Social Media

 

The Importance of Social Media in Business

900,000 new blog posts appear everyday, enough to fill the New York Times for 19 years. 700,000 new members join Facebook each day with 45 millions updates recorded daily. The user volume of today's social media networks such as Digg, Facebook, and Twitter is staggering. There are more users than ever and they only grow each day. This is good for businesses for obvious reasons. Small businesses are able to get the word out about their business much easier than 30, 20, even 10 years ago. Social media has become an extremely powerful tool that, when utilized correctly, can boost your small business's web presence practically overnight. Here are a few insightful points regarding social media marketing.

• There are many new technological tools that can be used to help a business succeed. Web 2.0, a relatively new term to most, is essentially a set of tools that businesses can use to improve their site traffic and ultimately increase their consumer base. These tools include blog sites, wikis, social networking sites, and other online communities. With the use of Web 2.0 your business will show up more in searches and be more accessible to the general public. These online communities connect businesses with people in a non-invasive manner and make it easier for people to interact with a company.

• These social media sites foster online communities full of hobbyists, professionals, and friends who want to discuss their interests. They are community meetings in a virtual world. There are two main groups of social media sites. Friend based social media sites such as Facebook and Myspace rely on people who share the same interests to get your business out there. This is great because much like a forest fire that can start from a single match, it may only take one person to spread your business over multiple groups. There are also trust based sites, like Epinions.com or LinkedIn.com, that rely on people coming together and offering up their opinions on a product or service.

• Unfortunately small businesses are not fully employing all of these tools yet. A recent study shows that out of an estimated 25,000,000 small businesses between the U.S. and Canada only 250,000 are utilizing these Web 2.0 tools. 51% of small businesses are using professional, trust based sites, such as LinkedIn.com or Plaxo.com while 44% are using general social media sites such as Facebook or Myspace. Surprisingly, the niche sites, job sites, blog sites, forums, and wikis were used much less than the professional and general social media sites. This has something to do with the fact that businesses are not fully utilizing Web 2.0 and what it has to offer yet. These percentages will continue to grow as time goes forward and small businesses start taking advantage of these tools.

• Companies need to be sure that they are focusing on their specific target audience. The beauty of these Web 2.0 tools is that they have made it much easier to accomplish this, now more than ever. Joining a site like Facebook and sending mass requests to everyone in your area is a bad idea and will most likely be seen as just more spam. However if you put the time into finding a group within the Facebook community that is interested in what you have to offer you may gain some customers by befriending them. Provided these new customers like your product, they will spread the word about it by posting it to their blog, bringing the information to niche sites, or just by general word of mouth. Your product could start as a snowball and end up as an avalanche in these situations.

• Planning ahead is key in social media marketing. Just as you have a business plan, you need a plan for marketing your products or services to the web. You don't just throw it out there and hope for the best. There are tactics that can be applied to this social media marketing just like any other type of marketing. You may choose to do all of this yourself which is completely possible, however, there are people willing to do it for you for the right price. Paying someone to do this work can pay off in the long run as they are most likely equipped with the knowledge and experience to make things happen fast. It also allows you to free up more of your time so you may tend to your other priorities.

Social media has come a long way in just the past 5 or 6 years. Online communities are growing constantly day by day and many small businesses are starting to take notice of them and the power they hold. You don't want to be left behind in today's fast paced and web based world. Taking advantage of Web 2.0 today will ensure your business's success for the future.

Selecting a Web Design Firm

 

Selecting A Web Design Firm

How important is selecting a web design firm for your business?

When it comes to promoting and marketing a business, the internet is possibly the greatest tool available. Without a proper website for your business you may not see the results you expect or deserve.

Consumers are using the Internet more now than ever to find and purchase goods or services while businesses are using the internet to promote themselves and their products. If your company does not have a website that allows the consumer to easily find out about your companies' services or to purchase your products then you may be missing out on a large chunk of business. Being competitive in our world today requires technology. Finding the proper web design firm can give you the edge you need to succeed.

As a business owner, you have several options to get your website up and running. Being your own business' webmaster is one option, controlling all the aspects of your websites' design. You may also choose to hire a webmaster. Someone who is in control of the website and makes sure everything runs smoothly. Regardless of who the webmaster is, choosing a web design firm will make a difference in how people perceive your company. The web design firm is responsible for the overall feel of the website and ultimately creating what the consumer will be looking at. It is important to make sure that your web design firm will work closely with you to ensure that your company's Internet presence is maximized, therefore increasing traffic and potential customers.

Making sure all of the little details are correct before signing a contract is imperative to having your website run to its fullest potential. Communicating your needs thoroughly to your web designer is a crucial part of this business. It will cost money to change the website once it has been fully built and these changes can become extremely expensive very fast. All the more reason to choose a competent and professional web design firm to design your website. Your web designer can help you to define your web identity, which is so important in today's technology driven world.

The business owner needs to decide on what the website should offer to its consumers. This can be as simple as a business location and contact information, as complex as an e-commerce site, or as specific as taking consumer data in order to better develop your company to suit your customer's needs.

With in-depth communication and questioning a web designer can help determine what the site will accomplish and make a design that fulfills the business owners needs.

An important aspect of being a web designer is making sure that the company's site will get noticed, which will in turn increase business. The web design firm should explain how search engine optimization works as well as ensure that the company's website will not show up last in the millions of related search results.

When choosing a web design firm, just as with any other vendor, balancing cost and service will help determine who you work with.

The business owner should discuss who will write the copy for the site with the designer. If the business owner would rather write their own copy for the website then they should be informed of proper search engine optimization protocol which will help maximize the company's web presence.

As a business owner, maintaining the company website can be very gratifying. It also offers the ability to constantly update your website. Having a website that is never up dated or “static” is a bad thing and can cause it to be overlooked in searches. Continued involvement with your website lets the consumers know that you care and you are keeping them up to date with your services or products.

Be sure to check any potential web design firm references in order to ensure you are working with someone who can benefit you most. Do not be afraid to ask about other websites they have designed as they can be good templates or starting points for your own.

Selecting a web design firm tips:

• In the beginning meetings should communicate the specific goals of the business owner and what he or she is trying to accomplish specifically with their website.

• Outline the website.

• Make sure you know who will be maintaining the site.

Choosing a web design firm is an important part of running your business. A good website will bring you extra business as well as make it much easier for the consumer to find and interact with your company. All this contributes to a happy customer and happy business.

Website Design

 

What Is A Great Website?

Having a great website is important to everyone. How can we define what a great website is?

Most would say a website is great if it uses cutting edge technology, has plenty of features, and looks interesting.

Most web design firms and ill-informed consumers would agree. We disagree. Strongly.

While these are important tools in website creation, the truth is that they do not determine the website's success.

If a website satisfies the needs of its audience and meets the goals of its owner, then it can truly be called a great website.

Our customers define great web design as:
Meeting their goals as well as having their needs fulfilled.

We create websites that:

• Make people feel that your website is "the place to be"

• Ensure that your audience will find what they need quickly and easily

• Establish your company as a professional and trustworthy brand

• Guarantee your needs and goals are being satisfied.

What would you like to achieve?

The results that we expect from our sites are:

• Visitors being more likely to contact your company.

• Turning potential customers into customers.

• Consistent contact exchange with target audience

• More people utilizing online registration for bigger and better events.

• Keeping your audience as up to date as possible.

We believe honesty and thorough communication over the course of your project is key to its success.

Your needs and goals are our priority and you are the most important part of building a successful website.

Small businesses have an edge on large companies nowadays thanks to effective design firms and great web developers. They now have access to the same tools large Fortune-500 type companies have been using and are able to apply them more quickly to their purposes.

Planning Your Project

A solid plan is key in any type of construction project. Web design is no different.

A website plan generally begins with us working together through an in depth "discovery" process.

• We discuss all the finer details regarding you and your target audience.

• We find the value and uniqueness in what you have to offer.

• We gather data based on what each specific group in your target audience needs and then provide them with it.

• We help you to set goals and reach them.

With this data we are able to design a blueprint for your site. This includes:

• A Sitemap - which is basically a "map" for your website. This "map" details all of the pages and sections of your site. We organize the information in a way that will best satisfy each of your specific target audiences and the goals you have for them.

• Navigation - ensuring that it is simple and quick to navigate your site. This makes it easier for the consumer to find what they need.

• Keyword Guide - this is a list of words or phrases that your target audience associates with you or what you have to offer. Using these keywords or key phrases throughout the site will ensure that your website is welcoming and pleasing to use.

Website Design Concepts

Since so many objectives are taken on during the site design it can be a very complex process.

The minimum requirements for a quality website are:

• Consistency from page to page.

• Pages organized and easy to read.

• Having a user-friendly site that is easy to navigate.

• Simplicity, reliability, and ease of use.

• Professional, creditable, and trustworthy brand presentation.

• Maximum accessibility for all users, including search engines.

Without meeting these minimum requirements you may not find the same success as a site that has met all of the above criteria.

We approach web design in three simple steps to ensure all of your needs are met.

1. Developing Blueprints

2. Creating Different Design Versions

3. Selecting a Version and Revising

Developing Blueprints

Websites, like buildings, require a blueprint of some sort in order to attain the end results. Much like a business plan.

Blueprinting is the first stage of website design. These outlines determine what the site will look like and feel like before being created.

This process allows us to better understand where elements should be placed within a page.

Because blueprints do not include creative components such as color, texture, or branding, they can be easily manipulated in any way.

Making important changes during the blueprinting process is easy and ensures that you keep your costs down and your project on time.

The blueprinting process guarantees everyone is on the same page from day one, creating a solid foundation for the rest of the project.

Creating Different Design Version

After blueprinting, creativity can be applied to the site.

Based upon a few important factors such as your needs, goals, and your target audience, colors can be applied, logos can be made, textures applied, etc. This is an important aspect of your site as it has a large impact on the way people view you and your products or services.

Experts recommend not having a cluttered home page. Rather, design multiple home pages targeted at specific audiences so as not to clutter one page with an overload of information.

During this process multiple concept sites will be produced by different web designers. Having a choice of web design concepts keeps your options open and fresh.

Each concept will be intensely scrutinized to ensure all goals are being reached in the site before being shown to you.

This process ensures you only see the highest quality sites available to you.

Selecting a Version and Revising

Seeing the design concepts come to life is an exciting process and you may have some questions.

Your questions are important to the success of your site and we ensure that they will be answered.

Each creative decision is explained in detail. We also explain how these decisions affect the overall success of your website.

This is when we gather feedback from you and recommend how we can implement your ideas into the concept.

Once you have selected a design concept and given feedback we perform the necessary adjustments and re-present it to you.

This revision process goes on until everyone is satisfied with the final product. At this point the site is ready to be turned into a live website.

A Live Site

Once your site is live there are some important things to keep in mind while running and maintaining it. Especially as a small company.

Many businesses focus on accumulating new customers at the cost of losing others. If someone knows and uses your products or services they are more likely to tell others about it. Loyal customers can be marketed to through many web based venues now. Email marketing targeted at your top buying audience can boost sales and increase revenue more than seeking out new customers. Mining data to find out who is buying what when, then sending personalized messages to these people can inspire confidence in the consumer. These are just two examples of web based revenue increasing.

Make sure you keep your web site as up to date as possible. This will maximize traffic as well as give your customers the ability to keep current with whats going on. If your website is not updated regularly it can become static which will cause it to be overlooked in searches.

Many consumers would rather do business with a large company. By having a great website you can change the psychology of these consumers. They will realize that a large company can not offer the same level of personal service or satisfaction a small company can.

10 Ways To Trigger The Creative Writing Process

 

10 Ways To Trigger The Creative Writing Process

You've been an assigned a creative writing task. Maybe a new marketing campaign newsletter or some other business related document. It is your job to make sure that people want to read this. People are, after all, a big part of business. The hard part about creative writing is the fact that it is...well, creative. It requires you use the creative part of your brain. The beautiful thing about this creative part of your brain is that not everyone views creativity in the same way. There are many different ways to get to the same final result when it comes to creativity. However, writer's block affects everyone at sometime and it can be quite a frustration, especially when there is a deadline looming over your head. If you find yourself staring at a blank page with nothing to say there are a few things you can do in order to get your creative juices flowing. Let us look at some examples of what we can do in order to kick start that creative side of your brain.

• First thing to do would be to make sure you are "in the right place". Creative writing, like most creative endeavors, requires you to utilize a part of your brain most have forgotten about in today's world. You need to feel creative. This can be even harder in a business setting. Clearing your mind is a great starting point when taking on a creative task. Take five or so minutes to realize what it is that you are doing and to tell yourself that you will be using this creative part of yourself.

• Now that you have realized that you will be doing something creative and your mind is ready to start thinking creatively instead of critically, you need to jumpstart this process by doing something creative. Try to draw a picture or an outline of what you are writing about. This is ultimately what you will be doing with your words and it is nice to have something laid out before you begin.

At this time you should have a good idea of what you want to accomplish as well as a clear mind that is ready to think creatively. You should now begin the process of writing. There are a quite a few ways to begin this process. These are called "triggers" because they are the initial reactions your brain comes up with when thinking creatively. These can be used at nearly any point in your project but are most beneficial to open up with as they tend to grab attention. Here are some triggers you may find useful.

• Opening with a bold statement, that you can back up later, is a great way to grab someone's attention. Something like "Our company is the No. 1 supplier of product x. Here is why...". The "No.1 supplier of" part in that opening takes people by surprise. This type of bold statement triggers people to ask "Why? What makes them the number one supplier of this?" Which will in turn cause them to keep reading further.

• Asking a question can provoke the reader to think more deeply about something. They feel more involved with the process. "Why do YOU need product X" You may then proceed to answer the question.

• You can also call in back up by using a quote from a well known authority on the subject. Say you are marketing a new line of basketball shoes. If you quoted Micheal Jordan as saying "These shoes are truly remarkable", that would get quite a lot of attention. Good luck getting Michael Jordan to endorse your shoes as I think he is pretty set with Nike. You get the general idea though. People look up to important figures such as cultural and political icons. Having them speak on your behalf can be a great help. You simply have to support their claim.

• Beginning with a story can be a great way to open up people's minds and hearts to what is going on. People relate with other people, not big businesses. If you have a touching story about how the business was started, or how a product was invented, it can cause people to feel like it is a part of them. A real life story gives meaning to something. An example of this: "Sometime in 1892 the Colchester rubber factory invented the basketball shoe, only one year after basketball had been invented. This was also the year that the company closed down. 117 years later Mr. Colchester's son is back, creating the most advanced basketball shoes ever made." etc... You can then detail the rest of basketball shoe history, the impact they had on the sport, and how it can be attributed to the company.

• Opening up with a testimonial can be a great way to start things off. Like a good story, people can relate with another persons feelings. "I was never able to jump high or run fast until I bought these mega-advanced Colchester basketball shoes." - James Naismith, Inventor of Basketball. Obviously this is a completely fabricated testimonial but the concept applies. A testimonial, even from someone who isn't widely known, is a great tool to use.

• Getting personal is a great way to grab peoples attention as it makes them feel like they know you. Using your own personal experiences to draw a mental picture in someones mind can make them feel more at ease as well as more interested in what you have to say. Just be sure you can parallel your life experiences or stories with what you are writing about in order to connect the two together.

• You may use a combination of all of the above in order to really grab peoples attention. You could put a story from your life together with the testimonials of others while making a bold statement and asking a thought provoking question. Sum it up with a quote from someone important in your field and you have quite an interesting article for someone to read. It's the real quintuple whammy.

• An American Poet named William Stafford had some great advice on writer's block. He says "There is no such thing as writer's block for writers whose standards are low enough." This may not sound like good advice at first but you have to think about it from a creative standpoint. If you are sitting in front of your computer, or typewriter, or piece of paper with absolutely nothing to write, wondering why you can't come up with something so brilliant or inspiring as your last piece of work then what are you doing? You are putting yourself down. You are wondering why you can not rise to the occasion and in turn this causes you to do just that. You must have confidence in what you are doing. In most cases you would not have been assigned this task if you weren't thought to be capable of it.

These 10 points can help you to overcome most writer's block situations. Use "triggers" to kick your creative brain into action. These triggers will cause others' brains to do the same. Have confidence in yourself and your work and it will show. Using all of this information will cause others to recognize you as a creative writer and give them a desire to read what you have written.

Using Business Newsletters

How and Why Businesses Use Newsletters The Wrong Way

How are businesses using newsletters the wrong way? Well, for one, they aren't using them at all. This can be quite a downfall when you get into the details. Newsletters, when used in the correct way, can be the best way to build strong relationships with consumers, establish yourself as an expert rather than a salesperson, as well as bring customers and clients back for more of what you have to offer. These details are important when it comes to running a business, after all, you want to have a strong relationship with your consumers so they will be loyal to you and continue to use your products or services. You also want to represent yourself as a professional instead of just another salesperson. Newsletters can accomplish these things and more if they are utilized to their fullest potential.

Before getting into how to create a good newsletter that will accomplish all of the aforementioned goals, let us take a look at how to do a newsletter the wrong way.

Doing It Wrong

Many businesses send out newsletters infrequently. This causes a problem by not being consistent. Do you remember where you were last year on this day? Possibly you do, but do you remember all the details of that day? Unless it was an unusually bad day or a really good day you probably do not. How can a business expect its customers to remember every detail of something they got in the mail a year ago? Even 3 months ago? Impossible!

Having a boring newsletter can cause it to be thrown in the trash immediately. In our modernized, technology driven, flashy world of today catching someones attention is quite the task. You don't need to send newsletters that blare songs or light off fireworks but a little creativity never hurt anybody.  Something with fun graphics or catchy phrases is much more likely to be looked at than a piece of paper with some contact information on it. Thats what business cards are for.

Sending newsletters to EVERYBODY. This is a huge mistake. Not only because your newsletters are falling on blind eyes and costing you money but because it makes you looks unprofessional. When you get spam email how likely is it that you are going to actually look into the product? Probably not very, unless you really need what they have to offer and you would probably still rather find the product elsewhere. How professional do these spammers appear to you now that they have invaded your inbox? Nobody likes a spammer. Not even their mothers. A spammer, unfortunately, is what many businesses become by sending their newsletters to those who are not interested in them.

So we have discussed a few ways to design a dismal newsletter that will get you nowhere in life. Now let us see what we can do to create a great newsletter. Possibly even the world's finest...maybe.

How To Do It Right

Focus on the customer. Rather than creating a newsletter that satisfies your needs as a business owner, focus on what the consumer wants. Your goal should be to assist people who would be interested in what you have to offer by giving them relevant information regarding your products or services. That is the point of a newsletter after all, to keep the people informed and up to date. If you find yourself getting the same questions about your business you could answer them in a newsletter. This solves a lot of problems and saves a lot of time. Including information that makes the consumers lives easier is the main point of sending out a newsletter. Focus on that aspect and you are well on your way to making a great newsletter.

Make your newsletter desired. People should want to get your newsletter. Not many people enjoy a new newsletter in their mailbox. They think to themselves “Oh great, more trash to take out” or “What is this...another product I don't need.” This should not be the case with yours. Your newsletter should stand out from the rest and bring people some joy in the fact that they are getting relevant and useful information regarding a product or service they are interested in. Offering something of value attainable only through the newsletter is a great way to keep customers subscribed to it. If they don't get the newsletter then they won't get the screamin' deals. Maybe even provide something free for first time subscribers, such as a booklet with information regarding your field of industry and the benefits of your service or products. This makes people feel like you value them and want them to have the knowledge to make an educated decision for themselves.

Personalizing newsletters can be a huge benefit to you as well. If people feel that you are sincere in your newsletter then they will be more likely to purchase your products or services as well as tell others about them. There are so many thinly veiled marketing attempts going around today it is just ridiculous. Most people can tell what is genuine and what is not. You don't want to have someone dismiss your newsletter because they think it is junk. Possibly provide some personal information in newsletters like what is going on at the company, or if you are a one man show, what is going on in your life. This makes people feel that they have a connection with you, which is ultimately what you want.

Make people want to get into contact with you. Encourage them to take part in a discussion going on in your web forums if you have them. Invite them to events you are hosting and provide RSVP information. Create puzzles and games they can play through the newsletters. Just find ways to get the people communicating with you rather than you just sending out information. Feedback is incredibly important and if your newsletter only works one way then you won't know how people feel about it.

Get the most of your money by posting newsletter information to social sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Put it on your website or your blog as well. Having the newsletter information up in multiple places makes it easier for people to find it as well as lets them know you care and you want them to have the information.

Your business is your passion. It is what you do day in and day out. It takes a lot of your time and effort. Your newsletter should reflect all of this and your enthusiasm for what you do. A newsletter is not a marketing scheme that you have to come up with but a way to connect with your customers on another level.

When creating your newsletter do not let it become a chore for you. Have a goal for your newsletter just as you have goals for you business. Be enthusiastic and fun when designing the letter, it is not a burden, it is an opportunity to share yourself and your business with others. Keep all of this information in mind and you are sure to create a great newsletter that people will want to receive and enjoy being part of.

Choosing Your Typeface

Want to experiment with some Web fonts for your new web design? 

TypeTester

This wonderful little tool will allow you to compare side-by-side different fonts in HTML format.  In the "choose typeface" drop-down you can select Windows or Mac safe fonts.

TypeTester

Baseline Rhythm Calculator

This tool allows you determine the right spacing between sentences in paragraph.

Would Your Company Benefit From A Blog?

You’ve probably been wondering if a blog is right for your business. More and more of your clients and prospects are turning to the Web for answers to their questions about products and services. But putting a blog up does not guarantee results. Proper marketing and unique content is the backbone to any blog. Blogging is not all fun, it takes serious work and patience to stand out in the crowd.

Want to hear some real-life examples? This article in the Wall Street Journal talks about businesses and blogging. An excellent read if you’re considering a blog for your business.

A blog can help you...establish your credibility and expertise, and that is what encourages people to click and buy..

Web Analytics, What Are Your Customers Looking For?

What do customers really want from your website? The answers are obvious, and overlooked by many businesses. By reviewing Web analytic data, your company can gain insight into customer behavior and address their wants and needs throughout the sales process.

This article, published in April, 2008 in the Atlanta Business Chronicle explains the important areas of benchmarking your Web analytics.

Remember that an effective website speaks to consumers during every stage of their purchase process, from initial branding, product education and trial, to lead capture, first-time sale, and repeat sale. Your website data will provide insights in each of these areas.

Design Best Practices For Search Engine Optimization

When designing a site, Wall Street Journal offers these tips for maximum SEO effects. In Search of Traffic; A website is only as valuable as the number of people who see it. Here's how to make sure customers can find you online.

Rebranding for Higher Revenues - WSJ

From the Wall Street Journal: Extreme Makeover; Entrepreneurs have shied away from rebranding their companies. But as competition rises and costs fall, that's starting to change.