Leverage Blog: How to Exploit the Web.

Wheel Media Created a new blog for the CCI

Wheel Media is pleased to announce the launch of a new blog from The Center for Citizens Initiatives:  Russia: Other Points of View (ROPV).

ROPV is an alternative perspective on the current economic, political and cultural environment in Russia today.  In-depth news, research, interviews and more inform academics, analysts and everyone interested in following the growth of Russia.

Our services included the creation of a design to meet client preferences, custom programming to enable the posting of images, articles and files within the blog's pages, and training to enable the CCI team to maintain and grow their blog.  Unique features include email subscriptions to help drive traffic to the blog, and a search tool to enable visitors to find information on topics of interest.

Congrats to CCI for their introduction of a new voice in media coverage of Russia.

Store your stuff here.

Wheel Media recently helped the bay area's top self-storage facility with a new website.  Payless Self Storage is a special place to store your extra stuff, with climate-controlled units and the free use of a truck and driver to get things from point A to B.

The site is bright, clear and easy to navigate, with online coupons, descriptions of the units and all of the info you need (without the clutter of competitor's websites.)

Our favorite feature is above the storage units - the solar panels on the roof provide the power for the facility.  Payless is "off the grid" (and ahead of their time.)  Gotta love the commitment to the environment.

Visit Payless Self Storage >

What's Next In Marketing & Advertising

A supersmart presentation from Paul Isakson from the agency Space150.

If I can impart even a sliver of the ideas shared here into my work with the fine clients of Wheel Media I'll rest easier at night.
   

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What is RSS? This lil' video makes it easy

I have many clients ask me what RSS is and how it can help them.  A few years ago I wrote a post to explain the technology, but thanks to the smarties at Common Craft, I can now share a video.

A special thanks to Heather at Viaspire for the discovery.

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More New Work - JP Research

Wheel Media is pleased to announce the launch of JP Research, a global leader in safety research.  JP Research serves the automotive industry, legal community and numerous cities and companies around the world, providing professional consultancy on consumer and automotive safety.

Our task was to translate a complex analytical service into an online message and website that would build trust with the visitor.  We felt that if prospective clients could grasp the depth of experience and leadership in the space achieved by JP Research, the site would help generate new revenue.

We used clear-yet-detailed descriptions of services and case studies to show the research in action, and developed a bright and warm visual design to make the firm approachable.  Thanks to the entire team at JP Research for their vision and direction.

Visit www.jpresearch.com

Recent Launch - ProInsurance.com

We recently launched a new website for Pro Insurance, a top insurance brokerage in the Silicon Valley.   Our focus was on presenting the breadth of the firms services in a way that would educate and inform the visitor, steering away from a sales-driven tone.

Hat's off to everyone at Pro Insurance for their collaboration.

Visit www.proinsurance.com

Fundability - New Work from Wheel Media

We've recently launched a website for Fundability, a remarkable new company bringing startups and angel investors together in an online investment marketplace.  Working closely with the team at Fundability we created a visual design that would be clear and simple without being simplistic.

In addition to the design work, Wheel created content that would resonate with each audience, communicating the unique benefits of Fundability to both investors and entrepreneurs seeking funding.

Thanks to Kenneth Miller for his development expertise and everyone at Fundability; we're sure great things are coming.

www.fundability.com

New Website for Sabot Technologies: On Target?

Wheel Media recently launched a new site for an IT consultancy in Folsom Calif. called Sabot Technologies.  Our website design work has never been only about making something pretty- we're about planning.

After learning about the unique mix of services of Sabot and their goals for the coming year we settled-on a navigation scheme to make it easy for prospective clients to understand (and appreciate) the breadth of their services:  STRATEGIC, ORGANIZATIONAL, PROJECT.

A single link for "SERVICES" wouldn't draw-in the visitor to the full-scope of Sabot expertise, so we broke the services into 3 specific links.  A simple but effective way to ensure visitors recognize each offering.

See the site:  GO >>

New Work: Website and logo for CALICO

Wheel Media, the web design agency behind (or beside) LeverageBlog has launched a new website and logo for a wonderful not-for-profit organization called CALICO.  The Child Abuse Listening and Coordination Center, or CALICO, is a San Francisco Bay Area organization that brings together law enforcement and social service professionals to prosecute the perpetrators of child abuse and help the victims heal.  A truly wonderful and high-impact organization; we've enjoyed working with them.

Visit CALICO online at www.calicocenter.org.

Do you need search engine help?

Great new article in Forbes about how to hire a firm to optimize (i.e., SEO) your site for the search engines. Here's an excerpt:

For small companies that rely on search engines to drum up customers, search engine optimization is an essential part of doing business. While a committed individual can learn the basics of optimization, the process can be complicated and time consuming. But if you're thinking about hiring a consultant, avoid going with a firm whose pitch sounds too good to be true... more

To see some search engine optimization results, see this google search for "san francisco web site design"   GO.  Wheel Media is our result (and also the SEO firm)

For a product specific search, see this google search for "used anesthesia machines".  GO.  Anesthesia Plus is the client.

SEO doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg.  Get a quick quote here.

 

New Launch - Intercare Insurance

Wheel Media, the affordable web design agency at the heart of LeverageBlog, recently launched a new website for Intercare, one of the fastest growing firms in the insurance industry.  After meeting the leadership team in Northern California we quickly recognized the values that are driving their success-- integrity and results.

Rather than a busy, cluttered site filled with 1,000 promises (which appeared to be the industry standard,) we created a clear, confident design to present an assertive, straight-forward message.  And we're hearing good things.

Visit the site here.

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Sacramento web design

Quote of the Day

The idea that Google has some edge because they've got super-duper rocket scientists may be a little antiquated now.

This is from Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, when he announced in Tokyo that they will be releasing a collaboration-based search engine to challenge Google.  For those not familiar with Wikipedia, it's an online encyclopedia edited by readers.  Take a look and search for a topic you know something about-- I bet you'll find the results pretty impressive.

Another search engine, you ask?  Sure, I say.  Competition and alternatives make the net-go-round!

greene-engineers.com website launches

3/1/07 -- We recently launched a new website for Greene Engineers, a leading engineering firm in the Silicon Valley.  The research phase of our project revealed an impressive client list and the importance of coming across as confident but not "sales-driven" in our content and messaging.

(Engineers don't appreciate a sales-pitch-- they just want to see the the work.)

Our design is crisp and clear, with an clear emphasis on the clients and projects that have made Greene a leader in their industry.  We figured we'd connect with more visitors by talking more about our work than about ourselves, so case-studies and project-profiles dominate the content.

Take a peek here.

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San Francisco web design

Recent Website Launch: SecureYourTrademark.com

2/12/07 -- Wheel Media recently launched a new online venture for a prominent New York attorney called SecureYourTrademark.com.

Working from a design provided from the client, Wheel created a search-engine-friendly site to offer affordable trademark registration legal services to clients across the nation and the world.  The content is written to provide the entrepreneur with useful information related to copywright research and trademark registration, positioning the business as a resource as well as law practice.

Purchase options are simple and flexible, with forms that enable payment by eCommerce, fax or postal mail.  Take a look at www.secureyourtrademark.com.

Email marketing results (big $$$)

This news just in:  The HTML emails we're sending for www.exhibitservices1.com are working.  I could give you conversion data about the open-rate and click-through rates, but instead I thought I'd simply say that after the campaign their email box started filling-up and the phone started ringing.  They have orders that are 8-times greater than the cost of the campaign.  Now THAT's some serious ROI.

There's no secret here, just the basic elements of successful email marketing:

• A good list of names
• A great subject line
• A clear, simple, cleanly designed HTML email
• Links that work
• A great website that will inspire web visitors to make contact

Oh, and don't forget to send it from a third-party server and comply with the SPAM laws.

Next step:  Hit Google and find yourself an email list that targets your customer.  Before you buy, make sure you tell them no Spam trap' addresses and no 'global unsubscribes.'  They can't guarantee every email address, but if they know you're a smart shopper they won't sell you a spam list.

Happy hunting!

A good read: The New Rules of PR

This Friday I offer you some smart ideas about Public Relations in today's online world.  A few highlights:

• Optimizing news releases for search.
• Utilizing online distribution services to reach thousands of web sites and blogs.
• Leveraging advanced social media features including TrackBacks/PingBacks and Technorati tagging to extend the reach of your news.
• Developing content that attracts your key audiences and drives traffic to your site.

Thanks to PRWeb and David for the open distribution.

Download New-Rules-of-PR.pdf

Search engine optimization tips in USA Today

I was suprised (happily) to see SEO (search engine optimization) mentioned in USA today this week.  A sign that small businesses understand that succeeding on the web is a one-two punch.

Punch One is having a great website.  Great websites have a clean, easy-to navigate design with clear headlines, persuasive content and inviting calls-to-action.  There is no reason to invest time and money in SEO if we can't convert the visitor to your site into a LEAD, right?

Punch Two is search engine optimization.  As the article says, you first need to research the terms (called keywords) that your customers are using on Google and Yahoo! to find a business like yours.  At Wheel Media we do this research up-front.

Next you need a developer to incorporate those keywords into your website code using a formula that works with the search engines.  There is no magic bullet here-- changing one or ten elements on your site won't be enough to make significant impact-- the optimized site needs a cohesive structure.

Finally, get other sites to link to you.  Again the article is on the right track here, but as the reader says at the bottom...the process can be very time consuming and full of trial-and-error.  I suggest you outsource to a firm that has a track-record...and stay focused on running your business.

• Read the article here
• Get a quote for search engine optimization here

New Research on Email Marketing (Hint: Add a link or three)

Oh, and add a few pictures while you're at it.

Research released today from the Email Experience Council revealed that 28% of marketing emails don't have links that take the reader back to the advertisers website.

And many are missing images.

Oops.

If you're going to send email marketing, send it in HTML and include interesting, relevant images and 2-3 links back to specific products/services on your website.  There are a number of other super-important details, including sending from an independent server (not MS Outlook from your desktop) to protect against accusations of being a SPAMMER.  This is key.  The research also shows that the creative-- the design and the content-- are critical to the results, starting with a great subject-line.

The fact that emails are going out without images and without links suggests that small businesses have a great opportunity here:  Do email marketing right and you'll leave the competition in the dust.

• More info on email marketing is here.
• Talk to these guys if you're curious if email marketing will pay off.
• Full article is here.

Is your website in the top pages of the search engines?

Clients often ask me about search engines and how they work.  I thought I'd give a quick primer on how things work to help business-owners get ready for 2007.

The short answer on search engine marketing is about paid versus natural results.  The paid results on the top and right side of Google cost you monthly, and you pay even when it's your competitor clicking on your ad.  (Not fun.)

The natural results are the large, prominent text in the center of the page, and they rank websites by interpreting their code.  This interpretation is complex, with dozens of factors including page structure, keyword density and inbound-links playing a role.

As a marketer I prefer natural results.  In 1-3 months Wheel Media can move a website from page 37 to page 2 for a search that a customer might make to find you.  There is no mystery or gimmick to our service, just specific programming your website based on our research.

How about some evidence?  It's hard to argue with results.

One small business client has developed seminars for their corporate clients.  Targeting human resources professionals, our client teaches an approach called integral health-- a philosophy of personal wellness shown to keep employees invested in their own health (resulting in less time-off and higher productivity.)

So far so good?

A HR professional who has read about this approach might want to find a consultant to give a seminar to their company, going to Google and searching for integral health seminars.'

People don't search for integral health seminar's in big numbers, but those who do know just what they are looking for.  Wow-- what a perfect lead.

Give it a try at www.Google.com.  Up in the top 5 results you'll find a company called Integral Health Options.  Not a big site (and not an expensive service.)

More on search engine optimization next week.

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Wheel Media:  A San Francisco web design and sacramento web design company

Site Review: American Truck and Trailer Body Co.

Ever wonder who builds those with utility trucks?  The ones that the power company uses to fix the electrical-lines?

No?

We didn't either...until we got a call from the company who builds them here in Northern California. All arose the San Francisco Bay Area the utility company is PG&E, and the truck-builder is American Truck and Trailer Body Co.

After a couple months of research and discussion, followed-by design and programming, American has a new website to show off their work.  As a custom fabricator of heavy equipment, the site focuses on the equipment.  A deep portfolio of images is organized in a way their customers will appreciate, and the content is confident without making a big sales-pitch.

Our goal was to communicate professionalism and build credibility with the AT&TB customer, establishing trust that will ensure they stand-out from the competition.

Take a look at www.attbcinc.com, even if your not in the market for an underground maintenance truck.

Is your business both product and service?

If your business involves both a product (a kitchen countertop, for example) and a service (professional installation of that countertop) then your marketing message needs to address both parts, right?

Step one is to help the customer fall in love with your product.  A company that sells Corian countertops needs to get customers attached-to the unique aspects of Corian (i.e., available in a broad range of colors) and sell against any perceived weaknesses (i.e, not as elegant as granite.)

Step two is to sell your service.  In this case, we first make sure the customer understands installation is a specialized craft requiring a high level of expertise.  Now that they know experience matters we present our credentials: years of experience, training, testimonials from previous clients, etc.

Blend the two messages together in the countertop company example and you might get a website like Signature Surfaces Inc.  With a dual-message of promoting the product and the expertise required to install that product, we've presented ourselves with clarity and confidence.

Keys to great websites (from the New York Times)

THE idea that if you build it, they will come, might have worked for Kevin Costner in the movie “Field of Dreams,” but it certainly does not hold true for Web sites.

Brilliant! Now my clients and readers won't just have to take my word for it.  Recently the NY Times had an article discussing great web design and it's full of smart ideas-- best-practices that every small business website should follow to be an effective marketing tool.  A few tidbits:

• Build a bad-looking small-business site filled with poorly written text, and your potential customers will go away.

• Web pages must visually hit a visitor right between the eyes. If a site does not answer a user’s questions about a business, then you have scored one for the competition.

• Users spend 30 seconds reviewing a home page...a business must encapsulate what they do in very few words.

Does my web design agency Wheel Media make the grade?  Do we design with these principles in mind?  I say yes, but pop-over and take a peek for yourself!
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Read the full article here.  (Free online subscription required.)

B2B Web Design Example: West Valley Construction

Wheel Media recently launched a new website for West Valley Construction, a 50 year-old construction firm based in the Silicon Valley.  If you drink the water or drive the roads of the SF Bay Area chances are you've seen their work.

When I'm thinking about a business-to-business website I'm focused on three goals:

• A design that is clean and easy to navigate
• Content that is confident and invites the visitor to make contact
• Interactive features that sell their unique strengths

In this case, we chose to give one of WVC's core lines-of-business added visibility by dedicating a space in the navigation for it.  ("Design-Build").  We used Flash to introduce a couple projects, and listed their clients to demonstrate the trust for WVC in the marketplace.  We also made a printable version of every page, ensuring the format would remain intact if a visitor wanted a paper-copy.

I can't say enough how important it is for B2B companies to have a clear and professional website.  The web is the first place most people go to learn about a new business-- if your firm sounds smart and looks good you're one step closer to a new client.  If your old site from 1999 has broken links and is a chore to navigate, well... maybe we can do something about that.

A lawyer (and website) you can trust

Let's be honest, in the legal field a few unscrupulous egomaniacs have given the profession a bad name.  The attorneys I know play by the rules and are whip-smart to boot-- you won't find me telling lawyer jokes at parties.  Granted I don't want to have to hire these talented folks anytime soon, but it's good to know they're around.

On the web it's hard to find a lawyer's website that conveys these positive messages:  Experience, knowledge, credibility...and some humanity.  Recently a very successful lawyer in San Francisco approached Wheel Media looking for a website and not knowing where to begin.  We took the opportunity to study her practice, style and her clientele and create a site that established trust.

Clear and appealing in words and design, this site is small but effective.  The objective of the site is to establish credibility, and inspire a phone call.

We think this is one attorney website visitors will feel good about.  Take a peek at www.robbinsfamilylaw.com

Email lists: Be careful

A quick tip for anyone considering an email marketing campaign:  Do your homework on the list you're considering.

I'll back-up.  There are two types of opt-in email marketing lists:  addresses you gather on your website and those that you buy from a vendor.

An example of a Wheel Media client website with the former is www.pcpipe.com.  This is a very reliable way to gather a list of customers and prospects.  The list will grow slowly, but the quality of the list is high because people have pro-actively taken action.  An excellent strategy.

Buying a list is a bit more tricky.  You'll need to confirm that the names are opt-in, that you aren't paying for duplicate email addresses, and that if there is a problem with the list they will work with you.  The most reliable way to conduct a mail campaign is to use an agency for the content, design and coding, and a dedicated service for the mailing.  This ensures you comply with spam laws.

This mailing service also will also do a cursory review of the list to ensure it's clean.  This review checks for fake email addresses (i.e., fdsfsdf@sfsdf.com) or a high percentage of globally-unsubscribed email addresses.  If it does, you won't be able to send to it, period.  (And you wouldn't want to, because emailing people that don't want to hear from you does more harm than good.)

More info here.

Who would you work with?

Pretend for a minute.

Pretend you're in charge of the next tradeshow for Intel and you need to have an exhibit designed.  You know, a big booth with workstations and product displays.  The whole enchilada.

You hop online, search Google and find a couple companies that do this sorta stuff:

Nutmeg Exhibit 

ESC

What do you think?  Does design make a difference to you, as someone evaluating companies online? If you're like most of us, I'm guessing yes.  We're all drawn to things that are visually appealing; that anticipate our questions and answer them.  All things that are well-designed, from the ipod to websites, inspire trust and build confidence.

And what does all that inspiration mean to a small business?

One more customer (or three.)

How much should you spend on a new website?

As the director of a web design agency I appreciate how difficult it is to answer this question.

We all know how to shop for a new computer-- compare a few different manufacturers, look for online reviews, choose features, and buy one.  Not the cheapest, and not the top-of-the-line.

But how much should a small business pay for the company website?  If you read the spam you might think $299.  And if you speak to one of hundreds of very talented interactive advertising agencies across the U.S. you might get figures of $60,000, $80,000 or more...

It's hard to identify value in an industry that's fairly new.  For small businesses, I offer the fairly simplistic rule-of-thumb:

• Small company:  1%
• Medium-sized company:  .5%

I'm referring of course to a percentage of annual revenue.  Spending less than 1% of your annual revenue on a marketing tool that is working for you 24/7 is a responsible, smart investment.  This is not an annual investment-- this is key-- this is a one-time cost.  Unlike recurring marketing costs, once you build a website the bulk of the expense is history.  Paid-for.  Finished.

Sure, you might decide down the road to optimize your site for Google, or do an email marketing campaign, or change up the content, but these projects are smaller (and much lower in cost.)

Do the math yourself-- how many sales do you need for a 1% investment to pay for itself?  How many new clients?  I'm guessing not many.

Relying on a busy, incomplete and unattractive website is like giving your clients a shoddy service:  It may be OK, but it's not going to help your business grow.

Google is obsolete

I'm sorry to draw you in with such a ridiculous headline.  I couldn't resist, because I just discovered a threat to Google.  And more importantly, a useful new type of search engines for small business.

Retrevo, is a vertical search engine for consumer electronics.  What is a vertical search engine?  One that focuses on something specific.  Use Retrevo to search for some electronic product, like “D200” (i.e., The Nikon D200) in Retrevo and then in Google, and you'll see why vertical search engines are on the rise.  The results are simply better.

Small business owners know that their customers are using their web to do their homework, and Google is where they start.  In a few years maybe there will be a vertical search engine as well.  The bottom line is that professional websites are what people are looking for-- they inspire customers to pick up the phone.  Small time, low-budget websites, well, they make companies look small-time.

With the rise of vertical search engines and local small business directories like MerchantCircle it's never been easier for customers to use the web to find and compare companies.

Companies like yours.

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Thanks to Guy Kawasaki and his blog for the tip on Retrevo.  More wisdom here.

Can your customers find you using Google?

Many business-to-business clients of Wheel Media have asked me about search engines and how they work.  The short answer is with paid or natural results.  The paid results on the top and right side of Google cost you monthly, and you pay even when it's your competitor clicking on your ad.  (Not fun.)

The natural results are the large, prominent text in the center of the page, and they rank websites by interpreting their code.  This interpretation is complex, with dozens of factors including page structure, keyword density and inbound-links playing a role.

As a marketer I prefer natural results.  In 1-3 months Wheel Media can move a website from page 37 to page 2 for a search that a customer might make to find you.  There is no mystery or gimmick to our service, just specific programming your website based on our research.

How about some evidence?  It's hard to argue with results.

One small business client has developed seminars for their corporate clients.  Targeting human resources professionals, our client teaches an approach called integral health-- a philosophy of personal wellness shown to keep employees invested in their own health (resulting in less time-off and higher productivity.)

So far so good?

A HR professional who has read about this approach might want to find a consultant to give a seminar to their company, going to Google and searching for integral health seminars.'

People don't search for integral health seminar's in big numbers, but those who do know just what they are looking for.  Wow-- what a perfect lead.

Give it a try at www.Google.com.  Up in the top 5 results you'll find a company called Integral Health Options.  Not a big site (and not an expensive service.)

More on search engine optimization next week.

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Wheel Media:  A San Francisco web design and sacramento web design company

I'm back

Yes, I'm back.

From vacation?  Well yes, but that's not important.  Wheel Media, the web design and marketing agency that is my j-o-b has been flying high, leaving no time for writing.  But I'm managing the growth by finding really amazing people to join us, and that will bring me back to Leverage.

I was pointed to some great ideas from Paul Gillin in BtoB magazine (thanks to David Baker,) and without a lot of commentary I'll throw them out here:

"We hear a lot about blogs, but blogs aren't important. What's important is personal publishing, or the ability to communicate a message to a global audience almost instantaneously. Personal publishing will permeate electronic media, providing counterpoint to mainstream sources and adding depth and color to the conversation.

"We hear a lot about podcasts, but podcasts aren't important. What's important is time-shifted media. The phenomenon that started with TiVo has spread to digital audio and will soon capture portable video. Information consumers will no longer be beholden to program schedules or even their living rooms. Our TV shows will travel with us.

"We hear a lot about RSS, but RSS isn't important. What's important is the ability to subscribe to information that really interests us. RSS is mainly used to subscribe to blog posts and podcasts. But in the future, they will use it to subscribe to ideas."

Simple and smart food for thought.

...yet with all the talk about new Internet technologies I still find it odd that many small businesses don't understand the importance (i.e., the potential) of a website.  Most entrepreneurs know everyone goes online to check us out before they call.  It's a no-brainer.  Yes blogs and podcasts and RSS are valuable communication and marketing tools, but often forward-thinking ideas like Gillin's make me look backward at the foundation-- a plain website with a 1980 design makes a poor first impression.

Anyway, I'm back.  More news soon.

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Sacramento Web Design

LeverageBlog Review: MerchantCircle local business marketplace

I recently discovered a new marketing opportunity for small businesses, an online business community called MerchantCircle. I had the opportunity to speak to the CEO, Ben Smith, a veteran entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley and his Co-Founder Wayne Yamamoto, another startup guru.

In a nutshell, MerchantCircle provides a web presence for local businesses-- the cafe down the street from your office, or the dry cleaner on the corner.  Many local merchants don't need a custom, professional website, and MerchantCircle gives them a place online with a host of great features-- coupons, a blog, customer ratings and more.  And with the starting cost at free, it's growing fast. (A new business comes online about every 1/2 hour.)

More online visibility lies in the paid levels and the ability to secure ads on Google and Yahoo! for local searches, and the company is making great strides in sea ch engine ranking.  When I asked Ben for some early success-stories for MerchantCirlce businesses he suggested I do a search of my own:

If you live in the town of Lemoyne, Pennsylvania and need new gutters for your house you might use Google to search for "lemoyne gutter company" right?  Try the search here.

You'll find the top result isn't a local listing from Google or Yahoo!, it's a MerchantCircle listing from All American Gutter.  Now that's exciting. My agency Wheel Media has been providing search engine marketing services for years, and our research shows consumers are including their city in Google searches more and more.  (and leaving the yellow pages in the drawer...)  You don't need a company if San Francisco if you live in Lemoyne.

If Ben and his MerchantCirlce businesses come up early in local search results this site will drive huge revenue for the members-- not to mention MerchantCircle investors.

Thanks to Ben and Wayne for taking the time to introduce me to MerchantCircle.  Their early success is impressive and the usefulness to the local business clear.  Sounds like a winner to me.

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Wheel Media

san francisco web design

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(even) More proof that your clients visit websites.

Do we need more evidence that websites influence buying decisions?  That your customer is using the web more every day, trusting it more deeply, and pulling-out their credit card?

Well, we got some.

I read today that a recent art school graduate used a blog, a social networking website, and an online gallery online gallery to sell her art.  $20,000 worth so far.  She's using a website, blog and good-old-fashioned networking to grow her business.

She's succeeding (in large part) due to a striking design and compelling content.  Her website is attractive, professional and useful to her audience, and her blog sports a clean design and a message well-suited to her customer.  Well done Emily.

Thanks to Seth for the discovery.

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ADMIN:

 SACRAMENTO WEB DESIGN

WEB DESIGN QUOTE

SAN FRANCISCO WEB DESIGN

LeverageBlog Interview: Michael Simmons

As soon as I discovered the young entrepreneur and author Michael Simmons I knew I'd found a source of inspiration.  At 24 this tenacious New Yorker has already started a business and written a book; this guy is clearly just getting started.  I spoke to him recently to learn more about his background, book and keys to success.

In 1999, while still in high school, Michael created a web design company with a friend. (Yes, high school.)  They flew-high during the days of the Internet boom, but unfortunately couldn't keep the doors open after the crash.  He realized his experience as a student embarking on the entrepreneurial journey was a story others wanted to hear and he wrote The Student Success Manifesto, a smart collection of business best-practices tailored to ambitious college students.  He won the endorsement of Stephen Covey of the 7 Habits empire, and the book moved up the Amazon.com best-seller list.

Michael's focus is students, and he's a sought-after speaker at schools across the country.  Moving forward he and his business-partner have plans for an online community for high-achieving college students.  Picture a MySpace that's about personal growth instead of partying, or a LinkedIn for students.

The bottom line:  If you have a daughter, son or nephew that was setting-up a lemonade stand every weekend since they were 6 years old, buy them a copy of The Student Success Manifesto.  Even better, if you work in education contact Michael via his website and bring him to your school.

As an entrepreneur who worked with a startup serving college students Michael's vision is particularly inspiring to me; I'll be keeping a close watch on his career.

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SEO

sacramento web design

san francisco web design 

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When will your customer call you a spammer?

Email marketing continues to get a bad rap.

Small business executives get so much spam in their own in-box that they figure an email marketing campaign will be a waste of time-- or worse-- their company will develop a reputation as a spammer.  Being cautious is wise, but I feel avoiding email marketing completely is a mistake.

In today's Email Insider newsletter Eric Sass mentions the three most common types of consumer complaints about email marketing.  They make sense to me:

1. The subject matter isn't relevant.
2. The company sends too many emails.
3. The email links to shady websites (spyware, for example.)

The bottom-line?  Build an email list yourself, with real clients and prospects, and respect their time.  Follow these guidelines and you can leave the SPAM on the dinner-table...or on the shelf at the supermarket.

Firefox web browser

I don't often recommend products or software on Leverage-- I figure my readers visit a host of other sites and blogs for that info.  But I recently discovered a very useful feature on the Firefox web browser.  (Think of Firefox as an alternative to Internet Explorer...but with more features and flexibility.  It's free. More information and download at www.getfirefox.com.)

Among the time-savers and conveniences of Firefox is a simple way to increase the type size of any web page.  Hold down the [Control] key and press the [+].  A few clicks and you can reduce the eye-strain on those small-type websites.

Does this mean I'm getting older?  Hmmm.

Web 2.0: I believe in its future

I've got a theory on the Web 2.0 technology boom, and I brought a visual aid.  Refer to the chart at left, and let's begin.

OK, right now the number of "Web 2.0" companies is growing like crazy. (See the top line, the thin one.)  What's a Web 2.0 company?  To keep it simple, let's say Web 2.0 products and services involve social-networks and user involvement on the web. MySpace is one, where the users are creating the online content-- personal web pages-- and connecting with one another.

Flickr is another.  Users, like me, upload photos to share, and we label them for others on the site to find and enjoy.  (Go here for an expanded definition of Web 2.0.)

These companies and their online "products" are (mostly) amazing, creative and very, very useful.

On my chart thick line is the number of people who understand these new tools and are using them.  I'm not talking about being hip and in the know; and I'm not making a value-judgment.  I'm talking about people who have chosen to invest the time to learn about and use tools like Flickr, RSS or del.icio.us.

After all, it takes time to integrate this stuff into your life, right?  What if you enjoy Triathlons more than technology, like my brother Eric?  He's not listening to podcasts, he's running his business...and training for the next race.  He's no slouch when it comes to technology, but we all make choices about how to spend our time.  Choosing the web over a Triathlon-- one isn't 'better' than the other.

My point is there are tens-of-millions of Americans like my brother, slowly integrating the new technology into their lives.  It will take time.

OK, back to the graph.  The two lines intersect, and that's good because with adoption we get profitability, which leads to more innovation and more creative, useful products.  BUT before they intersect I see this...gulp...downturn.  (The cross-hatched area.)  I'm a startup veteran, and I helped burn-through venture capital and watched the business turn-out the lights; I've been there, it's heartbreaking.  But here's my point about this downturn (and I hesitate to call it that:) It's going to be different this time.

That cross-hatched area on the very scientific graph up there?  Not fallout or crash.  Not YIKES but more...YOWZA! Why?  The people.  The people starting these companies are collaborative, open-source thinkers and this will help the consolidation (which will happen) to occur more gradually and with less fallout.  These innovators are more patient, less enamored with wealth, more often self-funded and stable, and the VC's funding them are more prudent too.  They will merge with one another and will survive.

I'm optimistic. I'm excited. I say YOWZA.

What do you say?

Elton John earned over $50 million last year. (And what that has to do with your business.)

Good things happen to your business when you make the investment.  The Long Trail from Seth's Blog:

[...Want to guess what these musical acts have in common?

The Rolling Stones
The Eagles
Elton John
U2
Paul McCartney

They each made more than $50 million last year, according to Forbes. They accounted for 40% of the top 10 acts.  The long trail is what happened...

...The long trail explains why so many unprofitable movies turn a profit when the DVD comes out. The Shawshank Redemption got seven Academy Award nominations when it was released, but disappointed at the box office. Now, after more than 1.3 million reviews at NetFlix, it is one of the most enduring DVD hits ever.

The long trail is a reminder to invest like your product might just be around in ten years...]

LeverageBlog Interview: AttentionTrust

Where are you focusing your attention on the web?  A non-profit startup called AttentionTrust wants to help you protect (and profit from) your web surfing history.  I'm glad they're on our side.

I recently interviewed Ed Batista, the Executive Director of AttentionTrust, a non-profit in San Francisco, CA researching the implications of our online attention, and their work is worth a m