The same old thing over and over ugh!

Are you as sick of these emails as I am? The ones that say get this for free! Then once you sign up, they open up another page and go on and on forever and ever until you get to your free item? Another thing, have you ever noticed that all the squeeze pages look alike? They all look like cheap bill boards… I have even gotten to the point, I may like the subject line but when I open them up – and see the same old, same old I close them – I may initially want what the person has to offer – but I am just annoyed. How do you feel? I would love your opinion – I believe in landing and squeeze pages - but what about having something that looks great and flows gently without all the yelling and screaming… A page that doesn't have exaggerated headlines and obnoxious neon colors… With clip art and pixilated pictures… I know that they say if it is not broken don't fix it but please – it is an assault to the senses to have to deal with all the garbage looking squeeze pages and advertising that comes. You can tell these pages have been put together by a squeeze page generator or a cookie cutter formula. I have picked up some great little tools and bargains, but I am sure I have passed up many more that I could have used due to the obnoxious nature of the pages… It may be because I am extremely right brained and the way something looks makes a big difference – and I know we all put different priorities in place but if you have a great product – with a great look… It is a winning combination, even on a squeeze page!! Comments please! Any questions or comments Email Me!

Don’t Fool Yourselves

Have you ever gone to a business meeting or networking event and collected business cards from companies you were interested in?

When you looked at the business cards that were presented to you what did you think?

Be honest now…

I know when I am offered a card, one that is really unique or has a professional polished appearance I get a favorable impression, in fact it makes the difference between believing the business is successful or not. When the card is designed really well I get the impression they are a well established successful company, one that knows who they are and what they are talking about. On top of that I think WOW this is a really great card.

Do you think that a great business card or professionally designed marketing materials would make your business stand out to a potential client? Yes of course it would.

Remember the old saying “Your first impression is Your last impression?"

Let's think about the flip side…

You go to a meeting and are handed a business cards that is – designed with clip art and printed from a home computer.What do you say to that – what impression do your get?

If they can’t afford business cards how successful are they?
If they can’t even afford business cards how professional are they?
If they can’t afford business cards_______ (fill in the blanks)

Of course in my world, I would say “You need my services”!! Everyone wants to do business with a successful company if you do not portray success through your marketing material you are missing the boat.

How many people have not taken you up on your offers or investigated your website because they are turned off by what they see? You may want to be frugal and cut corners, but business cards and marketing materials should not be one one of those corners.

Last but not least – those free cards you get from places like Vista Print may be free but I can spot them in a second, in fact on the back it has an ad for Vista Print and it should, after all they gave you that product for free.

This is twice as true when it comes to your website...

Uncle Sal may be a wonderful man, and know how to put together a web page (after all it is free, or cheap) but I guarantee 9 out of 10 times it is not professionally put together.

Successful people who are on the Internet know the difference between a home grown websites and a professional one!!

Remember...
It is your professional image as well as your companies professional image that will make or break your business. Everyone wants to do business with a successful person/company, if your image is less you are ultimately losing money.

Don't squeeze pennies only to lose dollars...

When you don't portray yourself as successful or credible a potential client will not want to do business with you. Don't fool yourselves it is the little things that we overlooked that can create a negative impression.

Pamela Jacob Artista Design

You may look Professional – Do you act it?

A few weeks ago I was invited to attend Salt Lake City chambers meeting by a client. I was looking forward to the presentation it was advertised as “Learn the Latest on Internet Marketing and Design”.

I don't like to toot my own horn, but I am quite knowledgeable in this field. I have learned from being in this industry for so long, of course if you work on the internet your truth is “the more you know the more you need to know”!! I felt like, even if I picked up a pearl or two of information it was well worth my time.

I am not going to name names but the group that was presenting that day was a well known Internet development/marketing company in the Salt Lake Valley. It was an early morning meeting, and I arrived 5 minutes before the presentation was to begin. As I exited from my car and was running to the building a well dressed man in his twenties was just entering the building as well. I

noticed him because he looked professional, and I wondered if he was going to the same meeting as I was. As he rushed along in front of me, he opened the door and didn't have the courtesy of noticing that I was right behind him – so basically closed the door in my face.

My impression – he looked professional but was not – his manners were going to keep him from where he wanted to go. To my amazement, he was the presenter at this presentation. People were already sitting waiting for him as he arrived. The people at this meeting were professional people from different industries. The fact he was not prepared when they came in, ready to shake hands and connect in a professional way caused him business I guarantee.

Once he did manage to set up, the computer was not working properly, and the presentation was not well prepared. He rambled on and on with little structure. I tried to help him out as he was flailing, I didn’t want to take over, and it certainly wasn’t my place.

One by one these business owners left, by the end of the meeting, there were only about 6 people in attendance. After the meeting, I did have some business owners who asked for my card – and I had really held myself back only saying a few things when I felt he was making little sense.

The moral of this story – when you have a great opportunity to present to any group of people the professional presentation goes way beyond your appearance. If you are sending an employee - make sure you send the best presenter. If you are the presenter make sure you are prepared. Arrive early – Stay on the task – make sense…

Above all else make sure when you present anything about your business to a possible client that you talk in layman’s terms don’t use industry jargon…

Make sure you are using terminology people understand. IE: If you need to translate what a blog is and does – make sure you can say it as succinctly as possible…

Most of us know these common sense rules, but it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves – and to teach our employee’s everything that is done in the context of your business must exude professionalism!

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Pamela Jacob is the owner of Artista Design. If you need a website developed or redesigned, project manager, consultant or graphic designer – you have found one. Pamela’s specialty is taking an idea and making it come to fruition. “If you want to own an online business that thrives, if you have a passion for something you want to share, if you have an idea that you want to come to life contact me. My initial consultations are FREE”.