don’t need large warehouses to store stock, the can order direct from suppliers when an order is placed.

Business intelligence

A website can also generate a lot of key business intelligence. It provides a rich source of information about your customers (something you don’t get from basic till receipts) including contact details, buying patterns, and it may even provide upselling opportunities. If customers have opted in to receiving your emails, then you can market new products directly for little or no cost based on the fresh insights discovered from your customer data.