A Missed Opportunity for This Small Business

A print ad for a local catering business slipped out of my local newspaper recently and caught my eye.

The ad was done on glossy paper and had some very attractive photos of their offerings and some limited information about their menu packages. It was a very nicely done ad and I'm sure it cost them a good chunk of change to print and distribute it through the paper.

YOU KNOW WHAT WAS MISSING?

The ad made zero reference to a web site or Facebook page for the business - it only provided a phone number.

And that's too bad, as I think they missed out on really making their investment in this ad pay dividends for them in the months ahead.

A WEB SITE TODAY IS JUST LIKE A BUSINESS CARD USED TO BE

I remember the phrase from a while back "if you didn't have a business card, you were out of business".

Updating that phrase for the digital days we live in, it would read "if you don't have a web site for your business, you may be out of business".

These days, a web site or Facebook page is a must for almost all businesses.

People may not want to call you directly at first. Rather, they prefer to check out the "digital marketing" of a business for more information and as part of their decision-making process to take the next step.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COST A FORTUNE

For a company like our catering business, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to put up a basic web site. Heck, a Facebook page is free.

The web site could contain testimonials from happy customers, more details about their menu offerings, hours of operation, payment policies, and most importantly, a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page that summarizes the questions I'm sure people are calling them about every day.

Whether you use a service like Webs.com or a high school student to create the site, the key thing is to get one created and out there for people to see.

YOUR 24/7 MARKETING CHANNEL

Remember, your web site runs all day, every day. It is there whenever someone may be trying to find what you have to offer.

Cross-promoting your traditional print or other ads with your digital properties (web site, Facebook, Twitter page, etc.) is an essential element to your success. After all, that is why you sent out the print ad in the first place, right?

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Comments

[TuckerClaire28]

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[certified financial planner]

Missed opportunities can translate to potential profit loss as well but those are non-bearing in actual accounting. The best that we can do is to learn from it.

[internet fax]

I don't think like that, as large number of customers are not using any social media. So why spend a lot of money on social media.

[accounting services]

It is true. We cannot even begin to imagine small businesses not going online. Chances are, the internet offers more clients and business opportunities.

[business phone services]

you are quite right there "if you don't have a web site for your business, you may be out of business"
A website is must these days and soundly developed website can attract more customers then Some newspaper ads.