thewordpro.com

Here is a link to an interesting article on color.  http://www.nightcats.com/samples/colour.html

Business people are hearing more and more about blogs.  Those who are not utilizing this powerful marketing tool are missing a golden opportunity to become a credible source of knowledge on their products or services.  Think about it.  When you buy something, don’t you want to buy it from someone who knows the ins and outs of what they are selling, someone who can answer your questions, tell you about the features and even some of the tricks to get more out of your purchase?  Your customers probably feel the same way.

You are probably passionate about what you are marketing. Why not channel that passion into a blog that is both helpful and informative.  Why not become the expert that people come to for information about your product or service?

One of the more powerful features of a blog is the “Comments” section. This is where you may get both good and bad feedback.  Someone may take you to task for some of your comments.  Sometimes, they may even be right, and you may learn something from them.  Even the most annoying person may have a valid argument or a good idea.  And worthy complaints deserve a decent response. 

More importantly, the comments section can be a source of testimonials from people who truly appreciate your efforts – you might even use some of them in your marketing materials.  

Finally, your blog can be a great source of information for someone interested in what you have to offer.  People today search the Internet hungry for information.  Much of that information is suspect or downright false.  Wouldn’t you rather have your customers come directly to you to learn about your products or services?  

Getting started is easy. You can start with a free blog from Google’s Blogger or from WordPress. 

http://www.entireweb.com:80/newsletter/archive/2008/ISSUE429.html

The above link is to a really good article about SEO - or for the non-techies among us, Search Engine Optimization.  I have been writing and designing websites since 1998.  It is interesting how times have changed.  When I started, I took a course at a local college to find out how to get higher ranking on search engines  (and some of the biggies were Alta Vista, Northern Lights, Dog Pile and MSN).  It is interesting that while the search engines have changed and the algorithms have changed, the basics have not.  META tags, including keywords and descriptions, are still important. But Content is King!  As it always has been.  Having well-written copy and a carefully crafted description will go along way towards getting higher ranks on search engines.  Once visitors arrive at the site, well-written content may turn the visitor into a customer! 

 A couple of newer SEO tactics mentioned in the above article are titles and fresh content. While these didn’t seem to matter as much in the past, they seem to be getting ever more important.  So if your site doesn’t have have a TITLE tag, have one added and if you haven’t updated the content, maybe it’s time.

One of my friends sent this to me yesterday.  I believe it will help explain how powerful branding can be.  Are you “branded?”  Even if you sell products for someone who has a brand identity, did you know that you can also “brand” yourself — a way to set yourself apart from the crowd? 

Click here: cramersweeney.com

Several years ago I was asked to help a young man and his wife market their cleaning business.  They offered general cleaning, window cleaning and small handyman-type services. At the time, they were dropping photocopied black and white flyers off on the doorsteps of local homeowners, but it wasn’t working.

They had successfully identified their target – middle class homeowners.  However, their flyer was not well written (English was not their first language) and not well designed. It was not generating the businesses they needed to survive.  They thought they needed a shiny color brochure or expensive door hanger to attract their customers. 

When we talked, I believed that their market might be more attracted to the fact that they did not have high overhead costs, were not overpriced, and would be accommodating to the specific needs of the customer. But they did need to look more professional. 

I kept their idea of a one-page flyer, black and white, that could be photocopied and left on doorsteps or displayed on the counter of the local DIY store. I then worked with them to craft the wording that accurately described their services and their philosophy.  The flyer was successful for them and enabled them to get their start.   

Every business has a target market. That target market will respond if approached in an appropriate manner.  I believe that finding the “voice” that speaks to the target market is key.  Small business owners with limited budgets should always carefully weigh their options before jumping into a high priced media campaign that might not be targeted correctly.

Welcome to my blog.  I hope to use this forum as a place to post (I hope) interesting and useful information, and to hear the comments of readers, who might agree, disagree or just be interested.