Week 12 Part B: Business Specific Tools

After doing research on Yelp and MeetUp Groups, I found out the following:

Yelp: I do not have a Yelp account set up for my business, but I do use Yelp frequently. Whether I am looking for local restaurants, hotels, or parks. Earning positive Yelp reviews for your local business is a great way to show potential customers that previous visitors liked their experience at your restaurant or storefront. Local businesses are most affected by the star system, while places like chain restaurants are not. When thinking about how Yelp works for business owners, you have to consider both the positive and negative impacts of the platform. Whether you receive a positive or negative review it is important to always respond to your customer. Every review that remains unanswered is a lost opportunity to retain existing customers and attract new prospects.

MeetUp: I do have a MeetUp account, but it is for personal use. In the past, I have used the MeetUp app to find local French Bulldog owners. I am a part of an organized group that sets up a monthly meet-up for local French Bulldogs and their owners. It is a useful way to communicate and let my dogs interact with other dogs like them. MeetUp groups are important for your business because customers want to get to know you on a more personal level. They can be used by individuals to organize offline gatherings of like-minded individuals for a common purpose, such as networking. You can use Meetups to gain consumer, product, and brand insights, as well as increase your real-world visibility. It is proven that people are more likely to do business with those they like and respect.

Online tools are going to have positive and negative effects on your business. That is why it is important to do your research when deciding which tools work best for your specific business.