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Greetings!
Happy July 4th. I hope you will enjoy time with family and friends during this patriotic holiday. But, when you return to the office, take a look at the latest issue of our quarterly newsletter, hot off the press. In this issue we examine the blogging phenomenon. You may already have a personal blog or your company may have started one. But, if you don't have any experience in the blogosphere, we provide you some nifty hints and tips that will make you an expert blogger in no time.
Enjoy!
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Sheila Brann
Editor-in-Chief
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To Blog or Not to Blog
That is the Question!
Blogging is a great way to stay in touch with your customers.  | Have you or your company started blogging yet? I'm surprised by how many B2B companies still haven't embraced blogging. Many fear that it will take up too much time, cost too much, or even increase headcount to maintain it. But, blogging can be a very cost-effective way to gain a presence in cyberspace.
A blog, short for web log, is an online journal, sort of a diary, but can also be very informational by imparting knowledge to your customer base about your company and products or services. Think of how much information you write each day, from literature copy to technical information bulletins to applications material. All of that can be re-purposed and packaged as a series of short articles on your blog. Here are a few tips for you to remember when setting up and maintaining your blog.
- If you don't have a blog it is easy to set one up using a service such as Blogger or Wordpress. They don't charge if you use the blogspot or wordpress extension. However, if you want to use your company's website URL as part of the blog name you will need to set up a subdomain. It's not complicated and your Internet Service Provider and/or web programmer can help you.
- Keep your blog fresh and up to date. It's better to blog at least once a day but most companies will only be able to spare enough time to blog 2-3 times per week. That is adequate. Plan out your articles for the month and that will save you a lot of time.
- Keep the postings short, just a few paragraphs. No one seems to have the time to read a lot of information anymore. You'll need a bit more than just soundbites but please don't write a novel, either. Make sure the information you are sharing is pertinent, interesting, and of value to your audience.
- Promote your blog just as you would your Website. You can list it on e-mails, newsletters, literature, your Website, and any other marketing or promotional material. List your blog on blog directory sites such as Technorati or Liquida to make it easy for your blog to be found.
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DOs & DON'Ts of Good Website Design
Three Points to Remember When Designing Your Website
Focus on your home page  | Are you a start-up company? Do you have a Website? If you have a Website, have you designed it without any regard for your company's identity, colors, content, graphic design, or style? Is your current Website easy to read, easy to navigate, and contain content that people want to come back for more? If not, then here are some tips that will help you develop or improve your Website. Plan Your Website: I know everyone hates to hear the "Plan" word but it really is very important. The more you plan the content, plan the navigation process, and plan the updates, the easier it will be to develop and maintain your Website. So, before you begin the creative design part sketch out the flow of your Website, test it on a few customers, and then start the design process. Focus on Your Home Page: Your home page is most likely the place where the majority of your visitors will land, at least the first time they visit. So, make your home page somewhat interactive. Give them a chance to download information. Add search capability so that your audience will be able to easily find the information they need on your Website. Don't make your home page too fancy. Adding Flash, music, and long introductions before the visitor can enter your Website is a definite DON'T. The search engines will not index your site if Flash is present. Once you format and design your home page the subsequent pages should naturally flow from there. Key Elements for Website Content: Some of these elements may seem obvious but you would be surprised how many companies fail to add their contact information on their Website. That should be a given. You may also want to include a section on your executive management team. Adding photos of your key executives and writing a short bio about each of them will lend credibility to your company. Consider adding a Press Room section that will be updated regularly with your latest news releases, article reprints or other newsworthy items. If you are currently recruiting candidates for specific job positions, you may want to add an HR section to your Website. For more Website tips, download the complete Marketing Information Bulletin on our Website.  |
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Sign Up For Our Social Media Package Today!
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Everyone has heard about the social media rage. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are the most talked about social media sites today. Is your company currently using social media to market your company's products or services? If not, we can make it easy for you to get started. For only $995.00 (U.S.) our introductory Social Media Package includes: - One hour of technical training for one member of your staff on the social media site of your choice.
- One hour of social media support to help you with your advertising and public relations activities, posting tips, and other support, as needed.
So, let's get started today. Social media is easy. Sign up today at our Website. Offer ends soon. | |
This offer is only good for a limited time.
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We hope you've enjoyed this issue of KIWI News, our monthly eNewsletter. Let us know what you think by contacting us via one of the methods shown below. We strive to provide you the latest and most up-to-date marketing information. Our philosophy is simple ... we want to develop powerful marketing messages and help you implement them consistently and cost effectively. So, give us some feedback and let us know if you have specific topics you would like us to cover.
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