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Are Distributors Employees Or Customers?

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Hosting

The post Are Distributors Employees Or Customers? appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Distributors are the companies or individuals that you use in order to get your inventory to your clients. They are designed specifically around the logistics of getting your materials to the people who have ordered your products or services. Your suppliers may even be distributors for other companies. These people and companies have a responsibility to you to make sure that your customers get what they have ordered within the agreed upon time frame. The question becomes how exactly should you treat these companies and individuals.   Employees Or Customers Distributors may seem like they are your employees, in a sense, as you are paying them to provide a service for your company. On the other hand, your distributors, like your customers, have their own lists of demands. These demands must be met in order for these distributors to do anything for you. If you are a small business, your distributor may simply be the post office, yet even the post office has its own set of demands regarding what and how you must ship certain objects. If you’re shipping lotions, for example, you must declare the lotions and follow specific protocols in order to ensure that they are shipped properly. Any liquid must be declared, as must anything flammable. The list goes on and on. Are they working for you? Yes, they are delivering your goods to your clients. Are they your customers? Yes, they have demands that you must meet. Are you their customer? Yes again, without their services, you would have a difficult time getting your product distributed, and as such you have certain demands that they must meet as well.   If The Answer Is Yes To All, How Do I Act? The answer is of course quite simple. Treat them as you would like to be treated. Explain your situation, explain what you are looking for, and determine if your distributor can meet your expectations. If not, thank them and move on to a different distributor. The important thing is working to ensure that all needs are met, and the only way to do so is to act like a thinking, rational, and respectful adult. If all the relationships do not work smoothly, they will not work. You wouldn’t yell at your customer for asking something to be shipped next day when you offer next day shipping, nor should you yell at the person or company you are attempting to use to get that done. Treat all distributors like both customers and employees. If you need something done within X amount of time, state this, like an employer would, but do so respectfully, in the same manner that you would use when you would talk to a customer. In return you will be treated like you want to be treated in a customer capacity. Supplier chains work the best when all aspects of the relationship are addressed and all are taken into account.   Image Source: Powered Play. (2014). Distributors. Retrieved from http://poweredplay.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/distributors.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Does Your Business Really Need A Social Media Presence?

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Hosting

The post Does Your Business Really Need A Social Media Presence? appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Social media is one of the most talked about topics in the online world today. Soon we may even have children with social media accounts before they even begin to walk. With all the hoopla around social media and all the social media “experts” telling you which strategy you should employ it can be difficult to make a decision. After all, social media is a huge investment of time and spending too much time going in the wrong direction can be deadly for your business. In this post we’re going to explore the benefits of social media to see if you even need to be active on social media for your business to succeed.   Understanding The Current Social Media Landscape Social media seems to have transcended the trend status and all signs are suggesting it’s going to be around for good. The real reason social media gets confusing is because there are so many different channels to be on and be effective on. The ways of communication across each channel differs greatly, and your core group of customers may not even be using the network that you’re trying to build an audience on. The landscape is very diverse and requires that you pay attention to the networks you’re using and the reasons you’re using them. If you’re not aware of the time you’re spending chances are you’re going to be wasting it. However, just because a lot of brands are using social media doesn’t mean it’s right for your business. For starters, if you’re just going to mimic the same strategy that everyone else is, then you’re better off not going on social media in the first place. Fortune favors the bold and your social media strategy is no different.   Some Businesses Don’t Need To Use Social Media Before we continue it’s important to dive into the reason your business might not need a social media strategy. Think of social media as a means to deliver your message. If it doesn’t align with your customer base, then don’t use it. For instance, if you run a personal sailing school and most of your students tend to live in the local community you might be better off leaving flyers around town, or hanging out at the local docks. Sometimes offline marketing can be better for your specific business. Social media is a means of marketing for your business, but if the people you’re marketing to don’t hang out there, then it doesn’t make sense being on social media. However, for the vast majority of businesses who should be considering moving forward with a strategy there are a few things you should take into account.   Constructing An Effective Social Media Strategy At the heart of any good social media strategy is a good business. If your business doesn’t inspire your customers, or communicate your business in a clear manner, then your social media strategy isn’t going to make your business an overnight success. Think of social media as an amplifier of your business. So, if you have a captivating business, then executing your social media strategy will be much easier. 1. Maintain Consistency Think of your business as a friend that you trust. This person is always honest and tries to be as clear as possible, and they do their best to not send you mixed messages. You want your business to be the same way. When you’re communicating across social media platforms make sure your message and tone stays the same, and make sure you’re always honest and open. That way people are more likely to trust you and be open with you. 2. Speak To Your Market We alluded to this earlier, but you need to be on the social media platforms where your audience hangs out; that’s the only way to reach them. On some social media platforms you can be more friendly and down-to-earth, while others are more geared towards business-speak. Make sure you’re in line with the communication standards of the platform, while still being honest with yourself. 3. Be Unique Face it, no one wants to read a boring post on social media. There’s enough garbage to scroll through most of the time anyways, and you don’t want to continue adding to the noise. You don’t have to be sensational, but you can be honest and show what makes your business unique from your competitors.   Make sure you emphasize these traits and at the end of the day remember, you’re speaking to humans, so act like it. web hosting Continue reading →

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Easy to Implement Local SEO Tactics For Small Business Owners

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Hosting

The post Easy to Implement Local SEO Tactics For Small Business Owners appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . If you operate a local small business that is dependent on sales from customers in close vicinity, then implementing a local SEO campaign is extremely helpful to your business. Benefits include: Increase your local brand awareness Target highly qualified traffic Drives more store visits Less competition than organic SEO All of these factors lead to an increase in sales and have an impact on your bottom line. Here’s a basic checklist for a successful local SEO campaign.   Your Checklist To Local SEO Success 1. Optimize Your Website Page Title Tags should: Include your business name, keyword, and your city. Not have the same title tag on every page. Not be keyword stuffed. Not be longer than 60 characters. Enhance/Update homepage content. Have separate product and/or service pages. Add a customized location page. One for each location if you have more than one.   2. Implement Schema On Your Website Add Schema Mark-Up to your website. Schema code helps search engines understand more quickly what your business does and where it does it. For example, make it easy for search engines to understand that you’re a lawyer in Chicago who deals in criminal law. Chances are you’re indexed faster and show up higher in the results.   3. Get a Google+ Local Listing & Optimize it Have you claimed your listing? Great! No listing = No local ranking results in Google so go get listed now . An optimized Google+ local page entices potential clients and stands out against competitors. Here are some best practices to follow for your Google+ listing: Business Name – Add your official ‘doing business as’ (DBA) name. Address – Format with U.S.P.S. guidelines. Contact Info – Primary phone number should be your main landline. Description – Create a unique and easy to read description of your business. Photos – Add a profile photo, cover photo, and a few unique images of your business.   4. Get Local Business Listings (Citations) Business directories (citations) are essential to your local SEO success. Make sure your NAP – Business Name, Address, and Phone Number – are consistent on all your listings. Search for citations in your industry and city, for instance join your local chamber of commerce. Incorrect citations have a negative impact on your ability to rank locally. Search for any old/outdated citations, duplicates, or incorrect business listings that require updates or removal.   5. Get Reviews! Positive online reviews not only help your business establish trust and standout from the competition, but reviews also help you connect with your clients, improve your services and build your reputation. Review sites available to consumers are Google+, Yelp, Facebook, and industry specific sites like UrbanSpoon and Avvo. Request customer feedback through: follow up emails, after you complete your service, on your receipts and invoices, or through a review management platform, place review site stickers in your store like, Find Us on Yelp , or Like Us on Facebook. Respond to reviews, both positive and negative reviews. This shows your customers you’re listening and value their feedback.   6. Create Local Content Create local content that is relevant to your business and the city you live in. For example, talk about local events you’re involved in or review local events. If you are part of a local charity, tell your customers about it, use images, and link to the charity. There’s endless opportunities when you use creative thinking about the events and businesses in your area of town.   7. Find Local Link Opportunities Positive local links that point to your website impacts your sites ability to rank well geographically. It may seem challenging at first, but there are many ways to acquire links. Not sure where to start? Brainstorm and evaluate what you already do as a company, for example: Do you have any local partnerships or business relationships? Are you a member of any business communities? Have you hosted an industry meet-up? Still stuck in the brainstorming department? Review this guide to local link building .   Finishing Up This checklist is intended to help you successfully implement a local SEO campaign for your business. This is a great starting point for any business owner looking to enhance their current online marketing strategy from a local standpoint.   ***** Whitespark is an online marketing company that builds specialized software and provides services to help businesses manage their local search. We constantly develop and grow our business to ensure our clients receive intelligent and viable marketing solutions. web hosting Continue reading →

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Equipping Your Business With Google+

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Hosting

The post Equipping Your Business With Google+ appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . I may be the first blogger to admit it, but I didn’t use Google+ very frequently as my preferred Social Media outlet. Having Facebook, Twitter, and several other mediums for connection felt like enough, right? But when you consider Google+ has only been around for three years, 1 Billion enabled accounts is quite the accomplishment. Like any new and similar service, people are slow to adopt something they already have. What everyone has been missing, including myself, is the unique and powerful features Google+ possesses that many other networks cannot compare with. Even if you’re not on Google+ socially, your business will greatly benefit from all the integral features Google+ provides. Here’s a few reasons to ignite your interest:   Virtually Everyone Uses Google’s Products Whether it’s Gmail, Maps, Play, Drive, YouTube or just an old fashioned web search, we’re all on Google to one degree or another. Having one account makes it possible to utilize all these amazing services, and before you know it Google+ may just become as popular as Facebook. As of 2014 Google+ boasted 359 million active users, a number that has increased at a rate of 33% annually. What’s more, is that everything you post integrates with every other Google platform under one identity. For example, if you post a video to YouTube (The 2 nd Largest search engine in the world) users will be able to click on your profile taking them directly to your G+ account. Here, many marketing wizards have begun creating engaging/brand oriented videos that make it incredibly easy to steer potential customers back to a page equipped with all of your contact info and a link to your website. Having someone add your business page to their circles will begin to optimize your Google+ page, thus increasing your visibility performed for local searches.   Be Seen In The Local Carousel Results You’ve probably seen something like the image above, a ‘carousel’ that appears in Google after you search for a business, keyword, or product in a specified location. These results get displayed after getting triggered by a collective list of keywords that signify inquiry towards finding a tangible location based on distance from the user and what they’re looking for. The carousel has greatly improved visitor counts for many websites due to the ease in which customers are now finding the services they’re looking for. Ranking factors in the carousel come down to +1s on the Google+ Business Page, a good quantity of quality reviews, even the number of photos you provide to assist searcher’s are considered an important factor.   Google Authorship Many up and coming writers are delighted to engage with a feature that not only provides proper authorship, but will also allow you to link your written content on any domain to your Google+ profile. -Why is this awesome? Essentially it’s allowing Google to interpret what you’ve posted online, who you are as an author/business owner, and to create strong links between all of your activity and your Google+ page. When done correctly, your results will be seen above others. For more information, and to sign up, click here .   Deeper Brand Engagement With Google+ Hangouts and Communities One of the best techniques for securing loyal customers involves getting to know them on a personal level. In Hangouts your business can get in touch with anyone in the world by hosting a meeting using video chat. Most commonly, pioneers of the customer/business relationship have hosted live video conferences to allow customers to contribute feedback and work towards providing a better service in the future. Using Google+ communities is also a great way to stimulate conversations over shared interests associated with your brand or service. Personally, I actively engage with my followers who are interested in learning photography techniques, and simultaneously receive feedback on more of what they’d like to see. Giving your time to a customer extends a bond that will help when they choose to recommend a service to a friend.   We Are Talking About Google Here, After All Google isn’t just a search engine anymore, it’s practically a way of life. We’re communicating, sharing and building businesses through it’s services, most of which are offered to us free of charge. But because they’re still a business, it’s easy to see why they provide incentives for partaking in a their social medium instead of others. These incentives only serve to help your business, and you’d be extremely wise to start taking advantage of them.   Image Source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EDln3g_Fzyg/T5XrXBhRE-I/AAAAAAAAFnI/w10FfYL7Qnc/s1600/Google-+-your-Business.png web hosting Continue reading →

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