As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when it comes to web design. A recent Nielsen NetRatings survey sets the average webpage view at 60 seconds- meaning that internet users decide in less than a minute whether or not to continue browsing your site! This makes a well designed website is an absolute necessity- you need to reel customers in at first glance and keep them browsing with a site that’s easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye.
How do you make sure your site is what customers are looking for? Can you just buy one of those “Websites for Dummies” books and do it yourself? Probably not, if you want quality results. When it comes to web design, it’s a good idea to hire a professional- someone who can work with you, using their own experiences and skills, to craft the site you want.
Professional web design isn’t out of reach for businesses with stretched resources. Here’s a quick guide to making the most of your web design budget, so that you can get the site you want at a price you can afford.
Set up a basic contract
You don’t need to hire a designer to design a full site all at once. You can split up the design process to accommodate your resources by contracting for site architecture or homepage design only, and then moving forward when you’re able to afford additional services. Breaking the contract into phases also gives you more negotiating power- when services are finished, you can negotiate prices on the next phase of design.
Negotiate
In the initial stages of contract formation, you’re in the best position to negotiate. During your first meeting with a designer, you should discuss your goals (better ecommerce functioning, better graphics, etc.) and how you want the site to look and feel. You’ll also discuss timelines and budget, and might even work on forming an agreement draft. Try to get an idea of the total cost for the site, getting a written quote for services if possible. Consulting with at least a few different web designers will allow you to get an idea of pricing structures, and help you negotiate a better deal.
What to ask for
One of the best ways to save money on a web design contract is to ask for a project cost rather than an hourly billing structure. With hourly billing, the designer bills you for the time it takes to design the site- a factor that’s completely outside of your control. If you end up requesting changes or making modifications to design work, costs can quickly increase. By asking for a total cost, you’ll know exactly how much you’re paying.
While most designers will charge for additional services not specified in the contract, you can ask that potential additional design costs be specified in your initial agreement. That way, if you want to make changes, you’ll know exactly how much they will add to the total cost.
You can also ask to pay in installments as each stage of the project is completed. Smaller company or a freelance designers are generally more flexible when it comes to payment timelines, so you might be able to request extensions or modifications to the payment schedule even after you’ve signed the contract.
What should be in the contract?
The contract should contain a description of services, a timeline for completion, a breakdown of total costs, and a description of ownership rights. It should also address web hosting issues. It’s also helpful to specify the procedures for approval of completed work, or notification when changes need to be made. The contract should not contain an outline of design specifications or web programming elements. Usually, designers retain the copyrights to a site they have created, unless they are “working for hire.” It’s important to make sure that you can make changes to the site if you need to- even if you hire a new design company.
Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.
Category: Online Business
TonyAdam: For companies and individuals alike, there is a major need for reputation management. It’s the reason that conferences have panels specifically on the topic. That reason is that individuals and businesses alike can be affected by negative reputation. This isn’t just an issue of popularity either, it’s an issue of brand perception, an individuals brand perception, or even the ability to be hired/fired from a job.
Having Online Reputation Management concerns can cause revenue losses and/or income.
I really want to state that if you have not dealt with this or have no experience in understanding the Reputation Management space, then please, do not write about why it is not important.
Who are these people?!
Rather than continuing to tell you why ORM is so important, I’ll answer the question you might ask: “who are the people or companies that care about online reputation management?” Lets run through a few of these right here to provide a better understanding of why ORM is important:
CEOs
An organization with a CEO that has negative perceptions in the press or social atmosphere can lead to the organization or the brand of that organization having negative sentiments or perceptions. I’m not just talking about the SERPs here, but, in terms of Social Mentions in blogs, microblogs, and/or news results that surround that individual. Did you know 87% of people believe a CEO’s reputation reflects on the overall company’s reputation?
Political Figures
Think about the number of times have you seen a political figure that gets tons of bad press and has led to the downfall of his/her campaign or election/re-election to office. Social Media is now playing a part in the political climate and because of that we saw now President Obama reach millions of people.
But, to take this to the next level, lets look at an example that deals with President Obama. How many of you can say you know that he is a smoker? (Now, I am not judging him on this, but using it as a point of reference). This was downplayed a ton during the elections again because of the fact that his team did not want to create a negative perception of the candidate during the elections. This becoming an issue could have, hypothetically, led to the loss of many votes, especially from anti-cigarette and anti-smoking groups.
Companies and Brands
Companies and the brands of those companies alike experience the most pain when it comes to reputation management. Something that is a hard fact: Companies and Brands with negative search results tied to brand related queries will see a drop in revenue because a user/customer is likely to switch products/services based on that negative result. Even more interesting is that queries relative to corporate figures will also lead to a dip in revenue/sales. It’s estimated that 58% of searchers will visit a competing website after seeing negative search results.
An example of this is tied to PayPal and my experience working there. PayPal saw 4 of it’s top 10 search results tied to the brand query “paypal” go to flame sites. Working internally, there was an estimated figure in net revenue losses per negative search result. That is where that 58% number above comes in…because of this negative reputation caused by search results, users were switching.
Celebrities
Celebrities make the news all the time for the stupid things that they do. Whether it is someone driving drunk or who’s sleeping with who, it is all things that affect their personal brand. And, in this case, their personal brand is like that of a business, their personal brand is the most important thing to their livelihood.
Because I am all about examples, lets continue down that path and look at the sports figure that we all know I can’t stand: Kobe Bryant. He was accused of raping a girl in a hotel room back in 2003/2004. Luckily for Bryant this was during a time when Social Media was not as prominent, but, unluckily for Bryant it still effected him financially. He lost endorsement deals from companies like Nike because of the negative press and negative reputation.
The Job Market
The economic climate is horrible at the moment. Unemployment is at astonishing highs and it’s tough to find a job right now. Now, to add to that, recruiters and HR teams are getting saavier and understanding Search and Social Media extremely well. What does that mean for you? It means that Online Reputation Management is important to your personal brand. Because, not only are they looking, but 78% of recruiters research a candidate online and 35% actually reject a candidate based on this. Andy Beal even wrote a post on why your Google Reputation can hurt your career.
Creating a personal brand is even more important as researchers and experts in the job market reference this all the time. I can’t tell you how many times I’m watching CNN, (and let me tell you, I caught a lot of it while I only had a few channels the last couple months!), and these experts mention Facebook, Google, search, and your personal brand being EXTREMELY important, not just now during economic uncertainty, but, forever.
Don’t be silly, Online Reputation Management does matter:
Again, this is another situation where we have someone that is creating a post that is possibly baiting for reactions or what not. Or, we have another person in the industry that is writing something without actually researching the topic. But, please please please people, if you have no experience or expertise on a topic, then stay away from writing it, it just makes you look like you haven’t done your research. And, if you look at the stats above, then it’s pretty obvious that ORM does matter.
Online Reputation Management DOES matter [TonyAdam]
If you’re starting a business right now, marketing can be one of the first efforts to take a hit. After all, why should you market products aggressively to customers who aren’t ready to spend?
Cutting back on marketing efforts right now is actually a pretty risky move- studies show that companies who increased or maintained marketing budgets during lean times are rewarded with more sales as the economy begins to pick back up. According to McGraw-Hill research, companies who increased or did not change marketing budgets during the ’81-’82 recession saw significantly higher sales growth within five years- over twice as much as those companies that chose to cut back.
So how do you design and implement an online interactive marketing strategy on a shoestring budget? What can you save on when contracting for services? Here’s a quick primer on choosing an online marketing company and forming the contract you want- at a price that’s within your budget.
Evaluate your requirements.
Do you already employ online marketing strategies such as email blasts, customer follow-up emails, or search optimization strategies? If you’re already working with an online marketing firm and are unhappy with the services you’re receiving, the price you’re paying, or both, figure out exactly what you need before you switch or begin to negotiate. Do you want to build relationships, increase brand visibility among certain customer groups, or stay in touch with existing clients? Evaluate your needs before choosing- or choosing to stay with- a company: List the services you want and how much you’re willing to pay.
Re-negotiate.
If your current online marketing firm is meeting your needs, you can still negotiate on price. Most of the time, this means contracting for additional services or a longer term- a better deal in the long run if you’re working with a reputable company. You may be able to get discounted services simply by asking, especially if your contract is about to expire. Trying to re-negotiate your existing contract- if you have one- is a step you should take before looking for a new provider.
Use smart bargaining tactics.
If you’ve narrowed down the field of providers to a few worthy contenders, try to negotiate with each to get the best deal for services. Most vendors are a bit more flexible and open to bargaining near the end of the month or the end of a sales quarter. You can ask for more services, an extended agreement, a payment plan, or any other compromise that reduces your out-of-pocket-cost. Up-front payments (retainers) are usually not negotiable- most vendors will require some monetary outlay before beginning work.
Get a written estimate or service quote.
These usually serve as previews for the final contract. It should be specific, but not too specific- it can be a good idea to split projects into phases if you’re using several different strategies. You should have access to all necessary information (graphics, advertising agreements, affiliate information) in the event that you ever decide to use a different company for later efforts. Make sure that you compare several different service quotes to get an idea of the “going rate” for services- this places you in a better position to negotiate.
Make sure you can track efforts.
Make sure you know how results are tracked. Will you be able to monitor key information (web traffic, conversions, etc.) yourself? Make sure you know how results of the marketing strategy will be measured.
Online marketing is one of the most effective methods of sales generation. Make sure you shop around for a company, compare price quotes, and ask for references. A good firm won’t ever “guarantee” a certain search engine result or output, but will be able to accurately track the results of their efforts. Spending on marketing is effectively investing in future sales- make sure you invest wisely.
Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.
Over the years I have worked with many solopreneurs helping them to create their online marketing systems and stay in touch with their audience via a regular ezine (or electronic newsletter). Usually they come to me having already started to build their list, and have even subscribed to an email list management service so that they can deliver their ezine on a regular basis.
But what has happened several times is that the email list management service that they’re using isn’t working as well as they hoped it would, and they’re faced with the dilemma of either muddling through with their current provider, or switching over to a different provider and risk losing a large percentage of the list they’ve worked so hard to build up in the process!
It’s a difficult decision, and it’s not always clear what you need to do for the best. I too have found myself in this situation, and ended up moving my list across to another provider who I knew would be better for the long-term growth of my business.
So, what happens when you choose the WRONG list management service?
1. No flexibility.
The service you are using doesn’t offer the flexibility you need in order to grow your business. For example, you could be using a list management service that does a great job at sending out broadcasts (your ezine), but doesn’t offer autoresponders. So that means you’re either left with not having the option of adding autoresponders to your marketing toolkit (which are a solopreneur’s secret weapon!) or paying for an additional service that does offer autoresponders and then choosing to either run two different databases, or move your current list across to the new service.
2. Doesn’t grow with your business.
The service you are using only offers one type of package so as your business grows and you add new income streams, products, programs, and services, the list management service that you’re using doesn’t grow with you and you become stuck!
So, how can you avoid making the wrong decision?
By planning ahead and thinking about where you want your business to go; what products and programs you want to develop; what additional services you want to offer etc. you’ll easily be able to avoid making the wrong decision.
You’ll also need to do your research into the different email list management services that are available and see what they offer. Create a list of what you’re looking for and then make a comparison chart so you can compare each of the different services side-by-side.
So, what should you do instead?
Sit down and really plan out your business! In your planning think at least two years ahead – you don’t have to have your plan set in stone, but you do need to be clear in which direction you’re headed in order to avoid making the wrong decision.
For example:
* Do you currently just produce a newsletter, but in the future you’ll be wanting to host teleclasses? If so, you’ll want a service that allows for multiple custom web forms to be created (for participant signups), and has an autoresponder feature (so that you can automatically send out teleclass details).
* Will you be planning on offering digital products for sale via your website? If so, it would make the process a whole lot smoother if the service you used also had a shopping cart feature that you could upgrade to at a later date. That way you only need to manage one database.
* Will you be adding additional income streams, such as a membership site or other continuity program? In addition to being able to upgrade to a shopping cart, the list management service that you use would also need to be able to accept and process recurring payments.
By being clear ahead of time on exactly which direction you are going in your business and what programs, services, products, and other income streams you want to offer within the next two/three years will save you a lot of headaches further down the road. I can vouch for this both from my own experience, and my client’s too!
Believe me, it causes more headaches than you need if you choose the WRONG list management service!
According to Forbes Magazine, businesses that don’t accept credit cards lose as much as 70% of sales to competitors who do allow this method of payment. With the number of Americans that use credit cards to make purchases increasing every day, you can’t afford to lose this many potential customers or clients. Here’s a quick and easy, real-world tested guide to accepting credit cards:
Merchant Accounts: The Basics
The merchant account is the “middle man” between a credit card account and a business’ bank account. Businesses that only process cards online usually use gateway software that collects credit card information, where retail businesses typically use credit card swipe machines. Whichever method you use, it’s necessary to have a merchant account to collect the information, verify it with the customer’s credit card provider, and make the transfer of funds from their account to yours. Merchant account providers often “bundle” the costs of online processing software into the account service costs.
Billing
Generally, merchant account providers will assess a fee for each transaction, whether a sale or a return (a “chargeback”). These fees are a portion of the transaction amount or a specified dollar amount. Many companies require monthly minimums, and will charge your business the remaining amount if this minimum is not met. Billing occurs automatically, as each “batch” of transactions is processed, typically at the close of each business day. Vendors provide reports detailing transactions, charges, and payments made at specified intervals.
Transaction Types
The fee assessed for each transaction typically depends on the way the sale or return is recorded. Swipe machines or those with signature capture devices carry the lowest risk of fraud, and thus transactions are less expensive to process. Online transaction s or those that are “keyed in” are typically more expensive, depending on the security measures taken to record the transaction. Vendors assess higher fees for “chargeback” or return transactions.
Service Contracts
Most businesses sign a service agreement that covers a specified period of time. Canceling your account before the service term expires generally carries penalties and fees, much like breaking a lease. Your per-transaction and monthly minimum rates are set when you apply for an account and sign the service agreement. The best rates are reserved for those businesses with a stable financial history and high credit card sales volume- many vendors offer “tiered” rate structures, where the per-transaction rate decreases the higher your sales volume rises. Though newer businesses just starting out might not be eligible for the best rates right away, they can negotiate for better terms as the business becomes more profitable.
Equipment and Software
Credit card processing equipment and software costs are often included in the service contract you sign with a provider. If you own or manage a retail store, chances are you’ll only need hardware, such as a swipe terminal or a signature capture device. Businesses that sell products online can puchase “gateway” software that is billed along with the merchant account service bill. Credit card terminals can be purchased, financed, or leased. It’s always a good idea to ask if there are any discounted models, or if a certain model is included with an account agreement.
Choosing an Account Provider: Where to Start
The most popular places to find a merchant services provider are through referral or using a vendor match service. You can consult businesses similar to yours in terms of size and sales volume: Ask who they use as a provider, if they are satisfied with the service they receive, and if they have any particular recommendations. A vendor search service allows you to compare several different companies, ask for quotes, and choose a vendor based on your requirements. Make sure you compare several different merchant account providers before signing a contract for services.
Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.