If your website is not attracting good prospects and getting them to buy your products and services, you are losing out to your competition. To be successful in today's challenging business environment, you cannot afford to miss buyers. Either learn to build and develop internet marketing programs yourself or have a professional internet marketer help you.

Internet Marketing Creates Opportunity for Lakeland Companies

Marketing Online Increasing Sales Results for Service Contractors

By Jack Duncan, internet marketing expert, Radiance Road Marketing, Lakeland, FL

With the recession hampering sales, many small businesses are looking at ways to increase their income while keeping costs low. One of the first things owners do in a economic downturn is reduce the marketing plan budget. Usually this just worsens the problem since less marketing means decreases leads and resulting sales. After all, marketing attracts customers to your company. The best thing to do is study the cost-effectiveness of your marketing mix or where you spend your marketing dollars.

The biggest shares of most service companies’ marketing budgets have traditionally been spent on phone books and newspaper ads. Many owners have seen the return on investment in these ads decline during recent years, while the cost of running them continues to grow. Leading companies, both large and small, invest in internet marketing as a more effective method of producing income.

The results? Take two examples from Remodeling magazine. First, from Jim Cory’s article Web Marketing Makeover (July 09):

Until the recession hit, MainStreet Design Build, in Birmingham, Mich., counted on a marketing budget to generate the 20% to 25% of its business that didn’t come through past customers or referrals. That budget included maintaining the company website. But expectations for the site weren’t high. “Every time we looked on Google, it wouldn’t show up,” owner Steve Ramaekers says.

Today, after a $12,000 investment in Web design and search engine optimization (SEO), MainStreet Design Build’s rebuilt site generates more business for the company than any other lead source, including repeat and referral.

And another, from Nina Patel’s All Avenues (Jan-Feb 09):

Neil Kristianson of Crimson Design & Construction, in Naperville, Ill., is using new tactics to keep the phone ringing in this tough economy. The number of leads from his Web site has doubled during the past year, and because changes to boost Internet traffic are cost-effective compared with traditional marketing such as direct mail, he began with updates to the site.

These are just two cases from remodeling companies. Plumbers, air conditioning repair firms, doctors, lawyers and other small businesses who provide services are seeing comparable results by adjusting their marketing strategies. What does this mean for your own future?

Either you will adapt to new ways of attracting customers or your competitors are going to gain an enormous lead. Businesses who invest today enjoy an easier path to prosperity. However, many owners hesitate to switch from what has worked in the past. Typically, the obstacles to altering their asset allocation are:

1. Not enough knowledge to start an internet marketing program – too complicated
2. No method for calculating return on investment – see marketing online as expense
3. No funding – not in our budget

The first reason makes sense. You don’t want to adopt new tactics if you don’t have the knowledge, skills and abilities to get results. But that’s why you hire a professional to do the job. Your clients employ you to do their plumbing or air conditioning repair or you get an attorney to represent you in court to assure a positive outcome.

As for the second reason, professionals know they have to have business cards, brochures or advertising to promote their services and get clients. Most companies here in Lakeland already have a website, but don’t see results. They don’t want to spend money to try something new. Is your website getting great results? As you can see from the above examples, other businesses are seeing results from online marketing because they are willing to make the investment. Would you invest $1200 to make $3600? $12,000 to get back $36,000? What if your return was greater? I bet you would!

Finally, budgeting is important. Who controls your budget? Does your budget control YOU? Are you putting money in the right place? If your budgeting doesn’t change, your results won’t get better in this economy. Maybe your budget for marketing worked when the economy was healthier. Successful companies INCREASE their marketing spending in a recession because that’s what it takes to keep clients and get new customers and get them to spend more with your business. Companies who adjust their budgets and adopt best practices to changing conditions enjoy a significant lead in the marketplace. Are you willing to adapt?

Adversity breeds opportunity. Today might be the very best time to grow your business. IF your company seizes the advantage internet marketing offers today, you could profit massively in the near future. It really is an easy decision.

Radiance Road Marketing provides a few, select Lakeland business owners the opportunity to capture a growing share of profits from internet marketing. Right now, you can leverage the knowledge, experience and ability of a local internet marketing services company by starting a 90-day Trial Partnership that limits your risk. You will see tangible results within the three month period and be able to weigh the benefits to your company’s bottom line.

Jack Duncan has more than 25 years marketing, advertising and public relations experience consulting for small businesses. He started Radiance Road Marketing to help Lakeland, FL business owners profit from internet marketing opportunities. Visit his website http://www.radianceroadmarketing.com to discover more tips and strategies to grow your business by marketing online or call him at (863) 668-1086 to ask questions.