First Page Listing with Google Local Business Center

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Eric

http://maps.google.com/localbusinesscenter

You’ll want to read about this tool for sure because I’m going to show you the easiest way to get found at the top of Google search results even if you don’t have a website… and it’s even free!

I’ve been preaching it for years, but the message becomes more important with each passing month.

The web is replacing traditional advertising media, in particular the Yellow Pages which so many massage practices have relied on in the past.

People are now turning to the Internet to find local products and services… including massage!

Google recognized this trend years ago and has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in local search technology. They want to make sure that they have all local businesses listed in their system so they can provide searchers with the best possible results.

And Google makes it incredibly easy for you to get found by people who are looking for massage in your neighborhood by offering you a free local business listing that gets displayed at the top of their search results.

You can list as much or little information as you want including: your address, hours of operation, payment methods, photos of your storefront or products and even videos. It’s easy and you don’t need a website of your own. (And did I mention that they do this for free?)

How do you get your listing?

It’s easy. Just go to:

http://maps.google.com/localbusinesscenter

If you don’t already have a Google account, you can set one up for free. Then you basically fill in the blanks.

You’ll need to be verified by Google to ensure that you really are the business owner. If you are sitting by your business phone, they can do this right away. Otherwise they’ll send a postcard to the address provided to make sure that you are legit.

I could give you all the details of setting up your listing, but Google has a great video that you can view here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lviDz8fUMTE

One feature that you should absolutely make use of is the coupon feature. Google allows you to create a coupon and will display it prominently near Google Maps. This feature is hardly ever used by businesses, so it’s your chance to be the first on the scene and make an impression. Like your listing, it only takes a couple of minutes to complete.

Please post comments below and share this page with others.

Massage Business Cards That Work

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Eric

When it came to massage business cards, I never spent a whole lot of time, energy or money on developing them for my massage practice. Of course, I had cards printed and they looked professional, but I never really gave them much regard. I never used them.

They sat on my shelf at work, mostly collecting dust. I certainly would never carry them with me.

I just didn’t feel that they were a useful marketing tool. I knew lots of massage therapists with absolutely gorgeous massage business cards. But that didn’t seem to prevent them from a fate of sitting in their offices twiddling their thumbs waiting for clients to come knocking. My cards were mediocre looking and largely unused and I always had a full slate of clients.

My views changed, however, after a massage business event with some key people in the massage industry.

A couple of years ago, as the Director of BodyworkBiz.com, I was invited to participate in a round table discussion. The other participants were people who I would consider icons in the massage therapy industry: Cherie Sohnen-Moe, the author of Business Mastery Steve Capellini, the respected spa massage expert and the author of Massage for Dummies Cliff Korn, Editor of Massage Today and Monica Roseberry, author of Marketing Massage.

I felt privileged to be at the same table with these people. We each shared our thoughts about marketing and building a massage practice. Monica, in particular, seemed to be passionately attached to the idea of using business cards. Frankly, I didn’t get it.

But that event made me think about business cards more. And it occurred to me that there was a good reason I didn’t like most massage therapy business cards…

Most massage therapist business cards are just too darn wimpy.

You can give out lots of business cards, but for the most part they don’t do a whole lot of work for you. They are completely passive tools. They certainly are not educational nor are they motivational. For all intents and purposes, they are simply scraps of paper (albeit nice scraps) with your phone number should someone be miraculously inspired to call for an appointment.

That’s wimpy!

I’ve never been a fan of that kind of passive marketing – waiting around for someone to maybe do something someday, like pick up the phone to make an appointment.

I like direct marketing. It’s a more active style of marketing. It’s marketing that’s designed to get people to make a decision.

If I have some contact with a potential customer, I want them to TAKE ACTION NOW.

Let’s get real. No matter how well intentioned a person is, if they don’t take action now, they are not likely going to get results. Let’s say you want to lose weight, for example. If you don’t toss the chips in the trashcan and take a walk now, it’s not likely going to happen tomorrow.

Same with massage. Someone may be sore, achy, stressed, but if they don’t book an appointment now or at least take a step in that direction, it’s not likely going to happen.

I don’t want to take a marketing approach that gives someone the opportunity to think about it later. Because we’re all savvy enough to know that “later” almost always means “never”.

So how do you create a massage therapy business card that makes someone want to pick up the phone and call you now?

That’s what we’ll look at in Part 2 of this article.

To get great professional looking full color massage business cards designed specifically for massage and bodywork professionals go to: http://www.bodyworkbiz.com/appointcards.php

Easy and Free Website Creation

Posted on March 19, 2010 by Eric

Links:

Weebly website creator:
http://www.bodyworkbiz.com/freewebsite

Free video tutorials:
http://www.spiffydiywebsites.com

I’ve been preaching the importance of having a website for years. It is such an important part of owning a business that I just don’t understand why everyone doesn’t make this the first thing they do after opening their massage practice.

Even as I’m writing this I’m physically shaking my head in disbelief at all thel massage therapists don’t have a website of their own.

The most common objections I hear are that it costs too much money and that it’s too complicated.

Now, there are no more excuses.

Weebly is – hands down – the simplest way to build a website. I love it!!

It’s perfect for the cheap and technically inept.

Continue reading →

Easy Website Writing

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Eric

Here an excerpt from the introduction of my latest book: The Spiffy Guide to Easy Website Writing. (More info…)

Writing can actually be fun. In this easy to read 51-page guide you’ll discover a simple step-by-step way to write your website, along with guidelines, templates and tons of examples. Get the know-how you need to write fantastic sales copy that compels your visitors to buy from you. The price can’t be beat. Only $7!

Click here to order

The most frequent question I get asked by small business owners that want to create their own site is, “How do I get visitors to my site?”
The second most asked question is, “What do I write?”

When most of us have to write anything for our business, bad memories of grade 9 English classes flash through our minds. We’re immediately transported to images of sitting in English class as the teacher goes on and on about prepositions, past perfect verbs and the dreaded dangling participle.

It’s enough to give you an anxiety attack.

So when you try to write you revert back to childhood, roll up in a ball, begin rock back and forth and anxiously begin to write, being careful not to upset Miss Strictly with poor grammar and spelling.

When you’re finished, you step back, look at your handiwork and realize…

…it sucks.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Writing can actually be fun.

Yes, you heard me right: FUN.

I’ll provide you with an approach and some guidelines that will free your mind from memories your high school English classes and will turn you into a compelling writer.

Stick with me, you’ll see how easy it really is.

Style Notes

As you’re reading this guide, do you have some sort of image in your mind as to who I am?

Am I:

Male or female?
Young or old?
Friendly or cold?
Geek or hipster?
Extrovert or introvert?
Brown hair or blond?
Tall dark and handsome or not?

It doesn’t really matter what images come to mind, but the fact is that you already have some ideas in your mind as to who I might be. As soon as you started reading this report you started to visualize me as a writer, even if it happened subconsciously.

And one of the reasons you are able to visualize who I am is because of my writing style.

The style is conversational.

It’s like I’m sitting down at the breakfast table and having a conversation with you over morning coffee. Ummm… Smell the aroma of that fresh brewed cup of java.

Do you get that sense as you’re reading?

And because the style is conversational it’s very easy to read and you start to connect with me as an individual.

That’s exactly what you want on your website. You want a warm, welcoming style. You want to invite the visitor in for a conversation. You want to make it very easy for them to read your information. You want them to be able to connect with you as a real person.

These things get the visitor engaged in your website and build trust and rapport in this future customer.

How do you do it?

If you can imagine me speaking these words as you’re reading, it’s because I am.

I just imagine that we are in a café together and I’m just chatting with you. I’m explaining how to write your web pages. I’m actually mouthing the words and sometimes even speaking out loud. It’s distracting for my assistant, but it’s not like she doesn’t talk to herself either.

Then I just write down what I say as I say it. It’s that simple.

Think about it. If you are a massage therapist and your client asks you if you can help with back pain, what do you do?

You answer the question.

It just comes out. You’re knowledgeable. You know your stuff. So you just answer the question.

If I were to ask you to write a page on how massage can help with back pain, however, what would you do?

You’d likely sit in front of your computer and think. You’d think some more about what you want to write and how to write it. You’d stare blankly at the screen for a few more minutes. You’d think some more.

It’s like you’ve suddenly become brain dead and paralyzed.

If that’s you, then here’s what you do….

Click here to order the Spiffy Easy Website Writing Guide for only $7

Eric Brown, BodyworkBiz Blog

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