Welcome to www.michaelpaul.eu

My name is Michael Paul and I run a marketing agency near Belfast, Northern Ireland. My main business website is at Diadem: Internet advertising for small businesses.

Revenue & margin growth for small businesses

I provide advice and services that help small businesses (including self-employed trades people) use the Internet to achieve their business goals. This usually means one or more of the following:

Generate sales enquiries and win new customers
Secure repeat orders from existing customers
Sell products online
Reduce costs with self-help customer service

Why should I advertise online?

Local newspapers and regional directories have been the traditional advertising media for small local businesses.

However, customers are increasingly using the Internet (and specifically search engines) to find the products and services they require. Those businesses that don't respond to this change, risk being left behind.

How do I advertise online?

Most businesses tend to start with one or both of the following options:

Online directories

They are a logical progression for those who have previously relied on printed directories. However, I have 2 basic problems with them:

Sharing such a crowded space with all your competitors. The only way to get noticed is to pay for an enhanced listing. One UK provider charges nearly £5,000 per year for the top spot in just one local area.
Do customers use these directories to find goods or services online, or are they more likely to use search engines? Which do you use?

For more information and some advice about using paid-for listings, read my article Peas in a pod: the problem with online directories.

Dedicated Website

When done properly, this is by far the better option and will produce a steady supply of cost-effective sales leads.

But it is frequently not done properly.

The problem is this: a website on its own is not a sales or marketing solution. Without a range of promotional, measurement and management techniques, the site will not deliver the business results you require.

For further information, read my article: Why do so many websites fail?

Diadem's SME managed solution

Diadem offers an inclusive advertising package, which provides all the components necessary for successful Internet advertising.

There is no set-up charge or long-term contract. You pay a small monthly fee that is within the budget of small businesses and compares favourably with print-based adverts and paid directory listings.

Achieve your business goals