Google’s version of Amazon ‘top reviewer’ and why it’s important for your local businesses
Have you seen the “Top reviewer” badge as you’ve browsed customer reviews on Amazon.com? Comments and ratings from top reviewers tend to carry more weight because consumers feel that these reviewers are serious about their assessments. Top reviewers demonstrate a level of commitment significantly above that of occasional reviewers so they have something of a reputation to uphold. In the world of Google and Google Maps, top reviewers are called “Local Guides” and Google is offering “points, levels, and perks” to encourage people to sign up as Local Guides. Reviewers must attest that they are at least 18 years old, have a Google account, and agree to abide by the program rules. Organizations, businesses, and brands are not allowed to be Local Guides. So far, the main “perks” offered by the program are badges earned by providing various kinds of local information, including ratings, reviews, photos, videos, answers, edits, fact checking, and adding places to Google maps. This seems great from the consumer and reviewer points of view, but the fact that Google has incentivized its Local Guides program also creates a danger for local businesses. As we have learned from the various viral games that have swept through cyberspace, users can get addicted to winning more badges. It’s entirely possible that some less scrupulous Local Guides will rate businesses they haven’t patronized just to get enough points to earn the next badge. This makes it even more important for small business owners to keep an eye on their Google reviews and ratings. Google has a way for owners to flag reviews as inappropriate, so make sure you’re familiar with the system. Further, because Local Guides must have a Google account, there’s a good chance you can determine of the reviewer has been a real client or customer. Finally, although there is potential for abuse, positive reviews from Local Guides should really enhance the reputation of your business. This is especially important because Google’s local business information is becoming so deep and thorough that many local prospects no longer click through to business websites – they just go with the information provided by Google. ...
read moreYou may not be targeting the right people in your social media marketing!
Have you ever had a dream where you’re suddenly in a place where you don’t recognize anyone and don’t know why you’re there? That’s essentially the environment businesses accidently create within their social media marketing campaigns if they aren’t careful. Consider this question: Are you trying to build your authority or do you want to reach prospects? The strategies you employ aren’t always the same to achieve those two goals. Let me give you a simple example. The problem illustrated The owners of a residential plumbing company want to build their authority within their industry. With that goal in mind, the people they want to ultimately reach via social media are the “king makers” within the plumbing industry and perhaps local media figures. This strategy would ultimately elevate the company’s profile within the plumbing industry and the owners might be asked to talk at trade shows and appear on local radio and television when plumbing issues are in the news. The upshot of this is that the plumbers would likely push their social media posts and content creation to “meta” plumbing industry topics. By contrast, if the owners of this plumbing company want to increase their following among potential and current plumbing customers, these authoritative posts about the plumbing industry wouldn’t get the job done. Instead, practical tips for home and building owners would be better, along with occasional special offers. The problem’s impact Not only will the decision about who you want to reach through your social media impact your content, it will also impact the hashtags you use, the platforms you publish on, and even how you set up your accounts. Let’s consider the question of your social media accounts. Some businesses will set up different accounts to reach social media audiences with different interests. For example, Buzzfeed has separate Facebook accounts for food, animals, news, video, entertainment, and DIY posts (among others). Creating separate accounts within one platform may not be the best strategy for most small businesses. In many cases, it is better to find out where the segments of your audience are most active on social media and then focus on those platforms. For example, if our plumbing company wanted to raise its visibility within the industry, it could use LinkedIn – and maybe Twitter – as the core of that strategy then use Facebook – and maybe Pinterest or Instagram – to reach consumers. This would mean more work, but in the long run, it would be a much more efficient strategy. The “shotgun” approach to marketing today doesn’t deliver the kind of results you need to stay competitive. A large social media following is meaningless if it’s a crazy quilt of people with widely varying interests and...
read more3 ways to improve business relationships over the holidays that will last for years
A) In a relationship. B) It’s complicated. How would your customers describe their relationship status with your business using those familiar Facebook terms? One of the cardinal principles or goals for businesses today, in both retail and B2B organizations, is to establish relationships between themselves and their customers (and employees, I might add). And, just as in our personal lives, the holidays are the ideal time to establish and deepen our relationships with the people whose lives we touch. The problem is that our business lives can become so harried over the holidays that we may inadvertently lose the personal touch. Low prices aren’t the be-all-end-all. Because the holidays bring relationships into sharp focus, here are three ways to move from “It’s complicated” to “In a relationship” when describing the status between your business and your customers. Storytelling. Do you blog or distribute an email newsletter? Take time off from your standard marketing approaches and simply share a personal story about why the holidays are important to you. Dig back into your childhood and talk about some meaningful events. The goal is to put a personal face on your business; it’s always there, but customers and clients don’t always “feel” it. Use some holiday storytelling to share your feelings about this special time of the year. People will relate to you. Personalize your service. As I said above, Christmas shopping and the holiday season in general aren’t just about low prices. People are busy and stressed out. Find ways to “go the extra mile” and provide services that help reduce your customers’ stress. I remember an afternoon of shopping once where a store offered a couple of big bags that allowed me to consolidate what seemed like a dozen smaller bags from other stores that I was toting around. It was a simple gesture, but it made life easier for me and it showed me that the sales associate who was checking me out actually took note of my personal situation and comfort. If you’re in a service industry, are there special services you can provide in December that make life better for your clients? A commercial cleaning service, for example, might consider that some clients will be throwing office parties. Could they provide a special pre-party cleaning service? Or how about contacting clients and asking if they have parties scheduled and would they like to reschedule their cleaning with that event in mind? Don’t forget your team. If your team isn’t receiving any holiday cheer, they won’t have any to pass along to your customers or clients. How can you help them balance the special demands this season puts on both their personal and professional lives? Special snacks in the lunchroom, bringing in a masseuse, closing early, personalized gifts, and other creative ideas will communicate the care you have for your team. December is always a special time of the year. Make it a special time in your business as...
read moreThis week in small business: Cybercrime threats, cybersecurity benefits
Writers look at cybersecurity from two distinctly different points of view this week and we’re also treated to some very savvy tips and perspectives on productivity and motivation. Grab the advice here and head into 2018 firing on all cylinders. Leadership, management, and productivity Cory Capoccia discusses how cybercrime is a bigger threat than physical threats in this Forbes article. However, when you take cybersecurity very seriously, it can enhance your brand, says Dan Kiely. Writing for Harvard Business Review, Jane Edison Stevenson and Evelyn Orr talked to 57 women CEOs to find out what it takes for women to get to the top. This sponsored post for MasterCard Biz, explains how the right digital payments systems can improve your customer experience. Clinton Senkow details two critical habits of millionaires that, if adopted, will help propel your success. Squeeze the most out of the hours you have with the 25 time-management tips Harvey Schachter gives us in this Globe and Mail article. Laura Emily Dunn talks to Ellen Rubin, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearSky Data in this edition of her Women in Business Q&A series. If you want practical advice, Barbara Weltman’s 10 Payroll Mistakes Your Small Business Must Avoid is a must-read. Marketing and sales Don’t take a scattershot approach to keywords. Use Sabri Suby’s bullseye marketing strategies to identify your best leads. Can you spare $99 a month to market your small business? If so, check out Twitter’s Promote Mode as introduced by Wook Chung. Adryenn Ashley gives us insider tips from 11 influencers who are nailing social media. Up your game by listening in to some of the 25 marketing podcasts outlined in this post by Lilach Bullock. Tape Sam Cocking’s infographic on creating an Instagram marketing campaign to your refrigerator, or at least check it out on your computer… Get the big picture on influencer marketing (what it is and how to use it) in this article by Gerardo A. Dada. Entrepreneurship, startups, and innovation From overwork and investment dry spells, to the high price tags suppliers charge, Thomas Smales says you’ll find that a little creative thinking solves the...
read moreWill Alexa be your next employee of the month?
Did you hear the news about Amazon’s Alexa? The company is targeting businesses to adopt the popular voice-activated assistant. Frankly, I’m shocked that it’s taken this long – but I’m not surprised that Amazon was the first to come forward in this market. We have been discussing the business adoption of voice assistants like Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, and Microsoft’s Cortana for quite some time. (By the way, on the consumer side, these systems could pose a threat to small businesses, depending on how advertising is handled.) The big news with Amazon’s Alexa is that the company is creating a Business Platform along with several third-party app providers. Further, companies will be able to develop their own custom apps…which in Alexa lingo are called “skills.” We might soon see an Alexa business skill like this: “Alexa, start a conference call with the heads of marketing, finance, and operations.” As I mentioned above, all the major tech companies have an entry in the voice assistant category, however, with Alexa’s small price tag – the Echo Dot sells for $30 – it has gained more market penetration than the others. Over the recent holiday shopping weekend, the Echo Dot was the #1 selling product on Amazon…around the entire globe! We know that Amazon has done a great job enabling Alexa to do things like add items to a grocery list. It’s not a big jump from that skill to a skill like: “Alexa, order enough boxes to get our shipping department through the holiday season.” I’m sure that Amazon is dreaming of a world where Alexa has so many productivity-enhancing skills that there will be a device in every cubicle from sea to shining sea. I’m thrilled that Amazon has fired the opening volley in this category. We need some killer apps in the voice-assistant world to boost productivity. As you know, over the last decade or so, we’ve struggled to make any significant productivity improvements. Perhaps Alexa’s skills will lead the way....
read more7 reasons why investors won’t back your startup
No, no, no! Toddlers expect to hear that, but when you’re a grown adult with an idea for “the next big thing” and investor after investor tells you no, it’s not only painful, it can ruin your life plans. With my background in investing and knowing many in the field, let me give you a short list of red flags investors spot that cause them to usher you politely to the door. Your social media profile. If you’re a job applicant today you need to expect that your prospective employer will be looking you up on social media. Investors do the same thing. If you rant and rave on social media, or demonstrate other inappropriate or risky behavior, it will be a blot on your name when you start asking people for money. You’ve failed ugly in the past. All entrepreneurs have failures in their past, but a lot can be learned by how you handle failure. If you leave a trail of enraged employees, vendors, and investors in your wake, folks won’t want to sign on to your next project. Not only do you have to “know when to fold ’em,” you need to know how to fold ’em with integrity. Failing to articulate why you and not someone else. Investors hear a lot of pitches so unless they know you from a previous success, you’re just another face walking through the door. What special sauce do you have that the next guy with a similar idea lacks? It could be your experience, a potential patent, or anything else that makes you unique in the market. Not knowing how you’re going to get customers. The saying goes that if you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door. Unfortunately, it just isn’t true. You need to know how you’re going to reach the people who want a better mousetrap – most of us are fine with our old mousetraps. Unrealistic expectations in sales and costs. It’s exciting to have a great business idea and that excitement often morphs into unrealistic expectations. Just like a home remodeling project, everything is going to cost more and take longer than planned. But unlike a home remodeling project, you have the added pressure of making sales and they will come in more slowly than expected. Be ready to demonstrate that you understand this and are presenting realistic projections. Not knowing what’s next. I wrote on this specific topic earlier. A successful chess player always sees several moves ahead. If you don’t know what the second phase of your company’s development is, there’s no reason for investors to back it. If you can’t chart a path forward, by definition your plan has no potential. Lack of management perspective. The world is full of idea people who want full control or final say. Investors are practical people – they need to know that individuals with strong management skills will be leading the way. Your excitement won’t fund the project. Before you go knocking on doors, try to put yourself in the investors’ position. Would you fund yourself? What are your negatives? It’s true to say that investors back people more than specific business ideas. If you can’t fix your negatives, it might be time to find a partner who...
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