Marketing

A Good Website starts with a Good Book

Marketing, Websites

I’ve been speaking to a client recently who I think was daunted by their current website, with the knowledge that they knew they had to update it/upgrade it, yet didn’t have any idea where to start. Does this sound familiar?  It can become a little overwhelming.

Never fear, help is at hand.  When it comes to understanding and knowing what information a basic website requires I have the answer.  It’s like a book, you need a Start, a Middle and an End.   Leave the design to the professionals, just concentrate on the content – which is your business.

So let’s start with Your Story…

Always start with a Home page, which can be, if you like, treated as landing page.  This is where your potential customer normally arrives, so make the most of it.   Think then what you want them to do once they arrive there? Do you want them to Call You?  Email You? Search the rest of your site?  Make it easy for them to get to the information they want.

So, after you’ve thought about the Home page, move on to basic products and services.  What products do you offer and what services do you give?  If initially you’re not looking to sell online, then a good image of your products with brief descriptions should suffice (don’t fall into the trap of writing chapter and verse, this is a real turn off on the web).  Short, punchy information is key. I also recommend professional photographs, on the basis that the potential client would like to see what he is getting – make the quality count!  Forget quantity.

So, now lets have a showcase of your good work with maybe a few testimonials from clients, and if you have a number of good images then maybe have some links to a gallery. You can use this to its  real advantage with great images.

And finally, the client needs to know where you are and how to get hold of you.  A good contact us page with postcodes.

Perfect.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.  No so daunting now!  Just a good story.

PS:  Now then, Your Story Part II is having a good map of how to find you (ie in Google), to get to read your story in the first place…

Comments Off 2 months ago, Alison

Marketing your business in times of economic turmoil

Marketing

I’ve had many conversations with many people of late about marketing their business – or for that matter, any business.  It’s true that when times are tough, the first area historically that businesses cut will be their marketing.  And what’s more, they may even decide to do it in-house themselves!  Now why do people believe they can do this?

I heard a great keynote speech recently that went something along the lines of:

“Do you pay a professional Accountant to manage your end of year accounts? Do you pay a professional Financial Advisor to manage your financial affairs?  The answer of course is YES.  So why then do some business people believe that they can cut costs by doing their own marketing?”

The truth is that good times or bad times, marketing is paramount.  Your brand reflects your business, which in turn reflects your reputation.  Refer back to your business strategy and remind yourself why you are doing business?  Where are you headed?  Remind yourself of your long term and short term goals.  It is all only achievable by getting your marketing right.  Here are some tips that don’t cost a fortune that will may help:

  1. Know your goal, know what you want to accomplish
  2. What impression do you want to leave?
  3. When you come across a business with a “home-made” flyer, what’s your first impression?
  4. If you need to increase visitors to your site, make sure you have a way of processing this information, moreover make sure your site makes it easy to do this.
  5. Focus on what you’re good at.  Even more, specialise in what you’re good at, and partner with professional people to cover the areas where your business needs expertise.

The moral of this story is, focus on what you do and do it well.  If you need professional help with your marketing, it doesn’t always cost the earth.  Feel free to drop me a line or call me, I’d be happy to help!

Don't be blond about your marketing

Don't be blond about your marketing

1 Comment » 3 months ago, Alison

BNI White Horse Chapter Returns

Marketing

The BNI White Horse Chapter based at the Corsley Centre in Wiltshire has returned after the Christmas break. Yes it is good to be back, but words cannot express how frustrating it was just looking out of the window at the snow and simply wanting to get back to work.

This country just grinds to a halt at the very hint of anything that resembles snow. In this day and age with such a vast array of technology at our fingertips; how is it that our economy suffered an estimated £600m per day according to the Federation of Small Businesses. I am not one to get on the ‘blame culture’ band wagon, however I do wonder if as a nation we shouldn’t take a deep look inside ourselves before we make wild broad sweeping accusations.

Comments Off 6 months ago, Lionel

Is it time to re-design your website?

Marketing, Websites

Many businesses carry on with the same old website, thinking that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However the question is, was it working in the first place? The internet has changed beyond recognition since it first arrived in our lives all those years ago. Then eventually every business realised they needed a website just to keep up with the Jones’. (more…)

Comments Off 8 months ago, Alison

Good reasons for marketing an up-to-date website

Marketing, Websites

We are often approached by many new and existing businesses to discuss their website and my point always comes back to – yes have a website, but what do you want (potential) customers to do once they arrive there? Do you want them to email you, call you, or just simply fill out an online form – or even purchase a product? This needs to be obvious on arrival at your website. (more…)

Comments Off 11 months ago, Alison

Planning, designing and marketing your future as a modern graduate.

Marketing

The way I have come to see it, from my short time here at LA Marketing and Design in Shaftesbury, is that as a fresh graduate, the key to success in life follows the same vital ideas and concepts that one needs to create a successful business. First you have to investigate; this process is perhaps the most difficult. It involves looking at yourself and breaking ‘you’ down. Your likes; your dislikes; your skills; your qualities, and finally, where and who these factors may appeal to. Call it a filter. One big business filter. Then follow the marketing process. Marketing: a noun used to describe ‘the skills and functions, including packaging, promotion, and distribution, involved in selling goods” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. When we consider a business, this term may seem obvious, but what about when we apply this as a metaphor to our own career? The most important thing to remember is to play the game in the most successful way possible, and to find a way to stand out from the crowd; this means marketing yourself as if you were a business. If done correctly this will not only prove your abilities, however it will establish a sense of trust between you and your target audience, be it an employer, a company or a client.

Comments Off 11 months ago, Alison

Why businesses should address their marketing in a downturn climate?

Marketing

Many could argue in our current economy that businesses need to zip up their wallet, pull tight the purse strings and cut down their overheads. This could, and should be true – but to a point! There is a fine line between cutting back, and reinvesting what is reasonable to get and keep your business on track. In a downturn one of the first areas of cutting back is marketing, but it shouldn’t be. Marketing is one of the most important exercises a business can do. If you don’t shout about getting your name out there, your competitor will! And you can bet what you like he’ll do it bigger and louder, and so when opportunities arise who’s name will be at the forefront of the potential suppliers list? (more…)

2 Comments » 1 year ago, Alison

My First Blog

Marketing

Watch this space – this is my first blog, lots more to follow shortly.

Comments Off 1 year ago, Alison