Align your ducks

Ducks come in all shapes and sizes. There are mallards, wigeons, eiders, loons, spot-billed—dozens and dozens of species. Sure they share similarities, but they also have their differences.

What would happen if…

… you didn’t have a content-rich website?

… you waited for your customers to call you?

… you used the same marketing tools today that you created five years ago?

…  you decided that social networking takes too much time?

SEO Ranking Factors

Here’s a through article outlining the different ways you can increase your page ranking. 

How to lose credibility

I am a terrible proofreader. Sometimes I think it’s because my brain moves too fast. Gears have switched to the next thought before the first one is completed. On the other hand, I have a friend who works in the newspaper business (and yes, hanging on for dear life to her job) and she literally hunts for typos. When she finds one, for her, it’s like hitting the jackpot. You would think that for every typo she found, she won a million bucks. She once told me how she was reading a Stephen King novel and found a typo in the book. She called the publisher! But she also told me of a course she took back in journalism school that ingrained in her mind what typos potentially could do. Typos and mistakes in anything (a simple letter, direct mail piece, your website, even a blog) can zap you of credibility. As an editor, if she received a press release that had a typo in it, she said she would immediately be skeptical about the source of the information and question how carefully the source put the information together, fact-checked and the like. And while spelling errors and simple mistakes that come from careless proofreading may diminish your credibility, imagine what a wrong price point could do in a promotional postcard? If you’re promoting your latest widget for $299 but by mistake have $199 in your postcard, your phone may ring for sure, but at what cost? Whether it’s positioning yourself as an expert or offering a fantastic deal on products and services, make sure the information you put out there to your customers, vendors, and even your employees, is correct. Proofread everything you write or post. Then have a trusted source review your work. Taking just an extra five minutes before you hit send or before printing your collateral could not only save you money, but will keep your credibility in tact.

Nearly everything circles back to your website

I am constantly challenging myself both personally and professionally to make sure that everything links together in my life – that everything has a purpose. If I’m going to put all my effort into something, these days I’m making sure it’s a part of the means to a successful end. And while it’s easy to look inward at ourselves to determine what’s important in our lives, the same could be said for what you should be doing with your marketing mix. Which is why I found it very interesting the other day to read about the top 10 Network TV show’s websites. Of the 10, eight of them were reality shows, with the top honors going to “America’s Most Wanted”. Viewers are clearly engaging in the unscripted aspect of this entertainment genre, and because they want to find that same engaging experience themselves, they visit a program’s website. Chances are, that’s what your customers want from you as well. How engaging are you with your customers? Does your traditional marketing mix of direct mail and advertising encourage your prospects to visit your website for the bigger picture? And when they get there, can your visitors actually find more? People today are yearning for more information. Viewers watch “The Biggest Loser” and want to know how they can apply Bob and Jillian’s routines to their own lives so they look for more info on the website. They watch “America’s Most Wanted” and are driven to get a better look at the criminals in case they recognize a face. “American Idol” fans want to know more about their favorite up-and-coming performers. When visitors come to your website, make sure you give them what they want – whether it’s more information through white papers, views, and opinions in your blog or an easy checkout experience. Create a full circle experience for your customers and you’ll have them coming back for more.

Sometimes less is way more

I love bling. Who doesn’t really? Whether it’s a sparkly new piece of jewelry, a slick watch, or really great shoes, a little extra style just makes you feel good. Except when it’s on a website. OK, so I don’t mean actual  heavy-duty gold chains and two-karat diamond studs “bling” plastered on your home page like a QVC pitch, but I do mean a website’s version of bling – tools like Flash, animation, dizzying graphics, and startling soubd – and too much of all of it! There are many techies and designers out there who get adrenalin rushes from Flash’s latest tricks or from the way new coding can make your homepage spin through 10 slides in just 30 seconds. 30 seconds? How to you even digest 10 images in 30 seconds! Please.. While all the cool stuff is fun and beautiful (for the most part), if it doesn’t sell your message, it’s a waste of your customers’ time and your money. Splash does not equal cash. There is nothing more aggravating than landing on a homepage and not having an “enter site” button to bypass all the “garbage.” And, correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you expect to automatically enter a site without having to knock on the door first? Look at your statistics reports. Where do customers enter your site? Where do you lose them? If you’re losing them right from the homepage, revisit your message there – and remember that less can be way more.

Find your own Walk of Fame

I challenge you to take on a new career – in TV. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you to drop everything in your Super VAR life to become a reality show star; I just want you to continue to rise above and become the Super VAR of ALL Super VARs! Most communities have local cable channels that are eager to deliver new, informative programming to their viewers (actually, they have to, by law). Here’s your opportunity for fame. After being trained to use the equipment they provide you, you can create your own cable TV show, complete with the questions and answers that you want to use and the guests you’d like to host. Call on some of your most valuable customers or end-users who are willing to offer insight into trends in the industry. Tada! You have just re-made yourself into a “media” expert and you’re showcasing your business and providing a powerful message using minimal financial resources. And many cable access stations distribute the local shows to other stations so you can easily become “syndicated”. Wonder if Bob Vila started this way???