Local search engine optimization, or local SEO, is the act of optimizing a website for local search using specific terms and key phrases targeting searchers that your business caters to in your specific geographical location. Local SEO is very similar to traditional SEO in that it also is a process involving the placement of your site or a page in the search engine results pages (SERPs) of these search engines, often called "natural" or "organic" results. Ultimately what you are looking for are those searchers looking for something near them or in your area, in other words, "near me" type results.
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | May 11, 2021
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.
Let’s face it, we live in a world where the internet isn’t a luxury anymore but, dare I say, a necessity (ask my son, and he will tell you it is a necessity) in the same sense that electricity is. We, as internet users, will consume on average 6 hours and 30 minutes each day (Bond Cap, 2019).
No one would think that a business owner would put having a website or at least “creating a website” at the top of their to-do list. Depending on the study and survey, on average less than 50% of small businesses actually have one (CNBC 2017). Many small business owners try to use substitutes for a website, such as the Yellow Pages online, a Facebook page, or some other form of “free” social media.
Looking at the same CNBC/SurveyMonkey, they found that:
- 55 percent of small-business owners say they have a business website
- 50 percent say they have a business Facebook page
- 21 percent say they have a business Twitter account
While these statistics might be shocking to some, we see them every day. A website will give your small business more visibility and credibility it needs to thrive.
Before I move on and address the five reasons you need an online presence, let me address those business owners who only have a social media page as “their website.” Your social media page isn’t your website, not even close! While it is a common misconception, you must think about it like this. Social media platforms are simply rented spaces.
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | May 07, 2021
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.
At Cube Creative, the staff and I work with small businesses, many of which are family-owned and operated. To be a successful family business, you need to be vigilant when looking at the present and the future. Here are five crucial questions that you and your family need to address:
1. What is your "Why"
When I speak with prospects, I may sound like a child with all my "why" questions. Most of them are geared to digging in and getting the root of things. As part of the barrage of questions I often ask, I will also ask the most important question, which is, "Why do you do you do what you do," or "why do you want to do this venture or idea." Their answer will determine if I want to even work with them. While there isn't a magical answer or a right or wrong answer, I really want to know that they have a passion for what they do. If they don't have a passion for what they do, then what I do won't matter.
2. Do you have a business plan?
While you wouldn't build a house without some sort of plan, you shouldn't run your business without one either. At best, you are just wing' in it, which, let's be honest, isn't the greatest idea. Of all the small businesses I have worked over the years, those who have succeeded and grown have had a plan or a vision. Now, your business plan doesn't need to be complicated. It should include both short and long-range goals. If you can include specific goals such as growth, profit, and market-share targets, then that's all the better. Also, you should have a plan in place for the transition. Being a family-owned business, there is bound to be conflict. I have experienced it first hand both with my own family's business, and I have seen it with clients, its best to have a plan for those.
3. Who's managing the day today?
Who is helping to manage the day to to day operations? Do you have a family member or a key employee, or a fresh hire with experience? As the old saying goes, when you have too many cooks in the kitchen, it ruins the soup. The same could be said for family businesses. When several family members all work within the company, you need to have roles clearly defined. This will help both you and your staff and should help to alleviate family conflicts.
4. What business entity should my business fall under?
Whether you're a first-time entrepreneur wanting to build something for your family and the generations to come, or if you are taking over the multi-generational business, there are many options before you. Speaking with a good lawyer should be able to help advise and guide you on the correct path.
5. What does my future hold?
While many family-owned business owners never seem to retire, there may be a point that you either want to retire, have to step away, hand the business off, or sell out. Statistics show that only 30 percent will survive the second generation and only 13 percent to the third. Ensuring you have a plan for your future and benefits for yourself and everyone else involved is critical. While there are many plans available depending on your business, having and speaking with a qualified accountant, financial advisor, and a lawyer will help.
At Cube Creative, we don't have a crystal ball or a DeLorean to see the future. We know that to be successful, you need to look at where you have been, where you are, and where you want to be. Having strategic partners along the way will help you in growing your business. If you are looking for a partner to help you manage your online presence, we at Cube Creative can help you. Feel free to contact us for a free consultation on how we can help your business grow!
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | May 03, 2021
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.
The journey that starts from accessing your target market to invoking your target market to procure your service or product is quite frankly long and arduous. In the case of private schools, you have a very specific niche. Your market is wide and profitable but tapping into the market is easier said than done.
However, that should not discourage you from fully optimizing the resources at your disposal. The journey is long, but the results are outstanding. Your first and quite ready resource at your disposal is your enrollment funnel. Just like any industry funnel, it is made to improve your process and possibly maximize on profits.
The only difference is that different industries have different issues they want to solve through their funnel. In terms of the private school industry, here is your specialized enrollment funnel. Its main aim is to actualize admissions and increase your student body.
But first, lets start with the basics—the introductory part of the marketing textbook.
Written By: Adam Bennett | April 29, 2021
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.