Wright Solutions

Driving Traffic to your Blog or Web Site (from Wright Solutions)

wrightsolutions — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:03:10 GMT

Here you are folks ...

A list of the Top Traffic Exchange Networks. Notice I call them "Networks". This is the key to success. You know this already from being a business owner: Word of mouth brings prospects to you. You are the expert in your field already, you are able to explain the benefits and make the sale ... but you must expand your network to have prospects to convert!

Read the whole story

does this one strike fear: your website image - what it says about you?

wrightsolutions — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:45:54 GMT

ah ... this is a touchy subject for many small business owners. But here I am, getting touchy - ready?

We are on the subject of branding ... and so far, in discussing the basics we've covered:

Always keeping in mind the underlying truth that there is No Single Rule that applies to every business, take a look at the following web sites:

http://www.campbellmithun.com/
http://www.wherever.com/flash/MEDIUM/interface.htm
http://www.crumplerbags.com/home.php

Were you impressed with any of these in terms of design, initial impact (was that impact positive or negative?). Did these home pages give you a clear idea of what this company is about or what they sell? If you attempted to navigate around these sites, did you quickly find what you were looking for? Do you have a better impression of the site? Did you leave with a reason to visit again?

Now view the following web sites:

http://www.2advanced.com/
http://www.sparkplug.com/
http://www.fedex.com/us/officeprint/main/

Ok folks, same questions: Were you impressed with any of these in terms of design, initial impact (was that impact positive or negative?). Did these home pages give you a clear idea of what this company is about or what they sell? If you attempted to navigate around these sites, did you quickly find what you were looking for? Do you have a better impression of the site? Did you leave with a reason to visit again?

Putting your business online as a web site invites many considerations, the least of which is design. For the most comprehensive checklist I've ever come across on the subject please read Vincent Flanders Web Pages that suck.

Next time we'll be discussing other considerations relating to your web site: domains, hosing, servers, advertising & traffic, gadgets & widgets ... so much to do!
In the meantime start your learning ... Pick up a great book on web design:
No Title Found
Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
Service-Oriented Architecture: Concepts, Technology, and Design
Robin Williams Design Workshop

So everyone, thanks for reading - share, learn and be safe out there! Have a successful day!

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FYI & appology (similar to our blog)

wrightsolutions — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:14:00 GMT

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Sorry folks, technology's downside seems to be that on occasion our online selves are just pawns ... and we often must bow down to the unexplicable laws of the cyber-gods. Who, what & where these cyber-gods are: now That is a Good question! Maybe I'll blog about it one day *adds to ever growing list of blog topics*.

The past week has been a techno-migraine for us. We've been updating the style & layout of our Blog for Business with trouble at every turn, so firstly our time was limited. The posts we did make here on our Branding Series just wouldn't seem to stick, two of them precisely, only one of which I've recovered. The other flittered away into cyber-dust ... I can envision it eventually appearing in some Douglas Adam's sort of way: 100 years from now being discovered and revered as one of the governing laws of life and humanity as written by the ancients - ok, so my imagination can really get the better of me.

I have a bit of work to do to restore the post that I did recover, but should be getting that out to you later today. The other I need to start from scratch!

I am a Huge believer that Everything in life serves a purpose (great or small) even if we don't immediately know what that purpose is. This particular little fiasco however, doesn't take a rocket science degree to evaluate! This advice is shared with you from this lesson: Always Back UP. You know I knew that, yet blindly put my faith in the cyber-gods nevertheless, and most of us know that those gods are completely unforgiving and love the opportunity to teach by consequence. In all honesty it was shear laziness that got me hooked on writing directly into my journal and not copying into a text doc. for safekeeping. Above all else, honesty is what counts. Honesty is the only thing that allows accountability, and therefore opens the door to insight & understanding.

So everyone, thanks for reading (and please, go ahead: Laugh at my expense - it's great for the heart!) share, learn and be safe out there! Have a successful day!

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Let's look at your business cards, were they a waste of your money?

wrightsolutions — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 20:58:59 GMT

For those of you who have not yet printed business cards ... read this first section as food for thought.

How much of an investment did you put out on your business cards? Do you know what if any return on that investment you have? Business cards are very much like first impressions, you only have one chance to make a great and lasting impression. If your cards are not the best they can be, you've wasted your money and your time. Every person who gets their hands on your card has to have a really good reason to keep it. Take a look at yours, what reasons do people have to keep them?

Let's first look at some elements of design. You're becoming used to the approach by now, I'm going to give you some things to think about and you need to answer them honestly about your your business cards.

What quality of paper/card stock are they printed on? Have you designed them to last in someones wallet or rollo-dex? I urge you to print on the highest quality of card stock you can afford. I'll tell you later on about my personal favourite resource for printing quality at extremely low prices (worldwide shipping!)
What is the finish of the card: Glossy, Matte, Woven? Does this finish somehow tie in to your brand image? If you haven't thought about it you should. Use your personal resources, ask your friends and family what they think about yours and other business cards.
Colour or Black & White? There is absolutely no right or wrong answer here. The key goes back to the issue we've been talking about, what impact does your choice have on your brand image: positive, negative or neutral?
Overlooking the overturn? I am completely flabergasted every time someone hands me a business card that has NOTHING printed on the reverse. The cost of printing on both sides is so cheap but the benefits can mean the difference between making the sale or not. And with so many not taking advantage, this is a very simple thing to do to set yourself apart from the crowd.
Need ideas of what to print on the back of your card? This is truly only limited by your imagination, but here's a few off the top of my head: A map to your location, A discount offer, A referral program, A list of your services, Your credentials, A testimonial ... start thinking about it, the possibilities are endless.
What is the direction of the card: vertical or horizontal? Again, this has pros and cons. Think of it from the perspective of your brand image. Is it overdone in your industry to have vertical layout cards now? It can be more challenging to get a clean layout vertically, so think carefully about this.
How 'clean' is your card? A very important factor in all advertising and marketing is 'white space' or 'open space'. It is never better to cram too much text onto your card. The fewer words the better, so make sure you select the best ones for you, your business and your image.
Image/Logo or not? This will depend on your industry and the branding you are trying to create. What will have the most positive impact on your brand image?

As promised I'll share with you the best resource I have found for printing. Yes We Print It is a Toronto based printing company that I found from a google search. When I first started out (with next to no money) I just couldn't believe how expensive printing good quality cards was at all the small and large printing companies in my area. I was delighted to have found Yes We Print It! I emailed Jaz, the owner of the company to find out if there were going to be any hidden charges or hooks, because I really couldn't believe the simplicity and affordability of their service. They have no retail location, they are a home-based business (which I've visited) and they have clients world wide! The quality, my friends is so far superior to the big print houses, you won't believe it. Yes We Print It will even do the layout for you - and the last time I checked, they're still doing this free of charge. So if you haven't had your business cards printed yet, or if you've decided it's time to redesign them, take a look at their site Colour It Printing - you really have nothing to lose. Jaz will even mail you out some samples so that you can see and feel the quality. If you have any other questions, just send them an email.
As always, thanks for reading and have a successful day!

Other places to visit and find us:
Wright Solutions Blog for Business
At myspace
Browse Our Business Resource & Book Store
Published Content at Lulu
The Poetry & Life Blog

Get Paid to do the things you are already doing!

And be sure to visit our web site, for more great business resources and services. If you're an new entrepreneur we have a special gateway for you filled with some of our most successful business tools, for the ridiculously low price of $60 for 6 months unlimited access!

Thanks for reading today, and enjoy a successful and profitable day!
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physical aspects of branding part II

wrightsolutions — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:59:18 GMT

moving right along to your product & packaging ...

This is only applicable to those with a tangible product of some kind. You know by now that the ultimate question will be: what impact does my product's packaging have on my company's image: positive, negative or neutral?

If you have a product (clothing, household products, food, crafts, books, tools, cards, etc ... Any Product) then think about the following:

Can my product be seen through the packaging?
Is the packaging clear, coloured, brown paper/cardboard?
Is it printed with any text? If so, carefully examine exactly what is printed. Is it useful to sell the product? That's great if you operate retail, but unnecessary if you only sell online as your product has already been sold by the time it gets into their hands! Whether you produce or just distribute this product, is your company information listed on the package? If not ensure it is - very few exceptions to this rule!
If your packaging is coloured (or not) think back to the emotional associations of colour and find out what message your packaging is sending.

Take a look at Color Matters ... it's an excellent article on the subject of the associations of colour.

Now this next part is some of my personal favourite stuff: collateral (business cards, brochures, letterhead, invoices, etc...)

Most business people do know that this category relates very clearly to their company image ... unfortunately as the days go by and opportunities arise these very people tend to make decisions that splice their image into too many itty-bitty pieces. What I mean is they allow the need and timing to determine the look, layout and feel of a new piece of marketing collateral instead of starting from their base brand and enhancing it. By working backwords they are unintentionally sending mixed messages.

Let's begin with the basics: Your Company Name, Logo, and Tag Line. Strategy and Brand must be built into these three fundamental elements or your image will not be going anywhere fast.

Your Company Name - Odds are many of you are already in-business, so this may be set in stone. That's Ok - look at "Canadian Tire" their name is 100 years old (or so) and almost irrelevant - but their brand image is impeccable.

Logo - It is extremely important that your Logo be given careful consideration. Even if you are already operating, if really needed, it can be changed. Here are the important questions to ask:

Since we've just spoken about colour, let's get that out of the way: What message is being communicated by the colour(s) of your Logo?
Is the image identifiable by anyone? Is it a unique creation? Either way, will its relevance to your business be clearly understood?
Is it in someway unique enough to be very memorable?

Here between Logo and Tag Line, I will note that there are clearly certain types of businesses who's brand will be more dependent on Logo than Tag Line and vice versa. So you need to know your industry and your target market well enough to distinguish this difference. I would never suggest that you should drop the less significant element, I would only recommend that more thought, research and effort be put towards the element that you know is more important for your business.

Tag Line - What a powerful marketing tool this can be, when done right! Although I cannot stress enough: please do not copy from others, do avoid cliches at all cost, and keep it short & simple. Ok, those are the basics. Here are some questions to ask and some ideas & resources for coming up with your own terrific tag line:

Because you've already identified your most important brand message, you have a beginning. What you are aiming to do is to translate that message into a short and memorable quip.
Describe what you do best in just five words.
Now open a new word document, or use an on-line thesaurus to look up synonyms for each of these five words. Combining some of the synonyms you might come up with something that rhymes or has strong alliteration.
Can you shorten it to three words?
Check for alternate definitions to each word ... including the word's etymology if possible. The Free Dictionary has lots of great resources for this.
Test your ideas out on as many of your support friends and family as possible. Feedback is a must! Revise if needed. Now try to find a small group of people who don't know you (maybe friends of friends) who you can test it out on and from whom you will get honest feedback.

Ok folks ... that's enough for today ... I need to get back to money making business activites.

As always, thanks for reading and have a successful day!

Other places to visit and find us:
Wright Solutions Blog for Business
At myspace
Browse Our Business Resource & Book Store
Published Content at Lulu
The Poetry & Life Blog

Get Paid to do the things you are already doing!

And be sure to visit our web site, for more great business resources and services. If you're an new entrepreneur we have a special gateway for you filled with some of our most successful business tools, for the ridiculously low price of $60 for 6 months unlimited access!

Thanks for reading today, and enjoy a successful and profitable day!

Sign up for a free Snoozester account - really, I couldn't live without this one!

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Now where were we exactly?

wrightsolutions — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:41:24 GMT

Ah, yes, we were talking about branding. Now I hope you've all done your homework and are very clear on the value and quality differences between you and your company. If so then we are ready to move ahead.

Today we are going to look at all of the physical elements that brand you. This includes retail/physical location (if applicable), you and your employees, product and its packaging (if relevant), business cards, web site, brochure, invoices ... and potentially more. I'm sure you're catching on - anything that is physical or tangible.

If you opperate either a retail store, or have an office where your clients come to you for business you need to know what image you are presenting. Here's a list of things you need to consider about your physical location:

What does the address say about your business? Are there either positive or negative associations to the community in which you're located? Is it known for a particular ethnic group? Some streets have particular business associations (at least in a consumers mind) - the big box strip, the boutique strip, Dealership row, warehouse & clearance centre, etc. What impact does the location have on your business: positive, negative or neutral?
Does your business have sufficient parking for all customers? Is it easily accessed, regardless of which direction the customer is coming from? Are there clearly defined handicap spaces? Can your customers park close to your store or office? Are the parking facilities shared with other businesses? Ask the same question: what impact does parking and access have on your business: positive, negative or neutral?
Is your building wheelchair accessible? Considering your target market, is this an issue? Does it send an exclusion message to your potential customers? Again decide the impact of this: positive, negative or neutral?
What signage is on your store/office? Can it clearly be viewed from a significant distance? Will it be lit at night? What images or text are on your sign: logo, business name, description of your business activities? What colours? Consider how people associate certain feelings to certain colours - do yours match the message you really want to convey?

What image is projected by you and any employees you have? You need to match this to your brand as well. Here's a list of things to consider:

It almost goes without saying that you & your employees need to present with excellent personal hygiene. Although, you might be surprised by how many small business owners do Not pay close enough attention to this. For instance if you have cashiers, what do their hands look like? It may seem petty, but please go take a look at their fingernails. Your customers are formulating their opinion of you based on every one of these little details, and I'm pretty sure that your branding message does not include wanting to be known as the company with dirty fingernails! (then again, unless you are a gardener or landscaper.) My point is hygiene is required. And where you draw the line depends on what is appropriate for your business. So go ahead and ask yourself how the personal hygiene of me and my employees impact my business: positive, negative or neutral?
What about attire? This, next to hygeine speaks volumes about your business. There certainly is no right or wrong here. But you need to seriously consider what is appropriate not only for your business but also the brand you want to be known as. If part of your branding strategy is to be known as 'a cut above' the rest, then make sure you and your staff 'look' the part.
Lastly on the image that people project is body language and facial expressions. Don't fool yourself - this is extremely powerful! Can you honestly say you ever walked away from a store where you finished your experience with the moppy cashier who never even looked up from the counter feeling 'wow, this is a great place to shop'? Insisting on presenting a friendly, welcoming, helpful attitude is a must. The particulars will depend again on what level is most appropriate for your particular type of business.

.............. more this afternoon ............. teresa

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And be sure to visit our site at www.wrightsolutions.tk, for more great business resources and services. If you're an new entrepreneur we have a special gateway for you filled with some of our most successful business tools, for the ridiculously low price of $60 for 6 months unlimited access!

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wrightsolutions — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:11:52 GMT

View Poll: Are you making too much money?

Other places to visit and find us:
At blogspot.com
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Browse Our Book Store
Get Paid to do the things you are already doing!
And be sure to visit our site at www.wrightsolutions.tk, for more great business resources and services. If you're an new entrepreneur we have a special gateway for you filled with some of our most successful business tools, for the ridiculously low price of $60 for 6 months unlimited access!

And it would be great if you could Technorati Profile. 'Favourite' adds are always very much appreciated. Thanks for reading today, and enjoy a successful and profitable day!

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Sending Mixed Messages?

wrightsolutions — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:42:38 GMT

As human beings we tend to relate to one another on an emotional level, often speaking and acting before thinking. We can psych-speak all we want about being emotionally balanced and non-judgmental but we all do it, it is the nature of being a human being.

The problem here is not that we are fallible, emotional humans. The problem is that we tend to run our businesses as though they are our selves. You must begin to view your business as a completely separate entity that has no emotional baggage.

If you are having trouble embracing this concept try the following exercise: Take two pieces of paper and in 30 minutes or less write two profiles. The first profile should outline your business. Include everything that comes to mind about what this business is, how long it has been operating, who it serves, its position in the marketplace, the benefits of doing business with /purchasing from this company, who its employees and management are, its size in terms of physical location, customer base, employees, and revenues and its intentions for the future. The second profile should describe you as a human being. Your place of birth, where you grew up, your education, your interests and hobbies, what makes you unique, your family, your friends, your personal goals.

After completing this exercise you would ideally have come up with two unique profiles. Don't worry if yours seem too similar. It is a step in the right direction to have put this on paper and to have begun to think about how you and your company are one and the same, yet individual at the same time. Continue to work at separating the differences in your mind and on paper until you have two totally separate profiles. Then you are ready to move on.

Now that you are clear on the separateness of you and your business. It is time to review that profile to identify the message that you want your business to convey. Without the clarity of who and what your business on its own is, you were likely sending mixed messages. Allowing your business advertising and marketing to incorporate 'You' messages means incorporating your human limitations. So let's stop that and move you towards creating a Brand Image that has no limitations, that is innovative, inviting and irresistible!

Identify the top three qualities that you want your business to be known for. It may be helpful to think of this in terms of what you want people to say about their experience of doing business with your company. The challenge usually comes in narrowing your focus to just three. Everyone wants their customers to have dozens of wonderful things to say about their company. Though to clearly create Brand X you must streamline your expectations. Don't worry, if you offer great services or products and do business in a professional manner, people will have dozens of reasons at the end of the day. The idea is to ensure that your top three qualities will be articulated and felt by virtually all of your clients. This will begin to create the association between those qualities and your X company. If you think about what is the best tasting soft drink what Brand do you think of? If you think about what is the cheapest soft drink what Brand do you think of? Odds are, you've thought of two different Brands of pop. Why? Because those two particular qualities are almost always on opposite ends of the spectrum. It is extremely difficult to market yourself as the leader in both of those qualities. You must decide now what qualities you want most to be known for.

Once you have clearly identified what Brand X is known for, the next step is to start examining your current marketing efforts. Is your marketing focusing on these qualities, or is it all over the board. Remember to look at every piece of the marketing mix: advertising, collateral, communications, physical location & image, employee image, attitudes ... you name it everything conveys a message. It is time to make every aspect of your business match Brand X.

I'll be back monday to continue our work on Branding. In the meantime, start that homework. I would suggest that even if you believe you already have grasped the concept of the difference between you and your company, that you try the exercise for validation. Be intent on scrutinizing your thoughts and actions. Be determined to investing time and effort at building your business into the great venture it deserves to be.

And be sure to drop in to my Technorati Profile. 'Favourite' adds are always very much appreciated. Thanks for reading today, and enjoy a successful and profitable day!

Other places to visit and find us:

At blogspot.com
At myspace
Browse Our Book Store
Get Paid to do the things you are already doing!
And be sure to visit our site at www.wrightsolutions.tk, for more great business resources and services. If you're an new entrepreneur we have a special gateway for you filled with some of our most successful business tools, for the ridiculously low price of $60 for 6 months unlimited access!

Advertise Here

Band-Aid Solutions to Big Problems

wrightsolutions — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:41:18 GMT

Admit it! ... Everyone has done it ... tried putting a superhero bandaid onto a gushing wound ... because we've been taught how to 'react' and how to put out fires as quickly as possible. If,in fact we were talking about a serious injury, especially if it were to your child or loved one, you wouldn't hesitate, you'd make the effort to get them to the hospital, to get them the help and attention they deserve - wouldn't you?

Why then, when it comes to our businesses do we not 'call the doctor' or 'drive to the emergency room' when we have serious problems? Ah ... I think the answer lies in our egos ... if we did that - asked for the help that we clearly needed - we might be admitting that we aren't superheroes, that we can't do and know it all.

That being said however, I will admit that most business owners and managers would separate help into two categories: those things that they expect to get outside assistance with, and those that they 'should' be able to take care of on their own.

Here's a list off the top of my head of services that typically fall into the first category (those it's OK to seek an expert for):

Human Resource Services - Payroll, Recruitment, Benefits, Employee Relations
Financial Services - Investments, Banking & Loans, Accounting, Taxes
Law - you name it!
Technology - Computer Hardware & Software, ISP, LAN, Telophony & VOIP, Cellular, Web & Email Applications .... and much more.

Now what about your most important business segments: Customers and Sales? Have you ever called upon an expert? (My guess is a big resounding - NO!) It is not at all rocket-science here to understand that unless you are focussing your efforts and resources on your Customers and your Sales those other business elements are irrelevant. I will make another leap and assume that your core business is something other than either a commissioned salesperson or an expert in customer management. Whatever your product or service offering is equals your Core Business.

Are you making too much money? Do you have more sales than you can possibly handle? I thought not. Stay tuned ... tomorrow we'll begin to look at some of the most common problems businesses are having growing their bottom lines. We'll start with an assesment of your message - your Brand ... your positioning in the marketplace.

Because whether you've taken the time to develop a well thought out plan or strategy or not, everything you do or don't do ... everything you've said or not said - has created your message ... but the good news is even if it's not the message you would hope for, it's never too late ... Let's Talk Strategy ...

If you're already far ahead and ready to take some action, try this guaranteed program Catching on to Cold Calling And be sure to visit our site at www.wrightsolutions.tk, for more great business resources and services. If you're an new entrepreneur we have a special gateway for you filled with some of our most successful business tools, for the ridiculously low price of $60 for 6 months unlimited access!

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