How To Stand Out in a Crowded Niche

Last week I took a vacation to Sedona, AZ with my sister. We hiked all over the red rocks, browsed through the many crystal shops, ate at some terrific restaurants, went horseback riding, and took a tour with one of Sedona’s most visible brands – Pink Jeep Tours. I have to admit that we didn’t…

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I Don’t Want to Hear About You – Talk About ME!

Talk about your customers, not about you

How many times have you looked at a website and thought “What are they talking about?” or “Why am I even reading this?” It’s clear that the website was designed and written with the business owner in mind, not the audience. As a business owner, of course you want to tell everyone all about your one-of-a-kind…

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Are Blogs and Social Media Dead?

Last week I heard an interview that Jay Baer did with David Meerman Scott, author of ‘The New Rules of Marketing and PR’. The part that really caught my attention was David’s discussion about the terminology we use in the online space – specifically, words like “blogging” and “social media.” “Blogging” is a Dirty Word…

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Why Your Business DOESN’T Need a Website

The first question I always ask a potential web development client is “Why do you want a website?” The answers range from “Because people tell me I should” to “I want to sell more shovels” to “I want my business to be seen as the go-to company for irrigation systems.” Three very different answers, and…

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10 Questions to Answer Before Launching a Blog

Last week a client called me to say “I want you to build me a blog.”  Hmmm.  OK.  Not an unusual request.  My response was to ask “Why? What will a blog do for your business?”  Silence.  I could hear the clock ticking.  Finally, after some throat-clearning, he came out with “Well, doesn’t every business…

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What Bank of America Can Teach You NOT to Do

The other day I was in my local Bank of America branch to cash a birthday check from my aunt. As I waited in line (for over 15 minutes!), I couldn’t help but notice the large signs hanging above each teller station – “Get MORE with Bank of America!”  Of the seven teller stations, only…

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