Building a Website? See Top 6 Questions to Ask Yourself

If you are ready to get a decent website, start creating a list of what you want your website to do, which will play a critical role in choosing the right vendor for you.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when analyzing what you want your website to do for you:

1. Do you need someone to write the content for you, or can you write it yourself? (If you’re busy, and have the money, hire someone who can write in an SEO format for you.)
2. How many pages will you need? Do you plan on adding any pages in the future?
3. What’s the purpose of your website? Informational/Credibility? Sell a product? Drive leads?
4. Are you selling lots of products?
5. What sort of functionality do you need? Do you need a calendar function to show events? Do you need a database to store and collect names or businesses? What do you want the database to do? Will you need to change the text on your sites on your website regularly (this will require a Content Management System or a “CMS”)?
6. What do you want your website to look like? (Hint: check out the leaders in your industry and your favorite websites for ideas).

Once you’ve mapped out how your site is going to function, and what it will look like, you will get a better feel for who can meet your needs based on pricing, and area of expertise. You may be surprised to find that creating a quality website may not be as expensive as you think.

Ultimately, I think you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $3000, depending on who’s writing the content and if it’s a custom design (verses a template, which is a “reused” design).  If you can’t afford all the bells and whistles that you want to add at this stage, let your designer/developer know what you may want in the future so they can easily be added without too much trouble or having to redesign the site.

This sounds like a lot, but really, it’s just as easy as rewriting your resume and applying for jobs on Monster, which you can count on doing if you don’t get that darn website up!

 

Joe Witte has successfully started 3 small businesses including CentricSource and Travel Ad Network.

5 Critical Tips for Small Business Owners

…That Want To Grow

Starting a successful business is challenging and stressful. That’s why 80% of small businesses don’t last for more than 5 years. Of the 20% that do survive—only 20% of those will last another 5 years. So, what can you do in order to avoid going extinct like the rest of the small business owners?

1. Be Prepared To Sell
“Selling” has developed a negative stigma. If you want run a successful company, recognize that sales and business development are critical. You’ll need to fight tooth and nail to earn and keep every piece of business. You’ll be competing with companies that have more resources, experience and better branding. Your customers will be buying YOU and the connection they make with you.

2. Remove Your “Expert” Hat And Become A Leader And Businessperson (Sometimes)
If you are designer, and love to design, be prepared to sacrifice a significant amount of your design time to manage employees, find new customers, manage your books, fix the phones, take out the garbage, manage vendors and the list goes on. If in your heart, you only want to “design”– then I recommend you work for another company, or do freelance work. However, your expertise in a specific field will still play a very important role in ensuring that your employees meet your standards. Don’t ever sacrifice your high standards.

3. Outsource
One of the smartest moves our business made was to outsource our accounting and bookkeeping. Instead of spending hours each week tracking our books, I currently stick everything in an envelope and hand it to our accounting partner, who provides outstanding accurate monthly reports. I now have more time to grow our business, and better information to make informed decisions. Some additional areas to consider outsourcing include networking/computer support, janitorial, payroll and design. I highly recommend hiring a company that will charge a flat monthly fee rather than an hourly fee. This will incentivize them to do the job correctly up front, and allow you to budget for their services.

4. Hire Good People
Get ready, your highest expense is going to be payroll. Take your time to find the RIGHT person. The wrong employee can make your life miserable, and sink your company. The right individual(s) can make your company fun, productive and very profitable.

5. Start Small, Think Big
Now, I stated “think big”, but what I should propose is, “think of your end result”. If your goal is to run one small café, then work towards that objective. If you want to own 50 café’s then, make critical decisions based on that goal. That may include investing more capital in scalable equipment and more experienced employees, so that in 1-2 years you are better prepared for rapid growth. But most importantly, be prepared to sweat, suffer, and never be happier as you pursue your dream.

 

Joe Witte has successfully started 3 small businesses including CentricSource and Travel Ad Network.

Lisa Wehr’s Tips on Social Media Marketing

I read this thought provoking article written by Lisa Wehr and was intrigued by her comments.  Lisa provides great tips on social media marketing. I am sure you will find them interesting.  Please  do share your thoughts.

Article Highlights

• Social media isn’t a quick, free way to impact your bottom line
• Each type of social media comes with a different set of rules
• Before you get involved, figure out what your goals are

Link to full article: click here

Lisa Wehr is CEO and founder of Oneupweb, a digital marketing agency.  On Twitter? Follow Lisa at @LisaWehr. Follow iMedia Connection at @iMediaTweet.

Most Effective Source of Website Traffic

I wanted to get your input. After you vote, you’ll be able to see results and analysis of how different types of professionals answered the question.

What is your most effective source of website traffic? Is it White Papers, Blog, Online Ads, Direct Mailer/E-mail Campaign or Social Media?

Update—Results are in:

1. Social Media (50%)
2. Blog (0%)
3. White Papers (0%)
4. Online Ads (16%)
5. Direct Mailer/E-mail Campaign (33%)

Rosie of Susie’s Hot Sauce Honored

Congratulations

Susie's Hot Sauce

“To entrepreneur Ms. Rosemarie “Rosie” McMaster who was recently honored with the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
She is the Managing Director of the award winning
Susie’s Hot Sauce”
(SunBiz Showcase Alliance PLLC, E-Newsletter July 17, 2009)

Rosie, there is no doubt that your recent achievements will be spoken of for some time to come and that the admiration for your accomplishments is felt by all of us within the industry as well as the general public.

Please accept my heartiest congratulations for your success.

About Susie’s Hot Sauce
Susie’s Hot Sauce is a small cottage business from the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua-Barbuda, yet it is internationally renowned for its huge taste. It is almost impossible to visit Antigua without becoming intimately acquainted with this Caribbean delicacy. And once you’ve been introduced…It is even harder to forget! Susie’s has been pleasing palates since 1960 when Susie’s Original Hot Sauce was first introduced. Its award-winning red habanero and scotch bonnet hot sauces have captured the hearts, minds and taste buds of chile heads and pepper sauce aficionados all over the world. Visitors to our friendly twin islands insist on returning home with bottles of Susie’s sauces for family and friends, sharing the warmth of the sun-drenched paradise, its people, and the joy of their tropical experience. For more information, visit www.susieshotsauce.com.

More than Just a Logo: It’s About Building Your Brand

Now that you have a professional logo design for your business, it is time to build on it, and develop a comprehensive brand.

WHAT IS A BRAND?

A brand is a mix of both the visual and the intangible. When you think of the golden arches of McDonald’s, you immediately think fast food. When you think of Nike’s iconic swoosh you instantly think of sneakers. When you think of Google, you think of searching the Internet. Your brand should ultimately be the mental picture that forms when someone thinks of your business. Branding is not just about separating yourself from your competitors; it’s about getting prospective customers to see that your business is the only solution for their problem.

HOW DOES MY COMPANY ACHIEVE THIS?

Brand Promotion
Let the world know about your business professional image. It might be just a logo now, but remember this is the first experience a potential customer will have with your business, so get it noticed. Place your logo on a website, place it on a business card, and place it on a sale sheet. Do any and everything to start building visual recognition for your brand.

Brand Reputation
Think of your brand as your reputation. It should reflect you and your company. You wouldn’t want to show up to an important meeting in sweat pants, or in need of a shave. Although it sounds obvious, your brand must always look professional and industry appropriate. Your logo should not be used or associated with business without your permission, nor should it be used to endorse any activity you wouldn’t want to associate with your business.

Brand Consistency
Ensure that you are consistent with the visual aspects of your brand. Make sure your logo has a uniform and consistent layout. Different colors, and fonts and multiple versions of your logo will be confusing to your customers, vendors, and employees. Make sure your logo is uniform across all media and look the same whether on a website, brochure, or business card.

Build Better Brand Relationships
One goal of your brand is to build a relationship between you and your customer. Your brand should represent a piece of you and your business so that your customer identifies with you and your brand. This personal relationship may be just a superficial attachment, but ultimately it should build long lasting relationships.

 Most Importantly-Do What You Do Everyday
All the advertising, marketing, and professional design in the world won’t matter unless you consistently serve your customers day in and day out. Are you there for them? Do you answer their phone calls right away? Do you go above and beyond and provide an excellent product or service? Do you exceed their expectations?

The true heart of your brand is not just a professional design, but also your customers’ expectations of you and your business. Providing top-notch service or an outstanding product will ultimately be the true mark of a professional brand.

By Daniel Natale

Caribbean Export Takes a Bite Out of the “Big Apple”

A great time was had by many if not all exhibitors and attendees at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade’s (NASFT) 55^th Summer Fancy Food Show held at the Javitz Center in New York City —June 28-30.

According to NASFT’s website, “the recent Fancy Food Show attracted up to 24,000 attendees from every major food buying channel, influential members of the trade and consumer press and other related businesses.  This year’s show had a record breaking 2,300 exhibitors showcasing 140,000 specialty foods and beverages from the U.S. and more than 70 other countries.” NASFT will continue its YouTube Channel and blog. So join them on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook!

I had an opportunity to meet with a few friends from the Twittersphere. One of my most interesting observations at the show was that some of the exhibitors used social media as a low/no cost option to promote their company and products/services. Congratulations to the exhibitors — @MarieSharps, @SomebodysMother, @CiaoBellaGelato, @FINDOOD, @patsysnyc, @IsabellasNYC, @GagneFoods, @KlickKitchen, @midclass, @Gourmetibles — who successfully used Twitter to gain booth traffic and potentially develop long term business relationships.

Conversation snippets heard on the floor:

• Great show…better than last time I was here
• This is my first time exhibiting at the show and I am not leaving NYC until I get a distributor for my product (exhibitor secured a distributor and was able to forge relationships with others in his specialty food area)
• My legs hurt! (Oh that was me saying that….)
• Food Network stars—Bobby Flay, Barefoot Contessa—got to have them at my booth

For the 4th year, we worked with Sam Kruiner of The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) in the marketing and promotion of Caribbean Export’s ”Caribbean Pavilion” participation in the show. We provided marketing consultation, event brochure design and PR services.

I was delighted to say hello to old friends as well as meet new ones at the 2009 Caribbean Pavilion. Exhibitors in the Pavilion included Baron Foods, Ltd, Belize Aquaculture, BABA Ltd, BIDC, Central Food Packers, Calypso Rum Cake, CED, De La Grenade Industries, Erica’s Country Style, JTI, Country Traders, Honey Bun, Value Manufacture, KC Candy, Matouk’s, Marie Sharpe’s Fine Foods Ltd, Susie’s Hot Sauce, St. Vincent Breweries, St. Vincent Distillers, TTABA-Flavour Islands, and West Best Foods.

Show Photos:

Why Your Logo Matters (But Not That Much)

Building a Small Business Brand: Your logo just doesn’t matter that much and neither does your company name. So, for all you small business owners who are spending hours every day pondering over your company name, wondering if you should call it “Smith Jewelers” or “Jewelry World”, or calling Uncle Joe to see if he likes your logo in dark blue or light blue, I have terrible news for you, it doesn’t really matter.

How can this be, you say? Well, let’s take a couple real life examples and see how important their company name and logos were to their success. Ford, Dell, Hewlett-Packard—boy, they thought hard about those companies didn’t they? Hmm, what’s my last name? Great! McDonald’s (another winner of a name) has a big “M” for a logo. Nike has a swish, Microsoft has—nothing, just their name in an italic font.

Now, before you run out and name your company “Slobby’s Suit Makers”, it’s important to be aware of what is important when developing your brand, and where you should spend your time, and money. When it comes to a company name, there are some excellent rules to abide by when you are in the “naming” process.

1. Keep it short and easy to pronounce. If your last name is Stratklowvitz, you probably want to come up with another concept.
2. Second, try to be descriptive with a subtle name that can let people know what you do.
3. Pick a name that’s easy to spell, and someone can understand over the phone. Nothing is worse than having to repeat your company name 3 times until someone understands you.

Once you’ve decided on your business name, GET A PROFESSIONAL LOGO DESIGN. Find a reputable designer, but please don’t jump on Word and try to create your own logo. As a new business, you are building credibility, and your customers will know. Here are some rules to consider when you are giving your designer some input:

1. Keep it simple: Big, crazy, illustrative logos are hard to print and produce on marketing collateral. If your logo wouldn’t look good on a golf ball, it may be too complex.
2. Minimize your colors: Unless you own “Rainbow Dry Cleaners”- keep your logo to 2 colors. Ideally, your logo will look good in grayscale as well.
3. Make it memorable: A slick, original logo is optimal. However, keep rule #1 in mind.
4. Balance: If you use an icon, it is typically centered above the text, or to the left of the text. However, it’s ok to break the rules, if done with caution.

Your brand is something that you will develop and build upon, and, if you grow large enough, may even change. However, keep in mind that people won’t buy because your logo is red or blue, they’ll buy from you because you have a desirable product or service at a reasonable price.

Joe Witte has successfully started 3 small businesses including CentricSource and Travel Ad Network.

Bring Potential Customers To Your Business

You finally have a great looking website for your business. You spent a lot of time designing, revising and selecting just the right photos. It’s both cool and professional, unique and original, a perfect expression of your business and its products or services.

But can anyone find it? Do you ever Google your business’ name to see where your business appears? Is it on the first page of the results, or do you have to go through page after page of results before you find your website?

If your business has a great website, and you want potential customers to find your business, then you MUST invest in Search Engine Optimization for your website.

Search Engine Optimization is the active method of analyzing, improving, and reconstructing a website’s internal and external features to increase traffic and improve your ranking on the web’s major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

Not optimizing your site is like buying a high-end sports car, not putting any gas in the tank, and expecting it to take you anywhere you want to go. Optimization is the fuel that drives visitors, and more importantly—potential customers, to your site. It can be your most valuable marketing tool. Let’s look at some of the major benefits:

Visibility
You wouldn’t have an unlisted phone number or address for your business, so why should your most visible asset of your business be hidden from potential customers? Your customers are looking for your business! Make yourself easier to find. Search Engine Optimization helps move your website upward in search engine results for the keywords and phrases related to the services that your business provides. Search Engine Optimization brings customers that are already interested in you to your doorstep.

Affordability
Search Engine Optimization is one of the most inexpensive ways to market and advertise your business. Consider that Yellowbook and local print ads can run almost $2,000 dollars a month, and have a limited reach. Pay Per Click (PPC) rates and online banner advertising can cost up to $3,500 per month, and exist only for as long as your marketing budget does. However, Search Engine Optimization of your site offers a low–cost option (typically only $150-$600 per month) to promoting and advertising your business online. Remember, consumers are more likely to purchase from a high–ranking site rather than from one that has (obviously) sponsored ads.

Simplicity
Imagine going to bed each night knowing that if someone Googles “interior decorator California” or “Chicago accountant”, or “Philadelphia landscaper” your business will be right near the top, and you will have a new business opportunity waiting for you the next day. That is very possible with Search Engine Optimization. Take the work and the hassle out of finding new customers, and let your website do all the work.

Search Engine Optimization is a powerful marketing and advertising tool for any small business. By adding Search Engine Optimization to your professional web design, you will ensure that your business has at least one simple and cost–effective sales generating tool.

By Daniel Natale