How to Make the Web Work for You - with MickG

My Valentine's Day Message

2011-02-14T09:35:00.001+13:00

It's Valentine's day. Well at least on this side of the world!

So happy Valentines!

I hope someone has taken, or takes the time, to surprise and thank you for what you mean to them in their lives. And in so doing makes you feel valued and special.

Take the home page of Google today.

They've taken the time to come up with a fun and surprising version of their logo.

Okay, okay. They do this pretty often - but you get my point :)

How can you do the same on your website, blog or even your Facebook page? i.e.

What can you do to surprise people?
How can you make them feel valued and special?

Probably the simplest thing you can do today is this:

Pick up the phone, write a note, send an email to those people that help you in your business and your life, and just say - thank you.

Ads Following You on the Web? It's called Remarketing or Retargeting.

2011-02-13T22:37:00.002+13:00

I'm betting that you've had this experience.

You visit a website to buy something or to find some information.

The next day, you start seeing adverts for the same website you visited yesterday. Almost like the adverts are following you!

Well they are.

They're ads that make use of what's called either remarketing or retargeting technology. This is where a temporary cookie (given to you by the website you first visited) identifies you to the Advertising Network that runs ads on the other sites you visit. The ads shown to you are then adjusted to suit.

All a little scary I know.

But I guess it's no different from using your rewards card every-time you make a purchase at your supermarket. The data gathered profiles you, and other shoppers, so that they can offer more suitable products in all the right places!

Now the good news is, that if you want to opt out of these ads - then simply visit either:

Google's advertising opt-out page - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html

OR

The Network Advertising Initiative opt out page. - http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

So there you go. Tell me about your experiences with how ads have followed you. And what your thoughts are on this.

Getting Mobile

2011-02-10T09:41:00.001+13:00

We're all going somewhere these days. Busy, busy.

And our mobile phones, iPads, iPhones and Androids follow us wherever we go.

It stands to reason that we're consuming more and more information from our mobile devices, including browsing websites.

So here's a question.

Do you know how many people have visited your site in the last 30 days on a mobile phone/ device? You may be surprised!

Oh ... sorry. To find this out simply log-in to Analytics, and select from side tab:

Visitors > Mobile > Mobile devices.

And there you'll see the following:

So take 5 minutes today and go and have a look.

This is What Bebo.com looked like 7 Years Ago

2011-01-16T18:21:00.002+13:00

See more here

What Did Myspace Look Like 8 Years Ago

2011-01-16T18:19:00.000+13:00

See more here

What Did Google Look Like 12 years Ago?

2011-01-16T18:14:00.000+13:00

This is what Google looked like 12 years ago! See more here

Coworking in Melbourne

2010-10-15T12:27:00.001+13:00

I'm currently in Melbourne sitting in a newly opened Coworking space called the HubMelbourne. And yesterday I plugged in with the very hospitable guys at Inpsire9. It's really nice to see these collaborative, communal and creative work environments becoming real. Even nicer for me - as visitor to Melbourne - as I get to meet - and talk to some cool people - just by being in the space.

I feel that the more and more virtual connections there are online - the more and more need there is for real connections offline. People are social animals - and whilst social media allows us to scratch the itch of connecting and keeping in touch - it doesn't really nourish the hunger for real human interactions.

It's nice to be here. Thanks again to the co-working community in Melbourne.

Rob Fyfe's Personal & Authentic Message about Air New Zealand (from here in Whakatane)

2010-07-28T09:56:00.000+12:00

I was lucky enough to just have attended a breakfast event put together by the Eastern Bay of Plenty Chamber of Commerce where Rob Fyfe gave a very insightful and interesting talk.

Rob's approach to how he is guiding a large business like Air New Zealand is refreshing in it's approach. And it all centres around some very sound ideas and principles:

Motivating staff to express (and be) themselves
Telling and sharing good stories (with staff and customers)
Engaging and listening to customers
Embracing and expressing our 'Kiwiness' to the world through our: unguarded, willing and authentic can-do approach
Constantly innovating
Being small and fast - but acting big
Creating interesting, edgy 'advertising' that entertains and which results in a high level of talkability (and therefore viral reach)
Trying and failing (and then fixing) - rather than never trying anything new

I've just read a great book called "Personality Not Included" by Rohit Bhargava - that captures this personal, authentic approach to doing business in today's world. And it mirrors a lot of what Rob has been doing for over 5 years.

I'd love your thoughts on this - and also to share my own story (called "13 Years of the Web in 7 Days)

Wolfram Alpha says "boy + girl = incompatible units"

2010-06-16T20:37:00.002+12:00

Just been playing with WolframAlpha - a pretty cool knowledge engine that computes, analyses and outputs some amazingly cool data.

I tried this search query "boy + girl" and got this result......

Pretty funny really.

BUT

The website and engine is really amazing. Mindblowingly powerful actually.

Make sure you give it a go yourself - and please share your search queries below in the comments

Brain Feeding at Bizzone Expo Auckland

2010-06-04T12:42:00.000+12:00

I try and make a habit of getting away from the office - and getting out amongst other businesses and business owners whenever I can.

Not to tell them all about what I do - but more importantly to listen to what they do. There's so much "free" food for thought out there.

Anyway - today I'm up in Auckland at the Bizzone Expo - and there's no shortage of:

good ideas
great businesses
..... and interesting people.

So a big "Well Done" (again) to Sarah Trotman and her team for putting all this together, and organising such a great event.

A special mention I must make is to Dave Wild - from Smith & Wild. His presentation this morning called "Do Less - Go Faster" was pretty damn cool (to summarise it's about - Minimising, Specialising and Digitising) And his one page business strategy/ plan is a must have.

Ok - that's it for now. Laptop battery is running low.

Oh yes - if any of you also attended Bizzone - what/ who were your stand-out exhibitors and presenters?

Laying Blame vs Creating a Solution

2010-06-02T09:42:00.001+12:00

Interesting that in the last day I have come across two different references to this topic.
That of people wanting to lay blame on someone else - when something goes wrong.

The first was an excellent blog post by Perry Marshall called - "BP, the oil spill, and the urge to crucify…. somebody"

The second was something that happened just last night on the news.

The context for this story, is that we've just survived a nasty flash-flood event here in Whakatane (a ridiculous 100mm of rain in under an hour) which has resulted in a number of unfortunate residents homes getting flooded.

One of these residents was interviewed on the news, and remarked how the "Whakatane Council" was responsible for the flooding in her home.

Sure she was upset.
Sure her garage and house were flooded.

....But laying blame didnt make the situation any better. (although it's human nature to do so at times of stress)

To be fair - the council here have, and are doing an amazing job with the resources they have.

They mobilised within hours a full evacuation centre for +- 50-70 people whose houses were flooded.
They managed to open all the roads within 12 hours of the storm.
They've been up all night co-ordinating rescue and clean-up efforts.

As Perry Marshall says perhaps the answer is :

"Don’t fix the blame. Fix the problem."

So I challenge you to look at the challenges, speed-bumps and problems in your life/ business. And rather than dwelling on the negative/ and perhaps blaming something outside of your control for them - ask yourself....

"What can I do right now to start to solve the problem."

Even it's one small thing - then start with that.
It's a lot more empowering, positive and creative.

The Dream that lead to Google

2010-05-31T22:21:00.001+12:00

I've been working my way through a book about the history of Google called "Googled" - by Ken Auletta. I figure it's a good thing to know as much as I can about the company whose products and services I work so closely with!

Anyway - I came across this really interesting paragraph.

And here it is....

" Larry found an academic mentor in Terry A. Winograd, a computer science professor who had won a National Science Foundation grant to explore the future of online information. Larry bolted upright one night from a dream, he said many years later when describing how he suddenly had a vision for search. “I was thinking: What if we could download the whole Web, and just keep the links .... I grabbed a pen and started writing!" He told Professor Winograd, “lt would take a couple of weeks to download the Web.” Winograd nodded, he said, “fully aware it would take much longer but wise enough to not tell me.” Larry downloaded the entire link structure of the Web, not quite knowing what he’d do with it. He realized that links weren’t organic; they were the result of conscious effort. In a sense, users were voting for the best links when they chose to visit a site, or when they included a link on their own site. He had a bold idea to craft a different kind of search engine that would use these links to catalogue not just an island of the Web but the entire ocean.

His new friend Sergey was intrigued......"

Got me thinking.

How often do we have ideas and visions for things - but dont make them real?

The key I think to making dreams real - is to take the first step.

And that's often to simply tell someone else about your dream. Just as Larry Page did with his professor. In doing so it made it real for him, and more importantly got the idea out there to others. And one of these people just happend to be Sergey Brin........ The rest is history

So - if you've got a moment of clarity, an idea so fresh and tangible inside you, or a dream waiting to escape - I'd like to challenge you to tell someone else about it. Make it real - and get it out there.

The rest could well be history too (and yours!)

Front Door & Side Doors (to your website)

2010-05-15T22:22:00.000+12:00

I was washing the dishes tonight - and had this thought:

"A lot of us live in houses where there is a formal front door or entrance that is often never used. Instead it's your back or kitchen door - that is normally your everyday door."

I'm guessing it's the same with your website.

We all put effort into making the front door of our website (the home page) look good, and present well - assuming perhaps incorrectly that this is the entrance that most people will use.

However - it's often the back - and side doors to your site where people enter.

Make sure you pay some attention to these.
Take the time to welcome people here as well.
Make sure people entering still know how to find their way.

Detours

2010-04-22T20:23:00.000+12:00

Driving into Auckland the other night lead me onto another detour (due to roadworks) A late night one as well - with the detour signage not being that great. The result was that I and 5 other cars ended up in a dead-end lost in some back street far from finding our way back onto the freeway. Pretty frustrating it was.

I pragmatically followed the detour signs back to where I could see other traffic, and then decided to follow the BIG trucks. I figured as truckies - they'd know where they were going!

The tactic worked, and eventually the trucks lead me back onto the highway.

So here are a few questions.

Does this happen on the web?
Does it happen on your website?
Do people get lost in dead-ends?
Do they retrace their steps?

More importantly - how could we all provide better signage and directions - to prevent this happening to the visitors to our websites in the first place?

Full Steam Ahead with Google Adwords New Tools and Features.

2010-04-18T19:48:00.003+12:00

The number of new features and tools coming out of the Adwords engine at the moment is astounding!

Remarketing, lower Conversion Optimiser thresholds, Search Funnels and more.

The question is then this.

"How do you know whether you should invest your time and energy in learning how these new Adwords features work, and more importantly, how they could benefit you and your business?"

Let me know your Adwords questions, and I'd be glad to help you find the answers.

14 Things to Understand about the Web.

2010-04-17T19:07:00.001+12:00

1 - Know who you want to talk to.

2 - Communicate what's in it for them - not what you do.

3 - Remember on the web - people find you - you don't find them

4 - Never forget that the web is made up of millions of individuals so keep things personal.

5 - Be prepared to not know everything. Google is the worlds externalized brain. You just have to be good at asking good questions, and you'll find what you need.

6 - Online it's more about win-win and collaboration. It's the model the web is built on. No-one owns the internet - and never will. So become part of it's connectedness by letting go of what you think is yours.

7 - Communicate openly, honestly and frequently. Be prepared to share, and listen.

8 - Less is more. Provide info in chunks and on demand.

9 - At the end of the day the web is all about content. It's what it was it was built for. So make sure that your content is compelling, engaging and fresh.

10 - Provide options for action. People need to be guided online to an ultimate payload. Don't make them guess what to do next.

11 - Know when to not use and be on the web. Offline and online must work in tandem. There's too much offline and online to ignore - so marry the two for best results.

12 - Structuring and labeling is paramount. It's what defines the internet, directories, search engines, websites. So get used to categorizing what you communicate.

13 - Online you don't guess. You start with the end in mind, so that you can measure what you need, and know what you must.

14 - Looking forward it's all getting simpler, smaller and faster. Twitter, Adwords, Mobile messaging etc, Get used to distilling your message.

Feel free to share your own. I'd love to grow this list.

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Happiness

2010-04-09T16:09:00.001+12:00

I saw this sign today when I was out walking around at lunchtime. And it hit home for me.

Are you lucky enough to be able to say this?

I'm fortunate enough to be able to say - Yes.

I'm also grateful (everyday) for the opportunity to - Do what I do.

Breakfast with Ben Young

2010-04-07T06:29:00.007+12:00

I was up in Auckland yesterday, and as I often do, I met up with Ben Young (or @bwagy) for breakfast/brunch.

It's kinda weird as if you looked at it in an old fashioned business way - we are competitors of sorts. And yet we both make the effort to share our thoughts and ideas.

So why do we do this?

It gives us both a chance to compare notes and gain additional insights about the web marketing industry we both work in.
It also allows us to be inspired by each other.
It allows us to sometimes collaborate on projects.

I see it as co-opertition.

A way in which we can both co-operate and compete, to create better results for us both.

How could you create co-opertition in your business? And with whom?

Work and Traffic

2010-04-06T08:24:00.002+12:00

Like many people I'm back at work this morning after a long weekend Easter Break. It's a bit unusual for me - but this morning I confronted the Auckland traffic (as I'm up here on business).

Got me wondering "How much time do people sit in their cars every day?" And more importantly - "how could this time be better used and more productive for them, their businesses and their lives?"

Perhaps by:

- Recording thoughts on a dictaphone
- Listening to podcasts
- Catching up with people on the phone (on a hands free of course)
OR
- Just doing nothing and taking time out

How do you deal with traffic each morning? Is there a positive in it for you?

The Questions You must answer BEFORE you start Adwords

2010-03-21T20:34:00.005+13:00

I spend a lot of time involved with Adwords.

Making them work for my clients, and for my own ventures too. I'd be lying if I said it is getting easier to use Adwords. It's not. The complexity and intricacies of Adwords are ever increasing. As are the number of people using it.

I find that the key to success with Adwords - is getting very specific about what you want to achieve before you even start building your first campaign.

Here are a few of the questions (below) that I use to gauge the scope and define a clear starting point for ALL the Adwords projects I get invovled with.

Feel free to use - and if there are any others you'd like to add - please do so in the comments.

Thanks
Mick

PRODUCT/ OFFERING

Who’s the primary audience (target market) for your products and services?
What are you trying to sell or promote? i.e. Please identify all of your products/ services.
What do you want people to do once when they visit your site (buy, visit, download, subscribe, make an enquiry)? Please try and be specific for each product’s call to action. (This is what we will use to measure the success of the campaign(s).
What are the unique benefits or selling points of your product or service? i.e. what seperates your products from your competitors (eg price, quality, service etc)
What are the some of the most relevant keywords/ phrases that describe your site, and your products and services?
What do you think your audience will be looking for when visiting your site? (put yourself in your customer’s shoes)

CONTEXT

How would you describe the market/ industry you are competing within?
List other sites that you consider to be key competitors (specify URLs ..www etc)
Are there any specific geographic areas/ regions that you do (or don’t) want your ads to appear in ? i.e. Only in New Zealand, Auckland Only, Overseas (USA, UK and Japan) etc

MEASURE OF SUCCESS

What are your expectations for the Adwords Campaign? i.e. How will you measure or gauge the success of the campaign(s) ? Please be as specific as you can

Getting More Personal = Getting More Private... Huh?

2010-03-20T20:06:00.002+13:00

I've been thinking about this.

The more information we share online (just like this blog) - the more people out there know about us.

And as Mitch Joel say - in his excellent book and blog - Six Pixels of Separation - we are all getting increasingly "naked" online. There will come a point in the not so distant future when we will stop and say - "Hey, hang on. I'm feeling a little vulnerable here. I'm not so sure I want everyone to know all this stuff about me :)"

So what happens then?

Will Google Wave - allow us to retreat into our own sanctum of local contacts and friends?
Will there be a Google equivalent search engine that filters and ranks our contacts and friends?
Will we have an avatar persona in cyberspace - and a real one just within our own local online/ offline networks.

I remember (vaguely) back in science - Newton's Universal Law - that goes something like this "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction"

What's the reaction going to be to all this personal information online. And when is it going to happen?

Talking vs Typing

2010-03-18T11:08:00.001+13:00

This blog post is being recorded on a Dictaphone. (I'm literally speaking it to you now)

Why?

Because I realised the other day that a lot of my thinking happens during those ‘in-between’ times:

when I’m out and about
when I’m between the office and home
when I’m traveling in the car
generally when I don’t have time to sit down and record my thoughts.

So I bought myself a Dictaphone and I’ve started using it to do exactly that. I’m recording various thoughts and ideas as they arise, and then sharing these online.  

These days there are some many smart and time saving tools and techniques we can use in business and on the web.

So my question to you is this -

How can you make better use of the telephone, messaging or other voice recording services on your website to make it easier for people to chat and get in touch with you?  

A few options here include:

Click2Call (where people can be linked directly from your website to your phone at a click of a button)
Voice over IP (VOIP) phone service (which can pre-record all your incoming calls - and email you the sound files)
Simply displaying your mobile number on your website (and in a prominent position)

Talking vs Typing?

Which one suits you ?

Diagnosing Sickness Before it Strikes Your Website

2010-03-16T16:03:00.004+13:00

I'll be honest with you. I'm sick. And not feeling too great. And I know I'm sick from the symptoms I'm feeling at the moment. Sore throat, sore head, lack of energy.

Now how do you know if there's something wrong with your website? Or worded another way -

What are the symptoms of your website being unhealthy?

Some of the more obvious symptoms might be:

No-one ever visits your website
People visit your website - but no-one ever makes contact.
People ask questions - but they are always time wasting in nature

Some of the less obvious symptoms are those you can uncover and be aware of by using a good web analytics package. This will measure what's happening on your website, and also help you diagnose problems.

A good a place to start as any is - Google Analytics. It's free and easy to set-up and use. And it'll diagnose things like:

High Bounce rates (that's when someone visits your site but leaves immediately)
Which pages are exited from the most
What percentage of your visitors actually return for additional visits
.... and a whole load more.

Okay - I'm off to bed. But before I do, I'd like to urge you to make sure you've got your own early health warning system set-up on your website. It's much better staving off an illness - than getting sick (I can vouch for that at the moment!!)

So if you dont have Google Analytics - get your web developer to add it to your website today.

Communication is KEY!

2010-03-12T17:42:00.000+13:00

So, it’s Friday afternoon, and here I am on my way up to Auckland to see a concert, which is pretty cool.

BUT - for the last hour or so, I’ve been stuck in traffic going at the speed of a snail, with no idea of what is going on or why there is so much congestion.

We’ve since found out that, in their infinite wisdom, the Works Department have decided to re-seal the road – ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON - which is obviously causing a huge amount of congestion.

So all of this has got me thinking – the problem here is not so much that there is congestion, but that we don't know what’s causing the congestion or how long it’s going to take us to get through it.

I guess there’s some good advice here for all of us - keep in touch with your customers, let them know what’s going on and what the implications are for them - because when people start having to guess as to what’s happening, things can become very very frustrating!

One-Stop Spots on the Web

2010-03-11T21:40:00.002+13:00

I recently got back from a road-trip, and as you do on trips, there were several stops at petrol/ service stations along the way. Not only to refuel the car, but the body as well! Those Big Bikkie Magnums are just the business :)

Anyway, getting back to the story. These one-stop roadside destinations have become a massive part of our lives because they allow us to be 'cross-serviced'. At them, we can make a single stop, and do many things in one easy place (refuel the car, buy something to eat, visit the restroom etc etc)

The benefits are obvious - it saves us time, and makes things convenient. Also their location makes it easy for us to pop-in, and pop-out, often removing the need to visit larger more congested shops and locations.

Now, how could you make your website a place that does just the same?

A place online that people could pop-in, get what they're looking for, as well a few other things at the same time.

Change

2010-03-09T07:04:00.001+13:00

Funny that when you drive the same route every day; you notice the little things that have changed.

Does this sound true for when you visit a website and all of a sudden you see something just because it's changed?

Are there those little things that you can change that will make your customers take notice?

Reminding People to Return

2010-03-05T09:00:00.005+13:00

I was getting out of my car and I noticed that I had a DVD next to me that I was taking back to the DVD shop. And the reason I knew that I needed to take it back, was because the shop has got a very good reminder system in place.

If the DVD is a few days overdue - they first phone and have a quick chat on the phone, and then they often also send a followup reminder in the post. Pretty efficient and personal service !

It got me thinking – why shouldn’t you do the same for people and customers from your website?

Touch base with them and prompt them to come back; give them a reminder and more importantly a reason to come and revisit.

The Online Coffee Fix

2010-03-04T22:32:00.005+13:00

I drove past one of my local coffee shops and there's all these people there getting their daily coffee 'fix'. Coffee shops and cafes are a great place to meet people and to forge relationships.

So where do people go online, to get their daily fix of information?

Is that something that you could tap into with your business?

Are there places that you could 'be' online, where you could meet the people having their daily fix?

The one option is definitely Google Adwords content network – one of the single, biggest media networks in the world where you can do exactly that. You can have your advert or your offer or your message strategically positioned to intercept people on the sites they regularly hang out on - and then start a conversation with them.

So here's the question. Where's the coffee shop 'equivalent' that your customers hang out in online?

Drive-By Visitors to Your Website?

2010-03-03T08:51:00.004+13:00

I was driving my boys to school the other day, and had this thought -

"How many of the same people do you drive past every single morning and never know who they are?"

Is the same true for your website?

How many people visit your website and you never know who they are?
How many do you never get to speak to?

Perhaps it's worth inserting the following simple question on your website -

--------------------------------------------
Need Help or More Information?
Please feel free to:

Give me a call on .........
Email me ........
Skype me ......

... for an obligation free chat.
--------------------------------------------

It's definitely a polite way of starting to engage with those drive-by visitors to your website!

Your thoughts?

Making Your Website More Remarkable

2010-03-01T15:02:00.006+13:00

I just went for a walk at lunchtime in an effort to get some more exercise into my life. Working on computers aren't great for the old cardiovascular are they?

Anyway - I was heading down these steps - and then stopped and turned around for some reason.

At which point I noticed that each "riser" of the steps had a story to tell.

In a sort of vertical visual story. Pretty Cool!!

Got me thinking about websites.

"How often do we miss out on opportunities to make the journey through our websites more remarkable, interesting and enjoyable?"

What about these?

Adding some music on certain pages (not for every site I know... but can make a BIG difference on others!))

Adding the ability for visitors to know how many other visitors there are on the site at the same time as them.

Allowing people to print out a personal 1-page "takeaway/summary" of your website, and what it can offer them.

Saying "Thank-you" .

Saying "Hello"

Can you think of any others?

3 Ways to Connect with Your Customers on the Web

2009-10-31T07:53:00.004+13:00

Thought you might find a recent presentation I did as part of a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Training workshop interesting. It was all about "Connecting with Your Customers on the Web"

I've "distilled" the essence of what it was about to 3 key points:

Identify and understand your Ideal Customers. Who they are, what they are looking for, and most importantly how you can help them.
Engage with Customers. Invite visitors to your website to take action, and make it easy for them to do so.
Keep in Touch with Customers. Develop an ongoing relationship/ conversation with your customers by understanding them better, and proactively keeping in touch.

You can view the presentation online at:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21673153/Connecting-With-Your-Customers-on-the-Web

More Contact Options on Your Website = More Opportunity for Contact

2009-10-31T07:41:00.003+13:00

Having just one contact option on your website (and it's normally the classic - Contact us) means that you have a:

50% chance of person contacting you
But also a 50% chance of them leaving (without contacting you)

Now let's say you now have the following 4 options available (on every page) for visitors to contact you:

Contact us - Request a Fact Sheet - Join our Newsletter - Call us now

You now have a:

80% chance of person contacting you
20% chance of them leaving (without contacting you)

So what additional contact options can you add to your website?

Auto Responders - Your 24/7 Automatic Postman

2009-10-15T07:46:00.003+13:00

People are funny. They like things that are Free. They "LOVE" things that are Free and Helpful too. And they love getting info sent to them straight away. So here's a technique you can use:

Work out what information you can package up as a "Fact Sheet, Information Pack, Prospectus, List of Testimonials, Case Studies" and then offer it to people on your website.

BUT rather than just letting them download it for free (off your site).... get them to request it by entering their First name and Email, with a promise to email them back the information.

Auto responders can automate this whole process for you. They're an amazing productivity tool, you should consider using, because Auto responders :

Work 24/7/365
Build you a database of leads
Allow you to have more than one 'touch' point with customer (i.e. you can send a series of emails over the course of a week)
Are personalised

Options you can consider for setting up Auto responders;

www.Aweber.com (only one I know that allows direct attachments)
www.Mailchimp.com
www.iContact.com

... and many more

What can you automate on your website today?

It's Not All About You.

2009-09-28T20:28:00.003+13:00

I've been thinking how self-centred the internet is. It's full of ego and stuff written by people about themselves. I'm guilty of it too. I often write about 'everything me'!

VS

When you visit a website you want it to meet your needs. Don't you? It's frustrating when you can only find information written from the businesses own perspective, and can't find anything that helps you understand better what they provide and offer.

Which one of the above paragraphs 'wins' for you?
Which one feels more like a conversation?
Which one is more like your current website?

So......use MORE "you's + 'yours" and LESS "I's + We's" on your website.

It's friendlier that way.

Google Adwords & Search Engine Marketing

2009-09-15T20:19:00.004+12:00

The more time I spend assisting my clients marketing their websites using Google Adwords, the more I realise just how amazing an opportunity it is. Seriously... and I'm not being biased here :-)

Think about this?

Isn't it amazing that as a business - you can be just a click away from any type of customer or lead you want to attract.... anywhere in the world. And to be able to control exactly when and how you appear.

It's like a "global yellow pages on-demand" service that serves up a list of options matched exactly to the persons requirements.

So - Why wouldnt you use it?

Cost?
You only pay per click - so that's like only paying each time you get an actual phone call from your Yellow Pages Phone Listing! You can also set your daily budget to suit. And you can pause the campaign whenever you want!

Not Sure it'll Work?
You can measure the results exactly. And you can turn it on and off on demand.

Got any other reasons you can think of why you wouldnt use Adwords? Let me know - and I'll give you some 'complimentary' Good Reason Why You Should!

Google is Like a GPS

2009-09-10T07:26:00.002+12:00

Google is a bit like a GPS which helps you find your destination. And as with a GPS - its the information you enter at the start of your journey, that effects whether you reach your destination or not!

The trick with Google is therefore making sure you're on the itinerary they create, and prefarably on the 1st page too.

That's where SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) come in. Getting your website noticed by Google, so they can match what you offer to what people are searching for.

Simple!

Asking Good Questions on the Web.

2009-09-05T07:28:00.000+12:00

It's overwhelming these days just how much information there is on the web. And even more overwhelming when you're trying to find something in particular.

As in life, finding the answers you need, all comes down to:

Asking good questions.

So... when you're on Google and type your search phrase. It's a bit like you're interrogating the world's externalised brain! And if you:

Search for something positive - you'll find it.
Search for something negative - you'll get a tidal wave of nasty stuff back.
Not sure what you're searching for - you'll end up wasting a whole lot of time!

So what is it that you need answers to?

Now sit down and write a good question!

You Only Find What You Already Know

2009-08-22T21:19:00.006+12:00

My wife recently broke her leg - which has been not fun for her :(

But what's been interesting for me, is that as a result of it, I have been noticing all these other people on crutches with plaster casts on too. In the past, before my wife's accident, I'm certain that I wouldn't have normally paid them any attention - or even really noticed them. But now I do - because of this new 'filter' in my life.

So here's a question to ponder:

"What is it that the visitors to your website already know - that has lead them to noticing, and finding you?"

Answer that, and you've got a connection, and a start of a conversation.

mickg.gooruze.com

Get Some Runs on the Board

2009-08-19T16:11:00.006+12:00

I've been using this phrase "let's get some runs on the board" quite a lot with my clients of late. And the reason why is this:

So often projects get bogged down in dependencies, multiple decision making, and end-up in - inaction.

I've been trying a new tactic of late and this is to:

Do mini projects that can be actioned "completely" within a day

The beauty of this is that you get the opportunity to lots of iterative improvements in many smaller 'cycles' rather than having to labour through a huge and sometimes daunting and drawn out process.

I did this for a client recently - where I spent a focussed few hours optimising some of the content on their website.

The results - after a week - speak for themselves:

84% increase in Contact Enquiries
73% increase in Conversion rate (of visitors to Enquiries)

So my challenge to you is this:

"What can you achieve with your own website within a focused few hours - that will make a tangible difference to the amount of business you receive from it ?"

Perhaps consider a few of the following :

Add a picture of yourself - with a simple invitation for people to call you to chat.
Add a fact sheet about your offering that people download - which includes a time limited offer in it.
Add a Guarantee that makes people take notice.

I'll leave you with this thought....

You don't renovate your whole house in one go (well Kiwi's don't).

So pick an 'actionable' project for your website and get it done. (One room at a time - to continue with the DIY theme)

As we say here in New Zealand.

"Get at it! "

Partnerships vs Control

2009-08-01T13:53:00.006+12:00

Think about this.

There's 2 ways to do things.

One is to get things done through control and authority and rules and consequences.

The other, and it's a lot more powerful, is about creating partnerships, win-win opportunities and co-operation.

I know for fact that as a father - I sometimes fall into the first pattern of trying to control things at home with my 3 rambunctious boys. But it doesnt work. And it shouldn't. Because why should I have the right to exercise my control over them?

It works a lot better when I work 'with' them by engaging and communicating one-on-one. This way I get buy-in, and a common understanding and starting point. And it all flows from there.... effortlessly.

The same is true in business. And even more so on the web.

Control on the web leads to skepticism, opposition and often lack of trust in people. You can't think - Win-Lose - on the net (i.e. I'm the best, I know everything, disregard everyone else's opinion)

You have to think Win-Win. You have to engage and communicate. You have to create partnerships. The more partnerships you have out there - the more opportunities you'll give others of finding you. And vice versa.

Start thinking about how you can create a partnership today.. with:

- Your visitors to your website
- Your clients
- Your suppliers
- Your friends
- Your family
- And even your competitors!

It's a lot more fun.

Micro-Me-Moments

2009-07-15T14:17:00.000+12:00

"Help Yourself - Before You Help Others!"

This may sound a little selfish and radical.

But it's best explained by a good friend of mine - Phil Baldey.

Who says - "when the plane is about to crash they tell you to put your oxygen mask on first - BEFORE assisting others."

Because:

If you don't make sure you are safe - you cant help others.
If you put the cart before the horse - you get nowhere.
If you put your work first - you'll end up losing yourself

In our overly busy lives these days - it's often hard to get 'big' gaps of time to relax and recharge.
So what I do - is to try and find "micro-me-moments". i.e.

Spend a few extra minutes in the shower - just 'being'
Take a slightly longer route home, every now and then, so I can enjoy an extra song on the radio
Escape work for 30 minutes to have a cup of coffee and read a magazine.
And the classic - a few extra minutes on the loo enjoying a book!

These little "me moments" - all add up.

Give it a go yourself. Or share some of your own "me moments" (below)

Mick

Excellence Vs Perfection

2009-07-06T09:06:00.001+12:00

It's a cold rainy Monday morning, and I've just received these amazingly profound words of wisdom from - Barry Brailsford (http://www.stoneprint.co.nz/barry.htm) I HAVE to share them with you .....

EXCELLENCE and PERFECTION

EXCELLENCE is the willingness to be wrong. PERFECTION is being right.
EXCELLENCE is risk. PERFECTION is fear.
EXCELLENCE is powerful. PERFECTION is anger and frustration.
EXCELLENCE is spontaneous. PERFECTION is conformity.
EXCELLENCE is accepting. PERFECTION is judgment.
EXCELLENCE is giving. PERFECTION is taking.
EXCELLENCE is confidence. PERFECTION is doubt.
EXCELLENCE is flowing. PERFECTION is pressure.
EXCELLENCE is journey. PERFECTION is destination.
EXCELLENCE is surrender. PERFECTION is consuming.
EXCELLENCE is trust. PERFECTION is selfishness.

I guess we can all take significant meaning, and learning from these. What I get out of them is this...

"Enjoy the ride. Take others along for the ride. Dont be too scared at getting lost - as it's on the 'side-streets' that we often see and learn the most."

What does this have to do with websites, and online marketing?

Have the willingness to try new things with your website. You dont have to always be right.
To get to where you want to be - you HAVE to take some risks. Fear will just keep you where you currently are.
Realise that the internet is very much like a journey. There are so many places to stop off along the way. It's the 'collective' of all these destinations that give it its magic.
Online - trust is everything. You can't afford to be selfish and not share information with others.

I'd love your thoughts on this.

Cheers - Mick

Tell a Great Story and People WILL Find Your Website.

2009-06-12T19:41:00.003+12:00

It's a rainy Friday afternoon, and as is often the case at the end of the week, my partner has forwarded home a whole load of 'funny' emails from work. There was one today - that was particularly good - and which proves a VERY simple point.

It was a link to a listing on www.TradeMe.co.nz (which for those non-kiwis of you, is New Zealand's most fervently followed and used online marketplace)

So.... the listing's title was this...

Scary washing machine. No really, its terrifying! "Kelvinator Salvation"

....and it went on to say......

"Old mid 80's Fisher and Paykel top loader. Goes like a rocket! By 'goes like a rocket' I actually mean that literally. It actually shakes the house. It's the loudest most violent sounding washing machine I have ever encountered. It makes guests scared and children cry. I've lived with it like that for almost a year and it still scares me. Once while washing a load of towells it got a bit out of balance and it got so out of control for a minute that I swear I actually saw a porthole to another dimension open above it just for a second, there were dinosaurs on the otherside and they looked scared too, it almost sucked me in but I held onto for my life to the deepfreeze....."

NOW THAT's some compelling, interesting and attention-grabbing copy writing and content.

And the result is that this single listing has captured the imagination, and hearts, of all the people who have read it.

So much so, that they have forwarded it on to their friends (who have forwarded it theirs too)!

Just goes to show... even when selling a second-hand Washing Machine... there are ways to make what you write:

Remarkable
Interesting
Memorable

It's all about telling a good story. If you do. People will find you and your website. And they'll invite their friends too.

ps = now here's the link to the listing. It's that good - you gotta read the rest of it. Seriously!

Nudging to Success

2009-05-25T20:44:00.006+12:00

I recently read a great book called 'Nudge' which in a nutshell is all about designing 'things' for success (as apposed to imposing rules retrospectively to fix/ improve results)

And then the other morning on the way to drop off my boys at school - I saw one of those - "Your Speed is"..... electronic signs.

Immediately I reduced my speed in response to seeing I was going 7km over the limit! It's a great example of Nudging. Getting people to do and act on something - effortlessly.

The same can be said about your website. And how you can 'nudge' visitors on your website to:

Make contact with you
Request a Free Report
Buy a Product
Request a Quote

The trick is make it 'Effortless & Easy'. Nudge them in the direction that gets them to identify themselves and most importantly take action in some way.

So How Do You Do This on Your Website?
(to name just a few)

Broadcast a Telephone Number People Can Call You On (and make sure you answer it)
Give Guarantees that Reduce Risk
Show Client Testimonials that Provide Credibility
Provide Personal Background to Establish Trust
Use Easy Sign-up/ Enquiry Forms (without hundreds of fields to fill in)

I'm sure that doing just 2-3 of these will Nudge visitors towards becoming customers/ leads. It doesnt take much :-)

The 3 KEY Things to 'Get' About the Web

2009-05-07T12:16:00.006+12:00

I'm busy working on a workshop called - How to Grow Your Business, Website and Profile on the Web (that I'm giving to a group of local businesses here in New Zealand)

It's nice to be able to sit down and write down all the stuff that is in my head, and share this with others.

Anyway - I've almost got to the end of the first draft - and had to think about summarising the 3 Key Things to Get Across to the people attending the Workshop.

I came up with these:

Having a Website, and info 'out there on the web' - means you give other people the chance to find you 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 Days a year. It's an investment - that done properly - works for you .. continuously.
Remember that 'It's Not About You and Your Business" BUT rather about "What you can offer others". Concentrate on communicating value-added, benefit-driven content and information, and people WILL find and contact you.
Google - like it or not - IS the starting point to the worlds 'externalised brain' (that is the internet) Being able to be found on Google (and quickly) is therefore key.

I'd love your thoughts on these, and any others you want to add.

Easter Eggs & Your Website.

2009-04-14T14:17:00.006+12:00

I've got 3 young boys, and Easter is always a time of great anticipation for them. And their enthusiasm is driven by one thing! Chocolate, and the allure of finding lots of it on Easter Sunday :-)

I guess it got me thinking, about ....

How people Get Excited About the Prospect of Finding Something Really Good to 'Consume'.

So think about this.

You're online and searching for something specific. You Google it. A whole s**tload of results come up. You read them, and immediately click on the one that Promises the Most. Invariably it's the most mouthwatering listing/ description that you click on, because it promises exactly what you're looking for.

If the promise IS fulfilled - you spend some time consuming the info on the site. And normally leave feeling satisfied.

If the promise of the description ISNT fulfilled - you continue your hunt on Google.

So.... The Trick is to Make Sure - Your Website's "Meta" Description, and/ or Google Adwords are relevant to what is on your website, and enticing and captivating too. And that your Website Content is "Good & Tasty" and makes people come back for more!

Ps - my boys ate waaay too many Easter Eggs. And the resulting Sugar 'High' was Something (not) to Experience :-)

Small Things Make a BIG Difference.

2009-03-17T21:02:00.004+13:00

You may have read or heard about Seth Godin's Great Book - Small is the New BIG. Well this post ISNT about that! But you should buy and read the book anyway :-)

What it's about is this.

The Small things on your Website - that can make a BIG difference.

Like these 7 Things. .....

Make Sure Someone is Home. Put Your Telephone Number and Contact Details on Every page of your Website.
Put On a Real Face. Personalise Your website by showing a photo/ pic of someone real who customers/ visitors can relate to.
Keep Your Home Clean. Dont Clutter Your Home Page too much. It's confusing for vistors. Rather concentrate on 3-5 key things.
Cross-Pollinate Your Pages! Include relevant text-links to cross pollinate your pages.
Picture It. Pics DO Tell a Thousand words. Too much text without pics is just plain overwhelming. And boring.
Titles Do Matter. Make sure Your Pages ALL have different and relevant Page Titles.
Keep it Simple - Stupid KISS. Always err on the side of Simplicity. Less IS More. Provide less info - and an option for a visitor to request more information. (Also known as Layered Information Delivery)

And most important of all........ Have a clear 'Call to Action' for visitors. Dont make them guess what they need to do next... tell them!

"Contact Us to Discuss in Person"

"Download a Free Copy of this Guide"

"Join our Newsletter"

"Keep Up-to-Date by Following us on Twitter"

"Call us Now on 027 713 5913 - to discuss ANY queries/ questions you may have"

"Can't Find What You're Looking For? Contact us"

"Buy Now"

.... You get the idea. These are the "Money Phrases" The payload you WANT people to get to.

Make it Easy for them to do so. And dont make them 'small' and hidden away in hard to find places. Make them BIG and obvious.

Getting Hunted By Google

2009-01-30T14:20:00.004+13:00

I'll keep this short.

There's no use getting loads of people to your site, but not getting any business from them. It's just a waste of time and effort. The trick is therefore getting the right people to your site - who are looking for something that you offer.

As Perry Marshall says in his recent Renaissance Club Newsletter ....

"The internet has completely reversed the direction of marketing. .... Businesses used to have the prospect list and the sales people chased the customers. Now the customers have the prospect list and the customers are hunting for the sales people"

So the trick is putting the right information in the right places on the net - so people can find it themselves. And this is where Google Adwords has been such a powerful force, not only for Google's shareprice, but also for businesses and websites alike.

Why? Because with Google Adwords -

You reach people at the EXACT moment they are searching for something that you provide! So rather than looking for customers.... they find you :-)
You only pay - when your Advert gets clicked (and you decide what you're prepared to pay per click!)
You decide how much (or little) you want to spend per day/ month (i.e. there is no minimum spend)
You can turn it off and on at a click of a button
You Know Exactly which keywords are more productive in terms of sending leads/ visitors to your site

And if you're interested - see more about Adwords please see my online presentation on Adwords

So if you're short on quality traffic to your site, and want to do something about it - Let Google Adwords Get You Hunted!

The 5 Steps to a Successful Website

2009-01-25T09:21:00.003+13:00

I'll keep this real simple - as we are ALL busy!

They are - in this order:

1. Measure
----------------
On the web - you DONT guess. You Measure, measure, measure.... Take look at your web stats - and if you havent got stats - get Analytics installed!

2. Analyze
-------------
Use the information you have from step 1, and analyze/assess what the hell is happening, or not happening on your site. Where are people leaving, how long are they staying, which countries are you getting visitors from etc. Sit down and get a picture of what's happening on your site.

3. Renovate
----------------
If after analyzing things in step 2, you see some alarming trends (like a 80% Bounce rate from your Home Page)..... Fix it! Much like fixing a house - take a look at your site and the problem areas, and renovate them. It'll make for a friendlier environment for your visitors.

4. Promote
---------------
After all the hard work in step 3 - dont sit back and think that everyone is going to be pounding at your website 'door' to come in. You have to get out there and promote your site. Give people one good reason to visit - and put it out there in as many places as possible. Using - Adwords, Squidoo, Blogs, Stumbleupon, Classified ads, On Your Emails, Yahoo Search Marketing, Directory Listings ... You get the idea!

5. Communicate
----------------------
Now that people are visiting your site, communicate with them. Not just in a one-sided conversation either! Get them to : request info, ask them if they need help, let them call you on the phone (and make it easy for them to do this), join your newsletter (where you send them interesting, valuable info). Engage your visitors, and you'll find it'll help your business... HUGELY!

Measuring Your Website - Yes You Must

2009-01-19T14:44:00.003+13:00

I'm often astounded by how few people actually measure their websites, and if they do - how infrequently they look at, and analyse the data they have received.

With websites, done properly, you've got 24-7 measurement of an amazing array of information and stats - that DOES make a difference to your marketing decisions and initiatives.

So if you havent looked at your stats for a while - I urge you to do it now.

And if you havent got any way to measure your website - then get Google Analytics Installed... Right Now!

Work vs Home

2009-01-06T16:09:00.004+13:00

The Xmas holidays are great. As is New Year. But going back to work can be a little bit tough. Why?

I guess because we all tend to categorise our live's into work ...and .... home. And in so doing, we often set up a sort of competition between them - where one is preferred over the other.

Now ask yourself -"Is this also true for your website?" Does the categorisation you've chosen for the various sections of your site benefit it? Or does it just set the pages up to be in competition with each other?

I reckon that getting consistency across your site (and in our lives for that matter) can only be a good thing!

My New Year's Delusional Attempt to Correct My Shortcomings!

2009-01-01T14:26:00.000+13:00

It's great living here in New Zealand. We get to see the New Year in before anyone else! Whilst those of you in the States were just warming up for a big night out - I was already on the beach soaking up the sun and surf at Ohope Beach.

I also get to make my New Year's Resolutions First!

So.... Here they are:

1. To Communicate Clearly
2. To Listen Intently
3. To Be Present in the Now
4. To Have Fun
5. To Take Action
6. To Make Things Happen

Ps - I found this cool definition of New Year's Resolution on Urban Dictionary :-)

"New Year's resolution

n: An assessment of, and often delusional attempt to correct, one's shortcomings. Typically made on a day that is arbitrary except that it begins a new year on the standard Gregorian Calendar. Given the arbitrary nature of the date and the sudden change of lifestyle demanded by most resolutions, it should not be surprising that most resolutions are abandonded by the start of the next year. Fortunately the next New Year gives a person the opportunity to make the same resolution again.

A common New Year's resolution: get fit, get thin, get hot, get laid.

A common outcome: stay out of shape, stay fat, stay ugly...... " :-)

In the Now - On Your Website

2009-01-01T13:53:00.000+13:00

I recently read a book called - A New Earth (by Eckhart Tolle) in which he outlines the essence of what it is to live in the now - or in the present. It's About NOT Thinking - About the Past (and where you've been/ what you've done) or The Future (and where you're going, what you want to happen) Rather - it's about being Awake/ Aware and Appreciating what is happening around you Right Now.

Got me to thinking about websites.

The trick with your own website is to get people to focus on the 'now'. On the info and content that is there right in front of them. So if you make the info/ content so compelling and relevant people will stay and explore being 'in the present' on your website. And probably for a good while too.

They wont worry about how they got to your site (the past) or think about where they want to go to next (the future) They'll just focus on what's in front of them. And as you know - when you're focussed on something - you get the most benefit.

So...... Is your site: Up-to-Date, Interesting, Compelling and will it make visitors to your site stop and focus?

The Daily Deluge We Digest

2008-12-16T12:44:00.001+13:00

Stop for a moment - and think about the deluge of advertising we are fed and have to try and digest each and every day.

First there's the wake-up - Morning TV editorials that masquerade as news
Then the repetitive 30 second radio advertising that fill the airways and the car on the way to work.
Insert fliers fall out like an avalanche from the daily newspaper when you settle down for a read at morning tea
A multi-coloured collection of junk mail jambs your post-box every bloody afternoon (even if you politely ask for none!)
Mandatory TV adverts with louder than loud narratives, and even more irritating jingles induce bursts of productivity around the house. It's amazing what you can get done in 5 minutes!
And if you especially lucky - you'll have a tele-marketer interrupting your dinner trying to sell you the latest vacuum cleaner.
Oh yes - I nearly forgot. In your inbox there'll be at least 5-6 Cialis/ Viagra offers.

Whew! I guess it's no surprise that we are all therefore pretty desensitized and cynical with respect to advertising. there's just too much.

But then what about this?

Everyone needs to buy and find things from time to time. And more often than not this will lead you to sit down at your computer and Google It! After clicking ' Google Search' - in seconds you get a snapshot of information relating to what it is you're looking for. Not all of it 100% relevant - but often a good start. Sometimes you get too many options to even consider. But with the net's 1-click investigation ability - it doesn't take long to filter out the stuff you dont want and find what it is you do want. So how does this work:

You search for something on google by typing in a search phrase or keyword
You scan the search results on the page
You investigate the resulting websites
And more often than not - you act in some way once you've found what it is you're looking for (normally by sending an email, or making a purchase, or requesting additional information etc etc)

The point is this. You're in control of finding what it is you're looking for. Information isn't pushed on you, and you can back out when you need to with a click of the mouse.

It's for this very reason why I love the web. No-one owns it. No-one can tell you where to go - or how to act. Good relevant information presented at the right time to people on the web - WILL result in people visiting your website. (That's why Google Adwords works soooo well... :-))

And the way this works is a lot more value-adding than the Daily Deluge we are fed, and we can digest it at our own pace too.

10 Things That Will Assist Your Website & Business.

2008-12-04T12:50:00.000+13:00

1. Get listed on Google Local Business Centre. It puts you on Google’s Maps and sometimes even on the 1st page of Google’s search results

Get Your Local Business Listing at - http://www.google.com/local/add

2. Make sure you Submit Your website to these 3 Search Engines:

Google – http://www.google.com/addurl/
DMOZ – http://www.dmoz.org/add.html
Yahoo - https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit

3. Install Google Analytics on Your website. This will allow you to easily track who is visiting your website, for how long, where they are coming from. An invaluable tool for measuring your website and marketing performance. It’s also Free!

http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=66983

4. Setup an Email Signature, providing contact details, your name, business name and web address. And make use of a polite PS – to promote specials, deals, and offers.

See - http://email.about.com/od/signatures/Email_Signatures.htm

5. Track and store the, emails you send to contacts, leads, customers, in an online location, that you can access 24/7. This is great as it stores your emails in a safe online manner that you can access from any computer, anytime. Basically an online Contact Manager , Address Book, and Customer Relationship Management tool all rolled into one! As they list on their website – you can use Highrise to:

Review a colleague’s notes before calling her contact at the printer
See all the follow-ups scheduled for this week
Set a reminder to write your client a thank-you note next Friday
Keep all important emails from a customer together on one page
Schedule a follow-up sales call with a lead in 30 days
Enter notes from a call with a potential client

Visit – http://www.HighriseHQ.com and learn more about their free start-up account.

6. Create yourself a lens on Squidoo. Why? Because Squidoo is free and allows you to quickly and easily create

A signpost about something that matters to you.
A place to recommend your favorite stuff.
A popular way to get found more on the web

Google also LOVES content posted on Squidoo, so make sure you include a link to your own website in the Introdution. This will (over time) help improve your website’s page ranking on Google and other search engines. It’ll also give people more ways to find you and your business online (rather than the other way around)

Get Started - http://www.squidoo.com/wizard/step1
Need more help? - See http://www.squidoo.com/creating-lenses

7. Brand your car with your Web Address.Think about how much time you spend in traffic with someone staring at your car’s rear window. Captive marketing at it’s best. Better still - include your mobile number and a message for them to call you now to chat! (as long as you have a hands-free kit)

8. Measure your Marketing, so that you know what’s working and what isn’t. Keep a log-book/ record of how people found out about your business. You should do this for all telephone enquiries.

And if you’re really smart – register a number of slightly different versions of your web domain and use these in your different marketing campaigns. (i.e. use a .net for one, .com or another, .info for yet another)

Why? Because you can then set-up redirects for these domains to your normal web address, and count every single visit that gets referred from them (as long as you’ve installed Google Analytics in Step 3)

This allows you to measure radio adverts, print adverts, brochures…. There’s no need to guess anymore whether your marketing is driving leads to your website … or not.

Make sure you do this on your website too (get your web developer to add a small drop-down menu of options as to how people found you) You can create your own form and replace your current email address link on your website.

Visit: http://www.formlogix.com/Form_Maker.aspx

9. Add a social bookmarking toolbar to your website. This a great way to get other people to spread the word about content on your website.

Visit - http://www.addthis.com/web-button-select.html

10. Set-up and send-out out an online Customer Survey. It’s a great form of marketing, and allows you to :

Get Customer Feedback on Your Service and Product (always make sure to ask what is Good, and How You can Improve things too)
Gain Marketing Testimonials (make sure you ask permission to use them)
Make contact with previous customers

Think about questions you’d like answers to about your business. Like:

How did you hear about my business?
What are the Things You Enjoyed about Doing Business With Us?
What are the things we Could Improve on?
Would you recommend us to someone else?

Then spend some time gathering email addresses from your email client/ inbox, and draft a polite email asking people to visit the survey online. It’s often a good idea to provide a small incentive to customers to complete the survey like a discount off their next purchase etc. This in-turn will further promote business!

You can gather up to 10 responses for free using - http://freeonlinesurveys.com

OR for more serious surveys try - http://www.surveygizmo.com

Facebook Friends Forever

2008-11-21T12:41:00.000+13:00

I pretty much hate Facebook. I find it a pretty impersonal and voyeuristic way to communicate. After years though of ignoring it - I finally spent a few days playing with it - and had these 7 thoughts.

I'm astounded how my circle of friends from diverse backgrounds/ starting points have cross-pollinated. Friends from school are now friends with fellow student friends from Uni. And vice-versa! Perhaps it's just the common starting point of all living together in one place for a period of time. The old Hometown Factor.
There is an incredible amount of flippant / surface banter - without a huge amount of real communication.
The photos people post are normally pretty arbitary. And sometimes just weird. Most without labels - so it's difficult to understand their context or background.
4. I'm nervous as hell about what I write to others - knowing that each and every mutual 'friend' visiting the page thereafter can read it. Sort of like a massive global school-yard - where everyone knows everything. And therefore no-one says anything - but everyone still knows!
It's addictive as hell - discovering people you know from way back when.
It's also depressing as hell - finding out how well everyone appears to be doing in their lives. Surrounded by beautiful things, people and experiences. Or is it just that we as humans only want to share the good - and forget and therefore not publish the less-than-good. Or it's just ego.
It's not going to go away. As it plays a part in connecting people in this increasingly anonymous society. Albeit in bite-size slightly bland nibbles :-)

....sorry - one more.

At what point would you ever remove someone as a friend? What would it take to get to this?

I guess we are all going to have more and more friends. And it all REALLY good for the old ego .... isnt it?

Take a Walk Around Your Website

2008-10-16T11:38:00.000+13:00

I was walking down the high street of our little town the other day and stopped to think how shopping works.

The name of a shop represents and summarises what is on offer. And good shop names are catchy and memorable too. Even in my litle town here in New Zealand at the bottom of the world - 'The Good Life' kinda captures your imagination a little more than 'Sea Breeze Souvenirs"

And shop's display windows gave a snapshot of what is inside. Good ones are interesting and informative. Exciting and Enticing. Some are even supplemented with additional roadside sign boards to interupt and redirect you inside for a look see.

And when I do enter a shop - it is either for just a browse around items or to 'hunt' for something specific and particular. But in both cases - shops that are well laid out allow me to find things easily. Those that arent - get me frustrated and I more often than not leave quickly. And most importantly, in the good shops I don't feel pressured or hassled. There's nothing worse than being accosted by an over-eager shop-keeper the moment you step into their store. Rather I get a friendly greeting on entering, and from this I know where I can go 'if' I require assistance. Even better if the shop provides good in-store point of sale information, labels and signage allowing me to self-serve.

And finally when I get to a point of wanting to make a purchase - I like to know exactly where to go, how I can pay and what the return policy is. Even better if there's a friendly face during this process to assure and assist me, and thank me for my purchase before leaving.

Now what does this all have to do with websites you may ask. Well - I'd like you to ask yourself this -

Is Your Web Address name Memorable and Catchy?
Does your 'home page' inform, entice and Have a Strong Call to Action to help interupt visitors into entering further into your site ?
Is Your Website easy to get around and well laid out so visitors can find what they are looking for?
In the absence of an active shop-keeper - Do you have comprehensive FAQs to allow customers to self inform? And Do you offer Previous Customer Testimonials assuring additional visitor confidence?
Do you spell out very clearly what you offer - and how you do business? (Methods of Payment, How to Purchase, Pricing, etc)
And most importantly - it it VERY evident How Visitors to Your Site can get additional assistance when they need it?
Is your phone number on every page?
Is there a face or a person behind your site who visitors can identify with and feel comfortable doing business with?

So next time you're in a shop enjoying yourself - and you leave feeling happy. Ask yourself what it is that lead you to enjoy the shopping experience. It's not just one thing. It's a range of little things that all add up.

So I urge you to take a walk around your website today :-)