Does Your Website Need a Face-Lift?

The New Year is fast approaching and maybe
it's time you rethought your website’s purpose.
The Internet is constantly changing and so is
your clients/prospective clients expectations.
Visitors expect your site to be “cutting edge”
or at least “up-to-date.”

Things to keep in mind while
revamping your site:

1. Design with optimization in mind. Search engine optimization (SEO) means having text friendly elements on
your website which will make your site easily search able.

2. Visitors want what they are looking for quickly and easily. Spotlight or call to action important services on your homepage (ex: “click here to…” or “free download”).

3. Be proactive and engaging. Start a blog. Invite people to be a part of your online presence. Ask visitors to post their comments. The point of
a blog is to share and get involved in a community that is active and listening.

4. Ask your marketing team or web designer for their suggestions.
They may have ideas that you hadn’t thought of.

Check out our newest "green" web design: mydejavusalon.com

~Melissa Behrens
Senior Graphic Designer, The Byne Group
(source: Must-Have Website Features for 2009, by Shaheen,
The New York Enterprise Report, October 2008.)

The Mistrusted “B” Word

In my work I am asked to help non-profits strategically analyze and improve their marketing across all mediums. After being hired, it’s inevitable that people within the organization will ask why they have to spend money and time on branding when let’s face it, they have so little of either.

Some staff will find the term alien, even off-putting, so make sure that all staff understands that a brand is not just a logo or a tagline or a mission statement. It is the overall impressions, good or bad that your organization leaves behind, from the materials you send out, to your website being current to the person who answers the phone.

So what are some ways to make everyone on the boat row in the same direction? In my opinion the key is in involving all levels of the staff. It may be a focus group, a task force or asking for input on current perceptions. We all want to be listened too, taken seriously and have our opinions valued. Hiring an outside firm can help create a non-judgmental atmosphere and a promise of no repercussions from upper management. The best cheerleading begins from within an organization and then naturally emanates to the people in the stands.

Now if only we can find a better word than branding, any suggestions out there?

Are you LinkedIn?

I wanted to share an interesting article I read on MarketingProfs.com by
Matt Dickman
~Ann
An exerpt continues below. Read the full article here.







Are You LinkedIn?

One of the social networks that I frequent most often is LinkedIn. I've been a member of the service for years, but until recently they've not had the critical mass necessary to get traction. Over the last 6 months, however, I've seen a flood of people using the service to connect on a professional basis.

LinkedIn is a focused, professional networking site. It doesn't pretend to be MySpace or Facebook. The design is clean, but a little stark and it could use a little more personality in order to make it more engaging. In this video tour, I focus on what LinkedIn does well within their network and how you can apply the same logic and to your own community.

What LinkedIn does well:

• Security. Friendships are made and links shared only with permission.
• Focus. The site is professional and keeps social elements out.
• Communication. Alerts are stored in your inbox and messaging is clear and simple.
• Answers. The answers area is a great resource for anybody looking for advice from peers.
• Rewards. LinkedIn offers virtual rewards for engaging (profile completeness, etc.).
• Community. It's all about community and LinkedIn has found great ways of showing you what's happening in your personal network as well as your extended network.
• Trust. The site is completely built on trust. You connect with trusted people and so do they. When a message/answer/job comes through the service you know it's for real.