Bright Ideas

Consumers are constantly online, searching for information, businesses, products, services, etc. So much so, in fact, that 85% of all buying decisions are made online, before a customer even sets foot into a store. Bottom line: if you want to gain new customers, your business should be accurately and consistently listed online.

Social media is quite the game and it’s something that all businesses should be playing. If your social media efforts are currently benched, it’s time to get those muscles stretched and back into the game! The key is to be present with the right information for the right people to see.

As an up and coming business, you have a lot of things on your plate, right? You’re in a stage of growth, new employees are coming on board, and you’ve got a pretty strong name in the local community but you’d like to take on a bigger market. You’re doing everything the 24 hour day will allow minus time for sleep, usually. So what about those online reviews you don’t have time to worry about? Who actually reads those anyway? Unfortunately, a lot of consumers read those reviews and they can greatly affect your business.

Does your company have a local business page on Facebook? Does it put your best foot forward for customers to easily find you? If one or both of those answers was “no,” the good news is you have time to update the situation without falling too far behind competitors. Facebook has recently launched Facebook Professional Services, which will allow businesses to be found more easily along with a quick description, ratings, and reviews. Customers can search and find the best rated local companies for all of their business needs.

As a small to medium sized business, you most likely don’t have pages and pages of online reviews. Those big companies make it look easy, that getting reviews is like getting a new shipment of supplies because they’re always coming in. However, the trick behind getting online reviews is to be pro-active about it. Waiting for reviews is not ideal, especially as a small or medium sized business. Here is a list of five simple ways to generate online reviews without having to twist arms.