Dramatic Design

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Mobile Website – What is it and Do I need one?

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Mobile Internet Usage Graphic

The mobile web is becoming more and more important with each passing day, each new smart phone, and each new data plan phone user.  The mobile internet can no longer be ignored as an important marketing venue.

As you can see by this graphic, it is being predicted that mobile internet usage will overtake desktop internet usage by 2014–less than two years from now!  Businesses that refuse to adapt to the changing technology will not only BE left behind–they are already being left behind, as you can see that even today, one-HALF of all searches are being performed on mobile devices!  The speed of this technology adaptation is just incredible!

Benefits of having a mobile version of your website:

  • Faster loading than full website on mobile device because it is less graphically intense
  • Choose the information you want your mobile readers to view when they arrive
  • Clear, simple navigation
  • Larger font size upon entry for easier reading
  • Ability to enlarge text to preference of the reader with a simple hand motion
  • Portability allows content to be accessed anywhere a mobile device has a signal
  • Competitive advantage over competition without mobile websites
  • Offline interaction with QR Codes
  • Natural integration with social networking websites
  • Improved Search Engine Optimization, especially in the mobile website category

A mobile version of your website is a simplified, less graphically-intense version of the website.  All the text and images will appear, but the design is lighter and quicker to load.  The image below to the left shows the Home Page.

When you click on the arrow in the upper right-hand corner, the menu drops down, as shown in the image on the right.  From here, your mobile visitors can choose the page that he/she would like to view.

If you have a blog on your website with Categories, you can see there is a tab on the Menu where visitors can view your postings by category.

On the left, you can also see that your visitors can view the regular website by clicking the On button to the Off position.

Home    Menu

Below, to the right, you can see the Calendar page.  To view an individual Day, Week, or Month is only a click away.  You can also click on the individual event for more information.

To the right, you can see the Contact page, with all pertinent information and an interactive Google map.

I just chose a few sample pages to show how your mobile website can look.  You can choose the pages that you want displayed in the Menu, and leave off others, if you choose.

Smartphones (iPhone, Android, & Blackberry) will recognize that you have a mobile website and show it, instead of the regular site.

 

Calendar   Contact

 

If you have a WordPress site with Dramatic Design, this new option is available to you.  If you aren’t sure if your website is a WordPress site, just ask!

So, what if you don’t have a smartphone?  That doesn’t matter—your website isn’t there for you, it’s there for your customers and we’re trying to reach those customers in the way that is convenient for them.  After all, that’s what marketing is about, right?

This offer is available to current and new Dramatic Design WordPress clients for a nominal, one-time fee.

If you’d like to add a Mobile website to your marketing toolbox, please drop me a note and I’ll get that up and running for you!

Kim Smith

 

 

 

Complete infographic located at: https://pinterest.com/pin/159455643026652228/

Welcome Cindy Bidar!

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I would like everyone to welcome my friend, Cindy! She will be covering the next two Monday Marketing sessions for me. Cindy is a very, very talented copywriter. I hired her to write some Search Engine Optimized copy for a client of mine recently and within days, the site was ranking third in Google! I highly recommend her, should you have need of a copywriter–for the web or offline.

Thank you, Cindy, for what you have to say! You can find Cindy at www.CindyBidar.com

Behind The Scenes

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Some “behind the scenes” things have been going on at Dramatic Design lately…things that only current clients have known about until now. The client base for Dramatic Design has grown to the point that monthly billing was becoming a huge ordeal. So, instead of doing that manually, we now have an accounting program that helps with the task. Clients received their first look at the new invoicing system during the last billing cycle. The new accounting program will help free up more time for the important stuff–like designing websites, getting newsletters out, and keeping in better contact with clients.

One of the things we are trying to do is to get to know each client a little better. In an effort to do this, we invited them to have “virtual coffee” with us! Going for coffee, for most people, isn’t really about the “coffee”. It’s really about the relationship…the conversation…getting to know each other. So, each client was sent a questionaire about things we would talk about over coffee. As an encouragement for response, Dramatic Design is doing a drawing among those clients that send the questionaires back. The prize is either a Starbucks Gift Card or a Dramatic Design Coffee Mug. There’s still time to send your responses back in–the drawing will be held by the next billing date. Update: Congratulations to Captain Bill Muirhead of Spider Sportfishing!

New stat counters have also been installed on client sites that give some great real-time statistics, as well as reports that can be emailed weekly and/or monthly. Clients will be able to see where visitors are coming from, their general location, and length of visit–just for starters. The counters are invisible and don’t interfere with the performance of the website in any way. Just another “special touch” from Dramatic Design to you…no extra charge!

We recently also attended a great marketing seminar geared toward small businesses. Tony Rubleski of Mind Capture Group was the speaker. He gave lots of great advice, but focused on marketing with “grabbers”–something that “hooks” your potential customer and gets them interested enough in your marketing piece to read the whole thing…instead of tossing it in the nearest garbage can. Thanks to the Barry County Chamber for offering this seminar to it’s members.

Several new client sites are in the works, but the clients are extremely busy, so things are going a little slower than everyone involved would like. There are also several other yet unsigned clients “in the hopper”, so to speak. They are also anxious to get moving, but have to work through some details first. More on those later…

New Projects and Client News

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It’s been a very busy 2005 for Dramatic Design already! Several new projects are in the works.

One of the new sites I’ve had the pleasure to work on has been Sharon Walker Ministries, which is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sharon has been a joy to work with and has a truly unique ministry. We will also be working on a second website for Sharon. One for her church’s ministries. Look for details on Shekinah Rain Ministries in the near future.

Another new client is Susan Foster of Thornapple Financial Center in Middleville, Michigan. TFC specializes in tax preparation, accounting and financial planning. Work is in process for this site, but will have to move slowly…at least until after April 15th.

Kim Voshell of NBT Wear Screen Printing and Embroidery was recently featured in our local newspaper for her generous contribution of more than 300 t-shirts to a local elementary school. Each year, every student receives a t-shirt with the school name and logo on it so they can wear to show pride in their school. The generous contribution by NBT Wear has become an annual giving tradition. Thank you Kim for giving back to your community!

Additionally, Dramatic Design has started a newsletter for clients and other interested parties. The newsletter will focus on tips that will make your website better and things that will attract new and returning visitors. The first issue was on the topic “Getting Noticed Online”. If you would like to receive these periodical mailings, please sign up by clicking here.

Welcome to any visitors that may have stopped by as a result of the flyer sent to all Barry County Area Chamber members in the most recent newsletter. If you have any questions about Dramatic Design, or would like to find out how we can help your business establish a very inexpensive, yet professional website presence, please don’t hesitate to email or call!