The marriage of Yext and MapQuest

A few months ago, Mapquest and Yext tied the knot.  From the outside, it seems  like a strange partnership, but I'm sure they have their reasons.  (It's obvious that one reason is to make more money.)  I have tried Yext and found it's reports to be incorrect and misleading.  However, MapQuest has some nice features.  Most importantly, 3rd party sites such as MapQuest are especially important for small business to increase online visibility.  

The new marriage has confused MapQuest listing generation, claiming, and updating.  You will now find it difficult to create or update a MapQuest listing without it looking like you have to pay for it.  (Key word, "looking like.")  Let's be clear, you don’t have to pay for a MapQuest listing for your business if you following my advice below.  Good luck!   

First-hand advice, “follow this method, and you won't be charged”

#1  Search to see if you have an existing listing for your business:  http://www.mapquest.com/

#2  If you find it, claim it.  You’ll need to go BACK to http://www.mapquest.com/ and ‘sign in.’

#3  ‘Sign in’ is in the upper right corner.  When you get there, you’ll see how an account can be setup using your Facebook account.

Important:  If your claiming process comes to a request for payment, you are on the wrong path....go back!

 Side note:   I researched the results of my business Yext report and found the data to be incorrect and misleading. Yext is a computer program, not a person.  The best way to manage your online reputation is to do it yourself, (if you have an extra 10 or so hours per month).  Google, Yahoo and others have some nifty online tools.   Your online reputation is at stake...if you don't have the time, hire a professional like The Leaning Tree Marketing.

How the weather affects business profitability

Last week, news and authorities urged people to stay indoors to avoid life-threatening cold conditions.  Schools closed, businesses closed, and most of us went into a hibernation state of living.  The last time a city in Wisconsin was close to -18 below wind chill was 1979. 

Although this extreme weather is not typical or frequent, there is still a legitimate concern regarding how harsh weather conditions effect business.  (Both positive and negative.) While it's true nothing can be done to prevent the weather, the way consumers and businesses react is quite interesting.   

According to Bloomberg Blizzard Business, these businesses are in higher than usual demand:

·         Home Depot, Lowes

·         Energy Companies

·         Generator Companies

·         Hospitals & Care Clinics

·         Snow Removal Companies

·         Online Retail

More than the weather the affected BonTon's sales, here's an interesting article:  

When people postpone buying, it can be a real mess for retail.  “Bon-Ton says stores stung by bad winter; warns of possible 2013 loss…”

Article from The Wall Street Journal:  The Weather Channel forecasts what consumers will buy and where advertisers should place spots.

There just isn't a good amount of research to share regarding the effect of weather on small business, but I could speculate that the experience is far more extreme.  For many businesses, the influence of weather is very real.  If the same weather doesn’t repeat itself each year, sales results will fluctuate.  So much so, that it’s often built into sales forecasts along with potential economic and specific marketplace conditions. Because weather absolutely affects the bottom line, companies big, and small, must constantly prepare and react to the changes and challenges that come along with it.

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