What you shouldn’t forget is the events happening this week, so let’s jump into it…

Hey! Andres here,

Welcome to the networking desk! This week I bring some findings on ads, and local events so you can continue to grow your business or organization.

Quick reminder!

🌟 Don’t forget to share your networking wins (or business wins and tips) to be featured next time!

Here’s what we got this week:

• The Ad Most People Forget

• Curated local events

Alright, let’s do this.

“Lean forward moment” of the week - 💭 The Ad Most People Forget

There’s this super simple strategy I came across recently now that I'm going deeper into Google Ads. It’s kind of obvious, yet hardly anyone does it. Basically:

• “[Your Brand]”

• “[Your Brand] reviews”

• “[Your Brand] pricing”

• “[Your Brand] competitors”

I have actually come across this in the past, and I used to think, “why would someone spend money on their own brand name when I am searching for them?” Well it’s simple, I was searching for them because I was interested in buying, and if a competitor showed up I might have clicked on them by mistake, or even landing on the wrong page on their website could decrease the likeliness of me buying from them.

People online call it the easiest money you’ll ever make running ads. And I agree.

Here’s why: Again, people searching for your name are already warm. They’re curious about you, comparing you, maybe even ready to buy or donate.

And most businesses just leave that opportunity sitting on the table.

Say someone Googles your business name (and this is especially important if your business name is common) — and boom, your competitors show up first. Above the fold.

(Quick note: “above the fold” means before you even scroll. It’s the first thing people see. If you’re not there, you basically don’t exist to some people.)

Now, many rely only on a Google Business Profile to show up when people search for their brands, and don’t get me wrong, that’s great! Please do this 100% of the time. But paid ads on your name give you control. Control of where people land, what they see, and what they do next.

And please… don’t just send them to your homepage.

People searching for your name are ready. Don’t make them hunt. Give them a direct landing page: a lead magnet, an offer, a donation page. Whatever makes sense for your audience.

For Nonprofits - yes, this applies for you too.

Let’s say you’re a nonprofit and someone types in your name after seeing a flyer, or a billboard, or a friend mentioning your mission. Don’t make them dig through “About Us” pages and your history since 1983…

Drop them on a donation page with a compelling reason to give now. This is exactly the kind of use case I’d use Google Ad Grants for. If you have warm donors looking for you, don’t waste the opportunity.

Here are some keyword examples:

• “Is [Nonprofit Name] trustworthy”

• “[Nonprofit Name] testimonials”

• “[Nonprofit Name] success stories”

• “[Nonprofit Name] donate”

2 Bonus tips

• If your company is gaining visibility through sponsorships, events, or media mentions, this becomes even more valuable. Think a billboard, sponsoring a local sporting event or local holiday events, you will want to capture that traffic that you paid to get shown to so use this they will search for your name.

• Analyze your ad performance! Even if it’s a simple setup, watch how it’s doing compared to other campaigns. Warm traffic should convert better and if not, it’s a great signal to tweak your offer or landing page.

💻 Shameless plug

Hey! In case you didn’t know, I make websites and help non-profits to stay top of mind to create more revenue.

OR JUST RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL!

🗓️ Now, the events…

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Thank you for reading! Quick thing before I go:

1. If you are new or would like to read older posts, check out this page. There is a backlog of previous weeks of “The Networking Desk”

2. Know someone who would benefit from this newsletter? Be sure to share it with them! 📩 (just copy the link or forward this email) I will keep putting out great newsletters for them and for you. That’s a promise.

See you next week.

- Andres Inciarte