Erich Stauffer

Author: Erich Stauffer

  • Can’t land a new job? Maybe he’s just not that into you.

    Last night, I finally watched New Line Cinema’s movie:  “He’s Just Not That Into You”.  It was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 2, 2009.  The movie was recommended to me by my ex-wife, commenting that there was a character in the film that reminded her of me.  Since you just read the “ex” in front of “wife” in the previous sentence, you probably understand why I was intrigued to find out which of these characters was so similar to me, and if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

    The movie contains a fairly notable cast, with Jennifer Anniston, Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymoore, Bradley Cooper, and Scarlett Johansson all a part of the ensemble cast.  The main thrust of the movie is this:  when signs seem to be pointing towards something negative, are you the exception, or the rule?  The answer to a question like:  “Why won’t this guy return my phone calls?” may be:  “He’s just not that into you.”  When things seem to line up favorably in your mind, are you operating in the hopes of being “the exception” or “the rule”?  Most people would agree that if somebody wants somebody else in some way, that they will do something about it.  Doing little or doing nothing seems to prove a lack of interest (in most cases).

    In light of our economic recession, which may last for many more months or even years, many of us are looking into career changes.  Some by choice, others by necessity.  Most people currently employed would be wise to dust off their resume, as the layoff bug has bitten many different industries, and some without warning.  People are reevaluating what is important to them in a career.  Is it stability?  Personal fulfillment?  Financial gain?  Something else?  What seems clear to me, is that the people who will succeed through this recession, are the ones who know what they want.

    Now, what does this romantic comedy have to do with business and vocational success?  To me, they both underscore the importance of DESIRE.  It may not matter what makes sense on paper, or if you have all of the qualifications that a job requires.  If an employer can’t see that you WANT the job, they aren’t going to hire you, unless nobody else wants the job, and then you would become the exception to the rule.  If you hit an employer with your resume and do nothing else, you may never find out how many other resumes were received, or even if yours was received.  A follow up phone call, email, or professional letter shows desire, and you will be noticed.

    But, the same is true on the employer’s side.  You have to be wanted back.  You must be attractive to your prospective employer.  If you know of a company’s specific needs, then tailor your resume to show how YOU are the solution.  Even with your best efforts, you sometimes just have to let a potential job go.  If a job you seek is filled, but you feel that you put your best foot forward, a follow up call to the hiring manager to ask for interview feedback could be the valuable information that leads you to become a better interviewer and helps you land that job.  Try not to take it personally if you put yourself out there, just to find… he’s just not that into you.

  • The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki

    Guy Kawasaki was part of Apple’s Macintosh team. He helped develop the computer and although it became a huge success, much of the rest of Apple wondered at the time why resources were being taken away from the Apple II, the current product leader. This lead Guy to one of his core themes, “Kill the cash cow.” He has this in common with Jim Collins who has a similar saying, “Sell the mills,” which refers to Scott Paper Company selling their paper mills in order to directly compete against Proctor and Gamble.

    The Art of the Start is not Kawasaki’s first book, nor has it been his last. Rules for Revolutionaries came before and his most recent book is Reality Check. Although all of Kawasaki’s books deal with the entrepreneurial spirit and development, The Art of the Start is a no-bull how-to manual for getting any business, school, or church off the ground and running. The very first chapter lays out the five things any organization needs to do to start. All you have to do is follow them.

    The following is an excerpt from the FAQ section at the end of the first chapter:

    Q. When should I worry about looking like a real business, with business cards, letterhead, and an office?

    A. Make business cards and letterhead immediately. Spend a few bucks and get them designed by a professional or don’t do them at all. Ensure that the smallest type size is twelve points. An office isn’t necessary until customers are coming to see you, or you run out of space for the team.

    Q. Do I need a Web site?

    A. Yes, particularly if you’re going to raise money, serve lots of customers, change the world in a big way, and achieve liquidity. Customers, partners, and investors will look for your Web site from the very start.

  • 10 Ways Twitter Will Change American Small Business Forever

    1. Ultra-Local Marketing – direct communication between business owners and their local markets allows for business large and small to add a personal touch and an heir of transparency to give them a human edge in an increasingly no-touch technology world awash with noise.
    2. Networking Old-World Advertising – the still-successful outdoor advertising and television commercials are now being used in conjunction with Twitter to give businesses more ROI and feedback on ad placements and their effectiveness. Even without tie-ins, searches for responses on Twitter can sometimes be just as revealing.
    3. Uprooting Wall Street – think of the “Mad Money Effect” on steroids.  When people start talking about a stock and that it should be bought, it gets bought, and conversely, talk about selling leads to selling.  This is a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy, but nevertheless is an effect of Twitter on business stocks.
    4. Making Blogs Relevant – blogs entered the scene in a huge way a few years back, but have since become mainstream and a bit of a victim of their own success.  Because of the ease of making blogs, their overall saturation is high and readership has suffered.  Enter Twitter: hyper-focused followings with links to blog posts of interests have made blogs more powerful than ever before.  Call it the SEO effect or not – Twitter is shaping how blogs are viewed as a resource around the world.
    5. New Ways to Gather Data – never before has there been a literal tap into the stream of consciousness as there is on Twitter.  A quick search on Twitter’s real-time search engine at http://search.twitter.com reveals whatever anyone was last thinking.  Businesses have an amazingly powerful research tool like never before.
    6. Helps TV, Radio, and Print Interact – when you see CNN co-anchoring Twitter side-by-side with the host of the show, you know Twitter has hit mainstream.  Twitter allows live television shows,  radio stations, and magazines get feedback on what they are doing, know what people think, and how they feel.
    7. Channeling Micropayments – Twitpay and services like it facilitate small loans or payments to companies or between individuals  and will extend the reach of operations like eBay’s (EBAY) PayPal. eBay, Amazon (AMZN) and other e-commerce companies will get a financial benefit from real-time micropayments.
    8. Changing Telecommunications – Telecom companies have chosen to manage user behavior by forcing customers to transfer voice, video and data on platforms that they can track. Twitter will force telecoms into a position similar to the one cable companies find themselves in.
    9. Government Interaction – Large government agencies will quickly realize that Twitter may be one of the single best ways to communicate with the public and may even mandate that Twitter participate in some programs to distribute emergency notices to citizens quickly like with the Emergency Broadcast System that was used to reach the public over radio and TV starting in 1963.
    10. Enhancing Charity – The Internet and the major products set up to use it are changing at a remarkable speed, permanently altering the way we live. Twitter could have as large a role in this transformation as Google and Facebook have had in the past decade.

  • The Birth of a Neighborhood

    This is a guest post by Zac Parsons. Enjoy. – Erich

    About a year and a half of an earlier stage in my life was spent in the industry of new home sales.  My experience in ministry didn’t pan out as I would have hoped.  I still found myself in a position to want to help people, but not with all of the political red tape of working in a church.  Since owning one’s own home is seemingly part of the American Dream, being a part of the that dream fulfillment was very attractive to me.

    I began as a temp.  A temp is someone who fills in for a full time new home sale associate on one of his or her days off.  It wasn’t good money, but it gave me experience and allowed me to meet people within the new home industry.  I was able to travel around the area, and learn what I liked and did not like about new home sales and the career path of a new home salesperson.  Ultimately, it led me to a builder who was building a community less than a mile from the high school that I graduated from.  After temping with the builder for a month, I was interviewed, tested, and ultimately offered a position as a full time floater for the company.  Now, I would exclusively temp for this builder at all of their locations around town.

    After a few months, I discovered that a position would be opening for a new community, just a mile away from where I had first met this builder.  It was a farm that was near to the area in which I had grown up.  I lobbied and applied for the position, and was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to sell homes for this neighborhood exclusively.

    I had a sales partner, who had her own clients.  Because of the length of time it takes to build a house, I got to know all of her clients as well.  I answered their questions, demonstrated the features of their new home, and painted a picture of what the community would be like when it was no longer just dirt.  It was a challenge at times to find the right way to describe what the neighborhood would look like.  Some people wanted to perfectly manicured lawns.  Other people wanted to see the streetlights lit up at night.  Everyone loved the idea of people outside, knowing their neighbors, and using the playground and park area.

    As the months went by, homeowners would stop back in to check on the progress of the lots sold, the plans for the development of the common areas, and the prices of the homes.  Unfortunately, with our economic situation, it hurt for them to see the prices drop again and again.  It hurt me as well, because I was with them on the journey to fulfill the American Dream.  These homes were supposed to be investments.  They were supposed to provide a base to grow from.  I felt like I was a part of the sadness that they felt.  I was one who advised them of making the decision to purchase.  I wondered what they thought of me, in all of it.  I wondered if they regretted their decision, since the community was still mostly a construction zone, and their homes were worth so much less than what they had paid for them.

    About 6 months ago, I left that position, to pursue a career in psychological growth education.  During that time, one of my home buyers mailed me an invitation to attend their engagement part at their new home.  I hadn’t been back to the community in that time, and didn’t know what to expect.  As I pulled into the neighborhood last Saturday, I could hardly believe my eyes.  There were at least a dozen new homes started, where there had been dirt before.  The grass in the common areas was completed.  Three of the streets were completely finished and occupied.  It was amazing.

    I could not find a place to park on the street, so I circled around behind.  As I was driving by, one of the young couples that I had sold a home to was standing outside with their dog.  I stopped my car, rolled down my window, and gave them a friendly:  “Howdy!”  Their faces lit up and they practically bounded towards my car to greet me.  They were extremely happy with their neighborhood, their new neighbors, and the fact that they were a part of something at it’s beginning.  The financial implications of buying a home when they did, did not temper their goodwill towards me.  We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses, and I felt great about the good fortune of running into them.

    I ended up parking on the other side of the neighborhood, where I knew every one of the homeowners.  As i walked down the street, I remembered putting SOLD stickers on the signs in what was a dirt lot with each different family.  I imagined them living in their homes, eating their meals, playing together, and feeling safe.  As I rounded the corner near the playground, I heard children shouting and playing.  About 20 kids were engrossed in a game of kickball, barely being able to see in the twilight of the evening.  Some parents were talking on nearby benches, peacefully enjoying the weather and the community.

    At the party, I was greated with hugs and words of genuine appreciation for my role in helping them build their home.  They spoke of how much it felt like a community now, and how happy they were to have such a place of their own.  I didn’t stay long, but I thanked them for inviting me and gave them a small gift.

    There are so many things in life that you cannot see for what they are until to take time to step away from them.  On some level, I knew that I was a part of building a community, but when I was frustrated by slow sales, dropping prices, or other dramas of the industry, I lost that vision.  There was not one moment of the dirt becoming a community.  It was dozens and dozens of moments, many of which I was not in control of.  This is how life functions.  Where you are now is not exactly where you will be one year from now.  Growth will occur.  It is up to you how much you will be a part of that growth, and in which direction it will occur.

  • Marketing Research for New Business Ideas Using Twitter

    I’m going to use Twitter as a marketing tool. I’m going to search for “wish there was a way to” “i would pay for” “i want but” and see what I come up with for possible products or services for a business.

    “wish there was a way to”

    twitter feature: stop following people for certain parts of the day
    wish there was a way to send one casting to all my model friends
    wish there was a way to download the “Dont stop believin” version from Glee!
    wish there was a way to connect my Flickr with my Twitter
    wish there was a way to pump gas without getting out of the car
    Wish there was a way to send you some of the heat here
    wish there was a way to “detect” the tweets of people near you.
     I like the Picnik editor on flickr, just wish there was a way to do a whole set at once
    Wish there was a way to convince people that we just need to keep offices at a normal temp when it’s hot. Not at absolute zero
    wish there was a way to mute the commentators without the background noise
    wish there was a way to create ‘groups’ of people to follow on twitter
    wish there was a way to order Showtime and HBO and nothing else.
    wish there was a way to really be as indestructable as i felt last week
    wish there was a way to sleep longer.
    wish there was a way to transfer a custom Google map you created (pins and all) to the iPhone Google map app
    WISH there was a way to permanently hide any news feed info relating to those “What kind of blah blah are you” quizzes on facebook.
    wish there was a way to download iTunes Pass content onto the iPhone.
    Wish there was a way to remote into a computer to enable vnc remote management
    wish there was a way to opt out of getting messages from some people in facebook. Seems like whey need a spam filter.
    wish there was a way to convert guitar tabs to ukulele tabs!
    wish there was a way to transport my Pandora stations to my car. Bump “the networks” lol
    wish there was a way to turn device updates off except for @ replies
    Wish there was a way to make that txt face with a fat lip 😉
    wish there was a way to post PDFs in #Facebook messages…
    wish there was a way to store up my morning energy and use it when Jude has his nap in the afternoon. So tired and so much to do.

    “i would pay for”

    I would pay for the NYT and did.
    @JetBlue, I would pay for WiFi! (As long as you also have outlets.)
    I would LOVE for a man to do that for me! I would pay for it lol Romance is dead in these dudes eyes because no many women are
    I would pay for some of them to come home and do nothing. Just to get them out of office
     #ubertwitter is best bb app I’ve used twitberry bbtweet yatca and tinytweet. I would pay for uber and will when beta is over
    i think i’m ready to start paying something for #twitter not alot, yet, but who wants to spend for fun? I would pay for technical support
    I would pay for an audio copy of the conversation that accompanied these actions. =D http://tise.io/7a60c2
    I would pay for 8 hours of uninterrupted snoozy times.
     @hodgman I wouldn’t pay for a song, but I would pay for you to record the message on my answering machine.
     @TweetDeck I so wish my settings/groups were Global and updated the app no matter where I signed in… I would pay for that
    might let the s15 go the insurance/repayments on it is about the same as what I would pay for a wrx with a secured loan
    I would pay for the data plan.
    is there anyway to win backstage passes? cos i really wanna see enrique so bad, or i would pay for them?
    You know, I just had that same thought! I would PAY for a better Twitter to stamp out spam & crap! lol!
    I would pay for my college
     I love my xm! Never thought I would pay for radio but boy do I love it!:)
    lol true but i don’t know if I would pay for twitter though…
    it’s days like this i would pay for someone to bath me.
     I would pay for content online. Frankly, I’m surprised that it has been “free” this long! Make it easy and really QUICK to pay.
    It is free, and really good, so can’t complain. They have to monetize somehow. I would pay for no ads TwitterFon.
     i would pay for a megavideo subscription if i wasn’t 10000% sure that they’d spam my inbox & usps mailbox with crap.
    tanning rocks..i would pay for it but i like the sun..cheaper ahah
     I take it back – TwittedFon app update starts with last 20 tweets and stores everything from there. Ads still blow. I would pay for pro ver

    “I want but”

    Working on my book list…so many I want but how many do I need?
    Buy all the T-Shirt Hell shirts I want but can afford and then spend the rest on a strippers and booze.
    I know what i want but dont know how to get it.
    Thinking about things I want but cant have… Because life is just that way?
    Dont know what i want but i know its not you. I know in my heart its not.     <<<—-OUCH!

  • LOST: The Evolution of Jack Shephard: Part 2

    From a “Man of Science” to a “Man of Faith”, Jack Shephard has ridden the pendulum for a full turn.  After competing the greatest task of his life, leading the survivors of Flight 815 to rescue, he is a man without an identity.  No longer do people look to him for his potential, they just look to him and define him by his past.  By what he has done.  By what did happen to him.  Having his identity tied up in his actions lead him to question what he had left to live for in the future, much less… the present.

    But then, a strange thing happens… he starts to think differently.  Jack wonders about Locke’s claims of destiny and providence.  He wonders if he has not mistakenly taken himself off course of a path that is much bigger than him.  Jack’s identity begins to change.  With no hope for his currently life, he changes directions, and begins to follow the opportunities laid in front of him.  Sometimes it is with passion and purpose, and other times he is simply resigned to let fate run its course.  It is nearly 180 degrees different from the Jack we first met who would barely even sleep if there was work to be done around him.

    So, as season 5 ended recently, and with only the final season remaining, where is Jack left to go?  Will he find balance somewhere in the middle?  Is it possible to be bound by fate, and still control your destiny with managing your own actions?  Will Jack ever find the answer to having a sustained, happy life?

  • How to Delete a Digg Submission

    The short answer is, you can’t.  According to Digg.com:

    We are able to edit submission titles, categories & descriptions. Contact us from the email address associated with your username and include the Digg.com URL of the submission as well as the changes you’d like to make.

    However, as stated in the section 6 of the Terms of Use, we don’t delete content unless it is in violation of our Terms of Use. Please note that un-Digging a story removes it from your profile, but not from Digg.com. Additionally, we can’t switch a submission’s thumbnail for you, but we can remove it if you’d like.

    So what are your options?

    1. Undigg it. This is irreversible. You can’t redigg something you’ve undug. This is the weakest option.
    2. Bury it. This pushes it down, but it can be promoted by someone else’s digg. Again, nothing permanent.
    3. Narc it. Turn it in for violating something in their Terms of Use.  That should be easy enough as it has many, many rules.

    Note that everything you post becomes public domain under the Creative Commons license.  This means it is not your own, other than you being one member of the public.  So, when you post things to Digg, just be aware of the long-term implications.  Post wisely!

    More > Learn what query string parameters mean.

  • 10 Effective Marketing and IT Solutions for Small Businesses

    10 ways small businesses or entrepreneurs can use their new website to expand their business – not just their online presence.

    Promote your website.

    Create social spaces on web 2.0 places like Facebook, Myspace, & Youtube. Create content that attracts visitors, then link to your site to draw traffic to the products and services you offer. Content is king so the more articles, blog posts, pictures, video, and information you post, the more people will land on your site and ultimately patronize your business. Even if you don’t decide to use these web 2.0 services, we recommend creating accounts there to reserve your brand name and prevent others from using or abusing it. An easy, but effective way to promote is to ask peers in your field or related fields to link to your site. This gives legitimacy to your website and helps boost search engine rankings. Periodically review your primary keywords. Are your customers finding you using these keywords? Adjust if necessary.

    Be the master of your domain.

    Do you have a new domain that you would like to create email addresses for different parts of your company or for your staff? Think of internal and external uses for email using your new domain including distribution lists that might benefit your business. Decide if you’d like to manage your own email or have someone else do it for you. There are hardware and software solutions for both options if your business has the need. There are also ways to use your domain to store documents safely and securely online. Make your staff more productive by sharing documents and setting up a wiki using your new domain. Create a sub-domain to install a CRM package like SugarCRM or BaseCamp or online applications like Microsoft Office Live or Google Apps. Create a sub-domain like “remote” and configure remote access to your office PC or server – get secure access to your desktop or server from anywhere, as easy as typing in a website address.

    Prepare for growth.

    Create processes for what you’ll do when you get an email from your website. Be prepared for when you get them. Decide what information you want to collect from your website using the web form, the analytics, or via phone call, and then create a privacy policy. Users may want to know how their information is collected and used online then post this privacy policy. Some online advertising programs like Google Adsense require that your site have a privacy policy posted with specific verbiage. Check with your vendors to see if they require that your site have a privacy policy. In addition to creating a privacy policy, you might want to consider creating a customer resource management (CRM) tool to store the information you collect. This can be as simple as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, Google Sites, or SugarCRM. You’ll want to know who your customers are and where they came from.

    Manage your ROI.

    Any other advertising you are doing on billboards, radio, TV, or print should be pointed back to specific, non-linked pages on your website in order to determine the ROI on those advertisement investments. Use analytics to see what pages your customers or potential customers are visiting to determine how they got there. See what pages people are entering your site through and which ones they are leaving and how long they are staying on each. This way you can adapt your website and improve performance. If you are not getting the results you desire, review your call to action to see if users are responding to it. Is it clear what the site is asking them to do? Protect your brand and know who is talking about and/or linking to your website by setting up alerts to notify you when someone writes about you online or links to your site.

    Update your marketing.

    Does your old image or brand not reflect your new website? You might need to update your branding and/or logo to match the look and feel of your new website. Update any signs, business cards, or marketing materials, especially business cards with your new website’s address. If you are promoting your business on Twitter, Facebook, or Myspace, you might consider adding these websites as well. Be discriminate, but don’t hide them either. Transparency is a hot business trend in 2009 and may continue into the future. Creating a dialog with the customer is important, but its not enough to expect them to converse with you on your website, you have to go to where your customers are. And for the most part, your customers are on social spaces like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter.

    Keep your website fresh.

    Your website is new now, but that won’t always be the case. Customers expect a website to change its content over time. When you have news, post it to your website. When you have sales or begin selling a new product or service, post it. This will help keep your business looking fresh and alive. A general rule is to change something on your website’s home page or primary landing page at least once a month. An easy way to do this if you don’t have much news it to change out pictures or video. Content on your social spaces is more strict and should change daily. A stagnant social space can sometimes do more harm than good so make sure to keep it updated and you will reap the rewards from engaged customers and brand loyalty.

    Save money.

    You may have paid a newspaper or head hunter to help you find top talent before. Now you can use your website to collect résumé’s or post jobs online. You can also use your website to do market research testing the popularity of a product or service before you buy inventory or hire a new staff member. Use analytics and promotion to help you tease information out of the content you post. In this way you will save money from buying and promoting a failed offering until you find the one that truly has a market. Save even more if you’ve used a market research firm for this type of service in the past.

    Make money.

    This may or may not be the primary goal of your website, but you now have a platform for selling products or services directly to customers online – just as you would over a physical counter in a store. You can have the ability to accept credit cards on your site or through services like Paypal or Google Checkout. You can also use part of your website for affiliate referrals which pay you when someone signs up for something on another site. This is a form of an advertisement and if you were inclined to add that, there are options to sell space or work with major partners like Google as an additional way to generate capital for your business.

    Rethink location.

    Now that you have a website, how might you use it to expand your business’ footprint? What products or services did you not offer before because of location? You might want to reevaluate decisions you’ve made in the past in relation to your physical location. Now that you have a website which is not necessarily restricted by where it is on a map, how does that affect your business model? Does this allow you to broaden your market? Does it allow you to consider setting up a franchise or sales offices elsewhere? Taking this thought experiment to the next level, could you create premium content about how you do what you do and either offer subscription-level service to those who need the information or even write a book about it?

    About Erich Stauffer Web Design and Promotion

    At Erich Stauffer, we believe that, the keys to a successful business are organization, accountability, and execution. This is a philosophy that we not only practice internally, but expect our clients to hold us to as well. Client Service is our #1 priority, and our team of professionals will work with you to design and promote your website to achieve your vision of a successful business.

    Erich Stauffer delivers exceptional solutions for your business:

    • Professional web design to keep visitors and gain customers
    • Web promotions to attract visitors
    • Web Analytics to show a return on your investment (ROI)

    We are an Indianapolis firm serving the entire Midwest region and beyond. We offer web design and development services for all types and sizes of businesses.

    Don’t have a website yet? There’s no better time than now to invest in the future success of your business. An attractive website is a critical component of success for any business. At Erich Stauffer, we can create, update, and maintain your website. Our company also offers other valuable services such as:

    The next step is to contact our Sales Manager who will arrange a time to have an initial consultation. We look forward to discussing how to help make your vision of a successful business come to life through the power of the web. After all, “Our Business is Helping Your Business.”

    Get a free quote today!

  • Erich Stauffer Reviews “6 Website Fixes to Make Now”

    This is a review of an article originally published on Entrepreneur.com on April 28, 2009 entitled, “6 Website Fixes to Make Now,” by Mike Werling. This article is for small business owners and entrepreneurs who may or may not have a webmaster or web designer and it assumes that everyone is on the same page that every business needs a website.  Werling’s thesis is that, “Relatively minor issues can drag down your site’s effectiveness,” and that these issues could be costing your business money.  We couldn’t agree more, but lets go down the list.

    Website fix #1 is, “Increase the speed.” It’s not about streamlining your site for dial-up users anymore.  Even broadband users can enjoy a fast-loading site while other are increasingly browsing the Internet using their cell phones or PDAs, which also can have slower connections.  Werling writes that technology for tech’s sake is no longer in fashion, which is also Website Fix #3.  Even Flash, which is on 99% of all computers is not as sought after as it once was even, “just a few years ago.”  Werling quotes Ben Rushlo,  director of Keynote Consulting for Phoenix-based Keynote Systems, a service provider that improves online business performance, “People now view [Flash] as annoying. They’d rather read information.” Rushlo recommends using the smallest file sizes for images as well as putting any, “non-essential” pictures towards the bottom of the page to, “help the important information pop up quickly.”

    Website fix #2 is, “Write better product descriptions. ” This has mostly to do with e-commerce solutions and shopping cart design, but we can apply some of these suggestions to anything message you are trying to get across online, whether it be selling a product, service, or an idea.  Werling says all descriptions should be, “Succinct and filler-free.”  One of our web designers tells the story of a supervisor at a previous job declaring a, “No Fluff Zone,” for all client-facing material.  Werling agrees, but says it, “Can be difficult because, as Amy Schade says, you need to, ‘Convince [users] the product meets their needs,” but the verbiage. ‘Has to be short and descriptive.’”  Werling goes on to say that, “There’s no salesperson available on a website, so [users],  “Should be able to see a product and know what it does,’ says Schade.” A director at the Nielsen Norman Group in New York City, Schade is also co-author of the second edition of the “E-Commerce User Experience” report.

    Website Fix #3 is, “Delete tech used for the sake of tech.” This fix is sort of a combination of fixes 1 and 2.  In order to speed up a website, you get rid of slow-loading flash (Fix #1) and any fluff (Fix #2) that doesn’t really propel your website’s goal forward.  Rushlo says, “[Site owners] need to evaluate if things like music, video and 360-degree views are necessary.”  Werling writes that Schade subscribes to Rushlo’s view, “[Schade] says to beware the trendy and new. Anything business owners jump on because it is the latest and greatest has the potential to backfire, especially if entrepreneurs don’t have the resources to keep up with all of the moving parts of their sites. Things like Facebook pages and video are fun; and social networking is quickly becoming an integral part of many businesses’ marketing platforms, but business owners need to weigh a technology’s popularity against their ability to utilize it fully.”

    Website Fix #4 is, “Improve shopping cart and payment options,” but we are going to call this, “Improving the functional design of your website.” Users can be irrational.  The smallest hangup or hint of mistrust can make them change their mind on whether or not they are going to use your product or service.  Yes, shopping carts should have the same look and feel of the rest of the site, but they shouldn’t require setting up an account, for example and of course the site should be trusted and secure.  If you cannot afford a secure certificate for your website or do not want or need to setup that type of environment, Paypal is a perfectly acceptable solution that users trust.  The checkout process or any other primary aim of your website should instill confidence, not regret.  Be as transparent as you can.  Let users know how the information will be used and kept.  This is sometimes called a privacy statement.  Transparency is also a top business trend for 2009.

    Website Fix #5 is, “Use unique page titles on every page.” This is more of a SEO tip than anything, but nevertheless true.  SEO stands for search engine optimization.  It’s what you do on your site to make it more appealing to search engines like Google or Yahoo.  Page titles, what is displayed at the top of your browser window, are important and they should be different for every page.  Each page should have a different description, keywords, and H1 tag, just as a baseline.  There are many other things you can do to improve SEO, but changing the titles on your page is one of the most important.  If you use H1 tags, make sure they are only used once per page.  Use H2 or font tags for other titles on your page.  Use a Strong tag around items that are especially important.  Some CMS programs like WordPress default to using Strong instead of Bold tags.

    Website Fix #6 is, “Shorten forms.” This dovetails into Website Fix #2 and 4.  Basically,  Werling recommends removing what isn’t necessary. If you don’t need the user’s physical address, for example, don’t ask for it.  Werling writes, “Only ask for the information you really need. ” In summary, business websites should be fast-loading and fluff-free.  Give the user just enough to make a desicion. Remove anything that isn’t necessary in order to not annoy the user and improve speed.  We think this is great advice.  If you would like help making any of the above changes to your company’s website, please contact us.  Erich Stauffer is  an Indianapolis web design firm serving the entire Midwest region and beyond.  We offer web design and development services for all types and sizes of businesses.