Category: Newsletter

9 Ways To Drive Traffic To Your Website – That Aren’t Spam!

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drive traffic to your website

Spam is bad! We all know that.

Getting found on the internet can be a daunting task, especially if you are working with a limited budget. Sure, you can engage in pay-per-click campaign (and yes, they do have benefits in many instances), but most companies and entrepreneurs look to gain organic traffic.

One of the most effective strategies to grow organically is to develop inbound links. These links will serve you best if they are not links that your competitors can easily recreate, giving you a competitive edge and helping build both authority and traffic. Here are 9 ways to earn credible inbound links to your website.

1. Give a Presentation:

Most industries hold conferences and seminars, and many of them provide opportunities for guest presenters. In most instances, the conference will have its own website or will be mentioned on a related site. Be sure that you are mentioned on the site as a presenter, with a link to your site.

2. Become Involved in Your Community:

Becoming known in your local area can be a huge benefit to you and your business. Through the simple act of volunteering in your community, you can land tons of traffic to your site and mentions from authority sites such as non-profit organizations. Read more

Growing Your Business: A 3 Point Plan To Get You There

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Strategy

Most small business owners and entrepreneurs start with a vision.

This vision differs from person to person, and is generally based on why they want to own their own business and what the perceived benefits are.

For some people, the attraction is all about being their own boss. For others, it is about flexibility and being able to be the ‘masters of their own destiny’. And for others, it is the opportunity to face and accomplish many different challenges associated with self-employment. And probably, for most people, it is a bit of all of these.

Of course, like everything else in life, the reality of owning your own business is not exactly the romanticized version we all dream about. In reality, especially in the early days, we work long hours, are required to juggle all aspects of the business, have to attend to mundane duties, and more often than not, also make financial sacrifices.

And, yet, we carry on!

We know – or at least we believe – that our businesses will grow into what we envisioned and we keep working toward that goal. But to get there, you must have a roadmap.

This 3 point plan assumes that you are already operating; follow it and you will be on your way to achieving your dreams.

Point 1: Setting Goals:

Every business should have a business plan. This plan should look at where you want the company to be in 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. But you have to approach reaching these goals in bite-sized pieces, so when establishing your immediate goals, take a look at what you are want to achieve over the next year. The 7 main points to address are:

• What is your top priority for the year?
• What were your revenue goals for the previous year, and did you achieve them?
• What are your revenue goals for the current year?
• What is your customer base?
• How many new customers do you need to attract to achieve your goals?
• Are you planning to add any new products or services?
• How many leads do you need to achieve your goals, and how will you obtain them?

Point 2: Establish a Plan:

Once you have developed your goals for the year, it is time to create and develop the plan. Through the development of your goals, you have created a blueprint that is measurable. Now is the time to add the meat to the bones. Your plan should address some key elements:

• Review your previous efforts; what marketing activities have you engaged in previously to generate new business?
• Evaluate the results of those efforts – what worked and what didn’t?
• What can you change or do differently this year to generate more revenue?
• Be open to change. Is there some new way or new avenues to explore that will improve the visibility of your business and help develop more revenue?

Point 3: Establish Timelines:

Yes, we have written about this many times in the past. Yet it must be repeated. Timelines must be established so that there is a proper process and proper ability for measurement. If projects have no start time and no end time, there is no sense of urgency and no method to measure. Things just continue to float around in the ether, maybe getting done and maybe not…
Therefore, consider these factors when developing your timeline:

• Is there a seasonality or specific event around your product or service?
• What is the start date of the campaign and how long will it continue before you are able to determine whether or not it was successful?
• What is the point at which you will decide if you will ‘pull the plug’ on the initiative if it appears as though it may not work?

Following these 3 points doesn’t guarantee that your business will accomplish the goal you have set, but it will ensure that you have gone forward with a process and a plan. And that is half the battle!

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Sales vs. Consulting: Breaking Down The Myths

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Business Strategy and Management

In business, especially small business, there is usually a bit of a battle being waged between sales and consulting.

Are you a sales person? Or are you a consultant? My guess is that you are doing a bit of both, depending on the hat you are wearing.

Let’s face it; both of these labels have both positive and negative implications. Sales is often associated with certain behaviors that can be seen as less than savory. And people often suggest that people who can’t do anything else consult.

So let’s break down the myths.

Read more

Pursuing Perfection Paralyzes

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Pursuing Perfection Paralyses

Nobody’s perfect, right?

We’ve all been there. We’re working on a project and have made some great strides towards its completion. We have pursued perfection, done our final review and final revisions, add the final touches and – voila! Yes, we are ready to launch it!

The only problem is – well, we don’t!

Maybe we can just reword this one area. Maybe we can add another dimension to it over here. Or wait!  Let’s find some different pictures to augment it.  Or… maybe we should add video.

Let’s face it. Everything in life is a work in progress.

Nothing is ever set in stone, whether it is a business plan, a budget, or a project for your business.  Personally, I can look at something I have written and see a way to reword it every time I read it. If I continually reviewed and rewrote everything I have ever written, I would never have completed anything.

So, you do what you can, capture the best of what it is that you are looking to present, and run with it. If you don’t, you will never finish anything.

Why do we do this?

Read more

The Shoemaker’s Child Goes Shoeless! The Importance of Working On Your Business

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work on your business

Working on your business?

Entrepreneurs and business owners are a bit different than the masses. We are the people who aren’t satisfied with a ‘normal’ job. We often become bored very quickly with the status quo and once we have mastered a specific task or goal, we are eager to move on to a new challenge.

We also are guilty of taking on EVERYTHING! Because we put so much of ourselves into our businesses and projects, we seem to be a bit reluctant to trust others to maintain our high standards and protect our brand and our reputation.

So this means that often we end up juggling all aspects of the business; from bookkeeping to branding, to marketing, to web design and maintenance, to marketing and PR – and everything in between!

But by taking all this on, we are actually doing a disservice to our businesses! There are only so many hours in a day, and taking on the main responsibility of all aspects of the business makes it impossible to dedicate the appropriate amount of time and energy to every area. The result is that many tasks are incomplete, inadequate or simply ignored. We have all heard the adage, ‘the shoemaker’s child has no shoes’. In this case, the child is your business. Read more

Orange Is The New Blue???

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Oil after the election

Huge political upset in Alberta – what does it mean for you?

By the time this article is published, the huge political upset in Alberta will be over a week old. No one forecast this outcome, least of all the governing Tories who allowed arrogance and their sense of entitlement to call an election more than a year before it was required. This decision has cost Albertans in many ways; first, for the election itself; secondly, for an immediate by-election that will now have to take place, since the former leader of the PC’s decided to take his marbles and go home after the stunning defeat; and thirdly, the cost (potentially) to the province economically, depending on what the new government decides to legislate over the course of the next 4 years.

The Premier-designate has stated publicly that she does not intend to bring sweeping changes to how things are done, and that she will work ‘collaboratively and in partnership’ with our oil industry. As one analyst stated, surely this Party will not be so foolish as to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Read more

Promoting Your Business When Things Are Slow: Our Baker’s Dozen

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Thirteen tips to improve your business

Consider the following 13 tips to get yourself and your business in front of new prospects.

Every business has cycles, and when business is slow, sometimes we have to look at other ways to get in front of business prospects. So don’t just sit there and stare at your computer screen. Try some of these proven methods to gain more clients.

1. Teach what you know.

One of the best things you can do to give your company a boost is to become a teacher. This doesn’t have to be formal teaching at a college or continuing education program, although that is always an option. Consider holding lunch and learns, or hold a meeting at a community center.

2. Reach out to affinity markets.

This is just a fancy way of saying to look into those areas where you share interests. For instance, do you have a favorite hobby, or expertise in an industry from your past? These areas make excellent targets. See if they have publications you can write for or advertise in, and attend networking functions. Become the expert in their niche.

3. Write, write, and write some more.

If you aren’t already writing articles, get busy. Submit articles to local newspapers and community newsletters. Write for trade journals within your niche. Post interesting and educational material on your website. The more you are seen, the more you gain credibility.

4. Become a speaker.

Offer to speak about your area of specialty to local associations and business organizations. You can also host your own speaking events by inviting a group of people to attend. Or consider offering to speak to a group that someone else hosts.

5. Launch a newsletter.

A weekly or monthly email update can generate lots of interest and inquiries. Start your own, paying attention to anti-spam laws.

6. Issue Press releases.

Consider sending out a press release whenever you have something noteworthy to state. This can be a very effective way to get some great PR.

7. Use PowerPoint presentations.

PowerPoint is an easy program to learn. You don’t have to be a master to create a presentation that can be shared online or saved on a CD and mailed to clients and prospects.

8. Participate on a radio show.

Find a local radio show that is looking for guests to speak about different topics. Call the program coordinator and see if there is an opportunity to speak about your area of specialty from time to time.

9. Sponsor an event.

If you have a hobby like golf, biking, running, etc., you can find lots of opportunities to sponsor events. Prizes, gifts, cash support – all of these will provide lots of opportunities to boost your businesses. Plus, participating in this fashion reflects positively in the community.

10. Conduct surveys.

Take your cold calling to another level by introducing a survey. Don’t make it too big or too complex; three simple questions can help you build your business. Offer to share the results of the survey by email. This also helps to build your newsletter/email list that allows you to keep in touch with clients and prospects.

11. Clipping can help your business.

Keep your eye on newspapers and trade journals for news about those whose business you would like to attract. When you find something, clip the article and send it to them along with a note of congratulations. Sure to get their attentions!

12. Social Networks.

Remember that a lot of business is now conducted online as well. Create a couple appropriate social networks and monitor your connections. As in the previous point, be sure to reach out to your connections whenever anything noteworthy happens to them.

13. Online forums.

Consider participating in a couple of online forums targeted to your niche. These offer a great opportunity for you to demonstrate your expertise, as well as to provide information to others. By giving, we truly do end up receiving!

So there you have it – our baker’s dozen for you to try out. When business gets slow, you don’t have to wait for things to turn around. Take control, implement some of these tips and your business will continue to grow.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

How to Make Your Website More User Friendly in 3 Easy Steps

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web design

There is no arguing that a website is a must for your business.

But if your website isn’t user friendly and is not engaging visitors, you’re wasting your efforts.

Creating and maintaining a site that is pleasing to your visitors will greatly enhance your business by appealing to your existing clients and attracting more business prospects, eventually enhancing your bottom line.

Follow these 3 steps and you should be well on your way to providing a website that is attractive and engaging for your visitors.

1. Keep your content concise, paying close attention to it’s readability.

Content is the biggest influence on visitors to your website. By providing content on a regular basis that is current and easy to read, you are not only making your site more user friendly, but you are also more likely to have your visitors return and share information.

Make sure that your content is easy to peruse. Most internet users scan content rather than reading all of it. Formatting your content by keeping the paragraphs short, using tables or columns will assist in the readability factor. Breaking up text through the use of bullet points, headings and sub-headings will also make it easier for your visitors to find the key points of your message.

Ensuring that your content is provided in a visually pleasing manner will also improve the visitors’ engagement. Watch for things like finding the right contrast between your site and the content. Don’t let the background color overpower the content.

Also pay close attention to white space. Too little, and you risk ‘tiring’ your visitor and they will simply leave your site without reading your message.

Improper font usage is another error that can cause subliminal fatigue in your visitors. Keep your fonts clean and easy to read, and note that san serif fonts are easier to read online, while serif fonts are more appropriate for printed materials. Avoid using more than 2 or 3 fonts per design, using highlighted or bold keywords or links instead.

While we are on the subject of links, be sure to test all your links to ensure that they are working. Broken links are not only confusing but are also unprofessional, making a negative impression and lowering the credibility of the content you worked so hard to provide. Review your links from time to time to make sure that they have not broken and continue to point to the appropriate pages.

2. Make navigating your site simple.

This simple step is one of the easiest and best things you can do to improve the appeal of your site. Creating navigation that is clear and clutter-free makes it easier for your visitors to find information and they are therefore more likely to dig deeper into your site. Limit the number of menu items as much as you can, while still ensuring that visitors can find salient information.

When looking to improve navigation, check your layout first. If the layout is cluttered or confusing, you will lose visitors. You can highlight specific pages to make them more visible, or include a call-to-action at the top of the site.

Also, the placement of the navigation menus are very important, so be strategic. The best place for the menu is either at the top or the left-hand side of your site. Regardless of which of these 2 choices you use, be sure that the navigation is above the fold – keeping in mind the use of mobile devices as well.

3. Be sure your site loads quickly.

The online experience has impacted our attention spans. More and more, visitors are looking to get information quickly, and are impatient with websites with long load times. Don’t risk losing potential business simply because your site takes too long to come up! Your site should ideally load within 4 – 6 seconds. Besides that, long load times also negatively impact search rankings.

Some of the things that slow down your site’s speed are large videos, photos, and flash files. Although multimedia elements can certainly engage a visitor, they take a long time to load, and you risk losing the visitor before they ever get to it. Consider minimizing the use of these elements on your site, and opt to link to them externally from within your site.

When you do use images on your site (and, of course, you should have some visual elements!) compress them for web use and be sure to use the right file type.

Following these pointers will help you keep your site user-friendly and ensure that people come back – as well as share your site with their friends. Your attention to your website is the difference between a ‘so what’ experience for you visitors and a ‘what’s next’ reaction. By taking the time and a little effort, you can achieve great results from your site, turning it into a powerful promoter of your business.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

The Challenge of Time Management: 7 Tips To Help…

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time management

Time Management…

In order to be efficient in your business, mastering time management is essential. It can be difficult to establish and follow good time management skills, but by creating few simple habits, you can conquer this challenge and become more proficient and more profitable in your business.

Of course, sometimes disruptions arise that can’t be avoided. But following the tips listed below should help you gain control of your time:

1. Keep Track of Your Time:

Do you know how your time is currently being used? If you don’t know how you are managing your time now, you won’t know where and how to better utilize it. Track your time for about 2 weeks, keeping to your usual routine, including everything you do in your day from start to finish. Read more

Are Your Website Visitors Engaged?

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website visitor engagement

Engaging you website visitors.

No, we’re not talking about tying the knot here. Is your website pulling your visitors in and providing them with reasons to explore?

Pretty websites are easy to create. But if the site isn’t engaging visitors, well… is it really worth anything or is it just wasting everyone’s time?

The main purpose for any website that is being used to build and promote a business is to draw visitors in and propel them to interact with the site. Without engagement, your visitors will leave and never come back. You need to give clients and prospects a reason to come back to your site, and the only way to do that is to encourage engagement.

So just how do you get your website visitors to do what you want while they are on your site? By creating a site that encourages engagement. Without engagement, your visitors won’t buy from your site, they won’t share your information about products and services, they won’t sign up for your newsletter, and they certainly won’t come back.

There are lots of ways to increase visitor engagement.

Design and appearance of your site is one important factor. If your site is muddled or too busy, the visual effect will turn visitors away. Clean design is important to make the site welcoming to your clients and prospects.

Be sure to watch your wording. This applies not only to your content, but also to any sign up forms you may have on your site. After all, the best engagement is to capture the names and email addresses of your visitors.  When developing your opt-in’s test the wording. Also, be sure to remove any questions that can be answered ‘no’. Once ‘no’ pops into a prospects head, they will disengage, i.e., leave your website – the exact opposite of your intent.

Another thing you can include on your site to encourage and increase engagement is a blog. Providing interaction with prospects and clients on a regular basis through a blog gives them a reason not only to continue to come back to your site, but also to share your information with their circle of influence. Make sure your blog is relevant, current, and informative.

If your business is such that it necessitates more immediate interaction with clients’ and prospects’ questions, you might want to consider adding live chat. Several platform options exist, and this could give your company an edge over your competition. If live chat isn’t really an option for your business, be sure to give excellent customer service. There is no substitute for great customer service.

And what about video? This means of communication is becoming more and more popular as it engages visitors on a more personal level. Even if you, like most of us, are a bit camera shy and uncomfortable in front of a webcam, consider doing a number of short videos to promote your business and let people get to know you and your team a bit better. And, trust me. I speak from personal experience – it does get easier the more you do it!

Surveys are also a good tool to use for visitor engagement. People love to be asked their opinion, especially if they can respond in a non-threatening environment.  When creating your survey, be sure to include some open-ended questions that will obtain more information than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. Consider offering an incentive to your visitors for completing the survey to attain more participants.

Another technique that is gaining popularity is the exit poll. Similar to a survey, they typically ask only one question when a visitor is leaving a website. The most effective exit polls focus on objections that a visitor may have, such as ‘What prevented you from purchasing from us today?’

So what’s the bottom line?

By now you are starting to understand just why visitor engagement is so critical to growing your business online. A boring site that does little or nothing to engage visitors and encourage them to interact is actually detrimental to your bottom line. And, as you have read, it doesn’t really take too much effort to implement techniques and strategies that will improve your visitor engagement. Using the tools described in this article – and there are many others out there as well – will enrich your visitors’ experience, converting more browsers into clients.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

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