innovative

While studying online for IT investment opportunities, I found that one main factor was constant. All of the biggest money makers have eye-catching, simple, innovative, and the cleanest websites online!

Having a corporate style website may greatly increase your business!

Looking professional online is extremely important, especially if you want to attract big money to your door. There are literally 1000’s of people and companies searching every single day for their next big purchase, will your company be the next one they contact?

Here are a couple of “corporate style websites” I am talking about:

http://www2.sprintcanada.ca/Enterprise/default.asp
http://www.bell.ca/shop/index.jsp
http://www.cogeco.ca/en/index_o.html

As you notice with all three of those examples, they are clean, simple, innovative and easy to navigate. You won’t notice any flashing buttons, 10 different text colors, everything packed into one page, banner ads in every corner, etc.

The point is - keep it clean!

Have you ever visited a website and you left with a headache? This might be the same for your visitors. People notice when they find clean websites, it actually increases your chances of people reading your content more often than not.

Appearance is everything online. What your website tells people subconsciously is the message they perceive about your business. The more “Mickey mouse” your website looks, the more “Mickey mouse” visitors will think about your business. The internet is very impersonal and in order to increase our business, you need to find ways to subconsciously tell your visitors that you mean business and you’re the right choice for their purchase online.

It takes 2 seconds to look bad online:

This whole process happens within seconds of visiting your website. Let’s say that 70% of your visitors are 1st time visitors and only 4% ever come back, by simply cleaning up your style, it may actually increase that 4% return visitors into 10% overnight. It is that simple.

Redesigning your existing website is very important:

Many people who Redesign their existing website once every 3 years end up increasing their business overnight. Those of you who have had the same website for the last 10 years should really consider updating right away. Updating your website is like turning over a new leaf and coming up with new and innovative ideas to connect with your visitors.

Yahoo.com & MSN consistently update their template(s):

Yahoo & MSN also understand the importance of “keeping up with the Jones’s”. Keeping your website fresh and up to date will give your existing visitors another reason to browse through other sections simply because they have a new found interest and curiosity. Please note: Changing everything around every month is not the key, this method may actually confuse your visitors more than increase their curiosity.

Humans get bored easily:

It is actually really easy to have your visitors lose interest in your company. What would spawn such loss?

- Old outdated content

- Broken links everywhere

- Contact forms that don’t work anymore

- Website templates from the “50’s”

- Content that isn’t related to their search

We as humans have a short attention span. If the website we are visiting doesn’t pique our interest right away, as we say “there they where, GONE!” This is the very reason why BLOGS attract a huge amount of attention online. Not only can you read people’s thoughts, but you can read them every day!

Blogs are a great way to connect with new & existing visitors on a daily basis. Don’t forget, search engines tend to like updated content as well.

Getting back to making more money…

The better you look online, the better your checks will be. People want to know that they made the right decision for their family, friends, or business. Going with a company that doesn’t feel right may embarrass them and decrease your chances at repeat business. People will always recommend a company that they are proud to do business with. It’s the same as getting “recognition” for their recommendation.

Bottom line is this:

Re-think, Re-design, Re-vamp whatever you have to in order to turn over a new leaf for your business. Do this properly, and you too will increase your business over night!

About The Author:

Martin Lemieux is the owner of Smartads. We help companies to increase their business online and offline.

Ezine Article Directory (Beta): http://www.article99.com

Internet Marketing Tips: http://www.smartads.info

eCommerce Development: http://www.thingsdigital.ca

Copyright © 2005 Smartads Advertising Network - Reprints Accepted

Tags: business, internet, marketing, online, promotion, site, web, websitebusiness, internet, marketing, online, promotion, site, web, website

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There are more promotional products out there than you can shake a stick at so how do you choose the one thats right for you?

The key is to find a product that, whilst leaving a lasting impression, fits harmoniously with your company’s profile - should you go for quirky and fun or conservative and practical. Many companies find the plethora of products available daunting to say the least and turn to standard promotional fare to save time.

This can be a big mistake. These items say alot about your business and the way you present yourself and are as important as any other form of advertising. The goal should be to find the best product available for the budget allowed - always bearing in mind that there are costs involved with distributing these products to consumers. In addition, try to choose products that are useful and liable to be seen often by your target audience.

Most important of all, though, is to distribute a product that gets the targeted consumer’s attention, holds their attention and gets them working for you without even knowing it. In short - use a product that is worthy of being shown to others.

One of the most innovative promotional products falling into that category is the Flagpen and is a shining example of what can be acheived with a little lateral thinking.

The quirky ballpoint pen cunningly hides a full-colour, double-sided promotional information sheet within the barrel. The sheet is 180mm by 70mm, onto which an incredible amount of information can be printed - combining the two sides together you have almost the equivalent of a full-colour 1/3 page magazine advert coiled up inside the barrel of a pen!

The beauty of items like the Flagpen lies in the self-promotion of the product itself - it works for you!

When a potential client sees a print advert, they alone see it. When they receive an innovative promotional product, they show it to others because it is such a quirky, fascinating product. These items get kept for weeks, months, years and shown or seen by any number of people - almost all of which would not otherwise have been privy to your message.

For the same cost as a single print advertisment or flyer, you could hand out items like the Flagpen and reach a much larger audience. Each time the pen is used, your information is at their fingertips - whether a special offer, calendar, map, price list, timetable, fixture lists or any other information.

Of course its one thing to grab their attention but it’s up to you to make the most of it. The message needs to be clear, concise and, above all, liable to impress the consumer enough to do business with you. Advertising and promotion is nothing without a return on the investment and a quirky, practical and interesting promotional product is consistently proven to reach a far wider audience than any print advertisement.

More information on the amazing Flagpens can be found at www.flagpens.com

Tags: advertising, consumers, corporate gifts, gifts, giveaways, marketing, pens, promotionsadvertising, consumers, corporate gifts, gifts, giveaways, marketing, pens, promotions

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What does the following list of companies have in common?

A&P
Hudson Motor Car Co.
Montgomery Ward
TWA
Horn and Hardart
Studebaker
Indian Motorcycle
Bonwit Teller
Woolworth
Bethlehem Steel
Polaroid
LTV

These Companies were successful, recognizable brands in their respective categories. They were publicly traded and a number were in the Nifty Fifty in the 1970’s and/or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The element they all have in common (and with hundreds of other equally recognizable names) is that they did not innovate. They created a static business model and did not anticipate that there were newer, better ways to implement new technology and strategies.

Let’s look at two old, established retail categories and how the ability to innovate has determined contemporary success or failure.

Music Stores
Recorded music retail has always been a competitive market. Tower Records followed the national chain concept, offering a broad range of music styles and competitive pricing. Mass marketers such as Target and Best Buy offer music as well, typically only the more popular artists, narrow and deep. Every city had a local shop, sometimes specializing in a specific area of musical taste. The underlying similarity was that a customer came into the store, made a selection and the purchased the disc.

Then along came the inter-net. The ability to protect trademarks and copyrights was believed to trump this technology. Artists and record companies believed that legal protections would enable them to continue as always: selling an album, with one or two hits, for $20 to $30. Software was written enabling the music consumer to cheaply, or for free, download specific hit songs while avoiding the filler cuts. The Napster effect has revolutionized the music industry.

Napster is a disruptive technology. The world of music retail was stood on its head. Legal fights and challenges are still being fought. However, chains like Tower Records are gone. The marketplace did not allow for a rigid system to thrive in the face of innovation. Tower did not stay flexible, anticipating technology advances and changing tastes. Trying to sell albums with 15 cuts, when the consumer only wants to hear and pay for two hit songs, is an obvious loser.

Airlines
Until the late 1970’s the airline industry was protected by Federal Government regulation. This enabled the airlines to artificially inflate fare pricing. Hub and spoke systems were created. Each major carrier had a geographic area of strength (Delta the southeast, USAir the middle Atlantic, American the mid-west and Latin America, etc.) that they dominated. Unions were aggressive and the carriers were profitable so the need to squeeze costs was not urgent.

When de-regulation occurred in 1978 the major carriers did not anticipate the radical disruptive innovation that was just around the corner. An aviation pioneer in San Antonio named Herb Kelleher did. He watched as fares plummeted without government regulation protection. Competition for gates, destinations and expansion resulted in many regional carriers (Republic, Piedmont, etc.) being gobbled up by the majors. Out of the changing landscape for air travel Mr. Kelleher saw opportunity.

Mr. Kelleher created and launched Southwest Airlines to address a gaping need. Southwest utilized a business model that reflected the changing landscape in providing air service. The major carriers utilize complex pricing models that try to maximize seat yield revenues. Southwest posted one low price for every seat on a flight. The major airlines were totally union shops. Southwest was non-union. The major carriers flew a mix of plane types. Southwest flew only the Boeing 737 (this streamlined service and parts expense).

Very quickly the flying public recognized that a Dallas to Phoenix flight that was $579 on American, and $149 on Southwest, was a no-brainer. Southwest remains ahead of the curve with standardized policies, simple restrictions, a feel good fun loving staff, hedging contracts for jet fuel purchases and the promise of value for money on each flight.

Southwest capitalized on the changes it recognized was coming in the air travel universe. Today, there are a number of airlines utilizing some or/all of the Southwest model and virtually all are successful. Easy Jet, Jet Blue and Ryan Air in Europe are booming while the old-line giants all over the world are in desperate straits.

Proctor and Gamble is a wonderful example of an old alpha enterprise that is constantly re-inventing itself to reflect changing market conditions. Dell Computer, MicroSoft, Intel, Research in Motion, Nokia and many more are examples of businesses (all little more than 20 years old) that innovate, change, anticipate and succeed. They were all small startups only a few years ago.

For entrepreneurs, the ability to innovate and keep ahead of the field is crucial. When analyzing the potential for a successful market placement the ability to create a cutting edge business model is so important. If your goal is to open a male clothing shop and one already exists in the area you have chosen, you have a problem, unless you can differentiate your unique selling proposition. Maybe this can be accomplished by offering a tailoring operation for hand cut suits, or specializing in formal wear.

Whatever your product or service, define a business model that separates you from your head to head competition. Do not play the price game. Lowest price is almost always a temporary benefit, someone will come along that can produce cheaper, faster, better. Your goal should be the offer of a benefit that the customer will value, desire and not find immediately available. Then back up the benefit with superior service and the promise of continued new cutting edge innovation. Innovate or die!

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Mr. Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Tags: business expansion, concepts, consulting, entrepreneurs, inventions, marketing, product developmentbusiness expansion, concepts, consulting, entrepreneurs, inventions, marketing, product development

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