December 23rd, 2009
This is such a fascinating question. There are so many good quotes. My favorite quote this year has been “It’s All Good!”
Now that doesn’t mean that nothing adverse has happened. We’ve certainly had a most unsettling year that has caused concern in all parts of the world. What the quote means to me is that I’ll make the best of what happens. I’ll learn from mistakes and get through the hard times. I also like the phrase, “Learn and Move On”. Having a positive attitude and outlook on life is the way I choose to live. It sure beats getting caught up in negativity, drama and worry.
You can make things happen! If you believe and focus all your intentions on what you want to happen – it will happen. It may not be in the timeframe YOU want (like right now!) but it will happen. Whatever your thoughts and dreams and goals are – continue to believe. Doubtful thoughts and negativity will delay the process.
At the end of each year, I write down the lessons I’ve learned. This helps me remember what has happened and prepare for the year ahead. I like to do this rather than making New Year’s resolutions. I also review my Life List (things I want to do sometime in my life). It feels good to reflect, review and look forward to exciting things in the year ahead. “It’s All Good!”
With this I close and wish you ALL GOOD THINGS in the coming year.
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Tags: Business Strategy, Personal Development
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December 9th, 2009
Have you noticed all the makeover shows lately? Total home and room makeovers, body makeovers from losing weight to plastic surgery, wardrobe makeovers, cosmetic makeovers from new hair to new teeth. We seem to be fascinated with improvements and making things better. Below are top five questions to ask yourself and you’ll know for certain when your website needs a makeover.
- If it was designed more than 3 years ago, it most likely needs a new look. Technology has changed with programs, coding and search engines. Also, people want instant gratification so text-heavy, slow-loading sites are a thing of the past.
- If you had a friend or relative design your site. There is much more to designing an effective website than creating a Word document or Illustrator drawing. Friends or relatives most likely will not have extensive knowledge and experience with html coding, search engines and usability. Also, they may not have the time to devote and your website becomes a low priority.
- Has your business changed and your website doesn’t reflect the new image, products or services? Take a look at your site about every 3 months and see what needs to be updated or added to keep up with your business focus.
- Did you create your website from a printed brochure? A brochure is something that people can hold in their hands and read. A website is a visual image and you’ve got about 6 seconds to capture a potential client. People scan rather than read online. If you’ve literally “copied” your brochure to make a website, it may be a good idea to streamline the text.
- Does your website really reflect the image you want to portray to your target audience? If you are trying to appeal to a high-end clientele then your website should reflect a high-end image. I am not saying spend considerable dollars on a web redesign. It’s almost better to have no website than a poorly designed site that will leave the wrong impression.
With over a trillion websites – you really want yours to stand out from the competition. For optimum results, make your site visually appealing, functional and easy to navigate.
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Tags: effective web design, Web Marketing, website redesign
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November 25th, 2009
Pretend you are opening a store in a busy shopping mall. As a savvy business owner you will budget for the monthly rent, utilities, security, signage, advertising, marketing, fixtures and inventory. Will you expect to begin making money the minute your doors are open for business?
As a website owner, let’s use the retail store analogy – you invest money in the building of the website or the retail storefront. Next, you open your doors for business or your website goes “live”. The thinking is that once the website is built, the search engines should find you immediately and the cash register will start ringing. Is this realistic? Why are online expectations so drastically unrealistic from offline expectations?
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Tags: Business Strategy, effective web design, internet marketing, marketing ideas, Web Marketing, website marketing
Posted in Creative Marketing, Effective Web Sites, Small Business Owners | 2 Comments »
November 11th, 2009
1. Easy – Let the visitor know it is easy to do business with you. Easy to order, easy to buy, easy to subscribe, easy to phone, easy, easy, easy. Don’t we all want everything to be easy? This is a buzzword for sure.
2. FREE – yes, put this word in big, bold capital letters at least once on your home page. Everyone can give something away for FREE. The Internet was built on the premise of FREE. What can you give away for FREE?
3. Today – Why delay? Order today! Now is good, today is better! This word invites the visitor to take action today. Tell them why today is better than tomorrow and that’s even better. Encourage them to buy from you today.
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Tags: effective web design, internet marketing, Small Business, Web Marketing
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October 28th, 2009
This is a wonderful time of year to express gratitude to your clients. Here are three quick ideas for giving thanks to your greatest source of referrals.
- Place a special offer or bonus on your site for the month of November. Example: Sign up for our newsletter and receive a special report “How to Escape Family Drama During the Holidays”.
- Plan a client appreciation celebration. Join forces with some other businesses for a joint appreciation party. Imagine the connections! Who better to sing your praises than your clients?
- Stand out from the crowd by sending cards or gifts to your clients now instead of in December. Remember, your greatest source of referrals comes from existing clients so reward them!
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust
How do you thank your clients and make them feel special? Leave your comments below and we’ll all benefit from your ideas.
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Tags: Client Relations
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October 14th, 2009
What online newsletters aka ezines are worth reading? I like newsletters that provide valuable information, resources and do-it-now action tips. I unsubscribe quickly from newsletters that continually try to push their products or services on me. Since I spend a great deal of time online, I print the newsletters and read offline later. However, stats show that the majority of people DO read online. Here are the top five newsletters that I read faithfully. I will often share information and resources from them with our clients.
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Tags: Small Business
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September 30th, 2009
What are you most grateful for? Take a few minutes to create an alphabetical Gratitude Journal. Here are just a few gems of gratitude that I jotted down.
Appreciation of art and artists.
Birds. I love to watch birds, especially finches. They are so bright and colorful.
Convertible Just getting in the car and putting the top down makes me smile.
Dogs. I love dogs. They love you unconditionally and are always happy to see you.
Enlightened. A wonderful way to be in the world – I am enlightened every day.
Flowers – Wild flowers in the mountains are spectacular! Fresh flowers in the home are so beautiful.
Grandma and Grandpa. Loved them so much and grateful for everything they taught me.
Home – It’s like a big hug, warm and welcoming.
Intuition – Listening to the inner voice.
Jenny – My fabulous friend and massage therapist. Aaaaah!
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Tags: attracting clients, Small Business
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September 16th, 2009
According to recent web statistics there are one trillion websites. Keeping this number in mind, how will your website rise to the top and stand out among the masses? Why should or would your website appear on the first page of Google? In other words, what makes YOU special?
Two questions that are most important to your site visitors are:
- 1. Who is your target audience?
- 2. What makes you unique, different or special?
Certainly there are many factors in deciding what makes you special. Here are my top three questions to identify what makes you SPECIAL.
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Tags: competition, effective website
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September 2nd, 2009
Do you know how powerful the colors are on a website? Colors make a first impression and also evoke emotions. Sometimes a simple change of colors on a website can create a whole new look and feel while keeping the same basic design.
It’s a good idea to have the colors of your logo be represented on the website. This creates a branding image in the mind of your customers. Whenever we see yellow & red & the golden arches we know what famous fast food chain that represents.
As with everything, there are positives and negatives to each color. Knowing your target audience will determine which colors you’ll choose to convey. When you’re appealing to a global audience, knowing the color meanings of different cultures will be beneficial. See a Cultural Color Chart.
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Tags: attracting clients, effective web design, website colors, website redesign
Posted in Attract Your Ideal Clients, Effective Web Sites, Law of attraction, Web Design Ideas, Web Site Design, Web Trends | 1 Comment »
I read and process about 150 business emails on a daily basis and look at over 80 websites. Adding any social media activities to this already heavily multitasking type schedule is overwhelming. I feel first and foremost I need to be responding to clients and scheduling projects with our team. I tried delegating this social media aspect to my assistant and that just didn’t work. I think social media is something one personally needs to do. It’s kind of like sending my assistant to a networking meeting – it’s not the same as me being there in person.
