Are You A Customer Or A Client?

In Your Business Do You Have Customers Or Clients?

Most people interchange the two but I found these definitions in the Merriam Webster online dictionary

Tradesmen advising client

Customer One who purchases a commodity or service

Client    One who is under the protection of another
When you think carefully about these two definitions there is a very distinct difference.

A Customer 

• ⇒ Purchases a stand alone product or service

Retail advice

• ⇒ Acts on his/her own information
• ⇒ Usually seeks the best price available
• ⇒ Will move to another supplier for a better price
• ⇒ Has no loyalty

A Client

• ⇒ Seeks a trusted advisor
• ⇒ Is not after a product but a solution to a problem.
• ⇒ Seeks advice about the best way to solve that problem
• ⇒ Will act on that advice.
• ⇒ Will be looking for Return On Investment not initial cost.
• ⇒ Will pay more for good advice that goes with the service
• ⇒ Will usually remain loyal
• ⇒ Will return more often for additional services which will improve the benefits they gained from the first purchase

Advising senior client

You need to listen carefully so you know and understand their problem
When you are in business it is best to become a trusted advisor.
It is far better to serve clients than sell to customers
You recommend the product that will give them greater benefits not the product that will give you the most profit.
Focus on the long term value of the client

As a special Offer

Free….No Obligation…… Value $297

Research and analysis of your online presence from a marketing viewpoint
One hour consultation to explain the findings and how it is affecting your business and profits both positively and negatively

To Claim Your FREE consultation Call NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau  4208

(07)   5546 6899      0419 418 951

Why You Would Want a Responsive Website

First of all what is a Responsive Website?

A Responsive Website is one which has a built in code that detects the type of device that is trying to connect to it. So it doesn’t matter if you are connecting from a smartphone, a tablet or a computer the size of the page shown will adapt to the screen size of the device.

If you have a regular website that is built with a regular non responsive theme then the size of the website page shown will not change and your prospective client needs to scroll across and back as well as up and down.

This leads to frustration for the prospective client and he/she will probably look elsewhere to a website thats more user friendly.

Statistics

In fact 67% of users say they are far more likely to purchase from a responsive website than a non responsive one

How many clients are you losing because you do not have a responsive website?

Smartphone use for connecting to the web is increasing.

Already mobile device sales are ahead of desktop sales and it is predicted that mobile device  access to the net will pass desktop access in 2014.

I heard of a study at the end of 2012 that said the most popular Christmas gift desired by women was an iPad. This is another device with a screen halfway between a smartphone and a desktop computer. Another reason for your website to be responsive.

Google wants all internet users to have a positive user experience and anything that detracts from that will be penalised by Google and so the website will be harder to find.

Since you will never know what sort of device your clients will use you should cater for them all.

For your website design using a responsive theme call

our Marketing and Business Consultant NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208

Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951

Trish                                               Mob: 0416 850 265

Reputation Marketing Services

Our Services can be tailored to your individual needs. They Include

Reputation Marketing:

This is aimed at increasing your reputation on the internet where we will

• help to repair your reputation if any negative comments have been left by a disgruntled customer
• ensure you have listings on 9 local directories plus Google Plus
• ensure that the best keywords and categories are used for your type of business
• optimize these listing with the maximum features allowed by each directory. eg. Google+Pages allow 10 photos an 5 videos
• Spread 10 comments per month on various directories. (These must be genuine and collected by you from satisfied customers)

To be effective this should be a continual process because Google will notice when activity stops and your listings will be affected.

To make collecting testimonials easier for you to collect, we will set up a special website for your clients to leave comments

To see how your reputation is currently seen by Google and also your potential customers  enter your phone number in the box on this banner and you will see an up to date report

SEO Services

I know I said that Google has devalued a lot of links over that past year and many websites that have ranked well have almost disappeared from the first pages of Google.
This does not mean however that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) does not count at all. You still need to do some SEO especially on some keywords.
Keywords can be divided into two types
Those that do well through Google + Pages
Those that require Search Engine Optimisation to get what is called organic listing
Search Engine Optimisation  Services include:
Keyword research
Backlinking to your sites
Setting up web 2.0 sites and backlinking those to your site
Backlinking to web 2.0 sites
Bookmarking
Setting up a complex web of sites all linking to one another.
The initial setup take time but running the campaigns month to month is not as complicated.

To get started with Your Reputation Marketing Call our Business Consultant NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951
Trish                                                   Mob: 0416 850 265

Why You Should Actively Promote

Your Reputation Online

Just a few years ago if you wanted to find out about the reputation of a business or its owner you would “ask a friend”

If you wanted to find out about a product or service you would  ”ask a friend”

Now with the internet being so readily accessible from desktop or laptop computers and also from iPads and mobile phones “ask a friend” is fading in use.

In its place is “ask Google

Now the internet is so vast and contains so much relevant information on such a diverse range of subjects “Googling” is an everyday occurrence for many people.

You will “Google” to find out reviews of movies and also where and at what time it s being screened. You might even give your own thoughts on the movie on Facebook or via a Tweet.

For businesses however the place most commonly used to express your opinion is Google +

Google is putting a lot of effort into getting this up and running effectively and they will reward those who follow the process they are setting up.

If you have been watching over the last two years Google has been changing the rules on Search Engine Optimisation and a lot of strategies that worked in the past are no longer effective. SEO strategists have been working overtime devising strategy after strategy only to find that Google devalues these strategies as well.

Now Google is showing us what we can do and will reward us for doing so.

Google wants us to use Google+Pages to market our business. They have allocated space on the first page for every search for certain designated categories.

The majority of businesses are ignoring this virtual “guaranteed listing” and instead are still trying to use strategies that are too competitive to get the desired result.

Most of the Google +Pages listings are simply listings where Google has found imformation about a business elsewhere on the net eg Yellow Pages and hac=ve used that information to create a business listing. Most have not been claimed by the owner of that business. Some of the information is wrong.

Be among the first in your industry to claim your listing and optimise it.

Yes that’s right Optimise It

Most of the listings are basic.  The more information you insert into this listing the better Google will reward you with higher listings. I have seen the results of various studies that show most of the clicks go to the first 3 places. The figures vary from 62% to as high as 78%.

It is not too difficult to do this because you are usually competing against business owners who are not even trying

To get started promoting your reputation online Call our Business Consultant NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951
Trish                                                   Mob: 0416 850 265

A Good Reputation Improves The Value of Your Business

Whenever a business is sold one of the main assets is the Goodwill of the business.

This figure can even be higher than the physical assets of the business.

Apple attributes 58% of its current market value to its solid reputation and many other fortune 500 companies feel the same

Goodwill is built up by providing excellent service and having a steadily increasing stream of customers or clients.

I have known entrepreneurs who have specialised in buying companies with poor reputation and hence very low goodwill and then turning them around by providing excellent service.

Increased Profits

This not only results in increased profits but also a massive increase in Goodwill as a capital gain.

One gentleman I know from years ago really made a killing in this way because in the past capital gains were tax free.

Many things have changed over the years and now it is becoming easier to generate Goodwill by using a strategy known as Reputation Marketing.

Before the internet people would ask a friend. This became Word of Mouth Marketing.

WOM marketing no longer works as well because consumers now ask Google. 

To have a good Online Reputation you must use Reputation Marketing to ensure you have 5 star reviews and testimonials for consumers to find

With the advances of the internet 72 % of potential new clients will search the internet  to discover what others are saying about the businesses they want to patronise.

Savvy owners are taking note of this and are actively promoting their reputation through the internet

Google have now made it a lot easier by providing  Google Plus pages.

This is really aimed at helping local business to improve their standing in the community.

Your local customers on the Gold Coast

The majority of customers will come from a 5-10 km radius of the location of the shop or office.

Customers will search for the keyword followed by a location. In our case either Gold Coast or one of the suburbs of the Gold Coast.

This narrows the search for the customer but also makes it easier for astute business people to market their reputation and service

Customer are not just buying a service……. they are looking for someone reliable to provide that service.

Have you done anything to convince them that’s you?

Google Plus Pages and other local directories are the best means of promoting your business in this way and if you adopt this strategy you are streets ahead of your competition. Less than 10% are even attempting to do so and less that 5% are doing it properly.

If you want to be in the elite group that are achieving great results contact our business consultant now

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951
Trish                                                   Mob: 0416 850 265

Market Your Online Reputation

 Your personal reputation as well as the reputation of your business is the most valuable asset you have

In fact every business from Fortune 500 companies down to the individual tradesman or handyman depends on their reputation for their ongoing business profitability

Because of this you must endeavour to protect it as much as you can

• Your good name has been built up slowly over the years and it can be taken away very quickly, even without justification
• The openness of the internet makes it easy for anyone with a grudge against you to attempt to damage your good name and, to make it worse, it can be done anonymously
• As you know any person dealing with the public must at some time come across customers or clients who in some way are dissatisfied with either you of a staff member.
• There are online many sites where anyone can leave a”review” or a written opinion of what they are thinking or feeling
• Once on the internet it is almost impossible to have it removed and if this is seen by your potential clients or customers,they may go elsewhere and not wish to do business with you.
• Negative reviews can seriously damage your profits and income and issuing a personal rebuttal will not work as it will only invite others into the comments. What was once a small problem could suddenly escalate.

First impressions count and when consumers are looking for your company on the internet and find these negative reviews and comments  they may no longer wish to deal with you.To go by statistics 70% of people who look for a business online will assess the reviews and comments available before making a decision. This means it is imperative that there are positive comments all over the net

Reputation marketing will make certain that the first impression is a good one

Who could leave these comments?

1. As mentioned above a dissatisfied client who was less than happy with the service supplied by either you or even an employee.
2. A former employee who may have left your employ in less than happy circumstances
3. An unethical competitor who is seeking to gain a business advantage over you.
4. A neighbour or other acquaintance with whom you have had an altercation.

No matter how good or careful you are it is impossible to go through life and especially business life without disagreeing with someone

So what can be done ?

• The first thing to remember is to be pro-active. Monitor wherever your name appears on the net so that you are aware if anything negative appears.The quicker you act on negative news the easier it is to minimise its affect.
• As I have already indicated it is almost impossible to have the adverse comment removed so the only solution is to bury it  and make it invisible in a flood of positive comments.
• If potential clients only see the positive comments your reputation is restored

Reputation Marketing Strategies built into Integrated Marketing Systems can also be great for someone just starting a business who has not yet had the opportunity to build a reputation either good or bad.

Be proactive and start to build your reputation from the beginning. Let people know in advance how good you are.

Get good reviews from the start.

Many existing businesses have never had a reputation building system in place because in the past they never existed. Business managers just gave good service and let their reputations build themselves.

Now Reputation Marketing Strategies can help you to grow your business faster by focusing on positive comments and reviews in as many places on the internet as possible

A Reputation Marketing Strategy is now built into Integrated Marketing Systems situated at Ormeau on the Gold Coast of Queensland but we can service clients from all over Australia.

If you wish to use this strategy to monitor, repair or build your personal or business reputation

Please contact our Marketing Consultant NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951
Trish                                                   Mob: 0416 850 265

Changes To Google Places

Google Places

Google introduced their Google Places in September 2009.

It was free to all local businesses. All any local business had to do was claim the listing. To date many still have not done this.

When claimed almost everyone was guaranteed page 1 listing on Google search.

Google did extract information from other sources on the internet and made up a Google Places Page for many local businesses but when Google got information in this way it was sometimes wrong and it was up to each business to claim their listing and correct it.

Reviews

One of the features of Google Places was the facility for customers and clients to leave reviews of their experience in dealing with that business.

This generated an Online Reputation for that business which when positive would automatically attract new customers

Changes to Google Places that are now happening

Google Places have now merged with Google Plus  to form Google Plus Local Pages.

Google Places still seems to appear as normal but when you click on any listing you will find that it has been moved to Google Plus Local Pages.

The reviews that had appeared on the Google Places have been moved across to Google Plus Local Pages. The author of the review has been listed simply as Google User. It is now up to the person who left that review to claim it.

Google wants everyone to join Google Plus

Google is attempting to get every user of the internet to open a Google Plus account.

You must now have a Google Plus account before you are able to leave a review of claim one that has already been left.

Zagat

The previous rating score for reviews which was based on a star rating system has been replaced by Zagat rating system. This gives different scores for various areas of client experience and ends up giving a rating out of 30.

This is a system that has previously been extensively used in rating restaurants.

Google bought the company so that they could use the rating system.

Google Integration

So effectively Google has now integrated Google Places, Search,Maps and Mobile into Google Plus Local Pages.

This will cause a lot of confusion at first but in the long term it will be much better for both customers and business.

At least that is what Google is predicting.

If all this is confusing to you and you need help sorting out how to manage the changes for your business

Phone NOW for a Free Consultation from our Business Consultant

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951

Trish                                                    Mob: 0416 850 265

How Important Are Google Keywords?

Google keywords are extremely important for you to use in the articles that you write for your website because Google needs to know what information you are offering to anyone searching Google for information about products or services.

What are google keywords?

Google keywords are those words or phrases which people will type into the search bar to discover what is available on the internet that is of interest to them.

The secret to having a website that attracts lots of visitors is having in yourarticles, words and phrases that many people use when they are searching.

Google will scan your website for these words or phrases and then list in order those websites that will most likely satisfy the enquiry made.

Google wants to ensure a greater user experience for everyone using the internet.

Google Keyword Tool

This is the most popular tool for finding the best keywords to use when writing your articles. An important feature is that this tool is free to use.

You simply type in the keyword tool a phrase that you think best describes your product or service.

Google will the list a hundred or more phrases similar to that which you have typed and also the number of times that particular phrase has been used in searched in the past 30 days.

They will also give you the level of competition that you can expect.

You can then find a balance between number of searches and the competition that you will face from other websites in using that phrase.

Tip:  Add your business location Gold Coast or Brisbane to get more targeted reponses

Finding the balance.

When looking at keywords it is best to sort them  from highest to lowest in Local Monthly Searches. It is not wise to use the global searches unless you are seeking clients internationally.

If you choose the phrases with the most monthly searches it means a lot of people are searching for that term but you will almost always find that there is a lot of competition for that term and you are unlikely to  be successful in ranking your website.

If you choose a phrase with lower searches and therefore lower competition you will easily rank but there will be so few people your financial success will be minimal

It is best therefore to find a balance between the number of searches and the competition to give yourself the greatest chance of success.In this way you stand a reasonable chance of ranking and at the same time have enough searches to make if profitable.

Refining the search for better local keywords

You can refine your search for the best keywords by using Google Insight.

This separate tool will refine your search even further by giving you the searches for each state in Australia.

Keyword research is definitely one internet marketing strategy you must get right if you are to be successful in your online marketing.

More tools

There are many more tools available which are not free.

At Integrated Marketing  Systems we have several of these to help refine the search and get the best keywords that will ensure success.

For a free consultation to assess how we can help you with your online marketing

Phone our Marketing Consultant NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951
Trish                                                    Mob: 0416 850 265

Juice 107.3 Good Taste Radio

Integrated Marketing Systems is now a Station Sponsor for Juice 107.3

We value the fact that this is a family radio station that is part of the Gold Coast community.

Juice 107.3 is wholly owned by locals on the Gold Coast

The station radiates family values in both its music and its comments.

Being part of the Gold Coast community it provides information about local events

Click here to find out what’s happening locally

Juice 107.3 cares about  local people and provides a Careline between 9 am and 11 pm each day for you to talk confidentially about whats troubling you.

Find out more about the Careline Here

And of course Juice is assembling their Expert Directory where they are listing the best businesses on the Gold Coast for you to choose from.

And that is where you will find us

http://juice1073.com.au/pages/directory/onlinemarketing

Listen for this message on Juice 107.3

Integrated-Marketing-Systems-A-225738-MC-T (2)

Where Your Potential Customers/Clients Are Searching

The Internet

The Internet is always there. Just access it through your Personal Computer or Smart Phone
Now the majority of the population is connected to the internet for a variety of reasons.

The internet is not restricted to any age

1.  school students often need the information it contains to complete assignments.
2.  seniors are using the internet to communicate with family which today is often well scattered. Emails can be written, photographs exchanged
3. business is engaging massively in online marketing

Broadband is getting faster and is also cheaper for higher downloads and has virtually replaced dial-up as the internet connection of choice. Actually my overall spend is still much the same but I do get heaps more downloads for the same price

For this reason people of all ages are going online to:

1. Research services and products.
2. Research other peoples experiences when using those products and services
3. Find suppliers close to home if possible
4. Research the reviews and recommendations about these suppliers

In fact 35% of all searches on the internet are for local businesses, products and /or services.

They will search for “keyword for your business Gold Coast” or any other areas in which you wish to operate

Whether they will find your business is totally dependant on the keywords you have chosen that will be written into the articles on your website.

Your keyword research that you do prior to setting up your website is vital in making sure your marketing is successful.

Research on the quality of products and services is another aspect in the change in consumer behaviour. This is more easily done online and can rarely be done successfully in newspapers and magazines and never on Yellow pages

People who search for local business are more likely to buy than those who do general searches. What I mean by that is that they will use the search term they are looking for, followed by the town or suburb where they live. This means that they will get it faster from a Local Business.

If you do not appear on the internet you are at a distinct disadvantage

Consumer Behaviour—The Methods They Use To Search

 I have read numerous articles on the subject and checked with friends and acquaintances on how they find businesses that will satisfy their need

This is the results:

They search the internet using keywords or search terms that will satisfy their problem or need.  Eg. They need a painter, They will search for “Best painter in Surfers Paradise”.

There will be several entries on the first page. Very rarely will anyone look past the first page.

They will choose the entries one at a time and look at the webpages.

This will give them an idea of how each painter rates his own performance. This will be seen as biased if that is all they can find.

They will then look for reviews. Reviews are where previous clients have recorded their experience with that painter. The review may be good or bad. It may be a just or an unjust review.

But it will be recognised as the clients opinion and will usually be accepted.

One star or Five star.

1. Which would you select?
2. What happens if they find no reviews at all?
3. They will probably search for a supplier in a nearby  suburb  with good reviews.
4. To get more customers and keep them, you need to advertise where they are looking and build yourself an online reputation

Integrated Marketing Systems is situated at Ormeau on the Gold Coast of Queensland but can service clients from all over Australia
For FREE consultation to discover how  you can increase your customer numbers   Phone our Business Consultant NOW

Integrated Marketing Systems

8 Achievement Drive Ormeau 4208
Jeff   Phone:  (07) 5546 6899      Mob: 0419 418 951
Trish                                                    Mob: 0416 850 265