What's In Your Mailbox?

 It seems that on a weekly basis small businesses are inundated with mail whether its electronic or traditional that are looking for you to sign up for some internet program. What we have found is that the majority of the solicitations are worthless and we dare say an outright scam. These companies have become very good at making their offer seem legit. Case in point, A client reached out to us and sent us a copy one these solicitations. We immediately knew what it was since a previous client received the exact same letter. We did our due diligence on behalf our client and came to the conclusion that this particular one had no real value. We happen to offer a Listing management program that cover over 70 leading sites. Here is a link to check your Listings Listing Tool.

Whenever in doubt our clients can reach out to us and we will do the research and let them know if its legit/worth the money.

Here is a copy of the letter sent to our Client

10 Reasons You Should Not Build Your Own Web Site.

Don’t you love it when you are a professional at what you do and a potential client says they can do it themselves? Now I am sure that some people can roof their own house or do the plumbing. But, unless you have been trained it probably is not a good idea. Most people wouldn’t think of climbing on a roof and repairing their shingles or plumbing a new home. So, why do people think it’s easy to build a professionally designed and optimized website? There are many website developer tools available to help you drag and drop pictures, and insert wording.  But, keep in mind these tools use templates that are generic, and are not specifically designed to meet your business needs. Web development requires skilled web developers. Here are 10 reasons why building your business’s website should not be a DIY project.

Reason #1: Customization

Free website templates and DIY web builders cannot be customized. If your business is unique it needs to be different. Templates are very basic, and not interactive. If you wanted to add an extra feature or additional content, a basic website template or web builder wouldn’t give you this option.  There are thousands of companies using that same template that you choose. So, don’t think you’re the first person to benefit from a free website builder. These businesses made the mistake of using the same, boring, generic template and stuck with a site that looks like everyone else’s.  How unique is that?

Reason #2: Efficiency

Web development is very hard work, and it takes a long time to build a professional website.  If you’re not a professional web developer, the hours you spend trying to create a website could be more efficiently spent generating business and growing your client base.  It will save you time and money if you let someone with experience and knowledge build your website.

Reason #3: Marketing

A trained web developer knows what will work best for your business and will build you a user friendly professional looking optimized website.

Reason #4: Search Engine Optimization

SEO is making sure your site ranks well in the eyes of the search engines. Google is a business and wants to provide the end user the best result. Therefore, building a website is not a set it and forget it project. If your site is optimized properly and kept current with fresh information it will be more appealing to the search engines like Google.

Reason #5: Google Friendly

Google uses complex algorithms that might be too advanced for some people. Therefore, it is very important that a professional web developer who uses Google Webmaster Tools or Google Analytics is doing the work. The professional can monitor site downtime, crawl rates, bounce rates, load times, broken links and search traffic. The internet is huge and search engines get frustrated with the code they run up against in “do it yourself” scenarios.

Reason #6: Be Found

A good web developer understands search engines and builds your site so it will be found. There are a number of critical elements and site maintenance that must be in place and maintained to help your relevancy with the search engines.

Reason #7: Mobile-Friendly

With more people searching on mobile devices than on a PC having a responsive site is more important than ever. The majority of people browse the web using their mobile device due to the convenience.

Reason #8: Your Image

Your web site is the first impression of your business and it should be a good one. Successful companies invest a lot of time and money in how they present themselves to the world. You don’t have to spend a small fortune but it is important to present your business in a professional manner.

Reason #9: Professionalism

When you create a “free” template website these companies post at the bottom of your site. This sets the image of your business. “This site was created by:  Best Free Sites .com  GET YOURS TODAY!” This looks unprofessional and makes your business look cheap. Who is your ideal client?

Reason #10: Experience

We know that no one cares more about your company than you. Hiring a professional to create your website only makes sense. A marketing team has every reason to help you grow your business. If your business grows so does ours. Contact Brenda or Paul at Maine Street Marketing www.mainestreetmarketing.com

News You Can Use

Some of our clients are relocating so we thought this
 article would be beneficial. There are a number of steps you need to take to be sure your address is updated on line. Or, you could just save your valuable time and call your marketing company to take care of these things for your business.  But this article will give you a list so you don't forget anything.

http://searchengineland.com/business-owners-guide-moving-office-234671

Spring Cleaning
Time to do spring cleaning. That's right spring clean not only your house but your on line house. When was the last time you had your listings cleaned up on line. You can leverage your location to drive more customers to your business. If your listings are inconsistent across the internet, maps, apps, social networks and search engines this can cost your real sales.

For more information click on this link:
http://www.mainestreetmarketing.com/listingsreputationmanagement.html

To check out your listings click on this link:
https://www.optimizelocation.com/partner/mainestreetmarketing/diagnostic.html

Check out this Sway! "Grow Your Business with Us"

Check out this Sway! "Grow Your Business with Us"

I read this article today by BY ZAK STAMBOR Managing Editor

The social network is testing a shopping-oriented section of its app, as well as a new type of ad that makes it easier to browse.

Facebook Inc. wants to be more than just a place where you connect with your friends. It also wants to be an online shopping destination.

The social network today announced that is adding a Shopping section to its app, as well as testing a new ad system geared toward helping consumers browse retailers’ products.

Master Online Selling with powerful eCommerce features and here is why:

Busy lifestyles, higher fuel costs and other changes in the world have made eCommerce more popular than ever. And experts predict that more and more consumers will be shopping and arranging services online. Cyber Monday has historically been the biggest on line shopping day of the year. But, Black Friday has the potential to outpace Cyber Monday this year. Local businesses are you ready? 

What a Website should say about you. What it should it say to a consumer.

In this day in age it should go without saying that website is mandatory for almost every type of business. I can't off the top of my head think of one that shouldn't and since my business is focused on selling websites I probably won't put a lot time trying to find those businesses. A properly built website that is responsive to all types of devices should answer 2 questions to the potential customer. First, does the product or service fulfill the need of the customer. Second, will the website give the customer confidence that you are the right company for the job. If you can answer those 2 important questions then you are on track to landing that new customer. One other tip for your website, always make it easy for the customer to contact you. Your contact info should be on every page. Please let me know if I help, you can reach us at www.mainestreetmarketing.com or at 207-807-1485