A website has become as essential to a business as a telephone. It is your virtual business on the internet that, often times, customers see first. A website also allows you to promote yourself in more ways than you can ever imagine. Think of your website as your virtual business. When visitors come to your REAL business, you want to make a good first impression; the same rules apply when it comes to your website.

Last week we walked you through the basics of creating a marketing plan. After you create a marketing plan, you have to be able to effectively measure you ROI (return on investment) to decide if the plan is working. Continue reading to learn more about measuring your ROI, and why it's important.

Are you wanting to up your business's marketing strategy, but don't know where to start? It's easy to create a simple markeing strategy when you know the basics. And we mean basics. Start with the 5 W's: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and then you can throw in your How.

Small Business Saturday is scheduled for November 26th this year. This is a great opportunity for your business to draw in customers with limited time specials and promotions. If you haven't already begun planning for Small Business Saturday, now is the time to begin developing your marketing strategy. Here are a couple of tips to help you have a successful Small Business Saturday.

The digital age has made things increasingly more difficult for brick and mortar storefronts. The ability to go on the internet and order just about anything and have it delivered to your doorstep is a luxury that many people use. How do you keep your store on track, or ahead of the online competition? A website. This is one tool that gives your brick and mortar store front an advantage in this digital era. Need more convincing? Here are 5 reasons you need a website.

Marketing can seem very scary, especially if you are a small business owner who does it all on your own. Where do you begin? Do you really need all that "stuff"? Should you hire someone to do it in-house? Or maybe a company to do it for you? Here a few tips to help you out!

Snapchat is a rapidly growing social network that allows its users to take pictures (Snaps) and post them to their Story or send them to their friends directly. It is unique because the Snaps disappear from your Story after 24 hours, and disapper instantly after being viewed when sent directly to a friend.

With social media and review sites like Yelp, customer service is more important now than ever. One bad review may not cause drastic damage to your business and its reputation, but several bad reviews can run your name into the ground.

This post was written by Caleb Hennington and originally appeared on FGMarket's "What's the Buzz Blog." View it here, or click here to learn more about FGMarket!

You've probably heard the terms inbound and outbound marketing plenty of times during your career. Most of the time, these are terms that marketing and PR people like to throw around just to impress anyone that's hearing (at least, that's how I look at it).

Have you ever stopped to consider what these terms mean though, and what…

Crisis, it happens when you least expect. The $200 flower arrangement you spent hours on was destroyed. The hand-painted details on their ten tier wedding cake aren't the exact shade of Tiffany blue the bride wanted. There is an emergency in your own family, but you are obligated to help someone else.

Too many times businesses are faced with a crisis and don't know how to handle it. They have no plan in place, so when crisis does strike, they are left with the short end of the stick.

Pinterest can be a very powerful tool for businesses. Pinterest is especially valuable for those looking to reach brides, but the benefits aren't just for wedding planners. Pinterest has become a hub for everything from the latest styles to the DIY market. Here are some of the basics of Pinterest to get you started!

Millennials currently make up one of the largest buying markets in the country. According to Forbes, this includes $200 billion in annual buying power. As a generation that doesn't adhere to the traditional rules of marketing, this has left many businesses wondering how to reach such a dominant market.

Our world is more and more frequently becoming virtual. More people look online for businesses now more than ever before. This is why your business must have an online presence. If not, you may be losing out on some serious business.

Gone mobile? If not, you should!

Mobile is quickly becoming the new internet! You may be surprised how many visitors are finding you through mobile.

Here are some tips for preparing yourself for effective media work in your community.

Call To Action - words used to prompt immediate action of the reader. In marketing, this could mean buying, subscribing, joining or any other action you would like them to do.