You should be using BIZNIK.com!

July 22nd, 2010


If you are a small business owner, you need to be using BIZNIK.com!

Please visit Island Graphics’ BIZNIK page at: http://biznik.com/join/david-sparks

Everyone’s linking in these days. But is anyone really connecting?

If you’re someone who thinks about business networking in terms of community rather than tool, Biznik is for you. Biznik combines the best of social networking with the best of real-world connection in a way that helps you:

* Get Real - Members meet online AND face-to-face at member-hosted events.
* Get Noticed - 93 percent of Biznik’s top members rank on page 1 of Google for their name or keywords.
* Get Published - build your professional reputation.
* Get Business - meet your next client or business partner.
* Get Current - keep up with the latest trends in business at member-hosted workshops and seminars.

Biznik is a business community for independent business people who are passionate about what they do and want to be part of a community of like-minded folks interested in seeing each other succeed.

–David

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TEN (10!) Reasons You Should Be Using WordPress

July 19th, 2010
  • Wordpress is free. Yep, you heard me right.  Wordpress costs you nothing.  All you need is a webhost and a domain name.  Wordpress becomes your site.  Originally designed for blogs, Wordpress has evolved into arguably the greatest content managment system available.  And, it’s free.  Beat that, expensive web designer from 1997.
  • IT’S SO EASY TO USE. Yeah, you used to have to have your web guy do all the updating for you.  There are still some things you need a web guy for (otherwise I wouldn’t be around), but you don’t need one every time you want to add something to your site.  If you can use Microsoft Word, you can use Wordpress.
  • TEMPLATES, TEMPLATES. TEMPLATES! Not ready to pay big bucks for a custom design?  No problem.  There are literally thousands of Wordpress templates that are a cinch to install, with more being released all the time.
  • SEARCH ENGINES LOVE IT!. Your friends, the search engines, love Wordpress.  Mostly because Wordpress sites are updated often, but you can add some powerful tweaks to Wordpress that make the search engines just eat it up.
  • YOU ARE IN CONTROL. As popular as they are, the multiple template-with-hosting combo sites that are springing up all over the web are not the best use of your time or money.  You host on their server, using their template.  And compared to what you pay for web hosting, these sites charge astronomical fees.  Like 10x what you should pay for web hosting.  And they really do nothing for you.  Keep control with your own site on your own hosting account.
  • VIDEO AND AUDIO INTEGRATE BEAUTIFULLY. OK, what business doesn’t want to use audio and video on their site.  With Wordpress, it can’t get any easier.  Thanks to years of development and improvement, it’s as simple as clicking a button to add audio and video to your site.  Just make sure that audio and video is going to drive some traffic where you want it!
  • SOCIAL TOOLS INTEGRATE EASILY. Want to add your site updates to Twitter?  Or Facebook?  Not a problem.  Easy as pie.
  • RSS IS YOUR FRIEND. It’s still a mystery to most people, but having your site built on Wordpress gives you automatic RSS feed creation.  Easy to syndicate your content to multiple sites, and drive that most important component, traffic.
  • EASY TO UPGRADE. Before, if you wanted to upgrade your site, you basically had to rebuild it from the ground up.  With Wordpress, you’re just a few clicks away from having access to the latest developments and improvements.
  • LAST, BUT NOT LEAST… use Wordpress.  For almost everything!  Nearly every site that we build is based on Wordpress.  That should be enough of a recommendation, don’t ya think?

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    RIP Floppy Disk!

    April 27th, 2010

    If you’re of a certain age, you probably have a history with floppy disks. The moniker dates back to your first forays into computer games and later came to signify those multicolored, hard plastic contraptions you used to store college papers or work presentations.

    It’s probably been a dog’s age since you even thought about floppy disks — let alone had a drive on your computer that could support one — but floppies are actually still popular in India and Japan. Sony is the last manufacturer of 3.5-inch floppy disks, and while the company sold more than 12 million of them in 2009, Sony has just announced it will stop making floppies as of March 2011.

    “Due to dwindling demand, Sony discontinued European production of 3.5-inch floppy disks in September 2009. The last European sale of a floppy disk took place in March 2010,” a Sony spokesperson said.

    Although these disks have already drifted into the realm of hipster-fueled, retro-ironic nostalgia (see also: SNES cartridges), we have a lingering love for the floppy. It’s a symbol of a simpler time — a time before cloud storage and Google Docs made it impossible to wedge a corrupted disk under your professor’s door at 5 a.m. only to claim that the paper had been on the disk the night before, a time when it took nine disks or so to get an OS onto your hard drive, a time when 1.4 MB actually meant something. We invite you to browse our Floppy Retrospective Flickr gallery, where we trace the evolution of the floppy from Bill Gates’s best friend to dumpster fodder to dearly loved — but seldom used — archaic trinket.

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    See How Easy It Can Be?

    January 27th, 2010

    For those of you who visit this site regularly, you will notice a huge difference in the design and layout. We are experimenting with a few new WordPress Themes and want to show you how easy and affordable it can be to change up the flavor and dynamics of your blog or website. With a few simple add-ons and some minor graphic upgrades, you can dazzle your potential new clients with content and design that says “I care about my success!” Please call or email to set up a FREE 30-minute consultation. Cheers!!


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    5 Tips to Clarify Your Marketing Message

    December 16th, 2009

    It seems that every time you look around, you find more complex solutions to the most simple marketing problems.. reaching your audience, effectively communicating, and helping customers advance their business forward.  Let’s see if I can simplify it for you.

    From my perspective, the basic principles of “listen to your customer” and “think value” still reign true.  Here are some tips for staying on top of your marketing game:

    1.  Always be reading and seeking knowledge. Whether you’re reading an expert blog post, news, or the latest marketing book to hit the shelves, never assume that you know-it-all.

    2.  Listen to your customers.  The have an uncanny ability to tell you how it is.  Are they happy?  What do they like about your products, services, communications, etc.? Are they unhappy? Why? What can you do about it.

    3.  It’s about message points.  Are you controlling all of the touch points that communicate something about your brand?  When someone calls your office or sees your brochure, are they receiving a consistent user experience that embodies your brand and what you stand for?  Think about your key messages and how and where they are communicated.

    4.  Keep it simple. People do not have more than a couple of minutes to read about your product.  Show them how it works, what it does, and how it’s going to make their life easier. Simple.

    5.  Create a dialog.  Whether interacting with your internal marketing team, the salesforce, or your customers, remember that communication is a two-way street!

    Give consideration to each of these aspects of marketing.  Always be learning, asking yourself questions, and challenging the status quo. Even when things are going great, they can be better!

    Posted in Marketing Tips, Miscellaneous | 1 Comment »

    Fully Editable Websites Under $500? No WAY!

    December 28th, 2009

    Uhhh…Way? With the advent and successive evolution of WordPress and the Open Source revolution that is really only just beginning, NOW is the perfect time for you to catch the wave and upgrade your web presence to include a fully user-end-editable website starting under $500.00. We can help you incorporate your existing logo/identity into a fully configured internet marketing presence, including maintaining the integrity and/or evolving the look and feel of your existing design, focusing your messages, and ensuring that you are always saying the right thing to the right folks ALL OF THE TIME! And, what’s more, we can help you learn how to update your content and imagery as well as completely changing your entire site theme based on the seasons, the holiday and whatever whim you might have. It’s fun, it’s easy, and now it has become quite affordable. CALL US TODAY!!!

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    Miyoko’s First Post

    July 8th, 2010

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    Psssst!! Google LOVES LinkedIn! Pass it on…

    March 18th, 2010


    There is one way to guarantee new clients. Wind up on page one of a Google search for your appropriate industry! EASY RIGHT?? Recent studies show that NINETY PERCENT of people will never click to page two. I know that is an arbitrary figure, but it HAS to be close to that. Think of how you manage your searches. DON’T LIE!!!! Check out THIS ARTICLE and call us IMMEDIATELY if you need any help figuring it all out. Thanks!!!

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    QR Code? You’ll soon be seeing them EVERYWHERE!

    March 2nd, 2010

    A QR Code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The “QR” is derived from “Quick Response”, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

    QR Codes are common in Japan, where they are currently the most popular type of two dimensional codes. Moreover, most current Japanese mobile phones can read this code with their camera.

    Although initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR Codes are now used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (known as mobile tagging).

    QR Codes storing addresses and URLs may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or just about any object that users might need information about. Users with a camera phoneequipped with the correct reader software can scan the image of the QR Code causing the phone’s browser to launch and redirect to the programmed URL. This act of linking from physical world objects is known as a hardlink or physical world hyperlinks. Google’s mobile Android(OS) supports the use of QR codes by natively including the barcode scanner (ZXing) on some models and the browser supports URI redirection which allows QR Codes to send meta-data to existing applications on the device.

    Users can also generate and print their own QR Code for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR Code generating sites.

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    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION #1

    February 2nd, 2010

    Aaron Yeagle at www.transmutationsciences.com asked us:

    What should a business expect to pay for quality logo design? Why do some designers charge different rates for different uses?”

    FIRST OF ALL, WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

    There are a couple of online logo design services that offer logos at under $100. When you find one, hit the “Back” button.

    You get what you pay for, and logos are no exception.

    Of course, it depends on what your needs are. If you can find a pre-designed logo that you like for under $100, good for you. Just make sure that the logo company is willing to make alterations to the logo without charging extra for each round of revisions. Also make sure that the logo company you deal with does not resell logos.

    LOGO PRICE RANGES

    Pre-Designed Logos

    Pre-designed logos are logos that are created beforehand. Typically these readymade logos are listed on the design firm’s web site and sold on a first-come-first-serve basis.

    There is nothing wrong with pre-designed logos, provided that they are unique and that each logo is only sold once.

    Price Range: $100 to $300

    Custom Logos

    With custom logos, an important consideration is the number of unique concept designs that the designer is willing to create. The higher the number of concept designs, the higher the price. Usually.

    Price Range: $400 to $550

    Cartoon Logos and Mascot Logos

    Cartoon logos and mascot logos are generally far more time-consuming to create that regular custom logos and therefor they are more expensive. The critical thing here is to find a cartoonist, not a logo designer. Most logo designers offer cartoon logo design, but only a handful of them actually employ a professional cartoonist.

    Price Range: $800 to $4,000

    Logo Repair and Logo Redesign

    If you already have a logo and just need it cleaned up and/or improved, you can potentially save a lot of money.

    Price range: $50 to $250

    HOPE THAT HELPS, Aaron and whomever else is reading this. As far as who owns the work, that’s a bit stickier. Technically and legally the designer owns the copyright to the material until it is released BY the designer to the client. Some charge, some don’t, there is really no set practice. This is why a good relationship with your designer should ALWAYS be important. For the same reason that you should NEVER PISS OFF THE BARTENDER! Cheers, All!

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    What You DON’T Say CAN Help You!

    January 14th, 2010

    TRY REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY!

    To think that you can “Think ahead” for every potential client that comes along is not only a recipe for disaster, but is also, at the very least, impossible. Trying being who you are as a business and not saying anything. Put ALL of your efforts toward making sure that when potential new clients approach you that you are damn prepared to be exactly who they have been looking for.

    I just discovered REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY MARKETING, by Indrajit Sinha and Thomas Foscht. Here are some excerpts from the book. What an amazing modern philosophy:

    DISCLAIMER- This book is not about engaging in the blame-and-praise game for the so-called winners and losers of the current business environment.

    Traditional marketing is now being turned on its head… The ideas of marketing and branding strategy that passed for conventional wisdom before do not hold true today. A small but growing number of innovative firms have adopted radically new and differentiated approaches based upon reverse psychology marketing, reflecting a clear and unmistakable change in the global culture. In this era of globalization and the Internet the consumer is behaving in a radically different way and is no longer susceptible to the timeworn ploys of push marketing.

    The present times call for a new game – one that strays from the prescriptions that traditional marketing theory holds dear, indeed that sometimes works in a way that is counter to it (what the authors call ‘anti-marketing’) and that lays focus on network-building and ‘pulling the customer’ above all else. Many experienced hands in corporate boardrooms are oblivious to these shifting sands and evolving trends, and are paying the price as a result.

    This book, supplementing ideas and insights with numerous engaging and topical anecdotes, will show you how to understand and connect with this change.

    ‘Don’t run after customers, let them discover you instead…’

    Shops without signs, brands with no advertising, tourist resorts that actively shun publicity, ’slow food’ restaurants, and plain-looking models are but a few of the present-day developments that can bemuse observers who learned their marketing from the MBA ‘bibles’. Today there are firms that don’t claim to satisfy their customers, adopt a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude, and still attract a following. Others act as ‘nanny marketers’ dictating what customers can or can’t have and still have buyers come in droves.

    This book shows why these developments are taking place and why they are proving to be successful. It points out the flaws and fallacies of conventional marketing thinking and how that has led to the self-destructive practice of over-marketing. It highlights the present marketing zeitgeist and how brands like Coach, Samsung, BAPE, Tchibo, Red Bull, and Pout have understood it better. In many industries the middle market is hollowing out creating a ‘Wal-Mart and Ferrari’ type of situation. The book offers prescriptions and insights to cope with the changing business dynamics to establish authenticity and a dedicated customer network.

    In keeping with the spirit of this book, the authors have not sought outside endorsements.

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    OK, So NOW What? 5 Great (NET)Working Resolutions.

    January 5th, 2010

    1- Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
    Remember when Facebook was just one of many niche communities popping up and competing for our attention? Sometime in 2010, Facebook will surpass 400 million registered users worldwide, though the notion of “Facebook fatigue” is being circulated (probably wishful thinking by some of their competitors). Yet there are still plenty of social networking sites and communities that cater to more focused targets that we, as marketers, cannot ignore. YOU NEED TO BE OUT THERE (NET)WORKING!

    2- Be a Better Listener
     Sometimes talking less and listening more can provide greater value to an overall marketing strategy. Whether you engage them or not, customers and potential customers are talking about your brand and products in online communities.

    Understanding what they are saying and where will help you to make a more informed decision about how to interact. Involve community members in your process, be willing to put some control in their hands and listen to the feedback from your “virtual focus group.”

    3- Think Global. Act Local.
     Social communities dominated our computer screens in 2009. But 2010 could be the year that both new and existing technologies will take over our smartphone and PDA screens. Just a year ago, only a handful of early adopters were talking about the potential of Twitter as a marketing tool. Now look where we are!

    4- Do Good for Your Fellow Man
    As you plan for 2010, keeping your bottom line in mind is obviously important. But what if you can meet your objectives AND do some good in the community at the same time? Many companies and brands already have existing philanthropic programs, but tying it to social and partnering with your customers can amplify and maximize the measurable impact of your contribution. Step out.

    5- Get Back to the Gym
     Okay, so this one has nothing really to do with marketing, but if your holiday was anything like ours, the cookies, candy and other sweet treats were always around and, well, you’re a little rounder as a result. Next year, please just send virtual cookies and help us cut back on the calories.

    Honorable Mention(s)- Lighten the Hell Up!!! and Be More Supportive of Others
    ‘Nuff said?

    Good luck with these… and of course, if you have any trouble adhering to our resolutions, feel free to give us a call. Happy and healthy New Year to all!

    Posted in Marketing Tips | 2 Comments »

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