Big things come in small packages!

The National Retail Federation's 2011 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions survey found that holiday shoppers will spend an average of $155.43 on gift cards this year! As a matter of fact, spending on gift cards and certificates alone are expected to reach $27.8 billion! The NRF found that eight in ten Americans will be giving a gift card to a special someone on their list this year, with respondents indicating they prefer the convenience of purchasing gift cards than actual items.  

And according to the Wall St. Daily "Retailers are also using gift cards to create loyalty with their consumers." 

Did you know... 

Hubspot recently emerged with some refreshing research! 

The experts found that SMBs plan to spend 19 percent of their marketing budgets on social media, while larger businesses plan to spend only 6 percent! Equally noteworthy: SMBs anticipate spending 10 percent of their budgets on blogging, whereas larger companies are only dedicating 3 percent! 

While it's true that 3 percent for larger businesses may be quite a different number from SMBs' 10 percent, the primary message behind this finding is what impressed us most: that SMBs are dedicating a significant portion of their budgets to marketing via social networks and blogs!

Hubspot also provided insight on The Value of Social Media in Gift Selection.  Next time you say, "We don't need social media," take a look at this infographic from MrYouth.com. Two-thirds of respondents said they made a purchase based on an interaction via social media with recommendations leading to a purchase.

The best advice today? I have two:

1. Add gift cards to your ecommerce catalog so you can capitalize on this tremendous opportunity!
2. Leverage the social media channels.

How does Your Website Compare

On December 4, 2011, comScorereleased “$6 Billion in ‘Cyber Week’ U.S. Online Spending Sets New Weekly Record as Three Individual Days Surpass $1 Billion Threshold”. Did you get a large or small piece of that action? If you did not, perhaps we might be able to help.

If you were to ask the question “how does my website compare with the competition”, how would you answer that question?

• It is just as good
• It is not as good

If it is not as good, can you answer the question why? Another question is how do your customers look at your website? Is it easy to navigate? Are visitors able to get right to the product in order to make the purchase? Is your site getting exposure on different social media channels?

If you are serious about getting more customers and a bigger piece of online consumer purchases, here are some things to consider:

1. Compare your website with your competition
   - Google your products or service… where are you coming up compared to your competition?
   - Take some time to compare your website with others in your industry or market.
   - Put yourself in the shoes of customers; navigate through their site, now your site; see any difference?
   
2. Although you should be concerned to what customers say about your products and services, you should be equally interested in what they think about your website. Connect with your customers by sending out surveys. Use services such as Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com) to get customer input on:
   -  The quality of your product
   -  Customer service satisfaction
   -  Ease of use in navigating through your website
   -  Ease in purchasing products on your website
   
   Connect with your customers by using Facebook and Twitter
   -  Promote specials
   -  Provide educational information
   -  Stimulate discussions

Interacting with your customers and website viewers provides invaluable information and guidance for optimizing your site and increasing sales. Here is an example of a website evaluation questionnaire:

1.  Please grade our website on the overall content.

      Excellent        Good         Average           Poor           Very Poor            Undecided

2.  Please grade our website on the ease of navigation.

      Excellent        Good         Average           Poor           Very Poor            Undecided

3. Please grade our website on overall look.

      Excellent        Good         Average           Poor           Very Poor            Undecided

Please tell us how much you agree or disagree with the following statements:

4. The vocabulary on our website is appropriate for the intended audience.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

5. The illustrations are appropriate.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

6. The text is clearly written and easy to understand.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

7. There are no grammar or spelling errors.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

8. The information on our website is accurate.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

9. The information is timely and up-to-date.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

10. The information is sufficient for the intended audience.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

11. The organization of the site is logical and clear.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

12. The user can clearly see where s/he is on the site.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

13. The user can easily move through the site to a desired location.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

14. The style is consistent throughout the site.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

15. Links are current and working.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

16. The background colors are pleasing.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

17. Visuals enhance rather than detract from the message of the site.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

18. The size of the text is easy to read.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

19. The site is interesting.

      Strongly Disagree         Disagree         Undecided           Agree           Strongly Agree        

20. What suggestions do you have for improving our site?

Interacting with customers and viewers will keep you on top of your game.

Have you thought about video for your business?

Five Video fundamentals!
Videos have become an integral site feature for businesses in every industry. Not only do they enhance engagement - they can also boost SEO efforts! This week, we'd like to share five video fundamentals that you use within your business:

1. Determine what you want the video to accomplish. What are your goals? A video is a great tool to help achieve your objective. One great way is to find out why customers keep coming back, then share that information by creating a video that speaks to why visitors would benefit in becoming your customer. If you do not know what to ask? Read about the 3 Things Your Customers Won’t Tell You … Unless You Ask from Freelance Folder for some ideas.  
2. The video should tell the product's story! The product should be the primary focus. Do not let any other element of the video steal the show! Focus on the product.
3. Set the right tone. Videos shouldn't be too formal, but they also shouldn't compromise professionalism. Find a professional in your area who can help you find the right touch. If you need assistance, contact me and I will help you find someone in your area.
4. Informative videos should predict and answer questions! If particular questions are commonly asked about a product, the video is the perfect vehicle to provide detailed answers!
5. Think carefully about video placement. The video should be located near the top of an uncluttered Web page. Avoid packing your page with other media when posting a video and place the video in a prominent spot on your site!

Creating and adding videos may be intimidating initially, but we are here to assist business owners in becoming at ease using this indispensable tool, and support is completely included with our Web solution!

Did you know... 
Cyber Monday 2011 was another sweeping success! In fact, comScore reports that it was the heaviest online spending day in history, with $1.25 billion spent. That's a 22 percent jump from Cyber Monday 2010! 


And what about Twitter? Did you know only 10% of small businesses use Twitter? Ask us how we help our clients utilize Twitter... at no extra cost.

If your company did not profit from this year's Cyber Monday, do not wait until next year to be prepared for the big spending day in 2012! Since we offer free demonstrations of websites that are specific to business owners, there is nothing to loose in getting all your questions answered.

Five fantastic holiday prep tips!

Projections of another profitable eCommerce holiday shopping season continue to pop in our inbox, and this provides an excellent opportunity for you to create value in your business and your solution. So this week we've got five top tips that Small and Medium Businesses can use to get their site primed and ready for a big online shopping blitz!

Here are five fantastic holiday prep tips!

1. Step up your rich media. Add images and videos to enhance your product catalog. 
2. Boost your blogging efforts. Blogging provides fresh content to your digital presence, which means sharable content that search engines love. 
3. Run a cause-related campaign. Research has shown that consumers are more likely to spend on a product or brand if they know their money is going to "do good." In fact, a majority of shoppers are even willing to spend a little extra if it's for a good cause! 
4. National Free Shipping Day is December 16th. Run a promo and be ready! 
5. Deploy press releases. Implementing a cause-related campaign? Spotlighting a particular product for the holidays? Adding a seasonal menu item? By sharing press releases via social media or sites like Marketwire, businesses can leverage a unique way to get the word out. (It's a great tool for SEO, too!) 

Did you know... 
This Hot Topic on the holiday spending forecast is from comScore's and projections are bright!

Researchers are anticipating a 15 percent year-over-year increase for ecommerce during the shopping season. And the spree has begun, with $9.7 billion spent online already as of Nov. 20th - that's 14 percent more than the same dates in 2010!

All Hail Holly!

Every day, we hear from people who have outstanding customer service experiences with our support team. One of our top priorities is to connect every client and with the most attentive and knowledgeable specialists in the industry. We want them to feel confident that our solution is more than tools and features - it's backed by fantastic people, too!

Today, the spotlight is on superstar Holly A! Here's what folks have been saying about Holly... 

• "Holly was WONDERFUL!! She was extremely patient and answered ALL of my questions. Additionally, she gave me information on the best web browser to use and helped me download it for free as well as told me how to get my site linked to the major web browsers and how to enter my key words and description. Your staff is usually very good to work with, but Holly has set the bar to a new height. I hope I get to work with her again!"   -Carla M. 
• "I would rate Holly as an incredible asset to the maWebCenters team! She helped me above and beyond what her duties are and I greatly appreciate the support she provided...Thank you again for the help!!"  -Erik E. 
• "My overall experience in this case was excellent.  Holly was personable and professional and answered my questions fully. I definitely have a fuller understanding of our solution after talking with her…  Many thanks!" -Carol S. 

We're delighted to hear about your positive experiences, Carla, Erik and Carol! Holly's happy to help, as are all of our other extraordinary Customer Care specialists.

A big "thank you" to everyone for your feedback...it helps us continue to provide the best support possible!

Did you know... 
Are you ready for the big holiday rush? It's right around the corner! According to eMarketer, online retail will see a 16.5 percent increase over the 2010 holiday season. Sales for November and December in the US are expected to hit an impressive $46.7 billion! 

If your online presence is not in a position to capitalize on your share, by simply speaking to us we may be able to provide you with a solution designed to help businesses capitalize on that earning potential. These holiday stats make a compelling case for business owners to seriously evaluate their potential and set an appointment to learn more!

Connecting Businesses with People needing Products & Services.

Regina the Genius! What our clients are saying.

We don't mean to brag, but we're pretty sure we have the best Customer Care team in the industry. And we're not the only ones who think so! Many of our Web site clients frequently take time out of their day to tell us how our experts have helped them. Check out what people are saying about Regina Allen, one of our resident superstars! 

·      Trista Polo described her experience working with Regina as...
"Ah-May-ZING!!”

Regina was knowledgeable and made something that! I was always nervous about delving into - e-commerce - seem easy and very doable. Thank you Regina!!" 

·      Bettina Blanchard wrote to sing Regina's praises on two separate occasions! 

o           "I have worked with a majority of the tech support team and they are all good! That said, Regina was awesome!! Insightful, patient, knowledgeable and just great to work with. She made it a fun and enjoyable learning experience!  Regina exceeded my expectations and I have high standards which your talented people meet every day. This person, this day, stood out for me. Thanks for asking!  Give that girl a raise, she deserves it!

o           All your peeps are good. Really. And I am picky. Regina has quickly become my "got to” girl. Working on this large project has been made much easier, having one person who is familiar with the site and all its particulars. Thank you for letting your support techs call us back, it is a huge time saver and makes me an even happier customer! (if that is possible)." 

Response from Trista: We're delighted to hear that Regina helped you take the e-commerce plunge. And we're thrilled to know that Regina exceeded your expectations, Bettina! Incidentally, as far as we're concerned, it's a customer's right to be discerning!

Are you this happy with your current service? Never hesitate to evaluate a better solution… we are here to serve and make business owners more successful with their online business… and with our outstanding Customer Care team, it is easier than ever to connect businesses with people who need their products and services!

Did you know... 

There was nothing scary about this year's Halloween data! eMarketer pulled together projections from the National Retail Federation revealing that consumers expected to spend nearly $75 per adult on 2011's Halloween celebration. That's a jump from $66 in 2010, and a tremendous 28% leap over the year before!

What does this look like for online retail? Well, according to interclick, 32 percent of Internet users ages 18-34 would be shopping online for their Halloween party swag. That's more than Christmas or New Year's Eve party-throwers!

As eMarketer's researchers pointed out, "Halloween draws massive participation in part because of "its non-denominational nature and lack of lavish gift-giving." That means it was a great marketing opportunity – especially online – and that’s for just about any industry! 

Five Fluster-Busting SEO Tips!

SEO can be a tricky, time-consuming endeavor, but here are five simple guidelines that can help thwart frustration!

1. Reflect on Relevance.
Content that strays too far from your message also strays far from the search engines. Everything should come back to your business and your industry. (Keep in mind that this can be accomplished without an over-the-top sales pitch!)

2. What would you search for if you were looking for your business?
Take off your Insider's hat for a moment and adopt an Outsider's perspective on your industry. Which terms would you use to find your business? 

One of the most glaring errors by Web site owners seeking higher search rankings is the use of obscure industry jargon. Stick with terminology that is most familiar to the widest possible audience, your customers.

3. "This is only a test."
There's no rule stating that keywords and content ever have to be permanent. So don't be afraid to try out different content and test its effectiveness! Experimenting with new ideas is pivotal to search engine success.

4. Shoddy sites don't get shared!
It may be obvious, but it's always worth repeating! If your goal is to boost search engine rankings, then links to your site are crucial. And if you want people to share links to your site, the content had better be good! So add text that explains your company's goal and the culture you create. Embed rich media like videos. Post testimonials. Create a portfolio. However as, you go about building better content, be sure to update often! 

5. Play well with others.
If it's links you're looking for, and it is, your audience should probably be aware of your existence! So network...online and off. Attend mixers and events for business owners and entrepreneurs in your area. Read industry blogs and add your insight in the comments section. Reach out through social media. To put it briefly: visibility invariably leads to higher search rankings. 

Did you know... 

In case we didn't make our point about search importance clear in the post above, consider this: According to a study by GroupM Search, the Web influences more than $1 trillion of in-store sales!  GroupM CEO Chris Copeland adds that "search is the number one online channel for driving that revenue." 

Just think about all the searching you do regularly for local businesses, and all the purchases you make as a result! 

We know how valuable this channel is which is why our solution comes with site promotion tools. It's also why we provide add-on SEO services for businesses that want to escalate their search engine results even faster! Our clients are astounded by what we can accomplish when it comes to optimizing their digital presence...set an appointment and be prepared to be amazed! 

Avoiding the big “only host Web sites” blunder!

If I were to ever tell business owners that I merely work with a company that "hosts Web sites", I would be leaving out an important pieces of the puzzle!

Experts agree: it's not enough to have a website anymore. A business must have a comprehensive digital presence to stay competitive! That includes email marketing campaigns, social media accounts and blogs in addition to a rich, professional website...and they need to be visible on search engines so they can connect with their Web audience!

As Forrester Research's Brian Walker said: 

"...today's sites are becoming highly dynamic and content-rich in order to meet customer expectations, and they abide by best practices including search engine optimization (SEO). Businesses are investing in this rich product content, in addition to Web merchandising content, to illuminate their brands and support consumers' research and purchasing needs." 

For a small- or mid-sized business, cross-channel content management can sound like an intimidating - not to mention costly - undertaking. But the solution offered to our clients gives them a one-stop shop for every channel of their online marketing presence! It's not just a website hosting service – that's only the beginning!

After a business owner purchases a comprehensive Web solution, they gain unlimited access to a highly-trained Customer Care team boasting members that specialize in a specific area of online marketing and site management. When our clients build a site, promote on the most popular search engines, launch email campaigns and establish their social network accounts, our team is there to ensure every step of the process is effortless and effective!

We do not just "sell websites", we have an all-inclusive menu of features and services that make us – and our business owners – leaders in the industry! 

Did you know... 
Here's a stat that should come as no surprise to our savvy readers: Bain & Company's recent research has revealed that people who engage with brands on social networks have a stronger loyalty to those businesses!

According to the report, customers who perform actions such as following companies on Twitter or "liking" them on Facebook spend more  on products and services than the customers that did not interact with businesses online.

This is a huge reason why we encourage all business owners to build a comprehensive presence on social sites! It's a great avenue for drawing and engaging a cache of strong supporters for your business! View the video on GrowOnlineNow.com for more information. You will be impressed!

Understand your client with three important factors!

For all business owners, especially the small-business owners, here is something to consider

… the prospective customer's mind is a mysterious realm.

Successful entrepreneurs know how to demystify these mysterious thought patterns and interact with their customers in a relatable way. We figured we'd shed some light on the topic by breaking down the customers' thought process. Take a look at this graphic: 

The following can be applied to any business, just substitute your industry. In this case we are looking into business owners looking for a solution to capturing more customers which are using the internet more and more each year. So, let's look at each of these three factors in detail: 

Elements: This is the analytical part. Consider this: The product or service is not your customers' goal. Well, not entirely anyway. When it comes to a Web Site, business owners may overlook it as “must have” for they may believe they just cannot afford what they deem as a luxury rather than a marketing tool. Often the problem is they just don’t know what it is they need and often believe they may fall prey to someone selling them on something they don’t need. It's actually specific features or attributes of a product/service that attracts a customer. Luxury brands employ this concept all the time – it’s one way to become associated with "status." Another example often used to attract customers is the "convenience" angle. When both specific features & attributes along with convenience are available, a value to the customer is established. That is exactly what the customer is looking for.

Take a Web Site solution for example… many sales reps will promote their service or solution with one or two great features as conveniences which that business owner just can’t live without. But what if the customer doesn’t need those specific features? What the consumer is looking for is a solution for their specific needs. Business owners are looking for someone to fill their needs not the other way around. Having a “comprehensive” solution including every digital marketing tool necessary in one single system equates to convenience and specifically, a "value". That solution now becomes an asset rather than an expense. It provides the customer with exactly what they need.

Intention: This is a bit easier to identify right off the bat. It's simply a matter of asking "Why?" Again, using the Web Site solution as an example, why does a business owner want every digital marketing tool available through one solution? What does that do for them? This is where developing a relationship with customers is so important. Why try to sell something when it is much easier to identify a need and fill the void with a solution? Having a “comprehensive” solution there is no need to sell – merely identify the problem and provide the solution.

Barrier: For business owners concerned about a Web Site, something causes hesitation. Questions that could be asked could be:

·      Did the competitor make an intriguing offer?

·      Is the prospective client concerned about their level of technical knowledge?

·      Are they simply worried that they might be too busy to maintain their presence online?

This is where developing the relationship is important. We want to identify those underlying concerns and take care of them! 

Elementary though it may seem, regardless of the market you may be in once you fill in these blanks you'll gain a much clearer understanding of your client. And once you've got that, you'll be able to target to them appropriately and address their objections effectively and be a solution provider, not a salesman.

Did you know? eCommerce continues to climb! comScore's report for the third quarter of 2011 shows that online retail increased 13 percent year-over-year, with a total of $36.3 billion spent on the Web! If you are a business owner, it is important to begin earning your share of those online billions… do you have a rich and comprehensive eCommerce Catalog?

GrowOnlineNow.com connects businesses with people who need their products and/or services with a total comprehensive Web Site Solution.

Our reason for existence is in leveling the playing field for small business owners

Conventional Web Design companies promote a limited number of features and benefits, but what if the business owner doesn’t need them? Business owners are looking for solutions to their specific needs, not the other way around and, they are looking for stability.

We are not a conventional web design company – we establish relationships and provide a “Comprehensive” infrastructure including all digital marketing tools necessary in one single system. It’s the platform that makes all the difference, especially when there are no costly a la carte options or hidden fees. And, this “Comprehensive” platform really plays to the owner’s advantage if they have a relative, friend, or insider they want to work on their site. No more guess work and all the support in the world is at their fingertips.

From one of our clients: “For a small- or mid-sized business, cross-channel content management can sound like an intimidating - not to mention costly - undertaking. But the solution you offer gives companies a one-stop shop for every channel of their online marketing presence! It's not just a website hosting service - that's only the beginning! “

Thomas Edison said, "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

In today's economy, we cannot afford to give up or give in. Many lost good jobs & are looking for another. A job is nothing more than a tool to generate income. Retool & take control over generating income rather than someone else controlling your income. I Have!