I am working with a client in Scarsdale to overhaul their website. But as often happens the wish list is bigger than the budget. So what do you do when this happens?

You prioritize. And implement some tactical online marketing solutions. Here are some of the issues and how we decided to tackle them.

Custom Shopping Cart

This was a biggie. We needed a simple way to allow visitors to make multiple purchases before checking out. Sounds simple enough but because each item needed custom information – and the existing setup was old – it became a bit of a challenge to fit this into the budget. But it was a high priority item; and it stayed.

Content Management System

This was another high priority item. How could the client update the specials and market to existing clients without paying a fortune for some web designer (aka, yours truly – no offense taken!) to update the site each week?

We leveraged the existing, but limited, content management system so that seasonal specials could be updated. To make it easier, we created “standard” seasonal graphics that could be repurposed from one year to the next. Below the graphic, the details could then be edited allowing flexibility in the special being offered.

Email Marketing

Email marketing was not high on the list of priorities for the client. But it got a bump up when it became clear that this was the solution to staying in touch with clients, promoting specials and events going on in-store. By managing these on-the-fly promotions via email marketing we were able to keep the content management system budget on-track.

Logo Design

Updating the logo was not on the radar for this project. But since we were updating the look and function of the website, the current logo no longer served its purpose. In a perfect world, a logo redesign is part of a larger strategic marketing initiative. We didn’t have a budget for that so a more tactical approach was needed. We added a small amount to our budget to allow for a “nip and tuck” of the existing logo to update it and have it more accurately reflect the look of the client’s brick and mortar store; which provided the direction for the website.

So while wish lists and budgets will always bump up against each other, there are plentiful tools to help you move your marketing plan forward if you know where to look.

I had a question the other day from an artist in White Plains who wanted to create a very elegant interface on her website from which she could sell her artwork. She wanted each piece of artwork to appear one at a time.  Now this might work when someone is physically in your gallery and you are selecting works for them to view, but online, few visitors will wait patiently to be fed content in this way.

This is the classic example of form vs. function; the quintessential design dilemma. And this is the balancing act you must perform when developing a successful website.

Of course an elegant solution is a must; we’re dealing with fine art and the look and feel of the website must reflect that. But good function is also mandatory. You must always consider your audience. Will they want to wait while each image is loaded automatically? What if they miss the opportunity to click on a piece of interest? Now they must wait for every other work to be displayed before they will get that opportunity again.

A better balance of form and function would be to create an elegant carousel or gallery where the visitor is able to view multiple pieces at once and select on a work of particular interest. The “form” is still stylish AND the “function” effectively focuses on the viewer.

The reply I most often hear when I broach the subject of using a blog as a marketing tool is “I’m not a writer.” And while most small business owners aren’t “writers” they are usually subject-matter experts in their field.

What does this mean? They have oodles of information to share. But they may not have a mechanism by which to easily share this information and that’s where a blog comes in.

So when is a blog not a blog?

When its a content portal.

That’s just geek speak for a way to put your information out there in the world for search engines and potential customers to find you – whatcha might call a website. And what do you put on your website? Relevant, useful content that establish you as an expert in your field and help build your placement in search engine results.

When its a filing system for your site content.

When you post to a blog you categorize your content to make it easier to find. Make it easier still by setting up various pages to pull in only posts of a specific content. Readers who only care about red widgets will only see your posts related to red widgets. The same for readers interested in blue widgets.

When its a content management system.

Clients don’t want to spend the time or money to have their web developers change basic content for them (and most web developers don’t want to be content editors anyway). A blog built on an open source system like WordPress allows even the most reticent technophobes to make updates to their site fairly easily.

When its a conversation.

Blogs allow readers to share their feedback on your content. They also allow readers to share your content with others by “liking” it on Facebook, Tweeting it on Twitter, “Digg”ing it, etc. Your readers become your marketers.

And your not limited to a “blog” layout; the design and layout possibilities are as endless as any other website design.

So, while you may not be a “writer” you can still be a blogger and no one has to know!

If you want more information about blogging for small business, read our recent article “Website vs. Blog for Small Business”.

I had a conversation today that revolved around how to build a marketing strategy that leveraged social media, email marketing and new technologies – without driving yourself crazy. And there are ways to do this.

One way is through RSS, commonly referred to as Really Simple Syndication. RSS is a type of  “feed” used to publish blogs and other content into full or summarized text. RSS benefits publishers by letting them syndicate – or share – content automatically. They benefit readers who want to compile many feeds into one place – such as Google Reader.

So let’s see how this might look as part of a marketing cycle. Read more »

Search engine optimization (SEO) is often shrouded in mystery and complicated by the extensive use of jargon. Let’s look behind the curtain. Read more »

One of the most common reasons that I hear for not participating in Social Media is “I don’t have time to do any more than I’m doing now.”

I usually hear that as someone is handing me a flier for an upcoming event, or talking to me about what they are currently working on, etc. And while I enjoy networking and connecting offline – and yes, face time is still important – these conversations are one-on-one. How much more efficient can you be when you are communicating with hundreds and potentially thousands of interested people? Read more »

Clients often ask whether they should have a blog or a “regular” website for their business. And it’s a great question. The answer is “yes”!

Before we get into what a blog is versus a website, let’s think about why you should have an online presence in the first place. The main reason for going online is to give your customers an opportunity to get to know you before they even pick up the phone. And in fact, studies have shown the majority of your new customers are going to go online to check you out before they ever pick up the phone to call you – even those responding to an ad. So your web presence may very well be your first opportunity to make a good first impression.

So back to the original question, blog vs. website. I almost always say both. Here’s why. Read more »

I was chatting with an associate yesterday who was telling me he felt like he was “missing it” when it came to social media marketing. He’s on LinkedIn but didn’t really understand the connection between all these social media/social networking sites and his business.

Here’s a quick primer for those of you who find yourselves equally confused. Read more »

I went online recently to try to find a place in Yorktown or elsewhere in Westchester that hosted a comedy night; I was looking for a fun evening for my husband’s upcoming birthday. I knew of two places nearby so I visited their websites. On one I couldn’t see anything other than the background – I was on my smart phone. Not good. When I got back to the office and looked them up I still didn’t get much information; no calendar of events, no mention at all of the comedy nights which I confirmed by phone they are doing. And worst offense of all? No email address!

It was a lovely flash-based website. Lots of beautiful images of the food I might enjoy if I go. But there was none of the information I needed to decide whether I would go. Marketing opportunity lost. Read more »

Well, what else would you expect us to say? But that doesn’t make it any less true; website design matters to the success of your site, the plethora of exceptions to the rule notwithstanding.

When visitors land on your site their first impression will greatly effect the amount of time they spend on that page and on your site. And if you look like you slapped the site together overnight, expect that visitors will see you as a fly-by-night operation – and keep their credit card or contact information to themselves.

So what goes into designing a website that invites people to stick around? Here are some simple guidelines you can use even if you are using a “website in a box” template. Read more »