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10 ways to use online maps to generate business leads and sales
Date: 01-02-2007
By Larrin Devereaux - Chress
By Larrin Devereaux
Principal - Chress
Guest Columnist:
I used to consider myself technically advanced. Heck, I even spent the first 5 years after graduating from college as a programmer analyst. When a pc was broken or someone in my network needed advice on buying keywords, I was the first on the speed dial. And then came the day, the day that all of us self proclaimed techies fear. The day when our methods are rendered prehistoric by some young upstart whose knowledge has grown faster than Moore's law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moores_law ) or Google's share of the search market (http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3624005). For me that day came when my three year old daughter demonstrated to me how to successfully advance to the third level of her Sponge Bob video game in one try; a task that I failed to complete given three chances. Because I refuse to take her attack on pride laying down I hope to bring a tidbit of information that will both be of benefit to business owners and at the same time reestablish my "royal technology superiority". I hope to have at least 2 years left before my job is outsourced for 10 cents on the dollar.
Have you ever heard of the phrase Web 2.0? Great, now can you define it? Well there are not many that can, but most of us are using this new technology everyday and so are your potential customers and clients. Allow me to give you a working definition. Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of the internet that focuses on users owning and creating its content, with a common goal of creating efficient simplicity, blah blah blah. A quick example is to think back to using Mapquest in 2002 to get driving directions to the local theatre. Now consider how Stone Age that seems to your first experience using Google Maps. With the old Mapquest, better yet Microsoft Streets, I could feel the Mesozoic page loading directions that were six months obsolete. Then as Google Maps spread through the web and I got to see Bill Gate's complex on a satellite image, I knew there was no turning back to the Stone Age. (In MapQuest's defense they have updated their service to offer similar interactive maps.)
While the initial euphoria of looking at my home from a space satellite may have worn off, I am here to tell you that there are great ways to utilize the new web 2.0 mapping technology to generate business leads and gain an advantage over your competition. Here are 10 fairly easy ways to accomplish such a feat.
- Add your business to the map search. Google offers ( https://www.google.com/local/add/login?hl=en-US&gl=US) businesses the opportunity to get listed in their map search. When users type in "New York 10027, childcare" on Google Maps if your company does not show up, you are missing out on a potential client. With Yahoo! Maps you have to first set up a local business profile (http://listings.local.yahoo.com). Cost: Free
- Add a coupon to your listing. Additionally, once your business is listed Google allows you to run a promotion as a coupon next to your map listing. How about "Siblings receive a 15% discount for summer programs"? Cost: Free
- Add interactive driving directions to your business location. Having a valid business address with driving directions is found in internet 101, but you would be surprised how many companies have never actually tried to use the directions they provide on their site. By adding a link to your preferred mapping service, the user can get custom driving directions from their current location. Cost: Free.
- Use the OpenAPI to create a cool application. A great resource for looking up real estate listings is Trulia ( http://www.trulia.com). Most all of the mapping services are open source or limited open source which allow anyone to write a script or program that could exploit their product or services. Cost: Hiring a coder can be a modest undertaking.
- Research the proximity of your competitors. Wouldn't it be great to see how many businesses exist that are in direct competition with you within a 3 mile radius? You can and you should research this before and during the course of your business. Cost: Free to Moderate.
- Discover areas underserved and in need of your service. Maponics.com (http://maponics.com) provides a wide range of custom maps and custom mapping services to improve your sales and marketing functions. You can conduct similar albeit less accurate searches on your own using free mapping websites. Cost: Free to Moderate.
- Add a logo to your rooftop for satellite viewing. If your budget is unlimited consider adding your company logo to the roof top, like Target ( http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&btnG=Search&ll=42.398615,-71.072145&spn=0.014245,0.01575&t=h ). This will help build brand awareness and ensure that all alien life forms will be loyal customers for light years to come. (Cost: varies/expensive)
- Try marketing geographic location to differentiate. Often times, map users and or new residents to an area search businesses by area; such as "Kinkos Beverly Hills" or "Blockbuster Harlem" instead of "video store New York". By emphasizing your proximity to a geographical area, you can assist potential clients in finding your business. Consider using the phrase, "Cameron Village hair saloon" in your marketing. New residents may not know street names, but areas are quicker to learn. Cost: FREE
- Sponsor a search. Purchasing keywords or adwords can end up as a sponsored listing on a search. A bonus to business people, because anyone using a map is obviously strongly considering a trip to the area. Why not have your name on their mind? Cost: Nominal
- Showoff your customer reviews. Yahoo! Maps (http://maps.yahoo.com) is directly linked to its local search and displays your customer reviews. If your reviews are really well, this is a great way of giving potential clients and customers the trust they need to select you over their competition. (Cost: Free)
The point I want to impress upon you is that the web is constantly developing and expanding. What was great yesterday is only average today. When considering how to approach your advertising dollars there are two proven strategies for success. You can successfully outspend your competition. Good or bad this can work. Secondly you can think more creatively and work harder to make up for your lack of resources. Taking the extra steps to grow your business that your competition may overlook, could make the difference between a very profitable year and a year to forget. And in 6 months, you can also hire my three year old daughter to design an online marketing strategy that will force me into the unemployment line. In my next article, Ill continue with creative way to use Social Media Optimization to generate trust and business leads in local markets.
About Our Guest Columnist:
Larrin Devereaux serves as Principal and founder of Chress, an online local business marketing strategist, focusing on lead generation for locally focused businesses. Chress' motto is, "we make the phone ring, you make the sell". He can be reached at questions@chress.com. For more background information and past articles for CarolinaNewswire.com, check out Larrin's Archives as well as all our other guest columns.
CarolinaNewswire.com provides the thoughts and analysis of this columnist as a free benefit to our readers but without any representations or warranties as to the accuracy or efficacy of such thoughts or analysis. The opionions, analysis, and thoughts expressed here are those of the author only and should not be deemed as medical, legal, financial, tax or other advice from this publication. Readers with such questions should consult a professional.
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