Local is Everywhere!
That sounds like a paradox, but trust us -- its true! That is one of the main take-aways Kevin and I had after attending The Kelsey Group's Directory Driven Commerce Conference: The Future of Yellow Pages.
As technology opens our doors to new ways of finding, accessing, and processing information, local is going everywhere. Our local communities and favorite local spots are no longer confined to the streets in our neighborhood that we discover by walking around. Now local is discovered by consumers through online and mobile technologies including video, sms, and even video-games.
Hence, small business are continually finding and learning about consumer behaviors online. But how do you navigate with all the new technology options and new tracking mechanisms including call-tracking and web analytics. As a small business in a complex ecosystem of new options how do you find the right technology?
Those are the questions that we answer and continually explore to better serve our merchants. The big media giants no longer have all the answers and solutions to the pains of small businesses. For us, going to the panels and networking events thoughtfully put together by Pam and John Kelsey and their hard working team, gives us the ability to learn and connect with the right partners so that we can help local be everywhere but manageable.
Its just a matter of working together, learning from one another, and making friends a long the way.
Sincerely,
Irit
Labels: John Kelsey, Kelsey Group, Pam Kelsey
posted by
MerchantCircle Staff
at
9/26/2007 01:10:00 PM
,
2 Comments:
I belong to a Chamber of Commerce in a small town with a population just over 4000. Very few local businesses have any internet presence, and many do not see a need for a website. Do you have any suggestions for encouraging small town, small market merchants to develop a web presence (such as through Merchant Circle)?
Dear Stephan O'Connor,
Thanks for your comment and thoughtful question. Since MerchantCircle focuses a lot on local businesses in small towns, we are sure many other merchants have the same question.
Although local businesses might think they don't need to have a website, there are many reasons why having an online presence is valuable. In the first place, all their future customers are and will be looking for them online. The young generations mainly search for business online, in fact, they hardly know how to use the old yellow pages books.
Furthermore, now a days not everyone wants to take the time to drive all over town to shop. It is a fast moving world and using the Internet is a quick and easy way for people to access information about products and services from the comfort, convenience and privacy of their own home.
Another good reason to be online is that advertising online is cheaper. Internet enables a business to advertise at considerably lower prices. It may not be a replacement for other marketing, but the Internet is generally cheaper.
Finally, being online is like having your business open 24/7.
Irit Epelbaum
Revenue Product Manager
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