Ray Perry

Let’s face it, content marketing can be complicated and confusing, and that’s if you manage to parse the dense jargon that populates so many blogs and textbooks today. They claim to offer easy answers, but before you know it, you’re knee-deep in explanations of complex algorithmic advertising methods and convoluted arguments about mobile.

Then there’s SEO. Sure, you know it means search engine marketing, but that term is about as meaningful as “Jabberwocky” or “cash basis accounting.”… Show more

Let’s face it, content marketing can be complicated and confusing, and that’s if you manage to parse the dense jargon that populates so many blogs and textbooks today. They claim to offer easy answers, but before you know it, you’re knee-deep in explanations of complex algorithmic advertising methods and convoluted arguments about mobile.

Then there’s SEO. Sure, you know it means search engine marketing, but that term is about as meaningful as “Jabberwocky” or “cash basis accounting.” That’s before you even consider the difference between “local” and “regular” SEO, “paid” vs “organic” or “SEO” vs “SEM” (Search Engine Marketing). You find yourself asking questions such as:

• How are my competitors doing it?
• Why am I not ranking higher?
• If I need help, who should I hire?
• Will I ever reach my goals?
• What language are these people speaking? It’s sure not English!

In short, local SEO can be a confusing, frustrating endeavor for any small business owner. You didn’t start a business to become a local SEO expert. Yet, suddenly you have to deal with SEO and content marketing like it is your job.

Now, before you just throw in the towel on this whole digital marketing thing, let’s take stock of what’s going right. You have a great business or at least a great business idea. You know there are people who want your product or service because you’ve had success and you have loyal customers. And it’s possible to create solid content surrounding any topic. So, you’ve got all those factors going for you. The fact that you don’t yet understand how to use content marketing effectively – or even what it is – doesn’t matter. Just think of it like a puzzle you have yet to solve. This is why we wrote this book – to help business owners, just like you, develop the skills and knowledge you need to develop a local SEO content marketing strategy. Show less

Thought Leadership. You’ve heard the term – probably frequently enough that you’ve become deaf to it already. You may have even used the term – the same way we tentatively place an order at the food truck of an unfamiliar cuisine, hoping you’re not about to be humiliated by someone pointing out that you’ve done it wrong.

Odds are, you’ve dismissed thought leadership from your vocabulary and your marketing strategy arsenal as well. It sounds like such an amorphous, billowy term – the kind… Show more

Thought Leadership. You’ve heard the term – probably frequently enough that you’ve become deaf to it already. You may have even used the term – the same way we tentatively place an order at the food truck of an unfamiliar cuisine, hoping you’re not about to be humiliated by someone pointing out that you’ve done it wrong.

Odds are, you’ve dismissed thought leadership from your vocabulary and your marketing strategy arsenal as well. It sounds like such an amorphous, billowy term – the kind that suggests you should already know what it means – that not knowing what it means seems like grounds for being removed from the cool kids’ table. It also sounds like a fantastically effective marketing tactic – but for someone else, someone with a bigger company, a more prominent public presence, a more interesting product or service. Most definitely, thought leadership sounds like one of those fantastic ideas that turns out to be highly theoretical and nearly impossible for the average person to implement, one step down the intellectual ladder from grasping string theory.

But here’s the truth…

All of those objections? Smoke and mirrors, the likes of which, if you were to have an arch nemesis marketing-wise, would be used to distract you and nudge you back into Me-Too Marketing Hell, where you’re left with nothing but a spork and a bullet-ridden PowerPoint presentation to defend yourself. Your competitors are looking at thought leadership, and the first company in any niche that nails it takes home the booty – an endless stream of ideal, educated customers who refuse to do business with anyone but you.

The truth is, thought leadership is both easy to define and easy to understand. It’s probably a stunningly perfect fit for your company. And as far as practicality goes, you’re about to be surprised at how easy (and powerful) implementation can be. Show less

How Can Your Small Business Possibly Compete Against the Big Guys?

No way can you out-spend your big-name competitors to market on a national or global scale. But in your local area, it’s another story – one with a VERY happy ending for your business.

With the right strategies and tactics, it’s easy to attract and engage more ideal customers right in your backyard – and as a locally owned business, these are the only leads you really care about, anyway. People prefer doing… Show more

How Can Your Small Business Possibly Compete Against the Big Guys?

No way can you out-spend your big-name competitors to market on a national or global scale. But in your local area, it’s another story – one with a VERY happy ending for your business.

With the right strategies and tactics, it’s easy to attract and engage more ideal customers right in your backyard – and as a locally owned business, these are the only leads you really care about, anyway. People prefer doing business with folks they know, like, and trust – and they love being able to support local businesses in their own communities. “If you build it, they will come” only works in the movies. You need a simple, surefire way to market your small business… and one that won’t break the bank or distract you from your primary role in your business.

If you’d like to double or triple your local customer base this year, you should keep reading. Here’s what you’re about to discover:

• Even though you can’t out-spend them, you CAN out-think them. Here’s how to craft a local marketing strategy that sends more of your ideal customers right to your doorstep.
• What you can start doing right now to help make more potential customers in your community eager to do business with you.
• How to make sure your company’s website works to skyrocket your revenue and chop your sales cycle in half.
• Which numbers really matter when you’re measuring the effectiveness of your marketing program.
• A “new” old marketing tactic that you’ve never heard of – and how it can put your business right in front of your entire community.
• How to make sure your online listings are helping you – and not hurting you.
• What it takes to get found online, even in the most competitive markets.
• A headache-free way to use social media marketing to bring in even more business.
• Exactly what you need to do right now to build a referral program that sends a steady stream of ideal customers your way. Show less

We hear it all the time.

In fact, “more opportunities to be in front of prospects” is probably the single most common item on business owners’ wish lists when we sit down with them to develop a marketing plan.

Of course, that big wish is dwarfed by a much bigger one – more revenue. But increased revenue flows from access to more opportunities, so that’s where we focus.

Cold and Warm
There are only two kinds of new customers you’ll ever find: cold and warm.

Cold… Show more

We hear it all the time.

In fact, “more opportunities to be in front of prospects” is probably the single most common item on business owners’ wish lists when we sit down with them to develop a marketing plan.

Of course, that big wish is dwarfed by a much bigger one – more revenue. But increased revenue flows from access to more opportunities, so that’s where we focus.

Cold and Warm
There are only two kinds of new customers you’ll ever find: cold and warm.

Cold leads have never heard of you or your business. They may not even know they need or want what you sell, yet. To reach them, you’ll need an effective demand generation or lead generation plan.

It will take time to nurture these cold leads and gradually get them motivated to buy from you… and the more expensive your products and services are, the longer that process is going to take. After all, no one makes an impulse buy of products and services priced five figures and above – especially from someone they don’t know, like (yet), or trust.

The warm ones are another story. They already trust you, at least a little bit.

The warm leads come to you as referrals. Someone who already knows, likes, and trusts you sent them your way. By the time they’ve entered your orbit, they’re already prequalified and motivated to buy from you. They’ve heard you can solve their problem with your products or services. Whoever sent them your way has just fast-forwarded the sales cycle for you.

Referrals are the best leads to work because they are pre-qualified. They usually zip through a much shorter sales cycle. Sometimes, they’re already so sold on doing business with you that they don’t even look at your competitors. All in all, they’ve got a lower cost of sales, and are by far the best way to bring revenue into your business quickly. Show less