Geo Tracking, Location Based Marketing and the Home Based Business Owner
Geo Tracking or location based marketing is a relatively new social media platform that allows small business owners to engage and reward their customers. Home based business owners have different concerns for safety and promotions than those small business owners that operate a store front.Three tips for using location based marketing as a home based business owner:1. If you are a home based business you must use your own discretion on deciding if you will participate in listing your business on the various location based marketing sites. Remember, social media is about “compound friending” so friends of friends will see that they are at your business and know where you are located. If you meet with clients at a public place consider using that address. Encourage your clients to sign in for their outdoor fitness class or program.2. You can still reward your customers by using Merchant Circle coupons, Twitter Coupons or other various applications. Do you have a referral or rewards program? As a home based business owner you can encourage loyalty by having a rewards program. It is OK to let your customers know that you appreciate their loyalty. You may offer a program where after so many purchases they get an item for free or receive a discount. Incorporate a discount day. You can use social networking to promote a product or discount on a certain day of the week such as Twitter Tuesday and provide a discount for your Twitter followers or Facebook Friday for your Facebook followers.3. If you are a home based business owner you can still actively participate in location based marketing. Use this as an opportunity to promote other business owners and engage them in conversation. Use it as a rapport building tool or use it to keep an eye on the competition. Review what your competitor who has a store front is offering.Location based marketing is growing. Is your business ready to embrace this new avenue to promote your business online? Are you ready to let your loyal customers help you promote your business by increasing your online presence? When you employ my three tips for the home based business owner you will be able to make the decision that is right for you and your small business.