Has the economy slowed your business down?

I talk to a lot of small business owners in a week and the general consensus is that most companies have seen a decline in revenue over the past 12 months. You really have two choices to make when your business is slow – cut expenses or increase sales.

Do You Want More Leads from Your Website?

You may have the ability to increase the leads that your website generates.  Have you heard of Search Engine Optimization – my guess is yes. It’s quite a buzz right now. That and “Social Media”… things like Twitter, Facebook and Linked In.

What does all of this SEO, social media stuff mean?

If you are even slightly confused or feeling overwhelmed trying to both understand and implement an online marketing program – we have a solution for you.

What does it do for your business website?

If you cause enough banter online and direct the focus of the various media to your marketing website, the search engines respond by showing searchers links to your online presence. The louder you banter… more traffic.  A well designed website with clear conversion goals will convert those visitors to potential clients.  That’s what search engine optimization, social media and video syndication can do for your business.

I’d like to Introduce you to eKzact

I would like to introduce you to ULISTIC Inc. Our focus is completely on internet consulting and marketing.  Here are some of the things we want to help you with;

• Managed social media, yes we can do it for you. Become a part of a growing Twitter pool and let work at driving traffic to your website or blog
• Search Engine Optimization, get your website showing up on Google for the important keywords and phrases that will generate new leads.
• Website conversion goal review and optimization. Getting traffic is only one part of the big picture… is your website really ready to greet guests and compel them to call you?
• Social Media Coaching and Setup. One and one setup and design of your Facebook company page, LinkedIn, and Twitter account. Setup to automatically cross syndicate you blog writing, tweets and status updates!
• Internet video production and syndication – with a focus on getting traffic!

FREE! BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENING FREE!
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
Halo Steak, Seafood & Wine Bar, 13226 Macleod Trail SE

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Hosted by The Progressive Group for Independent Business (PGIB)
In Co-operation with the South Calgary Merchants Association

In co-operation with the South Calgary Merchants Association PGIB are hosting a FREE networking evening for all of Calgary and area entrepreneurs. We just wanted to drop you a quick line and encourage you to register. PGIB’s paid evening attracted over 190 last meeting and we expect because this one is FREE that it will be completely packed and we may be forced to turn people away if they are not registered. Register now by emailing the address below.

This is a great opportunity to meet many new faces from the business community in South Calgary and many from Okotoks area that are driving up for this event.

This will be a great opportunity to make new contacts and re-connect with old ones.

We hope to see you out next week. We also encourage you to send this email out to all you know as we are sure they would appreciate this FREE event.

Date: Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
When: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Halo Steak, Seafood & Wine Bar, 13226 Macleod Trail SE (In Canyon Meadows Theatre Parking Lot)
Cost: FREE (includes finger foods and a cash bar)

Please confirm your attendance by calling 403-720-2143 or e-mailing marketing@pgib.ca so we can order the appropriate amount of food from the establishment.

This Thursday a very special networking event is happening in Calgary.  Every month a group of Calgary Entrepreneurs link up to share business stories, ideas, concepts, relationships, build new friendships, network with each other, build strong alliances and learn from other entrepreneurs in the City of Calgary.

This month is no different!

On Thursday, April 9th, 2009 join Calgary Entrepreneurs for another wonderful and fulfilling evening of business to business networking, relationship building and learning.

Phil DaSilva of Investors Group will be sharing some great insight on areas of our businesses that many entrepreneurs overlook.  This one included.  The importance of protecting your assets, your business and your family.  As entrepreneurs we are so wrapped up in the day to day business activities that we often overlook those things that are important.

• What are you going to do later in your life?
• What is your succession planning?
• What happens if you become sick?
• What happens if you die?

Some soul searching questions and Phil will have some answers on where you can turn.

Cost to attend is only $5.00 and you can register at our Calgary Entrepreneur Networking Group site.

Event Date: Thursday April 9, 2009
Time: 18:30 to 20:30
Cost – $5.00
Location – Calgary Coast Plaza Hotel, Horizon’s Restaurant in the big room

This is the time of year to decide what to do for the next book. I have a number of clients asking me what they should consider doing. Are you curious to know if people are renewing? canceling? increasing or decreasing their Yellow Pages advertising…

If you would please take 3 minutes to complete this very brief survey – I will compile the results and share them with you. I wrote the survey in order to get an idea of what business owners or managers are planning for this years “Yellow Pages” budget.

What are you planning for your Yellow Pages budget this year – please complete this brief survey (8 questions)

–> http://ekzact.com/survey/index.php?sid=16849

Thank you for participating.

David West,
Director
dawest@ekzact.com :: www.ekzact.com

eKzact Solutions Inc.
Tel: 403-770-3023 ext. 111
Fax:403-398-1446

NEW – VideoSpokes :: Be the spokesperson at your website!
Business Blog :: All business, all of the time.
Personal Blog :: Mostly business, but some fun too.

Skype: ekzactsolutions
SkypeIn: 403-775-2205

PS – Are you afraid? Afraid of public speaking, that is? Registration is now open for EasySpeak™… click here

10 years ago it was a tough sell to convince a small business that they should get a website. Today, most business owners and entrepreneurs turn to online marketing, and a website is usually first on the list.

There is more to online marketing today than just your business website. Are you missing the boat?

Read the recent post at my article on Web 2.0 & Missing the Boat here where we write about Calgary website design, marketing and other business related topics.

Web 2.0 & Missing the Boat

eKzact is sponsoring a new Calgary networking opportunity for Entrepreneurs who are blogging for business. This is not just another “bloggers” group…  Our focus is very much on business.

Who is this Calgary networking opportunity for?

If you are a Calgary business blogger or if you think you would like to better understand the power of blogging, then this group is for you.

Blogging for Business is a powerful way to generate valid traffic to your marketing efforts. By brining together a large group of Calgary bloggers we plan to work together by sharing ideas and by blogging about common topics. Furthermore, by blogging about each other we and help our members to leverage the power and ease of cross-optimization for each others blogs and marketing efforts.

Come and share writing ideas, tips and tricks. Build relationships and start cross-optimization of your blogs and business websites by writing about common topics!

This meetup is being co-hosted by me, David West a Calgary website design company owner and Stuart Crawford of Bulletproof Info Tech, a Calgary IT computer support company.

All people who Blog around a “business topic” or are interested in becoming a “Business Blogger” are welcome!

To learn more and join this group – click here and start blogging today!

Business Networking Works…

When I started our website design company over four years ago, the concept of networking meetings was something quite new to me. When the first networking group contacted me and invited me out to a lunch meeting, I actually turned them down. Thankfully, they were persistent and after a few weeks I attended my first meeting. I joined my first networking club.

I had a tough time understanding how meeting the same dozen people every week would bring me new business. The focus of the network referral club was to bring leads to other members. It worked fairly well in terms of my business, most of the referrals received were actual club members.  I really appreciate these early clients.

As our business grew, and as our website began generating more and more leads, my attendance at networking meetings declined. I no longer attend a regular weekly lunch meeting. Having said that, the early start we got through networking continues to pay off today. I gained a lot of new clients in the earlier years through these clubs. The relationships that were fostered continue to work for us. I consistently receive new business leads from the neworkers that I met years ago.

Great Leadership = Great Growth

The Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup is one of the greatest opportunities for business to business networking in Calgary today.  Stuart Crawford is the founder and current chair of this meetup. Stuart’s passion for the community is stronger today than ever before. His approach to giving prior to getting is admirable.

When do they meetup?

The Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup currently gets together formally one time per month. We have plans to increase this to include more frequent meetings including breakfast and lunch meetings. While the current meetings are held in the evenings, the odd alternative time will likely bring more members out. At last count there were over 500 members in the group – making this one of Calgary’s largest networking group.

What is it going to cost you?

The fact that the meetup is run 100% by volunteers is admirable.  The token fee of $5.00 per meeting is taken on a drop-in basis. There is no annual membership fees.

What will you experience at a meetup?

You will meet like minded entrepreneurs. Many of us own our own successful businesses. Some will be in the start-up phase. Some will be representing larger organizations. One thing that is common, we all come out to learn from each others experiences.

Where to you network for your business? Visit the Calgary Entrepreneur site today.

Tell me your thoughts on this… I would love to see your comment added below.

Cheers -
David A. West

Stuart Crawford and I jointly presented “Creating Stickiness on the Web”, this is the second opportunity that I have had to jointly present with Stuart. I really enjoyed the meeting. We had an excellent turn out.

If you are an Entrepreneur in Calgary and aren’t a member of the Meetup – visit the site here and learn more.

Stuart published a blog entry, just now actually, that sums it up.  Here’s what Stuart had to say…

Dave and I have got some great ideas about what we are planning to do and to take the Calgary Entrepreneurs Group.  Our goal is to make this group the premiere networking group in all of Calgary.  So if you are an entrepreneur looking for a great networking experience, visit http://entrepreneur.meetup.com/5/ and sign up today.  We also have a blog at at http://www.calgaryentrepreneurs.ca.

Tag Goulet commented

“Stuart and Dave provided an excellent overview of important issues affecting entrepreneurs on the web. This was the best meetup yet. ”

I wanted to provide a few links to some of the websites that Stuart and I talked about;

Miro – by Participatory Culture -  http://participatoryculture.org/

Television is the most popular medium in our culture. But broadcast and cable TV has always been controlled by a small number of big corporations. We believe that the internet provides an opportunity to open television in ways that have never been possible before.

Google Enterprise Apps – http://www.google.com/enterprise/

Google enterprise products make your users more productive by combining the innovation and ease of use of Google’s consumer products with the features, security and support that your organization requires

Google Analytics – http://www.google.com/analytics/

Google Analytics makes it easy to improve your results online. Write better ads, strengthen your marketing initiatives, and create higher-converting websites. Google Analytics is free to all advertisers, publishers, and site owners.

Google Webmaster Tools – http://www.google.com/webmasters/

Dim Dim – Web Video Conferencing – http://www.dimdim.com/

Dim Dim is the world’s free web meeting where you can share your desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk and broadcast via webcam with absolutely no download required by attendees.

Hey – why not get Skype now and give me a call? – 403-775-2205

Cheers -
David A. West

PSst: don’t forget to subscribe at the bottom of this page…

PSSSsst: www.eKzact.com

Stuart Crawford and I will be presenting at the upcoming Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup Group. The meeting is on August 14th, in Calgary, at 6:30pm.  We will be discussing “Stickiness on the Web”.  We spoke together last month and I really enjoy presenting with Stuart.  We are both very excited about the Intenet and how it is impacting business. I think that becomes very clear when you see us interact in this some-what formal “discussion” on the ‘web’.

Click on the …more link to get the full details and learn about the Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup Group. This Group is a great opportunity to network, learn and grow your business!

The Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup Group is the largest and longest running meetup group in Calgary. If you are an entrepreneur, if you would like to become and entrepreneur, or if you want to support entrepreneurs then join us at our next meeting!

Our monthly event is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to get together, mingle and relax. The event is not meant to be a sit down structured event but one where entrepreneurs kick back, network and enjoy themselves.

Cost is $5.00 to attend
You are responsible for your own food bill

Visit our website at http://entrepreneur.meetup.com/5/

Start Time: Thursday, August 14 at 6:30pm
End Time: Thursday, August 14 at 9:30pm
Where: Calgary Coast Plaza Hotel – Horizon’s Restaurant

Hey – why not get Skype now and give me a call?

Cheers -
David A. West

Raise awareness of your business and services through blogging.

Basic strategies:

• Target a specific audience based on a theme or series of topics.
• Try to keep your blog on topic.
• Write subjects that make them want to read more and use catchy headlines to drive intrigue.
• Select the right blog support service. A professional Internet Consultant can help you extend your blog and help you with marketing tips and tricks.
• Ensure your blog sends alerts to blog feeds when you post a new entry, this will help build traffic to your blog.
• Ensure you get alerts when someone comments at your blog so that you can review the post and respond.

Be compelling, open in your views and sincere. Link to other blogs and topics related to your blog. Other bloggers will start linking to you, if you have quality articles.

Keep your blog up to date with fresh content. Weekly blogging or more should be your goal. This will keep your blog content fresh and interesting. Your blog can become sticky and keep people returning… but only if you make an effort.

Search engines like Google and Live will help attract viewers to your blog. Add rich keywords into your article titles and content. Use the SEO component that we install as standard with our blog service to boost your on page optimization for search engines.

Your blog should support RSS feeds for the articles and comments. This will help your readers and fellow bloggers stay up to date with your writing. RSS is simple to use and has gained huge popularity in the past several years.

Take the time to reply to blog posts, even if they are negative or offer a conflicting view. You don’t have to agree with the comment, just be honest and state your opinion or provide support material for you position. Most blog-ware allows you to hold comments for moderation. As a business blogger, you may want to moderate comments at your blog prior to allowing them to go live.

If you are not a writer and are not comfortable with blogging, ask your staff to do it for you. Ask a family member, friend or service to assist you with your writing.

One of the most difficult things about blogging is the “ideas”. Keep a small “blog book”… I call mine “my blook”. Keep your blook handy so that when an idea hits you, you can make a note of it.

Blogging is a powerful tool for small business owners to make their brand recognizable. You should position yourself as the “expert” in your industry. When you have a great blog, full of helpful articles and news, refer your clients to your blog to help answer their questions. They will appreciate the depth of your service and commitment to their needs.

A business marketing website tends to be static. The “sales” message seldom changes and they tend to lack the educational information that people are seeking on the Internet. Business owners are worried that they must give the absolute best impression at their marketing website, and I wouldn’t disagree with this thought. A blog on the other hand is a more casual writing opportunity. Your clients will get to know the people “behind” the company and your relationships can grow.

If you want to start a professional business blog, with a custom design, contact us and my team will help you get rolling.

Regards,
David A. West