Comments on: The Power of Online Local Search http://blog.infoservegroup.com/2008/the-power-of-online-local-search/ Articles from Infoserve Group, one of the leading players in the UK online local search market Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:54:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Rav - Sales Executive http://blog.infoservegroup.com/2008/the-power-of-online-local-search/#comment-9 Rav - Sales Executive Wed, 21 May 2008 15:51:50 +0000 http://blog.infoservegroup.com/?p=9#comment-9 I read this piece, and it reminded me of the extraordinary weight of evidence supporting widespread use of the internet by all sorts of people looking for all sorts of things in all sorts of places, and then I contrasted that with the day to day reality of persuading business customers that they should advertise their goods and services exactly where their customers are looking! I am still surprised that so many small and medium businesses still feel they need convincing that they should take a substantial proportion of their marketing budget, and spend it online. I am 25, so I have lived my adult life with the internet as a reality that me and all my friends take for granted. I would no more think of looking something up in a paper directory, or look in a local newspaper than I would think of going to a Neil Diamond concert; although I know from my work each day that I see life differently to most of my customers, the fact is THEIR customers are increasingly like me! I read the other day that 97% of 18-24 year olds begin every internet 'experience' on Google or Yahoo! - I certainly do- and surely everyone will do this soon. Businesses NEED to be found on these vital search engines if they are going to attract customers and leads. From my perspective, the tougher the economy gets, the more important my job is in helping businessmen and women see the amazing results they will get by getting their name and phone number in front of potential customers EXACTLY when those customers are looking to buy. I almost feel that I am there to HELP them, although of course in the end, I want them to buy campaigns to promote their business. Yes, I sell them things, but I really can see the benefits in what we offer, and nearly all of them renew every 6 months or each year because it works so well for them. I spend a lot of time talking to Dentists, as I work mainly in this area, and this sector has really understood the value in <a href="http://www.getmeadentist.co.uk" rel="nofollow">promoting themselves online</a>. Implants, whitening, and all forms of cosmetic dentistry are actively marketed online. However, if I contrast that with less modern, more traditional areas of business, we seem to still be talking to people who don't have a website, or those that do have one don't promote it or look for customers to visit it. It's like having boxes of leaflets in the back room, but never giving them out to any customers!! Also, I know that the vast majority of consumers LOOK online, but ACT offline- they pick up the phone and arrange a visit or ask questions before coming in to buy locally. At £5.50 a gallon for petrol, I see local buying getting more and more popular, so I see my role of advising my customers how best to spend their money to maximise their returns as ever more important. I read this piece, and it reminded me of the extraordinary weight of evidence supporting widespread use of the internet by all sorts of people looking for all sorts of things in all sorts of places, and then I contrasted that with the day to day reality of persuading business customers that they should advertise their goods and services exactly where their customers are looking! I am still surprised that so many small and medium businesses still feel they need convincing that they should take a substantial proportion of their marketing budget, and spend it online.

I am 25, so I have lived my adult life with the internet as a reality that me and all my friends take for granted. I would no more think of looking something up in a paper directory, or look in a local newspaper than I would think of going to a Neil Diamond concert; although I know from my work each day that I see life differently to most of my customers, the fact is THEIR customers are increasingly like me! I read the other day that 97% of 18-24 year olds begin every internet ‘experience’ on Google or Yahoo! - I certainly do- and surely everyone will do this soon. Businesses NEED to be found on these vital search engines if they are going to attract customers and leads.

From my perspective, the tougher the economy gets, the more important my job is in helping businessmen and women see the amazing results they will get by getting their name and phone number in front of potential customers EXACTLY when those customers are looking to buy. I almost feel that I am there to HELP them, although of course in the end, I want them to buy campaigns to promote their business. Yes, I sell them things, but I really can see the benefits in what we offer, and nearly all of them renew every 6 months or each year because it works so well for them.

I spend a lot of time talking to Dentists, as I work mainly in this area, and this sector has really understood the value in promoting themselves online. Implants, whitening, and all forms of cosmetic dentistry are actively marketed online. However, if I contrast that with less modern, more traditional areas of business, we seem to still be talking to people who don’t have a website, or those that do have one don’t promote it or look for customers to visit it. It’s like having boxes of leaflets in the back room, but never giving them out to any customers!! Also, I know that the vast majority of consumers LOOK online, but ACT offline- they pick up the phone and arrange a visit or ask questions before coming in to buy locally. At £5.50 a gallon for petrol, I see local buying getting more and more popular, so I see my role of advising my customers how best to spend their money to maximise their returns as ever more important.

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