My only critique is that it is difficult for lay-people to customise the appearance of their Wordpress business blog so it is consistent with the rest of their online brand. 

While it is easy to download and install Wordpress templates these are usually relatively generic and may not completely adhere to your business colours and style. 

To successfully amend the appearance of a Wordpress blog, you need an understanding of cascading style sheets (CSS) and PHP coding – not something someone outside of the IT industry typically holds under their belt!

For a website developer with an understanding in these areas it’s not a huge job. So, if your Wordpress blog needs a design overhall, drop me a line and I’ll have it looking ‘brand ready’ in no time.

Need help?
RAM Marketing can assist with setting up and customising your WordPress blog. We can incorporate it into your existing website and ensure it is optimised for search engine ranking.
Are you stuck for ideas to fill your Wordpress blog? We can help you devise a blog marketing strategy. 
For more information please contact Rebecca Mitchell, RAM Marketing via info@rammarketing.com.au.

Looking forward to your ideas, Rebecca.

This is an example of a favicon on www.news.com.au

Favicons are a great way to reaffirm awareness of your brand online.

Adding a favicon to your website requires coding skills so you are best to speak with whomever designed your website.  If you can’t get in touch with them, let me know and I should be able to assist. A favicon can even be added to your blog.

Need help?
If you need more information about adding a favicon to your website contact Rebecca Mitchell, RAM marketing via info@rammarketing.com.au.

You only get one opportunity to create a first impression. If your website design is sloppy and the information is out of date, visitors are less likely to persevere and give you a second chance.

2. Don’t make your visitors feel stupid

It is always a good idea to maintain a standard layout and design format that people are familiar with. You don’t want your visitors to have to think too hard about how to move around your website. If your website makes people feel foolish and inadequate then they will be less likely to do business with your company.

3. Download quickly

Faster internet connections have given website developers more freedom when it comes to using complex graphics such as Flash animation. Even with fast internet connections it can still frustrate people if they have to wait those few extra seconds while your wizz-bang home page downloads.  Ask yourself how much value this adds to your website and is it worth making people wait? 

You should also be mindful of potential clients who live outside of metropolitan areas and may not have access to ADSL and cable internet connections.

4. Contain useful and relevant information

Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD! Try not to fill your website with useless information that will only frustrate and confuse your visitors. Always ensure your website information is relevant, topical and up to date.

5. Be optimized carefully for top search engine rankings

Search engine optimisation is a constantly changing art. It is important that all elements of your website are optimised to boost your ranking.

6. Have a good contrast between the background and text to enhance readability

There are some colour that make the text extremely difficult to read. Red writing on a blue background is one example. You may even notice that it ’strobes’ on some computer screens. Don’t isolate potential customers by using design features that make it difficult for people to read your message.

7.  Consist of short paragraphs

Use subheadings, bullets, etc to break up text.

8. Not comprise excess clutter

The clean, uncluttered look has been popular with website design for many years now. If you must have a lot of information on your website consider breaking it up into separate pages rather than having long pages so visitors have to scroll for an eternity.

9. Only use graphics and animation where necessary

Some website designers use their clients websites as a canvas to showcase every one of their clever design and programming skills. The end product can be a website with so many bells and whistles it makes the visitor feel slightly nauseous. If something isn’t enhancing the functionality of the website then it doesn’t belong on the page!

10. Keep your brand consistent

Why is it that some companies have an offline brand and a completely different online brand? Unless this is done with purpose, it is good business practice to maintain a consistency with your branding.

Is your website out of date and looking a little tired?
I am often employed to upgrade websites that have been designed by other companies. For an obligation free quote to give your website a makeover, contact Rebecca Mitchell @ RAM Marketing via info@rammarketing.com.au.

Don’t stop marketing

In tough economic times, the first thing many small businesses cut is their marketing budget. All advertising is stopped in an effort to save money. In fact, this can be one of the most effective times for small businesses to increase their marketing.

Chances are your competitors will have pulled back, or stopped, marketing in an attempt to save money. If you continue, or increase your marketing during this time, more potential customers are likely to notice your message because there is less competition.

While you may not receive an increase in business or enquiries immediately (after all, your customers are probably hurting financially too) when the market does pick up and people start buying again, your company will be ‘top-of-mind’ and your competitors forgotten.

Give your customers added value without extra expense

During tough times people want value for money. Thankfully this doesn’t always mean slashed prices. Added value also comes in the form of exceptional service, a focus on quality, helpful information, guidance and after sales service.

Value added service will increase loyalty among your existing customers and, through referrals, help to attract new customers. Your excellent reputation will precede you and you may even start drawing customers away from your competitors!

Focus on your core competencies

In an economic downturn many business try diversifying by introducing additional products and services. One interesting article I read warned against this, instead suggesting focusing on what you do best:

Just adding other products or services to your offerings is not diversification. At best, it’s a waste of time and money. Worse, it can damage your core business by taking your time and money away from what you do best and/or damaging your brand and reputation. Drop the extras and focus on what you do best that is most profitable to recession-proof your business.

Nurture your existing customers/clients

We all know it costs a lot more to acquire a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer. When money is tight, rather than spending extra cash trying to bring in new customers, sales opportunities may already exist within your current customer base.

Importantly, let your loyal customers know you appreciate their business.

Watch your competitors

Keep a close eye on what your competitors are doing. Just as you are trying to lure their customers away, they are no doubt trying to do the same to you.

Your competitors may be offering cheaper prices, a more competitive offer or better service. If your clients are completely happy with the service offered by your business it will be harder for your competitors to lure them away.

By no means is this list complete. These are just a few points that I found interesting and informative. Try doing a Google search for ‘recession-proof your business’ and you will get an indication of just how pertinent this information is at present.

The truth is that tough economic times ‘flush out’ many industries with only the strongest businesses surviving. Some companies flourish during these times because they are flexible enough to adapt to the changing climate and fast enough to take advantage of opportunities that may arise.

Good luck and if you have a tip that has helped get your business through tough times I’d love to hear it. Please post comments below.

Marketing newsletters can be used to:

• Enhance your image and expand into new regions.
• Convey valuable information about your business and your services.
• Give the impression that you are concerned about your clients interests.
• Present a professional, winning image
• Demonstrate the permeance, reliability and consistency of your company.
• Display your willingness to serve others.
• Say something good about your company on a regular and frequent basis.
• Give your company repeat exposure, thereby increasing the chances of new business.
• Break down barriers and establish bridges of trust by showing your company really is about people, people, people.

A common misconception
A common misconception about newsletters is that after distributing the first edition you will receive an abundance of enquiries for their service. This is rarely true. Newsletters are about building relationships and are designed to give the reader a positive experience that sinks into the back of their mind so when they do need your type of service, you are who they call. If your newsletter campaign is not followed up on a regular basis then your community may soon forget.

• Tips to producing a better marketing newsletter
• Establish a clear objective/purpose for the publication.
• Define your target audience so you can tailor your message more effectively.
• Publish articles that are topical and informative. Tell them something useful they didn’t know before.
• Give readers an incentive to contact you. Throw in a response device or information request.
• Encourage them to circulate your newsletter.
• Add a case study or testimonial.
• Don’t talk only about yourself.
• Make sure it is reader friendly – have a good visual mix and don’t get too fancy with fonts.
• Keep your stories short, simple and clean.

Need assistance? If you need assistance designing your newsletter and compiling interesting content, whether your newsletter is an online model or printed edition, contact Rebecca Mitchell via info@rammarketing.com.au.

You can register as many domain names as you want. It costs less than $100 every two years to register a ‘.com.au’ domain name and approximately USD$10 per year to register a ‘.com’ domain name.

Try to keep your domain name as short as possible. Depending on your business and what your customers call you, you may be able to use initials or abbreviations.

Make your domain name as relevant to your business name as possible so people don’t have to think too hard about what it may be.  For example, it wouldn’t make sense for Telstra to use the domain name www.telstracommunications.com.au when www.telstra.com.au is easy to remember and quicker to type.

Your domain name should be easy for people to spell and pronounce.  If your company name is prone to misspelling or mispronunciation I recommend registering several domain names. For example, a company called “ABC Stationery” should consider registering www.abcstationEry.com.au and www.abcstationAry.com.au.

Once you have decided on a domain name you need to check it is still available.  Domain Name Registrar websites usually provide a search facility for this purpose. If you don’t know where to start try http://www.tppinternet.com.au.  Having a few different domain name options is a good idea in case the one you want has been taken.

The next step is to choose a domain name extension – this is the bit at the end of your domain name like ‘.com’, ‘.com.au’, etc. These are usually based on geographic location (but don’t have to be).  If you conduct business primarily within Australia then you should register and use a ‘.com.au’ domain name extension. You may also consider registering the ‘.com’ version just to ensure you maintain your brand in the global marketplace.  If you undertake business overseas then you may want to register other versions.  For a list of all domain name extensions – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_code_top-level_domain.

If you find your chosen domain name has been taken, there are other options such as ‘.net.au’ or ‘.biz.au’.  Think seriously though before using one of these as your primary domain name though.  By habit most people presume that a domain name ends either in ‘.com.au’ and ‘.com’. You may inadvertently pointing business the way of your competitors.

Similarly, to prevent your competitors from registering and using other options of your domain name you can consider registering all domain name extensions relating to your domain name, for example: www.yourcompany.com, www.yourcompany.com.au, www.yourcompany.net.au, etc.

Australian domain name registration laws are more stringent than other countries. If you are registering a ‘.com.au’ domain name then you will have to supply your business name, ABN and / or ACN details. This is so the Domain Name Registrar can verify that you are registering a domain name that legitimately relates to your business.  The reason behind this is because years ago cyber sharks were registering domain names that contained the names of large companies or famous people and then they would try to sell them for huge amounts of money.  Australian domain name registration laws now try to prevent this happening.

For more information on Australian domain name registration laws visit this website: http://www.domainhostingshop.com.au/australian-domain-name-requirements/

If you have a tip on domain name registration you want to share with others, I invite you to comment below.  Conversely, if you need more information or are still confused about what domain name to choose and how the registration process works, don’t hesitate to contact Rebecca @ RAM Marketing anytime.

The link is: http://www.myhousehunt.com.au/

Personally, I hope to use my blog as a place where I can post information and comments about things I talk to people about on a day to day basis in my business.  So, rather than just sharing information with one person, through my blog, I can converse with many.

Blogs are usually written in a similar manner to a conversation so they are a great way for your to communicate informally with your customers / clients. 

Posts (the separate articles within the blog) are usually kept short thereby encouraging greater reader interest. 

Even the most hesitant writer shouldn’t have a problem coming up with ideas and writing posts because a blog can be used as a place of personal opinion, insight and comment. Your posts are not literary pieces up for the Pulitzer Prize so relax and let it flow…

In my opinion, one of the best things about a blog is that readers can provide feedback instantly in the form of ‘comments’ thus giving you an insight into their thoughts and opinions.

So how do you write and maintain an interesting blog that people will want to read? 

• Pick a good title for each post to attract attention and so your readers can quickly scan for articles that interest them.
• Keep the content friendly and informal.
• Write in the first person.
• ‘Describe’ rather than ‘tell’.
• Put your main point in the first paragraph to pull readers in.
• Encourage your readers to provide feedback. And importantly, listen to what they say.
• Add photos and helpful links. Video can also be added.
• Make one point per post.
• Keep it short and avoid long paragraphs.
•  Write often so people come back.

You may now be asking yourself “What have I got to write about that people would find interesting?”

Ultimately your blog shouldn’t be a place for overt self promotion. People will see through this and quickly lose interest.  Consider using it as a forum where you educate your clients, share knowledge and generously provide helpful information. 

Need help?
If you are not sure how a blog could benefit your business or you are stuck for ideas on how to fill your blog,  I invite you to post a comment below and I will reply as best I can with some ideas I hope will help. Alternatively, contact Rebecca Mitchell direct via rebecca@rammarketing.com.au.