December
31
2011
Or on what you’ve already given?
It’s the end of 2011, the final hours as so many eagerly await 2012. Have you seen the news updates that this is one of the biggest times of the year for Goodwill, when they get so many of their donations? And this is also one of the biggest times for all no-profits, for some more than half of their fundraising is done between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
Photo credit zirconicusso
Why don’t we give more during the year? Why are we compelled to give only at the end of the year? What difference could we make if we gave all year long?
This got me to thinking about the ways that I have made a difference, our team at Mindscape has made a difference, and plans to continue giving all through the New Year.
- I am a Big Sister, have been for 5 years now. My “little sister” was in 7th grade when we met, now she’s a high school junior.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters led me to be a part of their Bowl For Kids Sale Steering Committee for the county I live in. Fundraising, sponsors and teams are in my sights now.
- Speaking and sharing knowledge with others. I’ve taught classes at GROW or Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women about building a website, how to market your website, and other things about SEO/SEM and local search.
- Our Mindscape team as served dinner at Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan. Get 10 or so of us in a kitchen and it’s bound to be a good time.
- Leaders on our team are on boards and committees at local non-profits including Family Promise.
- We adopted more than 3 families for the holidays, providing gifts and necessities to families in our communities.
- Others gave to teens at St. John’s Home. Teens are are often overlooked for holiday gifts, toys are easier to give to little kids. Just showing that you’re thinking of them can make a huge difference in their lives.
- Charging “admission”. We have classes and groups who visit our company and want to hear from our leaders about running a business, how to get into business and work for a company like ours. We’re happy to share, and ask for donations of a selected non-profits wish list as the price of admission.
- Collected money for a team member in need. We had a teammate fall on hard times and were able to help them get back on their feet.
- Pass it Forward, A Day of Giving with GRCC. Several folks on our team were a part of this day with GRCC staff and students where we spent a cold, snowy Saturday going around Grand Rapids to do good deeds, give out hugs, hot coffee, help out at organizations, buy lunch and pass it forward.
These are a few of the ways that my family, my team at Mindscape and I have given back to our communities throughout 2011. Some is financial, some is our time, and some is sharing our knowledge with others who can benefit from our experience. Bottom line is, we all have something to give, every day of the year. What are your plans to make a difference in 2012?
December
24
2011
Eye tracking research shows where users are looking on screen.
Why do people click on the search results when and where they do? Why aren’t paid search campaigns as successful as they used to be? Are people even looking at your display ads?
Eye tracking is understanding how users look at your website or search results. There are many software programs available. More importantly, eye tracking studies have a lot to do with what the page looks like – keeping it usable, engaging and easy to take in visually. Continue Reading »
November
2
2011
How far ahead are you looking in your business?
Here we are 2 days past Halloween. I walked through the store yesterday and saw all of the Halloween decorations, costumes, etc. marked half off or more. Then I saw the aisles and aisles of Christmas and holiday decorations: stockings, ornaments, wrapping paper, and much, much more! Already?!
That got me thinking. Retailers make their buys seasons ahead of time, planning (taking an educated guess) at what their customers will want to buy, and that they’ll have the inventory to support it. Once the day is past, all of that inventory is obsolete. How does that relate to your business planning? Continue Reading »
October
20
2011
It’s no question that things have changed fast, faster now than ever before. We’re both blessed and cursed with the pace of change, the impact of technology on our ability to do more, with less and do it faster. Often finding distractions and efficiencies in the same tools.
My three year anniversary at Mindscape at Hanon McKendry is coming up, so I wanted to share a few things I’ve learned.
- Java, Jquery and JavaScript are not the same thing
- iPhones and iPads, cool as they are, cannot see Flash. They can see JavaScript.
- Blackberry’s can’t see JavaScript. Droids can see both, and that’s why I have a Droid.
- Websites often taken longer to complete than people think they should. (Even one of our partners said that about our new website. Which is still coming soon.)
- Being on Facebook, doesn’t necessarily mean you know, understand or are good at Social Media
- Every web designer, developer and web company has a different approach
- ASP.NET and PHP are programming languages. The difference is often in the programmers preference. Kind of like a Mac vs. PC
- Flash intros, even though they still exist, are like a stop sign to search engines
- Google gets nearly 80% of all search volume. EIGHTY PERCENT!
- Adwords and paid search can be an expensive lesson if not done properly
- Search results will get, and are getting, more and more personalized based on your location, browser/cookie history and the influence of your social connections
- All links are not created equal. Link building and inbound links are earned, not paid for
- Websites can be used to measure all your marketing activity – whether that’s SEO, social media, print ads, direct mail, trade shows and more
I obviously had a little fun with this one. I’m just amazed at how much there is to learn and know about search engine marketing, search engine optimization and changes that impact the way we go to market, reach our customers, stay in touch with one another and more. Most importantly, it takes a well disciplined team to stay on top of these trends, talk about them, learn the impact and bring the best of the best to the customers they serve.
How has technology impacted your life, work, education?
October
5
2011
If you’re a reader of this blog, chances are at some point in your career or life, you will be a part of a team that builds and launches a new (or improved) website. For those of you who have launched a website, how were the first couple of days?
Websites are a lot of work, they take weeks or months to plan, design, develop, create content and get to the point of going live. Website beta testing is even done internally by your staff, your web team and those you know. Given all this hard work, going live is a HUGE milestone, right?! It makes sense to want to tell people the day it goes live.
Wait a minute! Continue Reading »
July
12
2011
Photo Credit: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I had a meeting with a company that doesn’t have a website. Yes, businesses like that do still exist. Even in a day where it seems like you can get a website just about anywhere. They believed that they had to sell online in order to justify the investment in a website. I’m here to tell you there are many, many things a website can do for every business. Here are 8 of them that come to mind immediately.
It’s usually one of two reasons you won’t invest in a “new” website, or you don’t have one at all. That’s because you don’t see the value in it (or the companies you’ve talked to) or you’re not sure what a website can do for you.
- Build credibility and prove that you exist. Everyone goes online to research companies. Would you rather they find your website, even a basic website, or nothing at all? Continue Reading »
April
7
2011
NFL Players, Credit networlddirectory.com
I realize it’s the tail end of NCAA Basketball season, and I’m thinking about football, but did you ever if you’re in sales, have you ever compared yourself to a quarterback? I don’t mean that sales people are the ones who call the plays and things like that. Still quarterbacks are the ones that the defense is always after.
A quarterback’s line is like a sales person’s team. They rely on their line to protect them so they can move the ball forward. Still, you know more Quarterback names and who plays for each team that you know who their guard or tackle’s are. The defense is after the quarterback trying to take them down, making them vulnerable.
Much like a QB, sales leadership requires team appreciation and supports teamwork. Sales people are out there in the field, backed by their teams. They are a bit vulnerable, and take hits or hear “no” more than they make a touchdown and close the sale. Still, they get up, dust themselves off and keep making plays each and every day.
You often hear of quarter backs giving valuable gifts and doing thoughtful things for their teammates because they know they need them. As a sales person, while you are very visible and out there making plays every day, take time to thank your team and show appreciation. Without them and the service they deliver or the products they make, your success would be limited. It takes teamwork.
So here is to all of those players who make our success as sales people possible. For all the long hours, overtime and deadlines met, Thank You. You are critical to our success, and even though we may be off meeting clients for coffee or having lunch meetings, all those “no’s” and hard hits we take are worth it when prospects ask why should I choose your company. The response is – because of my team, they deliver, and they make all the difference. I count on them to be their best every day, and you can too.
How do you thank your team for all they do for you? What’s your motivation for sales leadership and teamwork?
April
6
2011
Tips To Create Mobile Friendly Email.
Credit: Ambro on FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I read recently that nearly 78% of all users check email on their mobile device. That got me thinking about email marketing and mobile devices…how can we improve deliverability? And how can we make emails easier to read for subscribers?
Are you registered with different organizations and businesses who send you regular email messages? How many do you read on your phone? What do you see when you read messages on your mobile device? Those that are mostly text are a lot easier to read, aren’t they!?
Now, I realize mobile devices all have their own pros and cons. You can see Flash on some, not others. You can see JavaScript on some, not on others. What about images? Many device default settings won’t show images upon opening, it’s something that the owner must click to show images.
Mobile friendly emails should be text based. Yes they can still have the nice HTML background and incorporate images, but building emails out of images and converting to HTML entirely can make them difficult to read on mobile devices.
Spam filters also look for a balance of text and HTML. Still, focusing on the user, your reader is what is most important. Realize that many, many of them are now reading emails on their phones. Here are a few things to think about.
- Keep emails concise and easy to read
- Use bullets or bold key points to make email text easier to scan
- Use images sparingly, keeping focus on the content. Obviously a shopping site will call out and promote products. A creative header can be important to your brand, and that’s fine to include.
- Use text for the foundation of your email message
These are just a few basic tips to help you create mobile friendly emails for your subscribers, and things you might consider as you create your next email marketing message. What have you noticed about emails you read on your phone? If I can answer any questions about email marketing, please feel free to leave a note or get in touch with me.
Now, what’s your next email topic about?
April
5
2011
Photo Credit Graur Razvan Ionut
And Move Forward.
Have you ever sat in a meeting with sales and marketing folks, thinking of creative and fun promotions or marketing messages to promote sales for the company? Now, how many times have you talked about those who would take advantage of an offer?
For example:
- A great offer sent to your email list. What if they use it more than once?
- An unbelievable offer in the newspaper or on a flyer? What if they bring in more than one? Continue Reading »
April
4
2011
Credit: Idea Go
Congratulations, you’re ready to get started in email marketing to your customers and prospects. One question that is often asked is just how often should you send an email to your list(s)? That can vary by your overall goals.
- Is your goal to showcase expertise?
- Is it to nurture your list of prospects?
- Is it to provide company news and updates?
Similar to committing to creating a blog or new website content on a regular basis, your email marketing should be consistent. Continue Reading »
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