Our training classes program seems to have taken off quite well and class participants are not only learning from me but from each other!  I have currently been offering only two classes a week one for content and one for ecommerce; however, starting in January I will be adding one more type of "class" twice a month called Odds 'n Ends.  This is designed to allow participants to ask questions about anything in general about their sites or how to use parts of it.  This session is not necessarily designed as tech support session but more along the lines of working on modules that are not covered in the other two classes.

If you'd like to join one of these two classes, please visit http://support.websiteforge.com/trainingclasses.html and fill out the feedback form.  Also, if you have any suggestions on what you'd like to have included in a training class or possibly a class that you think that should be offered, then please feel free to post a message to this blog.

Thanks,

Olivia E Guerrero

Customer Service

Project Manager Assistant

Training Specialist

www.websiteforge.com

http://support.websiteforge.com/trainingclasses.html

For all clients using Linkpoint Payment Processing:

This wont effect your payment processing, but the tracking of it will be unavailable for the time period below.

First Data announced an initiative earlier this year to consolidate its data centers, an effort that will result in a more stable, secure environment for all of our technological systems.

We are now entering the final phase of our data center move from Moorpark, CA to Chandler, AZ. As part of that effort, all data center functions in our Moorpark office will be unavailable between 8 p.m. PT on December 14 and 10 p.m. PT on December 15, 2007. These systems include:

* Myagentoffice.com (MAO)

* Shopping Cart

* Rapid Online Application (applynow.cardservice.com)

* Online Application

* Mymerchantoffice.com (MMO)

* Cardservice.com

* Cardservice Automated Network (CAN)

* LoadPoint

Over the course of two years now, I have trained so many clients of Website Forge that I couldn't even begin to count.  I know Cindy feels the same way, and is of the same opinion as I am on how to help out our days of training.  We have started a new program with regard to training.  We now offer training classes to new clients as well as existing and "old" clients.  I've conducted a couple so far this month and the response has been pleasantly surprising.  Not only are you able to have a WF team member train you in content management and ecommerce management, but you are able to listen to questions from your fellow classmates that you may not even have thought of before.  What I'm hoping is to have some of our veteran WF users join some of the trainings to help the new clients learn some of the tricks of the trade that the veterans have learned.

At the moment, I am only offering content management and ecommerce management classes.  Content management usually lasts about an hour with time to ask questions during and definitely after the presentation.  The ecommerce management class lasts about an hour and a half with questions during and after.  Shane would love for a class on just odds and ends, and I am contemplating a class to cover the membership module and possibly the blog module combined.

Also, ad module users if you'd like for me to conduct a class over the ad module I'd like some input from you on what items or subject matters you'd like to cover.  For those of you who don't use the ad module, it's a very large module and should probably be handled in steps rather than try to throw it into an hour and a half class.  So my question to the current users and possible future users is what or how should I break it up?

Along with the training classes, I am in the process of remaking several of the tutorial videos and updating the help files.  It's a long task and with the break in day long one on one trainings I should be able to take care of them faster.

As always, I'm open to any questions, suggestions, and learning in general so feel free to leave comments or email me.

Have a good week!

Olivia E Guerrero
Customer Service
Project Manager Assistant
Training Specialist

www.websiteforge.com
http://support.websiteforge.com
http://support.websiteforge.com/trainingclasses.html

I have not posted in a while.  Things have been crazy.  I am the first to say you should post often in your BLOG even if it's a short memo.

Here is my short Memo:

I have these two tractors.  Each one has it's issues -- I finally organized my tools and decided I should get them both working. One to sell and one to keep.

I emailed Doug at www.mowtownusa.com and asked his advice.  He gave me great advice and told me what parts I needed.  I immediately jumped online and purchased the parts from him.

It was great to see the automated e-mails telling me as my order was processed.  After all -- my team developed the code to make it happen :)

I sat back and enjoyed the feeling.  The Website Forge in action. 

So anyways -- I rolled up my sleeves, installed the parts and the tractor was cutting grass the same day!

In another situation -- About a week before my tractor repairs.  I decided to purchase a gift certificate from www.partsguysusa.com .  I e-mailed Jerry Simon and said "Hey, I need a gift certificate".

He emailed me the code and I fired it away to it's lucky recipient.   Now if you haven't looked already -- Jerry has thousands of cool gadgets for sale.  It's a great site to shop.  I was thanked for the gift certificate and they loved the selection.

I will continue to purchase from my customers when I can.  It's a great experience.

I am beginning to see that the millions of small web site business owners are the NEW "Ma and Pa" store.

I know that many local small businesses are struggling.  Many are struggling because they have not yet resolved to go worldwide with a web site presences.  It's becoming a necessity and many businesses won't survive without one.

Just remember that there are millions of small business owners ready to give you absolute top notch customer service and prices all over the United States.  After all they are the nation's new "Small Business Owner".

Shane Merem

Web Site Design and E-commerce

www.websiteforge.com

www.magnusoft.com

It's true!  And I have PROOF!

Because of the updates we affected last Sunday to all the Website Forge web sites -- you are getting more traffic because your products and keywords are more effective than ever in Yahoo!, Google, MSN and more!

Imagine:  Your Website Forge web site is moving to a higher position in the major search engines right now as you read this article! 

Brian Shockly at www.shopbakersnook.com just sent me via email:

JUST BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLE DOESN'T MEAN IT IS EASY!  You still need to work at marketing your web site in the search engines.

Buying a car with all the latest features doesn't make you a better driver -- it just makes driving easier. 

Fact: Your Website Forge site is loaded with technology that exponentially increases your ability to rank well in the search engines

Fact: Garbage in -- Garbage out

You need good content to have good search engine results!  If you don't take the time as a business owner to make sure your web site and product descriptions are written with plenty of keywords  then your web site will not be relevent to search engines.  It's that simple.

If you have not yet talked to our SEO expert, email us at support@websiteforge.com and we will schedule a time for Kevin Gannon to contact you and see what things you can do to make the most out of your Website Forge web site. 

He will give you free advice and offer a strategy.  I cannot name any business  that is successful without good marketing of some kind.

Shane Merem

www.websiteforge.com

Web Design and E-commerce

Hi.  I just had a conversation with Jose Medina at APC Security (www.awarenessprotectiveconsultants.net ). 

We just did some work for him and he said -- "Can you just charge the card you have on file?"

When I replied "We don't keep your credit card on file" -- he very quickly said "Then how do you charge my card every month?".

That's an excellent question.  How do we charge your card without keeping your sensitive credit card info on file?

We take security very seriously.  When we start a recurring transaction with our gateway (we use Linkpoint) -- we process the transaction and once we see it was approved, we clear credit card information from our records.  We can maybe pull up the first and last four digits for proof. Not your entire card number or security codes.

Once the recurring is created with Linkpoint the information is stored there.  Credit card processing and security is their core business.  They are insured for taking responsibility for your credit card information.  So we let them do their job.

It would be like asking us to hold your money instead of a federally insured Bank.  We would prefer you use the bank.

If someone (knock on wood) actually hacked into our very secure Website Forge system -- there is very little for a hacker to steal.  They certainly won't be able to steal YOUR credit card info!  And that should make you feel good.

I find that very few companies take this approach.  Most will take the gamble with your private information.  We just choose not to take that risk.

So next time you think about asking us to "Just use the card on file.. " remeber we don't keep your card on file for your own benefit!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Shane Merem

Web Site Design and E-commerce

www.websiteforge.com

There are two search engine technologies you absolutely must take advantage of if you are serious about marketing your web site.  They are absolutely free.

Froogle (renamed Google Product Search) and Google Sitemaps.

Froogle is a version of Google that focuses on your product catalog.  If you provide an upload of your entire database formatted specifically for Froogle, your products will be indexed exactly how they should.  Froogle will insert every one of your products into the Google database exactly the way you intended. 

Google Sitmaps is another technology, if taken advantage of, will assure that every page of your entire web site is visited by the Google search engine.  No more wondering if your entire web site has been spidered and indexed by Google.

You will significantly increase your search engine penetration with Froogle and Google Sitemaps.  It's a must have.

Why don't more web developers encourge the use of Google Sitemaps and Froogle?  My guess is that the average web site developer does not have the programming skills to automate the delivery of these files. It wouldn't make sense for a web developer to suggest something they cannot provide themselves. 

Your Website Forge web site is fully Froogle and Google Sitemaps compatible "out of the box".  This means there is no coding neccessary to utilize these powerful search engine technologies.  It's just a matter of configuration.

If you are interested in configuring your web site to use Froogle and/or Google Sitemaps, please contact support@websiteforge.com and we will have one of our search engine specialists help you get it setup.

YOU CANNOT AFFORD to omit Google Sitemaps and Froogle from your search engine efforts!  It's a free boost up in the search engines.

Shane Merem

www.websiteforge.com

Web Design and E-commerce

Hi Website Forge customers!

I have had the chance implement "scheduled inventory downloads" recently.

What is a "scheduled inventory download"?  Well many of you buy your parts from a wholesaler or manufacturer.  If your wholesaler changes prices, adds, or removes products from that database you would need to find out what those items are and make changes to your Website Forge catalog.

We can write special code that speaks directly to your wholesaler or manufacturer on a daily basis to automate things like price changes, additions or deletions.  Every day your product database can be automatically updated saving your hours of time.

This process is not a fit for everyone -- however the people that are a good fit can save hundreds of hours per year of database maintenance (if they do it at all).

If you have questions about an inventory update or any other automated process that may save you time and money, please post your comments and questions.

Thanks,

Shane Merem

www.websiteforge.com

Web Site Design and E-commerce