 |
|
 |
|
 |
b-news
|
Tips
from your
provider of:
web design
e-commerce
e-marketing
web Hosting |
|
Vol 2
- Issue 4 |
November
2003 |
|
Welcome
to b-news.
In
this issue:
|
|
Get
more out of
your website
|
There
are millions
of websites
in Internet,
which means
that when somebody
is out there
using a search
engine, there
are going to
be thousands
of sites that
match your search
criteria. All
those sites
will be competing
with each other,
and only very
few of them
will be listed
in the first
pages.
There
is technology
to better
position your
site with
the search
engines. Unfortunately,
that by itself,
may not be
enough. Different
search engines
index web
pages in different
ways and give
priority to
different
things in
their indexing.
There is also
paid listing,
which means
that if you
pay certain
amount monthly
or annually,
your site
will get listed
in the first
places.
With
Internet becoming
more and more
competed you
cannot solely
rely on people
finding your
site through
a search engine.
For this reason,
we will be
posting many
tips in our
forthcoming
monthly newsletters
to help you
promote your
site.
Some
of the ways
in which you
can make your
site known
are listed
below:
Including
your website
address in
all your stationery
- Including
your website
address
in all your
stationery
- Requesting
links from
sites with
a similar
customer
base as
yours -
'link swapping'
- Having
a ‘'Links'
page
- Giving
something
for free
in your
site
- Newsletters
- Promotional
e-mails
- Word
of mouth
and referral
programs
This
is one of
the most important
things you
should do.
Your website
address should
be prominent
in all your
stationery,
such as letterheads,
business cards,
quotes, newsletters,
receipts,
cash register
dockets, and
in general,
in any piece
of paper you
give to your
customers.
If
you are a
retailer it
is also a
good idea
to print your
website address
in shopping
bags and any
other type
of packaging
for your goods,
and even banners
across your
shop.
Your
website address
in big bold
letters on
the window
of your shop,
will also
assure that
any passer-by
would not
miss to see
it, even if
your store
is closed.
Remember
your website
is your 24/7
shop front,
and even when
you do not
realise, it
is selling
for you 24
hours a day,
7 days a week.
With our fast-paced
lives, more
and more shoppers
like to research
on the Internet.
This does
not necessarily
mean that
they will
shop on-line,
but armed
with their
findings they
go out and
buy from the
physical store.
Make sure
they find
out what your
business have
to offer when
they do their
research,
and why they
will make
a better shopping
buying from
you.
You
can also have
bumper stickers
printed with
your website
address for
your customers,
as well as
sticking one
on your car.
Any
newspaper
or magazine
advertising
of your products
and services
should also
include your
website address.
Not only just
an e-mail,
as shoppers
may like to
find additional
information
from the comfort
of their homes
before making
a purchasing
decision.
Be sure your
e-mail address
is not at
a third party's
site, but
is one that
mentions your
own domain.
For instance,
'somebody@yahoo.com'
is not as
good as 'somebody@mysite.com'
or .com.au.
However,
it is very
important
to have a
couple of
these free
e-mail addresses
to back-up
your own in
case of unexpected
problems.
In
our next month's
newsletter
we will be
looking at
how to go
about ‘'Requesting
Links and
Link swapping'
|
|
FREE
Hosting for
a year! |
To
promote our
new website
hosting services
we are giving
away 1 year
FREE hosting
with any website
design work
over $1,200
ordered from
15th November
to 31st December
2003.
We
have some
great and
affordable
plans with
plenty of
features.
We have tailored
the plans
in such a
way to cater
for a wide
spectrum of
needs that
different
clients may
have.
Call
us on: 1300
13 WAVE,
1300 13 9283,
or 03 9803
3027 to discuss
your needs.
|
|
Managing
safety in your
workplace |
You
most probably
recently received
a CD-ROM in
the mail called
"Managing
Safety in
your workplace
- A step-by-step
guide"
issued by
Worksafe Victoria.
There is a
lot a information
in this CD,
the most useful
being a form
to request
free assistance.
We
know how difficult
it is to keep
abreast of
new laws and
regulations.
Worksafe's
assistance
consists of
a 3-hour visit
to your workplace
by an independent
Health and
Safety consultant.
The
consultant
can check
your work-practices
as well as
the general
set up of
your business
and help you
work out a
Safety action
plan as well
as give you
advise in
complying
with the new
regulations.
You
can find the
form to request
the free consultation
by clicking
on ‘'Managing
Safety' after
then introduction
and then 'Safety
Database',
'Safety Information',
'Free Assistance',
and 'more
details' in
the left lower
part of the
screen. The
form is in
a PDF file
format. |
|
What
to look for
when buying
a printer |
Printers
have come
down so much
in price that
it is very
easy to get
hooked up
by a beautiful
printout and
buy it on
the spot.
I have done
it myself.
For a couple
of hundred
dollars I
can print
these wonderful
full-colour
photographs!
Not so. What
appears to
be an investment
of only 200
dollars, soon
can become
a major outlay
of cash.
Never
buy a printer
without doing
the research
first. Ask
yourself the
following
questions:
- How
much do
the colour
cartridges
or the toner
cost?
- How
many prints
will the
cartridge
last?
- Does
it need
special
paper for
it to look
this good?
How much
does the
paper cost?
- What
is the maximum
capacity
for copies?
- How
much does
the repair
will cost
if the printer
is out of
warranty?
- Is
the repair
carried
out on-site?
A
few years
ago we bought
three HP laser
printers,
being a reputed
brand, we
did not bother
doing our
homework.
Two of the
printers were
HP5L and one
was a HP6P.
After about
a year (almost
right on the
warranty expiry
date) the
two HP 5L
printers started
having problems
with the paper
feeding.
To
repair them
would have
cost us almost
as much as
buying a new
one. The 6P
however, has
never had
a problem
and is still
going strong.
The price
difference
between the
5L and the
6P on the
original purchase
was only around
$150.
Another
thing we later
found out
was that the
toners were
extremely
expensive
compared with
some of the
competition
equivalent
models. You
can find many
of these details
by searching
on the Internet
for “'printers
reviews' or
by the specific
model you
have in mind
on on-line
PC magazines.
Beware
of cheap ink
refills. We
damaged our
very first,
very expensive
Epson inkjet
with a cheap
refill. The
repair costs
us one eye
and part of
another as
we had to
change the
print head
and other
parts, and
the printer
was never
the same again.
And
my last mistake:
I passed in
front of a
shop and they
were having
on sale these
Canon colour
printers for
only $120.00.
The print-outs
were beautiful,
so I thought
I'll give
it to the
kids so they
can ditch
the old Epson.
Well, guess
what! It took
about 6 minutes
to print an
average page,
only average,
just a couple
of small graphics,
no more. Six
minutes! I
had never
realised how
long a time
can 6 minutes
be! Fortunately,
we were able
to return
it. Canon
does have
some excellent
printers that
deserve consideration. |
|
FREE
Business listing
in b-wave Portal |
If
you are operating
a business
in the Monash
area(*) or
its surrounding
suburbs, don't
forget to
register your
business in
b-wave Portal,
our Business
and Community
Directory.
b-wave can
give your
business the
right exposure
within the
community
as it shows
within the
first 10 listings
for most classifications
searches in
Goggle. www.b-wave.com.au
(*)
or if you
serve the
area |
|
Client
feature: DtMS |
As
a way to say
thank you for
your business,
we like to promote
business-to-business
networking between
our clients.
b-20.com
is a new division
of Bubblegum
Productions
that will
be developing
b2b networking.
As part of
this plan,
we will be
featuring
one or two
of our clients
in all our
newsletters.
In
this issue
we will be
introducing
Desktop Marketing
Systems Pty
Ltd (DtMS).
DtMS
specialises
in the publication
of directories
and direct
marketing
solutions
on CD-ROM
for business
and residential
use.
Commencing
operations
in 1993, DtMS
has since
grown to be
the undisputed
leader in
Australian
directory-based
marketing
and reference
products published
on CD-ROM.
DtMS
is 100% Australian
owned and
operated.
DtMS
single-disc
products include:
Marketing
Pro
lets you
design,
conduct
and control
direct
marketing
campaigns
of all
sizes
to audiences
anywhere
in Australia
- from
your desktop; |
|
PhoneDisc
Search
and view,
including
reverse
phone
number
search,
all Australian
business
and residential
telephone
directory
listings
on just
one disc;
|
|
CD
Phone
Directory
The indispensable,
reference
tool covering
all of
Australia.
|
|
On-line
solution:
IntraPhone
- intranet-based
telephone
directory
solution designed
for corporate
environments.
Ideal for
Local Area
or Wide Area
Networks.
DtMS
products can
be used as
a Marketing
tool for Businesses
or as a reference
CD-ROM for
individuals.
From organising
your next
holiday trip
to implementing
a large marketing
campaign,
DtMS has a
solution.
You
can contact
DtMS on:
Tel:
03 9877 5550
Fax: 03 9877
5533
E-mail: sales@dtms.com.au
Web: www.dtms.com.au
|
|
How
to succeed in
sales |
Listen to
your customers
and find
their actual
needs. Do
not try
to impose
what you
assume e
their needs.
- Try
to help
your customers,
not just
go for the
profit.
- Put
yourself
in the place
of your
customers
and try
to understand
their point
of view.
Treat them
as you like
to be treated.
- Be
sincere.
- The
way you
look is
a reflection
of your
business,
so you must
always look
professional.
- Evaluate
your prospects
and don't
waste time
with people
that are
not going
to buy.
- The
customer
wants to
know how
it will
solve his/her
problems,
so you must
concentrate
on the benefits
your solution
will bring
to your
customer.
- Don't
talk bad
about the
competition,
instead
tell your
customers
what you
can offer
that is
different.
- Overcome
any objections
in a trustful
manner.
- Follow
up. Very
few sales
are closed
at the first
meeting,
so keep
trying and
be patient.
- Be
sure to
leave a
good impression.
Whatever
you do,
you want
your prospects
to remember
you in a
positive
way.
|
|
Printing
Services |
Our
clients kept
asking us if
we could produce
marketing material
such as brochures,
flyers, banners,
business cards
and stationery.
Well,
here it is!
We now also
offer printing
services,
specially
aiming at
marketing.
Printing
for small
runs is all
digital, no
plates, just
from computer
to printer,
to folding
machine, etc.
We
also have
completed
arrangements
with a large
wholesaling,
conventional
printing company
to
do conventional
large runs.
- Brochures
A4 double
sided, qty
100 from
A$120.00*
- DL
Flyers (1/3
of A4),
double sided,
qty 300
from A$150.00*
- Newsletters
&. Ask
us!
- Banners
(3mts x
60cm, etc)
…
Ask us!
- Stationery
& Ask
us!
- 500
Business
on 250 or
300 gsm,
$99.00*
- Posters
…
Ask us!
- Personalised
Season or
special
occasion
cards …
Ask us!
What are
the benefits
of small runs
of marketing
material?
- You don't
commit yourself
to thousands
of copies
that may
be obsolete
after delivering
the first
50.
- You are
able to
change content
easily.
- You only
invest very
little at
a time,
so, it helps
your cash
flow.
- It is
quick, no
need to
wait for
plates to
be made
and delivered.
You just
send us
your files
in Photoshop,
Illustrator,
Corel Draw,
PDF format,
etc.
Our printing
is done with
Xerox, top
of the range
equipment,
designed exclusively
for marketing
purposes.
*
Prices may
vary upwards
in accordance
to graphics
- our software
calculates
the cost.
We also offer,
as expected,
graphic design
services for
your marketing
material at
reasonable
charges. Prices
include GST
and are subject
to change
without notice.
|
|
Christmas
trading hours
|
Bubblegum
Productions
will be closed,
during the holiday
season, on the
following dates:
- 16th
to 25th
December
2003
-
31st
December
2003
to 1st
January
2004
|
|
On
Next Issue: |
- Get
more out
of your
website:
Requesting
link swapping
- Administering
the resource
we are all
poor on:
Time
- More
in marketing
your site
|
|
All
the
team
at
Bubblegum
Productions
wishes
you
a
safe
and
happy
Holiday
Season
and
a
successful
New
Year.

|
|
...
the success
of your
business
is the success
of ours
...
|
|
Copyright
©2003 Bubblegum
Productions Pty
Ltd
www.bubblegum-productions.com
b-news@bubblegum-productions.com
Tel: 1300 13 WAVE,
1300 13 9283, 03
9803 3027
PO Box 1303 Glen
Waverley VIC 3150
To
unsubscribe send
a blank e-mail to
b-news_unsubscribe@bubblegum-productions.com |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|