We’re going out to play!
(You should take one, too.) 
Posts Tagged ‘Pat Strader’
Snowday!
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Super-Simple Photo Editing You Can Do This Second
Monday, February 8th, 2010
You need to be able to edit photos.
More and more folks are becoming comfortable using Content Management Systems and blogging platforms every day. But to gain control of content, there’s definitely an increased need for a simple photo editing tool.
Today, even low-end digital cameras are capable of producing higher MegaPixel images than are really necessary for general web use. Even a 3 MegaPixel photo is 2048 x 1536 pixels (that’s a lot). While more than 70% are now viewing websites with browsers of greater resolution than 1024px, 2048px is still far too big for general on-page or in-post use.
So what to do with that way-too-big photo you have on your digital camera? There are a number of ways to scale it down. Here are the two easiest…
1) Your designer can use CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to limit the display size of the image, even though it is still downloading the full-sized image.
2) You can quickly scale or crop the photo using a photo editing tool.
Considering that Google is now incorporating page load-time into their algorithm, it makes the decision even more of a no-brainer than it was before. Edit your photo. No question.
There are a wide variety of high-end photo editing tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Fireworks and Gimp. However, the complexity of these tools is generally overkill for small business owners or marketers that are simply working toward updating website content and blog posts.
One of my favorite simple tools for photo editing is Picnick. It’s simple, effective, easy to use, and inexpensive. There’s even a very capable free version available.
I made a video on how you can use Picnick to edit, crop, scale and save images using Picnick. Hope you enjoy…
Why I Hate RFP’s and Why You Should Too
Thursday, February 4th, 2010
The time-honored ‘Request for Proposal’ (RFP), or as we call here in the shop “The unexpected Word doc from Hell” has once again crossed my desk. I dislike them greatly.
Check that. I loathe them.
There are times when an RFP is the best tool for the job. Like if you’re a government agency and you need to buy 5 hammers, or 4,000 white toilet seats. However, in our world of digital marketing, if you’re sending out an RFP, you are seriously doing yourself a disservice.
Why a disservice? Well, simply put, if you knew so much about digital marketing or web development, why the hell would you send out an RFP in the first place? Fact is, folks that are involved in the digital space for a living are immersed in it. For quite a few of us, this isn’t our first rodeo, or Google Algorithm update, or new “gotta have it” marketing tool introduction.
The worst RFPs contain things like:
-”We want a website that loads fast, is search engine friendly” -> No kidding? Do you think people purposely build sites that load slow and are NOT search friendly?
-”Must include Social media integration” -> Ahhhh, love that good old social media blanket statement……
-”Search Engine Optimized for these 5 keywords” -> Really? Those keywords just might suck…
We’ve all seen those RFP’s. Every time one is sent out a kitten dies. So, please stop.
By sending an RFP for your digital marketing or web development project, you’re seriously limiting your potential for success. Why? Because without giving your potential providers the opportunity to ask questions, which determine the proposed digital marketing solution, you’re killing the prospect of break-through ideas which are often the result of an outside perspective.
As Roy H. Williams, The Wizard, has told us, it’s difficult to read the label from inside the bottle. Yes, you know your product, yes you (should) know your audience….however, allow your potential service providers to drill-down and help find the best possible solution for your digital marketing problem.
Best Ideas Of The Week
Friday, January 8th, 2010
It’s Friday once again, and time to roll out the best ideas of the week.
One note here- these are the best ideas for our week. That doesn’t mean all of this stuff came out last week. Sorry if that’s misleading at all. But a good idea is a good idea. Let’s just use the time frame as context, not constraint.
Sound good? Awesome.
-Here’s a link that was intended for the holidays, but really is worth checking out regardless of the time of year. It’s a list of 10 interesting talks from TED, a regular stop for thought provoking video of thought provoking people.
-And in that same line of thought, why give up all of the “best of” lists just because New Year’s is over? Here’s one worth reading from Inc. Magazine. Come on, there’s nothing going on until, like, Valentine’s day.
-Chris Brogan has good ideas pretty regularly. This week, I thought he really nailed an idea I like to visit over and over again with partners- how relationships improve sales.
-Would you like to check out the evolution of the website? Here it is- booneoakley, only on youtube. Something like this might not be right for you. But it could be. Which is why it’s there. So cool.
-Finally, here’s something that falls squarely in the “word geek” category. Cliff’s Notes (yes, the ones you used in high school with the bumble bee yellow and black covers) now produces the classics in manga. For those who aren’t familiar, manga is a wildly popular form of comic book from Japan. You know, with the kids.
Anyway, hope you liked these links. We’ll be collecting them again next week, so let us know if there’s something you’d like to see here.
Best Ideas Of The Week
Friday, December 18th, 2009
Friday seems like a good time to reflect.
That’s what this new feature on the Matterhorn blog is about. Pat and I are online a lot, of course. And we stumble on some pretty cool stuff throughout the course of a week.
There’s a lot of things that we see that we’d like to write whole posts about. So we do. But other things don’t fit for one reason or another (usually a time shortage). That’s what the Best Ideas Of The Week is for.
Enjoy…
“This I Believe” is an amazing series of short radio essays from people across the spectrum of American life, many famous, some not. Here’s one by movie and TV producer Brian Grazer about leaving your comfort zone. And surfing.
One of our favorite thinkers and marketers, Seth Godin released an ebook called “What Matters Now”. It’s available for free download, and is the kind of thing you really want to share with as many people as you can.
We’re big believers in quality content, partly because of Joe Pulizzi (@JuntaJoe on Twitter). He’s been writing about how to use content strategically for a long time on his blog. This week, he posted a list of 100 predictions for 2010 on content marketing and social media. These are thoughts from some of the best and brightest; it’s well worth a look.
If you’re an iphone user, you probably need the type-’n-walk app. Amazing that this didn’t come out earlier.
18 minutes well spent is a big deal in the age of the internet two-point-whatever. Robert Ballard, an oceanic explorer with too many discoveries to name, gives a fascinating talk about the new age of ocean exploration, and how much left there is to know about 3/4 of the planet. It’s the kind of thinking that gets you thinking.
Finally, if you’ve never heard John Henry Faulks’ Christmas story, you owe it to yourself to gather up your loved ones and have a listen.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Matterhorn.
Have You Changed the Oil on Your Web Presence?
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Quick- how often do you think about your web presence?
Personally, I think about it almost all the time. Yours, mine, theirs, how to improve, how to expand, how to increase conversions. All of it.
The other day I was thinking of a way to explain the importance of website maintenance.
First, what is it? In simple terms, it involves everything from bug fixes to security loopholes, from making sure that your content is current to tracking how people are finding it.
Well, it just so happened I was on my way for an oil change, and the metaphor hit me all at once:
When you buy a new vehicle, you’re making an investment which is generally a result of planning. What kind of vehicle? What brand? What color? What features? It’s similar to hiring a digital marketing company or a web designer, no?
Also, you have expected outcomes of the investment – smooth ride, worry-free driving in the snow, great gas mileage, even status. These are the goals that you intend want to reach through your investment.
Your web presence is similar; You go through the process of hiring an agency, and you determine features, content, and styling issues. You launch a website and a digital marketing campaign with expected outcomes.
However, here’s where usually the website loses out in our set-it-and-forget-it world.
You own a vehicle- do you change your oil somewhat regularly? Ever replaced your wiper blades, tires, or air filter? When the weather is nice, you wash it….maybe even once a year spring for a detail? You might not do all of those, but in order for your vehicle to run properly, it requires maintenance.
Your website is no different.
Would you walk into the dealership a year after purchasing a new vehicle and complain it isn’t working properly? What if you hadn’t ever changed the oil? Probably not.
Why, then, would you expect your search engine rankings to maintain or improve with no new content? Is it reasonable to expect improved conversions on your PPC without investing in testing of ads, landing pages, and calls to action? Social media success without participation?
Your web presence, like your vehicle, requires consistent attention and routine maintenance for maximum effectiveness. No way around it.
Thanksgiving In The Mountains
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Today, we’re going to have dinner with our families.
We’ll think about all of the great things that make our lives what they are.
You’re a big part of that. 
Thank you.
Y’Know, That’s A Really Good Question: Q and A From The Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual Conference
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
A few weeks back, Pat was invited to speak at the Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual Conference. We had some great sessions, and got a chance to meet some really heads-up marketing folks from across the state.
As promised, here’s a rundown of some of the questions that were asked after the sessions. Thanks to everyone that we got to meet from the Commonwealth- we look forward to seeing you again soon…
1. What’s the business side of Facebook?
Facebook has different kinds of profiles. For marketing, you need to be using a Fan Page and not a user profile. Fan pages have, among other things, tools to measure traffic, customizable tabs, and can be seen by anyone on the web (not just “friends”). Once you sign up for a Fan Page, there are several built in features and tons of customizable features for you to modify, brand, and track the use of on your page.
2. Is Twitter just talking back and forth? What is it?
Wow. Loaded question. One simple explanation is that Twitter lets you create little micro updates that everyone can see. Also, you can read the micro updates of anyone else on Twitter (and help them by answering your questions). If your tweets (140 character messages) are helpful, friendly, and not spammy, you can get in touch with thousands of people that are interested in what you’re doing.
3. What happened to Myspace?
Here’s what happened: Myspace got spammed..and became filled with glitter ponies. There aren’t many useful ways to filter out the noise on a Myspace account, and we generally leave Myspace out of our social marketing strategies. Exceptions should be made for music related businesses and those with a younger demographic.
4. Does social media have staying power?
Yes. Social Media is like the printing press- it has changed the way the world communicates forever. The power to connect and be heard is now in the hands of anyone with an internet connection. The tools will change. It won’t always be Facebook and Twitter, et. al. But now that marketing is a two-way street, it will never go back.
5. How do you find niche social networks?
Finding niches around the internet depends on how well you can listen and match. You can cross-reference your demographic profile with the profiles of social networks (linked on the presentation page) to find where folks like your customers are spending time. Also, be sure to ask your customers where they spend their time online, you might be surprised.
6. What’s a basic social media strategy?
Here’s a basic strategy in 3 parts: First, listen to what’s going on by finding the people that lead conversations you want to be a part of, wherever they are (blogs, Twitter, podcasts, etc.). Second, introduce yourself, and remember that social media is like a cocktail party (We highly recommend Jim Tobin’s book!), so take it easy and don’t start shouting. Third, be helpful by providing answers to people in ways that make it all about them, not you.
7. What are the security risks of using social media?
A couple of security situations you should be aware of deal with how social media accounts work. First, make sure that you register your user name on all the social media tools you can. That keeps others from impersonating you, or holding your usernames hostage. Also, there are scams and hacks in the social media spectrum just like everywhere else online, so keep yourself updated on what’s happening. Finally, don’t click on anything that seems odd- trust your BS meter.
8. How do you create separation between your personal and business social media profiles?
One of the interesting things about social media in general is how close the two are. You want to put a human face on your work when you use social media, so be yourself, not your brochure. Also, consider the social networking sites themselves- some are for friends and some are for business. Linkedin, for instance, is a network for business professionals- think of it as Facebook with a tie. The takeaway? Organizations that leverage social media best are those that encourage personality, not just presence.
Three Things You Should Be Doing (But Probably Aren’t)
Sunday, November 15th, 2009
With all the talk about different ways to market your business, there’s not much to be seen on the simple things. Here are some easy steps that could improve your digital marketing and your bottom line.
Call Tracking
While I was at Pubcon in Las Vegas, there was plenty of talk about social media, search, paid search, and more. Marty Weintraub and Michael Dorausch both mentioned call tracking, something we hear very little talk about.
It’s a technology that we’ve experimented with for over a year, and the information that can result is all useful. You can use call tracking by simply embedding a “throw-away” phone number on your landing pages, your website, social media profiles, and print ads. Using unique numbers allows you to then track the effectiveness of that placement.
Additionally, you can write conditional code which will show different numbers depending upon how they entered your website. In other words, if someone enters via an organic search query from Yahoo!, they’ll see a different number than if had they entered from a search on Google.
And there’s the metrics. You can learn the geographic origination of the phone call. You can see how long they talked. How many times they called. More. This information not only helps understand the effectiveness of your marketing, but can also help evaluate your customer service by studying call duration and repetition.
Talk to Your Customers
When was the last time you really talked to your customers? I’m not meaning just sending off email surveys (which are good), but actually talking to folks. Ask them for a few moments of their time while they are visiting your location. Or simply give a them a quick phone call.
You can find out helpful information such as what social networks they use, and what they thought of their experience with you. Simply ask them for their time, ask the questions, and give them a little something for their effort.
Customer Service Training
Do you train your employees on how to better serve your customers? Tony Hsieh at Zappos, requires ALL new hires to go through customer service training. Everyone there can answer the phone, answer your questions, fulfill your order, and on and on.
Think that’s helpful during the holiday season? What do you think that would do for consistency of customer interaction? Hint: Satisfaction is through the roof at Zappos.
It’s easy for the big companies, right? They have the budgets. Small businesses are faced with a number of different obstacles when it comes to implementing a customer service training program. Budget, time, and know-how are all factors which no one seems to have enough of.
But putting forth the effort to create training programs can have a tremendous impact. What if you raised your conversion rate by 1%? 2%? 10%?!
Sometimes, simple is the answer. Training can help you make the most of your marketing spend. And it helps focus on conversion and customer service.
What are you doing to boost conversion rate?
Stop For A Moment
Sunday, November 8th, 2009
One of the most touching things I’ve ever read is right here. It’s the story of Elena Desserich, a five year old girl with brain cancer.
How she died is terrible, tragic, and all too common in the world of children with cancer. What she left behind for her family, and for all of us, is remarkable.
Read it, watch the video, and go tell someone you love them.