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Archive for February, 2007
Viral Marketer’s Having A Bla.St
Published by Chris | Filed under Reviews, Web 2.0 | February 24th, 2007
After reading about bla.st over at John Chow dot Com, I ran over to the bla.st website to see what all the rambling was about.
Boosting your Bla.st Card
Given that I am cheapo, I opted to go with the free card (free is cool) but the generous guys at bla.st have a promotion running where they will add value to your account simply by providing a link to their site or a review of the site, maybe thats the reason why I am writing this post…not!
First Impressions.
After spending a couple of minutes to sign up and create my image for my card. By the way Signing-up and uploading your card image is a breeze, took me only three minutes to have my account up and running. The site design is very easy to navigate and all in all its a great idea with lots of potential. Seeing that the site is relatively new my card listing is very good, infact I’m listed #1 under gadgets, but eventually my listing will drop as other people opt to pay for their cards and because I’m cheapo!
One Suggestion
As I look through the site, I thought unless you are a frequent reader of a particular site like john Chow blog, it will be difficult to know basis of the site card. Maybe the folks at bla.st should display more information about the site in the pop-up window, which opens up when you scroll over the image cards. So readers will get an idea what the site is all about. Remember I’m not complaining; just imagine when the site has thousands of cards.
Well I’m going to wait to see what traffic having my bla.st Card listed, I mean it didn’t cost me a dime. Post me a comment if you add a card so I can look it up.
5 Tips How To Present Your Website
Published by Chris | Filed under Small Business | February 21st, 2007
What image do you sell yourself (or business) to the world through your website? This is the first question any small and medium size business would ask. Nearly very potential customers often go online to gather their first impression about a company. A bad first impression can leave a negative affect in the minds of potential customers. Designing from the user’s point of view too me is the most important thing. There are some folks who maybe don’t agreed with me, but here are five characteristics I believe SMBs should keep in mind when designing their website.
Easy to Read
Customers don’t want to read a home page that has a million things going all at once. Make your home page easy to skim with bullet list and a few links. Remember your homepage is the face of your business.
Easy to navigate
Make it clear which links are clickable; too many links can overwhelm customers. Some business sites try to present too much at the potential customer all at once. Sometime less is better.
Easy to find
In your text, use keywords strategically; make the search engine work for you. Based on how prospects view your business search engines will pick up you pages.
Consistent
Maintain a template layout so users don’t have to keep learning the way your information is organized. Customer appreciate things they have grown accustom too and the websites are no difference.
Quick
Make sure graphics download quickly and have a purpose. If your website is slow in loading information, which may be a downside for your business and customers. It’s important when choosing a Web Hosting Company and ISP (Internet Service Provider), to host your site on the internet. Your site being down too frequently could present a bad image of your business.
Overall, the Internet helps to level the playing field for businesses; a well-designed site allows the small and medium sized business owner to be just as effective as larger competitors, whether it’s in creating an image, providing information, and reaching a global market.
To Make Money You’ve to Sell Yourself
Published by Chris | Filed under Small Business | February 20th, 2007
For most business problems, there’s an obvious solution: Make more sales. Need a new Web site? Need more staff? Need new products or services? The answer: Get out there and make sales. Let’s face it, most business problems can be helped - if not solved - by having more money. And the most direct way to increase your income is to pick up the phone, walk out the door, and go out there and sell. But to succeed we have to sell. So here’s a very quick refresher course on keys to successful sales:
Change your attitude
It’s natural to think of sales calls as an imposition on others. But if you’re offering your customer something they truly need or want, you’re doing them a service.
Give yourself a quota
Set a goal of how many calls you have to make a day or a week and keep it.Never loose sight of your goal.
Know what you’re selling
You have to be able to present your product/service clearly and concisely.Do abit of research, know as such about whate you’re selling
Listen
You can’t make a sale if you’re doing all the talking.Take sometime to listen the customer.
Start with smaller customers
And never forget them even once you’re successful.
Build relationships
People buy from other people.
Be persistent rather than insistent
Most people think you have to be “pushy� to be a successful salesperson. You don’t. You just have to stick with it.
Keep your calendar out
When you make a sales call, many customers won’t need your product or service at that time. But they may later, so ask when you can call them again.
Follow up
You’ve met a lot of people at all those mixers and trade shows you’ve attended. Call them and follow up. Turn those leads into customers.
TextMark New Revenue or 3 years Too Late
Published by Chris | Filed under Internet | February 19th, 2007
TextMark today will announce a new service that allows Bloggers to charge readers to receive breaking news via SMS text messages. If you’re early bird like I am sign up today and you check-out TechCrunch for more info.
In my opinion TextMark felt short 3 years too late with this new service. People are already paying a fortune for SMS text services and why should they pay more – when there is RSS. Also the amount that a publisher gets from is too small. I can’t see the average blog making any real money. Maybe, TextMark should offer some type off incentive to blogger and Subscribers
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