Do you know anyone still using this? Seriously?
I just got off the phone talking to a potential client.
He was the first one to admit that he’s been throwing away $500 monthly on advertising costs for the phone book. He realizes that new business leads have been steadily dwindling not only from the phone directory, but also from the traditional newspapers, and even radio.
He wants to take his business to the next level, but he didn’t know how to start. Actually, he thought that reviving his website might be the way to go, and that’s why he wanted to talk to me in the first place.
However, the reality is that in today’s ever-changing world, the website may no longer be the marketing hub for the small business owner. Depending on their target audience, it’s more likely to be Google Places and/or Facebook.
Here’s a case in point.
I was with my wife shopping, and she was looking for a quality pair of walking shoes in the Spokane Valley. I’m not going to disclose the name of the store, but we’ve decided to get a pair of Merrell shoes. It was quite expensive, but we both agreed that it’s worth it at $90 retail.
However, at the back of my mind, I was thinking that there must be a seller out there who’s willing to give us a discount; even 10% would be worth it.
So I pulled up my Android smartphone, and fired up the Google maps application. I entered “Merrell shoes” in the search box … and wallah!
A store’s name came up, and it was within a mile from where we were. Their phone number was already there, so I simply clicked and within a few seconds I was talking to a salesperson. I gave the specific shoe model, color and size that my wife wanted.
She said, “Yes, we do have it, and it’s actually on sale for $45. Would you like me to hold it for you?”
HOLD IT FOR ME!!!!!????? For $45!!!??? I was just about to pay full price for that exact one.
Well, I tried to contain my excitement, and played a little bit hard to get 
. I asked the lady what time they were going to close, and simply said that we’ll be there before the end of the day.
To make a long story short, we got there (within 5 minutes), and my wife saved $45 – thanks to Google’s Android.
Maybe if you look closely enough, you might see the $55 discounted price.
But that’s not the end of the story.
A pair of men’s Merrells caught my eye. To my amazement, it was also 50% off at $55.
In the end, I ended up also buying the shoes for myself, and together, my wife and I saved $100 within a span of 30 minutes. That’s the kind of shopping I get excited about!
Needless to say, the store was also very happy about it.
This story may not be mainstream YET here in Spokane. But you know it’s coming.
Actually, it’s more likely to be the norm today for bigger cities like Seattle or San Francisco.
Are you there yet?
