Business Consulting | Dramatic Consumer Demographic Shift Occurring At Breakneck Speed

Will Your Business Survive?

Entire villages of traditional media outlets are being ransacked, raped and pillaged at alarming speed as the rapid move towards internet local search leaves them bewildered and broke.

Since December, at least 5 major newspapers have filed for bankruptcy.

1. The giant Tribune, which owns the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, The South Florida Sun Sentinel and many others.
2. The Star Tribune of Minneapolis.
3. The Journal Register which owns dailies in over a dozen large US Cities.
4. Philadelphia Newspapers which owns both the Philadelphia Enquirer and Philadelphia Daily News.
5. The Sun Times Media Group which owns the Chicago Sun Times as well as many more newspapers throughout Illinois.
6. The San Francisco Chronical is floundering and here in Washington…the Seattle P-I, after 146 years, printed it’s last newspaper on March 17, leaving the major metropolitan area of Seattle with just one newspaper.

In fact, 33 newspapers have filed for bankruptcy just since the beginning of this year, and many more are laying off anywhere from 10-25% of staff.

But that’s not all…

The Yellow Pages are dead! Nobody’s fingers do the walking any longer and our landfills are filling up with dead phone books people don’t even take into the house any longer, just a straight one way stop to the garbage can.

And Television – when was the last time you watched a commercial? People just pick up the remote and move on and away to another channel. How about costs? Can you say expensive?

So what’s with this dramatic shift? Are these recession caused events, or do they signal something more dramatic occurring?

If you think these were caused by recession think again. There is a dramatic shift occurring and if your business does not shift into this new wave, you stand the chance of going broke.

Let me ask you a question.

Where are most of your advertising dollars targeted on a local basis?

Are you still using these dying or dead media outlets for the majority of your marketing?

If so, your business is in jeopardy and you could find it on the same trash heap as the media outlets you are using for marketing.

Why? Simply put, everyone is moving online.

The latest statistics show that fully 80% of all consumers seeking local businesses and services are searching for them online – and primarily at Google.

Those not using Google are using Social Media sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and hundreds more – while video marketing is now the big winner.

Fully 55% of all online visitors watched online videos last year at sharing sites like YouTube, Viddler, DailyMotion and over 900 others, while video composed 60% of all new online content, yet only 5% of businesses are using video in their current marketing mix.

Where is your business today in the scheme of things?

Are you still throwing your advertising dollars at tradional media while 80% of your audience has moved elsewhere? Is it time to reconsider your marketing strategy before your competitor establishes a stronghold you can’t overcome?

Are you ready to be a leader with your business, and quit advertising in traditional media just because your competitor is? Let them throw their money away while you swiftly move to a leadership position by following your audience – online with the internet.

Move now and move quickly or be left behind.

In this sea of digital change, there is good news for local busineses.

Consider a study of U.S. online consumers done by the Online Publishers Association.

Their study showed that 50% of online searchers are spending money when they find the service or business that serves their needs.

That is an incredible conversion rate – something entirely unheard of in the offline tradidional media world.

The businesses receiving the most local searches?

• Restaurants and Bars
• Banks and Financial Services
• Physicians and Health Facilities (Doctors and Dentists of every type and persuasion)
• Consumer electronics stores
• Auto dealers and auto service
• Real Estate and associated searches (Realtors, Homes for sale, builders, contractors, electricians, etc.)
• Furniture and Appliance stores
• Legal Services
• Travel Services
• Pet Services

And other categories fall closely behind.

The bottom line is your potential customer is looking for you online.

Can you be found? Have you put yourself in front of the internet savvy consumer, or are you still using dead media for your marketing.

As a business consultant, the one dramatic shift I would advise you to make is to expand your online presence and online marketing to place your business in front of your potential audience. Miss this boat, and your ship may well sink!

To Your Success!

MichaelB

Related Post: What Is This Thing Called Internet Marketing Consulting?

Tags: Advertising Strategies, Internet Marketing Consulting, Internet Marketing Strategies, Kennewick WA Business Consultant, Kennewick WA Internet Marketing Consultant, Kennewick WA internet marketing consulting, Kennewick WA Video Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Marketing Campaigns, Pasco WA Business Consultant, Pasco WA Internet Marketing Consultant, Pasco WA internet marketing consulting, Pasco WA internet marketing services, Pasco WA Video Marketing, Richland WA Business Consultant, Richland WA Internet Marketing Consultant, Richland WA internet marketing consulting, Richland WA internet marketing services, Richland WA Video Marketing, Tri-Cities Internet Marketing Consultant, Tri-Cities WA Business Consultant, Tri-cities WA internet marketing counsulting, Tri-cities WA internet marketing services, Tri-Cities WA Video Marketing

Tagged as: Advertising Strategies, Internet Marketing Consulting, Internet Marketing Strategies, Kennewick WA Business Consultant, Kennewick WA Internet Marketing Consultant, Kennewick WA internet marketing consulting, Kennewick WA Video Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Marketing Campaigns, Pasco WA Business Consultant, Pasco WA Internet Marketing Consultant, Pasco WA internet marketing consulting, Pasco WA internet marketing services, Pasco WA Video Marketing, Richland WA Business Consultant, Richland WA Internet Marketing Consultant, Richland WA internet marketing consulting, Richland WA internet marketing services, Richland WA Video Marketing, Tri-Cities Internet Marketing Consultant, Tri-Cities WA Business Consultant, Tri-cities WA internet marketing counsulting, Tri-cities WA internet marketing services, Tri-Cities WA Video Marketing