Face it, our current economy is in a funk. We all know it. This not a newsflash. And it’s tough out there conducting our business as usual.

So in order to maximize our current advertising and marketing dollars, we must be both savvy and creative. Traditional television, newspaper, and radio advertising can all be very expensive and perhaps not as effective as they once were. The world is reading the newspaper less while getting their fix for up to the minute news and weather via the Internet. And television and radio advertising are both fine as long as you reach your demographic when they are watching or listening, and, you can afford the cost.

That said, we believe the Internet provides some excellent alternatives to the traditional expensive media tools , both in effectiveness and cost. The concept of social networking for business is one way that you can both increase the amount of quality visitors to your web site and have fun at the same time. With the growing popularity of such social networking outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and more, a solid alternative media blitz campaign can help you reach thousands of potential new customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The second strategy involves a well-constructed search engine marketing plan. This approach can be both less expensive and more effective in reaching your target audience. Many people use the Internet multiple times per day to search for everything from telephone numbers to used cars. If these same people are searching for your particular services or products, wouldn’t it be great to get the sale instead of losing it to your competitor?

We’re not saying that traditional advertising is dead. We’re simply saying that in order to save money and reach many more people with your message, search engine marketing and social networking sites provide excellent alternative, affordable tools to enhance your marketing campaign.

The bottom line? If your sales are down or the telephone is not ringing as often as it did a year ago, it may be time to consider a new marketing approach.

And with that, enjoy the day.

Best regards,
Randy Smith