thinkVAULT - Savvy Business Owner Tips: internet visibility

Showing posts with label internet visibility. Show all posts

11/18/10

The Art of Follow-up in the Science of Visibility

Some would say that internet visibility, ala web page content and SEO tools, is a science. I would tend to agree. You can certainly measure page hits, calculate analytics, and derive "scores" for what tactics are most effective. But what about the end goal -- connecting with people?

Recently, a follow-up e-mail came from a sponsor of an event that I attended. It took a few days for it to cycle through their internal process. I'm sure someone entered all of the contact info into a database. Perhaps someone else formatted the e-mail message in their template. It's also likely that the originator approved the final version before it was sent. This was from the largest law firm in town, ergo they have deeper pockets that many companies. The nature of what they do also lends itself toward a certain attentiveness to minutia.

Those details aside, when all is said and done, this guy did his follow-up in an impressive way. He thanked us for attending. A link to his PowerPoint presentation was included, along with links to related materials on the company site. Spammer-resistant contact information was there, as well. These folks were thorough! If there is any chance of our engaging his firm in the future, he moved at least a little closer to top of mind.

How solid is your follow-up strategy? Are you building your visibility by remembering the simple things, such as follow-up? Make sure you cover this area. You can be sure that your competition will be.

A word of advice:

Get to your follow-up quickly. The snail at the end of the line becomes a meal for creatures higher -- and faster -- in the food chain.

This is what we can do for your business - Help you to get and use the best tools for:

Building and maintaining Internet Visibility for your business.

Channeling that visibility into Online Business revenues.

Measuring and Managing Results from being visible and online.

Are any of these familiar?
Your website isn't bringing business to your door...

Your e-marketing is expensive and cumbersome...

You can't measure your results effectively...

Click this link to Contact us now about solutions for those problems.

6/24/10

Visibility? Show Me.

Last week, I wrote a blog entry titled "Visibility on the World Wide Web"
It had some facts and figures (yawn) -- all intended to make a good case for Internet Visibility for your business. The catch is though, if you found your way to this blog, you probably already understand that visibility is important.

Over the last several months, I've told you about various Why's, What's, and How's relative to building your business visibility. Ultimately, that should lead to profitability -- a concept that I was first introduced to by Hazel Walker of the Referral Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The missing piece, however, has been the "Show Me" part. A lot of people claim to be able to do something. This is especially true now that Social Media is deemed hot. Very few folks show you.

So, here's what you will have a chance to see:

Starting today, I'm demonstrating the Visibility Recipe in the real e-World.
I'll be using the tools that I've talked about on this blog and other social media sites.

Step One is the Website. It will be the Show Me Visibility site.
The recipe preparation will continue from there.

As of this posting date and time, the site is a "shell" of sorts, ready to be filled. You are invited to watch its evolution.
Be advised: The site is meant to both demonstrate and market thinkVAULT's visibility services. Therefore, be forewarned. I intend for it to attract business owners who need the solutions we offer.
There will be some elements of fun, too. So, enjoy!

This is what we can do for your business - Help you to get and use the best tools for:

Building and maintaining Internet Visibility for your business.

Channeling that visibility into Online Business.

Measuring and Managing Results from being visible and online.

Are any of these familiar?
Your website isn't bringing business to your door...

Your e-marketing is expensive and cumbersome...

You can't measure your results effectively...

Click this link to >>> Contact us now about solutions for those problems.

6/21/10

Million Dollar Website

Million Dollar Website?!

What website could cost a million dollars?

Truthfully – anyone’s. A small business website that merely sits idly on the internet, with little or no traffic, will cost its owner about one million dollars in lost business.

In fact, a business without even a simple Internet Visibility Strategy is missing opportunities to capture prospective customers every day!

There is a solution to this widespread problem, however. An Internet Visibility Strategy can solve it.

Whether your company is in the market for outside help, or not, some basic tenets remain true.

If you would like to see and hear them, please set aside 5 to 7 minutes to review this web page:
Click here.
You may contact us from there, if you'd like to know more or engage us for help.

This is what we can do for your business - Help you to get and use the best tools for:

Building and maintaining Internet Visibility for your business.

Channeling that visibility into Online Business.

Measuring and Managing Results from being visible and online.

Are any of these familiar?
Your website isn't bringing business to your door...

Your e-marketing is expensive and cumbersome...

You can't measure your results effectively...

Click this link to >>> Contact us now about solutions for those problems.

6/16/10

Visibility on the World Wide Web

What exactly constitutes "web presence" and visibility on the World Wide Web? The mere fact that it is world wide presents both opportunity and potential obscurity!

Estimates from various sources revealed these numbers:

Active registered domain names = 80 million.
This represents exponential growth over the last 5 years. Source: Netcraft
As of November 2009 - over 20 BILLION web pages were being indexed by Google and Yahoo! Source: Answers.com
The number of unique URLs, i.e.: the addresses to your web pages and other sites, now exceeds 1 TRILLION -- yes, a 1 followed by 12 zeroes.

Is it any wonder that web surfers may be a bit challenged to find your website? The odds are quickly turning against you.

Let's say that you own a flower shop and you put up a website. You sit back and wait for the phone to ring...
But wait -- how will your website and your flower shop be found among the 11 million plus search results? Click the image to see a larger version.

Just how do you build a strategy to be found among the millions of possibilities?

That is in fact the key: you must have a strategy.

That strategy begins with knowing your market and understanding it better than any of your competitors. Beginning there will help you to refine your market niche.
Once you know your market niche, the who to and what you sell, it becomes more clear how to target that market. Zero in on that target. Then you can create and tune your website to serve both it and your bottom line.
To help you answer the key questions for defining your niche, see this article from Entrepreneur.com on how to narrow your Target Market.

This is what we can do for your business - Help you to get and use the best tools for:

Building and maintaining Internet Visibility for your business.

Channeling that visibility into Online Business.

Measuring and Managing Results from being visible and online.

Are any of these familiar?
Your website isn't bringing business to your door...

Your e-marketing is expensive and cumbersome...

You can't measure your results effectively...

Click this link to >>> Contact us now about solutions for those problems.

6/9/10

The 3 Ingredients of Web Presence for Online Business

A solid web presence is the lifeblood of any online business. The internet is without a doubt the great frontier of playing field leveling. It doesn't take Fortune 500 sized marketing budgets to make an impact. Yet, this wondrous internet frontier is so vast, with so many ways to navigate it, that a lot of business owners are overwhelmed by the whole idea of doing business online.

One fact cannot be ignored however:
If you miss the Internet Roll Call, you will miss any and all opportunities that could come your way through web channels.
You must be PRESENT!

I suppose it doesn't hurt to be big and unmistakeably present, like Sweetums in the Muppet Roll Call below. But what if your business is small? What if your "crew" is just a few?

Take heart. There are just three key ingredients to having a meaningful web presence. The best news is this: Unlike in years past, when high quality would cost you a high price, your budget is just another factor and not a features-limiting restriction. You can do a lot with whatever you have.

The Web Presence Ingredients are these...

Definitely purchase a domain name and build a website.
It does not have to be fancy. Your website should represent you well, however. Load it with content that helps or informs your prospects -- even if they are not quite ready to buy from you now.
Start a blog and write regular blog posts.
Blog entries can be short; in fact, they were meant to be brief (just like this one).
Find a way to add video content to your pages.
You can embed other people's videos, from You Tube or other sources, like I've done here.
Better yet, find a way to include video content about your company and what you offer. Tell stories about how you add value to your customers' lives and businesses.
See 'Lucy's Story' near the end of this post.

Be VISIBLE.

This short video shows you what our partners at IMG Online Business can do for you and your crew. Click on the live link at the end if you would like to try it for yourself. A 30-day trial can be had for the low price of: FREE.

By the way, if you need help getting set up, just let us know.

5/24/10

Working Way Too Hard at Visibility

Internet visibility can be a challenge. Keeping web pages updated and dynamic, so that the search engines are happy, can be a full-time job. Just ask any webmaster.

Yet, the solution is more multi-faceted than merely hiring someone to maintain your website. You could probably do a better job of that yourself anyway; you know what you want to say, need to say, and when it needs to be said. All you really need are the tools to get it done.

Case in point:

Earlier today, I visited a website. On the home page, an event was advertised. In all fairness, the event was coming up within a few days. HOWEVER... The Early Bird, discounted price deadline had already passed. Since I know the folks fairly well, it's guaranteed that their intention was not to rub this fact into anyone's face.
Wouldn't it have been nice for them to have an announcement -- or even an entire page -- that expired after the deadline date?

Our on-line business partners at IMG have just such a solution. Their web business tool does that and much more.

This short video highlights a few features for you. Click on the live link at the end if you would like to try it for yourself. It's free.

By the way, if you need help getting set up, just let us know.

5/12/10

Wacky Webcast Wednesday: Visibility in Action

indianapolis new air conditioner, new air conditioner indianapolis, air conditioner, air conditioning, central air conditioner
Business Visibility in Action

This post is part of a theorem proof. You remember those -- from high school geometry? Every so often, you must test and prove a theory in business, as well. Welcome to my world.

Stay tuned... literally and figuratively. This video is just over a minute long, if you want to take a look.

Comments are welcome. You are invited to share your thoughts.
Remember, part of our focus is your business visibility. So, if you need help being more visible to your target market, click here and we can get started on solutions targeted just for you!

4/21/10

Visibility - Market Targeting with 140 Characters

Twitter began their "Promoted Tweets" Program this week.
Should you care about that? Maybe...

If you have a set of target markets defined, along with strategies to reach them that include on-line Social Media tools, then yes, you should probably care about that.
If you have carved at least one specialized niche from your market (see this related post), then you may find the possibilities intriguing. Niche marketers will find many creative ways to use this new service as time progresses.

This example was found on Mashable.com --

"Take Virgin America for instance. The Twitter-savvy brand wasted no time targeting Promoted Tweets toward their in-flight WiFi customers. On launch, the company put out three distinct tweets that they then promoted with carefully crafted keywords. Two of the tweets were meant to engage just their passengers at 35,000 feet. Just imagine how cool it would be to fly Virgin America and uncover a tweet that was meant just for you. That’s the power of talking to a smaller audience."

Virgin America is one of just six hand-selected early adopters, or Phase One Twitter advertising partners, who are using the new Twitter offering.

Virgin America carefully distilled this niche. From the universe of air travelers, they targeted just the people flying on one of their airliners, at cruising altitude, using the in-flight WiFi.

How can you parse your market to better serve your customer base?
I suggest that you give that some thought. The more visible you are to your ideal customer, the better results you are able to both realize from, and provide for, them.

Comments are welcome. You are invited to share your thoughts.
If you need help being more visible to your target market, click here and we can get started on solutions targeted for you!

3/31/10

Webcast Wednesday - The Visibility Equation: Social Media + Video

Are you really still wondering whether or not you need Social Media as a part of your Marketing Strategy?

Please allow me to respectfully submit the following theorem to you --
The time for wondering is over and the time to incorporate Social Media into your visibility toolkit is now.

There are several variables in the Visibility Equation. Two factors that are givens, however, are:

Social Media
Video

That is clearly illustrated in the informal treatise in the video below. Michael Stelzner walks, drives, and talks about why Social Media is here to stay.

"It's a lot like fax machines when they first came out... Every business is going to have to have a presence in Social Media."
Michael Stelzner Creator of Social Media Examiner

Social Media Drive 2 from Michael A. Stelzner.

Oh, yes... Michael is advertising a virtual Social Media summit which starts in May 2010. I'm sure it will be great!
How would you like to get a jump start on your planning process, though? Just keep reading below...

Social Media for Business Webinar Series

Why don't you join us on a journey toward using Social Media to help you build your business?
It comes in small, manageable, evenly spaced, virtual bites - i.e.: webinars. Click Here for details and to register, if you decide that this series is for you.

Comments are welcome. Tell us what you think.

3/15/10

Manage Your Money Monday - Visibility on the Level Playing Field Called Internet

Last week, we looked at your need for a viable business model - the road map for the journey to managing your money well. This entry for Manage Your Money Mondays focuses on how a strong visibility arsenal can help both the top and bottom lines of your income statement.

Promoting your business is a basic requirement for its survival. How you promote it spells the difference between surviving and growing faster than your competition. More and better visibility content and visibility venues can give your company an edge.

You must have an edge. What's yours?

"Whether you call it a commercial, elevator pitch, or 60 second presentation ... it's a must. If you have a product or service to sell, you must let others know who you are and what you offer."
Victoria Trafton, owner of Referral Institute of Central Arizona

I have referred to the internet as the great "playing field leveler" in other posts and presentations. This is borne out almost daily with an seemingly endless stream of web-based tools that can give smaller businesses their competitive edge. They are ever more flexible, often customizable, and most importantly AFFORDABLE.
The service used to deploy the video below is an ideal example of an edge builder.

Disclosure: I was so impressed with the capabilities of this service that my company is now an affiliate. What do you think? Could this be the edge you need?

However you decide to invest your marketing dollars, just make sure you get the best available set of benefits. Find tools with features that you will use to generate revenues or minimize costs.

If this thinkVISIBILITY service may help you to build your business, click here to sign up for a free trial.
Comments are welcome. Tell us what you think.

3/1/10

Visibility: Don't Run Your Business Without It!

What one thing does every business need to stay in business?
Put simply: The one big common factor is visibility!

"A business with no sign is a sign of no business."
A common tagline in the sign-making industry

This widely accepted concept for brick and mortar businesses applies equally well to all businesses.

Why? The great playing field leveler The Internet has made it so. You may not have a storefront at the corner of Apple Lane and Orange Boulevard, but you still must have a visible presence. Otherwise, no one knows where to find you.

Furthermore, in today's Web environment, no one has a plausible excuse for lacking a Web presence.

With just a little bit of research, a savvy business owner can find free hosting, free design tools, free domain registration, free blog sites and certainly free social media communities.

The caveat is, however, that a zero cash outlay does not necessarily mean "cost free." Some of the hosting sites will display your website for free, but that comes with banner ads -- of their choice, not yours. Visitors could get so distracted by other companies' ads that your message is buried in the busyness.
Design tools are also limited. Your choices for page templates, layouts, and colors -- if there are any choices -- will be limited.

Still, there are many other choices that offer very serviceable options for carving out your corner of business visibility.

One of the easiest ways to build visibility is Blogging.
Among the group of visibility tools that require creating content, blogging takes the least amount of technical knowledge. Dressing up your page with colors, bold characters, and graphics takes just a few mouse clicks. The real "work" is in the writing. In a blog post on the Mashable site, Mark Suster - a venture capitalist - published an article called HOW TO: Create a Successful Company Blog. He clearly details Why you must blog, What you should blog about, and some Right and Wrong ways to go about it.

It's my fond hope that this blog is an example of a "right way" to go about it. Let me know what you think.
In future entries, we'll take a look at some other visibility options, including a newly emerging concept called Vlogging - no that's not a typo.

If you would like to have higher visibility for your business, start by checking out one of the services we offer to our clients: A Webmercial. You can see an example -- and place an order -- in this post "How Visible Is Your Business?"

2/14/10

Cogent Cogenesis - Helping thinkVAULT Help You, Small Business Owner

"How can I help you?"
I first heard those words from a senior manager nearly 20 years ago. It caught me off guard, stunned me in fact. Those are not the words you usually hear from someone "in charge." They stuck with me, nevertheless, and have helped to shape my approach to fulfilling clients' business development needs.

So, as I roll out the next phase of thinkVAULT's on-line virtual and tangible products and services, your needs -- small business owners -- are top-of-mind.

Information is proliferating on the internet at a dizzying pace. I've seen estimates that what took 20 years to double will double again in the next 4 years. My goal is to contribute to your business' growth, not your information overload.

Toward that objective, the information "menu" below is offered for both your planning ease and my sanity. You may expect articles, blogs, and tweets to center around the high-level subjects listed on the days indicated.
One of your opportunities to get more actively involved will be on Wacky Webcast Wednesdays. We will have some fun, while business-building information is shared with our e-viewers.

thinkVAULT Daily Fare.	Subject or Topic Area.
Manage Your Money Mondays.	From the top line to the bottom line and nearly everything in between. Timely info you'll want to know about how to build wealth from your business.
Non-Techie Tuesdays.	Tips and shortcuts to tame your computer and other biz electronics. How to shape them into the time-saving tools they should be.
Wacky Webcast Wednesdays.	The cyber "wires" are open to you! Ask questions on the biz topic of the week or bring your own hot business issue to the Web-table. Watch for more details on the Webcast soon.
'Tough It Out' Thursdays.	For the times when your Perseverance, Persistence, and Patience start to run out.
Fearless Five Fridays.	Might be five of something -- might not. The fifth day of the week will be an eclectic mix of people, places, and things to help you keep your life balanced: Healthy Business / Healthy You.
SocMed Saturdays.	Links and insights on how to better integrate Social Media - especially the "Big Three" - into your marketing strategies. On a day when you may have a little more time to tend to it.
May See You, May Not Sundays.	Do I work on a lot of Sundays, like the rest of you? Sure. But I also seek balance. (See Fridays, above). 'Nuff said?
You are invited to "tune in" any or all days and media.Watch for tweets on what and where.	There will be guests and input from expert sources, too. Let us know how you like it!