It's amazing how many options a Utah business or any business has for website development online.  All shapes, sizes, platforms, and features out there to help.  From prior experience, working with other web design companies I've noticed a pretty common pattern that I call a "Web Designers' Quick Fix."  Business owners need to be smart about how they shop around- because most web design companies are a dead-end.

Great salesmen say everything a customer wants to hear.  If the customer asks them to jump, the say how high?  Unfortunately a lot of business owners that I've worked with need insight, consultation, and professional advice.  The web appears to be a goldmine with instant success, but any web marketer realizes the challenge at stake.  If the customer doesn't ask about how to be successful- the web design company doesn't worry about it.  If the customer doesn't ask, "will I even get any results?"  The web design company doesn't respond.  The "Web Designers' Quick Fix" is to simply do exactly what the customer wants- no questions, no advice, no professional insight.  The customer is happy once the custom website is up, but for how long?  Good luck.

I'm speaking to the businesses that realize they need help.  That realize they may not be an expert.  I'm also speaking to web design companies who offer the "Web Designers' Quick Fix" and those who really service businesses to succeed.  If you're the latter - thanks!  I dare say that everyone wants success online - so let's make it happen.

Let's honestly take care of our customers and lead them to generate results online.  At Pivo, we strongly believe in "empowering businesses online."  Give the business owner the tools they need to take off!  We admit, Pivo is not the only answer out there, but we challenge all web designers to take our services to another level- especially in this challenging economy when every penny counts.

 “Targeted Ad Network” is a relatively new web 2.0 concept advertisers must know about.  The idea of this strategy stretches the limits in web technology to give you better ROI.  Specific algorithms are defined to target behavioral or contextual material relative to a target market. They source active, conversational outlets online.  Examples of these are social media sites, user generated news, and blog publishers leading meaningful conversations with targeted key words. 

In combination with other websites, a targeted ad network can produce vertical exposure through related websites based on content.  Once a target audience is defined, an advertising campaign can produce frequent impressions as the user visits network websites.   Ads are database-driven and displayed for your target market to view.   If you can define the target market, there are networks pre-established to reach them online.

Advertising can be directed by a genius strategy with an ideal message, but there is still no guarantee.  As the Internet continues to grow in technological influence, more capabilities are being established to grant the ROI every business desires.  Targeted Networks are discovering ways to reach a specific market, at the right time and place online.  Not only can you present the perfect message, but the customer can also act immediately by a simple mouse-click.

It seems like just about every niche is covered by a blog.  Some niches have dedicated blog evangelists.  The advantage of the variety of blog publishers out there is that you can get nearly instant access to readership.  As traditional marketing continues to change, users online are taking more and more control over freedom of speech.  Press releases can be freely distributed, products reviewed, and opinions shared about business is all freely posted and indexed online (good or bad).  Any business or corporation should be concerned about what’s being said online and how they can influence their image among users.

 

A press release can be written and submitted to blog publishers to share your story.  Press releases use to be restricted to large media organizations filtering content, whereas now there are very little limitations.   If you have a newsworthy event or interesting information for a specific niche- write up your story and submit it to blog evangelists who tend to be very supportive (make sure they include a link back to your site!).

A new trend of business reviews by participating publishers, are on the rise.  Most blog evangelists welcome a free product, book, or service to review and in return for a posted summary on their website.  This instantly gives your product a strong testimonial and positive reaction among regular visitors to a blog.  The price of a product to reach 10,000 niche impressions in a month is much cheaper and more effective than many advertising strategies.

Opinions about business in blogs and forums are regularly shared.  Any employee interested in PR for their company should quickly do a search for their name by keyword and pull up results.  In most cases you might be surprised at what you’ll find.  Your overall image and brand could be largely influenced (good or bad) online and you may be completely unaware.

Websites provide an entirely new way of marketing. Those who keep up with the latest web trends have an advantage in the market. At LunaWebs we’re alway exploring new trends.  I read an article by David Meerman Scott recently.  He revealed this idea of being a “Thought leader,” or voicing one’s knowledge and opinion through various communication methods online (forums, wikis, blogs, videos, and podcasts). 

As a website provides a quality one-on-one experience with relevant content, a relationship of trust naturally forms with the visitor.  Communication tools like forums, wikis, blogs, videos, and podcasts are giving thought leaders the edge in the market.  By contributing unique content online, it shows your customers that you are an industry leading expert.  You brand yourself as a thought leader, increasing a relationship of trust in current and potential clients.  In addition, the content you develop online will be indexed with search engines to provide multiple channels back to your website.  How much effort does it take to find a similar amount of trust and impressions through costly advertising campaigns? 

Let’s pick on a dentist: an industry leading expert.  Unique content could be shared online, based on this expert’s extensive education.  Imagine if all dental practices not only had a website, but actively participated in producing unique content online (targeting local areas)?   How would that attract new or build the trust of existing patients?  Knowledge/ experience gained in any industry can be used as a valuable marketing tool.  So put it to use and don’t let it sit framed on a wall in your office.  Strategically contribute that knowledge online and drive home more business as a thought leader today.Find out what blog evangelists are supporting your niche.  If a niche has yet to be covered, become a thought leader and start one today!

A tag line (and logo) is the most important ad you’ll ever run, because if strategically sound, it can leave a lasting impression of your brand or identity.  It should simply and clearly encompass the single most important impression you want your target market to retain.  A lot of professionals have come up with formulas to create a tag line, which really is a series of brainstorming sessions worded in creative ways to make their claim to fame unique.  Don’t make the mistake of diving in without a clue!  Brainstorming is critical, but don’t forget about starting from square one.

Here’s my opinion for those who stay up all night wondering where to start:  Take a tag line, boil it down and you’ll discover it closely resembles a business’ position statement, which is just as critical to your identity creation.  Your positioning should define in a solid, competitive statement what makes your business unique, such as, “We will position Sally’s flowers as the freshest in the market.”  Notice Sally doesn’t ramble on with, “and wonderfulest, and beautifulest, and bestest and just everything you would ever want in a flower- oh yeah, and redest too.”  Your brand can’t be everything to everyone.  Stick with one concept, one defining element, and the ultimate void in the market your product or service is filling.  Whatever the “one” is, be sure it is clearly communicated in your tag line (with a clever twist).   Once you have the one impression you want to make, create a logo and start brainstorming tag lines.

Web analytics is continuing to rise in the online world as an ever evolving strategy in website marketing.  Any business should be analyzed continuously to find weaknesses and ways to improve.  Imagine owning a grocery store, and having the ability to receive stats on the number of people visiting your store, how many of those walked down the fruits and vegetables isle, how many customers picked up an orange to smell it- returned it and moved on to the apples.  Or, even having the ability to find out where they came from and how they were referred to visit your store, what day/time of the week they went shopping, and to even be able to keep in touch through email for reminders of upcoming sales and deals.  What if you could get all this information for free?

Although software and online services are readily available at a pretty penny,  Avinash Kaushik (a notable web analysis guru) recommends adhering to a 10/90 rule: “10% of the budget should be spent on tools, and 90% spent on people (brains) who will be responsible for insights.”   Websites should at least use free services like, Google Analytics, Omniture, or Stat Counter to gather plenty of data of user activities.  Once a good amount of information is captured, analysis of that data (90% of your effort) uncovers the “whys” of user shopping habits, and navigational trends through a website.  Any website that puts even a minimal amount of effort into web analytics, will quickly find greater success with improved leads or sales.

User behavior online can be very predictable.  Effective marketers learn to listen and study their target market’s routine for surfing the net.  The Internet has certainly made this easier with web analytics.  We can use analytical tools to help target specific keywords that convert.  Users go through a few phases before committing to a purchase.  Here’s how it works:

Education Phase:  Initially the user’s search is general. Once they see a few vendors selling different brands, they become educated.  A preference is then established.

Preference Phase:  Now, they most likely search by a specific preference. Competitors ranked for this phrase are considered.  The user may go to a brand’s website for example, to learn more.  Now they’re sold.

Conversion Phase:  By the time they reach this phase they are ready to buy.  At this point they are most likely just considering options like: free shipping, pricing, reputation, or other promotions. At this point do not create any stumbling blocks.  These users are easy prey. 

Try to focus your SEO / PPC efforts on specific key word phrases during the conversion phase.  Let those “other guys” fight over generic keywords.  They will only educate the users for you.  When your customer is ready to buy, you’ll attract them by a specific key word phrase (that may also be less competitive).  Study your target market’s behaviors online and strategize an approach.  By doing this you’re customers will convert on the right key words.

According to research performed by Cisco, almost 64 percent of the world’s mobile data traffic will be video.  In other words, the future of the web is video (according to several sources).  How does that relate to your business?  Well, I came up with a list of ideas:

What do potential employees and clients find about your company? Users can search online videos to catch a glimpse of the company’s workplace, atmosphere, and culture.  This may be a selling point (if controlled), for even clients to learn more about you.

If a picture is worth a 1,000 words; what is the value of a video? Displaying photos of your products and services is valuable, but imagine posting videos that sell the process of development or the product in action.  Product reviews are extremely helpful in converting users to purchase.

Increase sales conversion with online video (DVD).  A sales presentation in combination with video and flash could be a powerful tool.  This video can be even more refined than your best sales person.  You can make sure that the message is strategized and communicated exactly the way you envision- every time.  

Place an interactive spokes-person on your website.  Adding a human element to the website can be a powerful way to communicate a message clearly.  You can choose the professional and script that will best represent your company and service.

Take your clients on a tour with video.  To add value to your service, show them the steps and people involved in production.  If you’re a mortgage service that touts your great customer service and approach; why not show them how good you really are - in action? 

Use the CEO on video to represent your media.  Rather than allowing a news organization to drill you with questions, control and prepare a response for people to view.  This may also be an effective way to generate a response through press releases.  You can control the level of professionalism for your brand.

Consider the value of a video captured during your project.  Let’s say you received a satisfactory service for a job well-done by a company working for you. Imagine if the completion of a service was coupled with a collection of video shots of employees contributing, commenting, and adding value to your project.  This opens up a wealth of information and value you would have otherwise never known.  Most companies humbly hide these details.  Think about how this would affect referrals made.

Michael Jordan was arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time.   He was just recently inducted into the Hall of Fame in the NBA.  During his speech, he thanked many individuals by name, who motivated him and instilled a passion to compete.  The secret to his success was a culmination of challenges he willingly accepted and overcame.  He possessed a relentless will to win.

So, what does that have to do with business?  It has everything to do with business.  Especially with the economy placing what seems like, insurmountable odds in front of us.  With pressures related to the economy, competition, marketing strategy, financial forecasting, and leadership struggles every business faces; they can all be overcome.  Only you know what needs to be done. 

Do you have a passion to compete in the market or will you also fold under pressure?

Well known companies like Apple Computer, Costco, Federal Express and Staples secured their initial funding through grants of the Small Business Association.  Even giants in the industry started somewhere with a few challenges to overcome.

Jordan was pulled aside by a coach after a game in which he single-handedly closed out the game to win.  The coach said, “There is no ‘I’ in team- you know,” to which Jordan responded, “Yes, but there is an ‘I’ in win.” 

Let’s take whatever weight is necessary upon our own shoulders and make a difference as individuals.  Re-think any aspect in relation to your business and outline a game plan to ensure you come out on top at the end of the day.  If you truly are the best at what you do, show everyone you have a passion to compete, like Michael Jordan.