This question was posted by Inc Magazine Here:
http://blog.inc.com/boss-school/2008/03/whats_most_important_profits_c.html
Question:
It's important for every boss to understand what his or her critical functionsare. These might change significantly as you grow. You might, for example, start out doing all of the sales for your company and end up doing very minimal sales as you grow. But it's important for you to decide what's most important to you.
When I started in business, I used to think my one and only job was to take care of the customers. As I grew, I found out the hard way that it's very easy to have happy customers but still not make any money. Inappropriate pricing or lack of control over costs can quickly turn what seems to be a profitable sale into unproductive busy work. It took me a few years to figure out that having happy customers and making money is clearly related to having happy employees. My big revelation came years later when I realized that I find tremendous payback in knowing that I have made a positive impact on my employees by offering them opportunity, security, self-respect, and a sense of mission.So what's important to you? Are you happy with just one or two of the three: happy customers, good profits, and happy employees. I have seen many companies that have managed to survive with just one or two of them. Or do you want it all?
I felt compelled to chime in, and here is my response....
Employees are by far the most important part of any business. My corporate advisor and I had a discussion very recently about how one company differentiates over another in the same industry. Fundamentally, the only thing that is truly different about them is the people working there.
If you take away all our customers, revenue, and processes tomorrow, but allow us to keep the same staff; we will have a new business generating revenue, and creating value for our customers in no time. I truly believe this fact.
At Web Advanced, we do our best to provide our staff with everything they need. We are not a huge company, but we are growing at a pretty good speed. Our success is only possible with our committment to bring in quality people and provide our staff with what they need to become successful.
Sincerely,
Vic Liu
CEO
Web Advanced
www.webadvanced.com
Monday, March 24, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Web Marketing: A Focus on Copywriting
In the innovative world of website design and development, where the emphasis usually rests on the creation of eye-catching and brand specific visual images, an often overlooked component of successful online marketing strategies is the written word. Nothing saps the enthusiasm out of a graphic designer faster than the prospect of having to accommodate written text on a beautifully constructed and visually appealing webpage. Yet, like the design and layout of a website, the written copy is an integral part of a company's ability to successfully market itself online.
A website is first and foremost a visual medium, and as such, companies rightly focus on their site's overall aesthetic. For many business owners and marketing professionals, written content is a secondary concern in that it need only convey the basic aspects of the company's products and services. Good website copy should effectively and efficiently describe a company's product and service packages, but it can and should do much more.
Frequently, the expectation is that good copy will "get out of the way" of a website's graphical content. This idea revolves around the notion that most website visitors quickly scan pages in a few seconds and that pleasing images leave positive impressions in the minds of potential customers. The belief is that target individuals who scan websites for key words or phrases generally do not invest in more thorough reviews of the written content. As a result, many believe that the copy need not be marketable. While brevity, simplicity and directness are essential components of well-written copy, the written content should also be marketable in terms of appeal, professionalism, tone and brand specificity.
Ideally, copy should work symbiotically with the website's design elements to reinforce the themes critical to company's brand and overall message. For example, social networking websites often require copy that is inviting, engenders trust, is perhaps less formal than other e-commerce sites and highlights the benefits of membership. Whereas copy created for e-commerce personal finance sites might benefit from tonally exuding professional competence via verbiage that exhibits refined cordiality.
Also important to remember is that target audiences are frequently willing to spend more time absorbing a website's content than random browsers. In brick-and-mortar retail parlance, these customers are known as destination shoppers in that they have taken the time to visit a particular place of business to obtain specific products and services. Likewise, on the internet much of a company's e-commerce will be generated from destination browsers - people who seek out a business or industry to acquire a unique product or service. For these customers, copy impacts consumer choices. They will read a company's copy as well as that of its competitors gauging intangibles such as quality, trust, professionalism and brand specificity. Copy is king for customers who are ready to spend, today.
Can procuring a professional copywriter help your company? The answer, unhelpfully, is maybe. If your business' website is meeting your current goals and expectations, then, probably, the answer is no. However, if you are looking to grow your online business and you are ready to invest in a revamped website, you may want to consider obtaining the services of a professional copywriter who has experience writing in your company's market or industry. While what you say on your website is important, remember that making the sale often depends on how you say it.
A website is first and foremost a visual medium, and as such, companies rightly focus on their site's overall aesthetic. For many business owners and marketing professionals, written content is a secondary concern in that it need only convey the basic aspects of the company's products and services. Good website copy should effectively and efficiently describe a company's product and service packages, but it can and should do much more.
Frequently, the expectation is that good copy will "get out of the way" of a website's graphical content. This idea revolves around the notion that most website visitors quickly scan pages in a few seconds and that pleasing images leave positive impressions in the minds of potential customers. The belief is that target individuals who scan websites for key words or phrases generally do not invest in more thorough reviews of the written content. As a result, many believe that the copy need not be marketable. While brevity, simplicity and directness are essential components of well-written copy, the written content should also be marketable in terms of appeal, professionalism, tone and brand specificity.
Ideally, copy should work symbiotically with the website's design elements to reinforce the themes critical to company's brand and overall message. For example, social networking websites often require copy that is inviting, engenders trust, is perhaps less formal than other e-commerce sites and highlights the benefits of membership. Whereas copy created for e-commerce personal finance sites might benefit from tonally exuding professional competence via verbiage that exhibits refined cordiality.
Also important to remember is that target audiences are frequently willing to spend more time absorbing a website's content than random browsers. In brick-and-mortar retail parlance, these customers are known as destination shoppers in that they have taken the time to visit a particular place of business to obtain specific products and services. Likewise, on the internet much of a company's e-commerce will be generated from destination browsers - people who seek out a business or industry to acquire a unique product or service. For these customers, copy impacts consumer choices. They will read a company's copy as well as that of its competitors gauging intangibles such as quality, trust, professionalism and brand specificity. Copy is king for customers who are ready to spend, today.
Can procuring a professional copywriter help your company? The answer, unhelpfully, is maybe. If your business' website is meeting your current goals and expectations, then, probably, the answer is no. However, if you are looking to grow your online business and you are ready to invest in a revamped website, you may want to consider obtaining the services of a professional copywriter who has experience writing in your company's market or industry. While what you say on your website is important, remember that making the sale often depends on how you say it.
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