A clear, plain-English explanation and overview of digital strategy for small business owners. A resource for folks just getting started, before hiring an SEO professional, social marketing manager, or digital marketing agency.

1. Get Noticed!
Do-it-Now Small Biz Digital Strategy
…in Plain English
Lisa T. Richardson, PhD
Flow Interactive
YouCanFlow.com
Get Noticed!
Get Noticed!
Get Noticed!
Get Noticed!
Get Noticed!
Get Noticed!
Get Noticed!

2. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
What is Digital Strategy?
A targeted, comprehensive plan for
placing your product or service in the
path of customers or clients specifically
looking for what you have to offer.
In the words of The Google,
“You know who needs a dentist?
People searching for a dentist.”

3. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Digital Strategy is NOT (just)
Branding
Social Marketing
Web Design
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Online Customer Service
eCommerce
It’s ALL of them working together and more!

4. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Inbound Marketing
You focus on targeting your message and
being findable, shareable, and useful to your
ideal customer.
That customer comes to YOU (potentially
ready to buy) > learns about your products
and services > decides they like you > feels
like they know you and trust you > then
they give you money.

5. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
…vs Outbound Marketing
(advertising)

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WHY Digital Strategy?
When you start up, you generally have
more time than money.
Invest both wisely.

7. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Low Traffic + High
Conversion
or
High Traffic + Low
Conversion?
Would You Prefer…

8. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Why Are You Doing This??
What do you want to accomplish?
What are your business goals?
• Leads or requests for more info
• Sales
• Build mailing list
Who is your customer?
• NAME him/her and write a short bio to keep
in mind as you implement your strategy

9. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Research
Where is your customer spending their
time?
• Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? Niche blogs?
• What do they do when they’re ready to buy?
• Where are they gathering info on products or
services like yours?

10. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.

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Design It for When They Come
Your website should be place where
your ideal customers come in, look
around, and want to stay
Attractive is nice, attractive and EASY
TO USE is better…
Attractive, easy to use, and USEFUL is
conversion gold

12. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Do This…
Build your website using a content
management system like WordPress
• You can update regularly without touching any
code
• SEO-friendly structure
• Great looking, easy-to-navigate website for
your customers, quick fast in a hurry
Spread your keywords throughout your
pages and posts in a natural, authentic
manner

13. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
And Do This…
Invest time (or money) into maintaining
your website weekly – monthly
• A neglected site is a hacked site
• Sites that post regularly rank higher in Google
searches
• Regular activity on your site tells customers
that you are a ‘real’ business
• Mention your location and use it in your
image descriptions and “alt” tags

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Establish Yourself
Produce shareable content that is helpful
and relevant to your ideal customer
(and make sure they can find it!!)
• Teach them how to solve a persistent problem
• Show them how to do something new
• Explain how something they need (that you
provide) works
Introduce them to THEIR awesome
and they will recognize YOURS

16. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Establish Yourself
Blog posts
• You want to be Findable, Readable, and Tweetable!
Tweets & Retweets
Facebook posts
Google+ posts
…wherever your customers spend the most
time
Build your foundation of findability – use the
keywords that your customers search for to
find you, not the ones YOU use to describe
yourself.

17. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Do This…
Create an editorial calendar
(Excel is handy for this)
• Set up your weekly blog topics for the next
quarter
• Facebook posts & Tweets for the next 3-4
weeks
Use Hootsuite or another social media
management platform
• Your sanity will thank you

18. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.

19. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Action!
What happens when customers get to
your website?
• Does your call to action…make them act?
Are you telling them what you want them to
do, then making it easy to accomplish?
Go back to your business goals and
the outcomes you want from your
strategy
• Make it easy for site visitors to do that thing

20. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Do This…
Get to know Google Analytics
• What do visitors do when they get to your
website?
• Is your content relevant to them? (bounce rate)
• Are they hanging out and learning more?
(time on site)
• Are they doing what you want them to do?
(goals)

21. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.

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Conversion
When people are ready to give you money
–
MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO DO SO
Minimize hurdles to purchase!
• Provide ALL relevant info, pricing and buy button
on product/service page if it can be bought online
• Provide phone # & email address for contact if it
cannot or if you need to speak with client first

23. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Do This…
Accept credit card fees as a normal
business cost
• Get a Paypal account
• Get a Square or other mobile payment account
• Use a merchant account from your bank if you
must (can get costly, though)
Go through your online purchase
process yourself and experience it as a
customer
Thank them for their business!

24. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.

25. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
They Share the Love!
Encourage customers to share their
experiences with potential customers
and friends
• Testimonials
• Contests
• Customer spotlights
Loyal, repeat customers are your best
marketing team. Take care of them!

26. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Rinse & Repeat
Your digital strategy is an ongoing
process over the lifetime of your
business. You’re never “done.”
Remain dedicated & responsive to
current, past, and future customers
and provide content that continuously
brings them back into the sales cycle

27. Copyright © 2014 Flow Interactive.
Let’s Connect,
There’s More to Share!
/YouCanFlow
@DrLisaWP
Gplus.to/YouCanFlow
Read More @
YouCanFlow.com/blog
For WordPress class info or a private consult
email me: LisaR@youcanflow.com