Have a Balanced Online Marketing Plan For Your Small Business

As a small business owner, it can be nearly impossible to stay on top of the latest trends and newest technologies on the Internet. As you know, there's constantly a new website, social platform, or new "widget" that is changing how business is done over the Internet. It can be overwhelming.

Is it important to stay up to date on the trends and use the latest technologies? Yes, absolutely.

However, it's more important to maintain a balanced online marketing strategy for your small business. We've seen many business owners get distracted by the "latest and greatest" on the Internet that has actually hurt their business and online marketing.




iPhone and Android Apps are a perfect example of "latest and greatest" technology blown way out of proportion. Smartphones are amazing and a lot of people use them. Does that mean you need a phone app for your small business? Generally speaking, no.

We have not developed any apps for ourselves or clients because we don't see an ROI. We don't believe in charging and making products that will not get results. We have seen no evidence that shows a small business getting a good ROI on having a phone app. If you're business is making addictive games (Angry Birds or Candy Crush) or you're a huge retailer (Amazon or Costco) then you'll get an ROI from your app. The average small business will not.

People generally don't download apps when looking for a service or product to buy. We certainly don't and no one we know does. People still use Google, Yelp, Social Media and friends to find what they are looking for.

Please do not waste money on getting an app developed just because it's the latest and greatest. Rather, focus on having a balanced online marketing plan for your business. This all starts with a website and you expand from there onto YouTube, Social Media, Yelp, Search Engine results, etc. We've been successful for the last ten years with our online strategy because we've maintained a balanced approach with what is currently working while incorporating the "latest and greatest" (If we deem there to be a good ROI.)

Please contact us for a small business website and marketing consultationhttp://www.vigintimedia.com if you want a balanced approach.

Have The Right Information on Your Small Business Website!

I get frustrated when I go to a website and cannot find the basic information that I'm looking for.  You've been in the situation before, you're looking for a phone number, address, or some other piece of information and cannot find it on the website! This is frustrating as a consumer. I often leave the website and go to someone else's. Sometimes my money follows me to the next website and business as well.

As a small business owner, you need to make sure that you don't have frustrated customers and potential customers come and go to your website. Yet, I see so many small business websites lack the basic information and frequently asked questions (FAQ's).  Not only are you losing customers, but you're probably causing yourself more work.


How many times to people call or email you with the same set of questions over and over again? On one hand it's great because you have people interested. On the other hand, answering the same question over and over again can eat into your productivity.

Jason Wells and I run multiple businesses  and websites with a skeleton crew. One reason we're able to do that is because we are in tune with what our customers and potential customers are thinking and wanting. By having all the essential information and a FAQ page on our website, we're able to minimize our time of sounding like a "broken record" and actually increase our customer conversion!

Think about the five to ten most common questions you get. Now, are they on your website? If so, are the easily found on your website?

A website is much more than just an online business card. If designed correctly, it will help to streamline your marketing and sales process. That's why, as small business owners ourselves, we take the time to learn how your business works. This allows us to create a website that integrates into your sales process.

If you need help with designing a website for your business, then talk with us. 

Technology is Making Small Businesses look Small Time

There's "big time" and "small time."  The phrase "big time" makes me think back to eighth grade graduation and song by Peter Gabriel.  Had to digress there, but back to the subject at hand.

So many small businesses look "small time."  Believe it or not, technology is making small business look small time.

Over the years, I have watched technology progress in websites and this has been a good and bad thing. 

It's been good, because with new technology, you can create website that work on most devices without "breaking the bank" for the client.

It's been bad, because there have been services out there that offer "template" websites that are used by people who should never be using systems like this.  This is a service where you can pick a template (I must admit a lot of them don't look bad at all and some are pretty nice) and build your own website.

Now, this approach works for a very small business or hobby business.  A friend of mine setup a side photography business, but her money comes from her 9 to 5 job, so a template website worked for her and it's not critical to her bottom line.  I get that approach and why it makes sense for her.

However, I see businesses such as lawyers, doctors, dentists, auto repair, local retail stores, accountants, architects (to name a few) that try to use these websites.  The disconnect is that when you are running a business, your staff, family member, friend or whatever shouldn't be setting up your website.  It must be a professional.

You're going to hear this theme over and over from us:  a website today is what a physical location was 30 years.  If you didn't have a physical location that was impressive and professional, people didn't think you were successful.  Now a days, if you don't have a website that is impressive and professional, people begin to question your business (even if someone referred you to them that has bought their products or used their services.)

There is a lot of thinking that goes into a website and what it is ultimately accomplishing (getting you business) and the technology part (often what people who value the most) is the easy part.  Often times in the beginning, people hire us to "build" them a website, because they don't understand the technology on how to do it. It's much like ss taking our cars to mechanic. We could do it ourselves, but we don't feel like we know what we are doing.  

The reality is that the building of the site (the computer code part) is easiest part.  the hard part is the design that fits your business, the content, what kind of advertising we're going to use (and yes there is more than Google out there), and how your website should be optimized a search engine sense.  

I would ask you to test this.  Sit down and try to write what content you would put on your website.  What pages will you have, what you say on the pages, and what is your message for each page?  Forget the design and the technology; just try doing that. I am going to tell you that most people find this really challenging and you know why? Because it is! It's hard to write content that communicates the message you want and that's why people like us are in business!  If you do come up with some content, it probably won't be very good. Sorry, but I have seen when people who aren't in marketing and media write content.

There are so many hack programmers out there that can "write the code" for the website.  True marketers who also know website design are rare.  Notice I say "true marketers."

Chris and I have been building several businesses over the last ten years, so we are entrepreneurs just our clients.  We are in the trenches building businesses like them; Viginti Media is just one company we own, so we understand how to communicate to many different audiences.

That's why you are paying professionals.  We know what we're doing and in a sense, we're like a PR firm for small business.  PR firms are usually for the big business or the rich, but you can consider us your PR firm, because we focus on small business.