Articles
How to Get a Cheap Website For Your Business
by Steve Schuster
Why Websites are the Most Cost Effective Advertising on Earth?
Back around 2000 during the frothy days of the internet bubble, I had a friend who paid some freewheeling young geeks over a thousand dollars to produce a nonfunctioning internet commerce, website. The website never made it online. It was a common tale, shared by businesses that were desperate to join the internet revolution. Those days are long gone! For the millions of businesses that don't already have a website, now is the perfect time to get a cheap website.
Websites are Cheaper Than Ever
Websites are cheaper than ever. There are ads on Craigslist for companies that produce websites - starting at around $199.00. For that price the web designer, will quickly insert text and photos onto a pre-made template. A good template can give the website a clean professional look. If you need original art work, graphics, copy, or internet commerce, the cost will be higher. Most of these companies are small yet legitimate website designers. Check out their client lists, testimonials, and website samples, before hiring anyone. Considering the high cost of print ads, and the low monthly cost of maintaining your site, once it has been created, it's definitely a bargain.
Supplement Your Print Ads
Use your website to supplement your print ads. I've seen too many websites that use the exact same copy the company used in their print ads. They are not taking advantage of the unlimited space available on websites. Now that you're free of the high cost and space constraints of expensive newspaper ads, make the most compelling case ever for doing business with your company.
Take advantage of the unlimited space to list your competitive advantages. List the most important ones first. For those customers who are ready to purchase, make sure they can contact you immediately. You don't want to loose sales with too much excess copy. How do you deal with those information hoarders who never have enough information before making a purchasing decision? Provide additional links with more information. That way you can satisfy those who want to purchase immediately and the information hoarders. If you want to learn more about fine tuning your web copy check out this humorous article.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1075908/
why_techies_should_crawl_back_into.html
How To Find Cheap Web Hosting
Once someone produces your website you need to host it somewhere. I'm paying only $4.66 a month and that includes my own dot com name - (buswriter.com) and domain registration. You don't need to host your website with the people who developed your site! You can host it anywhere. The Best Top 10 Web Hosting Companies at http://www.thetop10bestwebhosting.com rates web hosting companies. That's where I found my host, fatcow.com. I chose fatcow because they offered 24 hr. unlimited tech support staffed by Americans. For a techno-phobic guy like me, that was important. They did try to sell me some additional services when I signed up but I politely declined.
What You Need to Know, Before You Hire a Website Designer
When you hire a website designer to create your website make sure they include an easy way for you to update it. Find out upfront what the cost will be, if they charge extra for updates. You won't be able to change the major design elements of your site yourself, without knowing the computer codes - CSS & HTML, but you should be able to add text for announcements, sales, and specials.
In case you don't like your website or it is not functioning properly, protect yourself. Don't pay the web designer in full until the work is done.
Should You Create Your Own Site?
If you create your own website, using a program like Microsoft Front Page, or Microsoft Expressions Web you don't need to know computer code. I found that there is a steep learning curve when using Microsoft Expression Web. The reason Expression Web was harder to learn than the older FrontPage is that the newer software conforms to rigid standards called CSS, and is not as user friendly. The CSS code makes it possible to view your website in all kinds of browsers, and even lets the blind have access to your site.
Most web host companies offer free software that you can use to create simple websites. If your time is at a premium my advice is to use an experienced web developer.
If your company is interested in developing a new website please consider my company, CopyAce Communications. I will look at your marketing strategy, write custom made web-copy, for a small fee, and than subcontract the web development out to a low cost provider. I will coordinate the work to your specifications and can even find you a cheap place to host your site.
Call CopyAce at 215-612-5055
by Steve Schuster
Why Most Techies Don't Write Good Web Copy
I have noticed a disturbing trend lately. Many small business websites are using their techies to write sales copy. Writing, like music requires some talent, and some folks are just tone deaf. I should know, I'm an amateur guitarist whose inherent musical talent lies somewhere between Mozart and Roseanne Barr, singing the National Anthem.
The following story is about an incident that occurred in Oct. 2008 when the economy and the stock market were just beginning to slide into recession.
Around Oct. 2008, I joined a certain linked website in order to promote my writing. Having no big business experience, I was lonelier there, than a hermit with body odor. So, I joined a certain E Marketing Club.
Postings on this club's website mostly reflect the flavor of the month issues, like social networking and search engine optimization strategies. In the member profiles are pretentious titles for people who make their living staring at computer monitors. Behind the fancy buzzwords are member postings that feature a lot of shameless hustling that would put Fast Eddie Felson to shame. This group has been pimped more than a hooker at a Las Vegas Shriner's Convention.
A Woeful Tale
On the club's bulletin board was a woeful tale. It went something like this: "I just launched my campaign for an oldies cruise, in the midst of all this Wall St. turmoil, the timing couldn't be worse, boo, who, what am I going to do?"
I cruised over to this oldies cruise website. At the top of the page above the lead headline was a message like this, "Due to all the turmoil on Wall St. and the economy, we are extending our refund period, blah, blah, blah." There's nothing like reminding people that their retirement nest egg is in the toilet when you're trying to sell them a cruise. Further down the homepage were warnings that, travel insurance was extra. There were warnings that, "if you don't book through such and such travel agency you won't be admitted to the concerts". This is for cheapskates, who would book the cruise cheaper elsewhere, and then crash the concerts.
I then fired off an email that went something like this. "Don't worry about Wall St. It will recover eventually, and I don't believe it will effect the demand for this Doo Wop Oldies Cruise, too much, etc. Now the bad news: The copy sucks. Who wrote it, Donald Trump's barber? Take out the stuff about Wall St. etc. etc."
There returned an angry and outraged email that went something like this, "I have gotten compliments on the copy and the website. And we have gotten so many thousand hits etc. etc. The bit about Wall St. was our kindly attempt to be relevant to our customers during this dire national tragedy. Sir, you are a blood sucking scum and furthermore, I needed emotional reassurance, not your piss and vinegar, etc. etc."
I had detected the pride of authorship. Further analysis told me that this individual was a professor of E Marketing with specialties in geekdom, with a gaggle of initials after his last name.
How could a marketing professor be so clueless about salesmanship and copywriting?
How could a marketing professor be so clueless about salesmanship and copywriting? This bozo couldn't sell me an umbrella, if I was caught during a downpour wearing my best suit.
So here's what's going on: Geeks with pocket protectors have taken over the asylum. Because Search Optimization has become so critical for internet marketing, many companies have left the web copy writing chores to the techies. Some folks are putting ads on Craigslist for copywriters that are answered by folks in India, who will work for very low wages. The problem is that when you speak pigeon English as a second language you write terrible copy. Ironically, it's the computer programming that can be successfully outsourced to India, not the writing. I've just outsourced a search engine optimization project to India.
Copywriting is an art that differs from general writing. If money is changing hands than your website requires copywriting. Copywriting is salesmanship, and the art of persuasion. I'm not suggesting that you need to use the hard sell or the written equivalent of a carnival barker in a loud polyester suit, to get people to purchase your product. But you do need to persuade.
It's common knowledge in Geekdom that you can attract more visitors to your website by providing objective information about a topic and becoming an uncompromised information resource. But, Bozo the Professor has misapplied the idea of being a great information resource and used it to undermine his sale pitch.
Since, the bible first advertised the Garden of Eden; travel copy extols the virtues of an idyllic place, an exotic beach, relaxation, etc. Likewise, the oldies cruise website needs to promote the most attractive features of the offer. If you were shopping for an SUV the salesman wouldn't remind you about the high price of gas, or make insensitive remarks likely to turn you off. It's the same for copywriting.
The primary goal of copywriting is to entice the casual reader into reading your copy. You do it by creating compelling headlines. Headline's are like the Dating Game Show. You need a good opening line. Lead with your most attractive offer.
Once a good headline attracts the buyer, research proves that they will read long copy and you can provide all the information that she needs to make a purchase. Extra information, or anything that might dilute your sales message, should be at the bottom of your web page, or at a linked page. Why include it at all? You want to make an honest representation for people who are only comfortable making a purchase after they have exhausted all the facts. On the oldies cruise website, refund policies and extra charges were listed at the top of the home page where they discouraged readers from developing an interest in the first place. If your potential customer is not enticed by a good headline and copy, they will never get to your extra information. They will be gone!
Another common problem with web-copy is that many web sites discuss the technical features of a product without first enticing the customer with the benefits of using the product. So, what is the judge of effective copy? It's what percentage of visitors are purchasing or making further inquiries, not web hits.
How Do You Market During a Recession?
People still travel, go on cruises, and buy products, during a recession, although demand slackens. Here's what advertising maven David Ogilvy said about advertising during recessions: "Studies of the last six recessions have demonstrated that companies which do not cut back their advertising budgets achieve greater increases in profit than companies which do cut back." The companies with great marketing and advertising skills will emerge from this recession stronger.
Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. Pay a professional writer to write your copy. Once you have great sales copy, you can put it on your website, into a brochure, sales letter, logo, etc. It's like a utility man on a baseball team. During a recession it's more important than ever to use good copy to attract more business.
Since publishing this article in Oct. 2008 I have been to the offending oldies cruise website and noticed that there is new copy there. Most of the copy I criticized has been removed and replaced. No doubt the original copy didn't create enough sales. The lesson for me: I need to be more sensitive to people's feelings when marketing my services. Being a wise ass seldom pays off.
What do I think about an oldies cruise? It's a great business idea. The possibility of making new friends, and bonding, through a common love of music, will entice a lot of people to take a cruise. However, watching three old guys with trusses on, trying to harmonize to the Duke Of Earl, will never be on my to do list.
Call CopyAce at 215-612-5055
by Steve Schuster
Why Websites are the Most Cost Effective Advertising on Earth?
Back around 2000 during the frothy days of the internet bubble, I had a friend who paid some freewheeling young geeks over a thousand dollars to produce a nonfunctioning internet commerce, website. The website never made it online. It was a common tale, shared by businesses that were desperate to join the internet revolution. Those days are long gone! For the millions of businesses that don't already have a website, now is the perfect time to get a cheap website.
Websites are Cheaper Than Ever
Websites are cheaper than ever. There are ads on Craigslist for companies that produce websites - starting at around $199.00. For that price the web designer, will quickly insert text and photos onto a pre-made template. A good template can give the website a clean professional look. If you need original art work, graphics, copy, or internet commerce, the cost will be higher. Most of these companies are small yet legitimate website designers. Check out their client lists, testimonials, and website samples, before hiring anyone. Considering the high cost of print ads, and the low monthly cost of maintaining your site, once it has been created, it's definitely a bargain.
Supplement Your Print Ads
Use your website to supplement your print ads. I've seen too many websites that use the exact same copy the company used in their print ads. They are not taking advantage of the unlimited space available on websites. Now that you're free of the high cost and space constraints of expensive newspaper ads, make the most compelling case ever for doing business with your company.
Take advantage of the unlimited space to list your competitive advantages. List the most important ones first. For those customers who are ready to purchase, make sure they can contact you immediately. You don't want to loose sales with too much excess copy. How do you deal with those information hoarders who never have enough information before making a purchasing decision? Provide additional links with more information. That way you can satisfy those who want to purchase immediately and the information hoarders. If you want to learn more about fine tuning your web copy check out this humorous article.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1075908/
why_techies_should_crawl_back_into.html
How To Find Cheap Web Hosting
Once someone produces your website you need to host it somewhere. I'm paying only $4.66 a month and that includes my own dot com name - (buswriter.com) and domain registration. You don't need to host your website with the people who developed your site! You can host it anywhere. The Best Top 10 Web Hosting Companies at http://www.thetop10bestwebhosting.com rates web hosting companies. That's where I found my host, fatcow.com. I chose fatcow because they offered 24 hr. unlimited tech support staffed by Americans. For a techno-phobic guy like me, that was important. They did try to sell me some additional services when I signed up but I politely declined.
What You Need to Know, Before You Hire a Website Designer
When you hire a website designer to create your website make sure they include an easy way for you to update it. Find out upfront what the cost will be, if they charge extra for updates. You won't be able to change the major design elements of your site yourself, without knowing the computer codes - CSS & HTML, but you should be able to add text for announcements, sales, and specials.
In case you don't like your website or it is not functioning properly, protect yourself. Don't pay the web designer in full until the work is done.
Should You Create Your Own Site?
If you create your own website, using a program like Microsoft Front Page, or Microsoft Expressions Web you don't need to know computer code. I found that there is a steep learning curve when using Microsoft Expression Web. The reason Expression Web was harder to learn than the older FrontPage is that the newer software conforms to rigid standards called CSS, and is not as user friendly. The CSS code makes it possible to view your website in all kinds of browsers, and even lets the blind have access to your site.
Most web host companies offer free software that you can use to create simple websites. If your time is at a premium my advice is to use an experienced web developer.
If your company is interested in developing a new website please consider my company, CopyAce Communications. I will look at your marketing strategy, write custom made web-copy, for a small fee, and than subcontract the web development out to a low cost provider. I will coordinate the work to your specifications and can even find you a cheap place to host your site.
Call CopyAce at 215-612-5055
This Web Copy Stinks, Who Wrote It, Donald Trump's Barber?
I have noticed a disturbing trend lately. Many small business websites are using their techies to write sales copy. Writing, like music requires some talent, and some folks are just tone deaf. I should know, I'm an amateur guitarist whose inherent musical talent lies somewhere between Mozart and Roseanne Barr, singing the National Anthem.
The following story is about an incident that occurred in Oct. 2008 when the economy and the stock market were just beginning to slide into recession.
Around Oct. 2008, I joined a certain linked website in order to promote my writing. Having no big business experience, I was lonelier there, than a hermit with body odor. So, I joined a certain E Marketing Club.
Postings on this club's website mostly reflect the flavor of the month issues, like social networking and search engine optimization strategies. In the member profiles are pretentious titles for people who make their living staring at computer monitors. Behind the fancy buzzwords are member postings that feature a lot of shameless hustling that would put Fast Eddie Felson to shame. This group has been pimped more than a hooker at a Las Vegas Shriner's Convention.
A Woeful Tale
On the club's bulletin board was a woeful tale. It went something like this: "I just launched my campaign for an oldies cruise, in the midst of all this Wall St. turmoil, the timing couldn't be worse, boo, who, what am I going to do?"
I cruised over to this oldies cruise website. At the top of the page above the lead headline was a message like this, "Due to all the turmoil on Wall St. and the economy, we are extending our refund period, blah, blah, blah." There's nothing like reminding people that their retirement nest egg is in the toilet when you're trying to sell them a cruise. Further down the homepage were warnings that, travel insurance was extra. There were warnings that, "if you don't book through such and such travel agency you won't be admitted to the concerts". This is for cheapskates, who would book the cruise cheaper elsewhere, and then crash the concerts.
I then fired off an email that went something like this. "Don't worry about Wall St. It will recover eventually, and I don't believe it will effect the demand for this Doo Wop Oldies Cruise, too much, etc. Now the bad news: The copy sucks. Who wrote it, Donald Trump's barber? Take out the stuff about Wall St. etc. etc."
There returned an angry and outraged email that went something like this, "I have gotten compliments on the copy and the website. And we have gotten so many thousand hits etc. etc. The bit about Wall St. was our kindly attempt to be relevant to our customers during this dire national tragedy. Sir, you are a blood sucking scum and furthermore, I needed emotional reassurance, not your piss and vinegar, etc. etc."
I had detected the pride of authorship. Further analysis told me that this individual was a professor of E Marketing with specialties in geekdom, with a gaggle of initials after his last name.
How could a marketing professor be so clueless about salesmanship and copywriting?
How could a marketing professor be so clueless about salesmanship and copywriting? This bozo couldn't sell me an umbrella, if I was caught during a downpour wearing my best suit.
So here's what's going on: Geeks with pocket protectors have taken over the asylum. Because Search Optimization has become so critical for internet marketing, many companies have left the web copy writing chores to the techies. Some folks are putting ads on Craigslist for copywriters that are answered by folks in India, who will work for very low wages. The problem is that when you speak pigeon English as a second language you write terrible copy. Ironically, it's the computer programming that can be successfully outsourced to India, not the writing. I've just outsourced a search engine optimization project to India.
Copywriting is an art that differs from general writing. If money is changing hands than your website requires copywriting. Copywriting is salesmanship, and the art of persuasion. I'm not suggesting that you need to use the hard sell or the written equivalent of a carnival barker in a loud polyester suit, to get people to purchase your product. But you do need to persuade.
It's common knowledge in Geekdom that you can attract more visitors to your website by providing objective information about a topic and becoming an uncompromised information resource. But, Bozo the Professor has misapplied the idea of being a great information resource and used it to undermine his sale pitch.
Since, the bible first advertised the Garden of Eden; travel copy extols the virtues of an idyllic place, an exotic beach, relaxation, etc. Likewise, the oldies cruise website needs to promote the most attractive features of the offer. If you were shopping for an SUV the salesman wouldn't remind you about the high price of gas, or make insensitive remarks likely to turn you off. It's the same for copywriting.
The primary goal of copywriting is to entice the casual reader into reading your copy. You do it by creating compelling headlines. Headline's are like the Dating Game Show. You need a good opening line. Lead with your most attractive offer.
Once a good headline attracts the buyer, research proves that they will read long copy and you can provide all the information that she needs to make a purchase. Extra information, or anything that might dilute your sales message, should be at the bottom of your web page, or at a linked page. Why include it at all? You want to make an honest representation for people who are only comfortable making a purchase after they have exhausted all the facts. On the oldies cruise website, refund policies and extra charges were listed at the top of the home page where they discouraged readers from developing an interest in the first place. If your potential customer is not enticed by a good headline and copy, they will never get to your extra information. They will be gone!
Another common problem with web-copy is that many web sites discuss the technical features of a product without first enticing the customer with the benefits of using the product. So, what is the judge of effective copy? It's what percentage of visitors are purchasing or making further inquiries, not web hits.
How Do You Market During a Recession?
People still travel, go on cruises, and buy products, during a recession, although demand slackens. Here's what advertising maven David Ogilvy said about advertising during recessions: "Studies of the last six recessions have demonstrated that companies which do not cut back their advertising budgets achieve greater increases in profit than companies which do cut back." The companies with great marketing and advertising skills will emerge from this recession stronger.
Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. Pay a professional writer to write your copy. Once you have great sales copy, you can put it on your website, into a brochure, sales letter, logo, etc. It's like a utility man on a baseball team. During a recession it's more important than ever to use good copy to attract more business.
Since publishing this article in Oct. 2008 I have been to the offending oldies cruise website and noticed that there is new copy there. Most of the copy I criticized has been removed and replaced. No doubt the original copy didn't create enough sales. The lesson for me: I need to be more sensitive to people's feelings when marketing my services. Being a wise ass seldom pays off.
What do I think about an oldies cruise? It's a great business idea. The possibility of making new friends, and bonding, through a common love of music, will entice a lot of people to take a cruise. However, watching three old guys with trusses on, trying to harmonize to the Duke Of Earl, will never be on my to do list.
Call CopyAce at 215-612-5055
