Three services to start building your website

These days, having an online presence is incredibly important. Your website is especially important, as most of the time it will be how potential customers get their first impression of you. We’ve written previously about things to ask your website developer. But what if you’re not ready for such a big commitment yet? If you just want to dip your toe in the water, here are three companies that will help you get a simple website up and running, with minimal technical knowledge required.

1. Tumblr

This is one of the simplest ways to get started. All you need to do is sign up for an account, pick a template, and away you go. Tumblr is best for blogging and putting up photos, so if your business runs along those lines (think handicrafts, bakery, restaurant, anything that is eminently photographable) then Tumblr might work for you.

Technically, Tumblr can also fall under the category of social media, but it’s less about the interaction and more about the posting of information that can then be shared. It also has some excellent themes for businesses–check out this page for a sampling of the kind of themes you can get. If you have your own domain name, Tumblr also has that option.

Tumblr is completely free, including adding your own domain name.

2. WordPress

No doubt you’ve already heard of WordPress–it’s one of the most commonly used sites. As a matter of fact, that’s what we use here at Leaders in Heels!

WordPress comes in two flavours–you can either use their hosting (which comes with a free domain name, yourname.wordpress.com) or your can run it off your own web host and install it yourself. The latter requires you to own a domain name. On WordPress hosting, you get 3GB of storage space and unlimited bandwidth while installing it yourself will depend on the limits of your web hosting plan.

WordPress is easy to use, hugely customisable with a large range of themes and plug-ins for just about any requirement such as eCommerce or portfolios, and even easier to keep updated once set up. It’s also free in both flavours, though note that if you want to use a custom domain with WordPress hosting, there is a small annual charge of USD$13 .

3. Squarespace

There are many sites that allow you to design a website in a simple drag-and-drop function, such as Wix or Weebly. I’ve found, however, that Squarespace is one of the best out there. It’s not as well-known as the others yet, but it has the most elegant and carefully-selected website designs–one look, and it’s clearly heads and shoulders above the others. It also has the most bandwidth and storage. All its themes are responsive, meaning they will automatically change to fit smaller screens such as tablets and smartphones, a very important consideration in our mobile-driven society.

You also have extensive help videos if it seems a little overwhelming, and they also have a 24/7 support team, which is always appreciated when working late into the night–or if you live on the other side of the world from New York!

Squarespace only has paid plans, starting from USD$8 a month. You get a free custom domain for the first year, as well (but are charged at USD$20 a year afterwards, so it may be worth looking around at other domain name providers). If you want a website with a design that’s not just simple to create and edit, but also highly customisable, I’d strongly recommend giving them a go.

What online services would you recommend for someone starting a website? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Featured image: Construyendo una torre 2

A marketing makeover on a shoestring

Just as women update their hairstyle and wardrobe from time to time, as your business grows and develops, your marketing may need a makeover of its own too.

Like so many other business owners, you may have started out several years ago, became too busy, had little or no budget and forgot to keep up with basic marketing efforts.

A simple marketing makeover doesn’t have to be painful on your purseYou may have rushed your branding, slapped together a website a friend built for you overnight and you’ve missed HUGE opportunities from the beginning. It is so easy to fall into the trap of doing the same thing over again and “hope” for the best. The marketing landscape has rapidly changed and you can no longer afford to stick to the same marketing strategies.

The GOOD NEWS is a simple marketing makeover doesn’t have to be painful on your purse. My clients are proof of this. I am proof of this. Marketing is simply getting and keeping customers that are profitable and needs to be the oxygen in your business EVERY DAY.

The secret is making your business look its best (your brand), making your website and Facebook work and ensuring all your marketing is targeted.

YOUR BRAND/LOGO

Your corporate ‘look’ reflects your businessIf you can’t take an objective look at your brand, get someone to give you their honest opinion and ask:

  • Does your logo look amateurish compared to your competitors?
  • Was it created forever ago and now doesn’t reflect what you are trying to communicate to your core market?
  • Does your business stationery, website, social media platforms and logo all tie in together?
  • Could the text change? The fonts? Could the images be updated?

You may not realise it, but your corporate ‘look’ reflects your business – it is your ‘public face’ and also on what your customers judge you on.

QUICK TIPS

  • Revising your branding should only cost a few hundred dollars (see special offer at the end of the article). It will make a profitable impact for your business and appeal to new customers.
  • Ensure you have templates created so you can use consistent colour palettes and elements from your logo so everything has the same look and feel throughout. It doesn’t have to be flamboyant, just consistent, every time.
  • Resist the urge to create your own logo in publisher – you know the saying “If you pay an expert, you’ll cry once, if you don’t, you’ll cry many times.”

WEBSITE

As websites are one of the FIRST and FASTEST ways a customer will find you, it is important to consider the usability of it. You have to look at your website as your customer would and make it easier for them to do what you really want them to do.

ASK YOURSELF…

  • How often is the content updated?
  • When was the last time you added a news item?
  • How many distracting call to actions do you have (downloads, sign ups, e-books) on the homepage?
  • Have you used clipart from the 90s?
  • Do you have a way of capturing “opt ins” (sites such as www.leadpages.net are terrific for this)
  • Are you using Google Analytics to track what pages your current or potential customers are viewing? (Google Analytics takes just ten minutes to set up)

If your customer can’t determine who you are, or what you are offering in five seconds or less, they WILL look elsewhere. Make it clear and concise.

When it comes to re-building your website, there are hundreds of packages I’ve used for my clients online where you can “do-it-yourself” (try Squarespace, WordPress and Weebly) or contract a company that caters for small to medium sized company websites that can cost up to $500 (not thousands) to have a fully-functioning new website.

FACEBOOK

Think of Facebook as an ongoing focus group“Does my business really need a Facebook page?”
“I need more likes”
“I don’t know how often and what content to put on my Facebook page”

Firstly, the biggest mistake is NOT having a Facebook page – in Australia alone there are 12 million Facebook users and thanks to the added bonus of promoting your advertisements, you can target your ideal client. Facebook is a powerful business tool and the opportunities are sometimes even better than owning a website.

Wanting more likes won’t convert into customers unless you are offering them something they need.

QUICK TIPS

  • Ensure your Facebook page provides meaningful content that your customer wants to read about
  • If you do plan to pay for advertisements, you can set a daily budget and target ONLY the customer you want. Whe I say target, it means you can pin-point if your ideal target customer is married, has kids, works in the city, has kids and so on.
  • Think of Facebook as an ongoing focus group where those who “like” your page are there to learn about you and what you have to offer. And the best part of this? It is FREE!
  • Consider running promotions, ask for feedback and offer incentives for your likers “sharing” content

TARGETED MARKETING

It should be common sense by now, but business owners are still marketing too generally and to everyone and anyone. You may be wasting your time and hard-earned money.

QUICK TIPS

  • Find out who the ideal person you want as a customer – how old are they? Are they male or female? Where do they live? Do they have children? What are their interests?
  • What problems can YOU solve for them?
  • Once you figure out who your ideal customer is, target THEM and ONLY THEM and turn them into a profitable customer
  • It could take up to two hours to sit down and answer a series of profile questions on your “ideal client” – but believe me, it will be worth it

So, if it’s a basic, no-fuss marketing makeover that you need, remember it doesn’t have to cost the earth and the process can begin in small steps (think of a nip and tuck, and NOT invasive surgery!) I guarantee it will offer an opportunity to jump ahead of your competitors and appeal to your current and future customers to create immediate profitability.

Featured image: UGArdener
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DG HEADSHOTAbout Danielle Grant

Danielle Grant is the director of Creative Buzz Design + Marketing based in Sydney. Danielle is a seasoned marketer, graphic designer and former English high school teacher and has spent the last decade in hospitality, transport and government roles which have developed her design, marketing flair, communication skills.

She has a strong drive to help women in small businesses and entrepreneurs through workshops and 1:1 to re-shape their marketing efforts so it is fuss-free and low-cost. Danielle has helped business owners through the often daunting process of changing their business image to suit what they are offering and their passion, and in doing so often totally re-energises their confidence to perform.

Danielle is offering two exclusive offers until August 31st, 2014.

OFFER 1: FREE 30 minute consultation how quickly and effortlessly a marketing makeover could work for your business (And we won’t sell you a thing – that’s a promise!) Feel free to pick her brains about your current marketing activities and she can help you identify what you may need to work on.

OFFER 2: BEST VALUE BRANDING PACKAGE OFFER FOR AUGUST ONLY:

1. Refreshed and unique logo design for your business

2. UNLIMITED Revisions

3. Designed within 7 days

4. FREE Business Card Design + letterhead included.

6. Artwork provided to you in different file formats and OWNED BY YOU!

There are ONLY 100 of these to give away for a tiny investment during the month of August.

We love chatting and coffee. Get in touch danielle@creativebuzzdesign.com.au or www.creativebuzzdesign.com.au

If you want to continue receiving free, practical solutions for your marketing efforts, look me up on Facebook (creativebuzzdesignmarketing)