A new payment option available to allow customers to pay off line by sending a check. The risk is absorbed by the Bill Me Later service. This may be appreciated by risk averse customers. If you’re using this service and have any feedback as to how it has affected your business, please let me know.
1 comment May 24th, 2007
How can a business thrive in a culture based on immediacy and interaction rather than the hierarchy and order that used to characterize company-client relationships? An interesting powerpoint presentation by Lane Becker and Thor Mulle provides some food for thought.
May 9th, 2007
“175 professional suggestions, tips and ideas from some of the best web-developers all around the world.”
I found this practical and instructive article on Web design tips and techniques from respected designers via Roger Johansson’s excellent blog.
1 comment April 29th, 2007
The Logo Blog has a post with some logos that are truly outstanding in design concept and execution. Some of them I see every day without giving thought to what went into their creation. Take a look at the logos.
April 25th, 2007
Attitudes Towards Web Based Marketing Strategies
Let’s face it, most of us are followers. As such, our ideas are a reflection of our associates. Nowhere does this seem to be more true than in our attitudes and behaviors related to advertising and marketing initiatives. So what are the trends in attitudes towards Web based marketing these days? I’ll make some observations based on my experience, and welcome you to contribute to the discussion.
Mediocre: It seems to me that most “normal” (companies outside of new media) small medium size businesses view online marketing as something that, like newspaper advertising, must be done but cannot be expected to produce results. These companies half-heartedly use a small portion of their budget to maintain a neglected Web site and may spend a small amount on mis-managed pay-per-click campaigns. As expected, they get no little or no return on their investment.
Zealots: A less common and more transient group of businesses are searching for a magic bullet. This group spends a great deal of money buying links from Web sites, running poorly conceived pay-per-click campaigns that direct large amounts of traffic to a single landing page that doesn’t continue the conversation started by their pay-per-click ads. They also keep an eye out for the latest trends and adopt them all, one by one. This group gets some results, but because they are frenetic in pursuit of a magic bullet, their ideas are never fleshed out. The return rarely pays for the investment.
Let’s face it. I’m over generalizing. Nobody really fits into a “camp.” At least only a few. I’ve taken both approaches mentioned above. I’ve gotten both manic and discouraged about online marketing. Is there a better way?
I think so. Here are a few components of a successful online marketing strategy:
These ideas are a start towards a coherent online marketing strategy. Do you have any to add? Please comment below.
April 24th, 2007
According to Wordtracker.com, one secret to getting more purchases from your Web site visitors is to target more specific search phrases. This strategy assumes that a potential customer who searches for a product or service with more specificity is closer to making a buying decision. The good news is that it is much easier to rank well in search engine results for highly specific phrases.
Be careful not to go overboard with this strategy though, because you could get so specific your customers never find you. A mix of highly specific and more general key phrases seems best.
1 comment December 30th, 2006
Jonathan Snook published an insightful critique of what’s been happening with the production of HTML as a commodity in the last year or so.
I’m guilty of contributing to the trend with my own offering, CSS Sage. However, my very simple offering was not an attempt to undercut designers since I am also a designer. CSS Sage is intended to provide a service to those who for one reason or another feel they can design their own Web interface. Whether they actually can or cannot design is not the issue. There’s a need for image to HTML conversion, and someone will provide that service.
1 comment November 28th, 2006
As of today, I launched a very modest Web page to tout a new service. I’ll take your Photoshop Web mock-up and convert it to standards compliant XHTML/CSS. You’ll have your completed XHTML page in 7 days.
The terms of the offer may evolve as my feet get wet, but it’s fairly straightforward. If you are a design firm without Web skills and want to offer Web design services, this may be exactly what you’re looking for. I also offer Web hosting services and can maintain Web sites as well.
Check out CSS Sage, the photoshop to CSS conversion service.
Edit 11/27/2006: Soon after I launched this service, I discovered a lowball service provider and adjusted my price to meet theirs. On afterthought and the verbose yet kindly reprimands of a few good friends, I raised my price to a level at which I can make a living.
The market today is full of commodities, and it turns out that you can view a Web site design mock-up to CSS/XHTML service as one. Or, you can choose to hire someone like myself because you value my approach to business, the fact that I never offshore work, and my level of service and dedication to your success. You choose.
Thanks to everyone who regularly reads this blog and especially to those who find time to comment on occasion. This is where I learn in front of the world. Sometimes it’s fun; sometimes it’s just learning.
2 comments November 21st, 2006
I just listened to the Marketing Monger podcast interview with Luke Wroblewski of LukeW Interface Designs. This is some good commentary on Web interface design dos and don’ts along with general marketing information that Luke has gleaned from over 10 years in the Web design industry. Have a listen.
November 8th, 2006
I just received an email from a friend that contained a transcript of a monologue Ben Stein delivered on CBS. Reading the message, I naively assumed it had been delivered over the weekend. Towards the end of the message, I started reading things that only a conservative Christian would say, and this confused me. When did Ben Stein convert?
It turns out that the kind folks at Snopes.com have done some research on this little round-robin email message, and discovered that the message began when a rough transcript of the monologue delivered on CBS December 18, 2005 was circulated via email. Sometime in 2006, someone added commentary to the end of the message that then was passed on as Mr. Stein’s own words.
This is a great example of urban legend, and some very valuable thoughts from Ben Stein on religion in America for this time of year. Read the story here.
So what’s the point of this anecdote? It’s a simple reminder that what we write in an email can live on … and on. It can come back to haunt us, be forwarded, twisted, and propogated … all by people who have no idea of the truth or error of the message they send. Perhaps that should make all of us think twice before we send an email message or hit the forward button.
November 3rd, 2006
CSS Web design, e-commerce Web design, and internet marketing issues from the desk of Harvey A. Ramer at Design Delineations.
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