Why Advertising Agencies Need An Extra Site For Client Success Stories</h1> <article> <h1>Why Advertising Agencies Need An Extra Site For Client Success Stories</h1> <p>Jonathan Bentz — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:24:48 GMT</p> <p>Many advertising agencies carry a plethora of information on their websites. Company history, executive biographies, press releases, employment opportunities, products and services are just a few of the webpages commonly found on marketing company <br /> websites. Potential clients normally use these websites to learn as much about a firm as possible before picking up the phone <br /> or filling out a request for proposal.<br /> <br /> Depending on product or service industry, this information can sometimes vary. However, the webpages listed in the previous paragraph are essential for almost every corporate website on the Internet. Advertising and marketing business sites often go a step further than most corporate sites. In addition to the standard pages, agency websites also include a portfolio of work they've completed for clients. <br /> <br /> With so much company information already existing on their main websites, do agencies need to publish their portfolio on the <br /> same site? There's no question that clients like to see work samples. But adding a portfolio to a website designed to <br /> encourage prospective clients to pick up the phone and contact you can be distracting for them. In order to keep prospects from being steered away from becoming a potential client, advertising and marketing firms should create an individual website to host their client success stories.<br /> <br /> The primary goal of a website run by a marketing or advertising firm should be lead generation. If your website promotes your company's services the right way and generates traffic - but fails to create a consistent flow of prospects - then it is failing you. Instead of putting pretty work samples on the site and taking a prospect away from the primary reason they came to your site (to learn more about working with you), referring them to a second site. Showcase your best work there, and use teaser copy on certain pages to entice them to find out more AFTER contacting you. Consistently making this recommendation causes visitors to create a mental note in their head to visit your success site, but also keeps them on task... to fill out your request for more information.<br /> <br /> Another reason to host a website specifically devoted to success stories is that projects can be discussed in more detail. On most ad agency websites, success stories are limited to a few short sentences. When an additional website is developed to address client successes, copyrighters can go into more detail about the goals of clients for their products or services, the agency's approach to meeting that goal, and also properly summarize the end results. <br /> <br /> Websites themed around client success stories are also great tools for a tech-savvy sales staff. Most companies have old school brochures and sales collateral that describe services, successes, and pricing. These materials can be presented in unique ways, but they rarely have a standout effect in today's sales meetings. <br /> <br /> Having a well-presented website devoted to client success stories can make your company stand out from the competition and allow for a fresh presentation piece for a prospect. The proposed client can see how many successfull campaigns your company has put together in a wide variety of industries. The custom internet marketing consultants at <a href="http://prospectmx.net">Prospect MX</a> have found this approach to using a success site to be very beneficial in presentations with clients.<br /> <br /> If you are going to add success stories or a client portfolio to your website, the most common reason behind doing so is to generate a confidence in your services with potential customers. Building your success website outside of your main ".com" can allow your stories to have more detail, avoid prospect distraction, and provide a "web 2.0" brochure piece that allows you to stand out from your competition. A customer success site can also benefit agencies in organic search engine rankings by creating another quality site of themed content to take up online real estate. </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>nsHosting™ SharePoint®: A Better Way to Work</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:16:42 GMT</p> <p>As the idea of the modern workplace continues to evolve, it might be a good time to re-evaluate the way your team does business. The challenges of today’s economy have created a need for small businesses to not only work harder – but to work smarter as well.</p> <p>Teamwork remains one of the keys to a small business’ success, which is why Network Solutions and Microsoft have joined forces to get your team working like never before. nsHosting™ SharePoint® utilizes Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) technology, giving you all the benefits of the industry’s leading collaboration platform. Share files, coordinate calendars, create a team workspace – SharePoint is a cost-effective way to keep your employees connected whether they work at a central location or from various remote locations.</p> <p>It’s a boost in productivity that can benefit any business. If you’re unsure whether nsHosting™ SharePoint® is right for you, consider the advantages you’ll gain from this unique hosting opportunity:</p> <p><strong>Mobile Office</strong><br /> When employees work in an online workspace, information can be shared and transferred from any place with Internet access in a way that drastically improves efficiency, whether employees are in the same office or remote. File sharing, multiple user document management and calendar coordination are just a few examples of how your employees can truly work together to get the job done.</p> <p><strong>Administrative Control</strong><br /> If the openness of a shared workspace has you concerned over the exposure of sensitive information or the integrity of your documents, rest easy knowing that you’ll have administrative control. Restricted access and document version control are just two of the features you can use to keep things in check.</p> <p><strong>Disk Space</strong><br /> With up to 5 GB of disk space and unlimited bandwidth, your business will have the room it needs to grow without restriction. Add up to 500 users and store large files with ease.</p> <p><strong>No Software Set-up</strong><br /> nsHosting™ SharePoint® does not require the installation of hardware or software and its compatibility with your existing Microsoft Outlook client is another valuable feature.</p> <p><strong>Automation of Tasks</strong><br /> Choose from a variety of pre-built applications created to automate some of the most widely used processes and tasks. You’ll even find convenient application templates customized for specific job functions including timecard management and campaign tracking.</p> <p><strong>Personalized Email</strong><br /> For an added professional touch, you’ll receive a personalized email address that matches your domain name. Your emailboxes will also be protected by superior Cloudmark spam and virus protection. Cloudmark Authority® delivers the industry’s most effective and highest performing –spam, phishing and virus protection. Using your new email is easy too – choose the POP3 program of your choice or turn to Webmail for email that’s available from any computer with an internet connection.</p> <p><strong>Technical Support</strong><br /> If you have any questions regarding your SharePoint® site, feel free to take advantage of our live 24/7 technical support – at no extra cost to your business.</p> <p>No matter where your employees do their jobs, <a href="http://www.networksolutions.com/web-hosting/sharepoint/index.jsp">nsHosting™ SharePoint®</a> can provide you with the technology you need to boost productivity and ensure a higher level of efficiency.</p> <p>Author: Channing Suhl</p> <p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Five Easy Ways for Your Service Business to Get Online</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:46:47 GMT</p> <p>No matter whom your customers are or what kind of services you provide, every service business can benefit from a presence on the World Wide Web. Below are five things that any service business needs to do to get online and generate value through an online presence.<br /><br /><b>1) Choose your Web site's name</b><br /><br />One of the first steps when you are starting a new business or when you are setting up an online presence for your business is to decide on the right domain name. A domain name is how people find your site online and is one of the most valuable aspects of your business's online presence. In short, your business domain name is an important key to your business's online identity-especially if you intend on having a Web site and setting up email for your business.<br /><br />First you will need to find the right name. Ideally this will be the name of your business, but it can also be a variation of that name. For example, if you run an auto repair shop, you may choose the name of the shop itself or an abbreviation such as "auto" in lieu of "automotive". Sometimes it makes sense to add a local component to the name. The addition of your state's abbreviation, for example, may assist people searching for local repair shops.<br /><br />You will also need to choose an extension-the "dot extension" or TLD (top level domain). Adding different TLD extensions to your name makes it an entirely new domain name registered to a different Web address. For instance, thedotcompeople.com and thedotcompeople.org are two different Web addresses. For a service business, a .com or a variation on .com such as .us.com is preferable. However, your business may want to register multiple extensions (.net and .info, for example) to protect your business's brand name.<br /><br /><b>2) Set up your Web site</b><br /><br />Once you've committed to creating an online presence for your business - a Web site - and registered your business's domain name, the time has come to design and build the site itself. As with so many aspects of the Web, site design and construction offers many options. You can choose to design the site yourself. Web site creation software makes building a Web site for your business almost as easy as creating and sending an e-mail. Using professional design templates, Web site software lets you accomplish building a Web site quickly, efficiently, and for a very small price. <br /><br />Another option is to hire someone to design a site for you. You can hire the services of a professional Web site designer. You should check to see that the design service you select possesses the proven technical expertise to create a Web site that reflects well on your business, delivers your message effectively, and takes advantage of the Web's special ability to market your products or services. Looking at samples of sites that the designer has worked on, preferably specific to your business type, and checking references are great ways to assess a designer's fit for you.<br /><br />Regardless of the route you choose, you will want to give some thought as to what information about your business you would like to see on your site. At a minimum, your auto repair shop site should show hours of operation, a map showing location and driving directions, information on whether there is a before/after hours drop-off box, any specialization (foreign vs. domestic, specific models, etc) and information as to whether your station conducts inspections should your state allow individual shops to test emissions. This is also a place to showcase any certifications (e.g., ASE) as well as link to consumer reports-type reviews if your local publications have carried them on your business. <br /><br />Setting up a Web site is also a great time to elect e-mail with the package that you choose. This will allow you to send and receive correspondence under your name at the web address you have chosen. This e-mail address can be used for all of your business purposes and is more professional than many of the "free" e-mail boxes that you can also choose from. Use this e-mail address to work with your parts suppliers, your accountant and even your customers.<br /><br /><b>3) Help Web users find your Web site</b><br /><br />Now that your site is ready for visitors, it is time to send them your way. The first step is to introduce keywords to your site. A keyword is a word or a phrase entered by users into a search box when they want to find information, or products and services online. Search engines are designed to look for keywords or phrases in specific areas of your Web site. To rank higher in search results for your target audience, you must identify the most effective keywords and then place them in the right areas of your site's content and HTML code. Quality keywords describe what your business offers and should include both general and specific terms. For example, your auto repair shop might use "auto repair", "domestic repairs", "automotive services", and "automotive repair", rather than simply "repairs." Once you've identified your keywords, you should use them in the places of your Web site where the search engines will look for them. Search engines will look at emphasized text like titles, headings, and subheadings. <br /><br />You may also choose to use these same terms to purchase online advertising to send traffic to your Web site. This service enables you to pay to have your site appear in the "sponsored links" section of the search results of engines such as Google® or Yahoo!®. You'll typically pay for each click that you get on these links, so this is often called "pay per click" advertising.</p> <p>Finally, you may choose to list your business information, with a link to your site, in online directories. Many of these directories are local in nature and offer free listings. This is an easy way to send more local traffic to your Web site and, in doing so, more potential customers as well.<br /><br /><b>4) Keep your site current</b><br /><br />One of the most important things that you can do once your site is set up is to ensure that you keep the information current and fresh. This serves two purposes: it ensures that customers and potential customers who access your site have accurate and dependable information and it also encourages search engines to "spider" your site. A spider is a software program that travels the Web (hence the name "spider"), locating and indexing websites for search engines.<br /><br />Keeping a Web site up-to-date can take a number of forms. It can include updating basic text or photos. It can also mean introducing features such a blogs, which allow business owners or users to post comments. The comments could be specific to the business (i.e., happy customers talking about the service they received) or more general "useful" information (the value of an oil of a different viscosity in different climates). People can post or comment on posts. <br /><br /><b>5) Connect with your customers</b><br /><br />A Web site can allow you to be creative about how you communicate with customers. You can build out your Web site so customers can use the site to schedule maintenance appointments. You can even utilize a "referral" button which is often available in hosting packages which allows your customers to e-mail information about your business to friends and family. These referrals often translate to new business for you. .<br /><br />These are just five easy ways for a service business to generate value from being online. With a little bit of upfront investment of time and resources, your Web site will pay you back for years to come! </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>How to choose a web design</h1> <p>M Alim — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:01:11 GMT</p> <p><span style="font-family:verdana;line-height:17px;" class="Apple-style-span"> <p>The problem with most companies finally taking the plunge and having websites built, is that they focus their attention on how nice and professional and glitzy they want the site to look. In reality, there should be a strong link between what makes their particular type of business successful in the real world and how that's reflected on-line.</p> <p>Some types of businesses actually benefit from a less artistic approach as customers use the look of the website to make assumptions about the company. Much as you do when you browse the high streets (especially in a new town). Local traders, for instance, can sometimes portray the wrong image. Whilst trying to look 'professional' they may broach the style of a big company, with people assuming they're going to be expensive. If a company is a small family-run affair and that's what makes them successful, they should be reflected in a similar way on-line because their customers are the same people looking at them from a different medium.</p> <p>I'm not trying to advocate 'home made' sites or bad design, what I'm getting at is that what appears appealing in style can be inappropriate in execution.</p> <p>So what are the important factors in Web Site Design?</p> <p>Logos, colours and general company themes should be reflected throughout the online and local presence. The menus of a site should be easy to navigate and make sense. People don't like to have to hunt for what they want once they've reached your site. If they arrive at your site via a web search then you could be one of thousands of search results which they're investigating. Any important pages or info should be one click away from the main page if not on the main page. </p> <p>Clever moving menus and interactive flash content has a place but can't be all things to all people. Great care should be taken to assess whether your potential customers will be put off by too much going on or indeed whether you're distracting them from the messages you're trying to get accross.</p> <p>Web designers are by nature artistic and like nothing better than to produce an eye-catching design which will impress other designers. The problem is that websites are designed to be viewed by potential customers and there can sometimes be misrepresentations.</p> <p>Diolt SEO services company</p> </span></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Ten Steps to Take Before You Build Your Web site</h1> <p>Sian Simon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:45:24 GMT</p> <p> A common mistake people make when they decide to create a Web site is that they jump in to the design process too soon. That can cause problems down the road. For example, if you plan to work with a designer, you need to be able to clearly communicate your needs and goals. Not doing so may cause you to have to pay for rework when the design doesn't really meet your needs. But in order to communicate your needs clearly, you have to have spent some time considering how you plan conduct business online.<br /><br /> Here are 10 steps to take <i>before </i>you build your Web site to help you avoid such dilemmas:<br /><br /> 1. <b>Think about your primary objectives for the site and write them down</b>. Do you want it to be a showcase for your products? Do you want to provide online customer service? What are you trying to achieve with your site? What is its purpose? These answers will drive decisions about the site's navigation and functionality.<br /><br /> 2. <b>Conduct a competitive analysis</b>. Look to see what others in your industry are doing. What are they offering customers? Equally important, what are they not offering online? How can you differentiate yourself from what they are doing? What keywords are they using in their marketing? Which sites rank higher in the various search engine results? When you do thorough research, you will have greater insight into what you can do to succeed.<br /><br /> 3. <b>Gather the artifacts you will need for the site</b>. This may include your logo, business description, and mission statement.<br /><br /> 4. <b>Create a domain name</b>, preferably one that relates to your business and describes what you do. Take time to create the domain name, it is an important element of your branding efforts and factors into how customers will find you.<br /><br /> 5. <b>Decide how visitors will get in touch with you</b>. Do you need a toll-free phone number? Will you have people get in touch through a contact form on the site? Do you need a special email address and mailbox for those forms?<br /><br /> 6. <b>Decide on a color scheme</b> and design preferences that will work well with your logo. (You will want to be sure to keep the colors consistent throughout the site.)<br /><br /> 7. <b>Pull together your graphics</b> (ideally graphics or photos in a jpeg format which is easiest to resize so they will load faster on a page.) Make sure that each graphic you want to use has a text tag (Alt Tag) that describes that image so that the search engine spiders can find it.<br /><br /> 8. <b>Gather your content</b>. This can be a big job. But at a minimum, you should outline the content areas you will feature on your site. Some aspects to consider including: </p> <ul> <li> About Us-what your business is, what you do, and where you are located.</li> <li>Newsletters-if you publish a printed newsletter, gather them in electronic format so you can post them on your site.</li> <li>Calendar of events-this can be especially useful if you are a retailer with a schedule of promotional events.</li> <li>Customer Testimonials-be sure to gain permission from your customers which allows you to use them on your site.</li> <li>Copyrights and permissions for all content and images. You cannot simply copy and paste content or images from other sites, even if it is a manufacturer's site for products you sell. You MUST gain permission to use them.</li> <li>Error page-in the event a broken link exists, this type of page can help direct users back to your home page so they don't get stranded or abandon your site.</li> </ul> <p><br /> 9. <b>Address the ecommerce aspects of your site</b>. Decide which products you will sell and how many products to offer. Create product categories and unique descriptions for each product or product line. This information will enable you to evaluate various shopping cart features and decide which package will support you best.<br /><br /> 10. Once you have all the items together, <b>build a flowchart</b> to map out all of the pages and how they link to each other. With this information, you can now select a hosting package. (You really can't know what you need in terms of hosting services until you have items assembled and flowchart created.) <br /></p> <p> With all of these materials-and your thoughts-organized, you are now prepared to meet with a Web designer to kick-off the design process. Or, if you will design the Web site yourself, you can now feel confident that you have the details you need to build a Web site that not only meets your business needs but, most important, meets the needs of site visitors.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Web Sites for Service Businesses: Three Key Benefits</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:50:41 GMT</p> <p>No matter whom your customers are or what kind of services you provide, your service business can benefit from a presence on the Web. <br /><br /><b>Benefit #1: A Web site is an easy way to share information about your business </b><br /><br />Whether your Web site contains basic information about your business or allows users to make appointments, request estimates or pay their bills, every business can benefit from having a presence on the Web. A Web site can serve as a place for people to go to learn about the services your business provides. Having a site can lend an air of "legitimacy" to a business, especially a new business or one that doesn't have a physical location. <br /><br />Plus, a Web site can be used to share much more information than other tools such as yellow pages ads. A Web site can deliver information-and convey a little personality, too! So, if your business is family-owned and operated you can include "historical" photos if the business has been around for a number of years. Giving potential customers a feeling as to who you are as well as the services you provide, will help your business stand out from the clutter.<br /><br /><b>Benefit #2: A Web site influences the purchasing decisions of your prospective customers</b><br /><br />With the increasing popularity of online directories, shopping and research, people are accustomed to using the Web to evaluate their purchasing options. As prospective customers increasingly use the Web to look for service providers, it is important for businesses to have a Web site that works hard for your business.<br /><br />Web users should, at a minimum, be able to gather the basics of your business from your site-hours of operation, location (if applicable), geographic areas where your services are provided and contact information. If you have expanded your services or if you are changing something about the services you provide (e.g., your service area), your site can be updated to reflect that "newsworthy" information as well. For example, if you are a roofer who focuses on slate roofs only, you can use your site to ensure that prospects know about the specific services you provide. <br /><br />Your site can also display certifications, reviews from local consumer publications, information on specialty services you provide as well as photos or examples of previous work. These are all ways to empower your business by standing out from the competition-and driving potential customers to you.<br /><br /><b>Benefit #3: A Web site can keep the conversation going 24/7</b><br /><br />Information on your site can provide potential customers with the information they need, whenever they need it. This will limit the number of phone calls you receive and messages you need to return to answer basic questions about your operations. This also means that when a prospect who has viewed your site calls your business, they will already know the key facts.<br /><br />Utilizing more interactive techniques on your site (blogs, for example), asking customers to e-mail questions and updating the site frequently can also facilitate communication with your customers that does not require you to be on the phone during valuable work hours. . Including your site on Web directory pages that contain your business information will mean that more users will be able to learn key information during their research.<br /><br />Finally, there may be times when you have a full slate of projects. For example, you may offer tree removal services but may be at capacity for a short time after a big storm. A Web site can be used to communicate that information and also be used to collect interested prospect contact details, so you are able to follow up with them when your schedule frees up.<br /><br />These are some of the key benefits-but certainly not the only ones-that a service business can realize through a strong, professional presence on the Web.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Your Web Site: The 24 Hour Workhorse of Your Dental Practice!</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:27:14 GMT</p> <p>Getting your dental services business online is about connecting with potential patients. But gone are the days of having a website merely to publish your office address and phone number, and expecting new patients will find you! These days most dental offices treat their website effectively as another sales and service channel, undertaking business development and patient support 24 hours a day. A professional web site can provide significant benefits in helping you market your business and service your patients.</p> <p><b>Basic ways your web site can support your marketing activities</b><br /><br />Today you can use your web site as the center of your overall marketing activity. Your web site can help you expand your messages to potential patients, especially if the services you offer are complex and not easily explained in a short advertisement. There is a limited amount of information that can be included a radio, TV or print advertisement and these mediums can be very expensive. However, if you include your practice's domain name in a small advertisement you can direct your patients to your web site and guide them through the services you offer in detail. But there are many more ways your website can help you manage and grow your business.<br /><br /><b>More advanced marketing techniques</b><br /><br />With a little imagination, your web site can be a lot more than simply an expanded brochure about your services. If you already offer a printed newsletter, you can offer this online instead, reducing the costs of printing and mailing, while helping the environment too! You can send the newsletter out via e-mail, and then archive previous editions online. By adding a sign-up box on your web site, you can potentially reach out to prospective patients and showcase your expertise by regularly sending them your newsletter. <br /><br />If you offer a service that can be best explained using audio, video or photographs, you can include links from your e-mail newsletter to multi-media files housed on your site<br /><br />For example, dentists can showcase their work by displaying "before" and "after" photographs of their patients, and even letting potential patients submit questions online about specific procedures. You can even welcome your patients and potential new patients into your office with a virtual office tour, similar to the virtual home tours posted for homes for sale. This not only provides a high tech image for your practice, but also lets potential patients get a feel for the way your practice operates.<br /><br />Another way to share your expertise with potential patients is to start a blog about a topic you understand intimately. You can blog about a variety of things, not just related to your practice; for example you can write posts about new trends in dentistry, new services you are offering, case studies about your existing patients, and post reminders about seasonal events such as special offers for particular procedures during quiet times of the year. Search engines like to index blogs because their content is often updated frequently, and other bloggers will often link to a post that they find valuable, which can bring your site lots of inbound links. A well-written blog can give you great credibility in your field.<br /><br /><b>Creating 24 hour Service</b><br /><br />A lot of your staff's time is probably spent answering the same questions over and over again, such as directions to your office, or the services you provide. These are the questions potential patients will ask before they engage your services. Displaying the answers on your Web site and will free up a lot of time for your office staff, and ensure that there are no miscommunications with potential patients. <br /><br /><b>Forms, forms, forms - many ways to enhance your patients' experience!</b><br /><br />By putting a contact/ inquiry form on your site you enable patients to contact you on their own schedule, rather than during regular office hours. This can be very convenient if your patients have a busy schedule. <br /><br />When your office sets appointments for your patients, you can streamline this activity and make things easier for your patients by setting up an online appointment service. Many patients would rather schedule their appointments online because it gives them the option to look at their calendar rather than potentially juggling with a cell phone and calendar while driving in their car, or having to make appointments while in the office where other people can overhear them. An added benefit is that your web site is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week so, again, patients with busy work schedules don't have to worry about remembering to call during office hours.<br /><br />By integrating your online calendar with an automatic e-mail service, you can even e-mail a reminder to your patients a couple of days ahead of their appointment. This is more convenient for many patients and saves you the expense of having someone call to confirm your appointments.<br /><br />If you offer prescription services, you can also make it easier for patients to call in prescription requests or refills, by providing an online form that they can complete and submit ahead of time. This form can generate an e-mail to your front desk or technicians to enable them to prepare the prescription ahead of time, rather than when the patient arrives at the office at the busiest time of the day!<br /><br />If you are offer non-prescription products for sale in your office, you can even go a step further and offer them for sale through an e-commerce shopping cart. For example, dental offices could sell tooth whitening or specialized mouth-wash products online, to save patients a trip into the office. This could be especially valuable to your patients if your practice is in a remote area where they may have to drive many miles to reach your office.<br /><br />Another use of online forms could be to qualify patients for a financial service. These types of forms can be very useful for expensive procedures or patients without dental insurance. While you may not be able to provide a quotation automatically online, you can easily create a form that can be sent via e-mail to someone in your practice who can generate the quote and call the potential patient back. <br /><br />Additionally, forms can be a great way to gather feedback from your patients. You can post forms or online surveys and ask for feedback from your patients. The advantage to this is that you can obtain opinions almost instantaneously, especially if you e-mail your existing patients to ask them to complete the survey. By describing a new or existing service and asking for their ideas, you can gain valuable insight into how to position your service in a fast, economical way. Involving your patients in the development of new services not only makes these services less risky, but also gives your patients a sense of engagement with your firm.<br /><br /><b>Improve employee effectiveness</b><br /><br />A web site is also the fastest, most economical way to disseminate information within your organization. Instead of relying on the haphazard distribution of memos and e-mails, employees can visit their company's Web site at their convenience. You can password protect an employee-only Web site, or intranet, so that sensitive information remains within the practice. <br /><br />Your web site can also function as the online repository of all of your service and patient information, reducing paper work and filing of patient records. It is fairly easy to create an online content management system to store important documents. <br /><br />In summary, you should think of your web site as more than just your address on the internet. Your web site can be a valuable tool to increase your firm's productivity and radically improve patient satisfaction.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Make the Web Your Strongest Selling Tool - Five Tips for Realtors® to Build an Online Presence</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:46:08 GMT</p> <p>The Web has transformed how people buy and sell homes. Gone are the endless afternoons of driving neighborhoods and touring properties. Now, buyers conduct the vast majority of their initial search efforts online. If you are a Realtor®, it is critical that you establish a strong Web presence, providing both sellers and buyers the information and the functionality they need to accomplish their goals. And if you can do it well, you will be able to achieve your own goals-more sales, more listings, more success!<br /><br /> Here are five tips to help you establish a strong Web presence:<br /><br /> 1. <b>Promote yourself and your niche</b>. When buyers and sellers turn to the Web in search of an Agent, one of the first things they will do is decide if you are the right Agent for them. They will want to see what you look like, so post a PROFESSIONAL photo of yourself. They will want to see how active you are in the market, so be sure you have a way to showcase your listings. They will want to see if the homes you sell match their price range. Are you upscale? Or, focused on townhomes and condos? Be sure it's clear who you are and what you do-this is your first impression, so make it a good one!<br /><br /> 2. <b>Provide access to a searchable property database</b>. There are many property database products available that you can incorporate into your Web site. For example, you can subscribe to services offered by the <a href="http://www.mris.com/products/mris_products_guest.cfm">MRIS</a>, as well as by Homesdatabase.com. Before you select a tool, spend some time using it yourself. While it does not need to be fancy, it does need to be easy to use, offer detailed listing information with photos, and provide full search capabilities. <br /><br /> 3. <b>Post your listings.</b> Just as you need to offer access to a searchable property database, you also need a way to promote your own listings. Again, there are many different tools available. Look for one that will showcase your homes nicely, with descriptions and the ability to upload multiple photos. Many services offer bells and whistles, including property mapping, virtual tours, email blast and contact management capabilities. Before you subscribe to a service, however, be sure it is easy for <span style="text-decoration:underline;">you</span> to create and update your listings.<br /><br /> 4. <b>Create unique pages for sellers and buyers.</b> Establishing a strong presence online requires you to meet the specific needs of visitors. Sellers and buyers will be looking for different things when they visit your site. Sellers want reassurance that you can, above all, help them sell their home. Post information related to sales: how to stage a home so that its best features can shine; how to price the home properly; and other details that sellers need to be aware of when attempting to sell their home You should also highlight any special awards, credentials, professional designations or recognition you have received within your agency, brokerage firm, or the industry. Your Web site page for buyers, on the other hand, should include information about different neighborhoods, schools, and communities. Help buyers understand the area and envision themselves living in a community. This will attract them to you and the information you are able to provide them. On each of the respective pages, you should include the appropriate link to your personal listings page, as well as to the page where they may search for all properties available on the market.<br /><br /> 5. <b>Make it easy for buyers and sellers to contact you.</b> A "Contact Me" page is critical in order to convert visitors into clients. This may be as simple as placing contact information (phone number and email address) on the site, or using a form for a user to send you an inquiry email. If you use a software tool, service, or platform to support this type of functionality, consider exploring one that also offers relationship management capabilities. These types of features allow you to be notified when it's Client Smith's birthday, so you can send a birthday card; or, enable you to send email blasts each time you have a new listing.<br /><br /> These are the core basics of establishing a Web presence. Once your site is up and running, you will need to keep it up-to-date, add fresh content, monitor traffic, and analyze your results. All of these activities will enable you to create a Web site that has the power to serve as your "face" before you are able to meet potential prospects, as well as become your strongest selling tool. Your Web site has the power to help you attract more buyers and sellers and, ultimately, attend more closings!</p> <p><b>Interviewee</b>: Tracy Ventura</p> <p><b>About the Interviewee</b>: Tracy Ventura is a licenced Realtor® in the State of Virginia, working with Jobin Realty in Culpeper VA and serving North and Central VA.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Web Sites Work</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:17:59 GMT</p> <p><b>A new survey finds that not only are small and medium-sized businesses going online — they are depending on it more for marketing and profits.</b></p> <p>The "Summer 2005 Small and Medium-sized Business Barometer," a nationwide survey of 780 leaders of small and medium-sized US businesses from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.interland.com/">Interland</a>, found that 96% of them had Internet access, and most had high-speed connections. </p> <p></p> <p>Of the 72% of respondents with a business Web site, more than half are using or interested in using e-mail marketing (60%) and search engine optimization (54%). </p> <p></p> <p>Additionally, 78% report their business is healthier — has a competitive advantage or stronger economic footing — because they have a Web site, and 76% say their Web site generates leads for their business. </p> <p>The strongest indicator of how businesses have taken to the Internet, however, is the fact that they are making money online. Of the 32% of the respondents who sell products or services online, 82% reported receiving monthly revenue from their Web sites. </p> <p></p> <p>"These results demonstrate that business leaders understand the importance of the Internet, Web sites and online marketing tools and are acting on that knowledge," said Jeffrey Stibel, CEO of Interland. "Since first introducing the Interland Small and Medium-sized Business Barometer in 2003, we have seen significant growth of businesses using online tools and offerings to attract, service and satisfy customers." </p> <p>With 53% of small businesses with Web sites saying their sites are primarily to provide company credibility, and 29% saying the sites provide a critical building block for developing the products and services, the Barometer revealed how central Web sites are becoming for businesses. </p> <p>When asked how Web site success is evaluated, 54% said through customer and prospect comments, 48% site activity, traffic and number of visitors, 36% sales leads, 24% online sales and 21% said efficiencies of internal processes such as faster payment processing or fewer phone calls. </p> <p>Surprisingly, despite today's ongoing battle with computer viruses, worms and spam, 42% of the small business leaders said they have experienced no computer-performance issues over the past year. Slightly more (44%) say their computers have slowed down, and 30% reported instances of freezing or crashing that require the computer to be shut down or restarted. </p> <p>One possible reason why these numbers are lower than one might expect could be that a whopping 97% of the businesses surveyed said they have virus software installed on office computers, and 70% they update that software weekly. </p> <p>For more information like this on e-business in countries around the world, browse eMarketer's <a target="_blank" href="http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/Products/eStatDatabase.aspx?tab=Try">eStat Database</a>.</p> <p><b>Article Source</b>: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.emarketer.com">www.emarketer.com</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Content Management</h1> <p>Philip Ramsey — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:43 GMT</p> <p>Content Management seems to be a very large blanket lately. It can cover anything from managing data on the back end to managing information for delivery to a web server. In today's blog I will be covering Data Conversion, Publishing Systems, Content Management, and finally Web Delivery. This will be a brief conversation, since I could possibly write a book on data conversion alone. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at <a href="http://www.qedmethods.com/contact.php">http://www.qedmethods.com/contact.php</a>.</p> <p>Data Conversion</p> <p>Having cut my teeth in data conversion, I naturally believe the most important concept in delivering information to print or the web is having total control over your data (after all your data IS your business). What is the best way to do this? Well it seems that even today a lot of organizations are storing their information in proprietary formats such as Word or Quark. While these tools might fit your current work flow well, they will fall apart as formats change or if the supplier's business model changes, let's assume that Microsoft decides that Office is no longer where they want to be, they could put an end to Word and all your data would be stuck. My belief is that you need to place your information into XML (10 years ago I would have said SGML, just goes to show that even these formats change).</p> <p>What is nice about XML is that it is a very structured text based markup language. The advantage of it being text based is that you will be able to use it on a Windows PC/Mac/Linux system, with only a text editor. XML is concerned with the structure of the data instead of the formatting, this is a key difference between XML and markup languages such as HTML or Word. In this world formatting is derived from structure not from random bold and italic tags thrown throughout the data. I am not an XML purist, so I will allow emphasis tags to be inserted into my XML for bolding and such, but a purist will be strict about the structure bit.</p> <p>It isn't easy to migrate your information into XML, which means you will need to spend time and money to have someone analyze the information, build a DTD (the DTD describes the structure of the XML, there are many out there that can be used or modified for your purposes), then you need to have someone convert your data into an XML format that is supported by the DTD. Note that this isn't easy or cheap, it requires a complete knowledge of what you want to do with the information, but once it has been completed, your information should be set for the next 100 years. When you start this process be ready for arguments, concessions, and revelations, it's an exciting process.</p> <p>Publishing System</p> <p>The Publishing System will be used to edit your information, an XML based publishing system will look at the XML and the associated style sheet, format the information in a fashion that is viewable to the editor or writer, then allow that editor or writer to write their article without regard to the XML. The system will enforce the structure of the XML, but the end-user would just see this as applying styles. It would be as if they are using Word or Quark. A good system will allow you to apply meta-data to the file and understand if you have a Print/Web/CD-ROM or other delivery method that needs to be supported, and be able to prepare the data for that method. It will also hopefully alleviate the dreaded editing in print composition that always seems to happen.</p> <p>Traditionally print has driven the publishing industry, what happens is that the print is moved from the publishing system to a composition system, in this composition system, the data is edited, but these edits never make it back to the source data, which means that your other delivery methods are no longer up to date, this could be a dangerous issue depending on the information content your are working with. In a good system, print composition will happen in the publishing system and will affect the source data, this will ensure that all data streams are up to date.</p> <p>Once your data has been modified it goes to the next step in the flow, in our case we'll ignore Print/CD-ROM/Other and go directly to Web. When I publish to the Web I prefer to format my information as HTML before it gets to the Content Management System (CMS), ultimately the information is delivered to the browser in HTML, if you don't convert the data, either the users browser or the CMS will need to deliver the information. Being a data control freak, I would rather have my system convert the data up front and not require the CMS to spin extra cycles converting data.</p> <p>Content Management</p> <p>Content Management is specifically that, it manages your content. A good system will allow you to add/modify/delete information on the fly, index information on the fly, and will maintain security in the system, either with a built in Digital Rights Management System (DRMS), or by securing the information so users can't bypass the systems DRMS. This system will also maintain all meta-data for each document, meta data can consist of the documents title, published date, expire date, document hierarchy, topic, subtopic, etc... The meta-data is important for displaying browse trees within the web interface or for searching the information.</p> <p>A content management system can be very complex or very simple, it depends on the amount of money you have to spend and the structure you want to enforce. There are systems, such as Joomla, that are free and there are systems out there that will cost you $100k plus. For many years my content management system consisted of a SQL server that contained the data as blobs or a set of directories using the file system (these directories were not directly accessible via the web server), this wasn't great since it didn't allow us to really index on the fly, but it did allow us to stand up a site quickly and cheaply. We also had an off the shelf indexing engine and a custom built DRMS to manage access to the information.</p> <p>Either the DMRS or the CMS should be able to log access to your site. This should not only include file access, but should also include queries and any special features, such as bookmarking, that have been built from your system.</p> <p>Web Delivery</p> <p>The Web Delivery seems to be what gets the most attention, but to be honest, I believe it is the least complex. When you build our your entire system you need to understand how you would like to deliver the information, but in the end, this is just the cosmetic portion of the site, it's what looks pretty and it's what will ultimately sell the site. For this you will need a graphic artist (note, your developer is NOT a graphic artist, if you want an ugly site, ask your developer to layout the look and feel of the site). When you develop the interface, you will need to have a knowledgeable systems architect on hand, someone who understands the entirety of your system. Given a good design and system and a graphic design, a new site should be able to be stood up in a couple of weeks once the data is ready.</p> </article> <article> <h1>Styling with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:38 GMT</p> <p>There is an abundant amount of design and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) information on the net. But what is CSS and why exactly are Cascading Style Sheets so important? </p> <p>Style sheets are a style, or skin, of elements contained in a web page. CSS elements enable designers to 'style' or control the look from within an HTML document, including ASP, PHP and other various markup languages. </p> <p>CSS is almost as simple as HTML and enables you to have more control over your designs. </p> <p>There are several ways to work with CSS </p> <p>• Inline </p> <p>• External sheets </p> <p>An inline sheet is written and used within your page, typically in the header and an external sheet is imported from the header. </p> <p>Here's one method to call an external sheet from within the header: </p> <p><style type="text/css"></p> <p></p> <p></style> </p> <p>You can start a style in the header the same way with the <style> tags. Either way, the style works pretty much the same and calls the same commands. </p> <p>So, let's create an example style sheet that will be called from within the header of a document and I'll comment out what each thing does by default. </p> <p><style></p> <p>/* Controls the body elements of the page */</p> <p>BODY {font-family:arial;font-size:10px;color:#333;background-color:#EBEBEB}</p> <p></style> </p> <p>The above style sheet controls one thing- the default body settings. </p> <p>There are several things here to notice.</p> <p>• Notice the name followed by brackets. This tells the HTML page what the style is controlling. </p> <p>• Notice that within these brackets are definitions. Each definition has a setting, separated by a colon. The definition is completed with a semi-colon. </p> <p>• The definition is predetermined. You can find lists of definitions that can be used all over the Internet. We used a few common ones in the example above, but ultimately resort to Dreamweaver's built in reference guide for a complete list of examples and specifically how and when to use them. </p> <p>• The "definition" setting is controlled by you. For instance, the above chosen "font-size" is 10px. That means the font size will be a size of 10px throughout the body of the document. </p> <p>So, what can be controlled through CSS? You can control fonts, font colors, backgrounds, table borders, cell widths and heights, background images and a whole lot more. </p> <p>Now the important question, why is CSS so useful? The benefits of CSS are countless. You can use a style within a single HTML element or you can write a style sheet as we did above in the header to control a single document. You can also import a single style sheet to control various elements on different pages. Importing your sheet allows the flexibility to change HTML elements throughout an entire site without having to change many pages, saving significant amounts of time. Importing is particularly useful when you have a site with a large amount of pages of in a web application. </p> <p>So should you know CSS? You shouldn't necessarily 'know' it unless you're spending a lot of time designing. Even if you're not a designer, you should at least make an attempt to use the basics of CSS in your design. </p> <p>CSS also provides added control over future changes and manipulations.</p> </article> <article> <h1>Under construction page: an old standard becomes a new mistake</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:38 GMT</p> <p>It used to be a common practice to design and develop "Under Construction" (UC) messages to place on your site during temporary downtime or when a website was being either developed or redesigned. </p> <p> </p> <p>There was a certain flair attached to fancy UC pages. Designers would use flash animation, animated gifs, and background audio. The thoughts behind UC pages were valid in that companies were focused on creating a buzz about their "coming soon" websites in order to foster curiosity among customers and also to demonstrate that they were wading in the technology wave, just not quite ready to ride. </p> <p> </p> <p>While the thought process is valid, it is slowly becoming, like many concepts in technology, obsolete. With the rise of search engine popularity and the reliance that online businesses place on search engine rankings, webmasters who post "Construction" pages are essentially closing their doors and turning out the lights of their online business. </p> <p> </p> <p>When search engine spiders come across a "Construction" page, they leave immediately. Even small, poorly built websites can usually hold a search engine's attention long enough to get a handful of pages spidered and listed. But the sole purpose of a "construction" page is to prevent visitors from viewing any pages, content, images, etc. within a website. This is a novel idea if you are trying to keep customers from viewing inaccurate information, old graphics, and so on. However, you will also lose search engine optimization and search engine ranking opportunities in the process. </p> <p> </p> <p>In summary, though it may be tempting to utilize "construction" pages while you are either developing or redesigning your website, be warned that when you keep visitors from entering your site, you keep search engine spiders out as well.</p> </article> <article> <h1>Selling Banners on One's Website - The Different Types</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:24 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p>Everyone with a website or e-business should be able to monetize it at least a little, even without degrading the visitors viewing experience. There are many different types and sizes of advertisements as well as ways in which you can display them. Below is a list of ad types and what each type can be used for.</p> <p><br /> </p> <p>Rotate Your Banner Ads:</p> <p>Rotating ads are a great choice if you seem to get a lot of ad clients interested in your web real estate. Often you can charge more for a banner spot shared by 10 clients rather then a spot owned by one. For instance, you can charge $10 per week to 10 people all of whom will have their banner rotated randomly, or probably only be able to get $75-$80 for that same exact spot with just one banner in it. The advertising clients are also getting a better deal in most cases. If you have a website that has a much higher daily page view count then unique visitors, meaning each visitor is visiting several pages at your site, a rotation will give them more of a variety, preventing them from falling ill to ad blindness.</p> <p> </p> <p>Sell Bid for Your Position Ads: </p> <p>More and more these days we are seeing sites with side bar advertisements. These are ads either running along the left or right margin of a webpage. What many of them do, is naturally optimize their revenue by letting ad clients bid for a higher position. Maybe the top spot along the side bar sells for $100 while the bottom spot only $10. Everything in between goes for a price between $10 and $100. You then allow clients to pay more money, ie $110 to outbid the others for the top spots. This creates what is almost a perfect market, letting you pull out every single dollar an advertiser is willing to spend. Your ad positions will sell for the highest possible price they are worth. An example of this would be text ads on Google's search results page, where the higher the ad along the right side, the more money that advertiser is paying.</p> <p> </p> <p>In line Text advertising:</p> <p>Companies like Vibrant Media and Kontera have revolutionized the way people view ads. They integrate the ads within the text of a website, making them rather unintrusive, and adding, in a way, to the content of the site. These kinds of ads are good for long text websites, where you don't want to ruin the visitors viewing experience by having flashy graphic ads everywhere.</p> <p> </p> <p>Understanding your market:</p> <p>It is crucial to understand the market you are in. Often ads can be a compliment to the websites content, if they are targeted well enough. Don't put ads for Life insurance on a website for teens. Often you are stuck between, wanting to monetize your site to the highest possible level, and wanting to keep your visitors viewing experience at its peak. You don't want to forget about ads completely, but also don't want to fill your page with ads, making it look like a billboard rather then a source of information.</p> <p> </p> <p>Experiment with the different banner and advertisement types, and go with what pleases your visitors as well as your pocket the most. Remember, all sites will have different results based on their content as well as their visitor demographics.</p> <p> </p> <p>About the Author:</p> <p>Manager, and One Time Owner of Scam Warnings Forum and Content Generating Forum</p> <p>Article Source: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Krassenstein">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Krassenstein</a><br /> </p> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Getting results from your website...</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:24 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p>With more than 77% of all American adults now online, and more than 175 million Americans using the Internet regularly, the argument that a website is an essential business tool is resolved before the debate begins. If your company isn't taking steps and making a continuing effort to maximize its website it is leaving customers and revenue behind (for competitors to pick up). </p> <p>Some of the hesitancy in developing and maintaining a good website is derived from misunderstandings of what it takes to make a website productive. This article shares 8 things you can do with relative ease to enable your website to deliver better results. They are:</p> <p>1. Make Sure Your Website is User Friendly<br />Whether in an offline or online environment, your target market can't be expected to buy your product if you do not make it easy to find and purchase. Your website can enhance the ease with which information and specs about your products/services can be found, thereby making the decision to buy them easier. Your website needs to (a) open quickly, (b) be easy to navigate and find information, and (c) provide a painless checkout process. If you can meet these three criteria, visitors will enjoy being on your site, and your sales through the site will increase.</p> <p>2. Give in to Speed<br />According to some sources, you have about 30 seconds to convince a visitor to your website to stay there and look for what they came to purchase. If your website takes these same 30 seconds to upload, or you have a 30 second flash that is well prepared but devoid of any message (loved by the graphic design folks and marketing people for its creativity and hated by visitors because it takes time and says nothing), then you will lose visitors even before you have a chance to present your benefits and offer. The key to speed is a well designed site hosted on servers that deliver high speed. </p> <p>3. Know Who Your Site is Targeting<br />The better you understand your target market the better your website will perform. Keeping in mind that the website is a marketing tool, and that knowing your market is a fundamental of good marketing, it makes sense that your website should be developed with your market in mind. You need to understand how you market behaves not only in terms of buying habits and spending patterns, but also, in the case of effective web development, online. The online behavior of your market will help you construct the site to meet their expectations, needs and preferences. In most cases the market will demand (a) that your site be updates and provide the latest relevant information, (b) that the site enable their inquiries through the latest online technologies, and (c) that the website be convenient to navigate. </p> <p>4. Know Your Goals<br />Just as with offline business, "getting more sales" is not a useful goal in that it is vague, overly apparent, and devoid of any market based elements. You need to approach your website with goals and objectives in mind, not only so that the site can be constructed consistent with them, but also so that the maintenance of the site can be executed to support them. For example, the goals of your website could be "present products in an attractive manner that allows prospective buyers to visual their use and benefits". Another legitimate objective could be "to present information on products and the company so as to educate consumers and broaden our customer base". In both instances, the goals are clearly defined, and the websites constructed around them will be designed in architecture and appearance to maximize the success of the stated objectives. </p> <p>5. Develop a Smart Web Architecture<br />When it comes to the architecture of your website - where the information is placed and the paths visitors take to get to it - the most critical tool you can deploy is common sense. Most people will look for information in the place where it is most logical for it to be. If you get creative, or want to make a point with your navigation (or the names you give to the information links you have) you will find that most people will leave your site rather than try to unravel the brilliance you are showing through your very clever structure. In other words, people are on your site to get to something, the easier you make it for them to get there, the better your website is. Period. </p> <p>6. Operate According to a Plan<br />Like any marketing tool, your website needs to be tied into your overall marketing strategy and needs to be reflective of your company, its products, and the message and image it seeks to communicate to the market. Your website needs to have a plan of operation that detail, through a process and in accordance with steps, timelines, and accountability elements, the milestones for measuring performance and success. The plan needs to include (a) processes and timetables for updates and announcements, (b) your web marketing campaign, and (c) how your site will compete against similar sites. </p> <p>7. Market Your Website<br />Like every other aspect of your business, if you do not market what you are doing nobody will know about it or why what you are selling is something they should buy. There are many ways to market a website and, as with Tudog's approach to traditional marketing, we recommend a basket of tactics. These include (a) organic embedding of metatags and other keywords into the content of your website so as to secure a higher natural listing on the search engines, (b) the purchase of select keywords to ensure high search results when these words are punched in, (c) affiliate sites and appearances on other sites, and (d) targeted web ads. These marketing tactics will assist you in driving traffic to your site, as well as serve to raise general awareness for your company.</p> <p>8. Monitor Your Activities<br />The Internet offers excellent opportunities to monitor and analyze your activities so that you can be certain that what you are doing is not only working, but maximizing your potential. The web can help you determine how many people are coming to your site, where they are going inside the site, where they came from into your site, and whether or not they made a purchase. You can use this information to determine the efficacy of your navigation, architecture, content, graphics, message and marketing. </p> <p>Your website, like all other aspects of your marketing, is a window into your company and a reflection of not only how much respect you have in what you do, but also how much respect and commitment you have toward your customers. A professional website demonstrates a professional attitude. Anything less is well, less.</p> <p><br /> </p> <p>About the Author:</p> <p>Duran Inci is an expert on Internet Marketing by Netspace.Com</p> <p><br />Article Distribution by <a href="http://www.reprint-content.com">www.reprint-content.com</a></p> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Get your CMS to hit the targets you want</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:24 GMT</p> <p>With more than a thousand Content Management System (CMS) vendors, organizations face tough choices navigating the tricky waters of technology. A CMS solution that is perfect for a large company may be ineffective for an SMB as it has no use for features that are used extensively by a larger enterprise. </p> <p>Buying a CMS is similar to buying Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions – you need to clearly evaluate your organization’s needs and then map them to make an informed choice. Once you succeed in identifying a CMS solution, how will you ensure that it simplifies your work as promised? What measures will you use to show your leadership team that the CMS will provide good ROI? </p> <p>Before beginning a CMS implementation, it is extremely important to identify the key business goals that must be achieved. Without this clear vision of the objective, CMS implementations are almost sure to fail. In this context, it is not surprising to find that most CMS implementations often overshoot budgets and timelines, and over their lifetime consume far more time, energy, and resources just to stay functional that you ever imagined. </p> <p>Organizational goals are diverse – but we can take a look at some common business objectives that must figure on your checklist before a CMS implementation. </p> <p><b>Goal #1: Improve Business Responsiveness</b></p> <p>In an intensely competitive world, organizations must be able to quickly update their Websites as soon as a new product or service is launched. In this scenario, organizations need the capability to accelerate content publishing, and provide subject matter experts (SMEs) with tools that are simple to use. Content specialists must be able to focus more on creating content - and not let content control them. </p> <p>For example, consider the marketing arm of a technology services firm that has just found out from its sales team that – </p> <p>1. There is a big SAP implementation services contract coming up </p> <p>2. The company awarding the contract is checking vendor Websites to evaluate capabilities before drawing up a shortlist </p> <p>In normal circumstances, the marketing team would have hurriedly asked the developers to put up a few links to SAP whitepapers (usually hidden inside the site) on the home page. If the same company had a Web content management system, the SMEs could have created a microsite with content tailored to showcase SAP capabilities. The ease of uploading content will also allow the same team to put up more recently created whitepapers on this microsite. In situations like this where time is of the essence, a user friendly CMS is invaluable. </p> <p>Similarly, if SMEs feel that a particular content - such as a whitepaper on the Website - must capture email addresses of the people who download it, they can easily create a form using the content management tool, and ensure collection of this data. The email addresses can then become part of a lead generation exercise, used by the organization to sell specific services to users according to the type of whitepaper downloaded. Further, if a marketing person feels the need to run a campaign showcasing RFID capabilities, he can easily create a microsite within the main Website, and provide an in-depth overview of his company’s capabilities. It is clear, therefore, that ease of use in this scenario can actually drive business efficiencies and opportunities. </p> <p><b>Goal# 2: Improve Branding</b></p> <p>An organization’s image in the marketplace is a combination of multiple factors, out of which--the Website--is clearly one of the most influential. A simple mistake such as a non-existent link on a company Website can mean a missed business opportunity. The chosen Website CMS must enable the organization to maintain link integrity – thereby significantly reducing the chance of users reporting a missing link. </p> <p>The CMS must also give the organization the capability to maintain consistency across all pages of its Website (with style sheets, templates, etc.) so that branding and design are controlled to the level desired, regardless of who is responsible for the actual content. </p> <p>As a result, visitors can have a consistent and professional experience on a Website managed through an effective CMS. </p> <p><b>Goal # 3: Improve Quality of Information</b></p> <p>The CMS must enhance the organization’s ability to improve the quality of information by giving it the capability to deliver content that is updated, comprehensive and validated by SMEs. A Website CMS must have intelligent workflow automation, and ensure that content passes through appropriate quality gates before being published. For instance, ensuring that files can be given a full document lifecycle, including check-in, check-out, versioning, rollback, approvals, and scheduling. </p> <p>The CMS should support configurable workflows that enable organizations to assign tasks to any person, and escalate in case defined thresholds are crossed. For example, the CMS must automatically send email alerts to content owners of specific sections on a Website, if these sections are not updated after a specific time period. </p> <p><b>Goal # 4: Reuse content</b></p> <p>In a digital world where content can be creatively used in a variety of forms such as whitepapers, podcasts or articles, effectively managing and using this content is critical for competitive advantage. However, the same content present in multiple mediums, across different business units can create silos of unmanageable information – and increase maintenance costs. </p> <p>Organizations must encourage content reuse by reducing duplicate content and storing each kernel of content only once. An efficient CMS can help find and tag content assets from a single point of control. This centralized control medium also means that the organization can effectively measure the success of its various online marketing initiatives. </p> <p><b>Goal # 5: Take Advantage of New Communication Media</b> </p> <p>The Web 2.0 audience demands an interface that is functionally rich, easy to use, and publishes content quickly. You would not want to frustrate an audience that is used to sites such as Flickr or Blogger. Adding complex content posting rules on your company’s blog will only alienate your would-be listeners. Further, different forms of metadata such as ‘rating’ or ‘tagging’ by voters introduce new layers of complexity in managing content. </p> <p>Additional challenges in content management arise due to multiple device types. Organizations that follow a manual content updating style, or have a CMS that tightly binds content and structure, will be at a distinct disadvantage when publishing content to different formats. Hence, organizations must look to a CMS that enables and facilitates easy creation of content that caters to multiple mediums and audiences from a single source, for example; publishing of digital assets like audio and video files, and simplify the process of publishing the XML associated with the Podcast RSS feed. </p> <p><b>Goal # 6: Improve Productivity</b> </p> <p>To improve productivity of key content specialists or SMEs, choose a CMS that allows even non-technical users to contribute and update content on a Website from anywhere, using just an Internet connection. Choose a CMS that encourages SMEs to experiment with the presentation of their content. For instance, enforcing design with, navigation schemes, and the presentation of content through standardized presentation templates. These templates ensure that the content presentation, titling and linking are arranged in a way that enables even non-technical staff to easily update content. </p> <p>Productivity can also be enhanced by giving SMEs the ability to search and quickly identify digital assets that are present in the organization. Content owners can thus save valuable time in creating content that is already present. </p> <p>Conclusion </p> <p>Like sails driving a ship, goals are vital for content management. Using the right metrics can add further control and boost effectiveness. For example, ‘business responsiveness’ can be measured by the organization’s ability to quickly update its Website as soon as new products or services are launched. Other metrics used to gauge success of CMS goals can include Web usage statistics, turnaround time for publishing new material or implementing changes, customer satisfaction, development time for new pages, and cost of training. Having a clear vision of what the CMS has to achieve can turn the direction of change in an organization’s favor, and make it better equipped to maximize CMS potential.</p> <p> </p> <p>About the Author: This article is contributed by Rob Rose - Vice President of Crownpeak. Like sails driving a ship, goals are vital for content management. Using the right metrics can add further control and boost effectiveness. Having a clear vision of what the Content Management System (CMS) has to achieve can turn the direction of change in an organization’s favor, and make it better equipped to maximize CMS potential. </p> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.articlealley.com/article_477668_4.html">http://www.articlealley.com/article_477668_4.html</a></p> <p>Link: <a href="http://www.crownpeak.com/">http://www.crownpeak.com/</a></p> </article> <article> <h1>At Your Service The Podcasting Server</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:24 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p>A podcasting server is just that: it exists to serve you with your podcasting file storage. They are enormous podcast file receptacles boasting a huge hard drive and dual power supplies. The server waits for requests for podcasting files in an climate-controlled environment. The server doles out files when requested by a podcasting client. The server offers a web page to a client computing tool through a system; and the client computing tool sends a podcast file to the server through the system. The server inputs information into the file of the podcast and offers the file in tandem with the additional information from the web page. The client computing tool will run the program with the additional information from the server. </p> <p><br /> </p> <p>Servers in these separate locales often offer limit-free capability of file storage. The amount of storage utilized depends upon the capability of the customer's server. Fees are structured on the amount and kind of servers used. Also, additional storage services may be offered by these locales to customers. Some of these locales will do maintenance on a periodic basis. Generally, they try not to have their system down for more than 10-30 minutes at a time. They are very customer focused, and work quickly to be available when duty calls. </p> <p> </p> <p>Various servers offer links to MP3 files permitting full access to programming. Consequently, other servers just permit one to view the "feed" of the program as opposed to the program itself. This "feed" or the RSS is in partnership with the MP3 files that permit a podcast receiver to run files. The receiver permits subscription to the user's choice of programming, and auto checks for new programs. Brand spanking new programs are downloaded as they become available. The user can program for this to be done while asleep. </p> <p> </p> <p>The OS X Tiger is one such server out on the market. It primarily targets the educational system. Apple claims that the blog software within the Tiger is utilizing the Xserve as a podcasting server. There is some controversy surrounding the claim that the OS X Tiger is actually a server. There are people that are content with Apple's claim that it is a server. Yet, there are other tech folks that try to debunk the OS X Tiger as a viable server. It's really an individual's choice, and if it get the job done, that's not bad, is it? </p> <p> </p> <p>James Woodley is the writer for the website <a href="http://podcasting.webinfo-site.com">http://podcasting.webinfo-site.com</a>. Please visit for information on all things concerned with At Your Service The Podcasting Server</p> <p> </p> <p>Article Source: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Woodley">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Woodley</a></p> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Joomla! video tutorial, a great tool for web designers</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:24 GMT</p> <p>Joomla!, the new Content Management System that is making headlines in the IT world, is a boom to professional as well as amateur web designers everywhere. Joomla templates make it easy to design or re-design a dynamic website, literally at a click of a button. The web designer has total control over the appearance, maintenance and management of the website even with little or no knowledge of the code. And all this for free! Joomla lets you add new pages, add or edit pictures, video, menus, audio, and texts to your website easily and instantly. For newcomers to the world of web designing, Joomla video tutorial gives you first-hand, step-by-step, pictorial and verbal instructions on how to create and use joomla templates.</p> <p><br /> </p> <p>How Joomla! video tutorials work</p> <p> </p> <p>There are plenty of sites offering basic as well as in-depth joomla tutorials for all website designers. Almost every joomla tutorial covers the essentials of joomla and its application in web designing. You can choose from a wide selection of pre-made joomla templates available free-of-charge on the Internet. Additionally, a Joomla template tutorial can help web designers create unique, custom-made templates to suit their individual requirements and preferences. However this could sometimes involve wasting precious hours reading through pages and pages of text and graphics, which may be difficult for a new user to comprehend.</p> <p> </p> <p>A comprehensive joomla video tutorial, on the other hand takes the guesswork out of web designing. It gives viewers a step-by-step practical demonstration in almost all aspects of downloading joomla and installing it on to your computer, as well as how to create custom-made joomla templates. You get to see the real-world application of how to use joomla to design your website and run your website.</p> <p> </p> <p>What a joomla video tutorial includes</p> <p> </p> <p>A Joomla video tutorial covers everything a web designer needs to get a unique, custom-designed website up and running in the shortest time possible. Time spent on an easy-to-follow comprehensive joomla video tutorial is time well-spent and will put you ahead of the competition in no time at all.</p> <p> </p> <p>Included in most joomla video tutorials are:</p> <p> </p> <p>• How to download and install joomla.</p> <p>• How a joomla template works.</p> <p>• How to use templates with and without content.</p> <p>• How to create a joomla template.</p> <p>• How to apply pre-made as well as custom-made joomla templates when designing a new website or re-vamping an existing one.</p> <p>• How to create layouts utilizing innovative cascading style sheets (CSS).</p> <p>• How to design a dynamic web-page and its difference from designing a static (X)HTML web page.</p> <p>• How to style and place modules.</p> <p>• Techniques and tricks regarding text resizers, rounded corners and variable page widths.</p> <p> </p> <p>Who should use Joomla video tutorials</p> <p> </p> <p>Everyone! Joomla can be downloaded free-of-charge and its endless combinations and possibilities mean it can be availed of by anybody for use in various different applications. Checkout a joomla video tutorial from the many available on the Internet to get a first-hand demonstration of all the possible ways you can use this Content Management System.</p> <p> </p> <p>Joomla video tutorials are a good investment and offer a huge head start to:</p> <p> </p> <p>• Individuals who design web sites as a profession – it takes but a few minutes to learn how to design high-quality customizable sites to suit your clients’ unique needs and preferences.</p> <p>• Individuals who own an online business- you can learn to create a website that will leave an indelible impression on every customer that visits your site.</p> <p>• Individuals who publish content online- you can learn how to customize your powerful content with imaginative graphics and create a website that will make an even more powerful impact on your readers.</p> <p> </p> <p><br />About the Author: Joomla video tutorials are available over the net, most of them completely free. Thomas H. Lindblom is a freelance article writer looking for interesting and unusual topics to write about. Joomla templates function as a basic foundation design within the Joomla Content Management System.</p> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.articlealley.com/article_171021_81.html">http://www.articlealley.com/article_171021_81.html</a></p> <p><br />Link: <a href="http://www.beautyindesign.com/">http://www.beautyindesign.com/</a></p> </article> <article> <h1>Audio Streaming: Easily Captured</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:24 GMT</p> <p>There was a time when it was difficult to distribute audio effectively over the Internet because the software used for listening was hard to come by and hard drive space was limited. </p> <p>Today Internet users typically have three or more devices that can decode and play audio streams via the Internet. Further software applications can even allow that download stream to be captured for replay. </p> <p>Thousands of Internet only radio stations are available with thousands of additional broadcasters repeating their terrestrial signal via the Internet. Many broadcasters are venturing into the realm of Internet audio by lending their voices to Internet based radio stations and other audio streams. </p> <p>The growth of audio streaming is a byproduct of consumer demand and advancements in technology. </p> <p>As an online business using audio to guide your visitor through your website may be a great first step, but there are so many other uses for audio that may take into account visitors who may be visually challenged. </p> <p>There are already devices to assist those with poor vision, but if you create pages with audio it can make an enormous impact on those who often feel forgotten. </p> <p>The use of audio can be a benefit for those who work on a hectic schedule. It may be possible to listen to your presentation while they continue working in another window. </p> <p>Audio can also be an important element in an increasingly mobile society. For those on the go, the ability to listen to audio may be of more assistance than attempting to read the small print on their cell phone or Blackberry. </p> <p>An audio stream from a conscientious netrepreneur is likely to meet with the approval of many of your site visitors. Certainly they will have different reasons for having an interest in the audio stream, but the audio remains an important function in site marketing and customer convenience. </p> <p>The growth of online marketing techniques can move audio streaming from a 'nice add on' to a desired form of communication with your prospects and customers. Since it is very easy for consumers to tap into an audio stream you have a unique opportunity to brand your business in ways previously unavailable. </p> <p>Where once there was debate over the use of graphics on a website now the debate may be centered around the use of audio on a website. Today you find very few websites without graphics. I believe the same will ultimately be true of audio streaming. </p> <p><br /> </p> <p>About the Author: </p> <p>Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with HighPowerSites at: <a href="http://www.highpowersites.com">www.highpowersites.com</a>. Start your own ebook business with BooksWealth at: <a href="http://www.bookswealth.com">www.bookswealth.com</a></p> <p><br />Article Distribution by <a href="http://www.reprint-content.com">www.reprint-content.com</a></p> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>9 Practical Reasons Why Web-Audio Is A Necessity</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:23 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p>1. Limited Screen Real Estate</p> <p>Computer screens have increased in size over the years but website designers still have to deal with the problem of how to get all a client's information presented 'above the fold' so visitors don't have to scroll too much. </p> <p>It's hard enough to get prospects to read anything, let alone copy that drones on. This problem isn't been helped by SEO tacticians promoting inflated text presentations often amounting to exercises in key-phrase diarrhea. </p> <p>If you have a lot to say, turn some of it into audio, so prospects can sit back, listen and absorb what you have to say, rather than hunt desperately for the information they're looking for. The single most important thing that effects a user's Web-experience is how fast they find what they came to learn and what could be easier and faster than pressing an audio button. </p> <p>2. Computer Screen Readability</p> <p>We have all been raised with the eight and half by eleven format permanently implanted in our heads. Unfortunately computer monitors' four by three aspect ratio is horizontal and the new breed wide-screen monitors use a sixteen by nine format - great for timeline editing and spread sheets, not so great for reading. </p> <p>Computer monitors have never been all that easy on the eyes and the new flat screen LCDs are brighter and display more contrast which is great for graphics but again not so great for reading. So instead of giving your potential clients eyestrain and a headache, deliver the information using audio, a much more user-friendly experience. </p> <p>3. Skip, Scan and Skim Searching</p> <p>We have learned from usability studies that seventy percent of Web-users scan and skip Web-copy paying attention only to captions and bulleted points. If your information is the least bit complicated or sophisticated, your Web-visitors are probably not getting a complete or accurate story. Ignoring the fact that prospects misread your copy and scan for highlights can be a costly mistake in miscommunication. </p> <p>Burying your message in reams of text leads to confusion and misunderstandings that will ultimately cost you money in lost sales and disgruntled clients. If your web-logs show a lot of visitors are opting out of your site shortly after entering, it is probably because they can't find what they're looking for, buried in your SEO-friendly jungle of text. If you've invested a significant amount of money attracting visitors to your site, you owe it to yourself to deliver the information they came to find. </p> <p>Allowing visitors to click an audio button to receive your core marketing message in sixty seconds of professionally delivered voice-over will do more to turn prospect into customers than a thousand words of boring, hard to read text. </p> <p>4. Consistency of Message Delivery</p> <p>Anyone who has run a sales department knows that different people deliver the same message differently. Some sales people have a greater grasp of your marketing message, and others are just going through the motions 'taking orders' rather than 'selling.'</p> <p>Even good sales people often find that key information gets left out or ignored because the client asks questions, gets interrupted, or just plain isn't concentrating. When clients are left on their own to browse your website, you never know how much of your copy they actually read and how much of that they really understand. It's called 'browsing' for a reason - not 'studying.'</p> <p>By presenting information in audio, you deliver a consistent, error-free message without anything left out. The human voice cuts through the concentration barrier and leaves an indelible impression of who you are and why prospects should be customers. When you deliver your reason-for-buying in audio, everyone hears the same message, in the same way. If content is king, consistency is the kingmaker. </p> <p>5. Multitasking</p> <p>Today's modern work environment is hectic. It would be nice if we could all act like doctors and lawyers with secretaries to screen our calls and organize our days so we can concentrate on what we are doing. Unfortunately, that's a pipedream for most modern day business people, especially the entrepreneur. </p> <p>Most of us are answering the phone, writing emails, surfing the Web and dealing with colleagues and clients in an ever-dizzying whirl of activity. Asking a multitasking businessperson to stop and concentrate on your beautiful prows is not exactly realistic. People want it short, quick, and precise. If TV advertisers can deliver their marketing messages in fifteen- and thirty-second spots, imagine what you can deliver in sixty seconds of finely crafted audio delivered by a professional announcer who knows how to grab your prospects attention and make an impression. </p> <p>6. Memory Retention</p> <p>Years ago commercials were sixty seconds, kids played board games for hours; life was simpler. Today commercials are fifteen seconds, kids play video games with incessant audio and visual stimulation, and we are perpetually on-call with our cell phones and Blackberry's. Our ability to retain information is severely compromised by a new world order of constant contact. Instant messaging has even created a whole new short-form language that brings sophisticated communication down to a new low - where is John Simon when you need him. </p> <p>If you want to be heard, there is no better way than with the sound of the human voice. The human voice penetrates the clutter and embeds itself in your prospect's consciousness. </p> <p>7. Branding - Creating a Corporate Personality</p> <p>Successful businesses all have personalities and there is no better way to transmit that personality to your prospective clients than with audio. You spend thousands of dollars on how logos, print material, emails ads, and websites look and so you should, but giving your business a personality is more than deciding that everything on your website should be blue. </p> <p>Differentiating your company from the competition is about creating a memorable business persona. One of the best illustrations of this is the J. Peterman story. Anyone who watched the Seinfeld show remembers John O'Hurley's J. Peterman character. O'Hurley's interpretation of Peterman was so strong, so memorable, and powerful that when the real J. Peterman company went under, it was the actor, John O'Hurley, who was able to get it back in business based on his fictional presentation of the real J. Peterman. That is the power of voice and it's ability to create personality. </p> <p>8. Persuasive, Provocative, Compelling</p> <p>Competition is fierce and getting noticed in a crowded marketplace is difficult. We cannot afford to let any opportunity to communicate effectively with prospects get by. You are not the only one with a website, blog, or product that meets your prospects needs, you must do more than just state your offering or even provide some me-too promotion, you must be persuasive, provocative, compelling, and concise. </p> <p>It only takes 136 words to write sixty seconds of audio. With the right 136 well-written words, delivered by a carefully chosen, professional voice-over artist, you can deliver more than just a pitch: you can deliver your entire marketing message, corporate personality, and brand image. </p> <p>9. Cost Effectiveness</p> <p>Many business people are scared-off by an assumption that multimedia solutions like audio are expensive - but that is just not the case. Audio is far more cost-effective than video, animations, and other labor intense rich media creative. If you hire the right people who know what they are doing, you can have an audio presentation professionally produced and incorporated into your website for a budget within the reach of any serious marketer. </p> <p><br /> </p> <p>About the Author: </p> <p> </p> <p>Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a Thornhill, Ontario based website design firm that specializes in delivering their North American clients' marketing messages using the latest audio, video, and interactive Flash presentation techniques to create compelling, informative and memorable Web-experiences that enhance brand personality and increase sales and profits. </p> <p> </p> <p>Visit <a href="http://www.mrpwebmedia.com">www.mrpwebmedia.com</a>, <a href="http://www.136words.com">www.136words.com</a> <a href="http://www.sonicpersonality.com">www.sonicpersonality.com</a>. Contact at <a href="mailto:info@mrpwebmedia.com">info@mrpwebmedia.com</a> or telephone (905) 764-1246. </p> <p><br />Article Distribution by <a href="http://www.reprint-content.com">www.reprint-content.com</a></p> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Complete Guide To Evaluating The Best Web Audio Software</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:22 GMT</p> <p>Web site audio can really make an impact on your customers when they visit your site. In fact, it can change a simple visitor to a customer. The correct web audio software can do this for you. It's an easy way to add audio to your web site. </p> <p>This is not just simple dialog audio we are talking about. This is professional audio that has lead-in music, interesting background music to spruce up the voice recording, and the use of fadeout music at the end of the recording. </p> <p>I'm also thinking about audio that streams automatically when someone enters your web site or audio that plays without delay when the listener clicks a "play" button...you choose which one you want. I'm thinking audio that sounds like it was produced in a pro recording studio at a cost of thousands of dollars...but we know it was created by you on your personal computer. </p> <p>I'm talking about this amazing level of audio done quickly and super easily...so any non-technical person can do it. To be clear and simply put, "web audio" is sound formatted for Internet use. It can be voice only or voice with professionally integrated background music. </p> <p>All of these above fantastic capabilities are not only possible, they are available today. </p> <p>The "secret" to putting audio on your web site is to find an easy to use software created for this specific purpose. There is a wide variety of software to do this. There are even some services that you subscribe to on a monthly basis to accomplish this. I definitely recommend using your own software instead of paying monthly fees. Why pay every month when you can simply pay one extremely small fee for the software to use over and over again on as many web pages and web sits as you want? </p> <p>How do you evaluate one software from another? Easy. Find each of the following capabilities in one software. And you'll know you've found the best product available anywhere. </p> <p>- All In One Solution - Record your audio, add a background loop, and create your audio player using this all inclusive program. No expensive and confusing external software needed! </p> <p>- Instant Streaming Audio - Your audio starts in seconds, not minutes, regardless of whether your visitors are on dial-up, or a high-speed connection. Make your impact right away. </p> <p>- At Least 10 Professional Background Loops For Variety - Background audio loops should be professionally recorded. They should represent various music styles and tempo. </p> <p>- Customize Multiple Audio Players On A Single Web Site - You want to select from a choice of player designs. Custom size the player buttons to fit your web site. And select any color you want. </p> <p>- Automatic fadeup and fadeout. Got a killer voice-based marketing message with a perfect introduction, message, and closing? With professional fade up, background, and fade out music added to it, you'll get your visitor's attention right away. With this professional touch you'll help close that sale. </p> <p><br />- Run Multiple Players On One Page - While this might seem obvious, you'd be shocked at how many audio solutions don't let you put multiple players on a single web page. Don't let this catch you after the fact. Make sure you get this feature in your software. </p> <p>Use exclusive "affiliate jump" technology. The best web audio software allows you to automatically forward your visitors to the web site you want them directed to at the end of your audio. Your conversions will go sky-high with this exclusive technology for affiliate promotions, teleseminar playback, and more. </p> <p>Use your existing audio files. Your audio software, of course, must let you record or brand a new audio file with the program itself. In addition, though, you can make use of any existing MP3 or WAV audio file on your computer. </p> <p>No Monthly Fees - Why pay a company $20 to $40 a month, every month, month after month, plus add-on fees, to host your audio messages when you don't have to? You should host the audio on your own web server and never have to worry about paying a monthly fee or your audio going offline. </p> <p> </p> <p>Now that you know all about web audio, go get the software and use it. You'll be glad you did. </p> <p> </p> <p>About the Author: </p> <p>Author: Ed Mass has discovered a professional web audio software that he's making available to others. See for yourself how easy it is to create audio for your web site. When you come across a great tool for your web site, get it, use it. .</p> <p><br />Article Distribution by <a href="http://www.reprint-content.com">www.reprint-content.com</a></p> </article> <article> <h1>Turn Benefits Into Sales with Streaming Media</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:16 GMT</p> <p>Companies trying to do business on the Internet are bombarded with marketing advice. Go to your target market. Promote your brand. Develop a web "community." Publish a Zine. All of it, good advice. But shopping carts are still being abandoned at an alarming rate, and conversion has become the most important web statistic. </p> <p>In the absence of live salespeople, who know how to listen and focus in on the customers' desires, businesses on the Web must use the technological tools available to replicate that human experience. Streaming is one of those tools.*</p> <p>Streaming Media is a natural way to motivate purchasing. It can be integrated into your website as a means to help people get over that "hump" when they haven't been able to see or touch a product. Use it to calm customers' nerves, build their trust in your company, and to keep their excitement about your service alive. </p> <p>When would streaming media serve visitors' needs on a commercial or business site? Use it for:</p> <p>*Product Demonstrations - Visuals are powerful and convey product features difficult to explain only in text. Medical devices are great candidates.</p> <p><br />*Installation issues - especially for products geared to personal safety such as child car seats - are expertly handled with video.</p> <p><br />* Human Resource professionals can use it to enhance corporate Intranets for remote sales forces and clients. Training programs can be stored and viewed by personnel at their convenience. Both audio and video can be used in conjunction with written materials to explain company policies and procedures.</p> <p>*Streaming slideshows are an economical method of showcasing vacation facilities, business plants, and real estate properties.</p> <p>*Demystify the shopping experience - use it to navigate the selling process.</p> <p>*Teachers and coaches of dance, sports and gym activities can highlight their training methods with short demonstration clips.</p> <p>Many businesses would like to use streaming media but are put off by high production costs. Keep in mind that existing materials might be perfectly suited for current needs. Your streaming provider should be able to assist you with preparing and, if needed, modifying your material. </p> <p>Streaming media is a very effective and affordable marketing tool. In today's world, where consumers have more purchasing power and choices than ever before, it can be used to make your customers aware of benefits that can't be found elsewhere. And, benefits often turn into sales.</p> <p>Streaming media should not be used arbitrarily, however. Unless your material is relevant to your visitors and adds perceived value to their purchase, don't waste your time or theirs. When designing your streaming media presentation, ask yourself what it will accomplish that your current content doesn't. Will it complement your existing material? Will it be utilized to enhance your offering? Will it provide additional incentive to make your visitor buy?</p> <p>If you can answer yes to those questions, streaming media should be a strong candidate for your marketing dollars. Use streaming media technology wisely, and it will go a long way to making your business site stand out in a very crowded field.</p> <p>*What IS streaming? Streaming promises quick access to crucial audio and video content without the aggravating wait for files to download. Downloading requires that files be sent to the user's PC in their entirety before they can be played; MP3 audio is a perfect example of this. The files then remain on the user's machine until they are deleted. Streaming continuously sends these same files, which have already been digitized, to the user's PC while the user is listening or watching. When the stream is ended, no data is left behind on the user's machine.</p> <p>Ronni Rhodes is the owner of WBC Imaging, a company that specializes in web site enhancement utilizing streaming media technology. With her husband, Don, a digital media engineer, they work with companies to incorporate streaming as part of successful and meaningful training and marketing programs.</p> <p>Please direct all questions and comments to:<br /><a href="mailto:Ronni@wbcimaging.com">Ronni@wbcimaging.com</a><br />520-742-5780<br /><a href="http://www.wbcimaging.com">http://www.wbcimaging.com</a></p> <p>Article Source: <a href="http://www.businesshighlight.org">www.businesshighlight.org</a></p> <p> </p> </article> </main></body></html>