We have been writing about business blogs lately. We are focusing on using WordPress to produce branded business blogs or blog-sites, leveraging the inherit search engine optimization advantages WordPress provides.

I gave a presentation at the Partners In Success chapter of BNI on 3/17/10 on why blog for business and what MB/I brings to the table. Here’s the narrated version.

MB/I Presentation on Business Blogs
(9-minutes)

Are you already using a blog to market your business? Let us know how it’s working for you.

Are you interested on starting one? Attend our FREE webinar.

LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube… once only visited for personal use, these sites are now being used for business purposes. We all hear about them and see their icons everywhere. And, we feel out of touch or like we are dropping the ball if we don’t have profiles on all of them.

It is true that social media sites help business. But how? Most of the case studies we read about are about big business and their bigger than life social media campaigns. How can small business benefit?

The truth is—at least our opinion of it—that there are no step-by-step rules to follow as of now to guarantee success. What we do for our clients is to educate them about the possibilities for their specific business and industry to maximize their return on investment; whether it be time or an actual dollar commitment.

That’s where the Social Media Plan comes in. Before spending the time adding your company’s profile to any/all of these sites, you should think about the following:

1. Your goal. What is the specific goal you have in mind for social media? Is it to increase traffic to your corporate site? To create brand awareness? To promote a specific product or service? To increase your network? Your goal will help determine which sites make sense for you to participate in.

2. Your audience. What does your audience really want to know about your company? Don’t assume. Ask. You can send a well-crafted survey to your audience with specific questions so you can hit the ground running.

3. Your resources. Participating in social media takes time. You need to be consistent about publishing content several times a week. Do you have the internal resources to do so? Or, will you ned to hire out? And, what would that cost be?

Once you have thought about these 3 key items, you can be more specific about your plan. You need to answer the following questions:

• Which social media sites best match my goals and my audience?
• What kind of commitment will I make regarding publishing content to each of these sites?
• What resources (internal/external) will I use?
• What system(s) do I need to put in place to publish consistently?
• What type of content should I publish about given my goal and my audience?
• How will I track my efforts?
• When will I evaluate my tracking information?

Before you add a profile to a social media site and just have it sitting there wondering what the fuzz is about, plan it out.

If you need help, contact us. We can put together a social media plan you can implement on your own, with your current web developer, or with us.

Summer is here and we are seeing business people exploring the opportunities. Some want to re-structure their business to adapt to the current market; others want to start anew and follow their true passion. In today’s marketplace, any business endeavor involves the online world. Whether a website is needed just for informational purposes, or whether the website is the business itself, a website is needed—period.

But… not just a website… a good website. And, what makes a good website? Good planning. A website is a tricky thing to plan for.

• It needs to be flexible so it’s successful today and as the business changes… but do you know what you will need 6 months from now?
• It needs to be kept consistently current… but do you have an internal system to make this happen?
• It needs to have a return on investment… but do you know how to track how the site is used so you can get accurate numbers?

Even simpler yet: do you know what your website should look like, what content it should have, what functions it needs to perform so you can achieve your business goals… and how much is all of this going to cost?

Planning a website is more involved than creating a site map and talking about look and feel. The two most common mistakes we see business people make when it comes to planning for their website are:

1. They try to do it on their own. They know how to write a business plan and decide that planning for a website involves the same process. They wait until the plan is all written up and approved internally before they contact a web developer. Then the surprises start… what they want is not technically feasible; there are better ways to achieve the same goals; budgets don’t match, etc. A lot of time is wasted.

2. They hire web developers who don’t do planning. They make the right move to go to a web developer first, but unfortunately, it’s the wrong type of web developer. This type of web developer wants final specifications and is not interested in brainstorming the business possibilities. Best results are not achieved.

Whether you have an idea for a small business or for a website that will revolutionize the internet, you need the help of the right web developer to make a plan. A plan that takes you through a discovery process where you gather information, explore your audience and industry, develop functional requirements, create a project plan, set a budget and a timeline, and determine overall goals.

What if you don’t know whether you can afford to make your business idea a reality? The, the more you need to invest on a website plan. You don’t want to go to far before knowing whether you can make it happen, but you want to make a decision based on accurate information.

How much does a website plan cost? It will depend on the complexity of your business idea. Plans can be 5% or 30% of the total cost of the final website. They are worth every penny.

You may not know that we develop such plans at MB/I. We can help you create an online business plan you can take to investors with all of the details they need to make a decision. We can help you create a budget and timeline and even break the project into phases to make it possible. And, there are no strings attached. You can decide to not do the project, to do it later, or to do it with another web developer. We are happy to offer you our expertise when you need it most: at the very beginning.

You have heard of blogs and think they are not for you. Maybe your business doesn’t really suit the type of back and forth communication a blog thrives on, or maybe you simply don’t have enough time to write articles several times a week. Or, maybe you don’t like to write at all.

Don’t dismiss a blog just yet!

A blog site may be just what you need. A blog is really just a website. It just has the added functionality that allows visitors to comment on what you have to say or post. In addition to these posts people comment on, you can add regular web pages to a blog. When you do so, you end up with a regular site but with added features.

What’s the benefit?

The main benefit of using a blog to develop your first website is budget. You still need a web developer to install WordPress (our recommended blogging tool) on your web server, design a professional look and feel for your site, and customize the WordPress templates to fit your design. But, all of this takes less time than building a regular site. Plus, you get the bonus of getting a content management system that’s already built it. You can edit your pages and your posts through the WordPress dashboard.

So, why have a regular website?

Although a blog site is a good solution for a first business website (or a personal website), it does have its limitations. First, there are limitations to the design. In order to follow the structure of a blog, your site needs to be designed a particular way. You also don’t get the flexibility and sophistication that a regular site brings to the table. A regular site can draw content from a database, perform difficult tasks with this data, and more. The more complex and functional you want your business site to be, the more you need a regular website.

But in the mean time, if you are just starting out, a blog site may do the trick until you budget enough to build your own custom and functional site.

If you are interested, email us at solutions@marissaberger.com to schedule a complimentary consultation.

For an example of a WordPress blog site we developed, visit http://www.naafp.us.com.

Rich media is the result of combining text, still graphics, voiceover audio, background music, and video. These elements are combined to create dynamic motion that occurs over time or in direct response to user interaction.

Rich media is powerful because it engages the user and keeps him captivated more so than any other media. It draws users in and makes them part of the experience.

At MB/I, we use Flash—the industry-leading software for creating interactive experiences. We deliver presentations to audiences across platforms and devices. With Flash, we can add interactivity by customizing what each user sees and these same users can control how and when they see the content we present.

Flash has 2 components. First, there’s a front end. This is where we organize our text, static graphics, audio, and video clips along a timeline, typically synchronized to voiceover narration. This is where we create animations and make presentations visually appealing.

The true power of Flash comes from its second component: the back end. This is where we use programming to add interactivity and control to our presentations. We can add a simple menu for playback control, such as play, pause, back, next, and volume adjusters. Or we can add more complicated “if/then” logic to change the presentation as the user is interacting with it.

We are now teaming up with Blue Sky Video Production to create rich, interactive online media experiences for clients and employees.

When it comes to sales and marketing, our rich media presentations:
» increase your website’s impact by truly engaging its visitors.
» save you time and money by providing the upfront client education you require.
» improve customer satisfaction by showing how to use your products more effectively.

When it comes to training, our creative and interactive e-learning programs:
» bring the learning to the employee, regardless of location.
» allow for more successful, dynamic and motivating self-paced learning.
» insure consistent delivery of your branding values and information.

Do you want to put the rich in your media?

Call 925.969.9132 or email solutions@marissaberger.com to arrange a complimentary one-hour consultation.

Even though there are many other vendors who offer similar services, Constant Contact has become the preferred one for blasting out emails and online newsletters (ezines). At MB/I, we use Constant Contact for our own blasts and for those of our clients.

It is easy to use, inexpensive, and it provides all the marketing information we need to know. Business owners can choose a template and have a message up and running in no time. Or, they can hire firms like ours to design a template that matches their own sites and marketing materials and to prepare each subsequent issue.

The second option can become relatively expensive. Clients now have to spend each month (or, however often they are sending emails out) on a professional’s design time.

No more!

We can now customize our clients’ emails and newsletters once and they can use them as they would any other Constant Contact template. No additional cost for each issue!

How does this work?

1. You send us your URL and any other marketing materials you want us to be consistent with (in digital format)
2. We design an email or newsletter template (or both) that matches your company’s identity
3. Once approved, we turn our design into a Constant Constant template
4. We train you over the web on how to use your template each time you want to send out a message

Now, there are some design limitations. We have to work within the Constant Contact guidelines. But we know how to work with them and around them to brand your messages for more impact.

What’s the cost?

This service starts at $1260. For this price, we:

• Gather and study your materials
• Design your template
• Make up to 2 rounds of revisions based on your template
• Turn the final design into a Constant Contact template
• Test our work
• Train you on how to use your template

Remember, this is a one-time fee only! You can send as many emails or newsletters as you want without incurring additional costs. You only keep paying your usual monthly fee to Constant Contact.

Are you interested? Call us at 925.969.9132 or email us at solutions@marissaberger.com

At MB/I, we have partnered with Scott Stiefvater of Blue Sky Video Production to offer e-learning programs. We take a five-phase approach to producing e-learning programs: analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation.

Analysis
Through a process of interviews and workshops we draw out and align the objectives of the various e-learning stakeholder groups within your organization. We also explore such things as the audience demographics, the learning environment, delivery options as well as budget and time constraints. From this research, we generate the requirements for the content, design and delivery of the e-learning program.

Design
MB/I takes a “backward” approach to design. Based on our analysis, we first outline the program’s learning assessments, quizzes and scenarios. We then address the instruction to align with both the learning goals and those assessments. The final product is a Project Development Roadmap that includes detailed outlines for each lesson and storyboards for one prototype lesson. It also includes technical specifications for software and hardware, a project timeline, and associated costs.

Development
Based on the Project Development Roadmap, we produce the actual learning material. The prototype lessons are created and tested in a context as close to the real audience as possible. Feedback is gathered from end-users and other stakeholders, and production is carried forward. Development systems, criteria, and quality control measures are put in place to ensure consistency throughout all components of the end product.

Implementation
During implementation, the program is put into action and a procedure for training the learners and administrators is developed. Materials are delivered or distributed to the respective audience(s). After delivery, the effectiveness of the training materials is evaluated. Such effectiveness will be measured in terms of commitment, stakeholder engagement, reporting and auditing, and continuous improvement.

Evaluation
We create a system to elicit feedback from program users on an ongoing basis, as well as to gather and report learning data. The goal of this phase is to measure the program’s efficacy, to locate opportunities to improve learners’ on-the-job performance, and to track improvements towards business goals.

Have you tried to develop an e-learning program before? What was your experience?

Learn more about our approach.

At MB/I, we have partnered with Scott Stiefvater of Blue Sky Video Production to offer e-learning programs. Our approach involves three key areas: instructional design, user experience, and technology.

Instructional Design
We see learning for what it is – a complex process. Our e-learning programs are developed with the understanding that they are just one part of that process. Yet, we are intentional about every element of the learning programs we develop so that the learner is motivated to apply the information, concepts, skills and attitudes they learn. To this end, instructional design calls for a vast amount of creativity, but creativity that is bridled by practicality and grounded in a foundation of best practices.

Our e-learning programs…

• utilize language and other content elements that fit your specific target audience.
• state a clear purpose for the learning and express “what’s in it” for the learner.
• break the learning down into small, digestible bites.
• use assessments that provide feedback and allow learners to make adjustments.
• instigate interactivity and problem-solving.

User Experience
We see our experience in design aesthetics and interactivity as our means to achieve an engaging and immersive user experience. Whether we are developing a website, a multimedia presentation, or an e-learning program, the goal is for the end result to work well for its intended audience and for its intended purpose.

The design of our e-learning programs…

• focuses on the interactions between users and brands.
• strikes a balance between content, context, and audience.
• supports an intuitive workflow.
• increases the comprehensibility of the information presented.
• moves beyond usability to add credibility and value.

Technology
Our technical architects ensure we develop robust, scalable and maintainable solutions. We understand that although technology is critical, its real objective is to be a delivery vehicle that supports content and goals.

On the back-end, we…

• develop tools to support internal production.
• provide content management tools for clients.
• program the technical aspects of e-learning page templates.
• devise architecture and database schema runtime engines.
• implement bespoke integration with the client’s enterprise applications.
• create reporting tools that give a clear measure of progress.

Are you interested in an e-learning program, but don’t know how to start? Learn more about our process.

You’ve been selected to be the project manager for your company’s website. It’s a big project, but a fun project… so be excited about it. You might not be aware of this, but you can have your web developer help you. Not only will the website turn out great due to collaboration, but you will be successful at yet one more project.

Based on over 13 years of experience, here are some tips on how to make this work.

1. Hire the right web developer.
There are many web development companies out there who can do the technical aspect of the job. But you are looking for more than that. You need to find a developer who will help you with strategy and planning as well and who sees the big picture. Do they have systems in place? Do they have a team? Do they have checklists and other documents to facilitate what you need to do? For more specific information see our posting on “How to hire the right web developer for your website“.

2. Know who the decision makers are.
Your boss may have assigned the project to you, but he might not be the only decision maker on the project. Make sure you understand whom you need to get input from. A big part of the success of the project will be coordinating schedules and making sure all feedback is processed.

3. Know how the website will be judged.
Before you even get started, make sure you know what outcome(s) are needed in order to call the website “successful”. You want to clearly understand what the business goals and requirements for the website are so you can keep the developer in check throughout the project.

4. Insist on an in-person meeting between the key decision makers and the developer.
They are busy and that’s why the want you to take care of the job. But an hour or two of their time is definitely needed at the beginning so the developer can hear the requirements first hand, can mediate between contradictory requests, and can immediately follow up with questions. Since you are not the technical guru, you might miss or not even think about some issues that can come up at this meeting.

5. Ask for weekly progress reports from your developer.
You need to show progress and that things are being done. Keep them posted before they ask you how things are going. Your developer should be able to write a quick e-mail once a week to let you know where they are within the project and if any issues have come up.

6. Understand the project scope.
You should understand every line item in the developer’s contract. Don’t let them get away with “it’s technical”. If they are good, they can explain everything in plain English. And, understand it well enough so you can communicate it clearly, by yourself, to your boss and any other decision makers. 

7. Require change orders.
A successful project is typically evaluated on whether it was completed on time, on budget, and per the agreed to project scope. If any of these three areas need to significantly change, require that your developer submit the request in writing prior to doing any additional work. This gives you time to get approvals rather than being caught unaware.

8. Do thorough reviews.
When it’s time for reviewing work done, be thorough. Take out your written project scope and use it as a checklist. You also want to involve all decision makers in reviewing the final site map (the architecture of the site) and the final design concepts. You may even want to do so in writing.

9. Be organized.
Part of your job will be to gather all internal feedback, going through it, and making sure the developer gets a clear set of instructions. If you are running behind, don’t just pass on emails hoping that things will go faster. That’s the easiest way to go over budget. And, believe me, the developer rather wait a little than get something they need to decipher.

10. Ask. Ask. And, ask.
Don’t ever be afraid to ask your developer for anything you are in doubt about it. Their job is to make the development process as smooth as possible, and that means helping you.

Have you had experiences managing a website before? Any of your own tips you would like to share?

How are blogs different from other websites? To understand how blogs work, we need to describe the features that make them unique. A typical blog will include:

Posts. Posts are content entries presented in chronological order, with the newest ones on top. Each post will also be archived at a permanent URL to encourage other bloggers to link to your posts. Each post will display its author’s name, date, and category it belongs to.

Comments. Each post will have a reader section to allow readers and other bloggers to carry on a conversation. Although there are risks to making comments public, the benefits of creating traffic to your blog typically outweighs the risks.

Categories. Categories are topical archives for organizing posted content. For larger blogs, posts can also be organized by month, year, and keyword. Search features are usually offered to help readers find what they are looking for. Categories and archives are automatically generated by the blog software.

Subscription. This feature is called “RSS” or “Syndication” and it allows readers to subscribe to your blog and be alerted when you have posted new content.

RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and it is one of the more compelling reasons to blog. The latest browsers have newsreader capabilities now which means your subscribers can read your content through them instead of going directly to your blog.

What’s the advantage? Your subscribers most likely keep track of more than just your website. They might keep track of some news sites, sites specific to their industry, personal sites, and other blogs. If all of these sites offer an RSS subscription, the subscriber does not have to visit each site each day. He simply scans a central dashboard to get all of this content… and he only gets new content instead of having to dig through sites to see what’s new and what’s not.

By making sure you provide an RSS feed in your blog, you make it easier and more likely that visitors will keep op top of your content. How do you know which sites offer this? Look for the orange RSS icon.

When you set up your blog to offer RSS, you will need to choose from 3 options:

1. Headline only. Subscribers will see headlines only and will have to click on them to go to your blog ad see the actual content.

2. Headline and partial content. You can choose to display only the first few sentences of your post. This is better than option 1 above. You’ll get more subscribers to click if they have more information about your content.

3. Headline and full content. This is best for subscribers but brings you the least traffic. Subscribers can stay within their newsreader to see your content. Option 2 might be a nice compromise.

If you choose to offer RSS, as we think you should, make sure your headlines and the first few sentences of your content are compelling and to the point.

What is your experience with RSS?

If you want more information about blogging for business, I recommend Publish & Prosper: Blogging for your Business by DL Byron & Steve Broback. This post is a quick summary of some of their content.