Stock Photography VS the Real Thing

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The fact that 68% of American’s carry smartphones means that most of us have access to camera 24/7 hence, businesses owners no longer have an excuse to feature dreadful stock photography on their website. Let’s face it, even simple photos that are taken with a camera phone offer a quality that surpasses the awful stock photos that litter the internet.

It’s a Fact: Real photos are better for your business.

Real photography is more engaging and, by nature, supports your business marketing strategy. Original photos tell a story that allows a business to stand out from the competition. Even if the physical space of a business doesn’t lend itself to slick imagery – a little creativity can go a long way. It may be local scenery or nature shots that brings personality to a website or photo of employees at work.

Whether a professional photographer is called in to do the job or a few simple photography tips are used in order to take original photos – the effectiveness of the website will improve ten-fold when the photography is upgraded. If all else fails, take the time to search for quality shots. Thankfully there are a number of photography websites that have emerged in the last few years that offer quality photos for free no less. An organic search on Google will call them up.

Choosing a Social Media Platform for Business

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Which social media platform is the best one for my business and how often should I post?

This is a common question and it is one that I address in my initial marketing proposal to clients. Since the majority of my customers do not have a dedicated social media department, the task of posting often falls squarely on the shoulders of the business owner themselves. For this reason, I caution clients to commit to only to those platforms that they intend to fully embrace. A stagnant Facebook or Twitter page will do more harm than good. In my proposals, I identify the top two platforms that would be most beneficial to the business at hand. For example, I might encourage a commercial printer to promote their new vehicle wrapping capability on LinkedIn while my client who makes custom saddle pads may thrive on Pinterest. The decision as to which social media platform is the most effective is often determined by the whether the business is a B2B (business to business) business or a B2C (business to consumer) business.

The more daunting task – What to Post?

Developing engaging content is a challenge. Remember to always behave as a dinner guest might at someone’s home for dinner! When brainstorming ideas consider these questions:

  1. What is the headache du jour in your industry?
  2. What is the popular client question of the week?
  3. What is the latest industry buzz?
  4. Do you have an interesting story to tell about your company or it’s history?
  5. What is the competition doing?

It isn’t easy being a good conversationalist who stands out in the crowd but somebody’s got to do it!

Twas Days Before Christmas

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Twas days before Christmas and all across the net,
Small businesses had not set their New Year’s goals yet.
Their blogs were outdated, portfolio’s a mess,
They’ve slacked off of Facebook and Twitter no less!

Santa would frown if he only knew,
Not an email has gone out in 4 weeks – boo hoo!
Marketing & branding are crucial today,
Be sure not to let that visibility stray!

But, there’s help on the way, so Oh never fear
For those who want to stand out next year.
Be it a restaurant or Spa that wants to be found
or those who are lost and just and fumbling around.

DreamPix can help to find your market niche,
Just give me a jingle and a chance at the leash.
We’ll come up with a plan to suit your own needs
and generate invaluable new sales leads.

The moral of the story? Set some new goals,
ramp up the website, fill social media holes.
It does take some planning – that’s where DreamPix stesp in,
to help you woo Google so next year’s a big win.

Must Have WordPress Plugin: Flamingo

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While I have an aversion to contact forms in general, I concede that they have their place in website development. Over the years, I have used numerous contact form plugins for WordPress, many of which eventually fail to keep up with developmental upgrades. While some are superior to others, even the best of the bunch have their issues. Contact Form 7 is currently my default free form plugin of choice. The plugin itself does not save submitted messages but, forwards them via e-mail. Since issues can arise on either the client side or on the mail server side, submitted emails are at risk to be lost in cyber land. The chance of missing an email from a potential client should be avoided at all costs. Flamingo is a customer relations management (CRM) plugin that works with Contact Form 7 and is the perfect safeguard against lost emails. It requires minimal configuration and has two basic functions.

  1. It stores submitted messages in the WordPress dashboard.
  2. It archives email addresses from those messages that can be exported for email marketing purposes.

If you are using Contact Form 7 it is worth installing Flamingo along with it for added insurance. It makes managing your contact form messages a cinch.

Website Must-Haves for the Hospitality Industry

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  1. Build a website on a CMS platform such as WordPress. The content on a website for businesses in hospitality will and should change on a regular basis. Whether it is a menu of services/food/beverage, a blog, upcoming events or seasonal specials, the business owners must be able to readily make content changes.
  2. Menus must be live, current and contain pricing. While it is acceptable to have a pdf link with downloadable menus, the menu itself should be nicely displayed on a page that loads easily and is as delicious as the services or food you are offering.
  3. Showcase your establishment with a photo gallery – whether a website visitor is interested in coming to your establishment themselves or they are considering purchasing a gift card, a photo gallery will make the decision making process easier for the prospective customer. Carefully select images that showcase your establishment and tell the story of your brand. There is no need to overload.
  4. Be sure that a contact phone number is prominently displayed. As obvious as it sounds, there are many restaurants and spa’s that overlook this detail. The phone number should be visible and clickable on every page of the website as should the location of the business.
  5. A mobile responsive website is a must for any business in the hospitality industry. That means that the website will adjust itself on a fluid grid on mobile devices. A website should be clearly legible on every platform – whether it is an iPhone, an iPad and Android or a desk top computer. This not a mobile website that looks entirely different from your main website. A mobile responsive website is one website that works on multiple devices.

Branding – The Cornerstone of Success

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A logo may be at the cornerstone of the branding process but it does not define a brand alone. Branding runs far deeper and permeates the entire being of a company. A brand is reflected in the customer experience, the logo, the website, in marketing collateral and in the appearance and professionalism of employees and leaders in the business.

It is essential that every business owner embrace the art of branding. Brand awareness is essential as is having a strategic plan in place to insure that the branding message is intentional.

While branding has become a buzz word these days, the importance of it is often neglected in smaller organizations and newly formed businesses. Embracing a brand from the start is easier and less costly then attempting to implement branding 5 or 10 years down the line.

What does good branding accomplish?

  1. Branding promotes recognition and hence, referrals.
  2. It distinguishes a business from its competition.
  3. It tells the company story and creates a connection with customers.
  4. It promotes a sense of identity for employees and staff.

Start with a good idea, build on it and pay allegiance to it. Solid branding is the foundation of which an empire can be built.

Are You Leaving Money on the Table?

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Local merchants who are not offering gift cards are missing a valuable opportunity. Whether those gift cards are sold online or off, local businesses should follow the lead from national retail chains who are peddling their gift cards in supermarkets and pharmacies across the nation. Gift card sales – especially online gift card sales, have many advantages.

  1. They satisfy an urgency for those who are shopping for last minute gifts. Purchasing a gift card online is easier than a trip to a specific restaurant, spa or retail outlet. By offering an online sales opportunity, business owners are not only satisfying an immediate need but they are expanding their hours of operation to 24 hours a day without having to man the store.
  2. Online sales help business owners capitalize on seasonal opportunities. Sales will naturally increase at holiday times but by utilizing simple email marketing and social media marketing geared towards gift card sales, those numbers will increase tenfold.
  3. Making the most of seasonal shopping sprees allows retailers to better prepare for rainy days. While many people use their gift cards within the first several weeks of receiving them the remainder will be redeemed over a period of time.
  4. It is a fact that 8 to 10% of gift cards are left unused. That is a lot of money left on the table. While this can create an issue for certain establishments in regards to converting unused cards to revenue on balance sheets, a good accountant can help to solve that dilemma. It’s a value worth thinking about.

Best Practices in Website Design

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As in any industry, there are many business owners who discount the value of abiding by today’s best practices in website design. In fact, some of the largest companies in the world make that mistake, just take a peek at Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a Warren Buffet led company and see for yourself. The must-have standards that I am referring too are really quite simple.

  1. The company logo should be clearly positioned in the top left corner of the website. Research shows that it is the best placement location for visibility as users click through browser windows, especially on mobile platforms. Visitors expect the logo to be in this position and when that are placed elsewhere they are often passed over.
  2. While the “hamburger” navigation menu is a valuable space saver on mobile devices, nothing beats a fully exposed navigation menu on a desktop computer. It allows visitors to make mental shortcuts and to easily peruse the information on a website. Some web designers have taken to including the “hamburger” navigation on full websites and it is a mistake.
  3. The most important products and call-to-actions should be positioned above the fold with easy to read buttons to beckon users. Many visitors don’t scroll down beyond what they see on the screen. Keep it simple and forgo competing messages and other distractions.
  4. As of 9 months ago, a mobile responsive website is an absolute must. Without a website that is built on a flexible grid that re-adjusts components to fit properly on all mobile screens a business might just was well post a “closed for business” sign.

Certainly appealing graphics and compelling content will add to the success of the website. But, if a website meets the four criteria detailed above they will have a fighting chance at success.

Is Your Brand Showing its Age?

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When a business is in the market for a new website they are often interested in an overall facelift of their company brand. Like anything else, logos, brand identity and websites become stale and dated over time. Change can be scary and many business owners fear that if they alter their brand they may no longer be recognizable. But, even global brands know they need to stay current and that change often breathes new life into an old brand.

An updated website will be responsive and sleek meeting the latest technological standards. It makes sense that a logo should be adjusted with updated typography, colors and graphics. It is highly likely that a company brand has evolved over the years as well as how they do business and what they have to offer. It is important that these changes are reflected in the branding.

In recent years, some of the biggest names in the industry have reinvented themselves including iHOP, Open Table, SBARRO, Google, Ritz Carlton and more recently, MasterCard. Take a peek at this article in Business Insider for more on the brand makeovers.

How can Blogging Help a Business?

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Every business can benefit from a blog regardless of the nature of the business. Most websites today are built on a CMS platform that has a built-in blogging capability that should be utilized. At first glance, the idea may seem daunting and tiresome to many. Be mindful of the fact that a business blog is very different than a personal blog which often morph into personal diaries and opinionated rants.

A business blog is a tool to help business owners communicate with existing and potential customers or employees. It is a way to share information, expertise and generally to become an authority in your field.

Here are the facts:

  • Blogging is a fabulous way to boost traffic to your website, connect with customers and build your reputation.
  • It’s simple. Anyone who is passionate about their business and has thoughts to share about the industry can participate by sharing ideas and valuable links through a blog post.
  • Blogging is an inexpensive way to keep fresh content on a website that may otherwise be stagnant. New and relative content will boost a websites ranking with Google which makes blogging a win/win opportunity.

If a blogger goes one step further and familiarizes themselves with how to categorize content, the blog is sure become an invaluable marketing tool that can bring a business to new heights.

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