Kansas City Real Estate Network

Browse by Tags

• Kansas City
• Lenexa Real Estate

• Google is the New Walmart for Small Businesses

  Google is the New Walmart for Small Businesses When Walmart comes into town, it kind of wipes out stores that market price conscious commodities. What are they? Examples of price conscious commodity stores are bike stores, toy stores, grocery stores, and garden centers. Seth Godin, an author, recognized the Walmart phenomena and introduced to the marketing world the Purple Cow. A brief description of the Purple Cow goes like this. If you are driving down the highway and see a brown cow, you think "Big wiz" because you see brown cows all of the time. But what happens if you see a "Purple Cow" you think, that is cool, right? It sticks into your head. The Purple Cow theory is you need to be remarkable and stand out to compete.  The successful companies that competed against Walmart found out that they needed to be remarkable in order to stay in business They needed to be the "Purple Cow". The most obvious way for them to stay in business was offer outstanding service whether it was offer knowledge during the sale process or extra packaging with a handwritten "Thank You Note" after the sale. Service is the "Purple Cow" for small business. Now the successful companies have weathered the Walmart storm and thought they had it figured it out and here comes Google. Now your thinking, how is Google with all of its services for small businesses hurting small businesses, right? Simply with its Small Business Package like Google Offers and Google Local, Google is changing how small businesses market. If used right, the services are great for small businesses. Unfortunately, most small businesses are using the Google services wrong.  First, most small business are not taking advantage of Google Offer like the big businesses. Consumers who use the Offers typically only see offers from Big Businesses. Next when it comes to Google Local, most small businesses are not completing their profile and managing their profile. Why is this important? Most internet users use Google over the Yellow Pages to find a business.  So why do you need to monitor if I have a presence on Google Local? First, your profile, which is tied to Google Search and Google Plus will need periodic updates.  Second, you need to monitor what your customers are saying about your business. Here are some random reviews:                         So how is Google like Walmart?  Google Local makes it easier for consumers to post reviews about your small business. Just like when Walmart came to town, small businesses need to be remarkable or consumers will shop by price which will benefit large businesses like Walmart. If you are not remarkable, your customer will be disappointed and will shop somewhere else. With Google Local they will take their friends and your future customers with them. Be remarkable and consumers will make remarkable reviews.  I'm surprised at how many businesses in Kansas City don't have a presence on Google Local and do not monitor what their customers are saying. Do you have a Google Local presence and monitor what your customers are saying? RE/MAX sells more homes than any other real estate company. For a reason...should we talk? Another blog post written by: Comments are appreciated! Go ahead and add your 2 cents . . . Checkout our 30 Day Real Estate Listing Program! View Olathe, Kansas Real Estate Facts, Stats, Blog Post and Important Links!  Posted Tuesday, July 10, 2012 9:00 AM from Online Kansas City | 0 Comments Filed under: Kansas City, Business, Kansas City Restaurants

• Kansas City restaurant employees poisoned food

  Shawnee woman pleads guilty in poisoning conspiracy: "Yini De La Torre, 19, admitted that while working as a waitress there she twice added a deadly pesticide to salsa, which sickened dozens of people. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to tamper with a consumer product and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in a pending case against her husband, Arnoldo Bazan. In her plea, prosecutors said, she said Bazan worked for the Mi Ranchito restaurant in Olathe until June 27, 2009. Bazan believed the chain’s owner was responsible for him losing his job and for the theft of Bazan’s vehicle, De La Torre said. The couple poisoned the diners to get even with the owner, prosecutors said. While Lenexa police investigated, Bazan told his wife not to talk or she would physically be harmed. As a result of the poisonings, the Kansas City Mexican restaurant, Mi Ranchito, lost $250,000 in income for September and October in the Lenexa location. Mi Ranchito is a popular Kansas City Mexican restaurant with six Kansas City locations. Let us know what you think or add to our blog by writing a comment. Blog post written by the Dowell Taggart Team of RE/MAX Best Associates Your Kansas City Real Estate Marketing Masters! Follow us on Twitter Be our fan Facebook Friend us on Facebook Network with us on Ning Follow us on Social Media Search 21,000+ Kansas City Homes For Sale including foreclosures, short sales, luxury homes and more Posted Wednesday, February 24, 2010 6:19 AM from Online Kansas City | 0 Comments Filed under: Lenexa Real Estate, Business, Kansas City Restaurants