This Week's Presenter Is.....

Greg Wold, Partner

Starfish Communications Ltd.



BNI Connections member Lili Derk's business (and life) partner Greg Wold spoke on behalf of Starfish Communications Ltd. Incorporated in 1996, Starfish Communications is a small company offering big results at competitive rates.


Starfish specializes in print and web-based graphic design, as well as writing and editing, for a broad range of clients. Their services include (but aren't limited to) the creation of:

 · logos


 · the overall "look" for communications materials


 · business cards and stationery


· brochures


· programs and other lengthy documents


· ads (from newspaper to billboard)


· posters


· web products including ads, graphics, writing and entire sites.


Greg's presentation focused on the process involved in working with a graphic designer, and how to get the most value from that process.  He explained what constitutes an effective document, and addressed the questions of why someone would hire a graphic designer in the  first place*, as well as how to work with one effectively**.


To discuss your graphic design needs, contact Greg or Lili at Starfish: they're affordable, creative and effective.

*For the same reason you probably don't cut your own hair **Communicate, communicate and communicate.

Catch the Wave: Link Your Message to a Hot Topic!

If you really want to get a lot of random hits on your blog or website, don’t just use keywords that relate to your business – use keywords that relate to general news topics.
Twitter is a great place to find these key phrases because they list the ‘hot topics’ right on the site. If you use Ymail for email (Yahoo’s version of Google’s Gmail), you’ll be able to quickly see top news topics for world news, entertainment, sports, and so forth.
One of the hot topics in BC today will be the controversial launch of BCLC’s new online casino website. (Note the keywords I used there: BCLC, online, casino). This will most certainly be the top story on the TV news today as anti-gaming groups voice their opposition to this new government revenue stream. People seeking more information on the topic (or looking to gamble online in this new way) will enter similar keywords and voila, your blog may appear.
It’s ideal if your blog is actually related to the topic as opposed to a mention, but either way, the Google bots will pick up your blog (and consequently your website) and it will improve your overall standings.

So the next time you hear a story about Britney Spears or the BP oil spill or whatever’s the hot topic of the moment, try to find a way to link that topic to your blog & watch your Google page status increase.

Consistency Is The Key To Success

Webpage created? Check.

Facebook page created? Check.

Now before you go too far building your online image, you’ll want to consider these 5 tips for success:

SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS CONCEPT

The look & feel of your online image should support your business concept or product. If you charge professional fees for your service or deal with legal/government affairs, you’ll want a higher end website (ie. Strategex Group Chartered Accountants or Pinpoint Tactics – both of these have depth (multiple pages) and have been professionally designed).

A business who’s value proposition is “affordable luxury”, will want an easy to navigate website, such as Cranberries Spa – prices are easily accessible and the call to action is on every page.

BE CONSISTENT

All of your social media sites should have the same look & feel, the same logos & headers, and display a consistent visual message. For a great example of this, check out Rowan Smith. (Vancouver mortgage broker with The Mortgage Centre) His various online presences are consistent throughout:

• website • blog • YouTube • Twitter •

USE RELEVANT TEXT

People will put specific words or phrases into Google to find a business. By using these key words in your blog, ‘About’ page and throughout your site, you’ll improve Google’s ability to find your business & put you higher on the search results page.

Precision Athletics has done a particularly good job of this, with lots of relative phrasing of “Vancouver personal training”, “boot camp” and emphasis on “discounts or specials for group fitness”.

A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS

As with Tip #1, you want photos & videos on your website to be consistent with your profession. An interior designer could show a work-in-progress, but the final photos should be polished & reflect the quality of their work (see Erka Interior Design) . On the other hand, if you’re selling travel, you know that people don’t want to see the airbrushed photos of the resort they want to book – they want to see what they’ll really experience (see Christine Turner‘s travel videos).

LIKE BLONDIE SAID, CALL ME ANYTIME

While it should be obvious, if your call to action isn’t abundantly clear on each page of your website, blog, or Fan Page, you’re missing the boat. There’s no value having hundreds of new people visit your sites if they can’t find a way to reach you. Add your phone number and email to each page and on the main pages, make it strong & large.

It’s also a good idea to add a link to your other Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages for easy reference.

Once you’ve got these social media tips in place, your online presence will be consistent and you should start to see your Google ranking improve. All in 5 easy steps!