Released on: December 13, 2007, 12:08 pm

Press Release Author: jerry baker

Industry: Internet & Online

Press Release Summary: Your company won\'s survive unless people find it

Press Release Body: Your Company Won't Survive Unless People Find It---Whether
you're a mid-size or large operation, you need to make it easy for people find you.
Most companies serve the people who live in the same area (80% of all dollars are
spent in a buyer's home community). Being included in the Yellow Page directory
tells the world you're open for business-listed alongside competitors offering
similar products and services. After people check the directory, they came to your
store, or \"let their fingers do the walking.\"

(YESTERDAY) Traditional Buying Cycle

Stage 1-- A person consults the directory when they're considering a purchase. They
narrow their choices (on whatever criteria they consider important). As it turns
out, over 50% select on the basis of convenient location.

Stage 2-- They call with questions. Whereupon the business owner persuades them to
come into the shop or make an appointment - or not.

Stage 3-- Their coming to your store provides a face-to-face opportunity to nail the
sale.

(TODAY & IN THE FUTURE) The convenience of the Internet has thrown that sequence on
its head.

The Shortest Distance from Your customer to you is over the Internet. Recent studies
show that these days as high as 70% of potential buyers head to the Internet instead
of the Yellow Page directory. They consider search engines the fastest way to get
the information they need to make buying decisions. By the time they walk into your
place of business, they're already informed about the products they want.

In 2005 Google introduced the LOCAL SEARCH feature. Since then local searches have
assumed an immense importance to search engines.


Increasingly, buyers learn about available products and services in their hometown
area by conducting a Internet LOCAL SEARCH. A Local Search occurs when a search
engine query is coupled with a geographic term, like city, state, zip code for
example: plumber + Chicago north shore,Ill). The search results only include
enterprises within that area.

Even a very small business can show up at the top of the search results. But if
they're do not have a website they won't show up at all. Being Found Demands You
Show up where Customers are Looking.

Businesses will be compelled to make themselves findable online (website) because of
changed consumer behavior. And the Internet has altered other habits as well. The
majority of young adults use the Internet every day. It's an integral part of where
they get news or the facts they trust. For them going online is as convenient as
picking up the phone.

Since 74% of households have Internet access, more and more of the buying
public uses search engines as a preferred LOCAL SHOPPING RESOURCE. By
comparison, Yellow Page use declined from 75% to 62%. The public is very attached to
their cell phones (literally) and, they carry them everywhere they go. There are
about 200 million wireless phones in the U.S - 200 million potential buyers walking
around. It's now possible for anyone to conduct a Local Search from their cell
phone. So there's no question that on-the-go consumers will rely on Local Search
even more.

Re-examine your assumptions about your own customers. Times have changed. How do
they find you? What information they want to know, and how hard is it for them to
find it? And what do you intend to do about that? Yesterday's answers about the
best way to promote your business don't match the new reality. Most buyers are ahead
of you when it comes to computer savvy and confidence in search engine results.
That's not a prediction, it's an actuality. Take Local Search seriously because your
survival is at stake.


Web Site: http://internetcoach.bz

Contact Details:
Jerry Baker is an experienced Chicago Internet Marketing Coach (see his website at
http://www.internetcoach.bz) and owned his own 20 person consulting business for
over 30 years. He is an expert in the Internet and how to make the Local Search
work for a business. Learn to stand out online and offline, so you capture more
Internet-savvy buyers for your brick and mortar business. Free Consultation. He can
be contacted at 847-432-4808 or by e-mail (jdbaker11@sbcglobal.net)