East Portland Chamber of Commerce

Last week I attended the Marketing Committee meeting to address some limitations with the new board policy.  At the meeting it became apparent that the leaders in the chamber are committed to helping businesses grow in East Portland.

Every one of us, as business owners/operators, receive phone calls from web marketing companies offering to help us get a first page listing on the search engines.  The sales rep talks in acronym code that only a computer scientist can understand and the price tags are hardly consistent.  You’ve even heard of friends who have been burned by companies in the past…  What then should you do?

First some numbers…  These number are as recent as December 2008, available from Pew Internet & American Life Project.

72% of American adults use the internet daily

Your customers are on the internet, is your website currently reaching them?

89% of American adult internet users use a search engine to find information

This makes sense.  When was the last time you used a phone book to find something?

81% look for information online about a service or product they are considering buying

Because the internet can carry more than just contact info, internet users seek customer feed back, inside scoops, tricks and tips, and better prices.

So how, then, is the East Portland Chamber of Commerce helping?  Your membership in the Chamber grants you the ability to publish your message on the business blog site.  No charge!  No link fees.  No annoying sales call.  This blog site is designed to give you higher search engine visibility.  If your future customers are comparing you to your competition online, the East Portland Chamber Business Blog site will help make the difference!

Ed Bejarana
EPCC Business Blog Editor
BusinessBlogging.net
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