Got Questions?
I Have Answers!
Douglas Marks
Website Marketing Consultant
Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208
dougmarks@websiteforge.com
Q> The economy is killing my business, seems like no one is buying what I sell. I don't know if I should improve my website or just wait for the economy to get better. What should I do?
- Tony Miller
A> I hear from a lot of people that due to the economy they are not going to spend any money to improve their website.
But, what you really need to do is improve your websites ability to get more clients or customers.
You should Recession Proof Your Business Website!
A Recession doesn't mean stop what you're doing.
Here's what happens:
Economist start saying we're in a Recession. Your customers start getting nervous and then start tightening their belts. They still spend money, but now they are pickier about how they spend it.
If you sell a product or service that your customers deem nonessential then your sales may start to slow down.
Before I provide the answer look at these facts:
The National Unemployment Rate in 2009 was 9.3% and in 2010 it's at 9.7% compared to 1982 when it was 9.7% and 1983 when it was 9.6%.
What's that tell you? It happened before, right? And, people lived through it and made money. We're not talking about a 60% unemployment rate here. For the last 40 years the unemployment rate has been between 2.9 and 9.7. Right now we are at a high, but it doesn't have to affect your business.
It's simple math, if you can only get more customers you can make it through this economic slow down and further ahead in the good times.
The question is how do you get more
people to buy your product or service?
Ready for the SECRET!
You do this letting more people know what you do and what you have to offer!
Simple, right?
If you need to let 1000 people know what you do to make 100 sales and due to the economy you're only making 50 sales right now... then you need to let 2000 people know about what you do and you'll make 100 sales.
It's all about simple math we learned in grade school.
Okay... I know you're reading this saying to yourself, "Right, but how do I get all these extra people"?
Ready for the SECRET to getting customers!
The only way to do this is by Advertising! If you do not get your business in front of the people you might as well set up shop in the middle of the jungle if you like warm weather... and for those who like the cold weather I would recommend Antarctica.
Seriously.. You have to Advertise. Advertising takes all shapes and forms and some Advertising is expensive while other methods are inexpensive. Regardless of the method you use, you always want to get a "Return on Investment" (ROI). If you spend $100, you should make $200 back. If you spend $100 and only make $50 or nothing back, then dump it.
Your Website should be considered an Advertising Expense and it should give you a "Return on Investment", if it doesn't you need to dump it or find a way to make it give you a "Return on Investment". Otherwise, it's just a cost.
Ready for the SECRET
to getting customers to your website!
I hear a lot of people say, "A website, is a website, is a website.", which is untrue. The correct statement is, " A website without true search engine optimization is just a website that does not drive traffic and is no better than a brochure sitting on dusty counter. A website with true search engine optimization is a traffic driving machine!"
I have spent 20 years in Marketing & Advertising and a website with Search Engine Optimization will yield you a higher return on investment than any other form of advertising. TV does a 2:1, Radio 3:1, Print is up to 10:1 and Search Engine Optimization does 20+:1 ratio.
A website from WebsiteForge that uses an Internal Site Mapping System that automatically updates itself is the highest form of optimization a site can have. Most people can experience a 20+:1 RIO. Keep in mine, you still need a product or service someone wants to buy, but the traffic will make a dramatic difference.
You site needs to be a Revenue Stream Builder!
Let me ask you a simple question: Why in the world would you want a website if no one couldn't find it? The answer is just as simple: You wouldn't, and you don't have to!
For years everyone and their brother have been building websites. With all the simple website building software on the market today you can even hire a kid to make you website. But they can't make a Professional site that will create a Revenue Stream for your business. That part takes an Expert in the field of Search Engine Optimization. If your neighbors kid could do it, he would be a millionaire and thousands of companies would flock to him to build their website.
The fact is, just like anything in life, if you want it done right, you have to hire an expert to do it. And I'm not talking about a person who has done it once, but thousands of times.
At WebsiteForge we have created over 6000 successful websites in the past 18 years and we are the most experienced company that offers the most comprehensive search engine optimization solution in the industry that is automatically included in our website platform for no extra cost.
Our clients are experiencing huge returns on their website investments. We have clients doing hundreds of thousand to millions of dollars in sales a year from websites that only cost them a tiny faction of that amount.
WebsiteForge is not in the business of just building websites.
WebsiteForge is in the business of developing the tools to make your business successful online.
So my answer for you Tony is, invest your money with a company that knows how to make their clients money and Recession Proof Your Business Website!
Call WebsiteForge Today!
Douglas A. Marks Website Marketing Consultant Website - www.websiteforge.com Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208
Website Hosting vs Managed Services
Hi Everyone,
I have to say... there is a lot of confusion about Hosting vs Managed Services which is what WebsiteForge offers and others do not.
Hosting of a website is no more than providing space for your website to reside. It also only allows so much space and traffic to that space which is called Bandwidth. Typically if you go over the alloted Bandwidth limit you are charged more money just like cellphone service otherwise your site can not be viewed.
Some hosting companies provide other services like Backup Services. Backing up your website is always recommended so you don't lose your data. Hosting companies differ, some only allow you to do the backup and it's not automatic, while others will automatically backup your site every 7 or 30 days or some set period of time.
Website Hosting can run anywhere from $4.95 - $10K a month or more depending on the services you purchase.
There is also a lot of confusion so always ask the company that is doing the hosting, "What is included in this price"?
With WebsiteForge we provide the following Managed Services including Hosting http://www.websiteforge.com/48.html?m20:cat=managed-services-hosting.
Managed Services, Support & Hosting
Includes 1/HR Month of Remote Hands. Anything you need done just give it to us and we will do it for you. Remote Hands includes ROLLOVER MINUTES so you can accumulate the time and never lose it and includes CASH-IN VALUE towards other services like a new design, flash, graphics. etc.
Managed Services - Fortune 100 Hosting Platform
Seven Clustered Redundant Servers - You don't have to worry about a server failure. Seven Redundant servers mean that even if one fails the other servers will pick up the slack and make sure your site continues to run.
Every 4 Hours Automatic Backups on all 7 servers along with a copy of the Backup stored at a secondary location for extra security and peace of mind you'll never lose your data.
Security - Locked Down Code Hacker Prevention System w/5 Levels of Security. No other hosting company on the market offers this feature.
Five Tier-1 OC-12 Backbone Connections with Unlimited Bandwidth - It's like recruiting the "Fantastic Five" of internet connectivity. Think of five HUGE pipelines provided by SBC, Time Warner, UUNet, Quest, and Sprint. These are the companies that will connect your customers to your web site 24/7/365
Third Party Performance Monitoring - We pay professional monitoring companies to have your web site monitored every 5 minutes to make sure things are always running smoothly. Monitoring is done from several locations across the globe.
On Site Technicians - Our hardware is maintained by on-site technicians that are there 24/7/365 to make sure any hardware repairs are done immediately. Of course you won't notice because our triple redundant servers will keep your site running.
High Security Data Center - Our data center is locked down with key code and hand scanner security access. Your data is completely safe!
Hardened Linux Operating Systems - It's simply a fact of life that Windows systems are a constant target for hackers, nasty worms and viruses. We rely on hardened Linux based servers to provide you the very best reliability available
Customer Support M-F 9AM-7PM EST - Online & Phone Support provided to any any questions you may have.
Technical Support 24/7/365 - With WebsiteForge, you don't have to worry about technical details.We manage the hosting for you without costly hourly or per-incident charges.
Unlimited Software Updates & Upgrades - Over 300 Updates & Upgrades every year as WebsiteForge invest over $200,000 back into the system on such improvements as; hand-held devices, browser & system compatibility issues, additional functionality, content management tool updates and features, new tools and software, etc.
Unlimited Bandwidth & Data Transfer - Never have to worry about having your servers crash due to traffic limits.
Unlimited Disc Space Storage - Store unlimited amounts of data on your site, including, pages, text, video, audio, products, etc.
Much More!
E-Mail Solution
50 POP 3 E-Mail Accounts with 30M of storage each.
Spam Control
Virus Scanning
Online Webmail Access
Grey Listing
EV 256 Bit SSL Security Certificate
Renewal Included in the Monthly Managed Services Fee. Extended Validation SSL with 256 Bit Encryption. This service exceed New Standards places by all the Credit Card Companys this year.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Hard Coded
WebsiteForge is the only website design company that has this unique feature. Your site will have META TAGS on every page and product on your website. Your site will also be Search Engine Friendly (SEF), that allows the Search Engines to find every single word, product and service on your site. But the KEY FEATURE is our Hard Coded SEO Software on your site that is set up like the Search Engines want to see it. The same Coding sites like E-Bay and Amazon have, the kind of programming that would cost $10,000-$60,000 for you to do if you hired an SEO Expert to do it. This software also includes an admin area where you can manage your own SEO campaign with out the expensive cost of SEO or a PPC campaign like Google Adwords.
Unlimited Support
Training Webinars
Online Documentation & Support
Help File
Video Tutorials
Remote Hands - 1/hr/mo x 12/hr/yr of anything you need done to the site, rolled over if you don't use the time and you can cash unused time towards a new design, additional graphics, flash, etc. (Valued at $600/yr)
Site Coming Soon Page
Display a Site Coming Soon Page until site is ready to launch.
Content Management Tool
You have the ability to create unlimited content pages upon completion of our online & phone training webinar, or view our online video library at your own pace.
Domain Name
FREE Domain Name Web URL Address; yourbusinessname.com
Website Hit Statistic Tool
Professional 20 page report detailing who found your site, where they came from and where did they go.
Create Unlimited Forms
Create custom forms
Information can be stored onsite and downloaded into an Excel Spreadsheet for database management
Newsletter Sign-Up & Creation Tool
Collect vital information
Create custom Newsletters
Create a huge database of potential customers
Mass E-Mail Marketing Tool
Collect E-Mail addresses and information
Market to new and potential customers
Pop-Up Marketing Tool
Create your own Pop-Up messages on your site. Great for promoting a sales campaign or gathering e-mails.
Add Unlimited Links
Create as many outbound links to your site using our Content Management Tool. Great for building your own SEO campaign, referral page, advertising and more.
E-Bay Publishing
Publish your products directly to E-Bay through this easy to use Listing Tool. (ecommerce only)
Copy Protection Feature
Make sure competitors can not copy your site or steal your images.
Google Analytics
Generates detailed statistics about the visitors to your website.
If you have any questions about the services we provide, please call me!
Thanks,
Douglas A. MarksWebsite Marketing ConsultantWebsite - www.websiteforge.comBusiness - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208Fax - (517) 338-5064
Business Hours: (Monday - Friday) 10 AM - 6 PM Eastern Standard Time
I got an email today from Alex who is looking at having a professional web site design created.
This is what he said...
Read my Blog on Why Hire A Professional Web Site Designer by clicking on the following link http://www.websiteforge.com/48.html?m20:post=why-hire-a-professional-web-site-designer
These days, building a new web site takes considerable expertise and training.
With the rapid pace of technology you need a professional web site designer who understands the importance of building your website to be found high in the search engines.
If the code you site is built on is old, as many companies use, then you are setting yourself up for failure before you ever begin.
WebsiteForge updates it's technology on a weekly basis and is always found in every search engine, browser, platform and hand held device.
There are several choices as to how you can build your web site. You could always build it yourself if you have the necessary skills. Or you could ask a friend to build your web site to save some costs.
WebsiteForge does offer a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) solution for those trying to keep your cost down with updated technology so you are found in every search engine, browser, platform and hand held device. So if you are looking to have a friend or family member build you a low cost site, please call us to discuss this option.
A few years ago, it was much easier to build your own site if you were technically inclined, and had some graphical design skills. However, now it is very difficult to do so since the technologies have gotten so complex, and change so rapidly. Sure you can still build your own site, but you may not be building it to a level that more professional web site designers can achieve.
The graphical design plays a crucial role to the success of your web site. If you do not have the skills to create a professional looking graphical design, then you should not be building your own web site. Without the professional look and feel, your site will not have the success of other sites with a more polished graphical design.
You can probably save some money if you have a friend build a web site for you. Of course, the same limitations as above apply. If your friend is not a full time web designer, and has not kept pace with the latest technologies and standards, then your web site may not turn out as good as you hoped.
Review the web sites that your friend has built for other clients, and evaluate how good the work is. If it is substandard, then are you okay with having a substandard web site for your business? Sure you’ll save a few bucks, but what are you doing for your bottom line?
Once again, WebsiteForge does offer a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) solution for those trying to keep your cost down with updated technology so you are found in every search engine, browser, platform and hand held device. So if you are looking to have a friend or family member build you a low cost site, please call us to discuss this option.
Hiring a professional web designer may be your best option. Sure, you’ll have to pay for it, but at least you will know that you are getting a web site designed by a company that specializes in web site design.
The web site designer should be fully versed in all the latest standards and technologies. The designer should have a large portfolio of web sites they have designed for other companies. They should be excellent graphical designers that are able to build a professional quality web site for you. They should have the technical expertise to build any web applications or features that you may need.
Most web site design firms are not one-stop shops that can handle your entire project from start to finish. In a recent survey 98% of web site designers admitted they do not build there web sites with Search Engine Optimization in mind. In fact once they built their web sites they either did nothing or referred you to another person for optimization or even expensive pay per click advertising. This is NOT the case with WebsiteForge.
At WebsiteForge we are one of the few companies that want to see your business succeed the first time so we help optimize your site to be found high in the search engines results for the keyword or keyphrase you want to be found for.
Even though you may be tempted to build a web site on your own, or through other resources, it is almost always better to let a professional web site designer handle the job for you. If you do use a friend or family member, please use our software to do it with.
If you have any questions about this blog please call Doug Marks at 1-888-558-2446 x208.
Why Host With WebsiteForge.com?
I get this question a lot
Q> I already have a hosting company and don't want to move my site to WebsiteForge to host. Why would I want to switch hosting companies?
A> I understand you currently have a hosting company, but what does your hosting company do for you? Do they provide you with a True Content Management Tool to make changes on your website like a web programmer can? Do they drive traffic to your site so you make money? Do they Search Engine Optimize your site so you are found higher in the search engine for your Keywords & Key Phrases? Do they add $250,000 in New Website Technology to your site? Do they keep your site updated in the Browsers, Computer Platforms, Search Engines, Hand Held Devices and Cell Phones like the IPhone? Do they Maintain your site with 1 hour of editing time per month? Do they Monitor your site every 5 minutes to make sure your site is running correctly? Do they Back-up your site changes every 4 hours? Do they provide you with Unlimited Support with your website needs? Do they provide you with a 5 Tier Locked Down Code at the Site and Server level that will prevent a Hacker from destroying your site? Are you set up on a 7 Clustered Redundant Server so your site will never be down? Do they provide you with an On site Technician 24/7/365? Do they provide you with a High Security Data Center? Do they offer you Unlimited Storage and Bandwidth? Do they provide you with POP-3 E-mail accounts that have Spam Control, Virus Scanning, Online Web mail Access and Grey Listing? Do they offer a EV 256 Bit SSL Security Cert? Do they provide Password Protection on selected pages? Do they provide you with Unlimited Training Webinars, Online Documentation & Support, Help Files, Video Tutorials, Customer Support, Technical Support and Remote Hands? Do they provide a Website Hit Statistics Tool? Do they provide a way for you to create unlimited Forms on your site? Do they provide a Newsletter Sign-up & Creation Tool? Do they provide a way to do Mass E-Mail Marketing? Do they provide a Pop-Up Marketing Tool? Do they provide a Copy Protection Feature for your pages and images so people don't steal them off your site? Do they provide a way to insert Google Analytics into your account? If your hosting company is not providing you the services all businesses need and you're just paying for Hosting a site. It's like storing your most prized possessions in a cold, tin shack in the middle of the field that throws everything in a giant room and not locking the doors. What does your hosting company do for you that would make you not want to switch to a company like ours? Thanks, Douglas A. Marks Website Marketing Consultant Website - www.websiteforge.com Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208 Fax - (517) 338-5064 Business Hours: (Monday - Friday) 10 AM - 6 PM Eastern Standard Time Check Out My Blog on our Community Page!
Q. What Does A Website Page Consist Of?
A website page can contain as much text, images and links as you want on it. Most people have roughly 1/2 of a word document size page which is 250 words, but you can have as much as you want on a page with WebsiteForge.
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Jeremy,
WebsiteForge will be the PERFECT FIT for you! You will be 100% Satisfied with WebsiteForge. You are exactly the type of person who will be very successful with us. Like our motto says, "The Last Website You Will Ever Buy" because once you see what we offer you'll never buy a site from anyone else.
Thanks, Douglas A. Marks Website Marketing Consultant E-mail - dougmarks@websiteforge.com Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208 Fax - (517) 338-5064 Business Hours: (Monday - Friday) 10 AM - 6 PM Eastern Standard Time
To order your website with WebsiteForge please go to http://www.websiteforge.com/website-design-prices.html or the page "Prices & Features" and select the package you want by selecting the "BUY NOW" button. (It's best to use Microsoft Internet Explorer to do this with. As of this date 5-11-2009 we are not fully compatible with MAC but over the next few months we should be. )
Fill out the information on the following pages and sign the receipt. You will be asked if you would like to continue into the Member's Area, if you do you will see the tools we use on the back-end to build your site. Please keep in mind there is nothing for you to do in there, as we design and set-up the entire site for you initially. You will see several messages, just ignore them, they are for the Project Manager. You can logout of that area once you've gone there.
Within 24-48 business hours our Project Head Kevin Ledezma (x203) or his Assistant Jeri (x207) will contact you to answer any questions you may have and to assign your Project Manager & Team. If you feel your project is not moving in the direction it should or if you have any issues with your Project Team please notify Kevin or Cindy (Assistant Project Head x 214) as soon as possible so he can make sure you remain one of our many satisfied clients.
If you are paying by check, once you get to the credit card information page please exit out of the screen and fax a copy of your check to 517-338-5064 made payable to WEBSITE FORGE LLC.
If paying by Paypal, on once you get to the credit card information page please exit out of the screen and click on this link https://secure.wf-api.com/support.websiteforge.com/29.html enter your payment reason as "Just purchased site and wanted to use Paypal". Give us your URL name as well.
It is important to have clear communication with the Project Manager. Typically we can have your design ready in 2-3 weeks with good communication from both parties. Once the design is ready we enter all your content and set-up your site which takes about 1 week for an Informational site and 2 weeks for an E-Commerce site. (3-6 weeks total)
You should have your first draft design in 3-5 business days after the Project Manager collects your design specifications. Once you view it you can Reject it or Change it as many times as you want until you Accept it. We give you unlimited revisions on the design so you'll always be 100% satisfied.
If you have any questions, please call or e-mail me.
Douglas Marks Website Marketing Consultant
E-mail - dougmarks@websiteforge.com Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208 Fax - (517) 338-5064
Q> As an Ecommerce website I'm concerned about keeping my advertising cost down - What can WebsiteForge do for me?
A> Ecommerce website owners are all asking me this question. E-tailers are all trying to keep their cost down.
Number 1 - Exposure.. How are you driving traffic to your site?
I see a lot of Ecommerce websites out there paying for PPC (Pay-Per-Click) like Google Ad Words and spending hundreds if not thousands to generate traffic to their sites while not concentrating on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). I think this is a huge flaw in their thinking.
I think this flaw stems from lack of good information on why you need Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and what kind of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) your site really needs.
What kind of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Already I can hear some people saying "WHAT??? You mean there is more than one kind of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)???"
The problem with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is, it all depends on the persons definition.
I get hundreds of people saying that they were told by another company their site will be submitted to the top 20 search engines every month for their Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This is a clear sign that a company does nothing for your site and they are FLUFFING you! That's not Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that's Search Engine Submission, and you only have to do that once. It's like going to Post Office and telling them you still live at the same address every month.
WebsiteForge actually works directly with Google, Yahoo, MSN and other Search Engines to develop and maintain code for your site that will help your keywords get ranked higher in the search engine listings along with providing you a consultation with a real SEO Expert with more than 10 years experience. This SEO Expert will show you everything you need to know to be successful in the Search Engines without the huge cost of PPC and Google Ad Words.
A great example of how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) vs PPC can change your Ecommerce Website experience is Michael Giordano with www.knowyournanny.com whom was spending up to $5,000-$6,000 a month on Pay-Per-Click Advertising using a sub-standard Ecommerce Website before WebsiteForge made his site.
Most times after spending all that money, Mike wouldn't even make back his advertising investment let alone the cost of the product he sold. I spoke with Mike for years before he finally invested his last bit of savings with us.
After WebsiteForge launched his site, it took 1.5 weeks to be found in the Search Engines. In the first 30 minutes of being found he had already paid for the website using the FREE Search Engines. No Pay-Per-Click (PPC) was used.
In his first month with WebsiteForge Mike actually made over $6000 instead of spending it. Now just over 1 year later he's making $60,000-$70,000 per month with out advertising his site.
Now that's a success story!
Thanks, Douglas A. Marks Website Marketing Consultant E-mail - dougmarks@websiteforge.com Business - (888) 558.2446 Ext. 208 Fax - (517) 338-5064
E-commerce Website
Proposal
Informational Website
