<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="65001"%> Ignite Your Site

Friday, April 10, 2009

Building Your Website - It's Like Building a House!

OK, so you are never going to go out and purchase a truck load of lumber for your website, but you'd be surprised how many similarities there really are. This post is a way of showing how involved, what seems like a simple website, can really be. Too often we hear "oh I could do that", and "if I had the time I'd just build it myself". Although we love to hear this (insert sarcasm here), we want to be sure you fully understand what is involved in building a good website.

The research and planning, that's right we call it that too!
Before you go to your architect to start your blueprints, you usually sit down and think about what you want to build, where and what your budget is. With a website, you also need to start with this stage. This includes, but is not limited to, market research, competitor research, keyword analysis and research, and budgeting.

The blueprint, or as we call it the site map:
That's right a good website has a plan, just like a house. You wouldn't build a house without a plan would you? So why would you consider building a website without a plan? The site map ensures that your website has all the pages, functions, and structure that it needs to be effective. It takes into account the keyword research and budgeting that you worked out in the first phase. There will be revisions, adjustments and compromises made and the final site map will be the guideline for the development of the website.

Building the foundation - setting up the template/CSS files:
To ensure your house is sound and stable you have to be sure to build a foundation that can support the current and possible expansion of your house. A website needs to be built on a foundation the same way. Ensuring that the template and/or CSS file is well structured and allows for easy expansion is important. Chances are your website will grow and you don't want to have to completely rebuild when that time comes.

The framework - the design and pages:
Now that a stable foundation is setup, the rest of the site can now be built. The design and the pages can be constructed atop that foundation. Just like with a house, you can take the cheap, fast and easy way and slap the walls and doors up quickly and without much thought. However, the better choice is to ensure the design and pages are constructed as effectively as possible. Ensuring each page is search engine friendly and user friendly from the beginning will save a lot of hassle down the road.

Finishing Touches:
Making sure you put all the finishing touches on your house will ensure it looks and feels like a complete product. A website may not have hardware to hang, or molding to finish, but reviewing the site to ensure calls to action are in the right place, the copy is optimized and everything works as designed is integral to having an effective website.

Ongoing Maintenance:
Just because you've built it doesn't mean it's done. That's right just like with your house, your website will require ongoing updates, maintenance and enhancements. Keeping your site fresh will ensure that the site is working as hard for you as you did in putting it together.

Remember: You probably can do it yourself, but would you trust the plumber to fix your car?

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Why would I hire a consultant?

Many companies that we've worked with have utilized a consultant to help them with their current project (ie: website, optimization, marketing campaign, etc.). So why would you need a consultant if you have hired a firm to do the project? Doesn't having multiple groups of people on one project make for more confusion? Not if you hire the right consultant.

So why hire a consultant?
Well, a good consultant will make your life as a business owner a little easier. They will do the due diligence that you may not have time to do. They will have the knowledge that you may not have on a particular subject. They will be like an extension of your company that can help make your vision a reality.

Are all consultants the same?
No, all consultants are definitely not the same. Typically a consultant will specialize in a particular field/area. For example you might find one consultant is experienced in the IT side of things, while another consultant specializes in business software to streamline processes. They know how things work in that field, and can help create a plan of action and/or find vendors to implement those plans.

Make sure all parties know who makes the final decision.
Over the years we have worked with several companies that have hired consultants at the same time. The situations that worked well were the ones where both companies were told what the situation was and who has final say. Both parties also respect the other party and take into consideration their thoughts and ideas.

The times that consulting didn't work, was when the consultant or the firm were in there to run their own agenda. They feel that the other party is the competition and that they are in constant threat of being kicked off the project. The project ultimately ends in failure (even if it was fully completed).

Remember: Bringing in the experts can help make the end product that much better.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Does your marketing message POP?

It's not enough to just say "we're the best", or "your leading supplier" anymore. Sure those statements make you seem like the authority but what company isn't saying that? You need to make your message bold, and different. You want people to say "oh that's clever" or "cool, you've got my attention".

How do I make my marketing message POP?
It's time to start thinking a little outside the box. Think of the most unique thing about your company, product, service etc. Now take that a start to think of ways in which you could slightly embellish that. We're not talking about totally exaggerating, but a slight expansion of the facts is fine. For example if you sell green products and the most unique thing is that you sell them from a solar powered house, why not use "Buy from a the first solar powered store, and be truly green!". OK, so you aren't really sure if you are the first, but who else is going to know? You don't necessarily have to be the first person to do something, you just have to be the first person to say you are doing it.

Should I concentrate on just one marketing message?
At first I would say start with one and target the market that fits that message. Once you have your feet wet and have a better idea of how to make a more powerful message then you can create one for each target market or segment. So if you are selling green products you might target one message at the residential user, while targeting another message at the janitorial industry.

Do I have to hire a marketing team to figure out the right marketing message?
NO! I know this may sound odd coming from a company that does online marketing, but in the economy we are in I think it's important to save where you can. Marketing messages are nothing more then brain storming and good ideas. Gather some or all of your staff and setup a brainstorming session. Explain what the goal is, who the target market is and then start writing down every idea (even the ones that might seem silly) that comes up. Usually a large white-board works so people can start seeing the ideas and spinning off new ideas based on what they see.

Remember: Marketing isn't about being the best, it's more about being the most clever!

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Just because you own the business, does that mean you should run it?

I often think to myself, why are there so many businesses that just can't seem to grow? What makes some businesses successful and what makes others simply fail, or stay stagnant? Then it hit me, maybe it's not the business (at least not all the time), maybe its how the business is run, or who the business is run by.

"It was my idea, shouldn't I be the one to run it?"
Not necessarily, is probably the easiest answer to this questions. Sure, you thought of the idea and without you the business may never have formed, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are the best person to be running it. Lets say for a minute that your background is in graphic design. You have perfected your art, and are very well respected in your field. You've decided that it's time to branch out on your own and start your own company, offering some unique services. As a graphic artist, do you think you have the mindset for the business side of things? Are you going to be OK with hours of number crunching, proposal writing, business calls, and everything else that comes with the non-creative side of doing business? Probably not.

It's OK to admit your "weaknesses"!
Understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are, is the first step in building a good structure for your business. If you don't have the business mind, then maybe you need to think about bringing on someone who does. You aren't giving up control of your company, you are making your company stronger. Now you can continue to concentrate on the creative side of the business, and can rest assured the business side of your business is being handled.

Just because you aren't handling all aspects of the business yourself, doesn't mean it's any less your business. It just means you have enough understanding of what will make your business more successful for the long haul. You may end up bringing in even more people to help out with things like book-keeping, human resources, etc. Just take a minute and think about large organizations. The CEO probably doesn't know even half of what goes on in the company on a day to day basis, but he gets overview reports to make sure things are moving in the right direction and relies on lower level management to enforce the rest. There's no reason you can't do what you do best, while leaving the business stuff to the business people and having them update you regularly. It's control, without having to control every little thing.

Delegating helps expansion
Once you've figured out how to successfully delegate responsibilities you can more easily figure out ways to expand and grow your company. With delegation you've allowed yourself the availability to explore things that may not have been possible if you were wearing all the hats. You may it some road blocks, and some managers who didn't see your vision, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't delegate it just means you need to better screen your next candidate. Nothings perfect, but knowing one person can't do it all will make your life a lot easier and hopefully more successful.

Remember: Just because you don't run it, doesn't mean you don't control it.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Do you really know your clients?

It may sound like kind of an odd question, but think about it. Do you really know your customer? Do you know what they need, how they need it and how often? Do you know who they deal with, who their competition is, how much their profit margin is, etc? Without the answers to most, if not all of these questions and others how can you really provide a "service" to your client?

Get to know your customer - no really get to know them:
Most people think that getting to know their customer means knowing their name when they call, and what their favorite baseball team is (or insert any sport). Sure, this is a start, but you need to take the person out of the equation and think about the company as a whole. Just knowing Joe/Mary the sales person and what they like won't give you long term investment in that company.

You need to do your research, ask the tough questions and understand what it is you can do for your client in order to really provide them with a solution and not just another product or service. Lets face it, you aren't the only one they can go to and if Acme Corp down the street starts selling for less then you what stops them from going? If you've proven your worth and given them a solution, the thought won't even cross their mind to move away.

But I don't have the time to do the research!
Do you have the time to find a new client when they go away? Do you have the time to invest on competing with other quotes when they start shopping around? You need to make the time and invest into your clients, just as they are investing in you. If you personally don't have the time, then get one of your best employees, or hire a person you know can take on the task and inform you. Sure it may cost you a little, but in the long run you'll be able to sit down with the president of that company and tell them "they can't offer what I can, and I'm not just talking about my products and services".

It's not just about price - despite what you might think!
Even with online shopping so easy and competition becoming tighter and tighter, service, quality and attention to detail are important. Think about the last time you had a nice experience with a company and really felt like they paid attention to you. You probably told a few people about it and were somewhat surprised and pleased with the experience. So why not give that to your clients, and make sure you understand their needs and wants. That could mean the difference between competing with the competition and out performing the competition.

Remember: Quantity is only as good as the quality that's being produced

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Monday, February 16, 2009

Avoid Poor Contact List Managment

Have you ever received an email or postcard and thought to yourself. "why would I be getting this"? It's something that I've noticed more and more of lately and felt it was something worth addressing. Email list/contact list management is extremely important, especially when doing any type of mass emailing or mailing.

Grouping your contacts:
It's extremely important when you are running a business that you group your contact lists. Make sure that your customers are in one list, your vendors in another, and your family and friends in yet another. You don't want to be sending sales emails to vendors and funny jokes to customers. The best and probably easiest way to do this is to group your contacts by well defined roles such as customers, vendors, friends, wholesale, etc.

Segmenting your groups:
Now that you have your groups you'll want to look at those groups to see if they can be further segmented. For example if you have a group called customers you may need to further define those customers by type. Lets say you are a sporting goods store you may segment them into indoor, outdoor, male sports, female sports, water, hiking, biking, etc. It's not that people can't be in more then one group but you don't want people in groups they aren't interested in.

Why go through the hassle?
Why not? By grouping and segmenting your contacts you are giving yourself a better chance of matching your emailing/mailing message to the correct person. Now that you have the right message in front of the right person you stand a better chance of converting that person into a repeat customer. Think about it, if you are really into fishing and you get an email talking about the 50% off sale for all fishing gear aren't you at least somewhat interested in what they are offering? I would be. Now think about the opposite, if you get an email about swimming gear and you don't like to swim, that message is completely lost on you.

Won't it take forever to group my contacts?
It may not be a 5 minute process, but after you have the initial grouping done moving forward should be fairly painless. You can also utilize mass emailing programs that allow your visitors to select what information (group) they want to receive.

It's about good customer relations:
Grouping and segmenting your contacts is another way of making sure you are serving your customers in the best possible way. You aren't hassling them with information that doesn't make sense to them, and you make them feel like you really understand their interests.

Remember: It's about providing relevant information to customers, not bombarding them with offers they'll never use.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Monday, February 9, 2009

Is FREE now a four letter word?

Have all of the uses of the word FREE started to make it sound more and more like a four letter word? Have we been bombarded with so many offers that this once alluring word is now a warning sign? Wary buyers are now more than ever skeptical of even the most honest deal and unfortunately one word has become the victim. So what do you do about this and how do you still give away something for "free" without using the word?

Let people see the value in "FREE"!
Since you can't just market your item as free, you need to give it some form of value. So for example instead of writing a headline such as "Free widget with the purchase of another", try something like "Get more value with the purchase of your next widget". So now it's not that you are getting something for nothing, you are getting more for your money. With a simple change of language, you have made people think differently about your "FREE" item.

It comes down to a matter of semantics. People have been programmed to think that anything "FREE" must be cheap and worthless. You have to let them see the light, by rethinking your approach, even if it's just a simple altering of language.

What if it's just one item I'm giving away?
OK, so you only have the one item and you are giving it away for free to a certain number of people or to a certain demographic. How do you combat the negative "FREE" connotation? You can try demonstrating it and leaving "samples" for people to take. Remember, just because it doesn't say free doesn't mean people don't understand what you mean. Sample is a word that has become almost a synonym for free; use it to your advantage.

Put time and money into your free item/service:
If you want people to feel that the item/service that you are giving away for free is valuable, you have to make it look like you took the time to give it value. You know when something was done on a whim and when something was taken seriously and had a lot of thought and effort put into it. Just because you aren't making immediate money doesn't mean you shouldn't spend a little to make things "pop".

Remember: Choose your words wisely and you can get people to think about something in a whole new way.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Simply Business On the Web - Part 3

Here are a few more tips from the Simply Business series. The idea behind this series is to help you realize that even the small things matter, and sometimes we overlook the things that seem like everyone just knew.

Discounts are not just a sales tactic:
Discounts are great and can come in a variety of different formats. You can offer coupons, referral savings, buy-one-get-one, purchase amount discounts and so much more. A discount is more then just a way of increasing sales though, it's also a way of retaining customers. Lets take for example that customer who just bought from you. They could have bought from anyone, but they decided to buy from your store for a reason. So why not give them another reason to come back next time? Put a 10% discount card in their package, or send them a free gift and put a note in there saying "thank you for your purchase, we appreciate you choosing us, and look forward to serving you in the future". With that simple gesture you most likely have made a customer for life (or at least a long time to come), and it cost you very little in the grand scheme of things.

Employees are just as important as customers and sales:
Too many times employers take their employees for granted. Many employees feel under valued and over worked. Typically when employees start to feel this way they also start to become less productive and more annoyed with their job, which reflects on their interactions with clients and co-workers. Now you may be thinking that you run an online store and no-one notices, but you'd be surprised how much "attitude" can carry through over the phone or in an email. Treating your employees with the respect and appreciation they deserve is important. After all, if they weren't there doing their job who would be?

You do not know everything and that's a good thing:
Many business owners think that they know it all, and have seen everything the business world has to throw at them. Guess what, you don't know it all and you certainly haven't seen everything, but that's not a bad thing. Being able to realize that you don't know everything opens you up to a world of possibilities and understanding that there are things out there that you haven't seen keeps your business agile. Think of any sports team that starts to get comfortable with winning. They think they are going to win all the time, and can't be beat; "they've seen it all". Then it happens, the underdog who's lost every other game they've played comes into town and wins, beating the undefeated team. The team that keeps on their toes and realizes they can lose will be open to new tactics and the possibility that something new might be thrown at them.

Remember: You can learn just as much if not more from your failures as you can from your successes. The key is to make sure you implement what you've learned and don't repeat it.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization
Website Packages Now Available!

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Friday, January 30, 2009

Website Packages Now Available!

Are you on a budget and can't seem to find a development firm that will give you a great website and keep it within a certain budget? Well Ignite Media realizes the tough times we are all living in and has put together some budget conscious website packages. We have everything from a starter package up to a fully integrated ecommerce package.

What do I get with my website package?
Depending on package you choose you can get a basic 5 page website with a custom design or a 20 page ecommerce website with a custom design. The key here is CUSTOM DESIGN. That's right, we're not making you choose from a set of templates that we through your logo into. No, we're designing and building a website that carries your company colors, look, and feel throughout.

How many website packages do you have?
There are three different standard website packages to choose from and three different ecommerce packages to choose from. We've done our best to put together packages that are both budget friendly and accommodating to the various sizes and needs of all our potential clients.

Do I have to choose a package with Ignite now?
Absolutely not. Our website packages are meant for those people who know exactly what they want and what they are willing to spend for it. If you are looking for a custom solution that doesn't fit within any of our solutions, we'd be more then happy to discuss your project more in depth to give you a custom proposal based on your needs. We don't believe in a one solution fits all approach, which is the reason for the variety of packages as well as our custom solutions.

How do I get started?
Simply go to our website packages page on the Ignite Media site and choose which direction is best for you - Standard Websites or eCommerce Websites. Once you decide you'll be provided with a variety of packages each of which has more information available by clicking on learn more within each box.

Remember: Just because the economy is rough it doesn't mean there is not a solution out there for you.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

What is your website worth?

Almost daily the question is asked of us "how much do you charge for a website?". To which our answer is always "it depends on what you want". After a few minutes of us explaining how it all depends, the potential client usually understands that just throwing a number out there won't be of much use to them and we need to be more specific on the scope of the project before we can say "your website will be...". However, lately I've been wondering if the question that they should be asking is "what would a website be worth to me?".

What would a website be worth to you?
Rather then thinking about the cost that you have to pay for your website, perhaps you should be thinking about what your website will do for you once it is built. For instance if you build a website and within the first year that website brings in $20,000 of new business, then isn't your website worth $20,000 at least? So the price quote you got for $5000 is only a quarter of what your website is worth. If you had an employee that brought in 4 times what you paid them would they be worth the cost? I certainly would think so, and I'd probably even give that person a raise.

How do I know my website will be worth anything?
You don't know for sure what your website will or will not bring in, but chances are if you skimp on the development costs the return will be less. Think of your website like a house, if you do an addition and you use the cheapest material and cheapest labor chances are you won't be very happy with the end result and people who come see the house probably won't be very impressed. You also won't get as much when you go to sell the house because the inspector will notice the imperfections. A website is no different. You have visitors coming to your "house" (website) everyday and if your developer didn't understand usability then you'll have some very disappointed visitors, which could result in lost/unseen business.

So do I go with the most expensive developer every time?
Absolutely not. What you do need to do is make sure you are comparing apples to apples. The page counts, what platforms they are programming on, what you are and are not getting with your contract, etc. You also want to be sure you see samples of previous work and call a few of the portfolio clients they have. Don't ask for a referral you can call because they will always give you the best client they have. Call any one of the samples in their portfolio and get the raw reaction from the client.

So what is a good price?
It all depends on what you are getting and what you expect to get. $5000 might be cheap if you are getting a lot for it and feel confident your site will be built to convert visitors into leads/clients. $5000 might be expensive if you don't have the confidence in your developer. Knowing what you are getting is key and working with a company you feel comfortable with and can freely express how you feel about certain things, and answers all your questions is very important.

Remember: A websites value is based on what it does for the business, not on how much it cost to build.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, January 19, 2009

Simply Business on the Web – Part 2

The often overlooked parts of business via the internet

As promised, here are a few more simply business tips/suggestions that can make the difference between a successful online presence and one that’s just there.

Online or Offline, it’s about building relationships.
Whether you have a business that is solely online or is half off and half online, you need to concentrate on building relationships. Those relationships should be with everyone from your visitors, customers, vendors, etc. Anyone that you have regular contact with is someone that can be beneficial to you. Take for example your vendors. If you get to know them, treat them like you would your employees and let them know you value the business relationship you may find that you start getting better deals, faster delivery of goods, etc. This can also be true with your existing clients or potential clients. Making them feel like you really understand their needs will let them feel more comfortable doing business with you and allow them to feel confident in referring other people to you.

An online store (ecommerce) doesn’t run itself.
Many people think that as soon as their online store is setup, the money just starts flowing in and they never have to do anything. Unfortunately it’s not that simple. An online store takes just as much time and dedication to maintain and grow as a brick and mortar store does. Some people might even suggest that it takes more time. With an online store you have to make sure inventory is correct, prices are adjusted, messages are updated based on store conditions, etc. The more time and thought you put into your store, the better chance that your store will be successful.

Requiring people to login is like having an open house but keeping the door locked!
There are times when a login is necessary, but many times website owners just don’t know when that time is. If you have sensitive information that you need to share with a select group of people, or you have different levels of pricing based on whether the client is wholesale or not then it makes sense. Ecommerce stores also make sense (after they’ve placed an order, or added things to a cart) to have login so people can check their order history, delivery status, etc. On the other hand, a login screen just to capture your visitor’s information is a poor tactic. People expect to get information on the web without having to give-up their identity. By making people register/login to your site just to get general information you are in effect telling them “come here to get good info” and then shutting the door in their face. They’ll hit that back button and be off to your competitor’s site where the information is available without any hassle.

More simply business to come. If you have any to share please feel free to list them in the comments below.

Remember: Do to your site, what you’d want to experience on others.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, January 12, 2009

Simply Business on the Web – Part 1

The often overlooked parts of business via the internet
There are thousands if not millions of books, articles, reports and more out there about business and all the tips, tricks and pitfalls. There is even information about business on the web and how to “become a master of the internet” through your website. For the most part the books, articles and information that are out there are useful in some way to someone. But what about the simple stuff? What about the things that people just assume you know, and skip over to avoid “wasting space”, or time writing it out? What about the things that just happen in the “real-world” but need to be thought about when conducting business online? Hopefully the following will help those who need a reminder of the “simple” side of business, specifically on the web.

Your site is for your visitors, not for you!
How many times have you heard yourself saying, “I think this should be here”, or “I like this information there” or “I like the website the way it is, let’s keep it”. Where did the “I” come from in all of these sentences? Are you the one looking at your site on a daily basis? Are you the one looking to your website for your product information? Are you the one ordering your products/services from your website? Probably not, so why are you making the decisions about what happens? I mean ultimately it is your decision, but shouldn’t there be a basis behind that decision? Remember, that your visitors will ultimately determine what works and what doesn’t, so listen to them by looking at your website analytics, asking those clients that you speak with about what they do and don’t like, etc. Then based on that information you can make an informed decision that takes the “I” out of it.

An email isn’t just a note, it’s a contact/lead:
Have you ever pushed aside an email because you didn’t have time and ultimately never got back to it? Would you do that to a potential client if they were standing in front of you? I would hope not, and the same should be true for your emails. I realize you can’t answer every single email as soon as it comes in, but you can schedule time to answer them. Set aside an hour or two each day (even if it means coming in early or leaving late or doing it during lunch) to respond to all the client emails that came in. You never know which one of those could be your next big order. If your goal is to increase business, then every missed opportunity means another day until that goal is reached.

The quote isn’t the end of the line:
So you sent out that quote to the potential new business lead. Now what? Have you set a plan to follow up with them? You have to remember that the person you are sending the quote to has a job also, and just because you sent the quote doesn’t mean they will read it right away. By setting up a reminder or schedule to follow up, you are in effect reminding your client that they have the quote and should let you know if they are interested.

We hope you got something out of this as there will be more simple business to come, so please check back soon.

Remember: It’s not that it’s hard it just takes discipline

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, January 5, 2009

Set Goals for Your Website...

Everyday we set goals for all kinds of things regarding our business. We set sales goals, production goals, employee goals, management goals, etc. The one place that people seem to leave out is their website. Why not set a goal for your website? It's known as the 24/7 salesman after all.

What type of goal would I set for a website?
It could be anything really. Perhaps your site is an ecommerce site, then a financial goal might be appropriate. For example by March 1 of 2009 you want the site to generate 1000 orders (or more if you are a larger company with more traffic). If your site is more informational and less sales oriented then set a conversion goal. For example by March 1 of 2009 you want to get 50 new sales leads (conversions).

Setting goals for your website makes it even more a part of your everyday business. It makes you realize that you have to treat your website like you would any other employee. If it's under performing things need to be adjusted. If it's just not working out it gets fired and a new one replaces it. The best part is, if it's working well you don't need to give it a bonus or increase it's salary, you just make sure you keep paying attention to it.

How do I set these goals for my website?
The best place to start is in the past. What did your website do for you last year or last month? Figure out as much statistical information about the past performance of your website as you can and set goals from there. Remember to be realistic about it though. If your website only brought in 5 sales leads last month, setting a goal for 25 leads might be a bit of a stretch. It would be much better to set the goal at 8 or 10 for this month and if you go over it's just an added perk.

The point of these goals is not to set the bar so high it's unreachable, but rather to hit your goals as often as possible. You also don't want to set the bar too low, then it just becomes something to check off each time. Each of these smaller goals should lead to a much larger end of the year or quarter goal as well. By setting the smaller goals you then won't feel overwhelmed by putting one very large goal on the board that just seems daunting to hit.

When should I start my goals?
Yesterday! OK, so that's not possible, but you should start planning and setting your goals as soon as possible. The longer you wait the harder it is going to be to reach your goals. Remember, don't try to tackle everything at once either. Start with one part of your site, or one area of your business and only after you've reached a few of those goals start going after other areas.

Remember: Your website is like an employee, some work and some don't, don't hold on to the dead weight.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, November 24, 2008

Black Friday, Cyber Monday - It's that time of year again!

With the economy slowing to a crawl, and businesses desperately looking to increase profits, the holiday season is now upon us. The unofficial start to the holiday shopping season is black Friday and for some retailers it couldn't come any quicker.

What does this all mean for my business?
It's time to start dishing out the deals. Whether you are a small mom and pop shop or a fortune 500, this is the time to offer deals to your customers. They are expecting it and will demand it in some cases. So why not make everyone happy and come up with a great deal for the holidays? Or better yet come up with a limited time offer for this coming weekend?

What better way to attract interest then making something available for a short period of time? The urge to have something before it is gone, is usually enough to fill a store, or at the very least have people talking about it.

How do I get the word out?
Email blasts and banners on your website are probably two of the easiest and fastest ways to notify people. Email blasts work great for getting your existing customers back to the store, and banner ads will ensure that any new visitors are aware of the great deals as well.

If you don't have a large following yet you can always pay to advertise. The quickest way to get going is usually pay-per-click through Google Adwords or any of the other PPC companies. It's relatively quick and easy to have some ads setup and running within a few hours. This is great for the last minute planner who needs to get the word out quick.

But what do I have to offer?
What don't you have to offer. Whether it's a product or a service that your company provides you have deals that can be made. Lets say you are a chimney cleaning business, why not offer 1 free cleaning with the scheduling of a regular cleaning by December 1st? If you have products you can always offer buy 1 and get one half off, or free or whatever works best for your business model.

Free shipping is always a great way to give your customers a little treat. Many times shipping is what people look at as a deciding factor in where they will purchase their items. So why not take that factor and make it void, offering free shipping might drive more traffic then you originally thought.

Remember: It's not about the quantity, but rather the quality of the discount!

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, November 20, 2008

A Question A Day - Will Bring Visitors?

How many times have you gone to a search engine and typed in a question? I know I do it all the time. The search engines have almost become like a "customer service representative" for the internet. You type your question and they come back with a list of places that might work for you. So why not use this to your advantage on your own website?

Become the answer they are looking for:
Why not create pages based around different questions. For example if you own a website that sells clothes for children and in your brick-and-mortar store you hear the question "What does 2T and 3T really mean in terms of size", why not create a page explaining the T system of sizing? You've now answered not only your existing customers questions but you have the chance of being found by people who may never have heard of you before.

What if I can't think of the questions:
Without a doubt there are questions in your industry, it's just a matter of finding the most valuable ones to be answered. There are new tools being offered by some companies such as WordTracker that allow you to see some of the questions people have typed into the search engines. This is extremely helpful because these questions were actually asked on a search engine, not something made-up, or guessed at. Take a few of these and there you go, some new content to add to the site.

Do I just add the pages, where do they go?
The best place to put these pages would be in a support area of your site. Even if you have to create one and it looks small at first, over time it will grow. One section could be commonly asked questions, another could be white paper downloads on your products, etc. Creating a section like this on your site is giving your visitors a resource to keep coming back to and to tell other people about. They don't have to buy anything to browse it and feel like they are getting the world.

Remember: Sometimes it's about answering the question before providing the need.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, November 3, 2008

Local SEO - Targeting Your Neighborhood

Many companies think that SEO is only for the large corporations that have offices and customers nation and world wide. This however, is not the case. SEO is for every company and/or website, it's just a matter of how you go about optimizing your site.

Home Grown SEO
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website for local phrases. So if you have a website that deals with plumbing for your local area and some of the surrounding areas, local SEO is perfect for you. You aren't going to travel to California for a plumbing job (unless the client was picking up all the costs!), so you want to target people in your area.'

The best and most effective way to target local searchers would be to use your town, city, state names throughout the site. So instead of just saying Plumbing Services, you might change that to Reno Plumbing Services, or perhaps, Reno Nevada Plumbing Services.

Don't forget the phone number and zip code
Another way to get people to your site based on local searches is to be sure you have your phone number listed on your site in text. Many times people who are looking for local businesses online will search with the area code as a prefix or suffix to the search (ie: plumbing services + 203). This goes for zip codes as well.

Just think about the different ways in which you signify a local business and chances are you will have another way to optimize your website for local searches.

Remember: When writing copy for your website, or building out the template be sure you have your local phrases worked in, without being annoying about it!

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, October 9, 2008

Trust and Marketing - Shouldn't You Trust Your Firm?

This past week one of our clients explained to me "we work with you because we trust you and you explain everything to us". I couldn't have been more elated when she said that, it is everything that Ignite Media was founded on. Trust and education are two very important qualities when it comes to any business relationship.

What does trust have to do with it?
What doesn't trust have to do with it? If your clients trust you, then you have clients for life, if they are suspicious of you then they are always watching what you are doing wondering if it is the right thing. It's never a good thing when someone is constantly looking over your shoulder to see if you've screwed up, and it certainly isn't a good thing when your clients are doing it.

How do I build trust?
Be Honest and Educate! That's it, if you can do those two things, 9 times out of 10 you will have a customer for life. So many companies out there are afraid of being honest, and telling their client exactly what they are doing. "We might give away the family secret", or "what if they don't want to hear the truth", are two things that cross the minds of those businesses that don't believe in being honest or educating their clients.

Yes, there are times when your client probably will not want to hear the truth, but in the long run you'll both be much better off that they know. They won't have any reason to think that you are playing games with them and you won't have any reason to be worried that they might find out something down the road. The air is clear, the discussions can continue on and most likely the working relationship will be stronger for it.

What do you mean educate?
You don't have to sit down and teach them every aspect of your business, but you should explain to them what you are doing for them. Let them in on your process and why you do things the way you do. I'd even suggest going as far as writing it all out for them and letting them see that you do indeed have a method. "But what if they show that to the competitor"? Do you really think your competitor doesn't know how you do things? Just think about the last employ that left your company, do you think they've never told anyone about how things are done at ACME corporation?

An educated client is a better client because now they are part of the process. They understand what it is they are getting and why you have to do things before other things. They start to realize that the money they are spending is being used in the right ways and that they can feel confident going back to their board members, or partners and explaining what is going on and what will happen next.

For the most part there are no family secrets. I mean you don't want to publish what you are doing for each of your clients online, but as far as a process goes and your methods there's nothing secret about it. Chances are you are just one of 100's of companies that do the same thing, but what makes you different is that you don't hide what you are doing for your client! Now doesn't that sound like a great conversation point with your next potential client?!

Remember: "If you give a man a fish he will have a single meal. If you teach him how to fish, he will eat for life" - Kuan-tzu

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Tuesday, September 9, 2008

If I had the time I'd create my own website...

This is probably one of the most common phrases that I hear in this industry. We get a call from a small or medium size business owner and they "know" they can build their own website, but just don't have the time. They go on and on about how they "know" what it's all about and how they have done websites in the past, etc, etc. Now even if you do know how to build your own website, is it really the best use of your time and are you sure you are building it correctly?

Let the experts do it, that's why they are called experts:
Just imagine if I walked into your office and wanted you to design a building for me (assuming you are an architect in this case) and I blurted out the phrase "Well, I'd draw up the plans myself but I just don't have the time". What would your reaction be? I would assume you would most likely be offended and then think to yourself, where does this guy get off? You've spent years getting your degree to become an architect and then I walk in and make it sound like anyone who has half a brain could do the job.

Experts are experts because they have spent a lot of time and effort learning their craft. They've studied the various techniques, aligned themselves with other people who know the industry just as well if not better. They could give you a history lesson on what their industry is all about. This same thing holds true for "real" web designers and programmers. It's not something they do because it's easy, it's something they do because they have a passion for it and have honed their craft to be as good as they can be.

Would it really be cost effective for you to build your own site?
Another aspect to think about is what are you giving up to take the time out of your day and build your own website? Chances are the opportunity cost of building it yourself are far too great. While you are busy building the website your day to day tasks are going unanswered. That means that potential contract for thousands of dollars will go unanswered and pass you by.

You also have to think about what impact not having someone who knows the ins and outs of website design build your site could have on the final product. Have you kept up to date on what the search engines are looking for? Have you studied the latest CSS methods that are being employed? Do you know how to code that contact form so it gets delivered without much spam being delivered as well? I would assume the answer to the majority of these questions would be No.

You wouldn't have your maintenance man come in and do your book keeping so why would you use anyone but a design company to build your website?

Remember: It's not always better if you do it yourself.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, August 25, 2008

What web based business should I start that will make money?

This post is for people who are currently looking to "break into" a web based business. Over the years I've come across many people who have asked the question "what's the most profitable web based business to be in?". The first answer that comes to mind is "if I knew that do you think I'd be doing this?". However, I usually catch myself before that comes out and I explain to them that there is no silver bullet.

Don't you just build the site and make the money?
Many people are under the impression that it is as easy as just putting up a website. As soon as you go online your orders will start rolling in. Unfortunately, this is where many people get into trouble. The website takes longer then they expected, the costs are higher than they originally anticipated and the site goes up and no one is going to it.

Just like with a brick and mortar store it doesn't just happen over night. No matter how many stories you've heard about the guy who is rich from the internet, it just simply is not that easy. I don't want to stop anyone from trying, I simply want to make sure you are completely aware of what goes into a web based business.

The website
For some reason people think that building a website is easy. That if they had a little time on their hands they could just as easily put one together. To some extent this is true, but will that site be any good? What if you decided that building a house was easy and you put yours together, do you think it will last very long? Are you an electrician, plumber, contractor, and architect? If not, you probably wouldn't attempt this. So why then would you attempt to put a website together when you more then likely do not know the first thing about the mechanics of a website?

It may seem like a cliche, or overused advice, but let the professionals do what the professionals do. You know the business you are doing and you wouldn't think twice about having someone from another profession come in and run your business, so why would you want to take over building a website?

Marketing for your website
So now you have the website, it's all built, and by a professional web developer who took the time to ensure it is SEO and user friendly. What do you do now? Now it's time to market the site. You have to let people know that your website exists. There are hundreds if not thousands of ways to do this. You can advertise in the yellow pages (online and offline), submit your site to various directories, get into Pay-Per-Click marketing, request inbound links to your site, send out a press release, and so much more.

Staying up to date with your website
Even after you have built the site, marketed it, and have customers coming in you need to make sure you are staying on top of the site. If you sell a tangible product you want to make sure you are updating your inventory and/or product information. You want to post specials and send out newsletters letting your customers know what is going on. Just like with that brick and mortar store, you have to make sure you are keeping and attracting the attention of your customers.

Remember: A website is more then just a page online, it's a business just like any other store.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

A saturated market, is it worth it to get in?

Most people would immediately tell you to stay away from a saturated market. There is usually very little room for profit, and the daily grind of trying to compete for every dollar can get tiring. You also have to be very creative in your marketing and always try to stay one step ahead of your competitors. However, if you have a unique angle or niche within that market, why not go for it?

A niche within a niche
Lets say for a minute that you are about to get into the computer market. This is a very tough industry as most of the big players dominate the field and it leaves very little room for anyone else to make headway. But what if you had a niche within this arena? Your first niche might be that you only sell laptops, so that cuts your competition down a bit. Now the real fun starts. Your niche within a niche for laptops could be "biodegradable packing and refurbished machines". You now can play up the going green concept and let people feel good about buying from you.

Your service can outweigh your product
Many people think that it's all about marketing the product. If the customer doesn't know about every detail and each product you sell, how else are they going to chose you? Well, there are times when the product comes second, and the service or extra care is what really makes the sale. For example the biodegradable packaging mentioned above could be the most important thing to someone who is extremely environmentally aware. They know they can get a laptop from just about a million places, but you offer something that others don't, peace of mind when it comes to the earth.

Bring on the competition
So the next time you or someone else is thinking about getting into a so called "saturated market", consider what you or they will need to do to differentiate the company. Sometimes it can be as simple as your packaging other times it might need to be something radically different. Each market and company is different and thinking outside the box is always helpful.

Remember: Everyone has products or services, you need to have a differentiator.

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Ignite MediaLLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Making a negative a postive!

In today's economy there is a lot to look at in a negative light. Gas prices are through the roof, the economy is struggling to stay afloat, unemployment is on the rise, and businesses are starting to see a slow down. So what is positive about all of this?

It's what you make it out to be
It's very easy to sit back and complain about how bad things are, and most likely you will probably find a few people to join you in that discussion. However, it takes a motivated and passionate person to find the silver lining and use it to their advantage.

Lets take the gas prices for a minute. The price of gas is increasing across the country and around the world, so how can we spin this to be a positive? Well lets say you are a company that is able to allow your employees to work from home. You can send out an email about how "You're going green one step at a time" and talk about how this will help keep costs to your customers down and quality up. You've now let your customers know that you are a forward thinking company that cares not only about themselves but about the customer as well.

What if my customers are having a tougher time economically then we are?
Offer a discount. When you know your customers are trying to cut costs and save money wherever they can, make sure you are working with them to do this. Get on the phone, have a discussion and let them know you want to help them make it through this tough time. Sure you may not make as much on your markup, but you've just kept a good client and chances are when times get better they'll remember what you did for them.

There's nothing that says you have to charge more just to stay afloat. Sometimes cutting your profit margin, or offering your products/services a little differently can actually increase business, or at the very least keep things steady.

Remember: Work with your customers and you may find that things will start working for you.

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, June 9, 2008

Standing Out from the Crowd

I've recently been reading a book entitled "The Big Moo", odd name but very good read. The book is all about being remarkable, not just ordinary or good, but truly remarkable. It is actually a collection of thoughts/ideas/stories from some very powerful and successful business people.

So how do I make my website stand out from the crowd?
There are many ways, you just have to put the same energy you had when starting the company into differentiating your company. It's not good enough anymore do just do sales, or specials, you have to really connect with your clients. You have to make them feel like they are getting more then just a product or service they are getting an experience.

The internet has made everything easy to get and at the cheapest price, but yet there are still people selling things for top dollar. How is this possible? Well more then likely they are not selling on price but rather something even less tangible. Perhaps they are selling on the craftsmanship, the quality, the durability, the personal service, etc. Whatever it is, they know they have it and they cherish it, and therefore draw in the customers.

Where do I start?
Where ever you feel you can be most inspired to be creative. Take a day off, go on a company trip, have a brainstorming session. Whatever it is that you do doesn't matter as long as you are thinking differently then you normally do and you are seeing things in a new light. It's easy to become stagnant and run the same rat-race every day, but it takes a true innovator to really break the mold once in a while.

Do I have to do it on my own?
Are you kidding? Absolutely not, bring as many people as you need. Other people will help you to realize things you never saw or thought of before. The best people to have around are people that you know do things differently then you. These people will let you see another angle that was always there but just never calling out to you.

Start today, take some time to brainstorm, or have a company lunch where everyone shares a thought about what they would like to do with the company. You'll be surprised with what you might discover from your very own employees.

Remember: It's not about gimmicks, it's about connections. Connect with your clients like no-one else is.

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

A referral is great - but your actions speak louder!

This may seem a little off the beaten path today, but I assure you it most certainly has to do with marketing and your business. Have you ever been referred to someone by someone else? Usually if you have the person who gave you the information spoke very highly about that company and/or person. With this referral comes a certain expectation that you will be satisfied at the very least if not amazed with the service or product they provide.

When the referral works out everyone is happy. The person that made the reference is praised, the company or person they sent you to is looked at like gods and you are extremely happy. So what happens when the referral goes wrong? What happens when you get to that company/person and they disappoint you so much so that you will never go back to them again nor send anyone else there? The chain is broken and that business has just lost not only a possible client, but their respect and possibly other business as a result.

Here's a perfect example of how things can go horribly wrong. You get a referral from a friend about this great therapist who has done wonders for them and is the nicest person they have ever met. So you give them a shot, you call and make the appointment and are all pumped up about this. You think, this time it is really going to work, they are going to be able to help you figure out what is going on and hopefully move on with things. You get to the appointment and the doctor can barely remember your name during the visit, pays no attention to the things you are telling them and seems to have a diagnosis before you even walked through the door. To say the least you are disappointed, and when you are done you never want to see him or any other therapist again.

In the scenario above, this therapist has tarnished his/her reputation. Will they go out of business because of this? Probably not. Will they lose a lot of their existing clients? Probably not. But they will lose future clients and have most certainly lost you as a client. Not only that, but now they have someone walking around talking about their horrible experience and every time naming that therapist. Not something any business would want, especially a business that deals so directly with its clients.

So how do you make a referral work for your business every time?
It is as simple as this - Customer Service, we are in business to service the customer. Sure you want to make money, but without your customers what business will you have left? Every client that walks through the door, or picks up the phone and calls you should be treated as if they are the only client you have and will ever have. They should feel like you are really listening to them (because you should be) and they should feel like their project/situation/issue is unique and you will treat it as such.

In the age of the internet, people too often think that the quick down and dirty approach is what everyone wants. Well as a business owner, and a client I can tell you personally that I want to be treated with respect and given the attention I deserve. I don't mind spending a few extra minutes on the phone to discuss my project with a vendor if I know that those extra minutes are being spent well and the company is really taking my thoughts and concerns into account.

You have to treat your clients with the same respect you expect to receive as a client to another business.

Remember: Your company is only as good as its last interaction with a client.

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, April 7, 2008

Couldn't I just do it myself?

Of course you can. You can build your own website, do your own marketing, write your own email campaigns, setup your own server, host your own site, and more. You can do everything; but should you? Probably not!

We all work in a particular business. We all have a particular job. There is a reason why the mechanic is not building your website and the fruit stand carrying ignitions. The reason is, they don't know what each other knows about the business they are in. This may seem like a simple concept when talking about tangible products, but for some reason people seem to forget this when it comes to the internet.

Everyone seems to think they are a web designer, and everyone seems to know how to market themselves on the web. At Ignite we won't stop you from trying it, but we certainly will be here when that doesn't work out the way you had hoped. What we do is not rocket science and we don't kid ourselves into thinking it is. But what we do does require skills and knowledge and what we do is not just something we play around with. There are many things that we've learned over the years that can't be taught without experience.

We realize you want to understand what it is we do, and we will be more then happy to explain it to you. We are not looking to keep information from you, or make you think it is some hidden secret. But what we do want you to know is that although it can be done by yourself, it probably is not going to be done as thoroughly and with the depth of knowledge as ourselves or any other professional in the industry.

You certainly wouldn't walk into your accountants office and tell him you can do your own business taxes this year. So why do that with your website which could help to drive business further up?

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, March 27, 2008

Is SEO worth it?

I was recently reading through some posts that were listed at Sphinn and came across one titled "What A Waste...Oh The SEO!!", in which they talk about how AMEX has decided to take the stance that SEO is a big scam. This brings to the forefront the question that many people often ask "Is SEO worth it?"

The answer to this is no as simple as one might think, in my humble opinion. You can not simple just say yes it is worth it, because as you can read in the above mentioned blog, there are times when SEO is simply not worth it. Whether you are being taken advantage of or the SEO you have hired just doesn't know enough, this scenario would yield the answer that NO it is not worth it.

However, if you have someone like Julie Joyce running your SEO campaign then I would have to say that YES SEO is worth it. A person like Julie will work as hard as they can to drive as much traffic to your site as possible while at all times keeping the best interest of your company in mind. This mentality is exactly what we preach and practice here at Ignite Media and commend Julie for conducting herself like this.

We realize that honest, hard working people are not always the easiest to come by. There are plenty of SEO companies out there who only care about the money they are getting for the "service" they are providing you and not about your success at all. As with any other purchase or contract in your life/business you need to know who you are getting involved with. Ask them for references, results, and/or an easy opt-out clause of the contract.

SEO can be worth it, and should be worth it, you just have to make sure you know who you are dealing with and that they are truly WORKING FOR YOU and not WORKING YOU FOR YOUR MONEY!

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Monday, March 10, 2008

The Budget is Tight, Should Marketing Stop?

Are you crazy? NO, marketing should increase! That's right, you should be marketing your company more then ever. People still need your services/products, but they just might not need as much of your services/products. That just means you have to find more people to buy from you then you did when times were good.

This is probably one of the biggest mistakes that companies make. They know they have to cut spending but they tend to look in the wrong direction. Marketing is what gets you new business and clients you may not have reached before. Marketing is what will keep your name fresh in the eyes of your existing clients.

You don't have to to crazy and spend way over your budgeted amount but you certainly should spend what your budget allows for. Get a new ad in a magazine, start up that PPC campaign, build that new section of your website, start that new email marketing campaign, and more. Let people know that you are out there.

How does this help me in the long run?
So now that you have decided marketing during the slow times is a good idea, you can look at what it will do for you down the road. When the economy starts to lift you will be that much further ahead of the competition (or what is left of your competition). With your continued marketing efforts you will most likely pick up new business and when your existing customers are ready to start spending more you will already have shown them that you are still around.

It may not be easy, and it may seem like an extra cost that you could save on right now, but if done right, marketing during the slow times can insure that your company goes on to do well during the good times.

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Differentiate Your Business

Make your business stand out from the crowd. Something every business owner knows they have to do, but most are not clear on how they can do it. It is easy to get stuck in the "bubble" of your industry and not see where your company can stand out from your competitors.

The answer can be as simple as a return policy or a shipping method that no one else in your field offers. Sometimes the smallest of things can mean a lot to the customer who is buying your goods or services. Free shipping is probably one of the most common ways to attract customers, but it certainly is not the only way.

A small baby equipment rental business in Canada (www.tinytravellers.ca) was recently discussing ways in which they can really give their clients that added value and get them to rent again. It didn't take long before the ideas started to take on a life of their own. Something as simple as giving a free gift with every rental such as a baby bib with their logo on it, or a child's toy again with their logo on it. For the small expense of printing these speciality items they will get some great reaction and most likely a large referral program by word of mouth (the best type of referral!).

You are probably thinking that it is easy to think of something for a baby website, but it can be that easy for any business. It just requires thinking about every part of your business, from the minute you say hello to that potential customer to the minute you get the final check for the product/service they purchased. Are there areas you should be giving out discount cards if something doesn't go right? Would a personal letter for each product shipped out give your customer a reason to speak highly about your business? There are thousands of things that can be done with any business.

A business that is looking to grow will do whatever it takes to get ahead. Sometimes that requires taking a step back and looking at the big picture. You can make your mark you just need to find a way to separate yourself from the crowd.

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Ignite Media LLC, Ignite Your Site™
http://www.ignite-media.com/
Website Design & Development eCommerce Development Search Engine Optimization

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