Archive for Web Design

How Can I Get Your Attention!!! Look at me please! LinkedIn Can Help with that!

/ January 24, 2012 / No comments

Are You Looking Yet?

Trying to get someone to notice you online is like going into a stadium during the hype of a game and screaming “Look at Me!” Just because we say “Look at Me” doesn’t mean anyone hears us!

When we drive our cars, we often see signs on the side of the road “open house” and for the most part, we never pay attention.  If I go back eight years when my husband and I we were looking for a house, we did pay attention to the “open house” signs on the road!

The same is true for marketing. If we want to be heard, we need to be in front of the right audience.  We’re not going build a vegetable stand in the middle of the mall- people don’t go to the mall to buy potatoes and squash. The flea market might be a better option.

LinkedIn Can Help with That!

Obviously, you need to be in front of the right people… seriously, you don’t to sell guns to toddlers!  Get involved with GROUPS on LinkedIn and you will be in front of the right audience!  Once we’re in front of the right audience…then what?  Glad you asked! Make your story highly visual and personable! Tell your story of how you became a business owner and who you are. Have some of your clients post referrals about you. Send your story to local news stations and newspapers… don’t just make it about selling your product/service…. let people know your story. No matter how digital we all become, nothing will ever trump the relationship card. So, what’s your story? Why should businesses or individuals choose you?

We can help you with all that and we can also make some pretty sharp, highly functional websites with SEO! http://www.rainandcompany.com

Make it a great day and live today with a purpose!
Helene

Category: Branding, Content, Graphics, Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Web Design / Tags: , , ,

The Importance of Beauty + Functionality+SEO=Successful Website

/ January 21, 2012 / 4 comments

Design beautiful, creative, SEO, functional websites in Tampa Bay, FL

Do you know that the average person will look at a website for less than two seconds? If you ranked high enough or had the right keywords and you attracted a potential customer, two seconds is not a long time. People don’t read a chapter in two seconds… what determines if they stay or leave?

1. Beauty: Are you graphics appealing and relevant to your products/services?  Do you have tag lines that can be captured in less than two seconds?

2. Functionality: Are the items positioned in a way that is easy for the ready to follow? Do you have too many functions or banners or advertising on your website? Can someone find what they want at a glance (even if it’s the product button).

3. SEO: Do you have tags on each image? Do you have nice long titles that are relevant to what you offer? Do you regularly research what keywords people are using to get to your website and are those in your meta tags?

I know, I’m asking a lot of questions for a stranger! I want your website to be all that it can be 🙂  Problem is, it can’t do it without you or someone who has the knowledge to do so. The way I see it is pretty simple. You’ve already paid to have a website and hosting and email addresses…. but that’s only half of what needs to be done. If you can’t do it, there are experts who can help! Your website should be your best seller, if it’s not, maybe it’s time to contact us!  http://www.rainandcompany.com

Until we speak again!

Helene

Category: Branding, Content, Graphics, Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Web Design / Tags: , , ,

Four Items Every Website Should Have!

/ January 17, 2012 / One comment

Four most important thing a website needsWe’ve all seen the “not so pretty” websites. There’s the highly functional but ugly websites and then there’s the “really, what were you thinking” websites out there.

As a web designer, I try to stay on the edge of the latest trends.  Here’s a list of four things every website should be mindful about and should absolutely have.

  1. Relevant Photos and Images. The goal is that you want people to read what’s on your website right? Study show that you have less than 2 seconds to entice a viewer to “want more” so if you don’t have relevant and captivating images, people won’t stay on your site.
  2. Captions that describe who you are in 10 words or less. Who are you? What do you offer? Why should I pick you? Those are all key questions that should make up the main caption on your website. Make it big and bold so that people don’t have to search.
  3. Social Media. Many people refuse to get on board with social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Blogging (just to name a few.) This is not a contest about who will give in first. Social Media is about driving traffic to your website. Times have changed and yes, Social Media has become important if you’re a business owner. Ask for help if you can’t figure it out!
  4. Blogging. If you have a website, you can drive twice as much traffic to your website if you have a blog. I’m not talking about a blog that is hosted on another server. In order to drive traffic to your website, you will need a blog with your url- example: http://www.yourwebsite.com/blog. Every time you add a blog, you add another page to your website. Although I create all my websites in HTML/CSS, I use WordPress for my blogs because they can be interactive. I can add categories, tags and photos.

If you’re in business, you should at least have all the items that I listed above. There’s a lot of competition out there, why not stand out and be the best you can be!

Make it a great day!

Helene

 

Category: Branding, Content, Graphics, Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Web Design / Tags: , , , ,

Small Businesses: Spread the Word with Social Media!

/ January 12, 2012 / No comments

Successful B2B = Word of Mouth!

Social Media and Small Businesses

Hubspot published an incredible Whitepaper entitled “Marketing Data: 100 AWESOME Marketing Stats, Charts, & Graphs.”

In my previous blog, I talk about adding the personal aspect for B2B Marketing. This graph is a good example of how effective personal opinion can be.

Don’t be afraid to use social media to get customer feedback. Of course a company will always say good things about their product(s) or service(s)… BUT when it comes from a third party, people pay more attention.

A wise person once told me “You can’t argue with experience!” That’s it right there, in a nutshell! Contact us today and let us be your marketing department!  http://www.rainandcompany.com

Have a great day!
Helene

Category: Branding, Content, Graphics, Marketing, Web Design / Tags: , , , ,

Companies Simply Can’t Afford to NOT have a Marketing Plan!

/ January 11, 2012 / No comments
Marketing Plan in a down economy

Attention Small to Mid-Size Companies!

Marketing is the one thing that you need in a down economy! Cutting back on Marketing should be the last option right now!

If companies can’t hire a Marketing Manager, than hire a contractor that knows what they’re doing. With all the tools out there (and the new Google + tool) a good marketing company will know how to target new customers and how to get “old” customers interested in your products or services again. With great graphics and videos and interesting information, companies should put themselves back in the game!

If you need help in your company, give us a call or email me at helene@rainandcompany.com for a free consult!
http://www.rainandcompany.com

Category: Marketing, Web Design / Tags: , , ,

Marketing and Web-Design Go Together!

/ January 7, 2012 / No comments

Marketing- Web DesignYou finally decided to get a website and now you’re looking at the analytics and you’re surprised that you’re not getting many visitors?

What many people don’ realize is that a web site without the proper tools to market it such as SEO, Social Media, Branding, MARKETING will just be another website in the big black hole of the Internet abyss.

If you’re looking at getting a website, make sure you go with someone that can help you with the marketing. This will generate leads, bring new users to see your website and will be directed to the right audience.

Make it a great day!

Helene

For more information, please visit our website http://www.rainandcompany.com

Category: Marketing, Web Design / Tags: , , ,

Keep It Simple in Your eBlasts! NO OVERCRAMMING ALLOWED!

/ January 7, 2012 / No comments

eNewsletterWe get them all… those e-Blasts that have the tiny font size and little images with on-going topics that have nothing to do with the company!

The clean and simple look with relevant headlines is the way to go if you want to draw attention!

If you send an e-Blast- try the following:
1. The biggest thing in your e-Blast should be a relevant image
2. Have ONE goal and one purpose pertaining your product/services
3. Offer tips, news or relevant information
4. Add links to your social media sites. (small icons please!)
5. No over-crowding allowed! Keep you images clean and captions short
6. Make it fun and entertaining- No one wants to be bothered with blah,blah,blah
7. Give them a reason to check out your website
8. Don’t be afraid to buy nice images that are relevant and grab attention

Have fun with your e-Blasts!
Helene

Category: Content, Graphics, Marketing, Web Design /
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