The R3 Blog

With the tremendous increase in the number of mobile phone users accessing the internet on their handhelds, it is important for website owners to get a mobile version for their websites. You need to make yourself easily accessible to this audience when they look for you or need more information. It is just like a regular website, but designed specifically for the mobile phone. It needs to have the right information and be easy to use.

According to Google, approximately 60% of users expect a mobile site to load in three seconds or less. More than half of these users wouldn’t recommend a business with a bad mobile site. So even if you don’t think you need a mobile version of your site, you could, in fact, be losing customers without on.

Try opening your existing website on your Blackberry, iPhone, Android, Nokia or any other mobile phone that you use. You will see that the experience of browsing your site is not the same, when viewed on a PC or Laptop. Websites usually appear to be all jumbled up or are difficult to navigate through when accessed via a mobile phone or smart phone.

After you have opened your website on your mobile devise, ask yourself these questions:
1) Do you see any broken images or are you missing any content?
2) Can you read the text without zooming or scrolling?
3) Can links and buttons be clicked with a thumb?
4) Is the shopping cart at the top of the page?
5) Is your location and phone number visible?

If your business has not yet taken advantage of the power of a mobile website, then it is time to start creating today.

Get Started TODAY !

Networking is one of the  best ways for small businesses to pick up new customers.
One of your 2012 resolutions should be to join a new community or neighborhood group and/or attend a new networking event.
It’s important that you keep talking about your business.

Networking in today's environment sometimes is "only one opportunity" and if you treat it as such, you'll see positive results.
Finding the appropriate networking events to meet others and hand out cards is now closer to an art-form.

- Attend Chamber of Commerce networking events.
- Give back to the community by serving on a Non Profit Charity Organization.
- Send out brief emails to those whom you met at your networking event - add them to your database to recieve your E-Newsletters (always allow them to opt-out)

Happy New Year .. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!

Practicing random acts of kindness is one of the most fun ways to create an inspirational story. 
We would like everyone to to do one or more Random Act of Kindness this holiday season. After you have done this,  we'd like you to come back here and share your experience with us!   Let's hear how you positively surprised someone, and probably made their day!

We don't care how big or small your Random Act is, we just want to hear your stories and share them with our readers. And don't be timid about sharing the smallest of kind acts...it's the little changes that make a big difference !

R3 Design Studio wants to hear about your Random Acts of Kindness this Holiday Season - Your posting is your entry into our Free Website Contest.
This is a basic 5 page website (hosting not included).  And up to 2 hours of training.
Drawing to be held - January 15, 2012

STAY AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITION

If you feel that your competition is beating you in a certain area of your business, don’t feel as if you have been beaten and get mad, instead, understand that they have just found a smarter practice and you might want to emulate that, without copying them.

Competitors can be inspiring yet intimidating at the same time. You want to be ahead of you competition, however it can work to your advantage to follow your competitors just to see what they’re up to.   There are some things that you can do to make sure that your business climbs to the top of your niche and stay there.

1. Know your Competition:
   This is crucial and it may seem like you are spying, but you can’t beat the competition if you are not sure who they are. Make sure you do your research and find out whom your potential customers are currently working with.
   
   
2. Do not Compete in Pricing:
   Do not try to match your competitors pricing, you may find yourself skimming the bottom of the barrel when it is all said and done. Instead, focus on offering your customers a superior product or service, you will find that customers will pay for it.
   
   
3. Be-friend Your Competition:
   Your competitors are NOT your enemies, in fact, Sometimes it is beneficial to collaborate with them, especially in the online marketing world. You might even find it beneficial to endorse one another’s products or to promote one another as backup resources.
   
   
4. Competitors Can Play Dirty:
   Most people do business in a fair and equitable fashion; however there are always those people who will stop at nothing to take down the competition just to make a buck or two. This is another reason to keep a close eye on your competition, and if you happen to see them doing anything illegal, do not be afraid to take legal action if it is call for.

Email is a very powerful option for marketing, if used correctlY.

1) It's essential that every single person on your email list has opted- in via a form on your website.

1. Sending unsolicited emails will only hurt your company's reputation.
2. As tempting as it may be to purchase a list of one million prospects from a lead broker, you run the risk of creating angry prospects who cannot wait to report you and your company as spam.
3. Build your lists through permission, not spam.

2)   Large Lists are NOT the key to success.

1. Targeted lists is the key to success
2. It is better to have 500 targeted prospects, than it is to have 5,000 untargeted leads.

3)   Send Appropriate emails to appropriate leads

1. Segment prospects that have purchased from you, and send them emails to keep them happy and loyal customers.i.
2. For example: special offers, coupon, customer appreciated deals

4)   Deliver valuable information to your subscribers

1. This is key to building loyal customers.
2. Avoid the aggressive and pushy sales pitch
3. It is important that you deliver valuable and educational information to your prospects.

5)   Every email should ask your prospects to act

1. It does not matter what action you want them to take, just as long as you ask them to take some form of action
2. You may want for them to call on 800 number
3. You may want them to register for a webinar
4. You may want to them to take a look at your newest product

Thumbtack.com is your marketplace for local services. 
They are changing the way people buy and sell services -- making it easier, safer, and more affordable to.

As a marketplace, Thumbtack is in the business of generating transactions--this is how they create value for  their users.
They monetize by charging merchants for the new business that they bring them.
Merchants can choose to respond to each potential client they bring them on an opt-in basis.
The merchant has the choice whether to pay an upfront lead fee or a percentage of the job if they get it.

You can check us out on Thumbtack.com by clicking on the link below.
Web designer

First came Black Friday, then came Cyber Monday, and now, on November 26th comes the 2nd annual “Small Business Saturday.” A day to support the small businesses that we care about. A day to celebrate the small businesses that boost our local economies and preserve our neighborhood character.

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday drive sales to national chains and online retailers, Small Business Saturday recognizes the importance of small, independently owned businesses to the overall economy and local communities.

You can visit facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday to learn more, join the movement, spread the word and give a shout out to your favorite local stores and restaurants.

 IS YOUR WEBSITE MOBILE READY?

By the end of 2011 more than half of Americans will own a smartphone.Did u know that without a mobile version of your website, your small business could be losing potential customers and revenue?

According to a recent mobile internet report (Morgan Stanley),  over the next five years, more and more users will be connecting to the internet from mobile devices than from their desktop PC's.  And, as the popularity of mobile search continues to grow, Internet search providers like GOOGLE and YAHOO will rank websites without a mobile site lower in search queries. 

Because mobile websites are viewed on much smaller screens, your mobile site needs to be designed specifically for use with the "mobile thumb" (people  use their thumb while holding the phone in one hand - thus needing to be able to reach any part of the mobile website with their thumb).

IS IT TIME TO CHECK YOUR WEBSITE?

The best way to check to see if your site is mobile friendly, visit your website from any mobile devise.  Then ask yourself:
1)  Does my website load quickly?
2)  Is my website easy to navigate?
3)  Would I do business with someone whose website works the way mine does?

If you answered "NO" to these questions, then your site needs improvement to keep up with the market.
If your site needs assistance to make it more MOBILE FRIENDLY, feel free to give us a call or reach us through our contact form on the site.

Social Media Marketing, otherwise known as SMM, can be an extremely effective marketing tool for small business owners to promote themselves, however most small business owners do not utilize these powerful platforms effectively. 

Here are just a few things to keep in mind before you really start pushing the SMM.

First Rule of Thumb is Consistency:

It is very important that prospective clients see you on a regular basis. Exposure is the key to gaining your client’s trust and eventual business.  Determine how much time you have to devote to your Social Media Marketing and create a daily schedule where you pencil in your 20, 30, 40 or even 60 minutes per day to dedicate it to your Social Media Marketing

Remember to set up your COMPLETE Profile in your Social Media Marketing platforms.  People want to get to know you, so give them what they need.  They aren't likely to get a connection wtih you if your profiles are incomplete.   When they land on your profile, you should have a picture representing your business and some brief information, just enough to catch their attention and want to know more about you.

When you are marketing on the social media platforms, keep in miond the 80/20 rule.
80% of your time should be answering quiestions and interacting with others
20% of your time should be for promoting your business.

If you stick to these rules you will be viewed as a true participant and not a pushy sales person.

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If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

I have been blessed to be able to use my creative skills and and be able to offer my customers TOP NOTCH work without the HIGH Costs !!
Secrets to share : Well if I shared them would they be a secret ?

Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

All the time... not only do I spend many hours creating websites or maintaining my current customers sites, but technology is constantly changing... I must stay on top of it in order to offer my clients the best ! So... I also spend many hours educating myself on new technology.

How did you decide to get in your line of work?

Back in 1999 - My wife started her recruiting business, and she needed a website. We did our research and still could not find someone we liked or trusted. Most design firms did not give any room for budget restraints either. With that in mind, I decided to try out my creative skills and to make a long story short............ BAM......... This is what I wanted to do from there.

What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

REFERENCE CHECKS ! Doing business with an independent has alot of perks - however, if you are smart, you will ask for references and check out their previous work.

What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

This is not a hobby to me, this is my profession. I spend many hours perfecting my work to give my customers not just what they wanted, but I do go above and beyond the expectations. I am creating a relationship with my customers - they are my references !

What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

Customer: How much is this going to cost me ? Response: How far down the rabbit hole do you want to go ?

What do you like most about your job?

Able to be creative ! The screen is my canvas ! My customers allow me to use my creativity and are WOWed by my creative twists here and there !

Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

My work is "outside" the box !! Not template work...but actual DESIGN work ! Customer Service is TOP NOTCH !

If you seem to be throwing lots of time and money at advertising with dismal results then these five questions could save you money and build customer loyalty.

Most business owners steer away from asking their customers what they really think about their products or services for fear that they may find fault. This is a "bury your head in the sand" mentality that limits your potential and your opportunities to stay ahead of your competition.

How do I know this? Because I have worked with dozens of small businesses, and most of them have never asked their customers what they think. When I work with businesses, one of the first things I do is call some of their customers because if the product or service is not up to scratch, bringing in more customers will do more damage than good.

So here's my top five questions and why you need to ask these.

1. How did you hear about us?

It is important to understand what marketing channels are working for you. If the majority of your new customers are coming from word of mouth referrals, create opportunities for more referrals. Don't spend your hard-earned cash on advertising to people who don't know and love you.

2. What was your main reason for choosing us?

I am constantly reminded that price is not the main reason people choose to do business with you. Consistently across the 70 industry sectors I have surveyed, trust that you can provide the right product or service is the No. 1 reason. But there are others and you need to know the reasons why customers choose you, because this is essential to your communication with existing and potential customers.

3. What is one thing we do really well for you?

This question gives you clues about why you are better than your competitors--and this creates opportunity to exploit your strong points in your marketing. Customers will tell you why you are better than the guy down the road. Your job is to make sure that you keep delivering well on your strengths.

4. Is there anything we could we do better?

This is the number one reason why business owners don't do customer surveys, yet this is vital information that you need to know. You need to know where the gaps are so you can plug them. Don't allow your weaknesses to be your competitors' advantage.

5. On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to refer a friend or colleague to us, where 1 is not likely at all and 10 is extremely likely?

Those of you who are familiar with net promoter score will know that a customer who scores 9 or 10 is a strong referral source. You also want to ask them why they have given you this score so that you can understand what is important to your best customers and be sure that you continue to meet their expectations.

So there you have it. With the answers to these questions, you can create marketing plans that have a balance of strategies for attracting new customers as well as retaining existing ones. You will know what areas you need to work on and what you need to constantly keep on top of to avoid losing customers.

As I mentioned before, I have conducted dozens of surveys for my customers, and it has been very rare that a customer's customer does not want to participate. Any feedback about your business is great. It is not about you but what you can do for your customers to have a sustainable business.

About the Author: Debbie Taylor works with small and medium sized businesses to transform their business results. Her expertise is in marketing, business planning and sales and she has worked with clients in over 70 different industry sectors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_A_Taylor

Social Networking is a very inexpensive means for advertising what your business is and does and what services and products you offer. Many of us actively use sites like Twitter and Facebook to promote our businesses. And those of us looking to connect with more business-related contacts may turn to sites like LinkedIn to develop relationships with people we have worked with or may want to work with.

With the growing use of social networking by business professionals there is a growing number of social networking sites that are focused on business users and meeting their needs. Below you will find a short list of just a few more networking sites where you can market your business and make more connections.

BIZNIK                                 
http://biznik.com
Biznik is a community of entrepreneurs and small businesses dedicated to helping each other succeed.

Cofoundr            
http://cofoundr.com
Cofoundr is the fastest growing online network for Entrepreneurs.   A private community for entrepreneurs, programmers, designers, investors, and other individuals involved with starting a new venture.

EFactor                
http://www.efactor.com
EFactor is one of the world’s largest entrepreneurial community providing resources that every small business owner needs.

Ecademy             
http://www.ecademy.com
Ecademy is a membership organization for entrepreneurs and business owners who belong to a community that connects and supports with one another.

Entrepreneur Connect                 
http://econnect.entrepreneur.com
A community by Entrepreneur.com where professionals can network, communicate, and collaborate with others.

FastPitch
http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com
FastPitch is a business network where professionals can market their business and make connections.

Focus
http://www.focus.com
Focus group is a community focused on helping business decision makers and IT professionals make decisions.

JASEzone
http://www.jasezone.com
JASEzone is a professional community where you can find potential clients and business partners.

LinkedIn
http://wwwlinkedIn.com
LinkedIn is a professional network that allows you to be introduced to and collaborate with other professionals.

Stay tuned … More to come in the following weeks.

We gladly invite you to add your comments. If you have other social networking sites for business that you use and would like to share…. Let us know, we will post it here!

When you meet a potential client the first time, you want them to like and trust you right away. You spend time in a conversation looking for  common ground and building rapport. Nowadays, that first meeting happens on your website. Do you have elements and content on your website that build rapport and make connections? If not, potential clients are clicking off your website and taking their business elsewhere.

In today's highly competitive markets, any edge in sales or service you have over your competitors can make the difference in whether you gain or lose a sale. In this world of automated, touch-tone customer help systems, the ability to chat with a live person through a website is a standout feature. Having such a feature on your website, especially when a competitor doesn't, may be the crucial selling point that compel

As consumers, we all know what it’s like. You hop on a company’s website hoping to find answers — maybe some information that will help you make a purchase decision — only to find frustration and disappointment instead. Some consumers are willing to shrug this off, seemingly willing to accept diminished service and support in exchange for the convenience of shopping on the internet. But there doesn’t need to be a trade off.

With live online chat, someone can initiate a two-way, text-based conversation with the click of a button. Clicking on a chat icon at a website triggers a new window where people can ask questions, get answers and advice — all in real time.

★If you would be interested in integrating chat into your website, please give us a call 888.469.9323.  We would be happy to discuss how this could help your sevice.

About R3 Design Studio

1) YOU NEED TO OBTAIN A DOMAIN NAME

Domain name registration is typically priced at a yearly rate. 
Prices range from a few dollars to upwards of $30 depending on the extension (.com, .net, etc.) you need.

Don’t you just love the small business website designs that have so many things going on that you become confused as to what it is they are actually selling? Often times, this leads to loss of business.

AFFORDABILITY = VALUE
VALUE = PRICE DIVIDED BY EFFECTIVNESS

If your web site doesn’t deliver value to your business it’s a waste of good money. An effective web site delivers value by increasing your bottom line. It can bring in new leads, qualify leads and save staff time by answering questions.

Some people think that it is enough to submit a website to as many search engines as possible to get high rankings. Unfortunately, that is not the case. If you do not optimize your web pages, then you won't get high search engine rankings.