Panel Discussion on Small Business Internet Marketing Best Practices

I had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion at the Hartford Business Expo last week. The topic was “Competing and Winning Against the Large Brands". The underlying premise is that the Internet levels the playing field and allows smaller companies to compete with bigger companies more easily than before. 

The panel focussed on how to develop a strategy, not get distracted and execute the plan. The discussion touched on several aspects of Internet Marketing for small businesses, including search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media, analytics and landing pages.

Here is a sampling of questions the moderator asked: 

• What are you saying to attract the right audience online and is it effective?
• Where are you saying it - how visible are you?
• How successful are you at ‘converting' prospects once they are on your site e.g. having them buy a product, call you or fill out a form?
• How well and how often do you follow up with them after they have been in touch with you?
• Do you know which marketing programs are providing the best return on investment?

The panel consisted of Gene Sheehan from Sullivan & LeShane (moderator), Elizabeth Cowles Johnston from CJ Public Relations and Walter Wise from BPI Strategy Group. See more about the workshop.