The old-fashioned way of building web sites did involve getting messy with custom code and building custom “back end” interfaces and also involved hosting sites in-house. Today, however, there is no reason (with a few exceptions) for companies to build, host, and maintain web sites in-house. Modern web sites should be built on a content management system or application framework that removes the need for custom coding and messy development. When we design and deploy web sites at SpinWeb, we focus on the marketing and business development aspects of the site, rather than the technology. The technology should operate seamlessly in the background, leaving us free to be creative and focus on business goals.

This means that IT really should not be the only group with a role in the design, deployment, or management of the web site. Today’s modern tools allow the marketing team to handle all these activities with ease. This leaves IT free to provide better support for systems that is within the scope of their training. Everybody wins.

Are there exceptions? Absolutely. At SpinWeb we recently deployed a new web site for a prominent local credit union and we were working directly with the IT team and it was a very successful project. This was because the IT team saw the value of outsourcing the technology related to the web site and opening up control to Marketing, thus providing better service. When this is the goal, it’s a win-win for everyone. I would say that in this case, the IT team was wearing a partial Marketing and Communications hat during the project, in addition to IT responsibilities.

Remember that a web site is a marketing and communications tool - typically not an IT project.

Now, it’s true that saving a few business cards is not a big deal. However, it was interesting to see how belonging to the right social networks can act as a valuable supplement to “real-world” networking.

Next time you’re at a networking event, try finding the people you meet on Facebook, Smaller Indiana, or ConnectBNI to learn more. You might be surprised at how useful social networks can be when meeting new people.

Details:

• Approximately 900 sq ft
• High speed wireless Internet
• Alarm system
• Water cooler
• Access to a beautiful conference room with projection equipment
• Office shared with a great, fun design agency
• Fantastic location (86th and College in Nora)
• Ample parking
• Snow removal service
• Janitorial service
• In the heart of North side restaurants and shopping
• Private kitchenette and bathroom
• Flexible month-to-month terms
• All utilities and Internet paid by SpinWeb
• $750/month flat rate
• Optional: can be sliced into a smaller piece for lower rent

Contact:
Michael Reynolds
michael@spinweb.net
866.SPINWEB x1200

Cali and Jody » Blog Archive » The ROWE List.

Very exciting! We have been thrilled since migrating to ROWE and it’s great to be featured on the blog. Thanks, Cali and Jody!

Replace Your Office Software with Google Apps. Most businesses use Microsoft Office on PCs to allow employees to create documents and spreadsheets. However, did you know that Google also offers an office suite that happens to be free? Additionally, utilizing Google’s office suite (which includes Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations) allows your entire office to collaborate on documents and track changes in real time. This can reduce your expense for purchasing and upgrading office software to $0.

Replace Expensive Office Phone Systems with Cell Phones. Most businesses have a traditional phone system that consists of big, clunky phones that sit on desks. At the same time, many companies also provide cell phones for key employees. Why pay for both? Ditch the desk phones and go to a sleek, efficient, mobile-only system. Inbound calls can be handled by an auto-attendant such as Onebox, or by a live reception service like The Intelligent Office (be sure to ask for Matt!). These services will route inbound calls directly to the appropriate mobile phone and present a seamless experience to the caller. Not only can this reduce your costs, but it also facilitates better customer service since employees are no longer tied to a desk.

Re-invest your Yellow Pages Budget Into Online Search Marketing. Many businesses are beginning to understand that the Yellow Pages is a dying advertising medium and is producing fewer and fewers qualified leads as time goes on. At the same time, the online search market is booming (ever heard of Google?). Reduce your Yellow Pages budget down to $0 and re-invest that money into Search Marketing and I can almost guarantee that you will get a dramatically better return on investment. Search marketing reaches more people and allows you to generate targeted leads, unlike the Yellow Pages which has a higher percentage of people who are just price-shopping. Before you start your search marketing campaigns, be sure that your web site is current and professionally-designed.

Network, Network, Network!. As customers become more and more cautious, trust becomes even more important. Referral marketing and networking is a great way to build a network of trust that can lead to strong business relationships. Consider investing in memberships like BNI, Rainmakers, and other groups that are designed to facilitate referrals. While these groups include an initial investment in the form of membership fees, the rewards typically far outweigh the cost when done with full commitment and participation.

Reduce Travel and Communication Costs Through Videoconferencing and Web Meetings. With gas prices and travel expenses still high, it pays to consider holding meetings via Skype or other videoconferencing services. Skype is free and allows two people to talk and see each other from their computers over the Internet. Need to meet with a group and share visual aids? Hold meetings via GoToMeeting or DimDim (which is free). Both services even include a VoIP option which means no phone cost.

There are many ways to save money and keep sales strong in an uncertain economy. Interested in learning more about any of these ideas? Have some ideas of your own? Please comment.

Acquire taste - (37signals).

I admit that I’ve been guilty of subscribing to the “you’re just born with it” school of thought when it comes to taste but I’ve come to realize that this is somewhat elitist and also just plain not true. Additionally, it serves as a cop-out and an excuse to avoid the responsibility of having good taste.

Don’t be lazy - learn to understand the details that matter.

50 Web Usability Tips that Help You Attract and Retain Web Visitors.

A nice reminder that little details matter.

So how can Twitter be used in business? It’s a very popular tool for connecting people in a social setting but more and more businesses are using Twitter for business communication, as well.

Technical Status Messages. Twitter can be used to convey information about the status of systems that customers rely on. A great example of this is the way that 37signals uses Twitter to broadcast updates on system outages on their products (such as Basecamp, which is used by SpinWeb). If Basecamp is down, 37signals sends out a quick “tweet” which says something like “Basecamp is down for about 10 minutes… we are working on getting it up and running as soon as possible. Sorry for the problem!” This nice little message is delivered to my cell phone which quickly keeps me in the loop so I know what’s going on. It’s quite handy.

Product Updates. Another great use of Twitter is to send product updates. For example, if your company writes software and you release a new version, you can send out a quick message announcing this and encourage your customers to download the latest version from your web site.

Blogging. You can connect your Twitter feed to your company blog, which means that whenever your write new articles and post them to your web site, they will be announced on your twitter feed. Everyone who is following you will then see a note about your new blog post.

Public Relations and Media. Media professionals can use Twitter to send real-time updates from events that they are covering. Hosting a fundraiser? Post updates on money raised throughout the night. Covering a political rally? Post notes and developing stories.

Remember that most Twitter users receive updates via text message directly to their cell phones. This makes Twitter a very powerful way to communicate instantly to a large group of people. Careful and thoughtful use of Twitter can supplement your business communication in a very efficient way.

Interested in following SpinWeb on Twitter? Look us up and become one of our followers by clicking here!

The difference between common knowledge and universal knowledge - 37signals.

I enjoyed this because it’s something we constantly struggle with at SpinWeb. The struggle is “how do we make this easy for our clients” while still following common usability rules. As tech-oriented people, we (i.e. the team at SpinWeb and similar teams at similar agencies) often do forget that the average person has no idea what Twitter is and has never used Facebook. We take many things for granted and so we sometimes forget that others don’t live in our world.

It’s a fine balance point between providing extreme education and support, and at the same time asking our clients to take a leap of faith and supplement their existing knowledge with some new skills that we are happy to teach. The best relationships are a result of both parties making an effort to learn and grow.

Use a descriptive subject line. I see subject lines all the time that consist of “Hi” or “Question”. This is absolutely useless and makes it impossible to glean information about the message while scanning or searching subject lines. Instead, use a descriptive subject line that gives a very short summary or label related to the actual topic of the message. This will make your recipient more likely to read and act on your message and makes it easier to scan in a long list of messages.

Keep it short. Most people today are very busy and will have very little patience for an email that rambles and requires extreme effort to digest. Talk in clear, concise points and keep it as short as possible. In general, the longer the email, the slower your recipient will reply - if he or she replies at all.

Separate topics by paragraph. No one wants to squint through a long email that has no visual separation between topics. Keep your topics short and concise and separate them by a double-space. Paragraphs in email should not be indented, either.

Keep it actionable. This is an often-ignored guideline. Your recipient is probably very busy and has many other emails fighting for attention. The easier you make it for your recipient to act, the more likely it is that you will get results. People naturally want to process the things that are easiest and so by keeping your message clear and actionable, you increase the chances of a response. If you need something, say so succinctly. If you have a question, ask it clearly. Whatever action you need, get to the point and make it easy for your recipient to help you.

Include a signature. This courtesy is also commonly ignored. Every business email should have a signature. This is a small block of text that appears at the bottom of your message that includes your phone number and other contact information (company name, title, web site, etc.). This makes it easy for your recipient to call you if necessary, or find information on your company web site. Any email system will allow you to set up a default signature that is included automatically in every message. Don’t make your recipient go on a scavenger hunt for your contact information - include it in every email.

Remember to use proper email etiquette when communicating with your business contacts and you will be noticed as a great communicator and someone who is easy to do business with.