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Category Archives: Tips
Top 5 Foursquare Mistakes Committed By Small Businesses
Top 5 Foursquare Mistakes Committed By Small Businesses
From our coverage on Mashable, you’ve probably learned a fair share about Foursquare for business. There are more than 9 million people on Foursquare, and there are 250,000 businesses that have claimed venues and use the location-based service as part of their overall marketing program. Foursquare is a free platform for merchants to use to engage and incentivize customers, but only if done right. Here’s what not to do as you embark on your Foursquare marketing endeavors.
1. Creating a complicated special
There’s no fun in trying to unlock a special that is nearly impossible to unlock. Keep it simple. The purpose of Foursquare’s merchant platform is to bridge the gap between customers and merchants, and a high barrier to entry could easily turn users off. There are seven kinds of specials to choose from, depending on whether you’re targeting new customers, encouraging people to come back multiple times or wanting to reward the mayor (your most loyal Foursquare customer).
Foursquare enables businesses to activate a special only on certain days or during certain times, or they can reward people for every nth check in, regardless of what time or day it happens. “Receive a free cupcake on your fifth check in” or “10 percent off your bill on Tuesdays” are good examples of simple rewards.
Specials can provide discounts, a few bucks off or a free item. If you’re worried about margins, you can offer a special that doesn’t affect your bottom line—maybe users will get to shop during special hours at your shop. Alternatively, you can post videos of your most active Foursquare users on your Facebook and Twitter pages. Eric Friedman, Foursquare’s director of business development, says the best kind of specials are those that make people feel special and provide them with something they couldn’t get as a regular consumer.
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Effective Tips For Designing Your Website
Because we are first and foremost designers (rather than consumers), our communication must cater to two types of individuals: our visitors (or customers) are the ones whose attention we have to get, while our clients are the ones whose goals we are serving.
Be under no illusion: the visitors should always come first (because without them, a website is pointless). But as designers, we have a duty to those we design for!
Visitors and clients are different beasts, and we’re responsible for connecting them to each other.
Communication between visitors and clients comes with different variables to consider. When we build a website for a client, our focus is often on their business objectives (things like cost, scope, etc.).
Ensuring that both the client and visitors end up with something that encourages the client to retain our services is a bit of a balancing act. If you want to be a web designer, you must be able to communicate through your portfolio and other direct methods.
Below are some tips and tricks for working with clients, bosses and other third parties:...
52 Incredibly Useful Sites
You know all about Google’s (GOOG) smorgasbord of Web tools, but have you tried Measy, Topicfire, or Yammer? While a few big names seem to dominate the Internet, the Web continues to flourish with a never-ending stream of incredibly useful new sites and services.
PCWorld’s editors never stop scouring the Internet for the best and most creative new ideas we can find. Here are 52 phenomenally cool Web services that you may not have heard of, but definitely need to try.
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5 Great Small Business Blogs to Learn From
Cure hosts its blog on Tumblr, which is known for fostering a community that appreciates beautiful photography. The thrift shop's quirky photos of one-of-a-kind objects fit right into the Tumblr mix while also letting followers know what's new at the shop.
2. The Brooklyn Kitchen: Say it with a video
Small business owners usually have a fair amount of expertise to share with the world. A blog can be a wonderful place to flaunt all of that pent-up knowledge—incorporating videos, though, can take your advice to the next level.
The folks over at The Brooklyn Kitchen understand the virtue of nicely-produced videos. The team creates how-to videos for its cooking-crazed fans. Whether they're showing viewers how to shuck oysters or clean a blade grinder, The Brooklyn Kitchen crew focuses on providing useful and targeted information in a high-quality format.
One of my favorite videos they've produced is a gem on how to saber a champagne bottle, as demonstrated by co-owner Harry Rosenblum. This is the type of how-to you'd only expect to get from a group of passionate foodies. Readers value that type of expertise, especially when they feel they can't find it elsewhere.
3. Sweetgreen: Think big
With seven locations in the D.C. area and one outside Philadelphia, Sweetgreen is a restaurant that offers all-natural salads and frozen yogurts—it's a healthy, sustainable business that immerses itself into local culture. The company's website explains, "We don't believe that you can have a successful business in an unsuccessful community."
Based on that idea, Sweetgreen's founders aim to make a positive difference in their community. The Sweetgreen blog captures all of the community activities that the company is sponsoring and taking part in, along with the usual day-to-day activities of running a restaurant. You can find the team throwing music festivals, hosting nutrition classes at local schools, or just concocting mouth-watering seasonal ...
Facebook’s New “Questions Tool”
Within 15 hours, we had engaged 13% of our fanbase and had not only gained votes on answers we had given to the question; we also had fans suggesting (and voting for) new answers, including local couponing sites, LiveTVChat and more. For us, it was an opportunity to enjoy a high level of engagement with our followers, emerge as a thought leader and learn a little all at the same time.The next frontier, after some additional testing, will be to activate Questions on behalf of our clients. Next month, we are planning on extending Legends Outlets Kansas City’s “Charity Check-In” program through use of Facebook Questions. On Legends Outlets Facbeook Page, Legends Outlets is currently encouraging its consumers to check-in with Facebook Places in order to trigger the brand to donate $1 to a pre-determined, local Kansas City charity.Next month, the brand will be doing the same, but we will also be employing Facebook Questions to ask the fans what charities they would like to see appear as part of the ongoing Charity Check-In program. We’re excited to help Legends Outlets partner with the charities that mean the most to its fans, while raising their friends’ awareness of ways they can give back to the community.Mashable: What was your initial reaction to the new Facebook Questions tool?Grossman: Any time Facebook adds a new standard application to all user and business profiles, I get excited. When Facebook adds major new functionality like Questions, it stands to shift the social dynamic of over 500 million people, creating richer, more diverse and increasingly dynamic conversations.Beyond the impact it will have on users, the widespread release of Facebook Questions is also emblematic of the continuing trend we’ve seen from Facebook: As soon as a new trend in social media begins to rise up, Facebook acts quickly and decisively. For those long-time Facebook users out there, Questions will hearken back to the days when Polls were far more common on Facebook. But this round ...
Getting the Most Value from Google AdWords
Mar 22, 2011 -
Google AdWords (those sponsored links that appear alongside search results and Web content) can be one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise on the Web. Your ads are highly targeted based on keywords, and you don’t pay for anything unless they are clicked.
But often, small businesses set up a campaign and load it with relevant phrases, only to see little traction. Or worse, they get clicks (which cost money) but aren't converting them into sales.
If you’re struggling to hit pay dirt with Google ads, or you’re interested in signing up but not sure where to start, take some cues from these small business success stories.
Where to begin
Before you get started, “know that AdWords is a real commitment, and is likely to be a time drain,” says Chris Conn, founder of MightyNest.com, purveyors of organic and naturally made home wares and accessories. His company uses AdWords to drive potential customers to the online store. “It will take from other activities, so make sure that fits with your priorities.”
In that regard, start small, says Timothy Thomas, a small business consultant who cultivates AdWords campaigns for his clients.
“Focus on one campaign, lock your budget and use the tools provided by AdWords to learn how Google does its magic,” Thomas adds. He recommends that companies continue their standard SEO efforts in order to rank high in organic search for free (more on this in a bit), and then optimize an AdWords campaign accordingly. “Don't buy ads in areas where you are getting a top-five link already. Think about terms that are unique to your offering and try to make the most of those keywords by standing alone in paid search.”
If you’re trying to get the maximum value out of a small AdWords budget, don’t worry about appearing at the top of every search. “Keep your bids as low as you can and edge them up—you do not need to be the No. 1 paid search term, however being in the top three is va...
Embed video in Wiki Page Layout: SharePoint Foundation 2010
Ok so, I was never a radio star, although I often wanted to be! Instead I’m just a SharePoint admin who happens to help run a website. OK, now on with the story… The new Wiki Page layout in 2010 was a great thing to see in demos and is really a cool feature. The Wiki Page allows you to edit SharePoint content directly within the page and even add pictures without uploading them first. No content editor web parts are needed. Adding web parts to the page is easy, as well. My initial thought on this was “About time!” and I still feel that way most of the time. However, recently I came across an issue. I am very honored to be part of the Women in SharePoint organization. I have been helping run the website and I serve as secretary on the national board of directors with some amazing women. We have our site hosted through fpweb, and as part of shared hosting, you only get foundation. This is fine for most of our needs, and we are grateful that they have donated this service to us. We had s...
The Ultimate 20 Usability Tips for Your Website
Usability is ridiculously important to your website. It doesn’t matter how cool your website looks or how amazing your content is if visitors can’t quickly, easily, and enjoyably access and use it. Many of them will eventually just give up and look elsewhere.
So how do you make your website as usable as possible? Well, you’re in luck, because this article features 20 usability tips for your website. Technology will always change, thus changing the usability tips. So make sure you share your own tips and tricks with the rest of us.
1. Structure your website design around update frequency
If you’ll post new content less often, have a more static and feature-focused design. If you’ll post more often, go for a blog-style design.
2. Put the logo in the top-left, menu to the right or below
The reason for these? Accepted conventions – it’s what most web users expect
Place your logo in the top-left, and put the menu either to the right of or below it – and make sure the logo is clickable and takes the visitor back to your home page. The reason for these? Accepted conventions – it’s what most web users expect, so there’s no need to get creative deciding where to place the steering wheel in your car design, so to speak.
3. Have the search in the upper left or right
Include the search bar in the upper left or right (if applicable of course ie. you have enough content to warrant search). Also, include the word “Search” in-form so people know what that type-able bar is for.
4. Make your contact info or form easy to find
Either have the contact info or form as separate page with a dedicated link in the menu or footer, or include the contact info in the sidebar or footer.
Posted in General, Tips, Web Design
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Chiropractic Marketing 101: Facebook Marketing Secrets for Chiropractors – Social Communities
Facebook can be a powerful chiropractic marketing weapon. I have a client that got 12 new patients within a week of using Facebook. I’ll tell you exactly what he did to get these patients and I’ll list the best ways to use Facebook to grow your practice. Let’s get started!
Why should chiropractors be using Facebook?
Sheer size: Facebook has over 200 million users. Facebook is so big that if it were a country, it would be the 8th largest country in the world.
- Very active and loyal users: 4 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide) and 100 million users are logging into Facebook at least one time per day.
- Great demographics that chiropractors should love: Two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college and the fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older.
- Big marketing opportunity: The average user has 120 friends on Facebook.
That means if you can connect with 200 of your patients on Facebook, this gives you potential access to 24,000 future patients!
Here is a three step system to get patients from Facebook that yields patients: Read more here.
Posted in Social Networking, Tips
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50 Great Web Alternatives to Desktop Software
Looking for alternatives to desktop applications? Check out this link. (Also good for devices with smaller or limited hard drive space, like net books.)
http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/50-great-web-alternatives-to-desktop-software/