Marketing Archives - Westchester Marketing Cafe, LLC

My 11 Favorite Online Marketing Tools

My Six ELEVEN Favorite Online Marketing Tools Last updated: August 10, 2020Originally published: March 4, 2014 Read time: 11 minutes, 2 seconds Westchester Marketing Cafe has been working remotely – using online tools – for, well, forever really. With so many people now finding themselves also working remotely, we figured it was time to update our list of favorite productivity tools. The following are my favorite online marketing tools and some tips and tricks for using them effectively. These are all products that I know and love and use myself. (There has been no compensation exchanged for any of these recommendations.) Communication Gmail Like most people, I have a business email address and a personal email address; and I know many people who have multiples of each. I prefer to have everything come into one place so I don’t have to log in and out or toggle between accounts. It…
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10 Things You Must Know About Working With A Web Designer

Last updated: October 7, 2024Updated: May 8, 2019Originally published: January 3, 2008 Read time: 8 minutes, 39 seconds There are a few different ways to create a website for your organization. One option is to do it yourself. There are certainly a lot of DIY website solutions available. Technology has gotten to the point where a drag and drop interface is available on most content management systems including WordPress, Wix, Squarespace. These platforms allow you to easily edit your website and keep your content up-to-date. The easier it is to edit content, the more likely it is to get done. And fresh content is good marketing and helps with search engine optimization. The drawback of building your own website, however, is it leaves you open to creating a website based on what you can figure out and not based on your marketing goals. So while homemade is great for cookies,…
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Developing An Email Marketing Strategy

Last updated: April 18, 2019Originally published: March 18, 2010 Read time: 6 minutes, 24 seconds Email marketing is one of the pillars of a successful online marketing plan. But, like any plan, it should be well thought out, with clear goals, a strategy, and specific tactics. The benefits of a well-designed email marketing strategy include: a higher open rate more clicks fewer opt-outs better conversion rates In this article we are going to cover; Defining your audience List management Developing your content Establishing a schedule More information Define Your Audience Defining your audience is simple in theory; the reality is often more difficult. The goal is to define your audience segments. Start with the broadest category and look at how you might break that down. Think about how you might talk to the individuals within that category differently. For example, let’s say you are an electrician. You do both commercial…
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What Does My Web Hosting Company Do For My Business?

Last updated: June 20, 2019Originally published: April 24, 2012 Read time: 4 minutes, 58 seconds Clients are sometimes embarrassed to ask questions about how a website works. They often don’t understand what their web hosting company does and why it’s important to have a good one. Every so often though an intrepid soul will ask “what does my web hosting company do for my business?” With that very question in mind, here’s a breakdown of the components of a website. Think of it as a guide to everything you wanted to know about how your website works but were afraid to ask. The Basics At a fundamental level you will need three things to make your website work. content a domain a server an SSL (not required but STRONGLY recommended) Let’s take a look at each of these components. Website Content Your website is a collection of pages that include…
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Using Email Autoresponders To Boost Marketing Results

Read time: 3 minutes, 21 seconds What is an Email Autoresponder? Email autoresponders are a workflow that automatically sends emails under certain conditions. A new subscriber receiving a welcome message is an example of an autoresponder. Email remains one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with your audience. Automating campaigns can increase your efficiency and improve your marketing results. In fact, according to the Direct Marketing Association, the average ROI is 40:1. According to a study by Message Systems, 63% of marketers cite email as the channel that offers the best ROI. And our own experience, here at Westchester Marketing Cafe, shows that clients who send regular email campaign improve traffic to their website and get a higher response rate than those who don’t. Setting up an autoresponder isn’t complicated, but it requires some planning. There are four key steps to creating a successful email autoresponder campaign. Step 1: Establish your goal….
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Home Page vs Landing Page: What the experts have to say.

I received a call recently from a consultant who was trying to understand what a landing page is. “I am a consultant in Mexico. So-called ‘experts’ advised me that my Home page should have a narrow focus and lead visitors directly to the call to action. Other pages on the website could include more info about services and confirm information about my business. Do you think it is a good strategy to be so narrowly focused on the Home-Tab?” They wanted to know what this expert had to say on the subject. So here’s my answer: “I would agree that you want the Home page to be straight forward. You don’t want to put everything you offer there. That is where you should provide a basic overview of your services. Links can then invite visitors to click deeper into the site. At the same time, I don’t generally advocate for…
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5 Basic Email Marketing Tips

1) The right tools make all the difference. Selecting an email application that allows you to design engaging emails without having to know complex code can make email marketing more efficient. Two of the best applications available are MailChimp and Constant Contact. Both are great tools. 2) Content is King, even in Emails. If you want someone to open your email you have to have a compelling subject. Focus on 1 – 3 topics with at least 1 clear call-to-action. Use images and limit the copy to what is needed to convey your message. Make sure the content is relevant to the list you are sending to. Sending donation requests to a mixed list that includes 16 year old students will most likely produce a small response financially. Which leads us to our next tip… 3) Is it worth segmenting your audience? By targeting segments of your audience/subscribers you can…
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responsive web design: computer, laptop, tablet, phone

What Does Web Design Look Like These Days? Responsive Design

There is an obvious shift in the approach surrounding web design. The rise of flat design, two-dimensional figures, and shapes is a major design trend and long gone are the days of distracting, flashing graphics. Full-screen background videos are on the rise (when it makes sense) and many companies are opting to have custom apps built alongside their mobile web sites. With such a high percentage of potential customers and clients using smartphones and tablets, not moving in the mobile direction could be costly. Which leads us to responsive design. If you don’t have it, get it. Responsive web design (RWD) is an approach to web design aimed at crafting sites to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience—easy reading and navigation without having to zoom and pan—across a wide range of devices from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones. A major advantage of a responsive design that it is aesthetically…
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Is Your Website User-Friendly?

Usability. When a visitor lands on your website they have a specific task in mind. They need information and want it quickly and easily. If Content is King, then usability is Queen! Surveys have proven that the most important factor for a user visiting a website is the ease of finding the information they need. If they have to dig and search for the content they are looking for the next step is to look somewhere else. How does your website stack up? Audience One of the biggest challenges our clients face initially is breaking their readers into discrete audience segments. But this work is essential in understanding how to organize content based on your readers’ needs rather than their own. Mobile-friendly Do you know how many of your visitors are using mobile devices to access your website? Many sites have a third or more visitors using tablets or phones…
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Security Reminder: SSL Certificate

Google has been taking steps to make the web a more secure and private place. Recently, on Google’s security blog, they announced that in October 2017 with the release of Chrome 62 a “Not secure” warning will be displayed on any website without an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. When users type in information and press send it is sent to the servers – and becomes vulnerable in the process. Starting with version 62 Chrome will alert users to this vulnerability. “We don’t ask for sensitive data” you say. Maybe not but do you have any of the following on your site: Search fields Comment boxes Contact forms Any of these fields could cause your visitors to see a security alert and dissuade them from pressing send. Its easy to tell if you have an SSL installed properly When you go to your site do you see a green lock…
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