Archive for the ‘Business Practices’ Category

Do You Need a Website Redesign or Better Online Marketing?

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Are you getting the results you want from your current website? If you are like many small business owners, the answer is a resounding “No.” Often, in an attempt to keep the process affordable, small business website design companies try a one-size-fits-all approach to design, and then leave the small business owner on his or her own, trying to figure out what to do next.

More than once, a frustrated small business owner has scrapped their existing website, hired a new website designer, launched a new redesigned website, and ended up with the same lackluster business results. They blame the website designer, but really, it’s not their fault. The business owner simply did not take the time to identify the real problem.

Before embarking on a total website redesign, ask yourself these questions:
- What are my competitors doing with their websites that I am not?
- Is my brand identity represented effectively in my current website?
- Does my current website look professional?

If you are unhappy with the answers to these three questions, then you definitely should consider a complete website redesign. However, if you are satisfied with the answers, you may not need a complete redesign, maybe just a tweak or two. But don’t stop there. Now, ask yourself these questions:

- Is my current website appearing on the first page of search results for targeted keywords?
- Am I reaching my potential customers effectively and are they interacting with the site the way I intended?
- And finally, am I using today’s social media strategies to my best advantage?

If the answers to these questions are “no,” then you may need assistance in creating a search engine optimization strategy, which may involve some website redesign, but not always, and also seek assistance from someone in the areas of online marketing.

The answers to these questions will form the basis of your goals for any website redesign and/or online marketing initiative you undertake and will help you narrow your choices of affordable small business website designers or marketers. Not every website design firm is qualified or equipped to also address your marketing needs, and not every online marketing consultant is able to assist you with search engine optimization or website redesign.

Luckily, mywebWOW!com can do it all. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop, and we mean it. We love to design from scratch, but we are equally capable at taking your existing website and making it more search-engine friendly. We can also offer you a wide range of social media management programs and online marketing strategies that will have you saying “WOW!” in no time.

To get started with a website redesign, click here and request a quote. One of our friendly representatives will assess your needs and get you on the path to the website results you deserve.  If you are looking for ways to improve your online marketing, click here.  We’re here to help.

Tags: affordable small business web design, Columbus Ohio website design company, marketing, small business, social media
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New Directions Counseling Services – New SEO

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

New Directions Counseling Services (Family counseling and Marriage counseling in Columbus, Ohio) has come to the realization that they need to take advantage of the investment that they made into their website and push it to a new level:  get it noticed in Google!  Their plan is to utilize our SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services, and obviously we think it is the best way to manage their online marketing dollar!  Welcome aboard!

Tags: SEO
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Four Basic Approaches to Marketing ROI

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

When it comes to measuring the return on your marketing investment, there are as many answers as there are variables. Obviously, metrics are not a one-size-fits-all proposition.

  • Timelines Making a timeline of marketing actions can be very helpful because it allows you to see what you did, when you did it, and track response, such as sales, inquiries to the call center, etc. By comparing marketing inputs and outputs you can get a sense of what drives sales.  If you can identify a correlation, the math is pretty straightforward and you can get a good idea of what drives your ROI.
  • Grids Many marketers prefer to use grids because of the limitations of timelines. They are very easy to make in excel and you can overlay activities of different durations, plus they allow you to insert additional information. However, grids also have their drawbacks.  For example, intensity can be difficult to measure, plus grids can also get cluttered, confusing, and unwieldy.
  • Tracking and Two-Variable Modeling Another approach is to track all activity using a variety of metrics.  With tracking, you lose the visual simplicity of grids, but you can include as much data as you want. You don’t have to guess beforehand what you think will be most relevant.  After tracking for six months or so, you should have enough data to build two-variable econometric models. However, if there is too much market activity, it will be hard to find a two-variable model that explains more than 50% of the variation in the data.  A model that offers more doubt than certainty is of questionable value.
  • Multivariate Modeling Some of the world’s premier marketers use multivariate modeling.  While prohibitively expensive for most companies, you can include a variety of marketing and economic factors and get much better models than you can using only two-variables. However, multivariate models are extremely complex, plus designing them is extremely difficult. A successful multivariate effort requires a delicate balance of high level quantitative skills and street level business acumen.

Tags: ROI
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How to Build a Strong Brand Identity in Seven Steps

Monday, November 30th, 2009

One of the biggest challenges for any small business owner is creating a strong brand identity that emotionally connects with consumers, is easily recognizable, and fills a need with consumers. Marketing and advertising support your brand identity though the use of various mediums and engaging with customers though social media, as well as face-to-face interactions. Interacting with customers will provide you with a wealth of information, as well as continue to support your brand’s identity once you have established trust with the consumers.

How to Build a Strong Brand Identity

Visual Presentation. Consider all of the ways you present your brand to customers – whether it is online, offline, business cards, or brochures, etc. Have these elements been deliberately designed and are they consistent with your brand’s overall statement? The professionalism of your materials affect the way that customers view your brand and equate to perceived value.

Value. What advantages are there to becoming one of your customers? Will your brand enhance customers’ lives in some way?

Quality. How well (or poorly) a product is made and performs is reflected in customer satisfaction.  Also, take into consideration the quality of the customer service you offer. Is support readily available? Is your team knowledgeable and courteous?

Availability. How easily can customers purchase your product? Is this only available in stores, only available online, or a limited time offering?

Price. Does the cost reflect the product’s quality and perceived value? Extremely low price points will leave the customer questioning the product’s quality, while extremely high prices allow the customer to look for reasons not to buy from you.

Presence. Do your customers have to find you or are you finding them? Do you homework prior to advertising to find out who you customer is and where they are.

Commitment. How committed are you to your brand and the customers?  What is your reputation? How are you viewed by customers, as well as the industry?

Building a strong brand identity is about knowing who you are, where you fit in and what differentiates you from competitors. Your customers will be loyal to you, so long as you are loyal to them.

Tags: branding
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How to Get More Bang for Your Social Media Buck

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Everyone seems to want to do social media marketing, but very few people actually understand how to measure its efficacy. While you’re deciding how effective your social media strategy is, there are critical issues you need to examine.

Size really does matter. When it comes to social media for a company, one size does not fit all. A smaller company has to focus limited resources on a few resources. For example, once you examine time required and costs, you may have to decide between twitter and a blog and decide which will deliver a better return on your investment.

Decide who you’re selling to. B2B and B2C companies require different skill sets to sell their wares. Things that might work for B2C global brands may fail miserably for a mid-size firm in the B2B domain

Social media has a “If you build it, they will come” mentality. There is no such thing as overnight success in social media – success is built in layers over a period of time. Finding your voice and generating feedback or conversation takes time, so perseverance and quality content are essential.

Begin with the basics. Focusing on a corporate blog should be the core activity of any social media strategy to begin with. This is where here you can build a responsive audience over large distances for building your firm’s social network. Afterward, you may have the knowledge and resources required to join and succeed with other social media channels.

Tags: social media
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