City Zen - Phoenix, AZ Interactive Marketing Blog

Detour is now Detour Pro!

2012-02-21T07:44:31+00:00

Detour is City Zen's first public add-on developed for Expression Engine. The idea was to create an add-on that would allow users to quickly and easily add 301 and 302 redirects without the hassle of an .htaccess file. What started as a simple exercise in testing the Expression Engine add-on waters quickly grew into an exciting endeavor into commercial add-on development.

I'm sure some of you will be surprised that I have taken down the old free version of Detour so I wanted to offer an explaination as to why I made this choice. As anyone that has developed software knows, there is a wonderful feeling knowing that people are using your code to solve problems. When I released Detour, I didn't really expect much and was pleasantly surprised by the number of reponses I got both saying thank you and requesting support. Realistically, I don't mind helping people out as long as I have the time, what I didn't have time for was actually refactoring some of the code behind Detour.

As time went on and I received more really good feature requests, I decided it was time to convert it from a basic extension to a module with features such as wildcards, wildcard and segment replacement, start date, expiration date, filtering of current detours, etc. The main reason I decided to discontinue the free version isn't about anything more than the fact that the codebase has changed so much, I don't have time to maintain both versions.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions. Don't forget to check out Detour Pro here!

...And we’re back!

2011-07-07T22:00:58+00:00

Wow, it has been almost 10 months since the last post! I'd love to update this blog every day (or even every week or month) but obviously things have been busy around here. Here's an update on some of our recent projects:

Just Roughin' It
http://www.justroughinit.com
Just Roughin' It is an adventure company located in Chandler, AZ. Their expertise is planning awesome adventure trips and they needed a website refresh to keep up with their growing business. We revamped the design and moved them on to the ExpressionEngine CMS to allow much more flexibility in their booking process. Using the Structure module, they're now able to quickly manage their content which has saved them tons of time (and relieved many headaches). They're a great company so if you're looking for a trip to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Olympic or Arizona, give them a shout and tell them we sent you.

Project Talent
http://www.projecttalent.org
Project Talent is a national longitudinal study that first surveyed students back in 1960. The purpose of the website redesign was to reconnect with past participants for a follow-up study. Once again, we used ExpressionEngine to facilitate the participant registrations as well as managing the content within the site. The site has been a huge success with well over 500 participants registering in less than three months and more registering every day. We partnered with Dreamten Studios for this project.

Medical Society of Northern Virgina
http://www.msnva.org
We were enlisted once again by Dreamten Studios to build the MSNVA website on ExpressionEngine. At the core of this project was the MSNVA member registration and members only section. We also created a jQuery calendar that interfaces with their events calendar in the admin section to create an easy to navigate MSNVA Calendar.

Pure Gear
http://www.pure-gear.com
Our friends at the Kitchen Collaborative hired us to implement a new website design into an existing Magento site as well as creating a blog that runs on, you guessed it, ExpressionEngine. We were able to create an interface in which they could manage the homepage javascript slider on the Pure Gear shop from Expression Engine, allowing them to update content in a more user friendly environment than the Magento CMS. Making stuff like this happen is why we have worked with the Kitchen Collaborative for years.

National Mentoring Partnership
http://www.mentoring.org
The National Mentoring Partnership has been a long time client and some great friends. They recently had their website redesigned and we worked closely with them to upgrade their CMS from a custom solution to ExpressionEngine utilizing the usual suspect add-ons such as Playa, Matrix and Structure. Our work with Mentor (as we call them) is never over and we look forward to helping them refresh more of their web properties later this year.

So that's a taste of what has been going on around here the past 10 months. I'm going to make an effort to keep this blog up to date with company news as well as marketing and business insights and tips.

City Zen Supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through the Nation’s Triathlon

2010-09-15T18:32:11+00:00

Running your own business comes with a lot of misconceptions both internally and externally. You tend to give off a vibe that you can take vacation time whenever you want, wear pajamas to work and take Friday's off to work on personal projects. People seem to think that you have some special power that allows you to not have to commute to work and still make enough money to keep your lights on. The sad reality is that most small business owners work way too much, rarely go on vacation without their macbook and generally just don't get enough exercise. This was the case with me so I decided that I would start running back in January of this year.

Running is simple enough, you put on a pair of shoes, walk outside and hit it. No gym memberships and no driving to the gym only to stare at all of the equipment with no clue what to do with it. For me running is a great start, break or end to my day. It gets my blood pumping and lets me think through problems outside of my office environment. Running not only benefits my health, it also has helped me find more balance between my business life and family life.

While training for my first half marathon (PF Changs Rock n Roll San Diego), I decided to sign up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training to do the 5th Annual Nation's Triathlon. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but I was certainly concerned to say the least. It was 17 weeks of training, six days a week split between running, cycling and swimming and I hadn't been on a bike in awhile and the last attempt I made at swimming quickly ended after a measly 75 meters. The schedule was definitely tough to manage but I'm fortunate that I am "the boss" and I can make my work schedule work around my training schedule. In the beginning it was a shock to my system but as my body acclimated to a more rigorous training schedule my mind seem to follow. I found that I was more productive and efficient with work and had finally struck that balance between work, family and exercise that I had been missing for years.

Team in Training is a wonderful organization in which they train you for an event and in return you raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Collectively we raised over $3 million dollars for LLS and had over 700 participants in the triathlon. As a small business owner, I decided to do donation matching up to $500 to help raise money and to also take an opportunity to give back to a program I strongly believe in. It really made a lot of difference while training to think about the people I was doing this for and the fact that they didn't have the choice to run a triathlon but I did and I was doing it for them.

When you run a small business, it's easy to loose sight of what life is all about. You tend to work too many hours, focus too much on P&L statements and not focus enough on your family and health. Participating in the Nation's Triathlon, both physically and financially, gave me a wonderful opportunity to realize just how lucky I am to have a wonderful, healthy family and know that my business helped a wonderful charity. As a business we will continue to give back to charity and our community and as for me personally, I plan to keep training and participating in events to keep me in shape enough to keep up with my two year old.

Going Old School with Marketing: Presence

2010-05-28T14:12:03+00:00

Great people? Check! Flawless process? Check! Ok, so you should be set, right? Maybe not. Think about the bigger picture for a minute. What is it you're trying to accomplish with your online presence? Not to be confused with presents, which are great (feel free to send us some, we're partial to chocolate and gadgets), but we're not talking about that here. If you put a lot of thought into selecting your people and establishing your process, this question should already be answered.

First thing to do, is think about your company's mission and goals. It's important that your presence is an extension of your current business, not it's own alien entity. The more confusing your message is, the more customers are likely to not trust the content. As with everything else, your presence doesn't need to be convoluted or dictated by a 100 page style guide, but something simple in writing is a great foundation.

Next, you want to outline your objectives for the site. Maybe you're trying to fund raise more effectively, build an online community, launch a new product, or just make the world a better place. The clearer your objectives, the easier it will be to map out your project and establish your plan. Once you've outlined the objectives for your presence, you can prioritize their importance.

Finally, it's time to find the best tools that will help you accomplish your objectives. If your main goal is improving customer service, focus on the user experience and implementing the tools needed to provide that service. Worrying about a blog probably isn't really relevant in this case. This is where working with a professional will go a long way. It's the consultant's job to be up to date on all the newest technologies and be able to recommend the best and most cost effective solutions for your project.

When it comes to your online presence, being consistent is key. Stay on track with your company's mission and goals. Spend some time at the beginning really mapping out where you want to be and what you're trying to accomplish. Don't be in a rush to just throw something up because you feel like you're missing out by not having a blog/twitter account or whatever that latest thing may be. Think carefully about the design, the user experience, and focus on infrastructure. In the end it will pay huge dividends, and make all the effort you put into the process and people worth it.

Going Old School with Marketing: Process

2010-05-21T12:00:05+00:00

So now that you have the right people in place, you want to start thinking about your process. One of the biggest complaints we hear from clients is, "We have a facebook page, but nobody ever updates it." From end users we hear, "I tweeted about ABC Widget company and they responded three weeks later!" These tools are only useful when used consistently and correctly! So establish a good process, one that is reasonable to follow, and get that great person on it.

What's that you say? You missed the blog on selecting the best people for the role? Go back and read part 1 of this series, then come on back and we'll talk about process.

Having a well defined process is crucial to managing any relationship in your business, online or otherwise. Customers like to know what to expect when they engage you, and your employees will thank you for clearly defining their duties. Here are a few things to consider when mapping out your process:

Frequency- How often does your information need to be updated? You may want to update your blog on a weekly basis, but your facebook page only needs monthly updates, and your Twitter account is used daily.

SLAs or TATs- Service Level Agreements or Turn Around Times should be established for all points of contact. How long does the employee have to respond to a request from a customer? Again, this may vary depending on how the contact is made.

Quality Control- Ensure the process is working and don't be afraid to make adjustments as needed, things change. Otherwise, why even bother with a process in the first place, right?

Establish rules from the start and stick to them. You'll thank yourself in the long run. And don't forget to check in next week when we conclude our three part series with a discussion about presence.

Going Old School with Marketing: People

2010-05-08T01:39:01+00:00

Online marketing is the hot topic these days, with agencies shouting to tell you how they can get you set up with Twitter, Facebook, Four Square and the rest. For some companies, the rush to keep up with the latest trends has them overlooking some of the basics that are crucial to successfully market your product or service. Don't get me wrong, it is important to integrate these trends into your overall strategy, but make sure that foundation is solid first.

Now I won't bore you with the four P's of the traditional marketing mix, but I will toss three other P's at you. People, Process and Presence. In this first installment, I will focus on the People.

Get the right people into the right roles! You wouldn't have your finance manager answer customer service calls, would you? So why put that new intern in charge of your online presence? Trust me, it happens. So who should manage your Twitter account? It depends on your goal. If you are trying to promote a new product or get name recognition for your company, it might be your marketing communications teammate. If your main goal is to respond quickly to customer service issues, then a customer service manager should do the job. Use the same idea when selecting the person to write your blog or monitor your Facebook page.

Most importantly though, make sure the person you select is interested in the task, understands the technology, and knows what they should and shouldn't say. This person should be a brand champion, passionate about your company and someone you want the public to see. Sure he can make your technologies run smoothly, but maybe the IT guy isn't the right person to be relaying your company's message.

Successful companies will agree that people are their most valuable asset. Whether they choose to call them employees, teammates, associates, or even Googlers, great people are what makes them run. So get your great people into those roles and let them shine.

Stayed tuned for part 2, all about how to ensure your process works.

How the iPad Improves Productivity

2010-04-28T21:01:49+00:00

When people think about the iPad, one of two thoughts usually comes to mind... "This thing is a game changer" or "What's the point? Why do I need a supersized iPhone". Unfortunately I've been feeling a bit on the latter since the release. The iPad is certainly interesting but I am yet to be convinced of how it can be used productively... until today.

As many of you know, I have been "working" on this website for, literally, years. The bottom line is that I've been so busy with client work that I really haven't had to rely heavily on a website as a business development tool. Right now I'm transitioning City Zen into a small business with the ability to take on more projects yet retain the high level of personalized service my clients have grown accustomed to over the years. So this website has bubbled to the surface several times over the past six months and during a brief conversation with a colleague of mine, I mentioned we were pushing the site live on Friday, April 30th. Understandably, he didn't buy it so we made a bet on it...

In comes the iPad. I figured if he really didn't believe me he should put his money where his mouth is and buy me an iPad if the site is launched on time. Virtual handshakes and lots of pots of tea later, here we are. Friday got bumped to Wednesday when I disclosed that I had someone helping me with content, fair enough. Hopefully I will update this post later on this week or next with pictures of me looking at this website on my new iPad.

Stay tuned...

First Update

As of 5:14pm today, it looks as if my colleague has conceded. This is our brief chat from today:

5:04:36 PM Mike Hughes: http://www.cityzen.com/

5:04:40 PM Mike Hughes: i'm out for sushi

5:14:19 PM colleague: i eat my words, well done

5:14:22 PM colleague: very nice

5:14:27 PM colleague: check your mail for an ipad

I am actually going to update this blog entry next time from the iPad.

We Like to Hug the Planet, Without Spending Lots of Green

2010-04-23T05:41:20+00:00

If you didn't already guess it from the name, or the color scheme, we're a little bit tree-huggerish over here. Not the 'chaining ourselves to the tree' type, just the 'eco-friendly, so we can sleep at night' types. So we put together a quick list of 7 ways we go green, without spending lots of green. Try a few out if you like, and share any gems you have in the comments. After all, who doesn't like to feel good and save money?

1- Want cleaner air? Buy some plants.

Why spend money and electricity on expensive allergen removal and air purification systems, when a $5 houseplant can do a better job? Even those with a black thumb (like myself) can vastly improve the air quality in the office with some tough to kill houseplants.

2- Don't buy it new!

One upside of the economic downtown is that you can get great deals on barely used office furniture and equipment. You'll probably find your best deals on Craigslist, but don't forget to check freecycle, the local newspaper, or local furniture rental and electronic stores. You can save a bundle and be green at the same time. On the flip side, if you're ditching old furniture, don't forget to try and donate before just tossing it in the trash bin. You can probably even write off the donation, but check your tax code first.

3- Unplug your chargers and get smart about power strips.

Phone, camera, and laptop chargers all continue to suck energy even when they aren't connected to a device. Unplugging them may be an extra step, so why not run all your chargers to a single power strip? Then you only have to unplug one thing, or you can even plug it into a light switch controlled outlet and be even lazier. There are also smart power strips that can automatically power down your peripherals when you put your computer into sleep mode.

4- Charge less in the first place by extending your battery life.

Sure, we should all know the tricks on extending our laptop's battery life, but here's a refresher anyway. Don't forget to turn off that wireless mouse or keyboard at the end of the day either. If you're tired of swapping out batteries on your wireless mouse, try a rechargeable one.

5- Save your travel dollars. Video conference and collaborate for free.

The high cost of travel can easily be avoided with a friendly video conference. Several services offer free video conferencing, such as our personal favorite, Skype. You can also utilize Google Wave, an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration.

6- Go paperless, completely.

A lot of companies talk about how they are paperless, all the while burning through reams of paper. Smart phones can handle pretty much everything now, from electronic boarding passes, to schedulers and everything in between. Take the one week challenge and see if you can survive. Toss the sticky pads in a drawer, use a company bulletin board to post copies of memos and presentations, get creative! If you absolutely can't hack it, then at least fill your printer with used printer paper and just print double sided. Chances are you will be tossing whatever you print anyway.

7- Stop the paper coming to you.

It may seem hard to believe, but you can control some of the paper coming IN as well. Sign up for e-bills from every supplier that offers them, and opt-out of mailing lists. Time to cancel those magazine subscriptions as well. If you don't already have a Google Reader account, now is the time to sign up. You can subscribe digitally to your favorite magazine feeds, as well as blogs posts, and other online media. Then you can read the articles anytime from your desktop or mobile device. Why not keep up with the latest news in your industry while waiting in line at the grocery store? Not sure where to start, check out the feeds we follow, and don't forget about us!