I believe that behind each successful product there needs to be a strong collaboration between designer and client. The designer and client must work as a team. As such, I guarantee your ideas will be heard, respected and discussed, and, if necessary, improved. By taking the time to listen to your needs and understand your goals, working together can be a stress free experience that who knows, might even turn out to be fun!

  In order to make it in business, you need something exceptional to stand out. At the same time, one needs to not compare themselves with others and only focus on what sets you apart. These are the qualifications that I provide with each and every website. 1. Clear price quotes upfront, so there are no surprises. All my rates are shown on my Quotes page online. 2. A beautiful and highly creative website that is both functional and easy to navigate. 3. I have developed various methods to provide my clients with the option to update their website on their own, to save time and money on updates. 4. I strive to listen to my client's needs and wants to produce the results they are looking for. I aim to illustrate these beliefs with my clients in the development of their website.

  When an “out-of-the-box” solution won’t do, custom development is a viable alternative. Boxed solutions are an incredible resource if your company is just like every other company that they serve, but that’s not often the case. Custom development can provide the solution, formatted in the manner you specify. Contact me today, for information regarding your website solution.

  Search Engines take into account many other factors when they rank your website. One of the best ways is to make sure you are seen EVERYWHERE! You want to have many inbound links to your website from other places online. By setting up accounts in your “business name” with links to your website you look more important. Especially if you are active on those accounts. We know you are busy and this can be overwhelming, so pick a few that work for your business and then let the other sit to generate counts when they can. Be sure to check on them occasionally for messages and to update important contact information or a post here and there when you can. What kind of accounts work well? The best sites are ones that show up in search results to maximize your ranking. Here’s a few ideas…Google+ Plus Business Page - Add your business to Google Maps - Add photos to Google Images - Bing Places for Business - Facebook Business Page - YouTube - Pinterest - Ebay or Etsy - industry related blogs and

  Practical Ideas for Promoting a Small Business Locally “Have you already been to that awesome pizza place on the corner?” This is how a small local brand name quickly becomes a buzzword. Building a strong local presence breaks down into two stages: earning recognition and maintaining reputation. Those who can reach their customers effectively and gain their trust are likely to become local celebs. Make your service and delivery perfect This should be done before any promotion happens. Word-of-mouth is a powerful referral source for your business–and you can drive it with stellar service and delivery to your existing customers. By wowing shoppers with perfect service and delivery, you’re showing that you’re honored to have them as a customer and that you value each and every one of them. Consider going above and beyond for your audience. Develop recognizable branding With a recognizable logo and consistent branding, your local business can gain a foothold in the local marketplace and

  Crucial Elements Every Website Should Have People put their best foot forward during job interviews. They get fresh haircuts, don their best suits, make sure they don't have spinach stuck in their teeth -- long story short, they try to make the best first impression possible. Every time a new person lands on your website, your business goes through a "job interview" of sorts. People are critiquing what they see in detail, establishing an opinion of you, and determining if you're worth getting to know further, and doing business with. Is your website making the right first impression? Elements Every Website Homepage Should Have What exactly do you want to include on your website? That can vary from industry to industry, but there are several must-have elements that every website needs to have across the board: A Clear Value Proposition Tell your visitors exactly what you do with a clear, easy-to-find value proposition. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would b

  Things to keep in mind after your website is complete. 1. Updates & Maintenance: At some point you will probably want to update your website, or maybe even do a redesign to give it a fresh new look. Send your ideas or consult with me for ideas you haven’t thought about. I’d be happy to help you out to make your website grow with your business. 2. Adding Additional Features: Many times a client will just want a basic website to be found online, but after time goes by you may realize how much more could be added to make it better. Send us your needs and I’ll show you how they can be met by adding new features that you might not have even thought of. 3. Spammers love you: After a website is made the scammers come out to play. You might get all kinds of offers to improve or even pretend that you need to do a renewal to get money out of you. Tricking you into losing your domain name to a reseller or a even a competitor. Ignore and delete these emails ASAP. 4. Google Rankings: Remember

  Online Directories Don’t get overlooked just because you're not on your local communities free online directories. Search online for them and request to include your business. It takes time, but it’s so worth it. Where else do you get free advertising 24 hours a day? Be sure to include every way possible for them to contact you in your listing. Your website, phone, email, Facebook etc… Here are a few search ideas to search for…City directories - County directories - Community directories - Local online classifieds - Chamber of Commerce - Business directories - Newspapers - White pages - Yellow pages. Be sure to include near-by communities that you service as well.

  Advertise locally for free on the Internet. Here are my favorite local links to advertise for free. Okoboji Classifieds, Explore Okokboji, CraigsList, KeloLand Classifieds,  Oodle.com , Minnesota Super Ads,  Classifieds.com  Do a Google search to find more of these websites in your area. There are so many Networking websites out there that can promote your website and business. Some are just a waste of time, but here are a few that I have found to be worth a couple of minutes to open an account and add your business details. This list might not look like it’s for business, but trust me you want to be seen where your customers already spend their time. Use these services to work with you for your advantage. LinkedIn, Alignable Facebook, Yelp, Google +, AngelList, Twitter, Instagram-, Foursquare, YouTube, and Snapchat. Make sure to request connections with businesses and potential customers to get noticed.

  The Competition is not your enemy. Seriously. In fact, they can help you!! WHAT! How can that be? Here’s a true story… I have a “friend” who was focused on a disgruntled relationship with a similar business in town. This person watched every move this other business did to “one-up” them. They had to be in every newspaper, fair and show the other one was in. I could go on and on with the conflicts they had with each other and in the end, it only brought hardship at every turn. As the years went on I encouraged them to focus on what they did well instead of what the “other business” was doing. Focus on your differences and not similarities, because it's what makes you different that makes you special. For example, my “friend’s business” had a reputation of being highly detailed and doing each job so well that it would last many years longer than what is normally expected. On-the-other-hand the “other business” had a reputation of bad workmanship and customer service. He wasn’t frie

  Just a Reminder This may seem like a no-brainer, but ALWAYS remember to put your website address on your... 1. Business Cards & Fliers 2. Your business Facebook page (in the About section) 3. Newspaper & Radio Ads 4. Email signatures and other promotional items 5. Facebook business page about section 6. Your Google Business listing 7. LinkedIn account I often see client’s bran new splashy expensive advertisement out in the public somewhere, with no mention of their website to learn more. If you’re going to spend the money on a website (your best employee - see link here) Offer them as many ways as possible to contact you or save your information for when they are ready to be a valuable customer.

  Most of my client’s websites are for local small businesses. I am a huge supporter of small business because I know how rewarding it is to start your own business and serve those who share your same interests. If you have a website, it makes your small business look BIG! You need to be online, so you can be found before customers turn to someone else. All projects welcomed: Big or small. "Let's build something great together!"

  Most of my client website needs are agriculture-related, which isn't surprising for the SW Minnesota area. We understand that you are busy, even during the winter months, but it's a great time to catch up on your business goals. Spending more time inside is an ideal time to think about what a website can do for you. Depending on the type of services you offer I can help you reach the customers who are looking for you online. You need to be there, so you can be found before they turn to someone else.

  Almost fifty percent of my clients are women-owned or managed businesses who offer better time management, attention to detail, and longevity by providing better flexibility with both business and family goals. This inspiring business foundation is motivating for both employees and customers alike assuring women great success by allowing a substantial income. Behind every successful woman is herself.

  E-commerce has dramatically changed the way business owners reach customers. In today’s world, a combination of a brick and mortar store with an online store is the key to staying in business. An online store can take you to the next level by offering product videos, product reviews, product comparisons, links to media coverage, customer product sharing, world-wide exposure, additional product options (color/size/inventory) more payment options and is open 24/7! The most important investment you can make is in yourself (your business) Always deliver more than expected, because opening the box is half the fun.  

  Small businesses are trying to get through this pandemic in any way they can. Some are planning for the upcoming holiday season, but don’t have the strength or energy to even think about what they’re supposed to be doing next year.  We’ve already seen massive shifts in how business is done, and how you, as a business owner, market your business. So, how are you going to create momentum and get new customers in 2021?  Below you’ll learn four different strategies you can implement to help your business grow in the new year.  1. Market as if in-person events won’t happen If your business primarily used to focus on in-person events as a way to get new customers, it’s important to craft a new marketing strategy as if this won’t happen. Although restrictions are loosening, you don’t want to put all of your customer generation tactics in a single area.  For example, if you’re an agency that used to rely on events to generate leads, you can start hosting virtual masterminds with experts in y

I know in the past some of you have noticed that when sharing a link [like your website] on Facebook the desired photo doesn't show up or no photo at all. Well, I have a fix for that. Here is a website that generates special links that will show the photo of your choice.   https://anyimage.io/ All you need to do is fill out your info to create your own specialized link, then copy and paste this link into a Facebook posting box [as shown below] and enter your message post, and done!   Save this link "forever" because you can reuse it. :) It should work better next time you share your page now. Here is a sample photo as an example.   Links are deleted if they are not clicked at least once every 60 days​ with the free account. And you are allowed 10 links per month. S​hare away!​