This week, we launched the first two starter mobile web sites for clients. There is a growing breakaway pack of early adopters and the conversation continues about mobile web sites.
Doug Brossoit, DDS in Spokane, WA is our cosmetic dentist to hang a mobile version of his web site. You can see it at MakingAwesomeSmiles.com on your mobile device. The mobile site features much of Doug’s video and makes an excellent impression on handheld devices. Patrick McMenamin (RenewYou.com) in Sacramento, CA is our first cosmetic surgeon to go live with a starter mobile site from Dog Star Media. His video also features the video from his web site, which is not visible on mobile devices as it is embedded in Flash.
As I mentioned, the conversation continues on this each day. It is clearly the hot topic in early 2010. I think this is because Google began measuring mobile site use separately in November of last year and it is showing up on everyone’s analytics. Here are some of the discussion points as to why you would need a mobile site.
1) If your site has Flash you should have a mobile site.
Depending on your design, your Flash may contain vital information such as embedded video or critical information. It may also simply contain aesthetics you wish to be associated with your image. Either way, Flash cannot be viewed on mobile devices and shows up as a missing element. This is a detraction from your design no matter how you cut it. If you have Flash, you are not making an optimum presentation on mobile devices.
2) Flash Video does not play on mobile devices but we can fix that.
In a mobile site, your video can play and play well, just not in Flash. Video needs to be reprogrammed into QuickTime and offered in the proper format. For those of you who have well-made video and rely on it to create an image of difference, your investment in video is eroding as it is not seen on mobile devices where a substantial segment of Internet users are surfing.
3) If 10% or more of your site visits are coming from mobile devices, you need a mobile site.
Web traffic is relative. Some people buy it and work hard for it. Some take what they get because of where they are geographically. Either way, if 10% of your site users are not seeing your site properly, that is too many failed visits. Think of it this way, what if 10% of your users could not download the graphics on your web site. Would that be ok? Of course not. So, you want to make this change before you get to 10%.
I encourage you to visit the mobile sites I have posted here and the others I will be posting in coming weeks to get a feel for the state of mobile web sites. My best advice is to put your best foot forward in this format because the trend of mobile Internet use is strong and growing with more than 50% of Internet use occuring on mobile devices. And, if you want to play it smart, make this move before you hit the 10% mark in visitors. If you wish to add a starter mobile site to your Internet strategy, we have an expandable starter package for a 7-page site for $1000. If you are interested in assuring that you are making the best impression all around on the Internet regardless of the device used for display, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
New Web Site Launch and More on Mobile Sites
Congratulations go out to Eric Duncan, DDS on the launch of his new web site from Dog Star Media. You can see it here at www.drericduncan.com. All DSM web sites are custom designed and we congratulate Dr. Duncan on updating his look on the web.
Last week, I blogged about the development of mobile web sites. We had requests for more information and several orders were placed. As this is a leading edge topic, here are a few of the key points from the discussions I had last week about mobile sites.
Do you need separate hosting for a mobile site?
No. The mobile site files sit on your web server just like your normal web site. When a mobile device calls up your domain name, the server recognizes it and displays the mobile site?
What is not shown on mobile devices?
The main brands of mobile devices are Iphone, Android and Blackberry. None of them display Flash. So, Flash sites or elements embedded in Flash, such as your video will not play. This is not to say that video will not play. Video will play on most mobile devices as Quicktime. It is just a matter of changing the programming and how the video is displayed.
What is the main advantage of having a mobile site right now?
Click to call. Everyone loves this feature and the usage stats we saw from Google last week support this. You are more likely to get an impulse call now if someone searches you on their mobile device when your phone number is displayed. Why not? The link is on their phone.
What is your top reason for having a mobile site right now?
If you have a paid search campaign (and most of you do), it is possible you could be paying for searches that are being conducted on mobile devices. So, when someone clicks through on a paid link, they are not going to get your best presentation. There are other good reasons, but this is the most immediate reason to put on starter mobile site. Corollary to this is the fact that the mobile user is going to be a more advanced user. So, even if you are getting low number of mobile searches at this time, the people who are conducting those searches are most likely better Internet users.
Graphically, what can I expect?
A mobile site is not primarily graphic but can be made to look similar in style to your main web site. The idea here is to make a site that is appropriate for the mobile device. So, your mobile site will make the best presentation of your style and content for a mobile device. It is different than a normal web site. If it wasn’t this would not be such a hot topic.
What do you think is going to happen?
I think this is going to be just like when Flash became a big deal on the web. I think that most people will invest a lot of money in re-developing their whole site as a mobile site. This will be expensive and time consuming. This is exactly why we made our starter mobile site program to be inexpensive and quick. Mobile sites as they are now are not highly graphical, so they can be done rather quickly. If you go in with the idea of only posting key information on your mobile site, then you can have a starter mobile site right away. Also, the mobile site can then be developed as you understand how it is being used. So, with one of our starter sites, you make a minimal investment while the need is low and growing, then develop the site on an as-needed basis. We are only pricing additional pages at $100/page so you it is never going to be a big deal to add a little here or there to the mobile site as the need for more content increases. MARK MY WORDS... in every market where we have a client with a starter mobile site, they will have a competitor who overpay for full site design on mobile, then takes forever to get it launched. Meanwhile, our quick and nimble mobile site clients will be making the best impression with a minimal investment while that competitor takes the long, expensive way to the same destination.
What are we charging for the starter mobile site?
$1000 (plus sales tax for Texas clients). This includes a home page, meet us (meet the doctor) page, contact us page and three portfolio pages. Before/After cases are one page. Additional pages can be added any time including at the inception of the site for $100/page.
Where is all this going?
The people on the Google webinar made an interesting observation. They reminded us of the first TV ads. Prior to TV ads, you had product ads on radio. The first TV ads were spokesmen holding the product talking about it as if it were a radio ad. It is what we knew about how people were used to getting advertising. But, as we began to understand the medium and the behaviors it created in viewers, we adjusted TV ads. That is still going on today. The same will be the case with Internet use. Mobile web surfing is no longer a phenomenon. It is here to stay and it is the next step in the evolution of the information age. As we understand the use of the medium more and the devices develop new capabilities, we will make adjustments. But for now, mobile Internet use is a base that needs to be covered with what we understand now. I recommend making this small investment in covering this base for anyone who has a serious Internet strategy. We did it and you can see our first generation mobile site at dogstarmedia.com.... just look it up on your Iphone.
If you want more information on this topic or are ready for a mobile web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Last week, I blogged about the development of mobile web sites. We had requests for more information and several orders were placed. As this is a leading edge topic, here are a few of the key points from the discussions I had last week about mobile sites.
Do you need separate hosting for a mobile site?
No. The mobile site files sit on your web server just like your normal web site. When a mobile device calls up your domain name, the server recognizes it and displays the mobile site?
What is not shown on mobile devices?
The main brands of mobile devices are Iphone, Android and Blackberry. None of them display Flash. So, Flash sites or elements embedded in Flash, such as your video will not play. This is not to say that video will not play. Video will play on most mobile devices as Quicktime. It is just a matter of changing the programming and how the video is displayed.
What is the main advantage of having a mobile site right now?
Click to call. Everyone loves this feature and the usage stats we saw from Google last week support this. You are more likely to get an impulse call now if someone searches you on their mobile device when your phone number is displayed. Why not? The link is on their phone.
What is your top reason for having a mobile site right now?
If you have a paid search campaign (and most of you do), it is possible you could be paying for searches that are being conducted on mobile devices. So, when someone clicks through on a paid link, they are not going to get your best presentation. There are other good reasons, but this is the most immediate reason to put on starter mobile site. Corollary to this is the fact that the mobile user is going to be a more advanced user. So, even if you are getting low number of mobile searches at this time, the people who are conducting those searches are most likely better Internet users.
Graphically, what can I expect?
A mobile site is not primarily graphic but can be made to look similar in style to your main web site. The idea here is to make a site that is appropriate for the mobile device. So, your mobile site will make the best presentation of your style and content for a mobile device. It is different than a normal web site. If it wasn’t this would not be such a hot topic.
What do you think is going to happen?
I think this is going to be just like when Flash became a big deal on the web. I think that most people will invest a lot of money in re-developing their whole site as a mobile site. This will be expensive and time consuming. This is exactly why we made our starter mobile site program to be inexpensive and quick. Mobile sites as they are now are not highly graphical, so they can be done rather quickly. If you go in with the idea of only posting key information on your mobile site, then you can have a starter mobile site right away. Also, the mobile site can then be developed as you understand how it is being used. So, with one of our starter sites, you make a minimal investment while the need is low and growing, then develop the site on an as-needed basis. We are only pricing additional pages at $100/page so you it is never going to be a big deal to add a little here or there to the mobile site as the need for more content increases. MARK MY WORDS... in every market where we have a client with a starter mobile site, they will have a competitor who overpay for full site design on mobile, then takes forever to get it launched. Meanwhile, our quick and nimble mobile site clients will be making the best impression with a minimal investment while that competitor takes the long, expensive way to the same destination.
What are we charging for the starter mobile site?
$1000 (plus sales tax for Texas clients). This includes a home page, meet us (meet the doctor) page, contact us page and three portfolio pages. Before/After cases are one page. Additional pages can be added any time including at the inception of the site for $100/page.
Where is all this going?
The people on the Google webinar made an interesting observation. They reminded us of the first TV ads. Prior to TV ads, you had product ads on radio. The first TV ads were spokesmen holding the product talking about it as if it were a radio ad. It is what we knew about how people were used to getting advertising. But, as we began to understand the medium and the behaviors it created in viewers, we adjusted TV ads. That is still going on today. The same will be the case with Internet use. Mobile web surfing is no longer a phenomenon. It is here to stay and it is the next step in the evolution of the information age. As we understand the use of the medium more and the devices develop new capabilities, we will make adjustments. But for now, mobile Internet use is a base that needs to be covered with what we understand now. I recommend making this small investment in covering this base for anyone who has a serious Internet strategy. We did it and you can see our first generation mobile site at dogstarmedia.com.... just look it up on your Iphone.
If you want more information on this topic or are ready for a mobile web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Web Sites for Mobile Devices
I have just finished attending a webinar from Google about the use of Mobile Devices. It strongly validated the recent upsurge in conversation about the need for mobile devices. There is a clear, fast-growing trend in Internet use on mobile devices. For more than a year now, more people have used mobile devices (iPhone, Blackberry, Android, etc.) than desktop computers to access the Internet. The charts we saw in the webinar showed explosive growth, especially recently.
So, this is an issue that needs to be addressed because some sites simply do not work well or at all on mobile devices. Here is the best advice you will get today: The mobile issue is here and it is time to address it. The quick will be rewarded with advantages while the slow adopters are going to miss out on short-term opportunities.
One point of the webinar was to inform us that Google is out in front reading the trends and developing advantages for this medium specifically. They pointed out that generally search behavior on mobile devices was parallel to the sorts of behaviors we see in traditional searches. However, there are advantages that can be built into mobile campaigns that are showing better and faster response rates. So, if you have a paid search campaign, say with ReachLocal or if you run your own Google Adwords campaign, there are features you can count on related to geo-location and click-to-call which is a great and convenient function that is perfect for a handheld device. Apparently this is the tip of the coming iceberg.
So, yes, this is the time to make adjustments to your Internet strategy to include mobile device strategies. The biggest issue I see right now is making your site mobile-friendly. Flash sites are not readable on mobile devices. Traditional site design does not necessarily translate well to a mobile device. And, that leaves you with a less than appealing presentation on mobile devices. What many people do not understand is that you can have a web site that is designed for mobile use only on your web site. To see an example look at ESPN.com on your desktop and on your mobile device. Do the same with CNN.com. The format is different depending on the device you are using. When a mobile device accesses your site, the server knows this and will display the mobile version of the site. This gives you a chance to make a mobile-friendly presentation. This can be a huge advantage in presentation. Think of when bandwidth use increased dramatically way back when and the first cosmetic sites began presenting themselves with high-end graphics or Flash. The difference in presentation is similar in this situation.
So, about mobile-friendly sites: Last week, I sent a handful of clients an email about a “starter” strategy for mobile devices. The email described what Dog Star Media thinks is a basic mobile site for a cosmetic surgical or cosmetic dental practice. We also suggested across the board that all clients strongly consider adding a mobile site now to get in early. The basic mobile site we suggested is about 7 pages and can be expanded and developed at a later time. The idea now is to get a superior mobile presence on the web now affordably, then watch your Google Analytics for trends on how to develop the mobile site. In the meantime, you can confidently engage any new mobile search tricks related to paid search. Our advice: Get in the game, we can develop the site more fully later.
If you want to see an example, look at the mobile site we have placed up for Dog Star Media. Use a mobile device and look up dogstarmedia.com.
We priced it affordably and already have a handful of responders who will be getting their mobile sites soon. These clients will take an immediate advantage in presentation and mobile search. Even if they only experience a trickle initially, they will be appealing to the cutting edge user, which is usually the better customer and they will have a few laps on the later adopters in terms of refining their strategy to include mobile. There really is no good reason not to jump in now with all this data. If you want to take one small step in the right direction to make your Internet strategy that much more effective, I suggest you consider our starter program for mobile sites. Please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com for details.
So, this is an issue that needs to be addressed because some sites simply do not work well or at all on mobile devices. Here is the best advice you will get today: The mobile issue is here and it is time to address it. The quick will be rewarded with advantages while the slow adopters are going to miss out on short-term opportunities.
One point of the webinar was to inform us that Google is out in front reading the trends and developing advantages for this medium specifically. They pointed out that generally search behavior on mobile devices was parallel to the sorts of behaviors we see in traditional searches. However, there are advantages that can be built into mobile campaigns that are showing better and faster response rates. So, if you have a paid search campaign, say with ReachLocal or if you run your own Google Adwords campaign, there are features you can count on related to geo-location and click-to-call which is a great and convenient function that is perfect for a handheld device. Apparently this is the tip of the coming iceberg.
So, yes, this is the time to make adjustments to your Internet strategy to include mobile device strategies. The biggest issue I see right now is making your site mobile-friendly. Flash sites are not readable on mobile devices. Traditional site design does not necessarily translate well to a mobile device. And, that leaves you with a less than appealing presentation on mobile devices. What many people do not understand is that you can have a web site that is designed for mobile use only on your web site. To see an example look at ESPN.com on your desktop and on your mobile device. Do the same with CNN.com. The format is different depending on the device you are using. When a mobile device accesses your site, the server knows this and will display the mobile version of the site. This gives you a chance to make a mobile-friendly presentation. This can be a huge advantage in presentation. Think of when bandwidth use increased dramatically way back when and the first cosmetic sites began presenting themselves with high-end graphics or Flash. The difference in presentation is similar in this situation.
So, about mobile-friendly sites: Last week, I sent a handful of clients an email about a “starter” strategy for mobile devices. The email described what Dog Star Media thinks is a basic mobile site for a cosmetic surgical or cosmetic dental practice. We also suggested across the board that all clients strongly consider adding a mobile site now to get in early. The basic mobile site we suggested is about 7 pages and can be expanded and developed at a later time. The idea now is to get a superior mobile presence on the web now affordably, then watch your Google Analytics for trends on how to develop the mobile site. In the meantime, you can confidently engage any new mobile search tricks related to paid search. Our advice: Get in the game, we can develop the site more fully later.
If you want to see an example, look at the mobile site we have placed up for Dog Star Media. Use a mobile device and look up dogstarmedia.com.
We priced it affordably and already have a handful of responders who will be getting their mobile sites soon. These clients will take an immediate advantage in presentation and mobile search. Even if they only experience a trickle initially, they will be appealing to the cutting edge user, which is usually the better customer and they will have a few laps on the later adopters in terms of refining their strategy to include mobile. There really is no good reason not to jump in now with all this data. If you want to take one small step in the right direction to make your Internet strategy that much more effective, I suggest you consider our starter program for mobile sites. Please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com for details.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Another New Web Site
Congratulations to Amiya Prasad, MD on the launch of his new web site: http://www.draprasad.com.
I love this site because it is glamourous and hits the mark perfectly for NYC cosmetic surgeon. This is a stylish site that has a lot of substance, which is exactly how it should project a cosmetic practice in a major metropolitan area.
I was just having a conversation with our Reach Local rep Jessica Cooper about design yesterday. We were reviewing my client’s progress and statistics and it was very apparent that sites we had designed (like this one) were having higher conversions from site traffic to calls and contacts. I pointed out that this was likely because of our approach to custom design. I also think it has to do with our approach to how visual the site should be. When a client elects to fully leverage our design skills, there seems to be more conversions to calls and email contacts.
This is a very subjective area but you cannot ignore the trend. Sometimes a client wants to be very hands on with their design. However, we are specialists. With more than 20 years in media, I can tell on a first impression if a site or any piece of media is going to be successful. There are some basics that just are known to work. And, when a client allows us to use that know-how and skills, the results are usually really good. When a client is very hands-on and wants us to simply use the programs to manifest their vision, if that vision does not have those design basics, the results will speak for themselves.
You want to appear different and distinctive. Keep in mind that, on the web, a lot of visitors will look at you as part of line-up of competitors. There is no mystery behind web design. The same visual and fine art principles that make advertising on TV, print and other visual mediums work on the web, too. However, it depends on which web designer you are choosing. Someone who approaches the site simply from a web functionality point of view will likely lack the design skills to separate you from your competitors visually. A company that prioritizes the science of the web over the art is likely to lack the same as well. This is why our sites are successful. We blend the art and the science. Our sites optimize well and have high response rates but, when allowed, we can give you something distinctive that is right on point... like this new site.
If you want to upgrade your site and are ready to be more competitive online, please email me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
I love this site because it is glamourous and hits the mark perfectly for NYC cosmetic surgeon. This is a stylish site that has a lot of substance, which is exactly how it should project a cosmetic practice in a major metropolitan area.
I was just having a conversation with our Reach Local rep Jessica Cooper about design yesterday. We were reviewing my client’s progress and statistics and it was very apparent that sites we had designed (like this one) were having higher conversions from site traffic to calls and contacts. I pointed out that this was likely because of our approach to custom design. I also think it has to do with our approach to how visual the site should be. When a client elects to fully leverage our design skills, there seems to be more conversions to calls and email contacts.
This is a very subjective area but you cannot ignore the trend. Sometimes a client wants to be very hands on with their design. However, we are specialists. With more than 20 years in media, I can tell on a first impression if a site or any piece of media is going to be successful. There are some basics that just are known to work. And, when a client allows us to use that know-how and skills, the results are usually really good. When a client is very hands-on and wants us to simply use the programs to manifest their vision, if that vision does not have those design basics, the results will speak for themselves.
You want to appear different and distinctive. Keep in mind that, on the web, a lot of visitors will look at you as part of line-up of competitors. There is no mystery behind web design. The same visual and fine art principles that make advertising on TV, print and other visual mediums work on the web, too. However, it depends on which web designer you are choosing. Someone who approaches the site simply from a web functionality point of view will likely lack the design skills to separate you from your competitors visually. A company that prioritizes the science of the web over the art is likely to lack the same as well. This is why our sites are successful. We blend the art and the science. Our sites optimize well and have high response rates but, when allowed, we can give you something distinctive that is right on point... like this new site.
If you want to upgrade your site and are ready to be more competitive online, please email me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Great new web site by Dog Star Media
Congratulations to cosmetic dentist Peter Noto on his new Flash Video web site. You can see his new web site at www.westchesterdental.com.
Dog Star Media specializes in custom design. Each client prefers a specific style in graphics, transitions, animations and content. In this case, dramatic colors, flashes of animation and specifically placed video were all designed to Dr. Noto’s specifications.
In most cases, your web site is the first real impression you make on a potential new patient. It is a place where you can tell your whole story. To make the best first impression, why not lead with your strongest selling point, your personal first impression. This is you, the doctor, speaking to your patients about video. Some others in this field say that video of the doctor speaking on the first page of a web site is a mistake. I completely disagree.
I tell clients to be realistic when evaluating this. The most important part of earning the trust of a patient is the impression the doctor makes. Video helps you make that impression up front, not after a prospective patient has to go through so many steps to meet you. Video has the potential to make an important first impression and stop the shopping.
Some say, however, that video is not worth the loading time on the front page. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are concerned with loading time, put your video in a small element that is part of the home page. If you are concerned about the volume being turned up on the video and scaring off people surfing at work, then play your video on mute with a mouse rollover or click to play the audio. This gives people the time to adjust their audio. If you are concerned about being too in-your-face, then roll over to play or play on mute as described above.
Really, there is no reason not to have your video on your front page. Do you like to wait? No, well either do others. The real reason they come to your web site is to learn about you. If you are not serving that up at the earliest opportunity on your web site, then you are not being as aggressive as you can be. If you are ready to add video to your web site, either an existing web site or a new web site, please contact me today. It is easy and we introduced this concept to both cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery well before our competitors did it. We are a web design company and a video production company and that makes a difference in helping your make your best performance come out on video on your site. If you are ready to use this important tool on your web site, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Dog Star Media specializes in custom design. Each client prefers a specific style in graphics, transitions, animations and content. In this case, dramatic colors, flashes of animation and specifically placed video were all designed to Dr. Noto’s specifications.
In most cases, your web site is the first real impression you make on a potential new patient. It is a place where you can tell your whole story. To make the best first impression, why not lead with your strongest selling point, your personal first impression. This is you, the doctor, speaking to your patients about video. Some others in this field say that video of the doctor speaking on the first page of a web site is a mistake. I completely disagree.
I tell clients to be realistic when evaluating this. The most important part of earning the trust of a patient is the impression the doctor makes. Video helps you make that impression up front, not after a prospective patient has to go through so many steps to meet you. Video has the potential to make an important first impression and stop the shopping.
Some say, however, that video is not worth the loading time on the front page. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are concerned with loading time, put your video in a small element that is part of the home page. If you are concerned about the volume being turned up on the video and scaring off people surfing at work, then play your video on mute with a mouse rollover or click to play the audio. This gives people the time to adjust their audio. If you are concerned about being too in-your-face, then roll over to play or play on mute as described above.
Really, there is no reason not to have your video on your front page. Do you like to wait? No, well either do others. The real reason they come to your web site is to learn about you. If you are not serving that up at the earliest opportunity on your web site, then you are not being as aggressive as you can be. If you are ready to add video to your web site, either an existing web site or a new web site, please contact me today. It is easy and we introduced this concept to both cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery well before our competitors did it. We are a web design company and a video production company and that makes a difference in helping your make your best performance come out on video on your site. If you are ready to use this important tool on your web site, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Simple communication principle that is often ignored.
This is the time of year that most small business owners are gearing up for their annual plan. They work on the plan, they have their ideas and they budget (generally) for the execution. Then, once the company taxes are filed on March 15, everyone jumps out there and starts.
If this is you, then this is such a critical time to listen to good advice. So, here is some that seems so simple, so practical that it would seem like common sense. However, in my observation, this is the single most ignored principle in marketing a small business.
The principle: Communicate with people in the way they want to accept the information.
Believe it or not, most of the marketing decisions I wind up reversing do not adhere to this principle. To me, it is shocking but the fact is, many people get caught up with what they want to say and don’t consider the listener. This impacts the message and frequently the medium chosen.
Until you train yourself on this principle, you have to assume that everyone of your prospects speaks a different language than you. In fact, they do not all speak the same language. So, you have to modify what you want to say and speak their languages.
In basic cases, this can be as simple as talking about features and benefits. Benefits are what are important to the people in your market. Features are what are important to you. So, at the minimum, you have to speak their language, focusing on benefits. Otherwise, your message is not translating.
Taking it out a level, how you communicate is equally important. In this technological age, we have enough measurement tools available to really understand how people shop and research a given business. There does not need to be a lot of guesswork involved anymore if you are using the right tools. So, if you refuse to look at behavioral trends in your own marketing, you are probably making the classic mistake of communicating the way you think works, or in a way that works for you, or in a way you think should work. All of that would be great if you are communicating with yourself, but the point is to get NEW people interested in what you offer. So, we have to speak their language.
I see some of my clients being very successful on Facebook and some not even trying. One in particular is having excellent success just by being social and active on Facebook. He initiates more than once daily, introducing ideas, questions, comments... and all the posts are not all-business. Some are lighthearted and therefore attractive. A lot of comments and questions gets stirred up and he ushers those offline and into consultations. THAT is an example of communicating in their language, using a medium in which people want to communicate these days.
If you are looking at refining and want to have a really smart, effective effort marketing in 2010, then gearing all your messages and choices for marketing toward how the market wants to accept the information. Learn to speak THEIR language. It requires giving up a little of what you want to do and accepting a lot of what you should be doing. This is what my coaching program is all about. It is inexpensive at $300/month but the guidance can refine tens of thousands of dollars in marketing and advertising that is just off enough to where it is not hitting the mark.
If you are interested in learning how to speak THEIR language, why not try my coaching program out for 6 months? If you are interested, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com or call me to discuss it at 888-321-4004.
This is one example where you can get better easil
If this is you, then this is such a critical time to listen to good advice. So, here is some that seems so simple, so practical that it would seem like common sense. However, in my observation, this is the single most ignored principle in marketing a small business.
The principle: Communicate with people in the way they want to accept the information.
Believe it or not, most of the marketing decisions I wind up reversing do not adhere to this principle. To me, it is shocking but the fact is, many people get caught up with what they want to say and don’t consider the listener. This impacts the message and frequently the medium chosen.
Until you train yourself on this principle, you have to assume that everyone of your prospects speaks a different language than you. In fact, they do not all speak the same language. So, you have to modify what you want to say and speak their languages.
In basic cases, this can be as simple as talking about features and benefits. Benefits are what are important to the people in your market. Features are what are important to you. So, at the minimum, you have to speak their language, focusing on benefits. Otherwise, your message is not translating.
Taking it out a level, how you communicate is equally important. In this technological age, we have enough measurement tools available to really understand how people shop and research a given business. There does not need to be a lot of guesswork involved anymore if you are using the right tools. So, if you refuse to look at behavioral trends in your own marketing, you are probably making the classic mistake of communicating the way you think works, or in a way that works for you, or in a way you think should work. All of that would be great if you are communicating with yourself, but the point is to get NEW people interested in what you offer. So, we have to speak their language.
I see some of my clients being very successful on Facebook and some not even trying. One in particular is having excellent success just by being social and active on Facebook. He initiates more than once daily, introducing ideas, questions, comments... and all the posts are not all-business. Some are lighthearted and therefore attractive. A lot of comments and questions gets stirred up and he ushers those offline and into consultations. THAT is an example of communicating in their language, using a medium in which people want to communicate these days.
If you are looking at refining and want to have a really smart, effective effort marketing in 2010, then gearing all your messages and choices for marketing toward how the market wants to accept the information. Learn to speak THEIR language. It requires giving up a little of what you want to do and accepting a lot of what you should be doing. This is what my coaching program is all about. It is inexpensive at $300/month but the guidance can refine tens of thousands of dollars in marketing and advertising that is just off enough to where it is not hitting the mark.
If you are interested in learning how to speak THEIR language, why not try my coaching program out for 6 months? If you are interested, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com or call me to discuss it at 888-321-4004.
This is one example where you can get better easil
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Our clients are up a total of 30% in web traffic. How are you doing?
2010 is off to a fast start on the web for Dog Star Media clients. We know this from our centralized reporting process and our coordinated reports that are all scheduled for the first of the month. We pull Google Analytics, SEO reports and audits, Tracking Number reports and paid search reports from our paid search vendors such as Reach Local all on the first of each month. This gives us a regular period of focus for all of our clients. This month, the sum total of our clients improvement in traffic was up 30.59%. Average time on all of our sites is up to 2.06 minutes. Both are climbing.
Why is this important? It is regular, predictable and detailed. So, clients in our coaching, retainer and SEO programs all have this focused, predictable reporting. Our position is that you should not have to ask for a report or go online and run them yourselves. When this happens clients tend to not do it. This leads to months without any reporting and monitoring, which then leads to misunderstandings and disappointments. This is all because you don’t have your finger on the pulse of what is going on. Having the information delivered to you makes a huge difference.
This is one of the reasons why our coaching program really does keep things clear. We bring the information to you and explain it. In our SEO program, with your reports we give you top level summaries of main trends... the trends you care about: New Visitors, Total Traffic, Time on Site... the things that matter to you. These are the things you really are buying when you buy SEO. You may be purchasing optimization but you really wanting results. We help you understand the results you are getting from what you are buying. And, our tracking numbers... these are the most valuable tool of all. Setting aside part of one day each month to look at your incoming call information is an important task in managing a business. With the regular reporting we bring to you, that is a critical behavior we try to encourage through being consistent in our reporting.
So, as you start your new year and look for ways to improve, why not consider the organized rhythms of Dog Star Media for SEO, coaching and tracking numbers. These services are inexpensive but they will give you the infrastructure on which you can build a successful marketing program. Are you ready to understand your marketing functions better? Are you ready to have something predictable and consistent? Are you ready to put a little time in and get a lot of insight out? I encourage you to try. Try a tracking number for a year. It is only an annual payment of $480. Try our SEO program. Prices start at $300/month. Try our coaching program. It has a 60-day opt out and is only $300/month. But, if you do not have the predictable and consistent support you need as a small business owner, try something. If you are ready to try, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Why is this important? It is regular, predictable and detailed. So, clients in our coaching, retainer and SEO programs all have this focused, predictable reporting. Our position is that you should not have to ask for a report or go online and run them yourselves. When this happens clients tend to not do it. This leads to months without any reporting and monitoring, which then leads to misunderstandings and disappointments. This is all because you don’t have your finger on the pulse of what is going on. Having the information delivered to you makes a huge difference.
This is one of the reasons why our coaching program really does keep things clear. We bring the information to you and explain it. In our SEO program, with your reports we give you top level summaries of main trends... the trends you care about: New Visitors, Total Traffic, Time on Site... the things that matter to you. These are the things you really are buying when you buy SEO. You may be purchasing optimization but you really wanting results. We help you understand the results you are getting from what you are buying. And, our tracking numbers... these are the most valuable tool of all. Setting aside part of one day each month to look at your incoming call information is an important task in managing a business. With the regular reporting we bring to you, that is a critical behavior we try to encourage through being consistent in our reporting.
So, as you start your new year and look for ways to improve, why not consider the organized rhythms of Dog Star Media for SEO, coaching and tracking numbers. These services are inexpensive but they will give you the infrastructure on which you can build a successful marketing program. Are you ready to understand your marketing functions better? Are you ready to have something predictable and consistent? Are you ready to put a little time in and get a lot of insight out? I encourage you to try. Try a tracking number for a year. It is only an annual payment of $480. Try our SEO program. Prices start at $300/month. Try our coaching program. It has a 60-day opt out and is only $300/month. But, if you do not have the predictable and consistent support you need as a small business owner, try something. If you are ready to try, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)