No matter what your small business looks like, how good the service might be, if the message conveyed is one of owners who do not care about the image or findability of their business, then others will not care either.
If a business can’t be found, it is obvious the problems it is going to encounter. But if a business can be found, what is the impression that is made?
The Checklist Every Small Business Owner Needs
√ Professional Photos – This does not have to cost a fortune or be the highest end photographer. Business owners should find a few local photographers, check out their work, and negotiate a price. Also, owners should always be sure to have full rights to the photos.
√ Website – A clean, easy to use, mobile friendly website is a must. There are a ton of options for small business owners when it comes to getting a website done. Whatever direction an owner takes, this should not be a money only decision. In most cases a website will be the first impression for a potential customer. Be certain that the person hired, even if it is yourself, will be able to:
- Convey a clear and consistent brand image
- Produce messaging that influences behavior
- Create simple and easy navigation at all touch points
- Care about the details.
√ Online Business Listings – These need to be accurate and the images used should belong to the business.
√ Reviews – Yelp, Google, Facebook and industry specific review sites need to be checked often (daily is my recommendation). An owner need to have plan in place to obtain positive reviews and deal with negative reviews.
√ Social Media – A business should be listed on all the major social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Google, Youtube, Twitter, Linkedin) and any that might be specific to the demographic audience of a business. Social media posts do not only focus on selling, but provide value and engagement opportunities for followers.
√ Apps – Apps are important, but if they don’t make a customer’s life easier, it is wasted money.
√ Videos – Videos drive traffic to a website. They also put personality to a business. But if the videos are low quality, they may be doing more harm than good. The cost of a video will depend on what an owner is trying to accomplish. Owners should search around and find some formats and styles they like and then show them to a trustworthy professional marketer. A good marketer will outline options that will give the owner the best bang for their buck and help optimize the video online.
I am a small business owner just like you, so I know how hard it is to be an expert with everything, so if you have questions about any of these items, shoot me a message and I will give you my assessment and recommendations.