sinatraco.com Blog

Most small to medium sized business owners often have no idea how much their website is viewed.  They have little knowledge of the amount of business that is won (and lost) before a prospective client even calls or visits.  Here are some recent stats that should cause any business owner to think seriously about their Internet marketing strategy.

Recent Studies Reveal an Explosion of Local Internet Searches:

• Google, Yahoo, MSN are all providing local search functionality
  (is your website listed?)
  
• 82% of local searches contacted a local business; 60% made a purchase
  (are you taking advantage of this powerful new trend?)
• Some 93% of local search conversions take place offline
  (customers look online, but buy in-person, and the company owner often has no idea!!)
  
• 2.2 billion monthly Internet queries have a local intent
  (Is your website ready?)  

70% of your prospective clients will look at your web site before they call or visit your company.  Is your website ready? –

• Does your website give a powerful “first impression?”
• Is your website designed to capture leads, or is it simply an online brochure?
• Does your website provide added value to visitors in the form of unique content?
• How does your website compare? – Most business owners have no idea how much new business is being won online…

Here’s a link to the source of this information as well as some good advice about how to implement a solid local search campaign: click here

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com

I recently received a comment about one of the posts related to SaaS (click the SaaS / on-Demand link to the right to see all the articles).  She was confused because the terms SaaS and CRM were used almost synonymously.  Admittedly, when I re-read the post the differences between the two ideas were not clear.  This post attempts to clarify the differences.

Terms Defined

SaaS stands for “Software-as-a-Service.”  It represents a way to deliver a technology solution via the Internet.  Instead of creating or purchasing an application that resides on desktop (like Act!), companies subscribe and pay to use a fully developed application based on the number of users. 

CRM stand for “Customer Relationship Management.”  It’s a technology application that allows a company to keep track of all the details associated with their customers.  Wikepedia describes it this way:

“Customer relationship management (CRM) is a broad term that covers concepts used by companies to manage their relationships with customers, including the capture, storage and analysis of customer information.”  more… 

CRM is an application that can be delivered via a SaaS deployment method, or can reside on a company’s servers.  A good example of an open source CRM application that could reside on a company’s server is SugarCRM.  Whereas, a good SaaS CRM application is salesforce.com.  Both of these applications are considered CRM, but one uses a SaaS deployment model, while the other can reside on the company’s servers.  There are pros and cons to both models, which I’ll address in later posts.

Simply stated, CRM is an application, while SaaS is a deliver method for an application.    

As it relates to small to medium sized companies, I would say a lack of CRM application puts a company at a disadvantage, makes it less efficient, and puts employees in a tough position.  Due to the advent of SaaS, now CRM is within reach of any company, and not having this kind of functionality is a poor strategic move.

More from Wikepedia about the SaaS deployment method:

“The traditional rationale for outsourcing of IT systems is that by applying economies of scale to the operation of applications, a service provider can offer better, cheaper, more reliable applications than companies can themselves. The use of SaaS-based applications has grown dramatically, as reported by many of the analyst firms that cover the sector. But it’s only in recent years that SaaS has truly flourished.”  More… 

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com

There are a wide range prices charged for web site design these days, especially in the south of Boston area.  This post attempts to clear up some on the confusion and bring clarity to the many options. 

The reason you’ll see a wide range of prices is twofold:

• The use of templates / non-original work
• Hourly rate

The reason you’ll see web site packages for lower prices (below $1,000) is the designer is likely re-purposing work he/she had done in the past (or using someone else’s work) and making adjustments to the design.  In other words, the design is likely not original and some kind of template is being used.  While this type of web site can be good for small startup companies that just want to get something up on the web, it is probably not a long term solution, although some templates are fairly good. 

It takes about 30 to 40 hours to create a 7 to 10 page web site from scratch, including industry research, competitive analysis, programming, and testing.  Normally the design company will create an initial web site map based on the competitive analysis and industry research as well as one-on-one consultations with the client – this phase can go back and forth several times to make sure the “foundation” is set.   

The designer will then create 2 to 3 original home page designs based on the site map and analysis of the competition.  A meeting with the client will take place to determine what design elements they like, don’t like, and agree on the basic layout.  The designer will then merge the designs into a final design and present it to the client.  Often, the final design will also need some adjustments. 

The next phase is to create some of the interior pages based on the finalized home page design.  This phase can vary depending upon the level of customization needed for each page – some web sites have similar interior pages, while others require a good deal of unique design.  For example, a page listing a company’s services will look different than one that presents employees and bios.  Also, ecommerce functionality can drive the number of unique pages as well.

The other element that impacts the number of hours to design a web site are the images.  Original images from the client will often need to be adjusted in photoshop and made web ready.  Or, stock photos could be purchased for the site (there are many free stock photo sites that have high quality pictures, which is why you often see similar images on different web pages).  We’re a big fan of original photos of the company, employees, workspace, etc. because it brings a high level of personalization to the overall presentation.

Once the design is set and images are selected the designer will begin to create each of the pages and begin programming the pages for the web.  Depending on the kind of functionality on the site, including Flash animation, this stage can also vary widely in terms of hours spent. 

Once the number of hours are projected the hourly rate then determines the overall price of the web site.  Lower level designers with little experience could charge $20 to $50 per hour, mid-range designers charge $50 to $60 per hour, and the higher end design companies charge $150 to $250 per hour. 

Our designer has worked in design houses that charge in the higher range, including the creation of web sites billed out at over $100K.  While this may seem like a lot to a small to mid-sized business, large companies need higher end design to compete in their marketplace – a low-level / template design would kill any kind of credibility with prospective clients.

While our work is on the higher end in terms of quality of design, our hourly rate is currently $65.  If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com 
 

Here are a few pointers when working with web designers and marketing consultants:

1. Clearly Outline Project Before Work Begins - Meet with the web designer to discuss the project and have them create a “Statement of Work,” which clearly outlines each stage of the project along with dates.  Look for specific deliverables and time tables.  Beware of vague statements, lack of dates, and no milestones.  If a written contract is not offered be very careful.
2. Own the Finished Product – Make sure you own all the files upon completion of the project.  Sometimes the designer keeps all the files (web pages and images), this often takes place when your web site is hosted on their servers.  Make sure you get copies of all final files, and ask for full access to the server files.  You want to make sure your investment is protected and you are not at the mercy of the designer/developer. 
3. Beware of ”Scope Creep” – Make sure both you and the web design firm are on the same page in terms of deliverables.  A solid ”Statement of Work” should help alleviate scope creep.  When you ask for new items (more pages, photography, training, etc.) make sure there are no hidden charges.  Be honest and open in your communications if the project begins to expand.  It’s natural for the scope of the project to “creep” and good communication can help you weigh the value of new ideas (i.e. is this new page really worth $XX?) 
4. Have a Clear Plan of Action for Updates – How is your web site going to be updated in the future?  How much does the designer charge for updates?  How quickly will updates take place?  Make sure you have a clear understanding of how changes will take place and who will make those changes. 
    
5. Understand How Payments are Made – Ideally, you’ll want the payment schedule in place before you begin.  Often, payments are made in thirds – one third upon execution of contract, one third when final designs are approved, and the final third due upon completion.  Before you make this final payment, be sure the site is fully functional.

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com

Visit any number of web design / marketing web sites and you’ll see a list of services.  Among these services you’ll likely find “branding” along with a description about some design projects they’ve completed.  While graphic design elements are an essential component of an overall brand strategy, they’re simply the outcome of many other parts.  the fact is, building a brand is far more difficult that simply creating a web site, print materials, and having matching letterhead and business cards. 

The three elements of a company brand that come together to create a memorable customer experience are:

1. Operations
2. Customer Contact / Service / Culture
3. Product / Service

These three elements of a company converge to create the brand.  If any of these pieces are missing or done poorly, the brand will struggle to gain the attention (and hold the attention) of clients and prospective clients.  The key is to create memorable client experiences in the most efficient way possible. 

While the product/service and customer contact/culture are consistently discussed in relation to brand building, one of the most essential pieces of brand building that is often overlooked is operations.  A company needs to run efficiently to produce profit and connect with clients.  Inefficiency results in poor client experiences, overtaxed employees, and a low-grade product or service. 

Often, the hardest part of brand development is operations because it is the “dirty” part of building a business.  While creating cutting-edge packaging, customer contact centers, and landing the big sale seems exciting, creating workflow diagrams, processes, and IT systems does not exactly get one out of bed in the morning.  Yet, without doing the heavy lifting of operational development a company can struggle to “deliver the goods.”

Once these three elements are in place the foundation of the brand is established. Now, design elements, web sites, and print materials can bring it all together and establish the company in the minds of customers.  The key to success in this stage of brand development is consistency over time.  You don’t want to change the design and logo as the company evolves, which is why you want to make sure you get this right the first time out of the gate. 

If you have to go back to the drawing board a few years later, much of the goodwill you created could be lost to some degree.  People will associate your company with the design elements and if it disappears so could some of your clients.  The look and feel of the company (logo, colors, images, etc.) are the mental bread crumbs that connect the experience an individual has with the company and the organization that creates that experience (i.e. I went to a presentation last week that made a lot of sense…  I can’t remember the name…  it’s that company with the duck…  what’s that name again??). 

Nicely designed marketing materials and strategies are not the brand, but rather the connection or bridge to the overall brand, which is the interaction (or experience) each customer has with your company. 

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com

I often review web sites for prospective clients and very often I’ll find sites that are flat out ugly, but the programming is fantastic.  The frames load from a number of different HTML files, the header and footers can be easily changed, the navigation is created on the fly.  In fact, these sites are developed in such a way that wholesale changes to the site could be made on demand and new pages can be easily added.  Very impressive from a back-end perspective, but more often than not the price paid is high and the ongoing maintenance is substantial.

So often, these small to medium sized companies do not have to add many pages and wholesale changes rarely occur.  They pay for functionality they essentially do not need because they told the developer that the site needed to scale over time.  The developer did what was asked.  By overpaying for development they did not need, these companies underpaid for design.  In the end, these web sites often fail - salespeople will not even send people to their own site and they actually undermine their success because their competition has a far superior presentation (most web site visitors rarely understand the nuances of a well developed web site).

Small to medium sized companies need to weigh what they think is most important.  Is is scalability for long term growth, or visual appearance.  I normally recommend starting with solid design that has some functionality.  But don’t go overboard on servers, hosting, development, database systems, etc.  For the most part, small businesses can get the back-end systems they need by using Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, which I’ve discussed in previous posts, without breaking the bank.  

Being able to add pages easily, change the look and feel, etc. are great features to have, but is it the best use of current resources?  In my opinion,  it’s difficult for any company to realize ROI on back-end programming unless there is an expectation of exponential growth of the number of pages and size of company.  Also, if your expectations are high, as in many startups, remember that back-end systems can be added later if the company does take off or a need to add hundreds of new pages arises.

To me, a very simple web site is the way to start and it helps to remove the risk associated with marketing.  This will allow you to test messages, see how clients interact with the ideas, and make changes based on observations.  I think one of the biggest mistakes small business owners make is being so worried about scaling for growth that they pay too much for initial development, or marketing, or hiring, etc.

I’ve seen this scenario play out over and over again.  It is no fault of the developer because they are creating exactly what the client is asking for.  Business owners need to be smart in how they allocate resources.  One of the biggest traps is when high expectations drive web development and marketing initiatives. 

Test, test, test, test…  then do, do, do…  Many small and medium sized companies take the opposite approach and designers and web developers are more than happy to build amazing applications, web sites, and campaigns. 

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com 
    

I’m a big fan of the SaaS model because I’ve seen it transform a work environment, save money, and provide valuable insights into the operations of a company.  So, what is SaaS, or “Software-as-a-Service?”  Here’s a good overview from Wikipedia:

“Software as a service (SaaS) is a software application delivery model where a software vendor develops a web-native software application and hosts and operates (either independently or through a third-party) the application for use by its customers over the Internet. Customers pay not for owning the software itself but for using it.” more…

Small to mid-sized companies have not had access to higher end technology.  They simply did not have the resources to create an enterprise-wide business application that manages sales, marketing, customer relationships, etc.  A “360-degree customer view” was unheard of for the SMB (Small to Medium Business) space.  Thanks to SaaS, now even the smallest business has access to some of the most powerful business applications on the planet.  

Two good examples for SaaS applications are Liferro and Salesforce.com.  Both applications allow a company, regardless of size, to centralize their operations while providing employees access to corporate intelligence to do their jobs more effectively.  It also allows a company to outsource IT infrastructure and lower risk due to little development and no on-premise hardware.

I’ve implemented both salesforce.com and Liferro and have seen it make a significant difference.  One small business owner even told me - ”I actually like paying for salesforce.com, I enjoy writing that check every quarter.”  That kind of recognition of value when it comes to technology is extremely rare. 

It’s no surprise that Google has recently launched some fantastic SaaS business applications.  Imagine having access to your MS Office apps via the Internet, which allows you to share docs, access data, create presentations, all online 24/7 from anywhere in the world.  You can stop imagining because Google has done it. 

SaaS levels the playing field and provides small to medium sized companies access to the same technology that was once reserved only for the “big boys.”  Now, a two-person company located in a corn field in Nebraska can use the same multi-million dollar software application used by a F50 company in downtown NY City.  That’s a powerful idea.  In fact, it’s revolutionary.

In my opinion, every company should be looking at SaaS regardless of size because it is the way business will be done in the years to come.  SaaS has it all and now that the security issues have been mainly resolved it’s about to reach critical mass and explode (if it hasn’t already). 

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com

I was the VP, Director or Marketing for a financial services firm several years ago and the overriding goal with the money managers was, ”mitigate risk.”  Lowering risk in the equity markets comes through diversification via multiple market segments.  In the marketing industry this same principle can also be used to lower risk.   

Small to mid-sized companies can expend a great deal of resources on marketing initiatives by putting all their chips on the table in one campaign.  Many companies have gone this route and some have done very well while others have been driven into financial ruin, much like a rouge trader makes big “bets” and either wins big or loses everything.  This is especially true with small to medium sized companies who often don’t have the resources to absorb mistakes. 

Marketing diversification can come in two forms:

• Diversification of communication tactics
• Diversification via phases

Multiple communication tactics – Using a wide variety of marketing tactics like direct mail, web marketing, brochures, and the like can help lower risk because you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket.  This is a fairly straightforward technique that many small and medium sized businesses are aware.  

Multiple Phases – When you begin to work with designers and web developers they’ll often want to deliver a full spectrum of marketing materials from web site, to logo, to print brochures, business cards, newspaper ads, etc.  Many businesses who are either beginning to gain momentum or are desperate for sales could easily spend $10K to $20K to redevelop their brand and begin to execute some marketing initiatives.

I usually recommend a different approach.  Begin with a simple web site that expresses what you believe are your key messages.  Drive some traffic to the site and watch how people interact with the different pages.  What pages are the most popular?  On which pages do visitors spend the most time?  From what city did they visit?  From what page do they exit your web site?  Then change the messaging – experiment with different ideas and continue to observe.  Determine how many people take an action (sign up for a free newsletter, for example), and how they got to the stage of taking an action.  Watch how people are interacting with your web site (Google Analytics is a free tool that will allow you to easily track your visitors in this way).

The advent of electronic media is a marketing expert’s dream.  You can test a wide range of ideas and messages and pinpoint what makes your customers take action.  In the past, this kind of intelligence could only be had through expensive market research or pricey direct response campaigns. 

While this kind of research can take months to complete, it will give you a good sense of what people find the most important about your product or service, what messages are resonating with prospective clients.  And it will not cost very much.  Another way to get good market research inexpensively, is by asking some of your existing clients to visit the new web site and ask what information they found the most valuable, what they liked most, etc.

Once you’ve done some basic research, then begin to use these lessons to develop other marketing pieces like direct mail and brochures.  Not only will these initiatives be more effective, but you’ll lower your risk substantially.  Companies can spend more money on risky marketing initiatives than on many other facets of their business.  When done right, it can have a dramatic positive effect.  When done wrong, there is no way to recover the losses.

The key to marketing success, is patience and research.  Take each step slowly and don’t feel like you have to build everything in a few months.  Marketing and branding is a process that happens over time, not a “one hit wonder.”  More importantly, building a brand is about far more than a few slick marketing pieces and mailings.  It’s about creating positive and memorable experiences over a long period of time (more about brand building in future posts).  

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com 
 

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a type of business application that allows a company to gain visibility into the relationships they have with their customers.  Ideally, it’s a way to gain the elusive “360-degree customer view.”  Done the right way, it is one of the most powerful tools available to company.  Done the wrong way, a company can waste ten of thousands of dollars which can lead to the brink of financial ruin.  It is a high-stakes game with a high risk / high reward ratio. 

Posts in this category will attempt to give some advice into how to implement a CRM application.  A great deal of the ideas here will focus on the Software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployment model, which I believe is the most effective way to deliver a great deal of functionality at a reasonable rate.  I’ve seen first-hand both sides of the “build vs. buy” debate as it relates to technology and I fall firmly on the side of SaaS!!

A few years ago I was consulting for a company who talked to a developer about creating a complete database to track clients.  The developer mapped out the sales processes and began to create the homegrown application.  It was a long and arduous process and the company was spending upwards of $170K per year in development.  The final application was never delivered because the scope of the project grew out of control by the end of the process.  It was a frustrating process and the entire project was not only a complete failure, but it put the company in financial trouble.

This is not a unique example.  This kind of story happens all too often with companies of all sizes from the smallest of the small to the largest of the large. 

When I arrived on the scene, the owners of the company where clearly frustrated and any kind of technology was scoffed at.  I introduced one of the leading SaaS applications, salesforce.com.  A SaaS application is one that is accessed via the internet so it worked well with the 7 oiffices they had spread throughout the country.  It is also paid via a monthly subscription rate based on the number of users, which meant the overall cost would be predictable and stable. 

We mapped out all the processes, automated workflows, gave visibility into the sales pipeline, tracked marketing campaigns, developed a dashboard management system, and had a centralized place to capture all client interactions.  When the application launched (in about a month!) it changed the way in which the company did business.  It transformed the work environment. 

Most importantly, I was able to reduce the $ spent on technology from $170K+ per year to around $30K per year, a reduction of 82%.  Better still, the new salesforce.com application took this company light years and within 18 months grew by over 480%.  This was a powerful example of how not to do CRM and what happens when it is done correctly. 

A few recommendations when implementing a SaaS application:

• If you have poor proceeses in place SaaS will not help – you need to map out your processes BEFORE you take the SaaS leap
• Find someone locally that has experience with salesforce.com or some of the other SaaS solutions – there are nuances of these applications that can be difficult to pick up early on.  The good news is as you get aquainted with the solution it is very easy to manage in-house with little IT infrastructure
• Make a commitment from the TOP to use the application – if the leaders of the company don’t use it, neither will the employees.  Once a manager pulls out a color dashboard that shows everyone’s output in living color, you’ll be amazed by how productivity goes through the roof.

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com

I’ve had success using a combination of Blog / PR / Links.  This post highlights some of the ways in which to use a blog to inform, connect, and build alliances.  Using a blog is a fantastic way to communicate with a specific target market. I’d search the web for a the specific idea, find good concepts, and post them to my blog along with some commentary.

Then, I’d contact the owner of the web site and let them know how much I appreciated their content and provide a link back to the blog. Almost everyone I contacted in this way replied to the email – I had dozens of contacts in a short period of time.

Once I had a few dozen posts on the blog I started writing Press Releases which resulted in a few stories in top-ten newspapers and a leading magazine. Anytime I received press I’d send an email to my list of contacts letting them know about the article.  Because I had links to their web sites in the blog they appreciated the extra exposure. 

Interestingly, after about 6 months of this activity I had 4 of the top 10 search engine results on Google for my industry. We went from virtually no traffic to over 1,000 visitors per week from the top companies in the industry.  Plus, we built some great relationships with others who provided valuable content. 

A few suggestions:

• Don’t SPAM people – Only send email to those who replied to your initial email
• Only post comments on your blog that you find genuinely interesting
• Don’t send email to your contacts more than once per month
• Be honest and genuine in all your communications - a blog is a place to build REAL connections, don’t do it with an ulterior motive
• Look for ways to partner with anyone who replies to your initial email – joint newsletters, white papers, conference calls, etc. 

If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site:  www.sinatraco.com