Most people search online, even when they’re looking for a LOCAL business … especially with the ongoing tidal wave of smartphone use.

Smartphone Consumers Search a Lot

Statistics from the Google report “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users,” 2011:

• 95% of smartphone users have searched for local information
• 61% of users call a business after searching …
• … and 59% visit the location
• 90% of these people act within 24 hours

The Three Waves of Google

Google, and other search engines have generally gone through three modes of operation, all with the intent of delivering up to the searchers the information that’s most likely to satisfy –

1. In the beginning, google simply used title, keywords and meta description .. but it was subject to abuse, and became completely unreliable as the sharpsters got wise and gamed the system
2. Then google began to rely upon inbound links, thinking that if external sites thought the current site was important, then that was a ‘vote’ and this worked until sharpsters got smarter and smarter about how to game the system by manipulating external sites
3. And in 2011, and in 2012, google is turning toward two other things as a way of gathering votes, on the expectation that these new ‘vote-gathering’ approaches will be harder to manipulate

The Increase of Mobile Phones

Right now, there are about 1.25 billion computers in the world … and 3 billion cellphones. And the trend within the cellphone users is to migrate overwhelmingly to smartphones. By 2013 there will be more people searching via smartphone than via normal desktops and laptops. (Sources: Gartner, 2010; Google Internal Data, 2011; Cisco, 2011)

Since Google’s prime directive is to make happy the searchers, Google is already rewarding folks who have a specialized mobile site, and penalizing those who don’t. People who buy Google’s ‘adwords’ advertising now pay less for their clicks if they have a mobile site, and pay more for their clicks when they don’t. And you can bet your bootie that search results are working the same way … ESPECIALLY google’s mobile search results, which is growing in importance every single day.

The Increase of Social Marketing

As described in my book (“Marketing Online, Clear and Simple,” available on Amazon), making money using the internet only happens when three essential steps are done.

If you are a local business marketing online, here are the essential steps: First is having a location online, a website. Second is some METHOD of engaging visitors in a conversation … otherwise, statistics tell us they visit once, and then never ever return again. And third is a METHOD of increasing traffic to the site.

Guess what?

Social sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, Digg, and Redit all provide a METHOD of engaging visitors into a conversation, and they all provide a METHOD of increasing traffic to your site.

And social site usage is booming.

The Rise of Local-Business Online Methods

Most local business owners are too busy handling the alligators of daily operation to engage in the rather long and changing learning curve of effectively learning online methods that actually work. Some of them “get a website” but never do the other two essential steps, and then wonder why “the website” doesn’t make a dime.

However, this is going to shift a lot in 2012.

The increase in smartphone usage will provide more local-business searches. The increase in social marketing, including people who run local businesses, and the local “chatter” from their customers … will increase search methods leading to greater foot-traffic into local businesses.

Further, the hijacking of first page search results by online sharpsters will become more difficult, and less profitable. That business model usually amounts to the sharpster seizing google results with the intent of grabbing the results, and then sending the buyer to the seller’s website, while extracting some profit in doing so. That model will become more difficult.

However, the “local” searches for a local business marketing online, such as “divorce attorney in pittsburgh,” will still be effective, and the rise in smartphone searches will make this kind of search more effective. Google development of Google places and local search results will support the accuracy of this kind of search.

The Result: A Boom for Local Businesses

And this represents two opportunities …

• If you are a local business, it will be worth your while to (a) get an effective website, (b) create a conversation system, (c) engineer a traffic-building system.
• If you are an online consultant or web-builder or marketing expert, you will most help your clients with their local business marketing online if you can help them with the “Three Step Marketing” Formula (described in my book), and especially with traffic and promotions using a mobile site, a facebook business page, and the new QR-Codes to snag even more smartphone users.

Is this only for big businesses? Or folks with lots of money?

Not really. Sure, big businesses will have web-gurus, but that’s unchanged from the past, and LOCAL searches won’t be much impacted. Local businesses will either have more money and less time to spend, like attorneys and doctors and hardware stores, and they can hire out the work … or they’ll be smaller and have less money and more time for smoozing on Facebook, like a musician and a hair salon and a local coffee house.

Need Help with your Local Business?

Contact me for a free 15-minute Discovery Session.

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Check out his persuasive video about the “Zero Moment of Truth,” here –

Now, quite possibly you may wonder how this might affect your business. Or maybe you’re stumped about what you can do as a practical matter to take advantage of this idea. After all your business is your business. You’re not in the marketing online business.

Two Ways I Can Help

1. Get my new book, “Marketing Online, Clear and Simple, for Local Business.” It’s already on Amazon as a Kindle Edition, and Barnes & Noble as a Nook e-reader book. It will appear as a print title on Amazon soon, and you can get it online as a pdf at my “book site” at http://marketingonlineclearandsimple.com. With the book come a complete series of detailed “how-to” videos which will lead you through the essential steps, click by click.
   ..
2. Call me for a free 15-minute Discovery Session, to see whether CopyDragon Webwriters might be able to provide a complete “done for you” service. You see, my business *is* online marketing. My musical instruments sell around the world, through internet marketing, for example, and I’ve helped dozens of clients to get on the cyberspace fast track.

Those Rascally Customers of Yours

When someone hears about your product or your service, as you darn well know, often their very first reaction is ‘Let me search online for it’. Fact.

It’s simply the way people live and learn and make buying decisions today. They use review sites, read online copy, hear referrals from Facebook friends, and more. It’s what they do at home, in the office, and on their cell phones too.

Lots of times they want to see a video. Seeing is believing. So it behooves you to *be seen.*

Don’t know how? Nope?

No problem. I know how.

Get the Book, or Call me …

Get the book here:

http://amazon.com, and simply search for “Arthur Cronos” (my name)
http://bn.com, and simply search for “Arthur Cronos” (my name)
http://marketingonlineclearandsimple.com

Call me for a free 15-minute Discovery Session here:

(530) 938-1100 (pacific time zone)

See you online!

In many cases, the deal is … your business either adapts … or dies. I’ve had a couple of businesses die, where I failed to find a way to adapt to the changing market. I’ve felt the pain, first hand.

The search behemoth, Google, has published an interesting view about marketing. I’d never heard of this before. It’s called the “Zero Moment of Truth.” This idea came from Proctor & Gamble, the soap barons, who know a thing or two about marketing. They apparently came up with this idea in 2005.

Here’s what the “Zero Moment of Truth” means …

What is the Zero Moment of Truth?

This phrase is based on the idea of the first moment of truth (FMOT) which is when a consumer comes across a shelf full of product and makes the decision on which to buy.

In that year, in a forward to a book called Lovemarks, the CEO of Procter & Gamble, A. G. Lafley said this:

“The best brands consistently win two moments of truth.

“The first moment occurs at the store shelf, when a consumer decides whether to buy one brand or another.

“The second occurs at home, when she uses the brand — and is delighted, or isn’t.”

I Can Relate. Can You?

I’ve had this experience. The moment at the store. And then the moment at home.

And I’ve talked to my customers, in a number of businesses I’ve run over the last 40 years. And I’ve heard them report these same moments.

Do you relate?

Evolution Today: What’s Changed?

Well, something has changed. The fact is, in many cases, I don’t go wandering down the aisles of the store. At least, that’s not my *first* action. In many cases, my first action is … searching online.

Have *you* had this experience? Searching online before visiting the store? Or searching online before buying online?

I’ll bet big money you’ve had this experience.

What Does This Tell Us?

It tells us that there’s a moment *before* the so-called “First Moment of Truth!”

It’s telling us about a new critical moment of decision. Google claims — and I believe them — that this happens before consumers even get into the store. Well, doh! Yup. Observation confirms this claim.

And whether you sell services or some product, local or online — a roofing contractor or an Amazon author selling books or a barber in your town or a traveling hypnotherapist — in many cases, your customers’ first impression — and quite possibly their final decision — will be made in this Zero Moment of Truth.

Want help? CopyDragon can Help

Want to take ownership of that Moment?

Or rather do nothing, and just let some competitor have it?

It’s up to you.

But if you want to have more control over your own destiny, over the forward movement of your business, both for greater prosperity and for ensuring better survival, then contact me for a free 15-minute Discovery Session.

Together, let’s see what can open up for you.

– Arthur

PS:  Watch for the next article. I’ve got a great video which illustrates this concept, OK?

The Seated Buddha in Sri Lanka Ponders the Meaning of Twit

TIP #7143?

First, just kidding about the number. It’s not really #7143. It’s really the first one I’m posting.

But *everyone* posts seven tips for this and that, right?

So I’ll just *begin* with number 7143. Somebody else can start with number one. The CopyDragon is generous that way. With my approach, I’ll never step on anyone’s toes, right?

MAKING A CUSTOM BACKGROUND TO LOOK PRO

One trick to make a good looking twitter custom page is that different people’s browser widths vary. And if their browser is much wider or much narrower than when you design it, you discover a lot of empty space either side of your main panel. OR, worse, the main twitter panel always covers part of your underlying graphic.

One solution is to make sure the graphic’s left margin works OK when it’s very narrow. That’s what I’ve done on my own twitter profile by placing the name and ‘nickname’ arranged vertically on the far left.

Stretch browser width wide. Holds up pretty good.

Squeeze browser width narrow. Holds up pretty good.

As the Vulcan says … Go forth and Twitster.

Is is merely one-upsmanship in the age of the Social Web?

Or is it a troubled cry for help?

You be the judge …

… music of mental pondering goes here …

I’M A TWIT. ACTUALLY, TWO TWITS

I have succumbed to Twitter. I am now a twit.

Worse. I am two twits.

I’m a Twit once at http://twitter.com/CopyDragon
(which is associated with this new website http://CopyDragon.com)

I’m a Twit Again at http://twitter.com/TraktorTopaz
(which is associated with my old website http://TraktorTopaz.com)

GETTING FANCY TO BOOT

I have customized the Twitter Profiles of both of them, as you will see, when you have a moment free to satisfy your curiosity and to take a look. The custom background is pretty easy. Several sites offer templates, meaning a kind of worked up graphic to which you tweak. It’s easy. Edit in your fave graphics program, upload, and Bob’s your Uncle, there it be.

On this website, and on the TraktorTopaz.com website for the Dread Pirate Topaz Twitter persona, I’ve added a ‘follow me’ twit-button into the navbar, and allocated a page with a widget to display recent twits, in the hope that you might find them useful or entertaining.

My big plan for these personas is to develop some twitter community for my music instrument and forum folks (Dread Pirate Topaz), and some twitter community for my Internet Marketing interests which includes hypnosis, our article spinner, my dating method, and other online projects (CopyDragon).

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Short story inserted here: Many years ago I found out that I knew from nothing about how to dress and wear clothes. And I set out to learn. I was in major meeting-women mode, and highly motivated. I even had “my colors” done. (Yes, men. I’m not ashamed to admit it.) And I thought long and hard about the question of … “How do the clothes you wear affect the way people perceive you?”

Once I’d found the question, then many useful answers just tumbled out as obvious. But isn’t it often the case that, when you find the right question, most of the battle is won?

And *one* of my realizations is that, given human nature, everyone who meets you is going to quickly assign you to a stereotype. That’s what we do when we meet someone.

So it follows that, since they’re going to do that, the best way to grasp control of this process is to present them with a stereotype of your own choosing.

So what did *I* do?

Well, in my own case, I chose ‘carefree professor’ and wore corduroy jackets with elbow patches, grannie glasses, curly hair, no tie or a woven one or something offbeat, mostly in slightly restrained primary colors.

But I digress.

The point is this –

HUMANS CAN’T HELP THINKING IN STEREOTYPES

In any universe, people who meet you are going to pigeonhole you, and they’ll use some stereotype. On this list, for example, in one internet marketing forum where I learn a lot, a guy there named Gene might be the domain-flipping guy. Another member, Steve, might be the unusual-adwords guy. And the fellow who runs it, Dennis, is the five dollar guy, because of the name of a book he wrote.

This doesn’t mean that these stereotypes and pigeonhole categories are *all* that these fellows are. It’s just an example of stereotypes that might be applied to them by new folks on this form, who have nothing to go on except what they see presented in discussions on the forum.

WHO AM I, REALLY?

Up till now, though I have a highly-developed persona in the musical instrument world called ‘Traktor’ (and now given a twist as ‘Dread Pirate Topaz’), I’ve given no thought to how people may stereotype me in the Internet Marketing world.

So far, I’ve been working in the background, continuing to enhance and refine my skills, and yet …

In recent weeks, I’ve been coming to realize that at some point, the networking with other online marketers is going to be … where it’s at.

WORKING WITH OTHER ONLINE MARKETERS

I had the experience of working with a couple of other guys on that forum … for one guy I provided him with a free bonus he could give away with some software he was selling … for another guy I provided a glowing testimonial after I used his product … and for a couple of other fellows I had some ideas that helped them improve their products … and this experience confirmed to me that, in the end, the personal relationships will be important.

It will be from our friends that our power comes.

I’ve heard this, expressed differently, before.

I’m coming around to believing it true.

WONDERING WHO I WAS …

So mulling over these questions, I anguished around for several days, considering implementing Twitter, and one of my questions was “What will be my persona/stereotype for the world of online marketing?”

And here’s what I decided …

I decided that if I am to have any particular core internet marketing skill, or its persona, it should be as a copywriter.

Copywriting is a common thread running through all methods of marketing, and I’ve written copy for posters to go up on bulletin boards, copy to be recorded as outgoing messages on answering machines and voicemail machines. I’ve written sales letter, direct mail brochures, take-one displays, small business-card brochures, trade-show presentations, yellow-page advertisements, scripts for sales reps to use selling business services, ebay advertisements, online sales pages, and … more.

I’ve had a bit of practice.

WHY NOT BE BRILLIANT?

Therefore I have decided to be a brilliant copywriter, and so far it appears to be working.

This is not really as arrogant as it may sound, but rather it is simply my mental focus. (And it is the focus of my self-hypnosis programming, too.)

Besides, in fact I feel confident that my past skills and present study can continue to improve my copywriting skills considerably above average, because I’m starting above the norm in the general population (maybe not above average for some of the high-end online marketers); and perhaps even more important, I have uncovered some stupendous how-to materials for learning.

FANTASTIC METHODS TO IMPROVE ONLINE SALES COPY

Recently I’ve obtained, after long search, a copy of Eugene Schwartz’s book called ‘Breakthrough Advertising.’ It’s not just about advertising, and I consider it the most brilliant book on marketing of all the hundreds of such books that I have read.

I’ve studied with materials from Kenneth Yu, Robert Plank, Mark Joyner, Dan Kennedy, Seth Godin, Joe Sugarman, and Maria Veloso, and classic evergreen texts like John Caples’s ‘Tested Advertising Methods.’

BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN ONE MAN BE?

I dithered for several days, because I have fingers in several developing pies which might require different personas.

But since development of each twitter-scape will require effort, each additional persona would divide the available time, and weaken the results.

However, by simply sleeping on it and handing it to my subconscious mind, things became clear and simple upon arising today, and it seems that two personas will be manageable.

Two personas will permit some re-use of useful material between them, and I think I can allocate time enough to develop the both of them.

Probably.

… music of mental pondering goes here …

ONE STEP AT A TIME?

This is my typical version of Alcoholics Anonymous famous creed, except that I like to get things done faster.

That’s why my motto is “Two Steps at a Time!”

And two personas … fits right in.

Gosh, what a lot of blathering. Well, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it, at least long enough to publish it here and there, and see if it finds any resonance with some of you good folks who might be reading it.

If so, please tell me your ideas in the ‘Comments’ box below.

I would greatly welcome additional ideas, and I would greatly welcome to hear about methods and results that you may have found to be useful in working with Twitter.

Again, please tell me what you think in the ‘Comments’ box below.

– Arthur Cronos