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This article, like the previous one, was written whilst I worked for Concise Services. It is written with an element of humour, but with some true relevance about businesses I had worked with previously. Regardless of the medium of communication, first impressions often last the longest, and where business is concerned perhaps we do not always consider what the tinest detail could do to us, for your enjoyment:

First Impressions still count

Even in today’s “fast paced business world” the business card, one of the oldest forms of marketing, is still mis-understood, and, in some cases has become a dreaded eyesore!

Picture the scene; you have spent months trying to pitch your products at a very large distributor, a few phonecalls and emails, this is your first, and last chance, to impress the distributor you are hoping will sign “THE DEAL”. You know that this deal will make your business, it’s a massive contract which will catipult your business to a national level. Your company has potential, your products are unique, staff are highly talented and there is a huge demand, all that stands between you and the deal is their Managing Director.

The meeting begins with polite introductions, business cards are exchanged, their MD frowns, then a moment of silence…The meeting begins, you’re asked questions you weren’t prepared for relating to your business, not your product, whilst you tried to bluff your way through it, it didn’t go quite as you’d planned.

The next day you anxiously wait for the dreaded phone call, in comes in, you didn’t get the contract, instead it went to your closest rival. You sit there and contemplate the meeting in your head, going over what you had said and what you could have gone wrong, then it hits you…it was the exchange of business cards.

What was wrong with the business cards? It had your name, position and contact details? What else does a business card need? They were designed in powerpoint and printed on the laserjet to save the company about $300, as an efficient business it made good fiscal sense. It only needs to convey contact information right? WRONG!

In the business world, first impressions count. Your business card may be the first opportunity for an organisation to interact with your brand. As with your branding, your business card needs to inspire confidence, whilst appealing to the senses. Your business card needs to be memorable, it must stand out
in people’s minds. If you spend enough time and effort on your business cards, people will believe you apply the same level of care to your business.

When you have a great business card, always hand out 2-3 cards at a time, one is for them, the others are your next referral business. If you are serious about your business, then be serious about your business cards. Rather than focusing on the cost of new business cards, focus instead on their quality, your cards represent your business. Business cards are one of the cheapest forms of marketing, they’re highly personal, easily retained and often referred to. First Impressions count, don’t let your business card become your businesses weakness.

Whilst working for Concise Services in Mandurah I wrote the following article about the importance of setting website objectives. The article was featured in their client newsletter, which gives information about the company in addition to helpful tips for smaller businesses, it is also featured on their website and can be viewed here.

Concise Services continue to offer great value marketing solutions, and since my departure have added some very talented young professionals. Please excuse any errors contained within the article as it was quickly written, and not properly proof read very professional of me! Anyways, for your entertainment:

Is your website working? Setting Objectives, and avoiding pitfalls

Today most businesses have a web presence, with a range of reasons for building one. The single most common reason businesses invest in a web presence is simply because: “everyone else has one”.

Jumping on the website bandwagon can actually be detrimental to your business not to mention your brand. When building a website you need to identify key objectives as to why your business needs a website, these could include:

• Create an E-Commerce website
• Convert traditional sales to online
• Build a customer database
• Reduce costs of traditional marketing
• Build brand awareness online
• Distribute Information
• Gather Market Research
• Build relationships online

As you can see, those examples are business or marketing objectives. The objectives listed above will influence the design/layout of a website and need to be considered before the design process
begins. A website may have one or more objectives it needs to fulfil. For instance; a company may build an online presence purely to convert customers to buying online, this in turn should decrease traditional marketing costs, whilst building relationships online.

Once the site is up and running we can track key metrics to evaluate its success. By creating an E-Commerce website, one metric would be the amount of sales generated online. If the site needed to build
a customer database, another metric would be the amount of site sign-ups/registrations. Not to mention how many people visited your website, where they came from, how long they stayed, what is the most popular page, how many people are returning to your site and where the visitors are located geographically.

That is just a handful of information used to measure your websites success, helping you identify its strengths and weaknesses. It can be the difference between promoting your product on a national/international scale or instead promoting your business at a local/regional level.

By setting achievable objectives before the start of your website project, it will be easier to assess its effectiveness. Your website can do more than stagnate online, it gives your business a good reason for investing in your online presence. Your brand needs to reflected in your website, ensuring that
the quality of service delivered offline is matched or exceeded online.

A website is often considered a luxury, and more often than not, businesses cannot justify spending thousands on a long term marketing project, and a website is a long term investment. However the benefits
of investing now, outweigh the costs. With a structured digital marketing plan, your site will assist your business to reach a larger audience. It can be integrated into traditional marketing, enabling you to
track how effective your Radio or Press advertising actually is. Because websites can automate manual processes, they can improve business efficiency by reducing staffing costs, helping increase profit margins.

Not every business is ready for a web presence. Prematurely investing in a website may result in your website failing to meet expectations, reflecting negatively on your brand. Invest when the time is right, when you have considered what your website needs to achieve, and ensure there are real business objectives for your website.

The internet is rapidly changing the way we think and behave. Google is used by millions of people
worldwide. It is replacing traditional printed directories which people used to find information, its faster, relevant and at peoples finger tips. A quick search enables you to access information within seconds.

The word “Mandurah” is searched extensively each month, with barely a handful of websites set-up to benefit from this traffic. People are looking for your business/products and are more receptive to your
online messages. Take your time to research why you need to build a website, but remember, for everyday
you delay, your competitor may beat you to the prize.