Wise Penny Marketing
  • Home
  • Website Audits
  • Writing
  • Portfolio
    • Case Study: B-Side Farm
    • Case Study: Verve Studio
  • About
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact

3 Questions to Ask Before Building Your Website

2/16/2017

0 Comments

 
If you're thinking about building a website for your business – or revising your current one – there are some questions you should ask yourself first.

I'm not talking about things like, "What's my budget?" or "Who should design it?" Those questions are definitely important, but they should come after you've considered some other issues.

Here are 3 questions to ask before you begin your site design. Having answers to these will make both the process and the resulting site much better.
Picture
Banner vector designed by Freepik

1. Who is the website for?

Here's a hint: It's not for you.

​Yes, your website is a key tool that helps your business reach your audience, but who is that audience? Who are your ideal visitors or "buyer personas"?

Ideally, you'll have a very specific answer to this question.

For instance, let's say you own a fitness studio in Detroit. You might determine, "Our ideal client is a woman between the ages of 30-60 who lives in the greater Detroit metropolitan area and has a household income of $60,000 or more. She has a college education and is employed part- or full-time. She has a family, is active in her community, and is concerned about fitness and health. She's struggling to fit an exercise routine into her busy schedule."

It's certainly possible that you'll have more than one type of ideal client. The key here is to understand very clearly:
​
  • Who your target(s) is/are
  • What his or her problems are
  • How your business provides solutions to those problems, and
  • How your site will clearly present your solutions​.

2. How will your website help new prospects? 

Most of your visitors – as many as 96%, according to KISSmetrics – will not be ready to buy your products or services. They'll just be doing research.

​If you're lucky, they'll have recognized that they have a need or problem and that your business might be able to help. They'll be checking out your site – as well as your competitors' – to see who provides the best solutions.

So to set your business apart, you need to provide good, solid information. Not just prices.


Too many websites focus on the company, not the customer. Don't let yours be one of them.

Step back and ask yourself:
​
  • "What can I provide for viewers that will be of real value – and get them to come back?"
  • "What would show them that we understand their pain points?" 
  • "What would get them to take the next step toward becoming a customer?"

The "something" you provide might be a checklist, a free assessment, a whitepaper on a relevant topic, etc. In exchange, you can ask for their name and email address – and now you have something of value, too, that you can use to share additional information about your company.

3. What action do you want your visitors to take?

Do you want them to buy something from your store? Do you want them to contact you by phone or email? Or do you want them to sign up for your e-newsletter? Whatever your goal, your call-to-action, or CTA, needs to be clear and easy to find on your website.

(Don't forget that it needs to be quick and easy to use, too. Tiny buttons don't work well on mobile phones, and long forms make viewers frustrated and leave.)

​It's possible you'll have more than one CTA. For instance, your ultimate goal might be to get visitors to buy something, but as described above, you might ask for their email address in exchange for downloading your whitepaper, checklist or reference guide. 

​Above all, don't confuse your visitors by asking them to do too much. If you're going to have multiple calls-to-action on one page, separate them and make the differences clear.



What other tips or recommendations do you have for improving the web design process? Leave a comment below.
0 Comments

Create free, secure forms for your website with JotForm

2/4/2017

0 Comments

 
JotForm is an online tool that allows you to create and customize fillable forms for your website. With thousands of pre-designed templates – like job applications, polls, marketing surveys and much more – and a variety of themes to choose from, you can be up and running in minutes. 


​Why would you need this? 

JotForm logo
If you use a website creation tool such as Weebly, Squarespace or WordPress for your site, you have pretty easy options for creating a form, but collecting data can be cumbersome – and if you don't have an SSL certificate, you're putting user data at risk.

Plus, with basic forms in Weebly and Squarespace, you don't have the option of allowing users to upload a file. If you want people to be able to upload a photo, resumé or document, you're stuck unless you install (and probably pay for) an app. 

With JotForm, once you sign up for a free account, create a form (using a plain or pre-designed theme) and connect it to your website, users are sent to a secure page to fill out information which gets logged into your JotForm account. You'll get an email when someone fills out the form, too, so you'll know right away when you receive a submission.
​
You can provide a thank you message immediately upon submission of the form or else take people back to a page on your website. Want to send an immediate email follow-up? You can do that, too, as well as connect your data with other apps such as PayPal, Dropbox, Google Spreadsheets, MailChimp, SalesForce and more.
JotForm example
Like many online services, JotForm is a freemium, which means that you can use the basic services for free and then upgrade if you need more data storage, forms or reports. A free account offers up to 5 different form templates, 100 submissions per month, storage of up to 500 forms and unlimited fields within forms. Need more forms or storage space? Plans start at $19 per month. 

I've heard of a few issues with the size of forms and buttons on mobile devices, but for the most part, users seem really happy with the options and third party integrations available with this tool. 

Have you used JotForm or another form app for your website? Leave a comment below!


Note: 
Wise Penny has no affiliation with JotForm – we're just spreading the word on free resources for marketing teams and other businesses.
0 Comments

How to find your website's broken links, fast and free

1/30/2017

0 Comments

 
Imagine this scenario: You're online, searching for the perfect "something" you want to buy, or looking for the information you need to complete a report or solve a problem. You're sure you've found just what you want -- the answer to all your prayers -- when you click and . . . 

The link's broken. 404 Error. Page Not Found.

Is there anything more aggravating?
404 Error image
Broken website links are really frustrating for searchers. And Google doesn't like them, either, because "The Goog" is all about giving people the best possible search experience, and broken links are not a part of that. Why? Because one way Google’s algorithms rank websites is by sending their spiders out to crawl links, so if those links are broken, the spiders can't crawl and index them. 

Therefore,
Google won't want to send searchers to that site and ultimately, a site can be penalized in search results because of those bad links.

So to avoid this problem on your website, you'll want to check for broken links on a regular basis and fix any problems as soon as possible.


About broken links – and how to find them quickly

Bad or broken links come in several types. For instance, if you delete a linked page on your site, put an incorrect URL or an accidental typo in a text link, or change a page's address without correctly updating the URL, you'll get a broken link.

Or if you have a link to another website and THAT website makes a change, deletes the page, etc., you can also end up with a broken link.

So how do you find out if all the links on your site are still good without going through every page and clicking each link?

Solution: BrokenLinkCheck.com allows you to run a free test to find problems quickly. 

This online validation tool will scan your entire site and give you a report of any broken or problem links (unlike some other scanning 
tools that list ALL the links on your site, so you have to sort through the files to find out which ones are bad and need fixing).

​Note: If you have over 3,000 pages on your site, you can contact the company to see about getting a price quote for scanning – it's probably worth it!
Picture

This tool works on Mac and PC, iPads and even smartphones, so you can even check your site while you're on the go. Once you enter your site URL and type in a quick CAPTCHA code, you'll get a report of any link problems on your site, including the page where they're located. From there, you can examine any issues and take the steps needed to fix your problem links.

Have you used this tool or others like it? Leave a comment below!
0 Comments

Free Cool Marketing Tool: Canva

1/23/2017

 
Adobe’s Creative Cloud is the go-to software for designers worldwide. Considered the industry standard, Creative Cloud offers 20+ apps including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign for computers and mobile devices.
 
It also includes a big, hefty price tag. $49.99 per month, to be exact (unless you’re a student).
 
For full-time designers and marketing teams, Creative Cloud software is just one of the costs of doing business. Yes, it’s expensive, but you have to have it and you can write it off, no?
 
But what if you don’t have an in-house design team? What if you don’t need all the bells and whistles and you just want to create a poster or blog graphic once in a while? What if you can’t afford that $49.99 every month?
 
Enter Canva.
Canva logo
Canva is an online design tool that allows you to create, share and download posters, postcards, social media graphics, presentations and much more. Once you set up your free account, you have access to thousands of customizable templates, photos and graphics that you can use to create marketing materials of all kinds.

You can also upload your own photos, logos and images to add to any design. If you need more inspiration or want to purchase some of the snazzier photos or graphics from Canva, you can do that, too.

I'm personally a big fan of the free infographic templates, which help you create eye-catching infographics in a snap. Infographics are now "liked" and shared on social media 3X more than other any other type of content, so these can help you put together an engaging post for social media really quickly.
​
Infographic layout
Canva also offers design articles and tutorials that help you get up and running quickly and provide tips on improving your own layouts.
And if you want to be able to organize things into files and folders with a team, you can upgrade to Canva for Work, which also offers resizing tools and the option for customizable templates (there’s a 30-day free trial if you want to try before you buy):

Picture

What other free layout and design tools have you found that help you get the job done? Leave a comment below!

3 Ways to Use Social Media to Your Advantage

5/24/2016

 
Social media sharing
Feeling overwhelmed by social media? Wondering where to focus your energies – or if all this work is really worth it?
 
In general, the goal of your social media activities (on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.) should be to engage, interact and build loyalty with your audience more than to capture new leads.
 
It's best to approach social media as a part of your overall marketing plan. With social media, you can learn about your customers, gain followers and improve your business – and over time, increase sales through your efforts. 
 
Here are three ways to use social media to improve your overall marketing:


  1. Connect social media with other marketing efforts

    Whenever possible, use social media to drive people to your website where they can learn more about your company, reach out and/or buy from you directly. Notify Twitter followers and Facebook fans of special offers on your website, send email newsletters or sales announcements with direct links to landing pages, or use a video as a “teaser” that draws people to your site for more information.


  2. Listen and act
    ​

    Use social media to find out what your customers think. For instance, you can create quick polls about a product or service on your Facebook page, post the results, and then if you can, act on those results. Got a blog? Ask readers to comment on your articles and then respond to their comments. Nothing makes a customer feel better than knowing you listened to what he or she said. 

  3. Answer questions

    You probably receive questions from customers all the time about your products, services and industry. Maybe you post these answers on an FAQ page on your website. Instead, or in addition, post common questions and answers on your social media pages – or, better yet, post the question on your page and then provide a link to the answer on your blog or FAQ page. Not only does this help engage your audience, but it helps position you as an expert in your field and solve problems for your customers. 


Need help implementing any of these ideas? Contact Wise Penny today!

The #1 Free Way to Improve Your Website

1/21/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Small businesses often spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on creating a website, only to find that their site fails to get visitors' attention, doesn't bring in the leads they were hoping for or meet the goals they set for the site in the first place.

So here's my suggestion for the best way to start improving your site without spending a dime: 

Ask for feedback from someone outside your office.

Huh?

That's right. Ask someone who's not very familiar with your business or your website to sit down and go through your website with you. Watch this person read, click, and navigate their way through the site, and then ask that person questions, such as:


  • Do the menus make sense? Is it easy to navigate?
  • Does the text make sense? Could it be improved?
  • Does the site make it clear what's being offered? Does it make you want to sign up,
    ​read more or buy?
  • Are there unfamiliar terms or acronyms in the text that leave you puzzled? 
  • What would make the site better, more clear or more appealing?

Why does this help? Because you and your staff know what your business does and what you want your site to accomplish. Other people don't. 

What's clear to you is clear to you -- and it may not be clear to everyone else.

Of course, there are plenty of other tools you can use to help improve your site (including Google Analytics and ClickTale), but this is the fastest way I know of to get feedback and use it to start improving your site.

Have other suggestions or comments? Leave them below!

0 Comments

3 Ways To Take Better Care of Your Customers

1/15/2014

0 Comments

 
Thank your customers
You've heard the phrase, “Your best customer is your current customer.” Why? Because your current customers already know what you do and have demonstrated their willingness to buy from you; acquiring a new customer costs five to ten times as much as keeping an existing customer. Plus, repeat customers generally spend more – up to 67% more – than new ones.

What does this mean? It's time to show your loyal customers some love! There are many ways to show your customers you're thinking about them, you appreciate their business and want them to keep coming back. Ideally, you'll develop raving fans of your business who want to share their excitement and tell others what you do, spreading the word for you for free through social media. Here are three tips for improving customer loyalty and sales.

1)     Keep in Touch – How often do you touch base with your customers? Do you send out a monthly newsletter in the mail or via email? Do you alert them to specials and offers that are available on your Facebook page? Do you call your customers individually after the purchase of a big-ticket item to see if they're satisfied? These are all great ways to stay on your customers' radar and keep them thinking about you. (Just be careful not to email them too much!)

2)     Get Their Feedback – Wondering how you could better serve your clients? Ask them! Create a survey to find out how satisfied they are with your products or services and then see what you can do to act on their suggestions. If you're thinking of trying out a new product, ask your customers to vote for colors, styles, features, etc., through online polls.

3)    Find Special Ways to Show You Care – In doing some recent web research for a client, I came across an excellent testimonial from a customer. The company was a family-owned funeral home, and the customer explained that they not only did a wonderful, professional job with her family member’s funeral, but took the time to write her a hand-written note on the one-year anniversary of the funeral to let her know that they knew it would be an emotional time and were thinking of her. How impressive and thoughtful is that?

What other great customer appreciation ideas do you have? Leave a comment!



0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Natalie Bolton is a Boulder County-based marketing professional who helps businesses 
    improve their websites and reach their goals. 

    Penny For 
    Your Thoughts!
    ​
    I'd love to know your thoughts and ideas – click here to send me an email with feedback!


    ​Archives

    February 2017
    January 2017
    May 2016
    January 2014
    November 2013
    August 2013
    January 2013
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

    Categories

    All
    Content Marketing
    Email Marketing
    Freebies
    Marketing Resources
    Money Saving Ideas
    Money-saving Ideas
    News Releases
    Small Business Resources
    Social Media
    Website Improvement

Home

Portfolio
​Website Audits & Analysis
​Writing

About
Wise Penny Blog

Contact

Tel: 303-656-9457
info@wisepennymarketing.com

​PRIVACY POLICY

All rights reserved

© 2011-2022 – Wise Penny Marketing & Design, LLC 
Boulder County, CO