Local Online Marketing Association

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The Indispensable Guide To Local Online Marketing — Vendor Reviews — Hotline Reports — Scam Alerts — Online Marketing Best Practices — Member Certificate — Mastermind Forums — Ongoing Expert Support — Resource Guides — and more!...

Dear local business owner,
Frankly, I was a little shocked when I learned the truth over half the local businesses in the United States still do not have a web site.
And out of the businesses that do have a site, the vast majority of them have online marketing programs that are far from being as effective and automated as they should be.
Meanwhile, consumers are turning to the web for information on local businesses at an increasingly rapid pace.
Fully 25% of all searches over one billion a month are now locally focused.
Thats huge. And local search is just starting to catch on.
Its a lot like digital photography was a few years back. It started slow, but once everyone got used to the new technology the change was amazingly rapid rapid enough to leave some very large photographic equipment and supply companies bankrupt!
However, for other companies who saw the change coming and positioned themselves for it, business has boomed.
Every now and then a window of opportunity opens up and creates a bonanza for those who see it first...
As Mark Twain said, the secret to easy wealth is to figure out where everyone is going and get there first.
Well, in the very near future everyone will be going to the Internet to locate and find information on local businesses.
We are almost there now.
When consumers type shoes in Spudville Idaho into a search engine like Google, they expect to get results on whos selling shoes in Spudville.
And for that growing horde of consumers, the businesses who show up in a meaningful way, get the jump on the sale. Businesses with a quality online presence are seen as more reputable and “current.”
This is happening in a major way, but the big news is, the vast majority of local businesses have failed to show up on the Internet in a way that will take maximum advantage of the opportunity.
Now, in all fairness, there are actually some very good reasons why local businesses havent jumped on the Internet bandwagon like they should.
For one — up until now — it hasnt been critical.
In the past, the vast majority of consumers werent looking for local businesses online, nor did they expect local businesses to have an online presence. In fact, in the past, getting people to the web sites of local businesses took a bit of work.
But all that has changed!

With local online search, customers can find you, learn about you effectively becoming pre-sold!!! plus, if you have a physical store, they can get store hours, maps to your store, and much more.

Side benefit this cuts down on routine when do you open and how do I get there phone calls. It also allows you to reach out and sell 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

But the reality is this costs for Yellow Page ads and other print advertising are up and readership is flat to decreasing at best.
So youre paying more for less and this trend will continue.
But online, its just the opposite. For local businesses, opportunities are opening up that are incredibly cheap, even free!
Most local businesses, however, dont know what they are or how to take full advantage of them.
Google, Yahoo, and other search providers are aggressively building local online search capabilities, and once consumers catch on to the benefits, there is no going back. And if you know how to get yourself properly listed as a local business in the search engines, there is a bonanza to be had.
Yes, local search is becoming huge, and rich rewards are flowing to those who are able to master the tricks of the system. Truth is, its pretty easy if you know how.
But showing up in the search engines is only a small part of the battle. Getting online effectively requires a broad and unique set of skills which is another reason why local businesses have been slow to fully reap the benefits of online marketing.

You need to know how to design a business system that will attract prospects and convert them to customers the online way.
You need to know how to stake out and protect your online real estate properly.
You need to have the technical skills to develop and maintain a web presence or you need to be able to hire and manage someone who has the skills you need without getting ripped off (this is a big problem in the online world one company we know of paid $17,000 for a web presence that should have cost a few hundred bucks...ouch!).
As per the point above, you need to know how to avoid the many scams and scamsters that are ready, willing and able to take advantage of the unknowledgeable business owner.
You need to know the best methods to get the right people to your site profitably (you can really waste a lot of money here, but if you do it right, the results can be truly golden.)
You need to know the best ways to convert prospects to paying customers either right there online, or by getting them to call, or by convincing them to come to your store.
You need to know what software is available to automate the process (being able to personalize and automate your marketing is one of the really cool features of online marketing) and
You need to know, and comply with, the legal requirements and liabilities of having a commercial online presence.
And thats just a short list of a few major categories of what you need to know.
Beyond that, theres a whole world of little nit-pickin details along with a few land mines, booby traps, and other assorted dead ends waiting for you as you try to maneuver through the rather messy online marketing landscape.
So its no wonder that many local businesses havent taken on the challenge of marketing online.
And why the ones who have, arent utilizing the web to its fullest potential.
Its also why so many local businesses have fallen prey to outright scams or just as bad well-intentioned people who dont know what theyre doing.
Both are carcinogenic to your business and the only way to avoid these types of major, expensive, and sometimes fatal, business mistakes is to arm yourself with the right information.
On the information highway knowledge is power, and here is the big secret — marketing online can be as easy as it is effective if you take it step-by-step, and take the right steps!!!
Why all of this is an immediate opportunity for you...
The fact that marketing online can be confusing, complicated, time consuming, and hugely expensive if you dont do it right is a very, very, good thing because it puts up a nice barrier for the people who are too lazy and cheap to get the information and help they need to do it right.
OK, lets get one thing straight before we continue simply putting up a web site is not online marketing. I could point you to at least a couple dozen resources where you can slap up a site almost instantly for less than pocket change. But unless you combine that with traffic generation strategies, conversion strategies and systems that can automate the entire process, you wont be getting the benefits you should, and you may even be doing yourself more harm than good.
With the right systems, however...
You will be in the right place at the right time when your prospects and customers are looking for you online.
You can reach many more prospects than you could before at lower costs.
You can build credibility and pre sell or fully sell online with no extra effort on your part.
Youll be able to streamline customer service, while at the same time, build a superior relationship with your customers.
You can put your marketing on virtual autopilot.
You can expand the geographical reach of your business (in some cases, to even national or global markets).
You can compete with much larger businesses because good online marketing isnt expensive, its a game of skill, and it truly is an equalizer for those who know the right way to play the game!
Youll look reputable lets face it, not having an online presence is quickly becoming the equivalent of not have a phone!
How to get your business on the fast track to easy online success...
Back in the days of Lewis and Clark, getting to the American West took a very special person. Travel was tough.
These days, however, theres a superhighway and you can travel the same routes quickly and easily. All you need is an accurate map.
Its very much the same way with the Internet. We are past the difficult pioneer days but you can still get lost on the back roads if you dont have the right map.
And the problem with that is, until now, theres never been a complete and clear map on how local businesses can make full and effective use of the Internet.
Sure, theres been a few pieces of the puzzle laying around.
For example, you can get plenty of e-books on how to get your site ranked highly in the search engines.

A little bit of a warning here there are some good books on this subject and some bad ones. Some of this type of information focuses on tricks that may work for a while, but can end up getting you banned from the search engines which is why you need the straight up-to-date scoop on this!

But lets just say you do pick up a great book on getting free traffic from the search engines, it works, and you get a bunch of traffic coming to your site.
Well, unless you have all the other parts in place a well thought out system that automatically handles the traffic and converts them to customers your online marketing efforts will be like placing the front end of your car up against a brick wall and stepping on the gas... youll make a lot of smoke and noise, but you wont be going anywhere!
And thats why the Local Online Marketing Association was formed we dont want you to be spinning your wheels. We want you to be a survivor in the local online marketing war.
And rest assured it is a war. The rules have changed.
Your business is now subjected to being reviewed on local review sites, openly, and by anybody and everybody... do you know whats being said about you and how to deal with it?
Right now people are online looking for what you offer... do you know how to force them to find you?
Smart businesses owners are boosting sales practically for free by using e-mail... do you know how to use this powerful media effectively and legally?
Some web sites are totally ineffective, others get people to take positive action... do you know the difference and why?
These are just some of the things you will learn when you join LOMA.
Lets take a look at what else youll learn...
How to build an integrated online and offline marketing system that automatically attracts prospects and turns them into customers! It all starts with designing the right system for your business. If you dont get this right, not much else will matter and this is one of the things almost no one teaches or pays attention to!

How to stake out your own online turf. Getting set up online is easy, but there are some big booby traps youll want to avoid when establishing your presence online! And if youre already online, you want to check up on a few things so you dont wake up one morning to find that your web presence disappeared overnight like what happened to one company we know (one simple oversight probably cost them many thousands of dollars!).

Web site design. How people react to, and flow through, your site is critically important, and as a LOMA member youll learn about the elements of web design that youll want to pay close attention to from layout, to navigation, to readability, to color schemes, to optimized graphics and more whether youre doing it yourself or working with a designer.

Web design, by the way, isnt an art form, its a science and there are a lot of things that are known from tracking traffic and watching behaviors which you will learn about as a LOMA member. Plus, youll discover how to put your own tracking systems in place so you can adapt your site to your customers behaviors!

How to deal with outside vendors. This is important. As a LOMA member, youll get tips on what to watch out for, and youll learn how to deal with web designers and programmers who like to think of web design as a creative endeavor — and in the “creative process,” — take the sales out of your site.

And theyll charge you a ton to do it, too. Weve seen many local business owners substantially overpay for a variety of online services. All due to a lack of knowledge on the part of the business owner. Yes, the online sharks are circling and were going to show you how not to feed them!

Legal considerations learn how to protect yourself and comply with online regulations like COPPA and the Can Spam Act. Online marketing has its own set of rules and there are a few legal documents every web site should have. Theyre easily obtained. You just need to know which ones you need and where to get them.

Optimize your site to get free targeted traffic. Free prospects from search engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN are the sweetest of all deals if you can get it. When you join LOMA, youll get the ins and outs of setting your site up to attract free search engine traffic. Well also cover what you shouldnt do the things that can get you banned or sent to search engine oblivion!

Free listings and directories. Getting listed in local search engines and directories is one of the fastest and most effective things you can do for your online marketing program if you know where to go and what to do.

In fact, you can utilize this technique even if you dont have a web site. And the best part is, some of the highest-quality listings are totally free.

But take note, getting listed involves more than just listing yourself. There are things you can do to greatly enhance the effectiveness of your listing and almost none of the businesses out there are doing it! Youll want to jump on this one immediately!

Warning — there are some listing services that will charge you high fees month after month, but that is totally unnecessary and the LOMA alert on this can pay for your entire membership many times over!

Paid listings. Are they worth it? Well give you some things to consider before popping for a paid listing!

Pay-per-click advertising. This can bring you some of the best and most targeted traffic youll ever enjoy and you can turn it on (and off) in a matter of minutes. But youll really need to know the ropes on this one. Ultimately, its a simple process, but theres a mind-boggling array of options, and unless you have a good guide to help you through the process, you can blow through a lot of wasted cash fast.

Joint ventures and tapping into other peoples lists. Theres some real gold here if you know where to look and how to ask!

Banner and other advertising. Should you use this type of advertising? Is it effective? Banners were once the king of Internet advertising, well give the latest word on these types of ads.

Blogs and RSS feeds. Theyre all the rage, but should you add them to your marketing mix? Well give you the pros and cons.

How to build an online list you can extract money from over and over. This is where most local businesses completely miss the boat. And thats too bad because this boat is loaded with cash and thats why well be talking to you about list building throughout the LOMA membership site! Neat thing it can all be automated.

E-mail marketing. If you build an online list, youll be using e-mail for a good part of your marketing. E-mail is a very effective way to market, but recently its gotten a lot tougher to get your message through. To make e-mail marketing work for you, youll need to know how to get your e-mails delivered past the spam filters, how to get them opened and read, and how to comply with state and federal laws that regulate the use of e-mail for commercial purposes.

How to automate everything. This is where the Internet really shines. Your entire system can be automated which means you can be attracting and collecting prospects and converting them to customers, automatically, all day, all night, all year, and all while youre doing something else!

How to test and track everything. How would you like to have a marketing system thats constantly improving itself? With the testing and tracking techniques youll learn in LOMA member site you can. With the Internet, it doesnt matter much where you start your marketing just get started and let your prospects and customers tell you what they want. With testing and tracking you dont have to guess!

Tools and resources. The Internet runs on computers and software and one overlooked marketing edge is being savvy about the technology you use. Weeding through all the options to find the best solutions for your needs, however, can be time consuming and expensive when you make a mistake. Let LOMA point you to the best resources.
Take a look at these member benefits...
The Indispensable Guide To Local Online Marketing — This is the “foundation” for your online marketing education and what every local business owner should know.

“The Guide” originally was a printed-only manual that sold for $397. It has helped many businesses and you can still purchase it, but there are two reasons why you may not want to do that.

First, an online version is built into your LOMA membership. Second, the world of Internet marketing can be fast paced. Things change fast online and you need an ongoing information pipeline thats as agile and dynamic as the Internet itself. Bringing The Indispensable Guide To Local Online Marketing online to the LOMA membership site allows us to keep it current with the latest developments and best practices.

Advanced Online Marketing Information — The Indispensable Guide To Local Online Marketing is ~ well ~ indispensable, but there is much more that can help you take your online marketing and business to ever-higher levels of profit and efficiency. And to help you with that process, youll find the LOMA member site is packed with advanced information and resources.

Vendor Reviews and Tips — Choosing the right vendors for your online activities can make or break your online presence!

Hotline Reports — You never know when a unique opportunity will pop up online, or when “the rules” change, as they frequently do (Google, for one, is constantly “evolving”). Whether its a seismic shift or a minor blip, you need to know what the latest developments are.

Scam Alerts — When we hear of something “unsavory” going on in the online marketing world we will alert you to it!

Online Marketing Best Practices — There are many was to get something done, use your LOMA membership to find the best and most efficient ways to market online.

Member Certificate — Add credibility to your web site and your offline presence by displaying your official LOMA Membership Certificate!
Mastermind Forums — Ask questions, discuss and team up with your fellow members, there is power and profit in the gathering of multiple minds!

Ongoing Expert Support — Get your specific questions and issues addressed with our ongoing support system. As a LOMA member, youll never be alone with no one reliable to help you with your marketing questions.
The LOMA member site and ongoing support is like having a team of $500-an-hour consults on call waiting to take care of your Internet market needs on the fly exactly when you need the help. And whether youre a novice or advanced marketer, youll be able to jump right in at the right level and get the expert help you need.
Free Trial Membership

Loma is currently not accepting new members, if you need a web site, try out the LOMA site builder 10 day free trial.
Why are we doing this?

First, we truly want every local business owner to have the opportunity to get a basic online marketing education, even if we have to “step up to the plate” and make it free.
Second, we do hope you will stick around after your free trial (and we believe you will!), when you experience the extensive profit building information, ongoing updates, and networking opportunities you get with your LOMA membership.
So heres “the deal”...
The regular LOMA membership is $27-a-month, which is a steal considering the extra business and profits you could gain, or the money you can save by avoiding mistakes.
Let us show you on our “dime.” Join now, and the first 14 days are on us — free. Plus, you will receive The Quick Start Orientation Guide to help you get the most from your membership in the shortest possible time.
If you decide to continue, dues are $27-a-month thereafter.
You can, of course, cancel at any time, but I think you will find your LOMA membership a worthy investment, one that will provide you with substantial returns personally and financially.
So I do hope you will give LOMA a try — you have the proverbial “everything to gain and nothing to loose" — so you can take advantage of the...

In depth articles on everything from search engine marketing, to web building to conversion strategies and much more...

Jeff Farr and Fred Waters
P.S. The Internet is an incredibly exciting place to do business. Done right, it can provide you and your family with a whole new standard of living. Ignored, it can deal your business and your lifestyle a severe body blow.
The real question is, how do you get started and make this dynamic marketplace work for you, and thats what LOMA is all about! The LOMA member site is crammed-packed with the information you need to put your online marketing on a major roll.
P.P.S. You could go to $3,000 Internet marketing seminars and purchase $1,000+ Internet marketing courses and not get the exacting, detailed, and complete solution thats delivered to you in the LOMA member site.
Three grand, by the way, would be cheap compared to the business youre losing right now by not fully taking effective advantage of the opportunities that the Internet offers you.
Three grand is also cheap compared to the money youll waste by trying to go it alone being the lone ranger and trying to figure it out for yourself.
And $3,000 is a downright bargain compared to the money you can waste by hiring the wrong web designer, Internet marketing firm, the wrong hosting service, or by bungling a pay-per-click campaign on Google or Yahoo...