Archive for the ‘Small Businesses’ Category

Google Local Business Center Testing Local Listing Ads

October 6, 2009

Greg Sterling reports on his blog and at Search Engine Land about Google’s announcing their new local advertising product called Local Listing Ads.

Google Local Listing Ads

Google Local Listing Ads

More about the features of Local Listings ads from Google’s Local Business Center:

Drive more sales
Over 80% of people look to Google for local information. Make sure your listing stands out.

See – and hear – the results
You’ll hear “this call brought to you by Google” with every call from your ad.

Free for 30 days
Try it out, risk free. You can cancel anytime.

Local targeting
We’ll make sure your ad only shows to people near your business, with no work for you.

Local Listing Ads are currently available only in San Francisco and San Diego, CA.

From a Google and Small Business Marketer’s perspective, I have to wonder what kind of resources – both human and financial – Google is putting into this new program to make it a success?

Who is running the Local Listings program within Google – a Google Maps or Google Adwords team, the “Local Business Center” team, a new team or a not yet formed team?

I think Google’s answer to this question lies the fate of the Google Local Listings advertising program.

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Sam’s Club: Virtual Seminar University for Small Businesses

June 8, 2009

Sam’s Club is launching a new service for small businesses called Virtual Seminar University.

From VirtualSeminarUniversity.com:

At Virtual Seminar University, we bring master teachers and top business authors together to help small business owners and independent professionals, just like you!

Now you can learn to build your business… faster, better, smarter!

No cost. No Logins. No Passwords. Use your computer or phone. You have everything you need to profit from this training and it costs you nothing. That’s right. The cost is zero.

Virtual Seminar University

Virtual Seminar University

VirtualSeminarUniversity.com offers small business owners advice in six categories:

Marketing/Business Development
Copywriting/Sales Communications
Negotiation/Conflict Management
Finance/Cashflow Management
Time Management/Organizational Skills
Internet Marketing/Web Site Publishing

Virtual Seminar University Internet Marketing

Virtual Seminar University Internet Marketing

From the list of six advice categories, visitors to Virtual Seminar University are initially asked to choose the business subject they are most interested in.

Virtual Seminar University Internet Marketing Business Development

Virtual Seminar University Internet Marketing Business Development

Visitors are then asked to choose another subject they are interested in learning more about.

Sam’s Club then asks for names and email addresses of friends who may be interested in their new Virtual Seminar University.

Welcome to VSU

Welcome to VSU

Visitors then submit their preferences and receive a confirmation email from Virtual Seminar University.

VSU

VSU

Sam’s Club isn’t clear about when their Virtual Seminar University will officially launch their services.