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I had the pleasure today of attending the Economic Growth Forum at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The morning sessions were described by some as “dense” and by others as inconsistently informative and engaging. Whatever the opinion, all seemed to be in agreement with Ginny Hasselfield, Director of Leadership Giving SFU. She said the big morning take-away was the quote “Canada needs to become the Julliard of knowledge.” There’s great concern we’re loosing 50% of our PhD’s to other countries. We’re seeing a push to view knowledge as Canada’s new resource. This concept also colored the last Vancouver Board of Trade event I attended with speaker Stephen J. Toope, President of UBC.

Todd Buchholz, former White House Director of Economic Policy and bestselling author of numerous books including New Ideas from Dead Economists, delivered an entertaining and straightforward perspective of the global economic crisis. Which, given the complexity of the subject was remarkable in itself. Here are a few points I found interesting.

Todd spoke optimistically of a few things we’re doing that will steer us away from another “Great Depression.” These include the printing of money, maintaining raising tax rates, and welcoming foreigners (not doing these things became the tipping point that moved a “regular” ol’ depression into a “Great” Depression). Focus turned to the individual with emphasis on putting the passion back into our businesses and brands. Grassroots sales and business development: strategically select your customers, understand the value of their business, offer exceptional service, employ innovative thinking and act with civic leadership. What Todd thought would really help us move forward is when people finally realize everything is “on sale.” It will move us from fear and connect us with our increased buying power. That said, it’s not all that surprising he doesn’t stand by most alternative sustainable economic theories. Instead, he thinks mirroring our sustainability goals with taxes on unsustainable activities will move us toward making better decisions while holding onto positive changes we’ve enjoyed in the past 100 years. He asks, and I paraphrase, “aren’t you glad to be living past 47 without horse-drawn trollys, garbage in the streets, and outhouses?” Maybe, but I still have to wonder… at what cost?
I’d like to finish with a quote from an admired marketing expert, Alan Weiss. He speaks to how we can help our businesses thrive during the end this downturn:

We need to ask “How can we help you?”

“Ask how you can best help your target market improve during a recovery, and then demonstrate it. Typical high potential areas: hiring and rehiring; luring back past customers; rebuilding brand and image; rebuilding morale and loyalty; identifying high growth opportunities; professional development; financing; upgrading technology.” – Alan Weiss, Summit Consulting Group

Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom. — Kierkegaard

How can I help YOU?
I would be delighted to speak with you about how we can partner to help you meet your business goals in this economic recovery. Yes, Joanne Probyn Media goes the extra mile. You’ll be thrilled with our customer service. But don’t trust me; check out our testimonials. We’re a team that’s all about passion, innovation and meeting your unique needs at every step. Contact Joanne today.

Thank you to the Vancouver Board of Trade for hosting this event and to nDevilTV for the feature image.

Your web site is the centerpiece of your brand. It’s often your first and only chance to make a good impression. Visitors decide in 5-8 seconds if they will stay or go. Here’s a few lessons from those that failed in keeping our attention.

1. No hooks to entice the visitor to dig deeper.
   People go to your web site because they hope you’ll solve a problem, provide an insight, or entertain them. Offer your customers a “hook” or “bait” relating to why they came to your site. This link should connect them to relevant content.
2. You don’t immediately speak to your customers’ wants and needs.
   Even a clever “hook” will fail if you don’t speak to their needs. Have you ever actually asked them? Understand the top three reasons why they go to your web site and make these easy to find.
3. You welcome your visitor.
   Your intentions are good but you may delay your visitors from learning about your company. You have 5-8 seconds. Explain what you do and how they will benefit from working with you instead. Some call this a “Value Proposition”.
4. No free resources.
   Free resources are a very pervasive marketing strategy. Do you offer your clients scores of juicy resources and value-packed content? People are always looking for free stuff. To give is to receive.
5. Title isn’t descriptive or Search Engine Optimized.
   “Index” in the title (top of browser) is like calling your company “Name”. Most people put their company name up top. Titles offer an easy free way to improve SEO. Include keywords that describe your business, a tagline, key services and your city. Nielsen/NetRatings claim 24.4 percent of searches include the city. Here’s the HTML code: <TITLE>Put your descriptive title here.</TITLE>
6. No tagline.
   A catch phrase (three to eight words) at the top of your site is an excellent way to communicate what you do and how your customer will benefit from working with you. Help your visitor answer “Where am I and what can I do here?” and you’re golden.
7. No Blog
   Blogs are excellent for SEO and building your reputation as an expert in your field. Blog 3-5 times a week? Pat yourself on the back. Rarely or don’t blog? Think again. The payback is opportunities and leads. No time? Outsource it or publish a few lines or even a picture. It doesn’t always have to be an
   in-depth article. New content keeps ‘em comin’.
8. Mystery Navigation and Flash Introductions
   People will leave if they have to guess what to do next or if something is tricky click on. Just because things move, doesn’t make them good. It may seem impressive but it often delays, frustrates and confuses. Content must be relevant and delivered efficiently. Aim for predictable instead.
9. Your design isn’t distinctive.
   Stand out from the crowd and be different. Communicate your brand’s message. TIP – Avoid offering too many products or services. It’s diluting and confusing. Aim to specialize instead.
10. Not telling people what your services are.
    Learn what your clients need to motivate them to make a commitment. Do you have a services page? You’re on the right track. If it’s loaded with answers to questions they often ask you, enjoy a gold star! A bulleted list is helpful but can leave people wanting more. Give them insight into the process of working with you. Include packages.

BONUS  You speak in your words, not your clients.
Mirror your client’s style. Speak in their words and to their needs. Your messages will be understood and have an impact. Write to connect. Value their time and avoid unnecessary details.

Discover how we can partner to create a much better web site that generates scores of leads, builds customer relationships and creates massive profit. Contact Joanne Probyn Media today.

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Thanks to Purpleslog for the “Burning Money” image.