5 Reason Your Company Needs A Website.

Building a business website costs time and money. If your business has managed all right without one so far, it’s easy to make excuses to put off dealing with it. But could that procrastination be hurting you?

If you’re still on the fence about whether or not building a website for your business is worth the time and money, here are a few signs that it’s time to take the plunge and get started.

1. Your business exists.

I kid, but only somewhat. The internet is a huge part of how people make purchasing decisions today, and not just when it comes to items you can purchase online. 81% of shoppers do research online before buying something.

Whether you sell products in a physical store or services, the first place most people go when they’re looking for what you sell is the internet. How many customers have you missed out on because your business was invisible when they went online to look for what you sell?

2. A customer asks where to find you on the web.

People fully expect that any company they do business with will have a web presence. Even if they already know about your company, a website’s the easiest way to look up your address before heading to the store, or double-check your hours so they don’t head out for no reason.

Consumers today don’t want to have to pick up a phone to find that information, or go to a phone book to find your number, for that matter. While you can list some of that information on sites like Yelp or in your Google business listing, customers have more confidence that they can trust what they’re seeing on your own business website.

If you’ve been asked by at least one customer where they can find you on the web, it’s time to start working on a satisfying answer to that question.

3. You keep reading about web-only marketing tactics.

If you spend any time at all reading articles for entrepreneurs and small business owners, you’ve seen lots of talk about the value of social media marketing, content marketing, and SEO. Those are all tactics your competitors are probably already benefitting from, but that you can’t even try until you have a website to promote.

Even more importantly, they tend to be more effective and provide a better ROI than other types of advertising. If you’re currently putting all your ad spend toward billboards and radio ads, you’re not getting the biggest bang for your buck.

4. You realize your grandkids don’t think your business really exists.

Kids these days, right? Their whole life is on the internet. As far as they’re concerned, if it’s not online, it can’t be real. If you overheard them at Thanksgiving this year discussing a complicated conspiracy theory they’ve developed that you’re actually a spy and the business you claim you have is a front, it probably means they’re watching too much TV, but it also definitely means it’s time for you to build a website for your business.

Kids show us where the future’s going. If your family’s youngest generation thinks it’s weird that your business doesn’t have a website, you should concede that they just might have a point.

5. You realize you don’t want to become obsolete.

The longer you hold out, the more invisible you are to potential customers. Even past customers might wonder if you’ve gone out of business if they can’t find a website – people really do take for granted at this point that a website is a necessary part of business. If you don’t have one, it looks unprofessional and means people are less likely to take you seriously.

Stop procrastinating. You already knew by the time you started reading this post that it’s past time to have a website for your business. Commit to getting it done this year so your business can maintain its legitimacy and maybe even increase profits in the years to come.

When you are ready to take your business into the “Modern Age” talk to the creative team of professionals from Clouse Designs we will get you up and running no time with an affordable website that will work for your business.

Get Your New Website!

Why Should I Outsource My Marketing Services?

If you have a business, you need customers…plain and simple. Without customers, there really is not much reason to get up in the morning, drive to the office, turn on the lights, make payroll and all the myriad of tasks that we do as business owners.

Getting those customers is one of the biggest challenges that businesses face on a day in, day out basis, and because of the difficulty and importance of this task, ALL businesses need to have an effective marketing plan to survive and grow. For many companies, however, this is a business truth that is easy to put on the back burner or settle for just throwing darts at a dart board and hoping you hit something.

Nobody is going to walk into your office and ask for whatever it is that you are selling unless they know who you are, what you do, and they have confidence that you can deliver on your promises. More importantly your prospects want to know why your product or service is of benefit to them, and how you differentiate yourself from your competitors.

To get those facts communicated your company needs an effective, well thought out and executed marketing plan. Most companies understand the need for a strategic marketing plan, but few understand what it is or how to implement one. Marketing is not the same thing as hiring a sales team; it is much more involved than that. In a nutshell, your company’s marketing plan is about generating leads that can then be turned into sales

Elements of a Modern Marketing Strategy

The rise of the internet, indexed search (think Google) and the explosion of social media networks have changed the way that companies communicate their value proposition (the promise of value that will be delivered by your company and experienced by your customer).

Where once, legacy tactics such as yellow page advertisements or print ads would drive traffic to your front door, modern consumers armed with mobile technology expect real time access to information and make buying decisions in a matter of a few keystrokes on their devices.

This means that companies need to ensure that their branding messages are well executed, easily found on the web by sites that attract attention and covert eyeballs into leads.

Below is a list of items that make up a “modern marketing strategy”:

Collateral development and production
Content development specialists
Email programs
E-newsletters
Graphic artists
Market research
Marketing software
Metrics/data analysts
Mobile marketing specialists
PPC
Printing
PR specialists
SEO/keyword research
Social media specialists
Special events
Sponsorship
Website development/re-engineering

While this is a very thorough list, it should also be seen as incomplete, because as we speak new technologies, apps and disciplines are being created which makes keeping up a challenge. This rapid change in new technologies is what makes marketing in the 21st century such a challenge for small businesses.

Now that we know the elements, let’s shift gears and evaluate your options on how to execute your strategy.

Can and Should I Do This Myself?

Many entrepreneurs are ingrained with the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) ethic which refers to the ethic of self-sufficiency through completing tasks without the aid of paid specialists. As an entrepreneur that has suffered with this particular affliction, I can certainly attest to the fact an individual can, with enough time and gumption seek out the knowledge required to complete any given task.

The challenge with this mode of operation is the many different creative elements, such as writing, graphic design, computer programming that are needed to successfully carry out a modern marketing strategy. The learning curve for a busy entrepreneur with little experience is staggering, leaving the business owner with either a vastly incomplete marketing strategy missing key elements, such as blogging, social media marketing or a site filled with ugly graphics or both.

Conversely, if the owner devotes the time to learn all of these marketing elements, you have a tapped out business owner focusing all their time and attention on a steep learning curve in the creative arts. For all but the smallest businesses lacking the marketing budget to hire or outsource, DIY is an unfeasible strategy. If DIY is not the right approach, then what other options are available?

We are often asked by business owners, ” what should my marketing budget be.“ If I am going to hire a marketing agency or hire internal staff what are the financial costs associated with both options? We cover this very question in the next section.

Should I Hire an Employee or a Marketing Agency?

Organizations that have neither the time nor inclination to DIY are left with a choice; either hire an employee or hire an outside agency. In many instances, business owners lean towards hiring an employee because that has been the de-facto process in the past to solve an immediate need. Additionally business owners may have the perception that an outside agency is far more expensive than hiring in-house staff. The problem with this rationale is that most of the time, owners don’t have a true basis for comparison.

How much do you think it would cost to hire a qualified marketing employee vs. hiring a marketing agency?

Most business owners don’t have a true basis for comparison and typically use a rudimentary methodology for decision making. In many cases, business owners might use a base salary versus an hourly quote for a marketing agency and thus conclude that since the hourly rate is higher it therefore must be the more expensive option. This is a big mistake.

Many owners fail to take into account the true costs associated with hiring and retaining an employee. As the chart below shows, not only do you have to account for base salary, but adding in fixed expenses such federal, state and/or local taxes as well as health insurance contributions, retirement plan matches, vacation, sick days, etc., and the true cost can be as much as 1.25 to 1.4 times the base salary. Add in additional expenses such the cost of recruiting and training and the total starts to escalate quickly.

Let’s take a closer look and see what really happens when you compare the two.

According to Indeed.com the average in house marketing manager makes a salary of $60,218 and the average inhouse brand manager makes a salary of $61,886 a year. Making your annual marketing budget of $122,104. With Clouse Designs you get both a Marketing Manager and a Brand Manager at a fraction of the cost! I’m sure you can do the math on that one.

While the numbers are averages and should be adjusted based on your needs and location of business, etc. The graphic should give you a better understanding of the approximate costs of hiring each one separately.

In addition to the task of hiring the right employee, the effective execution of many marketing tasks requires extensive software applications which require DINERO (that’s money)……..lots of it in the form of upfront purchases and annual subscriptions of graphics programs, ppc management apps, business metrics software and a whole host of other requirements.

In addition to the pure cost factor of hiring an employee, there is one additional factor that needs to be considered. It would be exceptionally difficult to find one person that possesses each of the skills required to execute your strategy. This would most likely require your new marketing hire to outsource at least some of these tasks to outside agencies, which really blows this comparison out of the water.

As you can see after taking these factors into consideration, hiring marketing staff is no bargain.

Benefits of Working with a Marketing Agency

Although you may perceive that you are saving money on an hourly basis relative to hiring an employee or doing it yourself, hiring a marketing agency, particularly one focused on the latest marketing tactics provides substantial value. Long gone are the “Mad Men” days of nebulous budgets with hidden fees.

At Clouse Designs we combine the latest technology with “grassroots” marketing campaigns that will cement your foot hold in the market and your community! Grassroots marketing, sometimes known as guerilla marketing, starts from the ground up. Instead of launching a message you hope will appeal to many people, you target your efforts to a small group and hope the group will spread your message to a much larger audience. Grassroots marketing often uses unconventional or nontraditional methods. Grassroots marketing often costs less than more conventional marketing efforts, but can produce big results.

The pricing dynamic has shifted and many firms are now working on clearly spelled out pricing structures, and lower-fee marketing retainer agreements.

While there is no industry standard, the going rate in most markets for an experienced marketing agency starts in the $3,000 to $5,000 range in terms of monthly spend. While that may seem like a large number, in comparison to the opportunity cost of DIY, or the pure allocation of funds towards building internal staff, this is a relative bargain.

Among the many benefits of working with an experienced marketing firm are:

Expertise with your market niche
Experience in executing marketing plans
Money savings by hiring to your specific needs
No employee training required
Your marketing plan is executed immediately, the employee may need time to ramp up while the marketing firm is ready from the get-go
Avoid HR nightmares
No additional overhead
Tax deductions, not tax liability
Efficiency for short term and urgent projects

This new paradigm allows business owners to focus on running operations and increasing the bottom line, not messing around with Facebook, Twitter or trying to build a website.

The big question then isn’t can I afford an experienced marketing agency, but rather how much am I costing myself in time, money and lost opportunity by trying to do these marketing services in-house.

3 Essential Ways To Build Online Customer Trust

The rise of technology has invited a fall in consumer trust. As the regulations that govern the internet evolve and threaten the safety of online users’ personal information, more and more individuals are engaging the digital world with increasing suspicion and hesitance.

Just as we closed the door on 2017, the FCC voted to repeal the Net Neutrality laws which protected the rights of internet users and website owners. The landmark vote was met with an uproar of anger and fear, as this development paves the way for ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to auction off sensitive consumer information.

Now more than ever, internet users fear for the protection of their data.

In fact, a recent study conducted by Gigya found that “69 percent of consumers are concerned about security and privacy with Internet of Things (IoT) devices” and “68 percent don’t trust brands to handle their personal information appropriately.”

This growing climate of suspicion, coupled with the ever-increasing shift toward a digital marketplace, is particularly detrimental to small business owners. As many companies now rely on a website to grow, maintain, and manage their business, building consumer trust is key to success.

Here are three easy steps that online business owners can take to win back customer trust in 2018:

1. Get Your Website SSL Certified Already!

An SSL certificate – short for Secure Sockets Layer – designates a safe connection between a user’s server and your website. The certification adds an “s” to the “http” component of your website’s URL as well as a “secure” stamp next to your web address to indicate to users that your site is safe to access.

This probably isn’t the first time you’ve been advised to get your website SSL-certified. Yet, according to study results published in May of 2017 by SEJ, only about 25% of web traffic is protected under an SSL certificate. If your company contributes to the 75% of websites lacking this important safety designation – the time is now to change that.

Getting certified can be as easy as putting a protection plan in an online shopping cart and checking out. Some sites even claim that businesses can get an SSL certificates for free.

Not only will this attribute keep your own site safe from hackers, data miners, and cyber-criminals at large, but there are two groups who really want to see that “s” on your URL – consumers and Google.

Customers Demand SSL Reassurance.

More and more each year, the online community is becoming populated by a generation of tech-savvy individuals. Consider the bar officially raised on what consumers expect from their online experience – including your website. If your business collects private data, in particular, users won’t be quick to forfeit that information without assurance that it will land in a secure destination.

According to SEJ, “HTTPS is especially important on web pages where users provide their highly sensitive information (e.g., card information and other personal details). When visitors are interacting with your site, they expect a secure and private online experience.”

Boasting an SSL certificate is one of the easiest, yet most effective, ways to earn customer trust.

Google Rewards SSL Verification.

When operating a website, one of the keys to success is keeping Google in your corner.

One of the best ways to stay on the right side of the digital giant is by making a display of your security efforts. And when it comes to security efforts, SSL certification is essential.

Google officially announced in 2014 that websites secured through an SSL certificate are rewarded with higher search rankings. A boosted search ranking means more traffic to your website – a hefty reward in return for taking a small measure.

Not only does Google take measures to recognize SSL certification by rewarding its presence, but it also makes an effort to penalize the absence of an SSL. In accordance with Google Safe Browsing efforts, if your site is lacking the secure designation, Google will display a warning message alerting users to the potential risk of entering your site. While that safety warning is discouraging enough to consumers, it will also likely deter them from entering their personal data – especially billing and credit card information – given the risks associated with your site.

The rule of thumb for doing business online is always to do what Google says. And Google says it’s time to get SSL certified.

2. Be Transparent About Collecting User Data.

When the Google Arts and Culture app released a feature in January that matches a selfie to a famous work of art, it didn’t take long for the doppelganger game to go viral. However, the public reaction to this feature exposed an ugly underbelly to the perception of digital data collection.

Within hours of the app update, there were articles, comments, and threads popping up all over the internet positing that the feature was being used to collect images of people’s faces to store in Google’s database. While these concerns are unverified and, most likely, unfounded, they speak to the rising public concern over the collection of private information – something that business owners need to be especially conscientious about.

How can business owners respond to the growing tensions surrounding user data collection? The best route to take is one of transparency.

Consumers want honesty.

Here are the best practices for giving your customers peace of mind over the collection of their personal details:

Disclose EVERYTHING in Your Privacy Policy.

Not only is a privacy policy standard protocol for business these days, but it’s also a legal necessity. While federal, state, and local laws have long dictated the need for businesses to disclose how they gather, store, and use private consumer information, the reins are being tightened even further with the May 2018 institution of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The GDPR – though it originates in the EU – is due to affect business owners all over the world by enforcing strict regulations on how to disclose the collection of personal information.

Instead of struggling to keep up with all the changing rules which govern your privacy efforts, the best practice that business owners can adopt is simply to create a comprehensive, transparent privacy policy that clearly outlines how, when, where, and why customer information is collected.

Not only will this practice afford you legal protection, but customers will appreciate having knowledge of exactly where their personal information goes and for what purposes it will be used.

Get User Consent with a Clickwrap Banner.

When building customer trust through a privacy policy, it’s not enough just to bring user attention to that policy. To fully benefit your business in both legal compliance and customer relations, you should aim to get explicit consumer consent before collecting any personal information. There are two methods of advertising a privacy policy on your website – browsewrap and clickwrap. But only clickwrap will demand explicit consent be given by your users to collect their information.

While browsewrap notifies your site’s visitors to the existence of a privacy policy through a banner, it allows users to access and browse your site without acknowledging – or consenting to – your privacy practices. Yet, many companies still employ this method, unwittingly to their detriment. Not only has browsewrap begun to carry a reputation for being an underhanded method of informing consumers of data collection, but it does not meet the legal requirements of the GDPR.

Clickwrap, on the other hand, requires site visitors to click a button or tick a box acknowledging that they have read the privacy policy before continuing to access your site. This action, known as “affirmative consent” is the crux-de-gras of safety efforts when it comes to the collection of customer data.

Hosting a clickwrap agreement on your website will set you ahead of the pack in both visible security efforts and privacy regulation compliance.

3. Amplify Your Customer Service.

Consumer trust is not built in online safety alone. It’s also earned through exceptional customer service.

But this isn’t new information, right? However, according to Business Insider, “As consumers increasingly buy products online that they haven’t seen in person — leaving room for purchasing errors and buyer’s remorse — it’s now more important than ever to provide customers with positive customer service experiences.”

Stressing the financial risk that business owners take in not prioritizing customer service, Business Insider goes on to say, “60% of consumers say they have not completed an intended purchase due to a poor customer service experience.”

Customer service in the digital world is especially demanding as it is now an omni-channel operation. Big businesses, in particular, are able to boast 24/7 assistance via email, phone, live chat, and even social media outlets. While many small businesses don’t have access to the resources to compete on this level, business owners should still take steps to make customer service a priority – especially online.

Update Your Information.

Keep up-to-date contact information and hours present on your website, and consider designating a social media account – like Twitter or a Facebook page – where customers can direct their questions and comments.

Post Customer Reviews.

One of the best ways to build trust is to offer your customers testimonials and reviews from others. Invespcro.com found that “88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.” However, be sure not to make the all-too-common mistake of manufacturing reviews. Customers will know, and trust in your business will be further diminished. Instead, ask satisfied patrons to review your site or offer a testimonial. Consider incentivizing users with discounts or rewards in exchange for their honest feedback.

Personalize the Customer Service Experience.

While large-scale companies have the resources to handle massive inpours of customer queries, small business owners have the opportunity to accomplish something that consumers are seeing less and less of lately – offer a personal customer service experience.

Instead of letting emails pile up without replies, reviews be posted without responses, and questions left without answers, take the time to address the individuals that take the time to reach out to your business. Listen to what they’re saying, make an effort to understand, and offer a thoughtful response.

Given the impersonal atmosphere of the cyber-world, it can make a big difference to remind your customers that on the other side of the screen is another person.

Conclusion.

If your company relies on the internet to thrive, earning the trust of wary consumers is now more important than ever. Ring in the new year with a new commitment to securing your customers’ faith in you, your website, and your business.

A New Year A New Website? 10 reasons to redesign your website.

Web Design & Development - Clouse Designs

As a business owner, you must understand the importance of your website. Your web presence can be one of your most valuable tools to connect with customers, build credibility and drive more business.

Understanding you have a problem, but not knowing where to start is common. Because of this common challenge, we have created seven quick reasons why you should consider a redesign.

A quick review of this list will help you identify how to increase traffic and your return on investment.

Here are ten reasons to redesign your website.

It’s unpleasant or outdated – Users expect websites to be clean, simple and pleasing to the eye. With so many options to choose from, it is vital that your website stands out. If you haven’t updated your website in the last 24-months, chances are it is out of date. If you are unsure, ask your colleagues for an honest opinion. Build a beautiful site that you can be proud of.
There is no call to action – Is it clear what you want website visitors to do once they are at your website? You need a call to action on each page of your website. A call to action could be about making a phone call, subscribing to an email list, downloading a document, and more.
It fails to build credibility – Let’s face it, most websites are created to establish credibility. Are you showing customer testimonials? Are you sharing the logos of your clients? Do you explain the reasons people should trust your business?
SEO isn’t part of it – If you want to rank highly on search engines, your website must be search engine optimized. You have to use the proper keyword phrases within your content. Optimize your images with the correct alt tags. Use the appropriate web page titles to include your target keywords.
You made it out of Flash – Similar to an outdated design, Flash ages your website. Flash is not compatible with all devices or search engines and this can hurt your traffic. Because of these reasons, more website designers are moving away from Flash.
It’s slow – You don’t want a website that is frustrating to use. Due to the increasing internet speeds available, users have lower tolerances for wait times. This is crucial on mobile devices. People want sites that load quickly when they are on the move.
It’s not optimized – Review your site on multiple devices. Laptops, large monitors, phones, tablets, etc. If your website does not run well on all of these devices, you are missing out on traffic and customers.
It doesn’t sell your products – Focus on your return on investment (ROI). All the traffic in the world won’t help you if it doesn’t create money. Reconsider how you advertise your products and services. Make it easy for customers to make a purchase. If you do have a high number of views, consider additional advertising.
Your brand isn’t visible – Are visitors connecting with your company? Do some research to see if people walk away with your intended message. Think about your brand statement, is this visible on your website?
It’s a pain to maintain – Fresh content drives traffic. If you don’t update your website, people won’t have a reason to come back. Frequent updates start with simple processes. If your site is hard to update, updates will take more time. Content Management Sites (CMS) such as WordPress have built-in solutions to make updating a website easier. If you have a complicated website with few updates, consider simplifying your process

If some of these factors apply to your website, you have taken the first step to improving your business. But you’re not done yet. You will need to conduct additional research to find the root of your website’s problems. Website updates may seem challenging, but they are worth all the effort in the end.

When you need a fresh new perspective on an outdated website. We will give you and honest review along with a free consultation and get you started in the right direction.

Get A Free Website Audit!

What is Content Marketing?

Useful content should be at the core of your marketing

Traditional marketing is becoming less and less effective by the minute; as a forward-thinking marketer, you know there has to be a better way.

Enter content marketing.

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Instead of pitching your products or services, you are providing truly relevant and useful content to your prospects and customers to help them solve their issues.

Content marketing is used by leading brands

Our annual research shows the vast majority of marketers are using content marketing. In fact, it is used by many prominent organizations in the world, including P&G, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, and John Deere. It’s also developed and executed by small businesses and one-person shops around the globe. Why? Because it works.

Here is just one example of content marketing in action:

Content marketing is good for your bottom line — and your customers

Specifically, there are three key reasons — and benefits — for enterprises that use content marketing:

Increased sales
Cost savings
Better customers who have more loyalty

Content is the present – and future – of marketing

Go back and read the content marketing definition one more time, but this time remove the relevant and valuable. That’s the difference between content marketing and the other informational garbage you get from companies trying to sell you “stuff.” Companies send us information all the time – it’s just that most of the time it’s not very relevant or valuable (can you say spam?). That’s what makes content marketing so intriguing in today’s environment of thousands of marketing messages per person per day.

Marketing is impossible without great content

Regardless of what type of marketing tactics you use, content marketing should be part of your process, not something separate. Quality content is part of all forms of marketing:

Social media marketing: Content marketing strategy comes before your social media strategy.
SEO: Search engines reward businesses that publish quality, consistent content.
PR: Successful PR strategies address issues readers care about, not their business.
PPC: For PPC to work, you need great content behind it.
Inbound marketing: Content is key to driving inbound traffic and leads.
Content strategy: Content strategy is part of most content marketing strategies.

What if your customers looked forward to receiving your marketing? What if when they received it, via print, email, website, they spent 15, 30, 45 minutes with it? What if they anticipated it and shared it with their peers?

If at any time you have questions about content marketing, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask us.