SDG Web Agency Blog

There is a long list as to why websites fail, but I think by giving you just the top 3 reasons why your website fails, the rest won't matter, its broken. Act on it!

#1 Top Reason Your Website Failed - No Call-to-Action

You got them on your site, now what do you want them to do. What's the one thing you want visitors to do when they go to your site? Here's how you can make it so:

• Have an obvious button that takes the visitor to the next page YOU want them to go.
• Have an obvious button for each page unless its the final destination.
• If its not a link, any downloadable stuff, needs to be obvious as well.

#2 Top Reason Your Website Failed - Too Much Going On

Just imagine 3 people talking to you at the same time. Some websites out there do the exact thing, they put too much information "above the fold" with different colors and images, getting you to see everything all at the same time. Here's what you need to do:

• Prioritize your information, the top being the most important, from left to right.
• Minimize your images. Use it intentionally and let it complement, rather than just decorate.
• Minimize your text. People don't read much on the web. Keep it short and simple.

#3 Top Reason Your Website Failed - Lacking Credibility or Authority

You may have a great looking site that gives users a proper flow to get them to the ultimate page on your site, but if you can't convert the user into a customer, or a buyer, then you've failed. Most of the time, the reason why that happens is because you don't answer the question, "Who are these guys?" Here are some tips to increase credibility:

• Answer the question, "Who are you?".
• Have a way for users to contact you. An email or phone number would be nice, especially an address, if possible.
• Answer the question, "Why should I trust you?".
• Provide valuable information that is useful to the user.
• Spread the message and get guests posts or interviews with the media.
• Provide real to life testimonies.

The first time I use a group couponing service by LivingSocial, and I get a bad taste. I was initially excited because I finally was able to find a useful coupon that I really needed. I don't need discounts to luxury items I don't use, I just needed an oil change and some other work for the family van.

This is a story of how dishonesty can kill your business, and utilizing huge couponing deals won't save it...

If your business sucks, people will know, and they won't reluctantly share the bad news to others. They may purchase once because of the discount they got, but they may never return.

So here's the story folks...

Got a notice from LivingSocial about an oil change and wheel balancing coupon offer, so I paid over $60 and saved $100 or so. Not bad.

Made an appointment, but had to reschedule, yet they were really nice about it.

As I was waiting already for nearly an hour and a half in their lobby with FREE wireless (good job), I happen to stand up and see the mechanic putting back my hubcaps on my wheels. I noticed they put the nice shiny part faced down on the rough surface (not good). The last one he put on, he had issues with, so he took out the ring inside of it,  and adjusted it, while it was nicely laid on the rough surface (that's bad). Once he did that, he installed it on the wheel, and he still had issues with it.

Needless to say, he ends up punching the hubcap in causing two big cracks on opposite ends. Its obviously ruined. I didn't react right away, and merely sat down, hoping that my eyes were deceiving me.

I tweeted about it right then & there, you can see it below:

A few minutes later the acting manager was approached by another employee in the front desk, and he was making some punching actions with his fist, and the acting manager looks at the direction of my car. So I'm assuming, at least he knows and can do something about it. (Not sure if he did really know, but who punches when they talk.)

About 5 minutes or so passby, and the acting manager calls my name and says I'm ready to go. I asked testingly, so "How did it go, any issues?", and he replied about how my wheels were "towing", and kindly illustrated the issue with a toy car he had underneath the counter. That was nice!

He kindly thanked me, and I returned the favor, and walked reluctantly to my car. First thing I noticed, the hubcaps were filthy. I came in the place and it was spanking shiny. I just bought it 2 weeks ago, after waiting months not getting it, because I wanted a certain one. I didn't want to go cheap and get it at Walmart.

Judgement time, and there it was, the nicely cracked hubcap (picture below), that is obviously ruined covered in grease. So I carefully walked back and told the acting manager, and he didn't seem surprised. He looked at it, and I told him that I saw the guy do it. He went back inside to got his phone and took a picture. He asked me where I got it and that he would get a replacement. He said he'd take care of it, and I went on my merry way.

Got a call back from him when I got home, and he said he got a similar one, and that I'd have to come into the shop so they can install it for me. I told him, that would take another hour of my time to do that, since it took me 20 minutes getting there each way. I suggested he ship it, and he boldly refused to do so.

I reluctantly told him I'd passed by when I was in the area to get it fixed. Being non-confrontational in person, I boldly told him over the phone that I wasn't happy with it, and that I had to tell him about "the incident", and that it seemed that they knew about it. He offensively said he didn't know and blurted out, "I don't give cars back broken, if I had known about it, I'd fix it there and then".

Is it me being picky not wanting them to install it, since they broke it in the first place?

What's the moral here...

This is what should of happened if they wanted me the customer to be happy & possibly win their loyalty:

1. The mechanic should of told the acting manager. (Honesty pays, dishonesty does too, but the outcomes are totally different.)
2. The acting manager should of got a replacement before all the work was done.
3. Made sure to check the work before the customer does. Dirty hub caps...come on, it takes a few minutes to clean that up.
4. Be honest with the customer about the foulness, and...
5. ...Apologize for the inconvenience & extra time.

They lost a potential loyal customer. 

And no coupon in the world will make me go back. And you figure, if they wanted my business, they would attach those nice stickers underneath your window to let you know when you need another oil change. 

It was a failed attempt to utilize the power of offering coupons.

Lastly, no bad riddance or anything of the sort to coupon sites like LivingSocial, Groupon, and now Facebook Deals & Google Offers. I think they are great. Just choose wisely!

We are proud to announce once again our involvement with XBM (ExtremeBusinessMakeovers.com) this year. So come on over and find our booth. Aside from being a great client, our friend Thom Scott, the man behind this great event, is a man we love and admire. This year, the panel of speakers, are Joel Comm, Kevin Eikenberry, Dr. Rick Ernst, Scott Ginsberg, and more.

All around, its a panel that will touch almost every facet of small business. I am personally looking forward to hearing Trey Pennington and Thom Scott, on their topic "The Power of Purpose/The Power of Story".

Come by our booth and get a chance to win a raffle prize. Hope to see you there.

Extreme Business Makeovers
April 29th to May 1st, 2011
Orlando, Florida
http://ExtremeBusinessMakeovers.com

The economy is still struggling, but it doesn't have to stay that way. And thanks to the many guys that I've gotten to know in the "Go-Giver" community, SDG didn't have to suffer much from it. Who else then to host, and lead this incredible event in the new year, than my good friend Bob Burg, along with professional speaker and renowned businessman Paul Martinelli, called "The Big Event".

This event just got even bigger, now that my all time favorite writer & speaker will be sharing his timeless wisdom with us. His name is Dr. John D. Maxwell, he is an international best-selling writer & speaker who's written many books on leadership. 

Along with three other speakers, they will be joined with a great following of "Go-Giver" business owners, making this a must-see event of the new year. As it says on their site:

"Join us and experience the benefits of hearing other business owners’ challenges and how they overcame some big obstacles. There will also be plenty of opportunities to interact with each other as well. Let us all come together … and challenge and support each other to be the best we can all be and take control of our lives and businesses."

Hope to see you there.

To find out more details & to register, visit their site today: www.thebigevent2011.com

So things with #GetSocialBrevard is coming along pretty good. But its no time to relax and ride the wave, lets keep building this thing up. If you haven't heard about what's been going on. Basically, a bunch of Brevardians have been meeting monthly (last 2 months) for the purpose of "getting social". Its not your normal networking event. Here we talk about "Social Media", and how we can benefit from it, and how we can help Brevard, so to speak, get on the bandwagon of social media.

Watch the video below to find out more: (Thanks to our friend Ivy, co-founder of Your Simple Media):

So next month, at Duran Golf, we'll be meeting again, and for 30 minutes or so, I'll be going over the 5 Laws of Stratospheric Success, from the book, "The Go-Giver", by Bob Burg & John Mann, and how it applies to social media.

Why come? Aside from the great connections, the food, and learning about Social Media and how it can apply to your business, we want you to be a part of a new movement here in Brevard. This movement is founded on the Go-Giver laws, and that's why we're addressing it on the next #Tweetup. Yes its a #tweetup as well.

We'll be at the Duran Golf Club from 6 to 8pm, on November 11, 2010. See yah there!

REGISTER NOW via Eventbrite

Here's last month's #GetSocialBrevard photo gallery on Facebook.

It was a pretty exciting week. We had our first ever Tweetup in Brevard. Thanks to Space Coast Business & Pizza Gallery & Grill for sponsoring and hosting the event. If you weren't there you can follow the discussion with the hastag #getsocialbrevard.

If what I just said, went over your head, no worries. Its just Twitter talk. Hopefully the image below will shed some light.

Now the question is, will this keep going, or will it eventually die down? Brevard is known for its techy industries, but not for its locals being all that techy or up-to-date with new marketing technologies. I hope I'm wrong, because being a local myself, I'd like to think we're up to par with the rest of the country. But honestly, that's just wishful thinking.

So what will it take for Brevard County to step up to the social media challenge and get everyone on board. I think Andrew Gall, of Space Coast Business, said it well, and I'm paraphrasing, "...that having this 1st Tweetup is a start."

Here are some things I believe needs to happen:

1. Believe In Social Media (You saw the numbers, if not, see it again here.)
   
   
2. Learn How To Be More Social In-Person & Off (People do business with those they know, trust and like.)
   
   
3. Embrace Change (Learn new stuff, or the competition will.)
   
   
4. Start Building & Stop Selling (Build relationships, stop shoving your business card down someone's throat.)
   
   
5. Collaboration & Healthy Competition (In today's market, the one with the most help, wins. You can only do so much alone.)
   
   
6. Humility Not Humiliation (Don't think you're better than others, you may just learn something.)
   
   
7. Service More Than Leadership (We all want to take the reigns, but lets think of the greater good first.)

"I wrote this because just like you, I want Brevard to succeed."

It would be great to see people working together in mutual respect, and ownership. That way we can all run our businesses successfully and ride this storm of economic difficulty.

I didn't say it was going to be easy, nothing worth doing ever is.

To close up, I would love to know what you think about what I just said. Maybe you disagree or agree with me. Better yet, you got something to add, will give you credit if you do.

Regardless, speak your piece and let everyone know how we can all make a positive change. If you use twitter, please, leave us your handle and comments below. This way we can connect further and who ever reads this can connect with you.

Here are some pictures I took for the event, its on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=238886&id=517491854&l=3435f0c625

Here's a great article on building online communities: (thanks Andrew for sharing)

http://socialmediatoday.com/blaisegv/181855/10-key-guiding-principles-online-community-building-and-engagement

So I wrote a blog post 9 months ago on my personal "Posterous" account called "Web & Business Predictions for 2010". I wanted to revisit what I wrote and see how I did to further expand my thoughts on it. No, I don't have a crystal ball telling me or confirming these predictions by any means. So who knows if its accurate, but read further on and see if I was accurate. Now if I'm correct with most of my predictions for rest of the year and beyond, then this post will be advantageous to you. If not, sorry I wasted your time, but I promise its got merit.

1. Facebook is Gonna Dominate - I think everyone saw this coming, so this was easy. I do have to mention though, some are saying it will be gone in a few years. I beg to differ. My reasons for this will be on another post.
   
   
2. Its About Relationships - It always has been, and will be more so than ever. As the web and social media grow, that means anybody & everybody will have a website and a blog to pitch you their products & services, relationships will be at the core of anyone's success.
   
   
3. Real Value & Price - This is "The Law of Value" according to the "Go-Giver" author Bob Burg. Which states, "Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment." As I mentioned earlier, everyone will be on the web, and that means price comparison will be more fearce than ever. So make sure in the relationships you build, you're complementing them with "real value & price", or else loyalty can be thrown out the door.
   
   
4. Building Loyal Raving Fans - Let me clarify. If you're going to build a fan base, make sure they're well equipped. Its the cheapest form of marketing. Make everything you have easy to share throughout all the platforms and media.
   
   
5. Twitter Alone is Dead - Anyone utilizing Twitter effectively knows this. More engagement requires further interaction than 140 characters. So make sure you have a blog or a website for your followers to go to.
   
   
6. Video Goes Even Further - Youtube is the new search engine. What??? Yes, people would rather watch a video than read something online. Darn, I guess I'll need to get on the bandwagon on this. Stay tuned.
   
   
7. Authenticity Redefined, True Morality is Pursued - True morality is not catching up as I had imagined. Although, with the help of social media, transparency is up, meaning that corporations can't hide behind traditional news anymore. They've got Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and much more to handle. So PR would be a nightmare if people called you out for doing something unethical.
   
   
8. Niche It Even More - This is funny, as I read this again. I remember getting tons of spam and email broadcasts from marketers on "how to niche..." this and that. Yes, this will grow even more.
   
   
9. Locally Focused, Yet Worldly Open - More and more, we hear "support your local businesses", and we'll hear it more until our ears bleed. So get use to it. If you are a business, try to do business with someone within your area. You give them business, it will be only a matter of time, when that favor is returned.
   
   
10. Locally Smart & Effective - IBO's (Independent Business Owners) who rely on locals will really need to step up their game and dive into social media quickly. They will still need to do it right and not just be a noise to their customers. This of course, gives them the ability to reach globally as well. Now how they maintain their brand to reach their customers is up to them. I would direct them back to #2.
    
    
11. Partnerships Becomes An Even More of a Necessity For Success - Yes, this is more crucial than ever. If you've got a product or service, and you are an underdog, you're gonna need help from others. So learn how to work with others. To make big changes without killing yourself, you'll need more help to take on the big fish.
    
    
12. Push For Multilingualism - On this one, it hasn't really pushed well, but big corporations understand this and soon enough, we'll all follow. This will be made possible by multilingual copywriters and marketers, making it easy for us to dive into this new market. We'll see what happens. At least for now, thank God for online translations on browsers.
    
    
13. Mobile Is The New Netbook - On my last post, I wasn't really sure what I was saying, but I knew an Ipad wasn't what I wanted. You see, I want something more portable yet just as powerful as a notebook. Perhaps a new generation of smart mobile devices will come along that will allow us to be truly mobile and accessible. Perhaps the new Samsung Galaxy Tab can fulfill that (Picture below). I'm sure Apple, Dell and Microsoft are all racing to get there. 
    

FREE Can Be A Turnoff, It Shows That You're Cheap

From business cards to websites, you see it all around, and you know their free. Now, let me ask you something. When you see that a business professional has a FREE business card or a FREE website, would you lose respect for them? Or would you think their cheap?

Its either or, regardless, you'll at least think in some form or fashion, that they simply can't afford it, and therefore, you may also deduce, that they may not be good at what they do. 

You may also think, they're simply being shrewd or prudent with their spending.

How would you like to be portrayed? Successful, cheap, shrewd or prudent.

We all make judgement calls when it comes to "first impressions", we look at a person and try to see if we can like them, trust them or want to do business with them. 

Next time someone gives you a business card, and its a freebie, check your thoughts. Or the next time you visit a website and its a freebie, because in the bottom of the site, its says, "free site by...", what do you honestly think of the business.

Now, don't get me wrong, "free stuff" is not bad. At least for this point, its not bad for nonprofits, but for a business, I don't think it pans out. There are so many options to choose from these days to get a website. You can get them really cheap if you wanted to, you just have to do all the work, or you pay someone to do it for you.

Just don't get it FREE, it looks bad, that's my opinion. Is it yours too? Tell me what you think.

Lots Are On It (Social Media Sites), Yet Lots Are Leaving &/Or Grieving

You heard the hype, you got on the bandwagon, so you created a Twitter, Facebook, & LinkedIn account, and now its there, but you still haven't leveraged what you got and wonder why you spent so much time and some money on it and you're not seeing results.

You need to understand that social media is just another communication tool, and like any other tool at your disposal, it needs to be mastered. So here are some tips you can take to heart in hopes that you can navigate this crazy world of social media madness:

1. Write down or type in your Goals! - Every time I do anything, I think of the beginning and the end result. This allows me to manage what I do, and how effectively my time is being spent. List your goals as to what you want to achieve. Whether it is building a following or a fan base, or even increasing your traffic. Whatever it is, track it.
2. Learn From the Right People - Tons of people call themselves experts, and very little of them deserve it. So how do you discern. Look at their track record, the work that they do, and if they themselves practice what they preach. No use emulating someone who's not doing it right.
3. Many People Are Communicating, Not Many Are Connecting - If you just tweet or update about what you do, and don't engage with others, you are just adding to the noise. Be human, talk to others, add value first. You see people in need, help! Get those experience muscles working, and build a name for yourself.
4. Bad Networking Moves Online - You try to sell without really listening first. By listening first, you'll know how to engage people. You'll know what peoples interest are. Imagine someone comes up to you and starts talking about their business, giving you only 2 words to say in response, hands you a business card when they are done talking & asks to give them a call and just walks away. Seriously, do not be that person online!
5. So Many To Manage - There are many social sites, you get an invite via email each day. Focus, focus, focus. Figure out where your target audience is hanging out. Know who your target audience even is. The top 3 I mentioned above is really essential though. Yes even Twitter. At least have a LinkedIn account and a Facebook Fan Page for your business. Leverage your friends and family first, then branch off to Twitter once you get those two down.
6. Lack Of Real Transparency - If you want people to know, like, and trust you, you need to show them who you are. Put some character on your blog, website, profiles, wherever you like. Gone are the days of hiding behind corporate walls of ambiguity.
7. Patience is a Web Virtue - Rome wasn't built in day, so don't expect that you'll be successful right away. Most recognized leaders in social media, have been doing their craft for years. Successful companies that have leveraged social media got their winnings from consulting with the best. Do what you can, but do it consistently and patiently.
8. Leverage Any First Time Initiators - I am talking about those who connect with you. If someone comments or sends you a nice post, reply back. That's the whole point is it not. If you have a LinkedIn profile and "good" people want to connect with you, why shouldn't you. Build your inner circle fast, and engage with your early fans, they will help you get where you want to go. If you ignore them, you end up with nothing.
9. Keep Learning Stop Crapping - Okay, that needs an explanation. What I mean to say, if you get content or complacent about things you need to know, eventually, what you know won't work all the time. You need to keep investing on your noggin. Knowledge is power, when practiced & maintained. Crapping is when you basically stop learning and start complaining about the world. That's my interpretation at least.
10. Get Social Online & Offline - This is such a crucial step. We are humans, we need to meet face to face. I challenge you to meet those you have met online and further connect with those people. Its an amazing feeling to put an face on an avatar.

I hope this reaches out to you in a deeper level. I would hate to see you not succeed simply because no one told you. Now do something, anything, connect, engage, and change the world!!!

Best wishes to you and your endeavors...comment below and let me know how it goes. Would love to hear your response.

Recently, we had the pleasure of working with Burg Communications, the marketing company behind Bob Burg, a renowned author and speaker of, "The Go-Giver" book. For those of you not familiar with the book, here is a small description:

"Joe learns that changing his focus from getting to giving—putting others’ interests first and continually adding value to their lives—ultimately leads to unexpected returns."

Ultimately, the book goes through a series of laws that can lead anyone to success. Its a great display of how one can be a go-giver rather than a go-getter.

You can visit the new website, and have the opportunity to reward a "Go-Giver" in your life.

www.GoGiverAward.com