I know that in-store a lot of small businesses don’t promote their social media platforms. For most businesses, weekly visits (or even monthly visits) are rare from customers. The best way to keep them connected to your company is through their website, social platforms and e-newsletters. However, so many small businesses don’t push these in-store, when they actually have time to explain the value each platform brings to the customer. Even a simple 3″ or 6″ handout would go a long way to showcasing where and why customers can follow your business online.

Great question!

OH, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that some SME members haven’t taken full advantage of the opportunity to flush out their profiles here.

@bernsteincrisis Many people forget to look at things from their ideal client’s perspective. Remember to answer the ”what’s in it for me?” question everywhere you are talking about your brand or business.

Rob, do you mean that businesses should encourage people to review them on Yelp?  I know that’s how I often look for certain types of services — most recently housekeeping and airport transport.  Do you think it also applies to, say, consulting businesses?

Something I read, if you still pay bills by mail, is to include your business card with your payment. You never know who will see it.

Don’t forget to use share features on your website so people can pass on information about your business.

If you have a business in which people can come to you for business, use Google Places. You can use videos there and add coupons as well.

And one way to encourage people to review your bus. on Yelp is to post a notice in your office asking people to do this. Yelp provides tips on how to do this.

Also, I’ve seen people promote their business on different sites (e.g., Yelp and yellowpages.com) and offer a different coupon there. Then as people use the coupons, you can get a sense of which sites are most effective in generating business for you.