7 Keys To Managing Your Online Presence

Clients often ask how they can optimize their websites. We give them the wheel once we’ve built the car so to speak. This gives them more control of their online marketing efforts. Below we have comprised a list of seven key tools for clients who want to manage their online presence. Of course, we wrap all of this up in a bow by using our favorite Content Management System (CMS), WordPress! Content is still King! Fresh, relevant content is necessary to move the needle in terms of both Search Engine Optimization and effective communication. Take advantage of the blogging function on your website and share information about your products, services or upcoming projects with your consumers and clients. The last thing you want to do is squander your investment in a great new website by having it go stale. Engage your consumers and clients with Social Media. Devoting time to 2…
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Join.Me Saves the Day!

At Westchester Marketing Cafe there are a number of online applications that we use regularly. One of those applications is Join.Me. We primarily use Join.Me to remotely train clients and conduct virtual meetings. It has been a great tool for many years now and recently proved to be the perfect solution to an otherwise problematic situation. Recently, we had an employee away on vacation. Unfortunately, soon after they arrived they received an urgent message. One of our client’s could not access their eCommerce information via their website. Shortly after, that they received another message from another client about an outdated plugin with potential security implications. Without account access and 10 hours from home they were in a bit of a pickle. They did, however, have one option; call their non-tech-savvy in-laws and walk them through the Join.Me process and grab the necessary files from the computer remotely. Their in-laws are…
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managing email lists video screenshot

Managing Email Lists (video)

Best practices for your email list marketing strategy Hi everyone, I’m Jann Mirchandani from Westchester Marketing Cafe, where we cater to your online marketing needs. Read our Email Marketing Case Study to learn how we helped one client tackle this issue We’ve been getting a lot of calls lately with questions about our best practices for email marketing strategy. So I thought I would share some of those tips with you today. The first thing you want to do is make sure that you’re using a service provider such as MailChimp or Constant Contact and there is a lot of others out there, but it’s really important to use an esp, an email service provider, so that your adhering to industry standards, best practices and CAN-SPAM laws. What that means is that you want to make sure that the people that your emailing want to hear from you, that they’ve given…
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WordPress Websites; Comparison of content management systems. ACT Local Marketing Interview [podcast]

Our third and final segment with ACT LOCAL Marketing centers around the comparison of Wordpress to other content management systems such as Drupal and Joomla. Come along for the ride as Kalynn and Jann share their knowledge and stories of developing with WordPress and other content management systems. We really enjoyed getting to work with Kalynn again and look forward to doing something with her in the future. Key Points from the Show Kalynn Amadio and Jann Mirchandani wrap up the podcast with more on the comparison of WordPress and content management systems. Kalynn: Jann and I were talking about WordPress because we both love WordPress and Jann is a queen of web design. I go to Jann when I have trouble. So that should tell you something. We were talking about WordPress and how it works a little bit and themes. Talk to me about what is a template? Jann: The…
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WordPress Websites; ACT Local Marketing Interview [podcast]

WordPress, WordPress, WordPress! Below is the first part of Jann’s interview with Kalynn Amadio of ACT LOCAL Marketing. The podcast with Kalynn focuses primarily on WordPress Websites and how it has evolved into the go-to solution for small and medium businesses. Kaylnn and Jann take turns delving into the mechanics of WordPress and the advantages of using a Content Management System (CMS) for client websites. Key Points from the Show Kalynn Amadio and Jann Mirchandani discuss WordPress. Kaylnn: Tell people a little bit about WordPress. Jann: We [Westchester Marketing Cafe] love WordPress! It started as a blogging platform in 2003 and is now one of the most popular Content Management Systems (CMS). A CMS allows a business owner or executive to organize their content and update their website. This is perfect for non-coders. They can add pages to their website, change information, it’s really important for them to be able to…
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Mobile Websites: Kaylnn Amadio, ACT LOCAL Marketing Take Away [podcast]

A few months ago Westchester Marketing Cafe had the opportunity to sit down with Kalynn Amadio of ACT LOCAL Marketing and talk about WordPress Websites. Kalynn publishes a weekly podcast for small business entrepreneurs. Her goal is to help bridge traditional direct local marketing with digital marketing. Listeners gain knowledge about how to grow their business with social media, video, mobile technology and more. We have broken the interview into a few segments and will be sharing them in the next few weeks. Here is the first installment which is primarily Kalynn and her famous “Take Away” segment. Great advice and information as always! Key Points from the Show Podcast introduction and Kalynn Amadio Take Away to grow your business. On April 21st Google released a mobile-friendly update to their search algorithm. We are told that if your website is not mobile-friendly, then your penalty is to not have a listing that…
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The State of Marketing In Westchester Part 4 [podcast]

This is the 4th and final segment of my interview a few weeks ago with Peter Moses and John Churan, hosts of Westchester Eye On The Radio,  WVOX. I am fortunate to have had this opportunity and enjoyed discussing the State of Marketing in Westchester with them. Below you will find key points of our conversation. As always, please give us a shout if you have any questions or comments about this topic or need assistance with digital marketing. Key Points from the show Q: In regards to modifications and changes in internet marketing and digital marketing for the last decade or so, we were talking about how visuals have taken over much of this marketing. Do you think it is going to sway back? A: Style always changes and what’s popular from one year to the next changes just like fashion. It also depends on who you are working with…
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The State of Marketing In Westchester Part 3 [podcast]

On April 20th I was a guest on Westchester Eye On The Radio, which is hosted by Peter Moses and John Churan of WVOX. Below is the third installment of that conversation and key points that were discussed. The state of marketing and specifically marketing right here in Westchester County, NY was our focus and this third segment included discussion about internet trends and leveraging social media to connect with your customers. Key Points from the show Q: On break we were talking and you described Westchester marketing is like the Wild West. A: The reason I said that is because it is changing so much. The industry is changing and we are all trying to figure it out and how to make it work for our own business and for our clients business. The internet has leveled the playing field. Because it is accessible to everybody. Media is essentially the…
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The State of Marketing In Westchester Part 2 [podcast]

Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Peter Moses and John Churan on their WVOX radio show, Westchester Eye On The Radio.Our main topic of discussion was the state of marketing and specifically marketing right here in Westchester County, NY. This is the second segment of our conversation, which covers modernizing websites and “the cloud”. Key Points from the show Q: If any of our listeners are looking to hire someone, how would they contact you? A: Our website address is westchestermarketing.com, phone number 914-806-7720 and you can email me at jann@westchestermarketingcafe.com. Q: When did you change your corporate name? A: About 16 years ago when I started the business it was actually Mirchandani Consulting. I was just coming out of corporate and was in marketing and the focus was very different. Seven years ago I re-branded. Our new focus and target market is small businesses and digital marketing. Q:…
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The State of Marketing In Westchester [podcast]

I spoke to Peter Moses and John Churan on their WVOX radio show, Westchester Eye On The Radio, on April 20th. We discussed the state of marketing and specifically marketing right here in Westchester County. We will be posting segments from the hour-long broadcast over the next several weeks. Here is the first segment. Here are some key points from the show. Q: Is the marketing industry growing in Westchester? (@1:50) A: It’s not necessarily growing, but it is certainly changing. It’s no longer big agencies, a la “Mad Men”, but it is now a team of collaborative partners depending upon the needs of the project. Q: What is CSS? (@3:28) A: CSS is Cascading Style Sheets. Similar to how you might format a Word document, CSS allows you to style your website. Q: What about businesses that don’t distinguish between important information and irrelevant information? (@4:28) A: Marketing is about building relationships…
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