The Limos.com Forum Has Moved!!!

An online presence today is essential in business. In a customer service industry, being online is maybe even more important.

Just as important is being aware of when your company is being reference on the web. The question becomes how in the world can you scour the web on a regular basis and find those occurances when they happen?

The good people at Google have an answer and I've created a little post about two essential tools an online presence needs to stay aware of what's being said about you and when it's being said.

Read the post now at InTheLeftLaneOnline.com

Not everyone can afford to play but trade has worked for me from day one. PS The operator figure is somewhere around 15,000. Limousine Digest will certify the figure this summer.

quote:

Originally posted by InTheLeftLane:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dean Schuler:
A operator I know has received accounts valued at over $750,000 a year just from advertising in the right high end publication. The referrals from these clients have garnered substantial additional sales. You have to know where to hunt...[QUOTE]

Dean, Agreed on select use of print. By and large however, high-end glossy magazines are expensive to produce ads for and to run for any substantial effect.

Not sure how many of the 10,000 or so owners / operators in the limo industry can successfully particpate in the high-end magazine strategy.

EVERYone can put an online presence to good effect and not for a lot of money. It does take time and knowledge, to be sure, but not a big wad of cash like print requires.

Here is an example of the business ad we use.

BusinessReportAd.pdf (857 Kb, 64 downloads) Business Report Ad

Most of the upscale magazines and our local business magazine will do trade deals. We have been featured in our local business trade magazine several times and we have a ad that runs at least once per month on trade. It keeps our name in front of 12,000 local business owners.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dean Schuler:
A operator I know has received accounts valued at over $750,000 a year just from advertising in the right high end publication. The referrals from these clients have garnered substantial additional sales. You have to know where to hunt...[QUOTE]

Dean, Agreed on select use of print. By and large however, high-end glossy magazines are expensive to produce ads for and to run for any substantial effect.

Not sure how many of the 10,000 or so owners / operators in the limo industry can successfully particpate in the high-end magazine strategy.

EVERYone can put an online presence to good effect and not for a lot of money. It does take time and knowledge, to be sure, but not a big wad of cash like print requires.

Great tip's Steve.
Your right, this is the first presidential election where runner-up's are concerned and read blog's about themselves to see opinion's that other's have of them. And it's the same in this biz. I remember when we started, a customer had a bad experience because of an inexperienced driver not doing a good job of calcultaing miles left/remaining gas. Long story short: customer complain's to BBB (Better Bribery Biz), BBB post's complaint online for whole world to see. Well needless to say, without an accurate online search tool like the one's discussed here, negative post's/blog's may never be discovered.

I agree that online advertising is the key to success for certain lines of biz like our's. We now spend 80-85% of advertising budget for online campaign's, the other 15% conventional. One of every three reservation's are from conventional, the other two online.

Another tip with online advertising that we found to reduce cost's by as much as 20-25% is to set a daily budget. If a daily budget is not offered, try someone that offer's this (and no I am not listing/advertising for google or yahoo here-they get plenty of my $$ as it is!!...damn, I just did...lol), otherwise the search company will milk you and drain your yearly ad bugdet's. Yes, the con to this is less viewing, but remember most search comp. offer a schedule that can display ad whatever day/time one chooses. Just choose the time/day's that have most viewer's. And depending on what town you operate out of, it's not cheap in a town with hundred's of limo companies competing on bid placement like around here (Chicago), versus say operating out of Peoria which bid placement for same keyword's are at least 50% or more LESS.

Steve, that ning dot com site is awesome!!

A operator I know has received accounts valued at over $750,000 a year just from advertising in the right high end publication. The referrals from these clients have garnered substantial additional sales. You have to know where to hunt...

quote:

Originally posted by InTheLeftLane:
Online advertising is overtaking print. Any investment in print should be considered as transitional and effort must be given to estblishing a successful online presence.

Know how and if you are being talked about on the web is essential (and easy), know when / how your competition is being talked about is smart. Set alerts your competitors names too.

Online advertising is overtaking print. Any investment in print should be considered as transitional and effort must be given to estblishing a successful online presence.

Know how and if you are being talked about on the web is essential (and easy), know when / how your competition is being talked about is smart. Set alerts your competitors names too.

Today anyone can purchase cars and often it is noted that anyone does ! Focus on the service you deliver and create a "buzz" in your community and beyond.

Well….I think if you wait for some more time… you can get a lot better suggestions that this…I am out of any ideas for this!!!!

Setting up some Google alerts is a good idea.

They would be good in situations like someone posting on a consumer opinion site like the following examples show:

My3Cents.com

Yelp.com

Just make sure to set one up with every variable of your company name, phone number, address, your name etc.

BTW if you have not already see if you are on Yelp and claim your page, it's free advertising.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Steve W.,