SEND THANK YOU NOTES

Did you know that a large percentage of new business comes from referrals? Send a personal, handwritten thank you note to anyone who refers someone to you.  This will perpetuate more referrals and I bet your competition isn’t doing this! Who doesn’t love to get something in the postal mail besides bills and junk mail?

AUTO ID PLATES AND LETTERING

How often are you stuck in traffic and end up staring at the license plate in front of you? This is the perfect place to display your web site address. If you have a short slogan or tagline, it can be placed on top with your web site address on the bottom. There are also companies that offer nice lettering to place on your back or side window. Have you ever searched for a pen and paper while trying to memorize the magnetic sign on the truck for handyman services, plumbing or hardwood flooring? The person in the vehicle behind you could be your next customer!

LABELS

Use labels with your web site address and catchy slogan to seal your correspondence. This is one more way to flash your web site address in front of a potential customer. I recently purchased some products at a trade show. Luckily the vendor had placed a label on the back of the product so I could go to the website and order more for friends. Without that label she would have missed out on some sales after the event was over. Create your own labels with your website address and phone number for wine bottles to give as gifts.

POSTAL MAIL

How often do you stay in touch with your clients & business associates? At a minimum, quarterly correspondence will keep you fresh in their minds. Several online printers offer full color postcards, business cards, bookmarks and note cards. Create a one-page newsletter or tip sheet and include a promo item. I got one recently that was a message in a bottle. Very clever!

In addition to your online communications – these offline efforts will help you stand out from your competition. It’s all about being creatively unique and memorable. Have fun with these and remember, if you’re not promoting your site – who is?

You can also type into Google “Your City Directories” like “Los Angeles Directories” or “Key West Florida Directories” and see which ones may be a good fit for you. When you type in specific keyword phrases that pertain to your industry the local directories tend to be at the top. For example, periodically I will type in “Colorado Web Designers” or “Denver Web Designers” to see which directories are at the top.

Advertising in directories is a great way for people to find your business. I have been advertising in local and industry specific directories for several years with terrific results. The directories usually have some type of tracking systems in place to see how many times people are looking at your ad. They will send those reports to you. List your business for free in some directories or they may offer a 3-month trial for free. Other directories charge a monthly or annual fee. Additionally, I check my Google Analytics to see how well my online advertising dollars are working. Have fun and I’d love to hear which directories work the best for you!

How can you enhance the “experience” the visitor will have at your website?

1.       Appealing colors and images.

2.       Verbiage that lets them know they are in the “right” place.

3.       Audio, music, video, testimonials or quotes.

What is it that will make them call or email you today?

1.       Your phone number and email in a larger font and very visible on every page.

2.       Good copy – what you say and how you say it is imperative to visitors taking action. Note: Reverse type text (light text on a dark background) is the most difficult to read online.

3.       Easy navigation and simple calls to action. Too many places to click or too many graphics is a real turn-off to visitors. Less is more!

I invite you to “experience” a few sites we’ve designed using the WordPress platform:

Tilde Furniture – www.tildefurniture.com

Check out this brand new site we designed for Stephen Kohlbeck. It’s crisp, clean, easy to navigate and the site design reflects the simple elegance of the furniture. For green, eco-friendly, luxurious furniture – this is the plac

Better Health & Wellness -  www.bettterhealthwellness.com

The colors and images in this site are inviting and relaxing. You can already imagine how you are going to feel once you walk thru the doors. There’s a call to action to sign up for the newsletter. The phone number and email are very visible. Make an appointment today for massage, reflexology, acupuncture or an ion footbath.  Aaaaaahhh!

Fun Productions -  www.funproductions.com

The bright colors and images just scream FUN in this site redesign! The phone numbers are large and visible up top. Calls to action are: Request a quote, sign up for newsletter and over on the left nav – Tell Us What We’re Doing Right.  (I love that last one). Notice this site has 3 forms of navigation since it’s pretty large. The images are clickable to the different areas and the navigation on the left also gets you right where you want to go. Additionally, we’ve added bottom navigation to get you back from some of the longer inside pages. Their social media and YouTube icons are in the upper right. The experience here is fun, fun, fun! Call them for your next team-building event or corporate party.  Let the FUN begin!

When I was little my grandma and grandpa loved to take us kids to the Nebraska State Fair. Every year my grandma would say, “Now kids, don’t let grandpa buy any more slicer-dicers. We’ve got a basement full of ‘em!” We would watch the entertaining demonstrations of the latest gizmos and amazingly they all had guarantees. Sure enough my grandpa would buy the knife that never needs sharpening, the apple peeler, the chopper/slicer or the magic stain remover. One time at the end of a pots and pans demonstration the spokesman said, “Light the candles ladies – supper’s ready!” It was as if supper magically made itself with these miracle pans – guaranteed!

After we got home grandma would scold grandpa for buying yet another gadget and we’d all laugh. I don’t think my grandpa cared if the gizmo worked or not. He just did it for the fun of it. It became a running joke every year wondering what grandpa would buy next.

So back to the sizzlin’ deals with those SEO companies. It’s kinda like the slicer-dicers. If you want to do it for the fun of it – go for it! If you really truly believe in those SEO company promises well…would you also like a ginzu knife?

Their website is awesome! It’s simple and interactive. Check out the section that says Create Your Own Stach Comic. And by the way, their nuts are really good and addicting.

I think they’ve done an ingenious job of marketing. Is there some way you can add this type of humor into what you are doing? Their name is very catchy and memorable. The navigation on the website is funny too. They just recently added an online store where you can buy nuts by the case. I can think of several people who would get a real laugh out of getting these as a gift. Have some fun playing around their site and maybe it will spark some ideas for your own web site!

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

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?

Many website owners have budgeted no time or money for online advertising or marketing yet expect dollars to come flooding in. I get dozens of emails every day with desperate pleas like, “Can you fix my website?” “What’s wrong with my website?” Or my personal favorite, “I can’t spend any more money on my website.”

If you want excellent results from your website then it’s a smart idea to invest some time and money into the marketing of the site. Here are three budgets and scenarios to consider.

Piggybank of Money – You have more time than money and can afford to wait for results. Focus on your website usability and how to attract your ideal clients. Research keyword phrases, start reciprocal linking ,cross-marketing efforts and actively engage in social media. Educate yourself by taking some seminars or teleclasses. Take immediate action on what you learn.

Stash of Money – You want immediate results and have a pretty good budget. Optimize your site to the max so the search engines and your target audience will find you. Consider a pay-per-click campaign. Invest in Google Ad Words. Enhance your offline marketing strategies to compliment your online strategies.

Buckets of Money – You want maximum results and have no budget limitations. You know what conversion rates are worth and will strategically test and measure results. Implement everything outlined in the previous two budgets plus Google Sponsor Spots. Invest in more than one pay-per-click program. Pay for listings in relevant industry, geographic and target market specific directories. Hire a Public Relations and SEO firm that will maximize your on and offline efforts.

In any of the above scenarios it’s a good idea to keep reinvesting some time and money into ongoing website efforts. When you find something that works, keep doing it and take it to the next level. For example, if you find that you’re getting lots of traffic from industry-specific directories, contact them and see how you can do more business with them. Maybe you got several clients from a website that you’re linked with. Contact that website owner and thank them, then suggest more ways you can promote each other’s business.  And finally, talk with your competitors. Are your online goals and expectations realistic? Ask your competitors how they are doing, what is working and what they’ve found to be their most effective online marketing strategy.

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.

4. Buy – Yes, tell them to buy or take action. Use this word and make this prominent on your site. Order, Buy, Subscribe or Call. These are all action-oriented words that educate the visitor on where to click to “buy”.

5. Questions – Ask a question to get a response or interaction from a visitor. Use emotional words within the question to get a greater reaction. Which sounds better: “Make those hits multiply like rabbits.” or “Are your hits multiplying like rabbits?” See the difference?

6. Bullet Points – People tend to scan rather than read when they are online. Bullet points are good because they separate the text and are easy to scan quickly. Statistics show that odd numbered bullet points work best using 3-5 rather than 4-6.

7. Social Media Icons – Place these in the footer or sidebar of your site so they appear on every page. This encourages people to follow you on Twitter, friend you on FaceBook or connect with you on LinkedIn.

8. Benefits – Don’t tell me you’ve been in business for 25 years, tell me what that many years of experience is going to do for me. What makes you special? How will I feel when working with your company? What type of experience am I going to have that is different from your competitors?

9. Sign Up – OK, it’s two words, but they really work. Sign up for our free ezine; sign up for our secrets, tips or free sample. By having the visitor “sign up” you get their email address and maybe more if you have them fill out a short form. This gives you permission to market to them in the future. These are the people who are truly interested in what you have to offer.

10. Thanks – Yes, make sure to thank your online customer or potential customer for stopping by your site, placing the order or signing up. People thrive on appreciation. One company I deal with online, goes a step further and sends a handwritten thank you note every time I place an order.

10.5 Bonus – Include a special bonus for your visitors. This could be a bonus offer when you order two for one or a bonus report or a bonus coupon. Visitors love extras!

You’ve got to sell your site with WORDS because the visitor is sitting in front of a screen instead of meeting you face-to-face. The right amount of words and the way you say it is so important. Have fun playing with words on your web site and start seeing results today!

I gotta tell ya, this twittering is like texting on steroids. I’m still weighing out the time vs. benefit. Stats show that 60% of people who start on Twitter become Twitter Quitters. The piece I find fascinating is that it can be educational and easy to find resources with Twitter search. The company is growing rapidly and new uses for it are developing all the time. So, we’ll see what transpires in the next few months.

The first thing I noticed on Twitter was how many people started following me that are supposedly Twitter experts. They asked me to sign up for their Ebooks, Ezines and Courses all about making money with Twitter. This just added to my state of being overwhelmed. Then I became afraid that I wasn’t doing it right.

I started to wonder why some strange people were “following” me. It’s weird to think that, I know! What’s the point of having thousands of followers? I don’t just automatically follow everyone who follows me. I’m only interested in following people who have something of interest to me. For example, if I look at their tweets and they mostly say “having a bagel for breakfast” or “looking for something to do” or repeated self-promotions – I do not follow them. I unfollow people who tweet every few minutes about nothing. The ones I like to follow have current marketing tips, web trends, good resources, links to articles or quotes.

I downloaded several tools and apps for Twitter like Tweetdeck and Tweetlater. Another learning curve here as there are a gazillion apps out there. Now I’m trying Twitterific. I also downloaded the Twitter widget for MAC and that’s pretty handy. When I post on Twitter it’s supposed to show up in Facebook but if I post on Facebook it will not show up in Twitter.

Below are just a few items I’ve “tweeted” about in the past in no particular order.

# Just finished reading The China Study – extensive research and startling truths about what we’re eating.8:23 AM Jun 2nd from web

# Client Relationships – funny and true! http://bit.ly/DCwfL2:39 PM Jun 1st from web

# Wine & theatre event Quilters musical in downtown Denver http://bit.ly/smGg312:04 PM May 29th from web

# New blog post: Five Web Faux Pas to Avoid http://bit.ly/MNFdH6:48 AM May 27th from Twitter Tools

# Savvy Web Marketing in 5 minutes http://thewebmuse.com/blog/12:03 PM May 22nd from web

# List of website tools and resources http://bit.ly/BF59s11:53 AM May 21st from web

# “Family isn’t only blood – it’s the friends you love, across the generations.” – Michael Caine11:45 AM May 20th from web

# Q&A Laptop Cafe in Denver today at 2:00 – always learn lots of useful info http://www.creativemarketin…11:48 AM May 19th from web

Leave a comment below about your likes, dislikes and experiences with Twitter. I’m always learning! You can follow me on twitter here: www.twitter.com/webmuse

Those of us with websites, blogs and ezines may want to showcase lots of products or services with too much text. You’ve seen the websites I’m talking about – too much text, too many calls. The reality is that simpler really is best.

Have you ever walked into a restaurant and been presented with way too many choices? It’s early in the morning or late in the day and you just don’t want to think about what to order. How many times have you ordered off the handwritten sign with just 3 choices because it was easiest? I know I’ve done that many times when my brain is just too tired to think.

Let’s use The Web Muse site and Muse News as one example for you. We have many pages trying to tell you everything we do. There’s web design, marketing, consultations and MORE. In addition, we have lots of free content and resources so the site is of value. The curse is putting too many words on the pages and knowing that people scan rather than read online. On the Home page in particular it’s best to keep the text brief yet get your message across to visitors.

In the Muse News it’s so tempting to share ALL the latest resources and information. Once again, getting carried away with too many words when the majority of readers are “scanning” this online. When I write beyond my self-imposed 2-page limit I put those new thoughts, ideas and resources into the next month’s issue. This works great because then I’ve got a good start on the next issue. This might work for you when you find yourself feverishly writing too many thoughts or ideas.

If you’re not seeing results from your website, blog or ezine – then try simplifying. You may be surprised by the response and the results. I would enjoy hearing from you on your tips for simplifying and may share those in a future Muse News.