So, you have a successful business in the real world. That’s amazing! Building a business, online or off, takes a ton of work and dedication. Big kudos to you for taking those steps!

Unfortunately, there are still many brick and mortar business owners that exhibit a lot of the same patterns. One HUGE mistake I see again and again is that brick and mortar business owners tend to neglect their online presence. This leaves a ton of money on the table!

 

Does this sound like you?

• You have a website, but it’s five years old and you haven’t looked at it since it was built.  
• Your business has a mailing list, but you almost never contact them, or you only send emails when you have something to sell.  
• You set up social media accounts, but you hardly ever update them. You aren’t sure what an Instagram story is or how to check your business insights on any platform.  
• Things are going pretty well in your business, but you’ve hit a ceiling and you’re ready to expand. You want to let more people know about you through the immeasurable power of the internet, but you don’t know how. You aren’t naturally tech-savvy, so expanding online feels impossible.  

 

I absolutely love helping business owners expand their online presence, because as a brick and mortar business owner, you’ve already done the hard part. You have a proven business model and a valuable product or service. All you need to do it open your cyber-doors to a worldwide audience!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the idea of going online, remember that. You’ve laid the foundations. The hardest part is done.

Don’t let tech fear get in the way, because there plenty of people who can help you.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, my friend. Think of the possibilities here.

Think bigger.

Here are the some ideas to consider:  

Nurture your mailing list. 

Email marketing is HUGE, whether your business is online or offline. Unfortunately, too many businesses overlook this crucial step.

You might have a list already, which is a great start, but it’s not enough to only send emails when you’re running a sale or introducing a new service.

People don’t want to be sold to. They want a relationship. They want to be entertained and educated by someone they trust.

You need to build that trust by consistently sending valuable content to your list.

Instead of only sending sales emails, send them relatable, digestible information about how your services can make their lives better.

Send them entertaining updates about your business and issues that are important to them. 

Send them goodies that will make them want to open your emails, and do it on a regular basis.  

Develop a schedule to send emails so that it becomes a part of your process instead of an afterthought. This will help keep you top of mind and build a relationship with people who love what you’re doing.

 

Your brick and mortar business needs an online presence! Without it, you leave a ton of money on the table. Click To Tweet

Create a compelling email opt–in. 

This valuable business tool goes by many names, but it’s most often known as a freebie, lead magnet, or email opt-in.

This is a free, valuable offer you can send to people in exchange for their email address.  

You can offer a coupon for your services or products, or a valuable piece of information that doesn’t take long to consume, like a free checklist or report.

These work best when the opt-in solves ONE problem for your audience.

This will compel people to sign up for your list. If your opt-in is really good (which it should be), they’ll be more likely to try your paid offerings!

Create (or revamp) your website.  

Make sure your website is up to date and mobile optimized. Most people view webpages on their phones, so make it easy on them! If people can’t navigate your site on a small screen, you’re losing business.

At the very least, you should start with a homepage that includes a signup form for your opt-in, an About page that tells people about you and your business, and a contact or booking page.

Later, you can add a blog and other pages to continue to help turn your visitors into customers.

If you have these pieces in place, your site might just need a facelift and a little tweaking. My team can help!  

Create content to educate and entertain. 

You might have heard the term “content is king.”

This is because content is how your audience gets to know you, like you, and trust you.

One way or the other, you need to be publishing content regularly, either in written or video form.  

Yes, you can do that on social media, but you don’t own social media. You own your website. If Facebook and Instagram and all the other social media platforms of the moment go down tomorrow, you’ll still have your blog.

Remember, business is about relationships. Content is the dating part of the relationship. It’s where your audience gets to know and love you before they put a ring on it and officially become customers.

Get social.  

You know social media is important, because this is a big way for people to find you and get to know you.

It’s easy to overdo it here and think you need to be on every single platform, but you don’t.

Do a little research (or talk to an expert) to find out which platforms your target audience is on, then focus on one or two. Learn the ins and outs, then begin building an audience there and directing them to your opt-in so they will become a part of your email list.

Package your knowledge. 

Think about your faraway fans. How can someone benefit from your products or services if they can’t get to your location? Could you start selling products online? Certify other practitioners in your techniques? Teach people with a live or recorded DIY course or an ebook?

These products remove the ceiling from your income because you and your staff no longer have to participate in every transaction.

The options are endless. You can teach online webinars. Virtual retreats. Ecourses. Ebooks.

Share your knowledge and techniques with the world beyond your neighborhood. Distance isn’t an issue with the internet!

I know, this last one is huge and warrants a whole other post in itself. I promise, info products are the key to scalable income and growing a business online. 

Maybe this really resonates with you right now, and maybe it doesn’t.

Maybe you’ve wanted to create something like this for years and just don’t know how.

Maybe it’s too overwhelming and you need help getting this project underway.

I can help you break down your plans into smaller steps, get you set up with the systems you need, and delegate the things you don’t have to do to my team (or yours).

I can handle the management piece so you can focus on growing your business.

Sound dreamy?

Let’s talk about your plans.