So there I was...riding shotgun with my hubs on 1-10 North of San Antonio between Boerne and Leon Springs in bumper to bumper traffic doing my very best impression of a patient, southern-charm schooled belle, quietly enjoying the opportunity to spend time with a loved-one and quiet reflection. When really what I was and no doubt will continue to be is an impatient, road-rager, ready and eager for the chance to jump the median in hopes that an escape to the frontage road will keep me moving forward at a good pace.

Did I mention I was riding shotgun and not behind the wheel? So I found myself stuck and staring at the back of a white truck with a very peculiar message that read in bold black letters, "It's not your fault...It's asfault." Well, this just had me perplexed and for the next 15 minutes I distracted my impatience with the slow moving traffic by wondering what did it mean?.... What was not my fault? Why should asfault be the culprit to blame? There was no phone number I could call, no URL I could plug in to my crackberry...just an oddly unusual statement. A construction company of some kind, I guessed, but I wasn't sure.

All I knew is that It had my attention (which is no small feat). I was convinced that this was a clever and well thought out marketing campaign. I was getting excited. I couldn't wait to see what the driver side of the pick-up had in store for me. A catchy phrase to tie it all together and put things right in my world again....a marketing success story....one I would never forget.

It wasn't much longer that the traffic started to pick up and we were able to work beside the truck....I wish I could tell you about the monumental brilliance of what I found on the side of the truck under the driver's window, but I can't. In fact, I can't even tell you the name of the company, a phone number or even a website address. I have nothing to tell because I couldn't read any of it. The sign was so small and the font appeared to be a faint and unreadable yellow or orange and I never stood a chance to learn more about what this company could provide me.

There is a lesson here, folks. Interesting questions are always intriguing. Vehicle signage works as long as it's done correctly.

• If you are going to brand your wheels, then there are a few things to keep in mind.
• Make sure your URL is clearly found and easy to read. - The purpose of vehicle signage is to increase branding visability and drive traffic to your website where more information can be communicated
• Simple fonts and black or dark text work best
• Make sure the size of the sign is adequate and well balanced with the vehicle
• If you're going to ask a question? Make sure that you it can be answered...
• The tailgate of a truck or the bumper of a car is a great place to display your message, just don't forget about the sides.
• If you are going to spend them money on using your vehicle for marketing, it might be worth it to get an 2nd opinion about your vision from an experienced marketing and advertising agency.

 

 

 

Comment (0)

So there I was...riding shotgun with my hubs on 1-10 North of San Antonio between Boerne and Leon Springs in bumper to bumper traffic doing my very best impression of a patient, southern-charm schooled belle, quietly enjoying the opportunity to spend time with a loved one and quiet reflection. When really what I was and no doubt will continue to be is an impatient, road-rager, ready and eager for the chance to jump the median in hopes that an escape to the frontage road will keep me moving forward at a good pace.

Did I mention I was riding shotgun and not behind the wheel? So I found myself stuck and staring at the back of a white truck with a very peculiar message that read in bold black letters, "It's not your fault...It's asfault." Well, this just had me perplexed and for the next 15 minutes I distracted my impatience with the slow moving traffic by wondering what did it mean?.... What was not my fault? Why should asfault be the culprit to blame? There was no phone number I could call, no URL I could plug in to my crackberry...just an oddly unusual statement. A construction company of some kind, I guessed, but I wasn't sure.

All I knew is that It had my attention (which is no small feat). I was convinced that this was a clever and well thought out marketing message. I was getting excited. I couldn't wait to see what the driver side of the pick-up had in store for me. A catchy phrase to tie it all together and put things right in my world again....a marketing success story....one I would never forget.

It wasn't much longer that the traffic started to pick up and we were able to work beside the truck....I wish I could tell you about the monumental brilliance of what I found on the side of the truck under the driver's window, but I can't. In fact, I can't even tell you the name of the company, a phone number or even a website address. I have nothing to tell because I couldn't read any of it. The sign was so small and the font appeared to be a faint and unreadable yellow or orange and I never stood a chance to learn more about what this company could provide me.

There is a lesson here, folks. Interesting questions are always intriguing. Vehicle signage works as long as it's done correctly.

• If you are going to brand your wheels, then there are a few things to keep in mind.
• Make sure your URL is clearly found and easy to read. - The purpose of vehicle signage is to increase branding visability and drive traffic to your website where more information can be communicated
• Simple fonts and black or dark text work best
• Make sure the size of the sign is adequate and well balanced with the vehicle
• If you're going to ask a question? Make sure that you it can be answered...
• The tailgate of a truck or the bumper of a car is a great place to display your message, just don't forget about the sides.
• If you are going to spend them money on using your vehicle for marketing, it might be worth it to get an 2nd opinion about your vision from an experienced marketing and advertising agency.

 

 

 

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San Antonio based Delta-Risk, LLC, a risk management and cyber security corporate launches a new company website this week.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 14, 2009 - The new website (www.Delta-Risk.net ) has many features such as extensive expert biographies, case studies, white papers, training courses and an in-depth calendar of events showcasing upcoming training seminars. The website boasts a new look and new corporate branding and will be utilized as a marketing tool promoting a wealth of expertise and services available. Visitors can easily contact the company directly through the website streamlining communication efforts.

In addition to new design, behind the scenes is a broad and extensive content management system. Both designed and developed by J2O Designs, a full service advertising and web design agency located in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas. The system allows a company administrator to update photos, content and promote upcoming training courses and schedules easily and effectively. Stated Jim Odom, Creative Director for J2O Designs, "Our goal was to not only portray a very high-tech image representative of this company but to also provide an easy to use tool allowing the company to monitor and maintain the site keeping photos and content fresh."

For more information about Delta-Risk, please contact the company directly at 210.293.0707.

# # #

About Delta-Risk
Delta-Risk, LLC specializes in providing fully comprehensive and cutting edge services in risk management and cyber security to corporate and private clients worldwide.
These services are managed by a team of industry professionals and are delivered by a dedicated team of highly qualified consultants.

About J2O Designs
For the past 15 years, J2O Designs (www.J2ODesigns.com) has provided design, marketing and public relations solutions for a wide range of regional, national and international companies. These organizations range in size from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses.

The J2O Designs team is skilled in a wide range of industries, technologies and services. Our team is committed to providing successful business solutions for a fair price, in a timely manner without compromising any degree of quality.

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To prepare for an upcoming training seminar, I have been tasked with researching and identifying new trends and best practices in small business web design. Through my quest for perfection, I have failed miserably and have only come up with a list of what not to do.

In the interest of sharing, I include my findings below. Warning: If any of these items hit a little close to home, I recommend seeking professional help.  Just make sure that whoever you turn to has a sense of humor!

You Might Need a New website if.....

If I have to click "Enter Site Here" to see what you're all about, you might need a new website...

 

If you have a ticker telling me how many people before me have visited the site, you might need a new website...

 

If you have more flashy things jumping and jiving than a rerun of American Bandstand, you might need a new website...

 

If you have text ranging in color from pink, blue, green, grey and red and in some cases all in the same word, you might need a new website...

 

If it takes the average person longer than 3 seconds to find your contact information, you might need a new website...

 

If you still have your email address listed as something other than your domain name (you know who you are @gvtc users), you might need a new website...

 

If each page I visit looks as though it came from 9 different sites, you might need a new website...

 

If I have to have Adobe Acrobat to read your content, you might need a new website...

 

If you have a background in neon rainbow, blue water drops or space odyssey and are not promoting rainbows, water or outer space, you might need a new website...

 

If you have photos on your site date stamped 2006, you might need a new website...

 

 

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A new baby, a growing business and an addiction to shoes prompted me to realize that the walls seemed to be closing in on me. That being said, I have recently moved not only my family to a new home but also my business to  new offices. Never to do anything half-way, after much debate the choice was made to accomplish it all at once and over a single weekend none the less. Through the melt-downs, tears of happiness and cranky muscles I look back on the way things were and ask, "Why in the world didn't I do this sooner?"

I, of course, think of my previous home lovingly and with fond memories. However, I think of wall colors, the D.I.Y home improvement projects (most started with my husband and partner in chaos, on a whim at 10:00 on a Friday night) and have to ask myself, what was I thinking back then? Tiffany blue bathroom? A Coy pond minus the fish? Dark hardwood floors instead of light...None all that terrible or life altering but nothing I would consider doing today.

As I think about my evolution in style and tastes, I wonder if I am not alone. I have a feeling that many small business owners have experienced something similar be it in their shop, restaurant or with their logo, business cards, web design or print advertisements. I would bet that many would look back on when the shop was last updated or marketing material was last revised and say, "Wow, how did I get from there to here? What was I thinking?" and realize that it might be time for a fresh coat of paint or a fresh perspective.

There is no time like the present to make sure that all items associated with you or your business are reflective of who you are today and where you want to go in the future. Don't let yourself outgrow your marketing! Now is the time to make a change for the better. If you are in the heart of the hill country, come on by and see our new digs and let us help you put a new face on your own efforts. Yes, it could mean bit of chaos and hard work but I can promise you an end result that you will be proud of and that will be reflective of now vs. then.

 

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Have you ever been in a new city and taken a wrong turn only to be led to the best BBQ joint or the greatest antique store you've ever been to? That's kind of how I feel right now.

A few weeks back, I wrote a press release for John Smith (that really is name).  John is the owner of JB Smith Custom homes and is an award winning custom home builder and an overall great guy. He currently has a hill country master piece (calling it a 'home' just doesn't do it justice) recently built and for sale in Stone Creek Ranch at Fair Oaks Ranch and was a premier builder in the Spring Tour of Distinction. 

When we felt like the tour was not doing enough to promote the event to the public, we took it upon ourselves to create a press release announcing the tour and the inclusion of a JB Smith Custom Home.  I personally wrote the release and when it came time to submitting it on the wire, I mistakenly put my contact information rather than a representative from his company. My wrong turn led to a great discovery that I knew but needed to be reminded. Press releases work! I have personally received just shy of 40 phone calls requesting information on Stone Creek Ranch, Fair Oaks Ranch and  most importantly a JB Smith Custom Homes. As a resident of Fair Oaks Ranch familiar with the area, I've been able to answer questions and put in a nice plug  for our worthy friends over at JB Smith Custom Homes.

I wonder if I help sell a house if I'll get a commission? hmmmmmm.....

Either way, it's been fun to see the power of a press release at work. If you are a small business owner participating in an event or have some news to share with the world, I encourage you to utilize the many benefits of a press release!

 

Comment (2)

 A newly designed website showcases hill country elegance.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For locals that seek to surround themselves with furniture and home décor accents inspired by the spirit and flair of the Texas Hill Country know that the first place to look is Catrina's At The Ranch. Now the world knows what so many have for years. With the launch of a newly designed website (www.CatrinasAtTheRanch.com) and strategic search engine optimization efforts now more people are able to see first hand the treasures that wait at Catrina's at the Ranch.

We have always been known as a regional provider of elegant ranch designs for affordable prices. Whether it's a rustic dining suite, Tuscan inspired office furniture or a romantic old-world bedroom suite; people have always known that we can deliver. However, many customers were not aware of our custom made to order capabilities until after visiting with us directly." Said owner and designer Catrina Hoelke, "Now with the launch of our newly designed website, interested shoppers all over the country can learn more about our custom design capabilities and see first hand how we have been able to help so many others."

The ability to learn more about custom design services and to glimpse into hill country furnishings are not the only new features for site visitors. Now shoppers can see featured pieces, sale items, special promotions, showroom photography, videography as well as quarterly design tips from Catrina herself.

"We chose J2O Designs, a local web design and marketing firm, to redesign the website. We are pleased to launch a site that portrays our image and showcases all the many ways we work to make a house a home. I am excited for our shoppers to take a look." stated Hoelke.

Catrina's At The Ranch - Awards & Distinctions:

2009 San Antonio Home & Garden Show - Most Beautiful Display
2008 San Antonio Home & Garden Show - Best Interior Design
2008 Best Interior Design - Summit Award, Steve Essex home ($750,000 and up category)
2008 San Antonio Home & Garden Show - Most Beautiful Display
2008 Kendall County - Best of the Best
2007 San Antonio Home & Garden Show - Most Beautiful Display
2007 Parade of Homes - Best furnishings
2006 Parade of Homes - Best Interior Design
2006 Kendall County - Best of the Best

# # #

Catrina's At The Ranch (www.CatrinasAtTheRanch.com)
Catrina's at the Ranch specializes in custom one of a kind pieces of all styles in alder, cedar, mesquite, pine and antique woods. Whether it is a desk for your office, an armoire for your master suite or a TV unit for you game room, Catrina's will be there every step of the way to help you create an heirloom piece that you will enjoy for years to come. In addition to custom design, Catrina's also carries antler and metal chandeliers and light fixtures, tribal rugs, cowhides, iron furniture, tableware, gifts, artwork and all types of accessories. We have a full design staff that can help you with all of your decorating needs from new construction to window treatments.

About J2O Designs (www.J2ODesigns.com)

J2O Designs is a full service advertising and web design agency located in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX. J2O Designs provides marketing, public relations and search engine optimization solutions small businesses.

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With the unstable economy and credit markets impacting both the home buying and selling process, many families are looking at ways to improve their current living situation and increase the value of their home.

Absolute Quality Cabinets, a South Texas custom cabinetry shop, is successfully working with homeowners to add value to their home by building custom cabinets for every room of the house with a primary focus on the kitchen.

According to Remodeling magazine's 2008-2009 "Cost Versus Value" report, the average national cost recouped when a homeowner does a major kitchen remodel is 76 percent. But it is even higher -- 79.5 percent, for a minor kitchen remodel such as the installation of custom cabinets.
"Our cabinets are helping homeowners enjoy their existing home, increasing both its value and the probability of a timely sale in the future" said AQC partner Amy Blair. "Our customers appreciate our focus on providing them a quality product that they want-not what someone wants to sell them. They know with us they are going to get a beautiful, durable product for a reasonable price."

If you live in South Texas there is a good chance that you have seen the craftsmanship of the team at Absolute Quality Cabinets. Their work graces the walls of high profile commercial venues such as La Madeline French Bakery, Round Rock; Hotel Indigo Alamo, San Antonio; and Rim River Resort, Concan-not to mention hundreds of custom built homes and ranch getaways scattered throughout the Texas Hill Country.

The company's new corporate website (www.AbsoluteQualityCabinets.com) provides detailed information on available products, testimonials and a comprehensive photo gallery. The company makes it easy for homeowners and contractors to learn more about how to partner with Absolute Quality Cabinets.

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If you are a business seeking a marketing strategy targeting a national audience while remaining true to your Texas Hill Country roots, then you might want to follow the lead of Jim Odom, Creative Director and Co-Owner of J2O Designs (www.J2ODesigns.com), a full service marketing and design firm located where else but in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Odom has coined the phrase "Hill Country Grunge," and his recent marketing leadership reflects his ability to practice what he teaches.

Odom has led creative teams that have recently launched marketing efforts to include corporate identity, branding, web design and print marketing collateral built on the concept of "Hill Country Grunge." These efforts include successful campaigns for Cordillera Ranch (www.CordilleraRanch.com ), Absolute Quality Cabinets (www.AbsoluteQualityCabinets.com) , Frio Fun (www.FrioFun.com), Bandera Chamber of Commerce (www.BanderaTex.com) and Catrina's at the Ranch (www.CatrinasAtTheRanch.com), just to name a few. One can look at a J2O Designs "Hill Country Grunge" piece and easily see Tuscan, French Provincial and Western Cowboy inspiration, with a bit of Seattle uber-cool thrown in.

"We believe that there is no place better to live and work than in the Texas Hill Country and know first-hand how special this region is. Our objective is to capture the spirit of the hill country in each of our cutting edge designs," said Odom. "We understand that the majority of small businesses located in Hill Country towns are driven by tourism from across the United States.

"With each project, we strive for the sophistication needed to attract a variety of discriminating audiences while at the same time staying true to what makes these Hill Country businesses so very special. In each of our 'Hill Country Grunge' designs, we try to capture the look and feel of a drive on the back roads off of Highway 46 on a sunny spring day where you'd easily see old wooden fences, charming horse stables, wild flowers and open spaces paired with the sleekness and the cool factor of the grunge movement." Many design firms resort to producing pieces that look too much alike. To offset this common pitfall, J2O Designs continues to recruit designers and creative minds from San Francisco to Boston and a number of locations in between. "We are careful not to fall victim to a great concept. Each new team member receives what we like to call a ‘Hill Country Boot Camp' where we train our designers and specialists on the uniqueness of the Hill Country as much as we do our own product lines and company objectives. This allows us to stay consistent to Hill Country values and design while bringing unique creative perspectives from across the country."

About Jim Odom
Jim Odom is a fifth-generation Texan and the founder and creative director of J2O Designs. For the past 18 years, he has been on the cutting edge of advertising and interactive marketing. Jim created what was once deemed the "Best Golf Web Site on the Internet" by Forbes magazine, contributed to ground floor efforts in distance learning and on-line education at a large state university and has worked with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses across the state of Texas and New Mexico. Through the years, Jim has established himself as not only a graphic designer but also a programmer, media strategist, business consultant and marketing expert.

Company Blog: http://www.HillCountryMarketingToday.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=735266302
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JimOdom

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I quickly correct my husband each time he tells me that I'm cheap. I like to remind him that I am not cheap, I'm thrifty. This debate has been ongoing in our household for almost 10 years now. The thriftiness that has in the past been looked down upon by others is now being commended. Thrifty is the new black and in this day and time looks good on every one. I am not ashamed to say that I like to get (or at least feel as though I'm getting) the most bang out of each one of my measly bucks. I am no longer a minority as putting the time and effort into finding the best deal is becoming more common. If you know and understand this new mentality of the masses you can better market your business and services.

So, let's assume that your business is a hotel and let's assume that for years, you and every other hotel in your area have been offering free breakfast, now is the time to give more to get more. Many of the hotels in tourist focused towns researched today are bundling of extras or amenities to appeal to savvy-money saving travelers.

• Free champagne upon arrival
• Free picnic Lunch
• $50 Credit towards spa or dining
• Complimentary car and driver
• Free tickets to local attractions or theater
• Free Wi-Fi

One even offered free breakfast, lunch, dinner with a glass of wine and two tickets to a near by art museum. It doesn't get more bundled than that.

Other special offers for a variety of businesses could include:
• Complimentary wine tasting with purchase
• Exclusive discounts and specials at restaurants or boutiques
• Complimentary shuttles
• Complimentary entertainment tickets

Think about those around you. Who can you help and who can be helped by you. Leverage good will and work with others and everyone will win.

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It's nothing new for me to preach the benefits of having a website. Unless you are rolling in the dough with more customers and visitors to your store, restaurant or place of businesses than you can handle a website is a must. A no-brainer if you will. However, having a website is no longer enough. If people know the name of your business or your URL, they shouldn't have any trouble finding you on-line. Don't let arrogance get in the way and assume that every tourist coming to your town will automatically know about your business and the projects that you offer. 90% of tourists won't know this information. They will however, know the area, what type of accommodations their seeking and their favorite types of food and merchandise that they might hope to find. Common keyword searches on the major search engines such as Google or Yahoo specific to boutique tourist dependant towns look something like this:

Bandera Cowboy Dude Ranch
Boerne Romantic Bed and Breakfast
Ruidoso hand carved bear
Fredericksburg wineries
Hill Country Hotels with Wi-Fi
Live music and entertainment in Boerne

I'm sure if you think back to a recent trip you have taken, your searches might be similar. Now put yourself in the mind of a person looking to visit your area. What kinds of searches will they do that pertains to your business? When you do those searches, where does your site rank? Can people easily find you? If not, I recommend pursuing SEO/SEM assistance.

A great way to make sure that your business is easily found by tourists is to be sceen on travel focused and social media sites.

Examples include, TripAdvisor , CitySearch, ShopBoerne YELP, VirtualTourist, RealTravel, Gusto, eTravelReviews, Facebook and Twitter. If you are a business catering to tourism, you should know these sites intimately! If the task seems daunting or a bit intimidating, most reliable web marketing companies provide social media marketing and reputation management services.

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If we watch the news or read the papers it's difficult to believe that anyone out there is spending money on anything other than toilet paper and Campbell's chicken noodle soup. Though times are hard for us all, I do hope small businesses to recognize and understand is that people are indeed still spending money. They are still traveling, dining out, and repairing homes, buying shoes and golf clubs. What has changed is the amount of research people are doing prior to making a purchase making buyers smarter and more selective.

Unlike some that will tell you that now is the time to spend more on marketing, I won't go that far. I too understand tightening of the purse strings. However, I will tell you that now is a great time to take the budget that you have planned to spend and re-evaluate your efforts to be more targeted, more focused and more effective.

Sometimes, the best way to re-evaluate your marketing plan is to get out of your own backyard and see first hand how other small businesses in different areas are successfully attracting customers.

I recently had the pleasure of going to San Francisco / Bay area on business. While there I couldn't resist the opportunity to play tourist if nothing more than for a day or two. It's not often that I get to put on the sneakers and the backpack and see things from the eyes of an outsider. Traveling to San Francisco and Napa valley area allowed me to indulge.

As a visitor to an area that I had never been to, like so many others traveling to tourist destinations, I was bombarded with marketing and venues trying to catch my eye. Some made me laugh, some made me buy and some took me out of my way only to be disappointed. For all those looking for a fresh look at marketing, perhaps some of my key take-aways will help.

The next few blog posts will focus on the "best of" marketing strategies designed to assist small businesses hoping to attract tourism and generate increased sales even in these uncertain times.

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J2O Designs provides Free Search Engine Optimization Service to Small Business owners in San Antonio and surrounding areas.

In an effort to assist small business owners in these unstable times, J2O Designs, a leading Hill Country marketing and web design agency is offering free Search Engine Optimization services specific to small businesses.

"Despite the fact that the economy is in free fall and there's much uncertainty regarding the stability of many small businesses, research tells us that people are still buying merchandise, contracting projects and dining out. Those who are spending money are doing considerable more research on-line to determine where best to spend their money." said Jamie Odom, owner and co-founder of J2O Designs, "Having a website is no longer enough. According to Nielsen the average online American went online 62 times, visited 115 domains, viewed 2,580 web pages and spent nearly 75 hours online in January of this year. In today's competitive market small business owners need to ensure that their website is being seen and is not buried in the thousands of pages on Google, Yahoo, MSN and other major search engines. Business owners need to be certain that their on-line efforts are communicating the right message and more importantly are being seen by the right audience. There is no more efficient way to do this than through effective Search Engine Optimization practices."

Wikipedia defines Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as, "The process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. Typically, the earlier a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical search engines.

In an effort to assist small businesses (15 employees or less) in San Antonio and surrounding Hill Country communities J2O Designs is offering a complimentary basic search engine optimization package (Retail Value: $599.99) through April 30, 2009. The package includes an in-depth analysis of two relevant key word search phrases as well as analysis of two industry competitors. Based on the in-depth analysis by J2O Designs SEO specialists, a list of recommended action items specific to the individual website will be gathered and provided to help the small business increase page ranking and visibility on-line.

"We believe that the strength of our great community rests on the shoulders of small businesses. We are happy to extend our services to help our friends and neighbors gain on-line attention and drive new business straight to the awnings, sidewalks and front doors of our community" said Odom.

When asked why the offer of free services over a discounted rate, Odom stated, "We are confident that if we can help small business growth their business today, they will be in a position to help us grow ours in the future."

For more information you can contact Jamie Odom directly at 210-745-1336 or visit www.J2ODesigns.com.

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Madonna, Tyler Perry, George Strait - They all have press kits and yes they are all celebrities.

However, the local media can only do so many stories on A-list red carpet walkers and are left to hustle up local stories of community leaders and business owners to round out the mix.

Just because you don't own your own plane, have a private chef or have Oprah on your speed dial doesn't mean that you can't benefit from a press kit. Are you an expert in your field be it folk art or window displays? Have you or your business won awards? Are you accredited or a member of an organization? Do you have a project in the works that will benefit or change the landscape of your community? If so, you most definitely can benefit from an on-line press kit.

Here are a few things to consider including in your on-line press kit.

• Areas of expertise
• Biography
• High Resolutions photos of you and your business
• Awards, Membership, Accreditations
• History or Timeline of your business
• Projects in the works
• List of charitable organizations you are affiliated with
• List of Story Ideas
• Contact Information

 

Just imagine a news reporter close to a deadline with no story line in sight (This happens more often than you think). The reporter is racking his/her brain for ideas and typing in all sorts of key words on a major search engine only to stumble upon your list of story ideas, all the information about you and your business and contact information. The reporter sees the light of day and you see a whole lot of media attention coming your way. Everyone wins.

You can easily put a Press Kit together or you can work with a Hill Country Marketing Firm with experience in creating Press Kits to ensure top results. Either way, it's worth the time and effort.

 

 

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Raise your hand if you think a website is only for marketing. Now put your hand down because you look silly.

Just kidding, your hand can stay half up in the air because you are partly right. (No really, you can take your hand down). Of course, your web site is a fantastic marketing tool, but since you are already investing in it why not consider ways that it can do more for you and your bottom line.

Do you own a bed and breakfast? Your website could take on-line reservations, monitor bookings and follow up with guests for feedback streamlining your internal process and saving valuable man hours.

Do you own a trendy boutique? If e-commerce isn't your thing, consider on-line gift certificates. You can incorporate gift-certificate software that handles the entire process from purchase to redemption.

Are you an insurance salesman? Why not get your first level prospecting sales questions answered before you even speak to a new contact via an on-line lead generator. Need to know what service they are most interested in? Home value? Number of vehicles? Have the questions answered on-line by the prospect and emailed to you saving you both a great deal of time.

Are you a daycare? Rather than hear the phone ring off the hook only to have your staff have to answer the same questions again and again, consider directing inquiries to your website FAQs. Most people asked say they first go to a website for information and a phone call is the last result. Some even say that if they can't find the information they are seeking on the website, they don't even make the call. They simply find another business on-line.

Are you a non-profit? Make it easy for interested media outlets to contact you with very easy to find media contact information. Don't be shy about considering featuring a press kit on-line (more to come on that).

Do you offer entertainment? Don't depend on word of mouth or even feature promotions on your site. Go the extra step and create a calendar of events easy for people to search by day, week or month. You would be amazed at the amount of traffic this one feature can bring to your site.

There are so many great things your website can be doing for you rather than just marketing your projects and services. Expect more from your website and you won't be dissapointed.

 

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In the far corners of the Texas Hill Country is a tiny town called Concan. A place filled with breathtaking crystal clear waters and more majestic trees than residents.  People waste away the day hiking, biking, bird watching and floating in the breeze to the speed of the Frio river's current. Board rooms are forgotten, TVs are left off and phones are carelessly thrown on a kitchen table in exchange for family B-B-Qs, picnic tables, noisy laughter and a good nights sleep. It's no wonder that people have been vacationing in this area for hundreds of years.

When it comes to vacation home rentals in the Concan area, the customer has an overwhelming number of options. This is great for the consumer but not so great for the guy hoping to have a full house booked for the summer.

Yes, competition is everywhere...even in the best kept secrets in the state. The owner of FrioFun, a Concan property rental business with over 50 beautiful homes tucked into the hills and valleys in the area, realized that in order to continue to stay competitive, the company needed an updated website with more guest focused features.

The newly designed website now allows interested vacationers to search for properties by price, number of bedrooms, types of views and a variety of amenities. The results showcase multiple photos of the home, detailed descriptions and list of inclusions such as outdoor bars, pool tables, karaoke machines, Jacuzzis and children's playgrounds. Visitors to the site can now sign up for newsletters and receive special promotions and discounts helping to save money. FrioFun.com is one of the only vacation rental services offering on-line reservations in the area. This important feature means more convenience for guests and more guests for FrioFun.

Within 48 hours of the site launching live, a highly successful number of new vacationers signed up for the newsletter and booked reservations on-line.

It's not always easy deciding to make changes, especially to a company website. There is the time and the money to consider but there is also the gain that can not be forgotten. I encourage you to take a close look at your business and think about ways you could improve your website from a consumer standpoint. I am confident that you will find that the investment is well worth the gain.

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For years I have been flattered to be of the "IN" crowd. An advertisers dream. The key demographic target market. Young, career oriented, not ashamed to voice an appreciation for the finer things in life and of the philosophy that new pair of very expensive shoes can change a girls' outlook on the world. It is no wonder that for the past few years companies big and small have been competing for my patronage.

However, I am sad to say that those days of being wooed with fancy billboards and slick magazine ads geared to try and win my heart (and my pocketbook) are about to come to an end. You see, within the next 30 days, I will be turning a year older and no longer considered part of that young, hip demographic. I've never felt so unloved and un-cool.

But wait; is there still hope for me? In a recent Gallap Pole, internet usage statistics show internet users 65 and over posting usage gains far greater than the national average. Research triggers the thoughts of marketing gurus all over the country as many begin rethinking targeting the young female in exchange for her newbie, internet exploring, Granny. As if the polls weren't enough, I began to consider those close to me.

I have an 83 year old grandmother that emails me updates about her church, home repairs and how her back is feeling on a regular basis. My father has an ipod touch with his playlist of George Jones and the guy that sings, "Way up North" and when not jamming out to the oldies but supposedly goodies he's entertained with Youtube videos, quick to show me his favorites. I have a much older and recently divorced friend that believes in love at first WINK and uses the net to husband hunt. I have a very fun relationship with a gal in Florida who I have never met in person. She's 72 and is a self-proclaimed golf-aholic and likes to chat with me on 19thHole.com, a social network for golfers. My own mother is addicted to facebook and told me the other day that she thinks that there's something to this "twitter / tweet" thing. So what if she calls my phone a ‘blueberry" mistakenly confusing my blackberry with a blue tooth. She knows enough about the gadget to change my ringer to "I like Big Butts" and no doubt check my email when I'm not looking.

What do the poles and my own backyard research tell me? It tells me we're in the midst of a revolution. With our current economy, the free spirited, formally free-spending 20 -something's are getting laid off while the baby boomers are getting packages and creating a comfortable retirement spent by the pool with their laptop connecting with people, researching products and most importantly buying merchandise that their kids and grand kids can't afford.

If you are a small business in search of successful marketing, and those you are marketing to are under the age of 30, the bad news is, you might want to reconsider your efforts. If you are now in your 30s like me, the good news is - There's still hope. Give it a couple more decades and you and I could be just who and what those advertisers will be working so hard to impress.

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With the growing population and industry within Texas Hill Country towns, the advertising/marketing/web design sector is slowly becoming saturated. Not necessarily good for web design firms but a fantastic opportunity for you, the paying consumer. You now have a choice and options when it comes to hiring someone to assist you the very important task of growing your business and generating revenue

For now, let's just take web design. There are number of key items to consider when selecting a design firm that is right for you..

Budget
I wish that I could give you a general price to expect to pay for web design. Unfortunately the range is broad; Anywhere from $600 to $20,00o.

The first and most important aspect of planning a web redesign is your budget. Do you have $2,o00 or $10,000 to spend? If you have a tight budget, this will eliminate a number of firms that target and cater to larger businesses with larger budgets. Feel free as your are interviewing firms to let them know up front what your budget is. Many firms will be conscientious of your budget and try to work with you. J2O Designs, a local web design and marketing firm understand that small businesses often times have limited cash flow. The web design firm has been able to work with a number of clients to help prioritize action items depending on budget and in some cases have even created  monthly payment plans.

I think you will find that if you simply communicate your situation and needs up front, most firms that target your business size or sector will be willing to work with you.

 Key things to look for when evaluating Web Design Firms:

Experience
Everyone is a web designer these days...The guy at the Post office, the elementary school teacher, the church librarian...Self-proclaimed web designers everywhere. With access to the thousands of templates available, essentially anyone can be a web designer. The question is how effective are the efforts and are those efforts right for your business. When interviewing a prospective design firm, find out how long the firm has been in business. How many projects per year have been completed? Do they have a portfolio of work that includes a variety in design and functionality? Make the effort to follow up with businesses featured in the portfolio and complete due diligence gaining inside knowledge of how satisfied others have been with the work completed.

High Expectations
You of course have high expectations for your business but do they? Is your project just another standard fill-in the blank design projects or is a custom approach taken? Does the firm make an effort to truly understand your business, market and message? Do they understand SEO and provide examples on how to generate traffic to your newly designed site? If needed, can they create a content management system for you? Are they a resource and can bring you new ideas on how to achieve more with your web efforts?

Turn Around Time
Do you have three months or three weeks before your site needs to go live? The needed turn around time will help you determine which firm can help you now. If you don't have a set date in mind, I encourage you to consider on average 45 to 90 days for the redesign of your site to be completed and to go live. There are many things that go into designing a website outside of actual design. For instance, content creation, photography, photo editing of existing photos and SEO just to name a few. Make sure that the firm you choose to work with has a very detailed process time-line communicating what you need to provide them at what point in the process and what items will be provided to you along the way to confirm that the design and functionality are moving forward correctly.

Cost, experience, recommendations and communication are all key things to consider with hiring a web design firm. The decision as to which firm to go with should not be made lightly. Your website is a very important part of your business branding and should be created by a highly capable and creative team.

 

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Brochures are a traditional way to market your business. They are excellent sales collateral tools to drop off with prospects, hand out at trade shows and allow your clients to take with them.

However, brochures are not always the best solution. Take a moment to go through your own files and office space. How many brochures have you kept in the past year? How often do you refer back to the brochures? When was the last time you had a new customer come in your door and say, "I recently saw your brochure and wanted to stop in?" The last time that you got a printing quote for brochures, did the bill cause you to do a double take? Brochures most definitely have a place with a number of businesses but perhaps are not always the best and most creative solution.

There are a number of more cost effective sales collateral items that could be right for your business.

Alternatives to Consider:
• Full Color, High Gloss, Two Sided Marketing Cards - A marketing card can be used as a hand-out as well as a mailer

• Magnets Advertising your services and branding - It's might sound crazy but statistics show that consumers hang on to marketing magnets more than any other marketing piece

• One Page Marketing Slick - low printing fees with plenty of room to communicate your message. Slicks can be used as hand-outs, mailed or included with marketing material folders

Don't think that just because everyone else has a brochure that you should too. Be different. Get your message out. Most importantly - be cost effective!

 

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The New Year is here. The economy is shaky. Marketing guru's tell us to identify our weaknesses and improve upon them in order to make our business more successful.

I agree that we all have weaknesses and things that can be improved. My question is when do we get to sit down and think about all of the many things that we do well and discover ways to leverage those in an effort to be more effective?

If you are a business owner you are probably an A-type personality, border line control enthusiast and your number 1 critic. I see this often when I'm interviewing a client for a press release or for biography content for a website. Business owners rarely want to talk about themselves, only their business. If this sounds like you, I encourage you to remember that YOU are your business and if it weren't for YOU doing things effectively and treating people correctly then YOU would not have a business at all.

That being said; throw the humble pie in the trashcan with the rest of the Holiday leftovers and let's get down to the business of YOU and identify the character traits and actions that have brought you where you successfully are today.

Because I know how difficult this is and because I try and practice what I preach I have created my own list and asked my partner Jim to do the same. Here are our results;

Jamie:

• Enthusiasm - Enjoys her job and it shows
• Customer-Centric - Quick turn around on client questions and requests
• Experience - Creates a solid and proven to be successful custom marketing plans for clients providing specific ideas and suggestions to generate revenue in the future
• Has created a small business web design and marketing package and understands that an effective web site is only one small piece of a business's branding
• Trustworthy - Looks out for the customer's budget and bottom line when proposing marketing solutions and suggestions
• Caring - Always puts the client's needs and perceptions first
• Good Natured - Works well with all branches of the internal business (design, coding, wannabe management: AKA husband, Jim.)

Jim

• Grateful- Is a happy work-aholic and loves what he does
• Curious - Enjoys meeting new people and learning about other's businesses
• Good Communicator - Can boil down computer nerd mumbo jumbo in the most basic, easy to understand terms
• Experienced - Believes that good web design is not just about appealing visuals but also about high functionality and usability
• Helpful - Will go above and beyond for a client in need of help quickly (All nighters are common)
• Integrity - Gives honest opinions and provides successful suggestions on how to do things better
• Fair - Treats all customers and prospects the same be they affiliated with a small business or a Fortune 500 company
• Innovative - Encourages clients to take risks to stand out from others in his/her market

OK, speaking for us both, that was a little uncomfortable but not as difficult as I expected it to be. Now it's your turn?

When you've compiled your list then take look a close look at each one of the positives and create business initiatives that reinforce and showcase them well. If you are having difficulty creating marketing initiatives to leverage your positives, consider working with a professional marketing firm. Go over the list together and be amazed at the results of positive thinking!

Share your list here and let me know what a Fantastic person you are!

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