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Email newsletter campaigns are still a great way to get your message out to existing and potential customers. E-newsletters can serve may purposes, from offering special promotions or sales, to sending out exclusive offers and information to your subscribers, to simply keeping your customers up to date with the latest news relevant to your business.

It's important to keep your emails short and succinct though. Instead of including a complete article in a newsletter for example, provide a brief paragraph then link to that full article posted on your site. The goal of your newsletter campaigns should typically be to draw the reader to your site, to the information you want them to see, to the products and services you want them to purchase, or to contact you.

Ask yourself what your reader would want to know about, how can the information in your newsletter benefit them?

Keeping the interests of your subscribers as the top priority will help bring recurring and new visitor traffic to your site, help communicate your message and aid in the growth of your business.

Several years ago, people were limited to surfing the web on their desktop or laptop, and only when they were in a place that offered a reliable internet connection.

Today, many people own smart phones and tablets with high-speed wireless internet connections that put the web at their fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The popularity and widespread use of mobile devices means you can reach people more than ever before at any time.

So, how do you reach this always online, always surfing audience effectively?

The answer is quite simple. Go mobile.

A mobile site doesn't need to be complicated. It's good practice to develop, alongside your full-fledged website, a smaller, concise and efficient mobile version. Mobile sites are websites that are designed to function on a mobile device such as an iPhone or iPad. They are usually simplified versions of your full site, offering up your key messaging, a list of services, a section for news or blog posts and a page that lists contact information.

Having a basic mobile site running side by side with your full site means you'll be accessible to anyone, anywhere, on any device.

Work with your web designer/developer to create a mobile site that targets your audience properly. Take advantage of their knowledge and experience to get your mobile presence up and running smoothly. For more information about the effectiveness of developing a mobile strategy, contact us today and we'll answer your questions.

Last time, we talked about how big of a difference you can make when using custom photography. This time, we're going to talk about taking the time and effort to work alongside a professional copywriter to take your business to a new level, both on and offline.

Taking the plunge and hiring a writer to develop your communications and key messaging is vital. It's easy to tell apart the businesses who've used a writer versus the ones who haven't.

With an experienced writer on your side, the possibilities are limitless. A good copywriter can keep your messaging and content short, concise and impactful, offering up the information you need your customers to know as efficiently as possible. Users today have very short attention spans. They don't read your content, they only skim it quickly and you only have a few seconds to grab their attention before they've left your site for good and you've lost out on a potential opportunity. Making sure your content is to-the-point while making an impact is what separates a good business from a great business.

Your writer can make sure that your messaging remains consistent across the mediums you use to reach potential customers. From websites, social media sites and email newsletters to traditional marketing such as advertisements, brochures and tradeshow booths, a good writer knows that your business needs to communicate a strong, consistent message with a similar tone throughout.

In a world where less is more, it's incredibly important to have someone on your side to keep your message simple and impactful. Consider working with a professional writer on your next marketing endeavor.

Have you ever visited a website and been utterly captivated by the photo choices they've made? Have you ever undertaken a search through stock photos sites and wondered why the search results didn't look half as impactful as the photos from a certain site?

The reason, is the use of custom photography. Absolutely nothing works better for your site, advertisements, tradeshow booths or other marketing collateral than custom photography from a professional photgrapher.

Photographs are a very powerful and effective means of conveying your message. They're usually the first thing a visitor to your site will pay attention to and it's important to use appropriate photography to get your message across quickly before you lose the visitor's attention.

Have you ever visited a site with a photo, then a few days later you see that same photo on someone else's website? That's no way to stand out from your competition. With custom photography, you're calling on the experience of a professional photographer that can cater to the unique needs, services and products of your business. From product shots, to photos that capture your subject matter, to team headshots, it's always a pleasure to come across a site with great photography that people won't see anywhere else.

Next time, we'll discuss the importance of working with a professional web copywriter, which, when combined with the work of an experienced photographer, will help take your marketing to a level many businesses never reach and leave an impact on your visitors that will keep them coming back to you over your competition.

Have you ever considered redesigning your website? It might be time to start.

Statistically, the average life-cycle of any website is between three to four years. That's more than enough time for new trends, better techniques and newer technologies and user expectations to change and develop.

It's important that your business is able to keep up with and survive that life-cycle. It's your responsibility to remain forward-thinking and prepared for the future when it comes to your business and that includes your online presence.

A website redesign can help your business attract new customers with an improved user interface, streamlined content and an effective, modern design.

While you may not need to start from scratch, considering how to simplify your site and serve up the content your users are looking for most is a worthwhile task.

Do the colors in your logo clash, does your logo no longer truly convey the services and products you offer? Consider re-working it to better reflect your business.

Do you have your services spread across a dozen pages? Maybe they can be simplified. Perhaps it's time to set up a blog and integrate the dynamic content generated with it across the site.

Does your current home page properly direct traffic to the pages that matter most? Never underestimate the power of your home page. It's typically the first page a visitor will see and, when properly designed can help a user quickly access the information that matters most.

Redesigning your site can help improve your site's usability and improve overall user experience, and it doesn't have to mean changing everything. The RIGHT changes - different colors or fonts, new photos, simplified content and page structure can have a positive impact.