by Michael Fahey

Created on: October 19, 2009   Last Updated: October 20, 2009

There are some astonishing web statistics today that small businesses need to know to survive and thrive. First, as unemployment goes up, web traffic increases. web traffic us up almost 25% .Secondly, people are looking online for jobs and ways to save money. A great indicator of this is that free merchandise and coupons are the most searched for items on the web today.

National advertiser, national chains, and franchises have pooled marketing dollars to help drive business to their stores. Small businesses need to change the way they market their business to survive. Word of mouth, newspaper, direct mail do not work in this market nor do they provide the ROI needed in this economy. Effective use of web technology and SMS technology can bring customers in and have them coming back.

Any business whether a restaurant or retail store needs to have an effective web campaign that includes coupons. Coupons should always provide an incentive for new customers to come in and they should not be a lost leader. Coupons should be used to bring in additional patrons and bring them in on days or times that you know are slow. By doing so you can increase revenues on days that are typically slow while introducing your business to new potential customers. The missing piece of this puzzle, however, is the delivery of the coupons.

Bringing customers to your website can be difficult. Websites should be SEO optimized. Business owners should get listed on http:local.Yahoo.com , google local and other free directories. Customers should also subscribe to other local coupon directories like http://mingamo.com, http://www.247coupon.com, or http://www.dealbandy.com.

Mingamo offers a digital online coupon builder that enables you to change deals on the fly. You also receive a web page and listing in the directory. Deal Bandy and 247Coupons offer publication of your coupons on their site. They provide viable links to your site that helps with SEO.

Finally, businesses should capture at the register e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers for opt in programs. A coupon sent directly via text is viewed at a 90% rate. Coupons can be sent out twice per month via SMS. By securing permission you meet legal requirements and have the opportunity to build customer loyalty by sending coupons customized to your customer.

Having an effective web campaign that includes coupons will help drive patrons to your business. Using SMS can help bring them back.

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