Are you planning on starting a new business selling online?   You need to pre-plan your site ahead of the selling season which begins in September and goes through May. These are the best selling months for your online store. You'll need the momentum to get through the summer months in the prior year.   Most people try to postpone their website development until September, but the typical eCommerce Website takes 3-6 weeks or longer to develop. It also takes a new site 3-4 weeks before the search engines pick it up, so technically your looking at 3 months before your website is done and found. As you can see, this means your site will show up in November or December.   Like any business you need to pre-plan your launch.   I hope this handy TIP helps you make the decision to do just that, pre-plan!   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

According to eMarketer.com having a Website is the 2nd best way to generate the most qualified leads for your business.         Of course your site has to be optimized for the search engines such as Google.com, Yahoo.com and Bing.com to really see the full potential your web site can bring as far as qualified leads.   For more information on how WebsiteForge.com can help make your business web site successful, call me today!   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 Other Blog Articles On Web Site Design & Search Engine Marketing!  

WebsiteForge Web Site Design Makes Money!       You know what they say, "Proof is in the pudding", right, well I say proof is in the Web Site Design Company and if you want your web site to make you money, then you need to consider these facts...   FACT 1 - The average WebsiteForge client makes $65,400.31 in sales. FACT 2 - 9.38% make over $100,000 in sales. FACT 3 - 2.65% make over $500,000 in sales. FACT 4 - 1.22% make over $1,000,000 in sales.   If your web site is not hitting those kinds of numbers, then you need to call me today!   I have many people ask me what are the best producing sites to have. The answer is ANYTHING! As long as your site is marketed correctly and is able to be found in the search engine results, you can make money with any kind of business.   Here is a small sampling of sites that produced over $100,000 in sales... Battery Sales Clothing Fitness/Supplements Baking Supplies Gold Silver Coins Lawn Mower Parts Diving Gear Printing Services Spy Camera Equipment Wholesale Food Products Clothing Lingerie Tractor & Mower Parts Aluminum Performance Radiators Candles Marine Electronics and Boat Supplies Sanitation Nursing School Firefighting Equipment Truck Hitches Gun Parts Bedding Supplies Audio Sales Sport Clothing Accessories College Student Services Tool Sales Vitamin Sales Makeup Electronics Coffee Sales Fishing Tackle Medical Supply Solar Supplies Personal Gifts Construction Real Estate   If you did not see your industry listed above, do not think for a minute you cannot make money. We have hundreds of successful sites in every industry.   Every successful web site we have has one very important person behind it, "The Owner of the web site". We provide the tools necessary to be successful and it is up to the Owner of the web site to use those tools or pay us to do it for them.   A successful website just does not happen it's forged together with technology and sweat equity!   For more information on how WebsiteForge.com can help make your business web site successful, call me today!   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 Other Blog Articles On Web Site Design & Search Engine Marketing!

Five Sure-Fire Ecommerce Strategies Search Engine Optimization will drive traffic to your Web site, but if customers can't find products they wish to purchase, they'll go away disappointed. Here are five sure-fire Ecommerce strategies for you to use. First, know your customers and anticipate their needs. Never forget that as an Online Ecommerce Store Merchant, your goal is to find products that suit your customers likes and wants, not yours. Think about what and how they purchased and for whom. If you know your shoppers are older Men, a tee shirt that says "I love Knitting" is not as good as one that says, "I have the best Grandchildren in the world!" Next, understand that you're selling more than a product in your Ecommerce Store; you're selling a solution to a problem. Whether the problem is a better TV, disorganized closets or new blinds, before and after images create an effective visual solution to a customers problem. When you combine powerful images with ad copy that drives the problem-solving aspects home, you'll sell more product from your Ecommerce Site. Also, mix and match products repeatedly and creatively in your Ecommerce Store. If men's hats can be placed under both "apparel" and "hats", then position them in both places. Don't forget to cross-sell by rotating additional merchandise that the shopper may also like; ie. If you like this hat you may want to buy this belt with it. Keep it interesting for the customer by using a good selection of products and price points. Also, take the time to search for products on your site to make sure your customers can find them easily. Let's say you're selling Jewelry and you want to find a diamond necklace for $50 or less, search "necklace" and "great gifts for under $50." Presumably, the diamond necklace will appear with other necklace or diamond related items. If they don't, then more synonyms and keywords need to be integrated into your site's search. Finally, try to do the thinking for your customers. No one has time to search your Web site to find just the right present. Create gift-buying categories, such as "hard to shop for", "gifts under $50", "Outdoorsman" or "Hard to buy for Teens" Also, create categories by price point. If you integrate your merchandise in a meaningful way, your customers can cut to the chase and spend money with you instead of the next site that does! If you want to know what can help make your site better, give me call today! 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

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

What Does SEO Stand For?     Q> What does SEO stand for?  Would you basically list it with google, and other search engines? Brent     A> SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization which is the process used to attain higher ranking in the search engines like; Google, Yahoo and Bing.   Search Engine Submission is the method used to get the site on the search engines. The benefit of doing a Search Engine Submission is, it will let people type in your Domain Name Address or URL in the search field so hopefully they can find your website.   Most people won't know your Domain Name or URL when doing a search and will try to find a company like yours by using Keywords to locate you.   By Optimizing your site for the Search Engines you will be found in the top % of the sites instead of the bottom. Most people don't know or understand this important fact or are misled by companies that just build and design sites and don't specialize in Search Engine Placement.   Let's say you need brain surgery, would you want to go to the Family Doctor or a Brain Surgeon? The Family Doctor will cost a lot less but your chances of survival is slim. The Brain Surgeon has a huge successful track record but cost a little more. Who would you want to perform the surgery? That answer should be obvious, right?   Your website should be treated the same way. If you want a successful website, you need a company that specializes in developing successful websites that are found high in the search engines, otherwise your website could just be sitting at the bottom of the search engines, brain dead.   If you don't want a brain dead website, then let's discuss how WebsiteForge can help you.   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  

    More than one-half of smartphone users checked out websites of a company before doing business with them online with their phone according to "Q3 2009 Smartphone Intelligence Survey" as cited in a press release January 4th, 2010.   If your website is not compatible with mobile technology and upgraded with new updates like what WebsiteForge offers it's clients, then your site runs the serious risk of not being able to be viewed by potential buyers of your product or service.   More and more people are using smartphones like Blackberry, Droid and the IPhone instead of there computer. Research also shows the people who use their phones to shop and collect information with are in the demographics most business websites want to reach.   This first quarter, WebsiteForge plans on spending $50,000 back into our core coding to ensure our clients are always able to be found. The question is... are our competitors doing the same for their clients?   For more information on how WebsiteForge builds better business websites, please send back an email with a time or call me, otherwise I hope you enjoy your week! Thanks, Douglas A. Marks Website Marketing Consultant www.websiteForge.com 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  

  Web Site By WebsiteForge Converts 90% More Business and Increases Sales by 28% in the first 3 Months!     TO: Potential Ecommerce Web site Buyers,   We decided that our ecommerce web site needed a facelift.  After researching different solutions, we chose to have WebsiteForge.com build a new site.  With our input, they built a new site with a brand new design that was much more professional looking and user-friendly than our old site.   The result was a 90% increase in conversions and a 28% increase in gross sales in the first 3 months. The staff at WebsiteForge is knowledgeable, helpful and easy to work with.  They responded to every question and request promptly and professionally.  Even after the site was online, they have continued to offer outstanding support and guidance. I would recommend WebsiteForge to anyone seeking a professional ecommerce website.   Jim Fisher www.BestWarningLights.com  

  I got an email today from Alex who is looking at having a professional web site design created.   This is what he said...   "I had a website and created it myself using a template but hosted by a company that got very little response and few orders of silver jewelry, following all the rules that you should. I used citytymax.com, a stand alone site with out blogs and things to direct clients to the site...very disappointing."   Unfortunately this happens all the time when you use these free or low cost tools to build a website yourself. The underlying problem is they are not using Search Engine Optimized Coding that will allow you to be found higher in the Search Engines and thus never found. No one is going to look 1,423 pages deep in the listing for you.   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

  Why Host With WebsiteForge.com?     Hi Everyone,   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!