Benjamin Franklin recommended that you build an App. Well, sort of. “Time is money,” Mr. Franklin advised, in his pamphlet Advice to a Young Tradesman, Written by an Old One. You’ve probably heard this thought on the value of time before? Perhaps, in a way, Ben’s ponderings from 1748 are applicable today in a, well, application he never could have predicted. 265 years later, our lives are extremely fast-paced. While Ben Franklin discussed the value of hours and days, we look at mere seconds and see dollar signs. Simply put, no one can afford to wait anymore. We’re all getting used to the availability of instant information. As a business owner, if you know that your clients appreciate streamlined, highly informative content available rapidly, then you can keep them happy by providing information that is always accessible. Unfortunately, a nice website (and even a mobi...
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Search Engine Optimization is the phrase that haunts every website owner. It is one of the buzzwords that marketing gurus and web designers are recommending at every turn. “Search is the top driver of internet traffic to websites,” they say. You may have that feeling that optimizing your website is something you really ought to look into, but honestly, it’s daunting. Why is it important? Is it worth the cost? Here are some common questions webmasters ask – and some important answers you can’t afford to miss. Isn’t my engaging website enough? Not anymore. Over 86% of all online experiences start with a search engine. The majority of your customers may be starting their hunt for your website by searching – completely opening themselves to your competition, if you’re not there to beat them out. How often have you lost business because you weren’t easily found online? In ...
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Times have changed. Our contemporary society has come to expect every legitimate organization, business, non-profit, or ministry to have a well-designed website presence. When it comes to being found by your community, being available to your members, and providing information to both, you must be accessible on the web. In fact, most modern church plants are scrambling to get their site up before they even begin services. It’s almost as important as getting a meeting place arranged. Even established churches are revamping their websites to provide tools for members on-the-go. But as we become more and more dependent on smart phones and tablets to keep up with the crazy, rushed lifestyle we’ve developed, having a church website may not be enough to effectively connect with your church family. A website that fails to contain up-to-the-minute information often gets negle...
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Want brand awareness? Increased sales? Need to spread the news? Strengthen customer relationships? Or simply remind customers that you exist? Whether you’re testing the waters with direct marketing, or you’ve been sending marketing blasts for years, here are some tips to make sure your emails are effective. And read. Think about your inbox on a Monday morning. (Stifle that groan, please.) We all know the feeling of being flooded with emails. Let’s be frank: nobody opens every single email. Even your blind mouse could smell spam by now. There’s a lurking chance that your email will be banished as “trash” (or worse, “spam”) without the result you were going for. So how do you get your marketing emails opened? 1. Send your stuff to the right people. Should you purchase an email list? Probably not. “Bought recipient lists generally don't work for several reasons,” says YC...
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