Monday, November 30, 2009

Change Control Process 101

Being able to handle and manage changes during a project can often be very difficult for some project leaders. A scope creed (unconstrained scope expansion) can force a project schedule and budget over the original approval.

Many believe that change control is really only a mindset. No task or project detail can be altered without involvement of the project manager. CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company suggest that the change control process should include the following:

Changes are required to be submitted to the manager of the project on a change request form or by e-mail.
The changes need to be logged in using an excel spreadsheet.
The project team should assess the impact of the change on schedule, specifications, and budget.
Impact is discussed with the requester.
The proposed change is then talked over with the sponsor and customer.
The change needs to be either approved or denied; requestor is then notified of the decision.
Stakeholders are notified of the change.

The change is integrated into the Project Plan and deliverables.
On smaller projects, change requests can be submitted via e-mail, but on larger projects, a change request template should be utilized. There are many templates available for a company’s use.

At first glance the change control process may seem bulky, but it is rather simple. A company’s senior management should make good judgments and figure out how much process is just enough to control changes in the organization.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

All projects initially begin and tend to end with the customer. Project leaders should value the thoughts and concerns of the customer in order to deliver satisfaction. There are two main objectives in customer relationship management.

Customer relationship management (CRM) are methods that companies tend to use to better interact with their customers or clients.

The two CRM objectives help to establish a good working relationship and level of trust with the customer while also obtaining customer signoff on the project deliverables.

Customer Relationship
As stated above, a company’s project manager should always keep the customer informed and satisfied throughout the entire project. The manager is capable of doing this only if he or she has full support from all levels of management.

A project manager is responsible for:

Developing project planning
Developing customer involvement
Understanding the customer’s needs and wants
Seeking a customer’s approval after project changes
Developing project objectives
Establishing a good relationship with the customer
Continuous dialogue with the customer or client

Customer Signoff
When a customer has signed-off on a project it simply signifies the conclusion of the project. This plays a big part in a stakeholder’s position of being paid. Even though the customer has signed-off, there are still other tasks to be completed.

Before a sign-off is completed, the customer has to be satisfied with the project. All requirements should be fulfilled and no issues should be left out in the open. A sign-off should be in a formal written format.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Providing 'Pet Parents' With a Peace of Mind

They’re almost like family – similar to your playful son, loving daughter or simply just a little pal. A pet often brings joy to any family or single home. To many, nurturing and taking care of a precious animal is top priority. His or her safety is a must no matter whose care they might be in.

Providing ‘pet parents’ with a peace of mind while they are away from home and their adored pet is Queen City Petsitting’s number one main concern. Established to steer owners away from crowded and unhealthy kennels and boarding services, Queen City Petsitting provides each pet with the tender love and care they deserve.

Aiding to the Charlotte area, Queen City Pet Sitting offers an assortment of services worthy of any pet owners respect. You can jump onboard the Pet Taxi for a ride to the veterinarian, set up a quick grooming, or even ask for an errand run to return your late movie rentals. Whatever the case may be, these pet care sitters promise to fulfill all of your desires.

A graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Stacey has spent several years in Real Estate Banking. While embarking on a pet sitting service in her spare time, her expertise and passion has grown tremendously over the years.

After adopting Chippy, her Miniature Schnauzer, from Schnauzer Rescue of the Carolinas, the idea of combining her love for animals and pet care developed into her gift to every pet owner -
Queen City Pet Sitting!

To learn more about Queen City Charlotte Pet Sitting and the services they provide, please visit www.queencitypetsitting.com.

Web Design and Hosting Mistakes

Small businesses new to the Internet often tend to make the same mistakes when trying to establish their online presence. CODANK Charlotte Web Design suggests that you conduct thorough research before embarking on any web site design or hosting projects for your company in order to avoid these common mistakes.

Below are a few web design and hosting mistakes that are common:

Placing too many pictures and animations on your website
Try to refrain from cluttering your company’s website with too many images and pictures. Search engine crawlers are not able to collect enough information to index your web site if you do not have text. Do not get wrapped up in having a nice looking site and forget about the content.

Ignoring bandwidth restrictions
Do not place large files, documents, or photos for visitors to view because it will make it difficult to navigate around the web site. Pictures take up more bandwidth than text does.

Not focusing on Search Engine Optimization
The most seen mistake is when a company builds a web site that ignores search engine needs. Be sure to hire a SEO professional who is qualified to help you take advantage of this great marketing tool.

Lack of a business plan
Construct a definite business plan and stick with it from beginning to end. Even if your progress starts off slowly, do not abandon the plan. Each element will help your company in the long run.

Be sure to define your target market and invest in advertising that will properly grab their attention.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Monday, November 23, 2009

Local Search Engines

With the sudden increase in technology advances, small businesses and entrepreneurs are beginning to look for new and innovative ways of reaching their target audience. During Search Engine Optimization, it is always best to be listed in search engine indexes. But, it is also very beneficial for a business to submit their information to local-search engines.

The overall objective of a local search engine is the importance of narrowing down a visitors search. For example, Bob may only want to see the listings for Charlotte Web Design companies in Charlotte, North Carolina and not nationwide. If Bob were to visit Yahoo or Google, he would be able to specify his results and receive better listings.

Top Local Search Engines
• Yahoo Local Listings
• Ask Local
• MSN Local Search
• Google Local Search

These top local search engines offer their services for free. They allow a business to submit their company’s information directly to their local search engines. Doing so helps to increase the possibility of being found during a search.

The process of submitting a company’s background information is fairly easy. The type of information normally needed includes:

• Street Address
• Website URL
• Description of Company
• Operating Hours
• Phone/Fax Number
• Year of Establishment
• Company Logo or Picture

Being listed in search engines such as Google and MSN often draws in a company’s much needed traffic. In addition to other promotional endeavors, taking advantage of local search engines can be very beneficial to any business or entrepreneur.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Friday, November 20, 2009

Traditional vs. Web Mail

One of the most useful and innovative web applications that is beginning to create a buzz is Web Mail. The application (which is used on the Internet) allows it users to access, send, receive and manage their email all through a web browser.

The great thing about web mail is the ability to access your email from almost any computer around the world, as long as you have an Internet connection and web browser.

The difference between traditional electronic mail and web mail is that with traditional mailing the messages are stored on an email client’s one computer while web mail allows access from anywhere via the Internet. Users are attracted to this benefit a lot more than any other.

Web mail is becoming very popular within many technology companies including search engines and portals. A few of the more popular web mail services available include:

• Yahoo! Mail
• Google Gmail
• Hotmail
• AT&T

All of these service providers offer web mail for free. They tend to do this in order to encourage their users to keep coming back to their web site.

Advantages of Web Mail
• Email stored centrally
• Registration is fast and free
• Multiple email addresses can be created for one user
• Large storage capacity

Disadvantages of Web Mail
• Online accessibility
• Advertisements
• Spam and security problems

Numerous web mail users check their email on a daily basis. The more a user visits a specific site the more revenue a company such as Google and Yahoo can make off of advertisements.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Unavailable: System Crash

Have you ever waited until the last minute to apply for classes or visit your favorite clothing store’s web site to print out 50% off coupons only to see that the site is unavailable? More than likely you were not the only one attempting to do the same thing! What has occurred is a crash or system crash.

A system crash is defined as a computing condition in which a program (application or part of the operating system) completely stops performing its expected function and also discontinues responding to other components of the system.
There are many reasons why a system may tend to crash every now and then. Typical causes are when the program counter (which specifies where the computer is in the instruction process) is fixed to an address that is not correct or a buffer overflow overwrites a portion of program code due to an earlier bug.

An easier reason for a system crash is simple – too many visitors are on the web site! This problem is common when people are trying to view live video streaming or even trying to view great deals on Black Friday. Many systems are not capable of working to the best of their ability when there are thousands or even millions of visitor on it at once.

The process of debugging (finding and reducing the number of bugs) system crashes involves linking the actual cause of the crash with the code that set off the chain of unfortunate events. This process is not always simple.

Recently, hackers got into Twitter’s system and caused their system to crash. Twitter was unavailable for a few hours before they were able to get it back up and running properly.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Doorway Pages 101

Doorway Pages were created simply as an entrance from search engines such as Google and Yahoo to a company’s web site. The idea behind a doorway page is to create highly optimized pages that can be chosen and indexed by search engines, hopefully, ranking high and thus channel traffic to the site.

Wikipedia defines doorway pages as web pages that are created for spamdexing, this is, for spamming the index of a search engine by inserting results for particular phrases with the purpose of sending visitors to a different page.

Doorway pages are also known as bridge pages, portal pages, jump pages, gateway pages, entry pages and by other names. Doorway pages that redirect visitors without their knowledge use some form of cloaking.

These types of pages normally look totally different from the rest of a web site.
Another type of doorway pages tends to use a method referred to as cloaking. They show a view of that page to the visitor, but different from the one provided to search engine crawlers.

A content rich doorway page must be constructed in a search engine friendly (SEF) way; if not, it may be construed as search engine spam possibly resulting in the page being banned from the index for an undisclosed amount of time.

These types of doorways use (but are not limited to) the following:

• Content vs. keyword density strategies in order to rank higher in the index
• SEF navigation for easy spidering
• ALT - Title Attributed images for key word support
• Title Attributed links for key word support

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.
For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Planning & Organizing: Project Management

Providing each client with superior support often includes precise Project Management. It is implemented by first planning and then organizing each project in efforts to fulfill its overall goal. Companies such as CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing typically study a business’s needs and wants and as a result are then able to help identify problems and recommend solutions.

Wikipedia.org defines Project management as the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. It is often closely related to and sometimes conflated with program management.

The initial principle of project management or project planning is to keep it as simple as possible. Small projects may require little as 3 or four pages while larger projects will be much more intense.

A project plan is the basic roadmap for an entire project. Regardless of the size of the project, CODANK Charlotte Web Design recommends that you should cover the following elements:

Project Summary – a brief rundown of the specific project’s objectives.
Work breakdown structure (WBS) – the to-do-list
Assignment of resources – who is going to do the work?
Project Schedule – Detailed schedule and project completion date
Budget – allocation of money
Risk assessment – Things that could go wrong and what actions should be included in the plan to alleviate the highest-risk events
Communications – Specify how the team will meet, communicate, and report status on the project
Change control process – How will changes be handled?

A great way to put together a project plan is to assemble the project team and lead a brainstorming meeting and record the information you may need.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Monday, November 16, 2009

Advertising & Marketing Tips

Marketing whether online or away from the World Wide Web is a great and unique way to better benefit your company. Small to large companies are inventing remarkable strategies to help promote the brands that they represent.

Marketing and Advertising is defined as the promoting of products and services over numerous outlets for the sole purpose of delivering messages to attract customers.

A business should always be marketable in order to: serve and attract potential customers, make company information accessible, increase the public’s interest, to reach the media, and to better network.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has created a list of the best tips that will help your company stay on top of its marketing endeavors. Be sure to read over all of them to better understand the process.

Create a SWOT Analysis – list your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; be sure to match the strengths and opportunities against the weaknesses and threats.
Conduct thorough research – get a better understanding of your clients and potential customers.
Invest in an Intranet – helps to boost staff morale and efficiency
Get a better understanding of competitors
Public Relations – be sure to hire a great PR staff in order to keep your name out in the public
Branding – create a brand that is going to stand out; take the time to get it right the first time.
Segmentation – break your customers down into sections to better craft a targeted marketing approach.
Web site design – create an online presence that will keep your audience’s attention.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design
CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Friday, November 13, 2009

A Helpful Hand: Content Management System

A lot of companies specialize in applying Content Management Systems – file-driven web systems that permits their clients to simply update and create their own website content, pages, and images whenever necessary without any HTML knowledge.

Some are affordable while others may be more on the expensive side. Thorough research should be conducted before purchasing a Content Management System.

With most CMS’s, clients have the capability to manually update:
· Pages
· Images
· Text Content
· Upcoming Events
· Links
· Calendars and more…

Within the CMS, updates can be made into the pre-determined content area of each desired page. Each editing feature is available via a browser with no HTML experience or FTP software needed.

Essential editing tools included with majority CMS’s:
· Blogging capability
· Add/manage a directory of members
· Create new pages and delete older pages
· Add text/multiple images
· Add/edit various calendars
· Add News and Specials/Features/Events headlines and corresponding stories

An additional feature to most CMS’s, including CODANK’s, is a client’s ability to appoint access to various associates. This facilitates a site administrator to allow numerous people access to view or edit pages on the website, hence allowing those associates to manage available content.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design


CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Unethical SEO Practices

Search Engine Optimization practices has grown into a large part of owning any type of web page. Entrepreneurs and everyday individuals are beginning to think about how they are going to get their web sites to receive high rankings within search engines. Even though these people are seeking more and more technological assistance, many are unaware of what works and what doesn’t.

Below, CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has put together a list of unethical SEO practices as well as the best strategies to use. Be sure to discuss these tips with your chosen Search Engine Optimization professional before constructing a web site.

Unethical Search Engine Optimization Practices

Tricking search engines by imbedding hidden keywords in your website. Doing so will more than likely get you banned from most search engines.
Artificially generating links to your site from unrelated sites in order to boost your ranking. Majority of search engines have a built-in mechanism that detects this type of deceptive practice.
Artificially generating traffic to your site so that it appears more popular. Safeguards are in place to prevent this from happening. Getting around these safeguards could place you on the banned list for many search engines.
Submitting your web site to search engines repeatedly for inclusion in the rankings.
Best Search Engine Optimization Strategies to Use

Proper Web Site Structure
Keyword Tools & Services
Pay-Per-Click Campaigns
Behavioral Targeting
Appropriate Written Content
Tagging Your Web Site
Suitable Links & Linking

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Behavioral Targeting: Take Advantage of It

The growing ability of companies to capture and record the different behaviors of their potential customers is steady on the rise. These same businesses are beginning to study the world’s consumers a lot more in order to better understand their buying habits.

Behavioral Targeting uses information collected on a person’s web browsing behavior. Certain activities include: the particular pages visited, performed searches, and how often an individual may stay on a web site. With behavioral targeting not only are you tracking users’ behaviors, but a company is meeting these potential customers in the places where they are more likely to make a purchase.

When behavioral targeting is utilized, there are several methods by which behavior is evaluated. Those methods include:

Repetitive Behavior
– a type of behavior from which potential customers do over and over again; users accessing a page in a certain order, repeatedly jumping to a site or at a particular time.

Sequential Behavior – a behavior that occurs when a user signs onto a site and then visits pages or performs actions in sequential manner.

Expected Behavior – what a business expects users to do on a given type of site.

In addition to the behaviors listed above, there are also many categories of behavior that are much more precise. CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has included a brief list of some of the categories that can be monitored using behavioral targeting. They include:

Music lovers
Automobile purchasers
Hotel seekers
Expecting moms
Gamers
PDA users
Vacationers
Movie watchers
Luxury car seekers
Personal investors
Credit card shoppers
SUV researchers
Home buyers

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

SEO & SEM 101

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has briefly explained the questions on every potential clients mind, what is Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing and their elements?

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the following information before choosing a Charlotte Web Design company. They should be able to fully take advantage of these services. If not, you should consider finding a company that does.

What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search Engine Optimization, also referred to as SEO, are the design strategies you use on and away from a website to enhance search engine rankings. This simply means altering your website, design content & other elements to improve its presence.

Keywords and phrases are both very important aspects of Search Engine Optimization. They are the link between a site and the sites potential traffic.

What is Search Engine Marketing?
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a type of Internet Marketing which seeks to promote websites by increasing visibility in search engine result pages.
The ultimate goal of SEM is to attract more traffic (people) to your website.

Search engines will naturally change and advance as technology and theories that enable SEO and the engines themselves progress. For this reason, a modifiable Search Engine Optimization plan should be set in place to help keep you on track.

Search Engine Ranking
To achieve a high position in search results, your site must be beyond recognizable by a search engine crawler. Your site must comply with a set of criteria that gets your site cataloged above most other sites that may fall within the same grouping or topic.

Ranking Criteria
Anchor Text Topical Links Keywords Site Maturity
Site Popularity Title Tags Site Language
Link Context Keywords Content

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Monday, November 9, 2009

Internet Marketing & Advertising 101

Are you thinking about expanding your efforts in this rapidly growing market? If the answer is yes than your best bet is to let the World Wide Web assist you as much as possible.

Internet Marketing & Advertising – the marketing of products and services over the Internet for the sole purpose of delivering messages to attract customers– is the new craze. Small to large businesses are all embarking on the unique benefits of marketing made possible due to the Internet.

Advertising and Internet marketers are taking advantage of this inexpensive trend. Using the web allows you to distribute information and media to audiences nationally. You are able to reach people whom you are not capable of reaching via phone, mail, or in person.

Practically all aspects of your Internet Marketing & Advertising campaigns can be measured and tested. Many advertisers often use a variety of methods such as Pay-Per-Click programs. Results can determine which messages or other advertising efforts are more appealing to your targeted market.

Internet Marketing & Advertising is growing faster than any other type of media simply because exposure, response, and overall effectiveness of the Internet offer a greater sense of accountability for advertisers.

Think about the last time you needed to learn something about a company. Chances are you did not use the yellow pages. Instead, you did a quick search on the Internet. Many consumers are beginning to search for information via the web a lot more often these days. Having the perfect online presence makes is easy for these users to access information.

Your website is a direct reflection of your business. It acts just like a business card or flyer except that it operates around the world and 24/7. For this reason, you should have a web design that reflects an attractive and relevant presence.

Why Your Business Needs a Good Web Design:

To serve & attract potential clients
To make business information available
To increase public interest
To create a 24 hour service
To reach the media
To stay in contact with customers
To network

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Friday, November 6, 2009

Ready For Your Use: Templates

If you find yourself constantly creating documents that contain a lot of specific formatting which may not always use the same font or text, you could save a significant amount of time if you use Microsoft Word templates. By using templates in Microsoft Word, you can focus your attention on the actual content of the document and leave the formatting up to the template.

A template is defined as a pre-developed page layout in electronic or paper media used to make new pages with a similar design, pattern or style. Microsoft Word templates often include:

Formatting
Boilerplate text
Toolbars
Headers
Footers
Styles
Macros
AutoText entries

To save you time and frustration, you should write a good outline before creating your Word template. This way, you can always go back and edit the template or make changes to parts of the document.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design has listed a few tips on what should be included in your outline. They include:

Insert a date field that will automatically update each time the template is opened.
If creating a letter, insert your address and contact information.
Use fields or AutoText for headers and footers.
Any text that will be included in the document
Endnotes, footnotes, columns, margins, etc.
Specific macros

Once your outline is complete, you are ready to begin working on your Microsoft Word template.

A few Microsoft Word templates include:

Agendas
Brochures
Contracts
Flyers
Memos
Newsletters

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Printed Marketing Material

Advertising and marketing doesn’t always have to be dealt with in one way. Truth is, whatever concept gets a company new customers and keeps them is what works best. Online marketing has increased over the years, but there are still many people who are cautious about using the Internet for buying or simply doing business. That is why every company should their time and money on brochures and other forms of printed material.

A small business or online company should invest in printed material for two reasons:

Credibility – look like you mean business by spending money on things besides business cards and letterhead.
Time-saving – give people something to take home and read at their leisure.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has come up with tips on writing a brochure. These tips will help a small business or company support their online marketing efforts and hopefully increase sales.

Encourage your readers to look inside – get creative and go beyond the norm
Explain your product – a good way is to list the products features
Modify the shape – design the brochure into a shape that catches a reader’s attention
Create a list for content – a list of contents is useful; be sure to include bolded words and separate it from the rest of the text
Make it a keeper – include tips or how-to information to be sure that readers keep it as a reference
Make it personal – create a connection within the content; make readers feel as if you’re talking directly to them
Keep it organized – direction helps the reader flip through the pages much easier
Ask for action – include a suggestion area or toll-free number for readers to respond

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Most Common Search Engine Optimization Mistakes

Search Engine Optimization can be very tricky when not done the correct way. One of the biggest challenges in SEO is the fact that people don’t realize its importance when drawing in traffic to a web site. Uninformed marketing specialists can easily make decisions that can harm the entire purpose behind Search Engine Optimization.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is defined as the process of improving the quality or volume of traffic to a web site from search engines. Unlike Search Engine Marketing (SEM), SEO does not deal with paid inclusion. The earlier a site appears in search result listings, typically the more visitors will receive them from the search engine.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has put together a list of the most common mistakes made during Search Engine Optimization. The list includes:

Thin Content Pages – little to no content is present on the page
Use of Crawler Unfriendly Methods – search engines deal better with HTML text rather than Flash files
Ignoring Title Tags – a title tag is important because it shows in the search results as your page title
Poor Content Management System – a CMS should be crawler-friendly in order to be beneficial
Poor Site Promotion – marketing goes beyond just launching a site; try inbound links
Wrong Keywords – be sure to select keywords and phrases which have relevance to your web site.
Images instead of Headings – search engines need to read actual content; refrain from posting nothing but images
Backlink Spamming – quality backlinks are much better than just having numerous backlinks
Ignoring URLs – place keywords in an URL; helps with SEO
JavaScript Menus – crawlers cannot read JavaScript menus; try using a sitemap instead.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Pre-Packaged: Press Kit

You have a great idea and you’re now ready for the world to know about it. With the increase in promotional alternatives, you may be a little confused as to how you should get the word out. CODANK Charlotte Web Design suggest that you invest in a well put together Press Kit.

A press kit, also known as a media kit, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials of a person, business, product, or organization. It is normally distributed to numerous members of the media for promotional use only. A press or media kit is often used to announce a release or for a news conference of some sort.

Common Press Kit Elements
• Background Information
• Photos/Images (High Resolution)
• Biographies of key individuals
• Past Press Coverage
• Updated Press Release
• Contact Information
• Collateral advertising material (flyer, book, etc.)

Below is a list of other great reasons to use a media or press kit.
• Business launch
• Mergers and acquisitions
• News conferences
• Large events
• Industry trade shows
• Product launch

Press kits are very common in the music industry. Bands and musicians tend to use them when launching a new album. Their media kits usually include: band biography, discography, CD, contact information, and an equipment list.

Those who choose to create a press kit often vary in the way that they are actually put together. Some people prefer it to have a certain look while others would rather put it together in a different way.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design
CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Monday, November 2, 2009

Doing Business: Franchising

Embarking on a new web design company or fast food franchise can be very beneficial if handled in the correct way. There aren’t many to choose from, but the ones that are available should definitely be taken advantage of.

Franchising is defined as a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business. This includes:

Chain store – retail outlets which share a branded and central management
Exclusive right – sell branded merchandise
Media franchise – ownership of the characters and setting of a film, video game, book, etc.

For example, as an iDesign 247 franchisee, an individual is granted the opportunity to market a well-liked brand and service. With a low initial investment, becoming an owner will automatically expose them to a mass group of consumers ready to take advantage of the services in which iDesign 247 offers.

Becoming an iDesign 247, or any other company, is both easy and valuable. You will be granted with the resources, creativity and knowledge of a growing brand. The company should always be available to help you prosper as a business owner.

Below are the top ten (10) franchises of 2009. These companies were the most invested in businesses during the year (out of 500).

Subway
McDonald's
Liberty Tax Service
Sonic Drive-In Restaurants
InterContinental Hotels Group
Ace Hardware Corp.
Pizza Hut
The UPS Store/Mail Boxes Etc.
Circle K
Papa John's Int'l. Inc

Before you choose to become a franchisee, it is best to conduct thorough research. A lot of time, money and patience are endured when dealing with a franchise. Make the correct choice and make it work for you.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design
CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com