WHITE HAT SEO
The days of Brute Force SEO are gone. The demise of strategic keyword stuffing creates a new breed of SEO Content Writers and Nashville Web Design Experts. We hear the term "White Hat SEO" quite a bit but what does it really mean? White Hat SEO is "The use of SEO strategies, techniques and tactics that focus on a human audience and completely follow search engine rules and policies. A Web site or content that is SEO optimized focuses on both content relevancy and organic search ranking".
ORGANIC SEARCH RANKING
The simple truth about organic search ranking is there are a limited number of content pages that appear on any search results page or SERP. Considering the amount of text, Image and video content that are heaped on the major search engines each day it just isn't reasonable to expect the number one position in organic search results. So why should you invest in SEO?
WHY SEO MATTERS
As solid SEO strategy should be considered the cornerstone of your online marketing portfolio. Many investments in digital marketing, while well-intentioned, simply fall short of reaching the intended goal. All advertising and marketing efforts align around a few very simple principles. The content must be educational and entertaining and in every instance must enhance business opportunity thru brand awareness. Are your Digital Marketing efforts successful?.
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3cid1nG
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Are you winning the price wars?
Must I discount to compete? This is a strategic issue that every businessperson must resolve.
How does one decide? You know your cost for the goods and services you provide. If you've developed a strategic business plan with financial projections, then you know what you must charge to grow a profitable business. You keep abreast of your competitor's prices, too. There's something even more important, though: what do your customers think your products or services are worth?
It's not as though those other factors are immaterial, but price is ultimately determined by customers' perceptions. The business owner can greatly influence those perceptions.
My wife's grandfather owned a furniture store in Kingsport, Tennessee. He never put anything on sale. If a table or chair didn't sell in a reasonable period of time, instead of discounting he raised its price. And if it didn't sell in a few weeks, he raised it again...and again, until it finally sold.
His successful strategy was built on this facet of human nature: what a customer is willing to give for anything depends on his perception of its value. When a merchant or business discounts, that reduces its perceived value. The discounted price becomes the benchmark price. If one sells widgets (or fabricates, repairs, or cleans widgets) for $10 and then offers them for a period of time or to some customers for $5, from then on, customers feel it's worth $5 and full price is over-charging.
If I shouldn't trim my prices, then how am I supposed to compete with others who under-bid me? Let me suggest two ways to deal with discounters.
Price Plus
Make the sales about something other than money. Sales produce income, sure, but they benefit you in other ways, too. Clarify to customers that you are willing to provide your product or service for a fee PLUS something else of value to your business. That "something else" might be a referral, use of project photographs in marketing campaigns, participation in a market test or new product launch, or a commitment to purchase additional items or an extended term of service.
If you believe the market value of a new item you've acquired or developed should eventually be $1,000 and your entire costs to deliver are $600, how much is it worth to have an account that is willing to showcase your work or to provide a glowing reference. Is that worth $200 to you? If so, explain that your charge is still $1,000, but you are willing to accept that as $800 in cash and $200 value in goodwill, influence, or access. That preserves your value.
Overwhelm
If you refuse to go under, go over. Don't under-price your competition; overwhelm your customer with all the features and benefits you offer. Make an irresistible case for your dependability, professionalism, and ability to carry through on commitments. Dave Lupeberger laid out a list of ways that a building contractor can establish his credibility, convince prospects of his reliability, and make saying "no" very difficult in his article, "Stop Competing on Price." His suggestions are equally applicable to other businesses:
-
- References and testimonials. Satisfied customers' opinions have clout.
- Photographs can have a greater impact than words.
- Provide a sample work schedule. Deal with the dread of delays.
- Document discussions and decisions. A clear paper trail, shared with your customer, will set you apart.
- Project specs. Eliminate misunderstandings by detailing all deliverables.
- Professionalism. Explain upfront how project changes and additions may be made, and at what cost.
Charge what you're worth, in either fees or other considerations, and make a compelling case that the customer gets far more from you than from discounters. Will this guarantee you'll win over every prospect? No, but as Lupeberger points out, "Sometimes the best projects are the ones you don't get." Let discounters have the customers to whom nothing but price matters and build a customer base of value-conscious individuals.
https://bit.ly/3yXQbt7
Must I discount to compete? This is a strategic issue that every businessperson must resolve.
How does one decide? You know your cost for the goods and services you provide. If you've developed a strategic business plan with financial projections, then you know what you must charge to grow a profitable business. You keep abreast of your competitor's prices, too. There's something even more important, though: what do your customers think your products or services are worth?
It's not as though those other factors are immaterial, but price is ultimately determined by customers' perceptions. The business owner can greatly influence those perceptions.
My wife's grandfather owned a furniture store in Kingsport, Tennessee. He never put anything on sale. If a table or chair didn't sell in a reasonable period of time, instead of discounting he raised its price. And if it didn't sell in a few weeks, he raised it again...and again, until it finally sold.
His successful strategy was built on this facet of human nature: what a customer is willing to give for anything depends on his perception of its value. When a merchant or business discounts, that reduces its perceived value. The discounted price becomes the benchmark price. If one sells widgets (or fabricates, repairs, or cleans widgets) for $10 and then offers them for a period of time or to some customers for $5, from then on, customers feel it's worth $5 and full price is over-charging.
If I shouldn't trim my prices, then how am I supposed to compete with others who under-bid me? Let me suggest two ways to deal with discounters.
Price Plus
Make the sales about something other than money. Sales produce income, sure, but they benefit you in other ways, too. Clarify to customers that you are willing to provide your product or service for a fee PLUS something else of value to your business. That "something else" might be a referral, use of project photographs in marketing campaigns, participation in a market test or new product launch, or a commitment to purchase additional items or an extended term of service.
If you believe the market value of a new item you've acquired or developed should eventually be $1,000 and your entire costs to deliver are $600, how much is it worth to have an account that is willing to showcase your work or to provide a glowing reference. Is that worth $200 to you? If so, explain that your charge is still $1,000, but you are willing to accept that as $800 in cash and $200 value in goodwill, influence, or access. That preserves your value.
Overwhelm
If you refuse to go under, go over. Don't under-price your competition; overwhelm your customer with all the features and benefits you offer. Make an irresistible case for your dependability, professionalism, and ability to carry through on commitments. Dave Lupeberger laid out a list of ways that a building contractor can establish his credibility, convince prospects of his reliability, and make saying "no" very difficult in his article, "Stop Competing on Price." His suggestions are equally applicable to other businesses:
-
- References and testimonials. Satisfied customers' opinions have clout.
- Photographs can have a greater impact than words.
- Provide a sample work schedule. Deal with the dread of delays.
- Document discussions and decisions. A clear paper trail, shared with your customer, will set you apart.
- Project specs. Eliminate misunderstandings by detailing all deliverables.
- Professionalism. Explain upfront how project changes and additions may be made, and at what cost.
Charge what you're worth, in either fees or other considerations, and make a compelling case that the customer gets far more from you than from discounters. Will this guarantee you'll win over every prospect? No, but as Lupeberger points out, "Sometimes the best projects are the ones you don't get." Let discounters have the customers to whom nothing but price matters and build a customer base of value-conscious individuals.
https://bit.ly/3yXQbt7
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
WEB DESIGN USER EXPERIENCE
The most overlooked Web Design elements are the most important. Web Design User Experience. Smart Web Design is more than just creating fancy templates and sharp graphics. SEO and Search Engine Marketing create a road map to relevant content on the web, but the destination must be a site that really works. The best content and the most current technology won't help you reach those goals without a cohesive and consistent online user experience to support it. THE UX DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe User Experience Development Process defines a simple yet powerful Web Development Framework. Implemented correctly, it assures a consistent Web Project Development environment and successful delivery.
Strategy - The scope is fundamentally determined by the strategy of the site. What the client and users want to get out of the site.Scope - The structure defines the way in which the various features and functions of the site fit together. Just what those features and functions constitute the scope of the site. Structure - The skeleton is a concrete expression of the structure of the site. The placement of elements on the page, how users got to that page, and the arrangement of navigation. Skeleton - Beneath the surface is the skeleton of the site. The placement of buttons, tabs, photos, and blocks of text. The skeleton is designed to optimize the arrangement of these elements for maximum effect. Surface - On the surface, you see a series of Web pages, made up of images and text.
UX AND UI DESIGN "User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are some of the most confused and misused terms in our field. A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while a UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it. A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product's success."
- Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster. FM
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN? As is found on Wikipedia:
User experience design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Strategy and Content: Competitor Analysis
Customer Analysis
Product Structure/Strategy
Content Development
Wire-framing and Prototyping: Wire-framing
Prototyping
Testing/Iteration
Development Planning
Execution and AnalyticsCoordination with UI Designer(s)
Coordination with Developer(s)
Tracking Goals and Integration
Analysis and IterationUltimately the aim is to connect business goals to user's needs through a process of testing and refinement to satisfy both sides of the relationship.
So in conclusion:
- User Experience Design is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
- Also responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality results.
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
User Interface Design is the look and feel, the presentation, and interactivity of a product. It is the process of the transference of a product's development, research, content, and layout into an attractive, guiding, and responsive experience for users.
Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Look and Feel: Customer Analysis
Design Research
Branding and Graphic Development
User Guides/Storyline
Responsiveness and Interactivity: UI Prototyping: Interactivity and Animation
Adaptation to All Device Screen Sizes
Implementation with DeveloperUI Design is crucial to any digital interface and for customers a key element to trusting a brand. While the brand itself is never solely the responsibility of the UI designer, its translation to the product is. So in conclusion: User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand's strengths and visual assets to a product's interface to best enhance the user's experience.
User Interface Design is a process of visually guiding the user through a product's interface via interactive elements and across all sizes/platforms.UI design produces a product's: Skin - a product's visual/graphic presentation. Senses - a product's reactivity and interactivity in response to a user's input or different display environments. And make up - a product's guides, hints, and directives that visually lead users through their experience
"Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While Something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI."
So you see, they are both crucial, and while there are millions of examples of great products with one and not the other, imagine how much more successful they might have been when strong in both fields.
Read more in Digital Fingerprint Framework™ Vol 3
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3MSQOZM
The most overlooked Web Design elements are the most important. Web Design User Experience. Smart Web Design is more than just creating fancy templates and sharp graphics. SEO and Search Engine Marketing create a road map to relevant content on the web, but the destination must be a site that really works. The best content and the most current technology won't help you reach those goals without a cohesive and consistent online user experience to support it. THE UX DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe User Experience Development Process defines a simple yet powerful Web Development Framework. Implemented correctly, it assures a consistent Web Project Development environment and successful delivery.
Strategy - The scope is fundamentally determined by the strategy of the site. What the client and users want to get out of the site.Scope - The structure defines the way in which the various features and functions of the site fit together. Just what those features and functions constitute the scope of the site. Structure - The skeleton is a concrete expression of the structure of the site. The placement of elements on the page, how users got to that page, and the arrangement of navigation. Skeleton - Beneath the surface is the skeleton of the site. The placement of buttons, tabs, photos, and blocks of text. The skeleton is designed to optimize the arrangement of these elements for maximum effect. Surface - On the surface, you see a series of Web pages, made up of images and text.
UX AND UI DESIGN "User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are some of the most confused and misused terms in our field. A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while a UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it. A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product's success."
- Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster. FM
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN? As is found on Wikipedia:
User experience design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Strategy and Content: Competitor Analysis
Customer Analysis
Product Structure/Strategy
Content Development
Wire-framing and Prototyping: Wire-framing
Prototyping
Testing/Iteration
Development Planning
Execution and AnalyticsCoordination with UI Designer(s)
Coordination with Developer(s)
Tracking Goals and Integration
Analysis and IterationUltimately the aim is to connect business goals to user's needs through a process of testing and refinement to satisfy both sides of the relationship.
So in conclusion:
- User Experience Design is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
- Also responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality results.
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
User Interface Design is the look and feel, the presentation, and interactivity of a product. It is the process of the transference of a product's development, research, content, and layout into an attractive, guiding, and responsive experience for users.
Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Look and Feel: Customer Analysis
Design Research
Branding and Graphic Development
User Guides/Storyline
Responsiveness and Interactivity: UI Prototyping: Interactivity and Animation
Adaptation to All Device Screen Sizes
Implementation with DeveloperUI Design is crucial to any digital interface and for customers a key element to trusting a brand. While the brand itself is never solely the responsibility of the UI designer, its translation to the product is. So in conclusion: User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand's strengths and visual assets to a product's interface to best enhance the user's experience.
User Interface Design is a process of visually guiding the user through a product's interface via interactive elements and across all sizes/platforms.UI design produces a product's: Skin - a product's visual/graphic presentation. Senses - a product's reactivity and interactivity in response to a user's input or different display environments. And make up - a product's guides, hints, and directives that visually lead users through their experience
"Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While Something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI."
So you see, they are both crucial, and while there are millions of examples of great products with one and not the other, imagine how much more successful they might have been when strong in both fields.
Read more in Digital Fingerprint Framework™ Vol 3
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3MSQOZM
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
WEB DESIGN USER EXPERIENCE
The most overlooked Web Design elements are the most important. Web Design User Experience. Smart Web Design is more than just creating fancy templates and sharp graphics. SEO and Search Engine Marketing create a road map to relevant content on the web, but the destination must be a site that really works. The best content and the most current technology won't help you reach those goals without a cohesive and consistent online user experience to support it. THE UX DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe User Experience Development Process defines a simple yet powerful Web Development Framework. Implemented correctly, it assures a consistent Web Project Development environment and successful delivery.
Strategy - The scope is fundamentally determined by the strategy of the site. What the client and users want to get out of the site.Scope - The structure defines the way in which the various features and functions of the site fit together. Just what those features and functions constitute the scope of the site. Structure - The skeleton is a concrete expression of the structure of the site. The placement of elements on the page, how users got to that page, and the arrangement of navigation. Skeleton - Beneath the surface is the skeleton of the site. The placement of buttons, tabs, photos, and blocks of text. The skeleton is designed to optimize the arrangement of these elements for maximum effect. Surface - On the surface, you see a series of Web pages, made up of images and text.
UX AND UI DESIGN "User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are some of the most confused and misused terms in our field. A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while a UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it. A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product's success."
- Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster. FM
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN? As is found on Wikipedia:
User experience design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Strategy and Content: Competitor Analysis
Customer Analysis
Product Structure/Strategy
Content Development
Wire-framing and Prototyping: Wire-framing
Prototyping
Testing/Iteration
Development Planning
Execution and AnalyticsCoordination with UI Designer(s)
Coordination with Developer(s)
Tracking Goals and Integration
Analysis and IterationUltimately the aim is to connect business goals to user's needs through a process of testing and refinement to satisfy both sides of the relationship.
So in conclusion:
- User Experience Design is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
- Also responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality results.
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
User Interface Design is the look and feel, the presentation, and interactivity of a product. It is the process of the transference of a product's development, research, content, and layout into an attractive, guiding, and responsive experience for users.
Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Look and Feel: Customer Analysis
Design Research
Branding and Graphic Development
User Guides/Storyline
Responsiveness and Interactivity: UI Prototyping: Interactivity and Animation
Adaptation to All Device Screen Sizes
Implementation with DeveloperUI Design is crucial to any digital interface and for customers a key element to trusting a brand. While the brand itself is never solely the responsibility of the UI designer, its translation to the product is. So in conclusion: User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand's strengths and visual assets to a product's interface to best enhance the user's experience.
User Interface Design is a process of visually guiding the user through a product's interface via interactive elements and across all sizes/platforms.UI design produces a product's: Skin - a product's visual/graphic presentation. Senses - a product's reactivity and interactivity in response to a user's input or different display environments. And make up - a product's guides, hints, and directives that visually lead users through their experience
"Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While Something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI."
So you see, they are both crucial, and while there are millions of examples of great products with one and not the other, imagine how much more successful they might have been when strong in both fields.
Read more in Digital Fingerprint Framework™ Vol 3
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3MSQOZM
The most overlooked Web Design elements are the most important. Web Design User Experience. Smart Web Design is more than just creating fancy templates and sharp graphics. SEO and Search Engine Marketing create a road map to relevant content on the web, but the destination must be a site that really works. The best content and the most current technology won't help you reach those goals without a cohesive and consistent online user experience to support it. THE UX DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe User Experience Development Process defines a simple yet powerful Web Development Framework. Implemented correctly, it assures a consistent Web Project Development environment and successful delivery.
Strategy - The scope is fundamentally determined by the strategy of the site. What the client and users want to get out of the site.Scope - The structure defines the way in which the various features and functions of the site fit together. Just what those features and functions constitute the scope of the site. Structure - The skeleton is a concrete expression of the structure of the site. The placement of elements on the page, how users got to that page, and the arrangement of navigation. Skeleton - Beneath the surface is the skeleton of the site. The placement of buttons, tabs, photos, and blocks of text. The skeleton is designed to optimize the arrangement of these elements for maximum effect. Surface - On the surface, you see a series of Web pages, made up of images and text.
UX AND UI DESIGN "User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are some of the most confused and misused terms in our field. A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while a UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it. A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product's success."
- Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster. FM
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN? As is found on Wikipedia:
User experience design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Strategy and Content: Competitor Analysis
Customer Analysis
Product Structure/Strategy
Content Development
Wire-framing and Prototyping: Wire-framing
Prototyping
Testing/Iteration
Development Planning
Execution and AnalyticsCoordination with UI Designer(s)
Coordination with Developer(s)
Tracking Goals and Integration
Analysis and IterationUltimately the aim is to connect business goals to user's needs through a process of testing and refinement to satisfy both sides of the relationship.
So in conclusion:
- User Experience Design is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
- Also responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality results.
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
User Interface Design is the look and feel, the presentation, and interactivity of a product. It is the process of the transference of a product's development, research, content, and layout into an attractive, guiding, and responsive experience for users.
Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Look and Feel: Customer Analysis
Design Research
Branding and Graphic Development
User Guides/Storyline
Responsiveness and Interactivity: UI Prototyping: Interactivity and Animation
Adaptation to All Device Screen Sizes
Implementation with DeveloperUI Design is crucial to any digital interface and for customers a key element to trusting a brand. While the brand itself is never solely the responsibility of the UI designer, its translation to the product is. So in conclusion: User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand's strengths and visual assets to a product's interface to best enhance the user's experience.
User Interface Design is a process of visually guiding the user through a product's interface via interactive elements and across all sizes/platforms.UI design produces a product's: Skin - a product's visual/graphic presentation. Senses - a product's reactivity and interactivity in response to a user's input or different display environments. And make up - a product's guides, hints, and directives that visually lead users through their experience
"Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While Something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI."
So you see, they are both crucial, and while there are millions of examples of great products with one and not the other, imagine how much more successful they might have been when strong in both fields.
Read more in Digital Fingerprint Framework™ Vol 3
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3MSQOZM
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Are you winning the price wars?
Must I discount to compete? This is a strategic issue that every businessperson must resolve.
How does one decide? You know your cost for the goods and services you provide. If you've developed a strategic business plan with financial projections, then you know what you must charge to grow a profitable business. You keep abreast of your competitor's prices, too. There's something even more important, though: what do your customers think your products or services are worth?
It's not as though those other factors are immaterial, but price is ultimately determined by customers' perceptions. The business owner can greatly influence those perceptions.
My wife's grandfather owned a furniture store in Kingsport, Tennessee. He never put anything on sale. If a table or chair didn't sell in a reasonable period of time, instead of discounting he raised its price. And if it didn't sell in a few weeks, he raised it again...and again, until it finally sold.
His successful strategy was built on this facet of human nature: what a customer is willing to give for anything depends on his perception of its value. When a merchant or business discounts, that reduces its perceived value. The discounted price becomes the benchmark price. If one sells widgets (or fabricates, repairs, or cleans widgets) for $10 and then offers them for a period of time or to some customers for $5, from then on, customers feel it's worth $5 and full price is over-charging.
If I shouldn't trim my prices, then how am I supposed to compete with others who under-bid me? Let me suggest two ways to deal with discounters.
Price Plus
Make the sales about something other than money. Sales produce income, sure, but they benefit you in other ways, too. Clarify to customers that you are willing to provide your product or service for a fee PLUS something else of value to your business. That "something else" might be a referral, use of project photographs in marketing campaigns, participation in a market test or new product launch, or a commitment to purchase additional items or an extended term of service.
If you believe the market value of a new item you've acquired or developed should eventually be $1,000 and your entire costs to deliver are $600, how much is it worth to have an account that is willing to showcase your work or to provide a glowing reference. Is that worth $200 to you? If so, explain that your charge is still $1,000, but you are willing to accept that as $800 in cash and $200 value in goodwill, influence, or access. That preserves your value.
Overwhelm
If you refuse to go under, go over. Don't under-price your competition; overwhelm your customer with all the features and benefits you offer. Make an irresistible case for your dependability, professionalism, and ability to carry through on commitments. Dave Lupeberger laid out a list of ways that a building contractor can establish his credibility, convince prospects of his reliability, and make saying "no" very difficult in his article, "Stop Competing on Price." His suggestions are equally applicable to other businesses:
-
- References and testimonials. Satisfied customers' opinions have clout.
- Photographs can have a greater impact than words.
- Provide a sample work schedule. Deal with the dread of delays.
- Document discussions and decisions. A clear paper trail, shared with your customer, will set you apart.
- Project specs. Eliminate misunderstandings by detailing all deliverables.
- Professionalism. Explain upfront how project changes and additions may be made, and at what cost.
Charge what you're worth, in either fees or other considerations, and make a compelling case that the customer gets far more from you than from discounters. Will this guarantee you'll win over every prospect? No, but as Lupeberger points out, "Sometimes the best projects are the ones you don't get." Let discounters have the customers to whom nothing but price matters and build a customer base of value-conscious individuals.
https://bit.ly/3yXQbt7
Must I discount to compete? This is a strategic issue that every businessperson must resolve.
How does one decide? You know your cost for the goods and services you provide. If you've developed a strategic business plan with financial projections, then you know what you must charge to grow a profitable business. You keep abreast of your competitor's prices, too. There's something even more important, though: what do your customers think your products or services are worth?
It's not as though those other factors are immaterial, but price is ultimately determined by customers' perceptions. The business owner can greatly influence those perceptions.
My wife's grandfather owned a furniture store in Kingsport, Tennessee. He never put anything on sale. If a table or chair didn't sell in a reasonable period of time, instead of discounting he raised its price. And if it didn't sell in a few weeks, he raised it again...and again, until it finally sold.
His successful strategy was built on this facet of human nature: what a customer is willing to give for anything depends on his perception of its value. When a merchant or business discounts, that reduces its perceived value. The discounted price becomes the benchmark price. If one sells widgets (or fabricates, repairs, or cleans widgets) for $10 and then offers them for a period of time or to some customers for $5, from then on, customers feel it's worth $5 and full price is over-charging.
If I shouldn't trim my prices, then how am I supposed to compete with others who under-bid me? Let me suggest two ways to deal with discounters.
Price Plus
Make the sales about something other than money. Sales produce income, sure, but they benefit you in other ways, too. Clarify to customers that you are willing to provide your product or service for a fee PLUS something else of value to your business. That "something else" might be a referral, use of project photographs in marketing campaigns, participation in a market test or new product launch, or a commitment to purchase additional items or an extended term of service.
If you believe the market value of a new item you've acquired or developed should eventually be $1,000 and your entire costs to deliver are $600, how much is it worth to have an account that is willing to showcase your work or to provide a glowing reference. Is that worth $200 to you? If so, explain that your charge is still $1,000, but you are willing to accept that as $800 in cash and $200 value in goodwill, influence, or access. That preserves your value.
Overwhelm
If you refuse to go under, go over. Don't under-price your competition; overwhelm your customer with all the features and benefits you offer. Make an irresistible case for your dependability, professionalism, and ability to carry through on commitments. Dave Lupeberger laid out a list of ways that a building contractor can establish his credibility, convince prospects of his reliability, and make saying "no" very difficult in his article, "Stop Competing on Price." His suggestions are equally applicable to other businesses:
-
- References and testimonials. Satisfied customers' opinions have clout.
- Photographs can have a greater impact than words.
- Provide a sample work schedule. Deal with the dread of delays.
- Document discussions and decisions. A clear paper trail, shared with your customer, will set you apart.
- Project specs. Eliminate misunderstandings by detailing all deliverables.
- Professionalism. Explain upfront how project changes and additions may be made, and at what cost.
Charge what you're worth, in either fees or other considerations, and make a compelling case that the customer gets far more from you than from discounters. Will this guarantee you'll win over every prospect? No, but as Lupeberger points out, "Sometimes the best projects are the ones you don't get." Let discounters have the customers to whom nothing but price matters and build a customer base of value-conscious individuals.
https://bit.ly/3yXQbt7
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
WEB DESIGN USER EXPERIENCE
The most overlooked Web Design elements are the most important. Web Design User Experience. Smart Web Design is more than just creating fancy templates and sharp graphics. SEO and Search Engine Marketing create a road map to relevant content on the web, but the destination must be a site that really works. The best content and the most current technology won't help you reach those goals without a cohesive and consistent online user experience to support it. THE UX DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe User Experience Development Process defines a simple yet powerful Web Development Framework. Implemented correctly, it assures a consistent Web Project Development environment and successful delivery.
Strategy - The scope is fundamentally determined by the strategy of the site. What the client and users want to get out of the site.Scope - The structure defines the way in which the various features and functions of the site fit together. Just what those features and functions constitute the scope of the site. Structure - The skeleton is a concrete expression of the structure of the site. The placement of elements on the page, how users got to that page, and the arrangement of navigation. Skeleton - Beneath the surface is the skeleton of the site. The placement of buttons, tabs, photos, and blocks of text. The skeleton is designed to optimize the arrangement of these elements for maximum effect. Surface - On the surface, you see a series of Web pages, made up of images and text.
UX AND UI DESIGN "User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are some of the most confused and misused terms in our field. A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while a UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it. A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product's success."
- Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster. FM
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN? As is found on Wikipedia:
User experience design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Strategy and Content: Competitor Analysis
Customer Analysis
Product Structure/Strategy
Content Development
Wire-framing and Prototyping: Wire-framing
Prototyping
Testing/Iteration
Development Planning
Execution and AnalyticsCoordination with UI Designer(s)
Coordination with Developer(s)
Tracking Goals and Integration
Analysis and IterationUltimately the aim is to connect business goals to user's needs through a process of testing and refinement to satisfy both sides of the relationship.
So in conclusion:
- User Experience Design is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
- Also responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality results.
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
User Interface Design is the look and feel, the presentation, and interactivity of a product. It is the process of the transference of a product's development, research, content, and layout into an attractive, guiding, and responsive experience for users.
Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Look and Feel: Customer Analysis
Design Research
Branding and Graphic Development
User Guides/Storyline
Responsiveness and Interactivity: UI Prototyping: Interactivity and Animation
Adaptation to All Device Screen Sizes
Implementation with DeveloperUI Design is crucial to any digital interface and for customers a key element to trusting a brand. While the brand itself is never solely the responsibility of the UI designer, its translation to the product is. So in conclusion: User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand's strengths and visual assets to a product's interface to best enhance the user's experience.
User Interface Design is a process of visually guiding the user through a product's interface via interactive elements and across all sizes/platforms.UI design produces a product's: Skin - a product's visual/graphic presentation. Senses - a product's reactivity and interactivity in response to a user's input or different display environments. And make up - a product's guides, hints, and directives that visually lead users through their experience
"Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While Something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI."
So you see, they are both crucial, and while there are millions of examples of great products with one and not the other, imagine how much more successful they might have been when strong in both fields.
Read more in Digital Fingerprint Framework™ Vol 3
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3MSQOZM
The most overlooked Web Design elements are the most important. Web Design User Experience. Smart Web Design is more than just creating fancy templates and sharp graphics. SEO and Search Engine Marketing create a road map to relevant content on the web, but the destination must be a site that really works. The best content and the most current technology won't help you reach those goals without a cohesive and consistent online user experience to support it. THE UX DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe User Experience Development Process defines a simple yet powerful Web Development Framework. Implemented correctly, it assures a consistent Web Project Development environment and successful delivery.
Strategy - The scope is fundamentally determined by the strategy of the site. What the client and users want to get out of the site.Scope - The structure defines the way in which the various features and functions of the site fit together. Just what those features and functions constitute the scope of the site. Structure - The skeleton is a concrete expression of the structure of the site. The placement of elements on the page, how users got to that page, and the arrangement of navigation. Skeleton - Beneath the surface is the skeleton of the site. The placement of buttons, tabs, photos, and blocks of text. The skeleton is designed to optimize the arrangement of these elements for maximum effect. Surface - On the surface, you see a series of Web pages, made up of images and text.
UX AND UI DESIGN "User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are some of the most confused and misused terms in our field. A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while a UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it. A great product experience starts with UX followed by UI. Both are essential for the product's success."
- Rahul Varshney, Co-creator of Foster. FM
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN? As is found on Wikipedia:
User experience design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Strategy and Content: Competitor Analysis
Customer Analysis
Product Structure/Strategy
Content Development
Wire-framing and Prototyping: Wire-framing
Prototyping
Testing/Iteration
Development Planning
Execution and AnalyticsCoordination with UI Designer(s)
Coordination with Developer(s)
Tracking Goals and Integration
Analysis and IterationUltimately the aim is to connect business goals to user's needs through a process of testing and refinement to satisfy both sides of the relationship.
So in conclusion:
- User Experience Design is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company.
- Also responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, testing, development, content, and prototyping to test for quality results.
WHAT IS USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
User Interface Design is the look and feel, the presentation, and interactivity of a product. It is the process of the transference of a product's development, research, content, and layout into an attractive, guiding, and responsive experience for users.
Here is a high-level example of UX Design as it applies to the development of digital products: Look and Feel: Customer Analysis
Design Research
Branding and Graphic Development
User Guides/Storyline
Responsiveness and Interactivity: UI Prototyping: Interactivity and Animation
Adaptation to All Device Screen Sizes
Implementation with DeveloperUI Design is crucial to any digital interface and for customers a key element to trusting a brand. While the brand itself is never solely the responsibility of the UI designer, its translation to the product is. So in conclusion: User Interface Design is responsible for the transference of a brand's strengths and visual assets to a product's interface to best enhance the user's experience.
User Interface Design is a process of visually guiding the user through a product's interface via interactive elements and across all sizes/platforms.UI design produces a product's: Skin - a product's visual/graphic presentation. Senses - a product's reactivity and interactivity in response to a user's input or different display environments. And make up - a product's guides, hints, and directives that visually lead users through their experience
"Something that looks great but is difficult to use is exemplary of great UI and poor UX. While Something very usable that looks terrible is exemplary of great UX and poor UI."
So you see, they are both crucial, and while there are millions of examples of great products with one and not the other, imagine how much more successful they might have been when strong in both fields.
Read more in Digital Fingerprint Framework™ Vol 3
360 Site Design is your Nashville Web Design Experts. Our Digital Fingerprint Framework™ ensures a great design every time and our deep understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) strategy makes us your best choice for all your SEO web design and digital marketing needs.
https://bit.ly/3MSQOZM
Thursday, June 2, 2022
You're starting the small business of your dreams, the web address is available, and you're on your way. The only problem? If you build a site they will not necessarily come.Why?Because there are billions of websites on the internet with billions of people searching the web every day. You have to stand out if you're going to get traffic to your website.How?Great SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for getting organic traffic to your site. The importance of SEO is hard to overstate.Are you ready to learn more about SEO strategies and SEO for your website? Keep reading for a beginner's guide to SEO.What Is SEO?SEO is search engine optimization. It's making sure your website is up to standards day in and day out. It's all about making your site visible and a valuable resource to people searching the internet for the product or service you offer and they need.SEO isn't something you can set and forget. Driving organic traffic to your website takes time and effort on an ongoing basis. Making it to page one of Google's search results isn't easy but it's the goal of every business.One of the toughest things about SEO? It's a moving target. SEO is a dynamic and constantly changing field, so it's important to stay informed.You need to optimize your content so the search engines find it. If Google and other search engines can't find your website, it's not going to show up in any search queries.Search engines have robots that crawl the internet all the time. Those robots look for specific elements on your site. When you optimize all those elements, then you have good SEO.The Importance of SEO Site Design in NashvilleMost people searching the internet have specific intentions - they know exactly what they're looking for. Good SEO identifies those intentions and drives them to your site.That's why you need the best SEO web design in Nashville! These are leads that then convert to sales.There's a lot of power in an internet search because of this targeted capability. Instead of an advertisement that reaches people who'll never buy your product, SEO targets only those people who already have an interest in your product.This is what makes SEO so valuable, especially local SEO specific to a place, such as Nashville. Effective SEO strategies drive local search results and potential customers to your site but also drive those with a stated interest in the type of product you offer.How do you get people to your site and keep them there with SEO? A great question that leads us to the next point...Unique, Compelling ContentSearch engines don't like duplicate content and your rankings will suffer if they think you have it. Never plagiarize content from another website, and don't duplicate content from your own site.You need to publish authoritative, relevant, unique content on a regular basis. One of the best ways to do this is through a blog. Create high-quality content with your target audience in mind and share it with social media marketing.What problems does your product or service solve? Write blog posts highlighting how your products help your audience.Valuable content keeps people coming back to read more. You want a loyal readership that recognizes you as an authority in your niche. When they do have a need for your service or product, yours is the first company they'll think of.Keyword OptimizationWhen you're writing your unique, high-quality content, how do you ensure your audience sees it? Through keyword optimization.You need keywords and keyword phrases that speak to the needs of your potential customers. If you're selling widgets, think about the words people use to search for widgets, such as:Where do I find the best widgets?Best widgets near meWhat are widgets?How do I use widgets?These are all phrases about widgets a potential customer might use. You can address each query in a blog post on your website. Place your primary keyword within the first 100 words of your post.When the robots crawl your site, they'll zero in on the keywords and index the site. Content is one of the most influential elements of your site when it comes to search engine rankings.Make sure and update your content at least once a week. This alerts Google that your website is active.MetadataMetadata is also important for SEO for your website. Metadata describes components of your website that your user doesn't see.Description metadata is the description a user sees in the search return. It's like a small window into your site.Use an enticing and concise description of what's on the page. Use between 50-160 characters. Avoid going over 160 because the search engine won't display the description if it's too long.Title metadata is the page title at the top of the page that your customer sees displayed in the browser. It's crucial and the most important metadata for the search engine.Use titles that employ keywords and keyword phrases relevant to your site.Alt tags are the descriptions of your images. Images are important to search engines, so always provide an alternative description on all images. This description is for viewers who can't see the actual image.Create a Link-Worthy SiteCreate an authoritative, unbiased site with valuable content that helps your visitors. This type of site generates interest from both users and other site owners and attracts links from those other sites.Having other trusted and authoritative sites link to yours is great for SEO. When adding links to your site, avoid links that say "click here." The search engines don't put any value on those links.Instead, use links that describe where the link is leading your user. A link such as "The Bureau of Labor Statistics" generates much more value when it comes to SEO.The Benefits of SEO for Your WebsiteGreat search engine optimization alerts Google and other search engines to your website. It also tells them your site is active and an authority in your market. Ignoring your SEO is like throwing money in the trash!Are you ready to achieve your goals and get serious about your SEO? The SEO experts in Nashville at 360 Site Design can help! Contact us today for more information.
https://bit.ly/3atYc01
Friday, May 13, 2022
New Website Client - Special Announcement – Hawg Troughs offers innovative and entertaining live fishing exhibitions. We travel to your event site and perform educational fishing seminars with an amazing 4000-gallon aquarium. The aquarium is over 40 feet in length and it displays multiple types of fish.
https://bit.ly/3Les2SS
New website client - Special Announcement Bass Tubs offers innovative and entertaining live fishing exhibitions. We travel to your event site and perform educational fishing seminars with an amazing 4000-gallon aquarium. The aquarium is over 40 feet in length and it displays multiple types of fish.
https://bit.ly/3l76vAX
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