Websites: Small Businesses Profit from Online Marketing Efforts

Kansas City—Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson said today that small businesses need to start investing in online marketing strategies and the first step is to develop a website. 

     “Small businesses are lagging behind in investing in a business website.  Only about 50 percent of small businesses in the U.S. have websites,” said Edson.

     There are many reasons for small businesses to invest in developing a business website. 

     First, consumers are online.  A consumer research study found that 97 percent of U.S. consumers research products, services and businesses online before they buy. If your business is not online, consumers won't find you.  

     Second, the competition has website. Nearly half of small businesses have a website.  If potential consumers are searching online, they may find your competition instead of you.

     Lastly, it’s all marketing. Think of a website as an investment in marketing.  A website can not only provide information but can be used as an appointment tool, a communication device in which customers can ask questions and be the anchor for a larger online marketing strategy.

     “Investing in a website is a small investment to make in the future of business,” said Edson. 

E-books: The New Business Marketing Tool

E-books: The New Business Marketing Tool

Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson today announced that e-books have become a new marketing tool used by businesses for promotion.

“The internet and e-readers have added a new marketing tool to the toolbox,” she said.”

Prior to this, it was difficult to get a book published through the traditional publishing houses.

“Now, however, it’s possible to write, upload and publish a book as fast as you can write it,” said Edson.

Writing e-books for promotional purposes works for a variety of reasons, she said.

First, writing an e-book helps elevate the author to expert status. By having written a book on an industry or business, the author demonstrates his knowledge of that industry.

Secondly, the author can further demonstrate his knowledge by using the book to address concerns or comments from customers. Not only does this illustrate his knowledge of the industry, it also shows he’s in touch with customers and know what they say.

Lastly, it allows businessmen to spread the word. E-books can be distributed through the internet, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and a few other places. With e-books, it’s up to the author how, when and where to distribute the book. “The more places used to distribute the e-book the more overall marketing effect it has,” she said.

Business Blogs: Businesses Succeed by Focusing on Customer Needs

Kansas City—Freelance writer and published author Phyllis Edson said today that business blogs should be customer-centered to drive traffic to the business website and bring customers through the door. 

     Business blogs can have a variety of information, including videos, articles and photographs.  All of which is geared toward the needs of the customer.   

     “The more information that interests the reader and engages the customer, the better,” she said. 

     The information posted on a business blog does not have to only be about the product or services of the business. The information presented on the blog can be related to the market and be interesting and valuable to the customer.  

     “Business blogs should provide value to the customer to keep them coming back.  If the blog is written as a sales page, the number of repeat visitors will be less,” she said.

     For example, she said, a business that sells jewelry may want to include articles on what’s trending in fashion, clothes, handbags, make-up and more. 

     “The blog has to be interesting to the customer, but not all just about the product, to keep customers coming back,” she said.  

Business Blogs: Putting a Face on Business Brings Business

     Kansas City—Freelance writer and published author Phyllis Edson said today that business blogs are a great way to humanize a business, which builds trust and increases business.

     “Business blogs are an excellent way to introduce the people of your business to customers and put a face to a faceless corporation, whether big or small,” said Edson. 

     Businesses can use blogs to post photos of employees, profiles and stories.  These can be presented in a more casual fashion than the corporate website. 

     “People like to do business with people, she said, not corporations.”

     Edson provides research and writing services including press releases, content for newsletters, brochures, websites and blogs.  For more information,

     She has 20 years of writing experience.  For each client, she says, she provides professionally written, well-researched products that satisfy the needs of the individual client and appeal to that client’s audience. 

     For more information on business blogs, contact Phyllis Edson at 816-305-5828 or e-mail her at phyllisedson@comcast.net. 

Social Media Marketing For Business: How Businesses Can Profit From Facebook and Twitter

Kansas City—Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson said today that businesses should consider tying together their blogs with social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, for a powerful social media marketing strategy.  

     “Social media outlets offer businesses a marketing strategy that adds potential customers everytime a link is shared or liked,” she said.  “It multiplies the effect of “word-of-mouth.” 

     Edson added that the problem she sees with many businesses and how they use blogs and social media is they undertake it themselves rather than hire professionals. 

     “Many times, you see blogs, tweets or postings which are actually being written by the CEO or business owner.  While I understand they’re trying to personalize their business and relate to the consumer, I doubt these same business owners write their own commercials and advertisements,” said Edson.  “They don’t have time to do this and do it well.  It’s not long before they lose interest and stop altogether,” she said.

     While blogs and social media are more casual means of advertising, they still should be undertaken and addressed professionally, she said.  With blogs and social media, you still want to keep in mind who the audience is, what’s to be accomplished, what your goals are and what the content should be.

     “Social media and blogs should be considered a marketing campaign effort and then handled accordingly,” said Edson.  

Business Blogs: Fresh, New Content Drives Traffic, Produces Profits

Kansas City—Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson said today that business blogs need to be updated with fresh, new content on a regular basis in order to be a useful marketing tool.

     With the growth of the use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter for marketing, many businesses have forgotten to update their blogs and have left them to languish. There are several problems with ignoring the business blog, said Edson. 

     “Ignoring the blog is similar to ignoring your business’ newsletter,” said Edson. “The blog helps keep customers updated and interested in what your business is doing and helps the search engines drive traffic to your website,” she said.  

     According to Edson, there are several ways to develop fresh, new content for a business blog.  “Blogs should be used to inform and engage the customers,” she said. 

     Ideas for content include what’s new in your business.  Include changes you have made recently in products or services you offer.  Don’t forget to announce certifications earned, trainings attended and continuing education classes attended by your employees. Also, include content regarding changes in your industry in general.   

     “Customers want to know that the companies they do business with are staying informed and trained in industry and technological updates and changes.  This builds trust,” she said.  

Writing Ebooks to Promote Business

Kansas City—Freelance writer and published author Phyllis Edson said today that writing and self-publishing an e-book is now easier than ever and a strategic marketing move by business owners.  

     “Writing and publishing a book helps promote the author as an expert in his or her field,” she said.  “By writing and publishing one’s own book, he is promoting his expertise and his business,” she said.   

     Now, business owners can easily publish an e-book themselves through e-readers and the internet. 

     The internet and e-readers, such as Kindle and Nook, have made it possible for anyone to publish a book easily and quickly.  No longer does it take several years to publish a book.  Now, once the book is written, it can be uploaded and for sale in a matter of days.  Furthermore, authors no longer have to share the profits with large publishing houses, she said. 

     “Self-publishing allows business owners the opportunity to illustrate their expertise, promote themselves and their business and profit from these efforts as well,” said Edson. 

     Many business owners shy away from this marketing strategy because the act of writing the book seems too cumbersome.  However, business owners can hire a ghostwriter to do the hard work for them. “The advantage of hiring a ghostwriter is that the e-book gets written, and the business owner still gets the credit as well as the royalties from the sale of the book.”   

Blog Marketing: Small Businesses Benefit from Blogs

Kansas City—Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson said today that small businesses should consider utilizing blog marketing to grow their businesses. 

     An online blog, formerly known as a web log, is a site in which comments and posts are listed chronologically as they are posted.  

     “Small businesses can realize a variety of benefits from hosting blogs,” said Edson.

     First, she said, blogs can help small businesses build and maintain a relationship with customers.  “Business owners can quickly post a variety of updates on products or promotions on their blog to keep their customers engaged,” she said. 

     Second, blogs can be used to build and maintain a marketing brand.  “By using the business’ logo, colors, and product or service information on the blog, the business reinforces its  brand in the mind of the customer,” said Edson. 

     Lastly, blogs can drive customers to your business.  Blogs, which should have new, fresh content added to them regularly, are indexed more quickly by the search engines than static websites, she said.  “By having one or several blogs which link to your business’ website, you are driving traffic from those blogs to your website.  More traffic means more business.”  

     “Overall, blogs can be a necessary, cost-effective marketing tool,” she said. 

     Edson provides research and writing services including press releases, content for newsletters, brochures, websites and blogs. 

     She has 20 years of writing experience.  For each client, she says, she provides professionally written, well-researched products that satisfy the needs of the individual client and appeal to that client’s audience. 

     For more information on blog marketing, contact Phyllis Edson at 816-305-5828 or e-mail her at phyllisedson@comcast.net.  Visit her website at http://www.phyllisedson.com. 

Business Blogs: Businesses Increase Marketing through Customer Relations

Kansas City—Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson said today that businesses should utilize business blogs to develop relationships with consumers.  

     An online blog, formerly known as a web log, is a site in which comments and posts are listed chronologically, as they are posted.   Unlike a business website, which is usually static and is more of an online brochure, blogs are dynamic.  The business can add updates about products, features, promotions and post them easily.  Also, customers can leave comments which can also be viewed and responded to by the business owner and by other customers. 

     “A blog allows businesses to interact with customers and develop relationships with them,”  she said.  “By helping customers and responding to them, a business is much more likely to get repeat business from those customers.”   

     A business blog can act as a customer relations department, said Edson.  “For every customer a business hears from who has a complaint or problem with a product, there are many more with have the same issue that the business never hears from.”  By posting responses to customers online, the business is not only answering questions for more than one customer, it’s showing it wants to be responsive to customers.   “In terms of marketing and customer services, blogs are much more efficient and effective,” she said. 

     Edson provides research and writing services including  press releases, content for newsletters, brochures, websites and blogs. 

     She has 20 years of writing experience.  For each client, she says, she provides professionally written, well-researched products that satisfy the needs of the individual client and appeal to that client’s audience. 

     For more information on business blogs, contact Phyllis Edson at 816-305-5828 or e-mail her at phyllisedson@comcast.netBusiness Blogs.  Visit her website at http://www.phyllisedson.com. 

Blog Marketing: Businesses Can Increase Profits without Breaking the Bank

Kansas City—Freelance writer and online marketer Phyllis Edson said today that businesses should utilize blog marketing in order to grow their profits without going broke advertising.

     An online blog, formerly known as a web log, is a site in which comments and posts are listed chronologically, as theyare posted.   Unlike a business website, which is usually static and is more of an online brochure, blogs are dynamic.  The business can add updates about products, features, promotions and post them easily. 

     “Blogs are a necessary marketing tool for those businesses that are using the internet to generate business,” said Edson. 

     Blogs, which should have new, fresh content added to them regularly, are indexed more quickly than static websites, she said.  “By having one or several blogs which link to your business’ website, you are driving traffic from those blogs to your website.  More traffic means more business.” 

     Edson provides research and writing services including  press releases, content for newsletters, brochures, websites and blogs.  

     She has 20 years of writing experience.  For each client, she says, she provides professionally written, well-researched products that satisfy the needs of the individual client and appeal to that client’s audience. 

     For more information on blog marketing, contact Phyllis Edson at 816-305-5828 or e-mail her at phyllisedson@comcast.net.  Visit her website at http://www.phyllisedson.com.