tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18176864014305744932024-02-07T06:46:45.859-06:00Encore Web WorksFor more than a decade, Encore has been helping organizations reach new levels of success. Our clients include emerging entreprenuers all the way up to Fortune 500 firms.
Our years of experience in technology and database application development can help you harness the power of your web. Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-31828106881187142112017-10-10T15:55:00.001-05:002017-10-10T15:55:27.783-05:00The Rise and Fall of Would-Be Millionaires<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjbV_9BGfa_Of2lvbR6aw9zUIvaUjb9fu99ymA9SUGutfoHUcGkhe_O-AKaAVBlSBCR0VZ7I5TksgdLKzp2qBs9D3Ah7rQdzH4OVa4l7X5PGJ5bhQvQCQLYgd47cWzmall3oWsEWNzitm/s1600/million-dollar-ideas-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjbV_9BGfa_Of2lvbR6aw9zUIvaUjb9fu99ymA9SUGutfoHUcGkhe_O-AKaAVBlSBCR0VZ7I5TksgdLKzp2qBs9D3Ah7rQdzH4OVa4l7X5PGJ5bhQvQCQLYgd47cWzmall3oWsEWNzitm/s320/million-dollar-ideas-600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the past 16 years since founding Encore Web Works, I’ve
met with many people who earnestly believe they have the next “million-dollar
idea”. Typically, they come to us
because they want us to take their idea from the concept stage into a working
product (cloud, SaaS, PaaS, application etc). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few of those wanna-be millionaires were able to execute
their ideas and we were thrilled to help with their successes. However, the large majority did not make it
past our first few conversations due to critical planning and expectation
mistakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the most common misapprehensions I’ve seen and how
to avoid them. (Note this is not intended as an exhaustive list. This is just the most common items from my
experiences when meeting potential entrepreneurs and hopeful tycoons.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li> <b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Problem -
Lack of market research. “I think it’s a great idea, everyone else will too!”</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Have you ever thought of a great idea only to
find out that you’re the only one who thinks it’s great?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I’m reminded of the “Jump to Conclusions Mat”
from the movie Office Space (1999).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Solution</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
– Do some market research.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Find out if
there is a market and/or potential demand for your idea and if there is any way
to monetize it (make a profit).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Pick
someone to be a devil’s advocate and challenge him or her to shoot holes in
your idea. This will help you determine if your idea is sound and if it can
overcome the challenges it may face.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Problem -
Lack of planning. “I’m the idea
man/woman. I don’t need to think about
the details.”</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">A French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery has
been credited with saying “A goal without a plan is just a wish”. This is a
simple truth.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">An idea without a plan
will never evolve from a concept to a reality.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Solution</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Develop a road map with specific milestones to
accomplish your goal or idea.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Even if
you don’t fully know how to “get there”, put some estimated actionable (aka
doable) plans into a timeline.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">This will
quickly help illuminate the holes in your knowledge base and help you identify
areas where you need to get more information.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Problem -
Lack of reasonable expectations. “This should be successful by next
quarter. No problem.” </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">If someone hasn’t done any market research and
hasn’t planned a road map, it is likely he or she will have an unreasonable expectation
of how long a project could take to complete. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Solution</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
– Find the right partner or people with experience to help you. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">The right people (people with experience,
technical knowledge, management abilities, etc.) can make all the difference
and can provide you with some educated estimates about how long things should
take to develop/make/build.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Problem -
Lack of experience. “I’ve never done this before, but how hard can it be?”</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s easy to see successful people or
businesses and believe they are “overnight” successes.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">This is rarely the truth.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Most success stories have a long backstory
and list of problems that have been overcome. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Solution</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Talk to some successful business
owners and ask them some questions about challenges, problems, and
what-not-to-do’s.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Learn from the
mistakes of others and avoid some of their pain.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Problem -
Lack of funding. Big Hat, no cattle.</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">New entrepreneurs are often surprised that
it requires capital to build a business.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s a cliché but it’s true.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">It
takes money to make money.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Solution</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> - Using your market research,
your roadmap (planning), educated estimates and advise from the right partners,
you’ll have a good estimate on how much money it will require to build your
idea.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Make sure you figure out how to
get the capital you need before you start.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">The worst thing you can do is to “spend” yourself half-way through a
project and realize you must abandon it due to lack of funds.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Problem -
Lack of commitment/no project hero. “I’m
just going to turn this over to you so you can make it a success.”</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">In my opinion, this is the worst of the
problems I’ve seen.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">No one will be as
passionate about your new idea as you.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">If you aren’t willing to be the advocate for your project, why would
anyone else?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Solution</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Understand the level of effort it will take to
accomplish your goal (see the previous suggestions), understand the risks
involved, and be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to accomplish
it.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">If you’re unwilling to do these
things, it probably means you don’t believe in your idea and should walk away.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The items above all equate to a simple
concept that is not simple to execute; Planning. Coming up with a great idea is the easy
part. Planning a specific strategy to
accomplish the idea is the hard part.
But if you genuinely have a great idea and are willing to do the work to
make it through all the stages, you may just be that next “millionaire”. Our nation was built by people with great
ideas and the courage to make them happen.
Good Luck!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
Steve Bowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08719334370736438089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-9268696528071897592017-09-08T14:58:00.000-05:002017-09-20T10:02:12.884-05:00Custom Cloud Applications and Business Systems<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzbbVSz9ErBCQhopUa32m-gat42koq0UCbgQ_zLVE_a6kr_dLpGU56IkxvD1I6qj05Ggttb3OIXXcMYXZ01x8xkjXRhJb0N1eS4YMkGGq2VoitRjnb8YLkaQHLZmofMJUtXkz3BxWJ3QJ/s1600/cloud-applications-heading-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzbbVSz9ErBCQhopUa32m-gat42koq0UCbgQ_zLVE_a6kr_dLpGU56IkxvD1I6qj05Ggttb3OIXXcMYXZ01x8xkjXRhJb0N1eS4YMkGGq2VoitRjnb8YLkaQHLZmofMJUtXkz3BxWJ3QJ/s1600/cloud-applications-heading-600.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Productivity in the workplace is a hot topic. With the increasing use
of electronic devices and the accessibility of information on the web, many
employers and managers are concerned about employee productivity. While this
may be a valid concern for an organization, cloud and web technologies also offer
opportunities to streamline operations, foster growth, and increase the bottom
line.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Custom cloud-based applications help organizations simplify processes,
consolidate information, and improve workflow and efficiency. Many companies
utilize online business systems to ease a pain-point or improve customer
service. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">(Think
of a cloud-based application as a program that runs on the Internet, rather than software
installation on a computer.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Your organization has a unique personality, and with it, may come some
unique challenges. Don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all software program that
doesn’t meet your needs. Doing so often translates to investing in a system
that includes extra bells and whistles that don’t serve a purpose for your
business. With the right development partner,
a custom solution can be tailored to address your specific needs with room for
expansion as your business grows or needs evolve.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The possibilities are endless.
Custom cloud applications may include:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Online forms systems</li>
<li>Data transfer systems</li>
<li>Workflow systems (secure communications, employee timesheets, document client info, etc.)</li>
<li>CRM (Customer Relations Management)</li>
<li>Customer portals</li>
<li>Online product activation systems</li>
<li>Online rebate systems</li>
<li>Mobile phone texting systems</li>
<li>and many more...</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<o:p> </o:p>Allan F. Mogensen, creator of Work Simplification, was on the right
track when he coined the phrase, “Work Smarter…Not Harder”. Online business systems help organizations streamline
operations and minimize risk of data loss; working smarter, not harder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Automate repetitive tasks</li>
<li>Provide real-time data</li>
<li>Enhance customer service</li>
<li>Streamline workflow</li>
<li>Data security and audit trails</li>
<li>Daily backups to preserve data integrity </li>
<li>Automatic disaster recovery</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Web-connected devices may bring some headaches for employers and
managers, but cloud technologies and online business systems also bring opportunities
for increasing productivity, and that equals increasing the bottom line.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Encore Web Works provides custom
web/cloud application and online business system programming. We design, develop and
manage all of the components for custom online systems for organizations of all
sizes. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
Steve Bowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08719334370736438089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-42159152018506631732017-08-02T14:02:00.001-05:002017-08-02T14:02:39.845-05:00The Importance of Logos in Business<b>What’s in a Logo?<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
The use of logos in the business world is a crucial and occasionally overlooked part of the marketing process. Without a proper logo, a company is missing a vital piece of the marketing puzzle. A logo is essentially the “face” of a company. A company logo is usually the first part of a company that a customer sees. If it does not properly represent the company, a potential customer may not be able to create a “connection”. This may drive the customer away, resulting in a loss of business. Logo design can be a tricky process and should be handled by a professional.<br />
<br />
When analyzing your company’s logo, there are many things to keep in mind. The way a logo is designed can portray many different emotions, values, and even company personality. The use of color, lines, and typography play a large part in the design process.<br />
<br />
<b>Color</b> can influence customer emotion. <br />
<b>Lines</b> help draw the eye to areas within a logo and can be used strategically within a design. <b>Typography</b> establishes a “voice” and “tone” for a company and can be a big challenge for some. <br />
<br />
These elements, and other design principles come together to create an overall look and feel of a logo.<br />
<br />
When analyzing logo design, it is important to take longevity into account. Many companies struggle with outdated logos. It is important to keep your logo up-to-date with modern design trends. Consider some of the big players in the business world. Companies such as Google, Netflix, and Pepsi are known to keep their logos updated regularly. Instagram has recently jumped “on-board” with this idea and is now working with a modern logo that matches its target market. Customers are drawn to companies that keep their logos modern and current.<br />
<br />
<b>Logos and Small Business</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Many small businesses have poorly designed logos. Most small businesses don’t have an in-house designer or full-time marketing team, so they don’t realize the importance of getting professional assistance. Often, someone with no design experience creates a logo (sometimes using Word Art or Clip Art).<br />
<br />
In addition, small businesses often lack variations of their logos. It is important to have different demonstrations and variants of a logo to use on varying media including web, print marketing pieces, clothing, and letterhead. Professional assistance is the key to solving these problems.<br />
<br />
Encore Web Works offers professional logo design and logo re-design services. If your company needs a new logo or a “refreshed” logo, we can help. Professional expertise is vital when designing a logo that properly represents your unique business.<br />
<br />
- Guest post by Weston Mooneyham<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Steve Bowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08719334370736438089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-7493898094710652562017-07-14T12:16:00.000-05:002017-07-14T14:35:10.779-05:00Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - Compliance for WebsitesMany organizations think ADA compliance pertains only to physical,
tangible items such as wheelchair ramps or bathroom handrails. However, there
are numerous guidelines regarding websites and ADA compliance. ADA compliance is about fairness and
providing the same accessibility to goods or services to the web.<br />
<br />
The Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. In recent months, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has
made it clear that it interprets the ADA as applicable to websites and mobile
apps and has already begun enforcing it.<br />
<br />
<b>WCAG 2.0 - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines</b><br />
<br />
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 is the industry standard
organizations should look to regarding their web content. These guidelines are designed to address the accessibility of a website and user elements. WCAG 2.0 is the gauge
used by the DOJ in its court cases so far. (<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-enters-settlement-agreement-peapod-ensure-peapod-grocery-delivery-website" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #073763;"><b>Click here to read the DOJ's position in their announcement of the Peapod Settlement Agreement</b></span></a>.)<br />
<br />
WCAG 2.0 has varying levels of
guidelines: A, AA, AAA. Level A is the weakest and has minimal impact to website style and design, but it also has minimal effect for users. Level AA guidelines encompass a larger number of users with disabilities, but is not so restrictive that it strips out all of a site's look, feel and functionality. The DOJ wants to
see website compliance with Level AA.<br />
<br />
<b>How to get started</b><br />
<br />
While WCAG 2.0 has been around for a while, this topic is still unfamiliar to many businesses and organizations - and website and marketing agencies, for that matter. It is important for organizations to understand the accessibility of their web content. Finding a website partner to review your site for accessibility compliance is the first step.<br />
<br />
If you need assistance or more information, <a href="https://www.encorewebworks.com/contact-encore/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #073763;">contact Encore Web Works</span></b></a>. We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your needs regarding <a href="https://www.encorewebworks.com/services/website-accessibility.aspx" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #073763;">website accessibility</span></b></a>.<br />
<br />
Making your website compliant and accessible for users with disabilities can enhance customer satisfaction and minimize vulnerability or risk. It is simply the right thing to do.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Steve Bowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08719334370736438089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-74976540583098244752015-04-22T14:29:00.001-05:002015-04-22T14:29:46.393-05:00Google just changed the world again<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yesterday, April 21, 2015, Google began rolling out their "mobile-friendly" update to their search algorithm</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can see the <a href="http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2015" target="_blank">details here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You may be asking yourself, "How does this affect me and why should I care?". I know. I ask that question all the time and usually I answer my own question with: "It doesn't and I don't." Or, sometimes, I answer with "It does affect me and I still don't care."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Granted, there are way too many things to care about (Google changes or otherwise) to care about them all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, if you're a business owner, content manager, advertiser, SEO nerd, website manager, or simply have a hobby web site, you should care about this one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the simplest terms, this change means that if you own a website and want to be found by the bulk of potential visitors (i.e. mobile visitors), you need make your site mobile friendly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This change is like when the government rolls out new standards governing water heaters or incandescent light bulbs. The difference with this Google change is that there is no grandfather clause. If you have a website, Googles rules DO affect you and they affect you starting now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Google has made a <a href="https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/?utm_source=wmc-blog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mobile-friendly" target="_blank">helpful tool</a> to analyze your site to make sure it is compliant. If you get the dreaded "Not mobile-friendly" message, you should update your website as soon as possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are several ways to make your site mobile friendly. As with most things that increase with complexity over time, it is best to have a web professional "fix it" for you. But, if you're feeling brave, <a href="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/get-started/?utm_source=wmc-blog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mobile-friendly" target="_blank">here are some resources.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Steve Bowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08719334370736438089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-24785252009493780792013-02-19T11:27:00.000-06:002013-02-19T11:27:15.359-06:00Predicting the future: Will apps still be a “big deal” in 2 years?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the prevalence of smart phones, apps are
everywhere. Need a suggestion on your
next tattoo? “There’s an app for
that.” Need to see if your kids made it
home from school? “There’s an app for
that.” Need to predict if you will have
a good hair day…no kidding…there’s even an app for that too. There are apps for nearly everything you can
imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The big question on the minds of business owners is “How can
I use an app to my advantage?” I’m often
approached about apps and this is usually how the conversation goes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business Owner:
“Steve, can you guys build an app for my company?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: “Absolutely we can (my answer is always
‘absolutely we can’). What do you want it to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business Owner:
“Um….I don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: “OK, what are the goals you’re trying to
accomplish with an app?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business Owner: “I
don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: “What are the
business challenges you’re trying to solve with an app.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business Owner: “I
haven’t thought of any.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: “Why do you
think you need or want an app?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business Owner:
“Because everyone else has one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: “Sigh….”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While it would be easy to just build useless apps for
everyone who asks for one (and there are a lot of local companies that will do
this), we don’t believe in doing anything that won’t add value for our
clients. So, I often talk more clients
out of apps than the other way around.
Even more importantly, I don’t believe apps will be as “big a deal” in 2
years. Here is why:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Problem Number 1 - Apps
can be expensive to build</b> – There are 2 major flavors of apps today: Apple
and Android. Each has its own OS (Operating
System) and thus apps need to be built for each platform. This means at least
twice the development cost as building an app just once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Problem Number 2 –
Apple’s App Store is restrictive </b>– As a developer, I have to admit that I’m
frustrated with Apple and I’m glad to see them losing their iron-death-grip on
the app development industry. Currently,
they control everything that goes into their app store and can deny an app for
any reason they choose. This does not
sit well with developers and their clients who invest in an app, only to have
it rejected by Apple. (Note: the Android
Play Store allows all apps). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Solution - New
Technology is (nearly) here</b>- There’s a new “Sheriff in town” and his name
is HTML5. This is a new version of the
web-page language which is designed to include all of the things that apps do
well: animations, video, user interface enhancements, gaming, connectivity, 3d
graphics etc. HTML5 will allow
developers to build an application once (solving problem number 1) and post it
to the web (solving problem number 2).
This could cut development costs and circumvent the Apple dictatorship
known as the ‘app store’. HTML5 will simply
run in a web browser on your phone rather than requiring you to launch a
specific app.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, as with all things in business, it will all come
down to the “bottom line”. The economic
advantages of HTML5 will drive its usage as a development choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have questions or need some direction on apps, web
development, search or social strategy, send an email to:
steve@encorewebworks.com.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Steve Bowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08719334370736438089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-38892219129459952492013-01-21T13:17:00.001-06:002013-01-21T13:17:31.588-06:00The High Cost of Free Web SitesA few years ago there was a funny commercial on TV featuring the owner of a small barber shop. Across the street from his shop, a large chain “super cheap cuts” was moving in and offering $6 haircuts. Naturally, the barber was concerned because he could not compete with such low-pricing. However, being a small-business “survivor”, he got the idea to print a banner which read “We Fix $6 Hair Cuts”. Eventually, the “super cheap cuts” went out of business.<br/> <br/>
It was a funny commercial with a happy ending. However, the TV commercial highlighted a common strategy used by big-business. Large companies will often underprice a product or service with the goal of grabbing other related business at full-price (or higher than average cost).<br/><br/>
I’ve seen this same trend with web development. Large technology companies are offering free (or nearly free) web sites in order to grab related services such as hosting, SEO, domain names, software sales, tax services, and a variety of other things.<br/><br/>
Unfortunately, there is a high cost to these “free” web sites. We’re now seeing new clients come to us as refugees from the “free web site” world. Here are some of the damaging effects of turning your web presence over to a “freebie” web provider:<br/><br/>
1. <b>No Identity:</b> A free web site is a “template” site which will look exactly like the 10,000 other businesses that have used the same template. There will be no brand identity.<br/><br/>
2. <b>No Service or Support:</b> A free web site often has little or no customer service and support. We’ve commonly seen people unable to get simple updates posted to their web sites.<br/><br/>
3. <b>No Reliability:</b> Freebie web sites are often “down” or offline. Companies that host free web sites will load as many sites on a single server as possible to control costs. When too much traffic overloads the server, all of the sites on that server will go offline. This is similar to loading too many people onto a small row boat. The boat is going to sink.<br/><br/>
4. <b>No Control:</b> In many cases, domain name control is in the hands of the company offering the “free” web site. If a business wants to move to a new provider, they must leave their domain name behind and find a new one. This is the same as starting over in the web world.<br/><br/>
5. <b>No Search/Visibility: </b> We’ve seen many sites virtually “disappear” from Google because a business moved its site to a “free” provider and no search optimization was performed. Alternately, we’ve seen businesses forced to pay huge SEO fees once the site has been transferred to the “free” provider in order to keep their rankings.<br/><br/>
All of these translate into loss of opportunity, which equals loss of business, which equals loss of revenue. This is the high cost of “free”.
<br/><br/>
In today’s technology-driven world where nearly everyone carries the web on their smart phones, your web presence is more important than ever. Turning your web site over to a “free” web site provider is similar to getting a cheap haircut. It might be cheap or free, but in the end, your business will look bad. And unlike a cheap haircut, business will not grow back in a few weeks.<br/>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-60225118685104931932010-02-22T09:05:00.009-06:002010-02-22T09:13:20.859-06:00Nightmare on Main Street - How a single hacker can end your business forever<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">by Steve Bowers </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">Have you ever wished you “could have” gazed into a crystal ball and seen a disastrous event before it occurred? With such knowledge you could have avoided that car accident, fire, missed opportunity, or…fill-in-the-blank. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">If your business stores client or customer credit card data electronically, consider this your crystal-ball-warning. There could easily be a hacker in Russia, China, or your neighborhood who is trying to breach your systems right now. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">In 2009 the estimated cost of identity theft to companies and consumers topped $54 Billion. Stopping identity theft is a major priority for credit card companies. Several years ago, the major card companies banded together to enact something called “PCI Compliance”. This cryptic and scary term is the name for an even scarier set of security standards that businesses of any size must follow if they touch credit card data in any way. Card companies use this compliance standard to judge the security of your business as it relates to their credit cards. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">Here’s the nightmare story. The ACME Widget Company (fake name) was a solid business producing some of the finest widgets in the country. The company was financially strong and had been a family owned enterprise since grandpa Acme started it after the war. Because ACME was an older company, its technology was somewhat “dated”. They had a good client base and often had recurring widget orders. This is why they made the fatal mistake of storing card data on their internal system. Acme also had a simple web site on which customers could place orders. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">One dark and stormy night, a hacker compromised ACME’s system and obtained all of their customers’ credit card data. Eventually, the credit card companies traced the breach back to ACME. Based on the PCI Compliance standards, they fined ACME $50,000 per instance of stolen information. Unable to withstand the financial devastation wrought by these fines, the company was forced to close. And no one lived happily ever after (except the hacker). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">Here are some tips you can use to avoid ACME’s fate:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;">· Don’t Touch It! - Never store customer credit card data in your own systems if you can avoid it. If you must store it, use an established and reputable card processing company to store the data for you. These card processors are experts at PCI Compliance and help shield you from liability. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">· Don’t bargain shop your hosting! – If your systems are hosted on a server owned by a “guy you know” and his server resides in the data center known as: “his basement”... you are at risk. A reputable host will use a data center with multiple layers of security and which has been certified by various security authorities. I recommend a data center with a “SAS 70” certification at a minimum. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">· Do your homework! – Learn the basics of PCI Compliance. Credit card companies will not allow you to use ignorance as an excuse (neither will the government). Google the term “PCI Compliance” to find a large list of varying resources.</span></span>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-37923978308614590382009-11-03T08:49:00.002-06:002009-11-03T08:51:20.042-06:00Windows 7: Maybe the Best Ever<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">By Steve Bowers</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi. My name is Steve and I’m a Microsoft fan. There. I said it and I’m not ashamed. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I’ve made my career using their products and everything our company produces is based on Uncle Bill’s technology. Even so, I was embarrassed by the initial versions of Vista. It was clearly released before it was “ready” and became a PR nightmare or the company whose software is estimated to run more than 90% of the business computing machines world-wide. Microsoft fixed most of the early problems with service-packs, but the damage was done.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As a result, over the last 4 years Apple has enjoyed a slightly increased share of the Market despite inferior hardware (plus they’ve produced those commercials that make my blood boil).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">However, Microsoft is now staging a huge come-back with Windows 7. A few days after it was released to the public, we installed Windows 7 on one of our older machines in our development office. The guinea pig pc is 5 years old and has no special hardware. Here’s the verdict. Windows 7 installed with 0 problems. It was the simplest and most problem-free install of an operating system I’ve ever performed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To make sure it wasn’t a fluke, I decided to install Windows 7 on my trusty lap-top that I use every single day of my life. Lap-tops, as you may know, can be tricky to “rebuild”. They have all kinds of special drivers that can be a problem if not handled correctly. I wiped the system clean and installed Windows 7 from the ground-up. Not only did Windows 7 install perfectly, it has improved the performance of my lap-top’s power management and battery saving features. <br />If you want another opinion, look at this. PC Magazine said this of Windows 7: “It's far and away the best OS we've ever seen from Microsoft. “ Here’s a link to their full review:<br /></span><a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2348899,00.asp"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2348899,00.asp</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That is high praise indeed.</span>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-57080978294077257622009-10-26T19:47:00.004-05:002009-10-26T19:53:13.090-05:00Boring Brochure or Super Salesperson?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I challenge you to ask yourself a few tough questions about your company’s website.<br /><br />1. Is your website stale and just taking up space on the web?<br />2. Does your website bring value to your business?<br />3. Is your website a boring brochure or a dynamic, super salesperson?<br /><br />Hopefully, you feel great about your response to these questions and you’re pleased with your website – it is current and operates as an online salesperson bringing great value to your business.<br /><br />If you are frustrated with the performance of your website and it is not an online salesperson for your business, keep reading.<br /><br />Ok, first, a few more questions related to sales.<br />· Would you hire a salesperson and never check on his/her performance?<br />· Would you keep a salesperson that has a poor product or service presentation?<br />· Would you retain a salesperson that doesn’t bring value to your business?<br /><br />Your answer to each of these questions was probably, “Of course not!” Salespeople are constantly working towards closing the deal. Now, take a look at your virtual salesperson; your website. In order to truly maximize your website, it is imperative to start with a sales mentality.<br /><br />Every interaction with an online visitor should be viewed as a sales process. I’m not saying your site should be converted to an E-commerce website – that’s totally different. I mean that your website should be working hard; using every opportunity to build relationships and generate interest and credibility to drive new prospects to your business, just like a salesperson.<br /><br />In order to generate interest and credibility your website has to be a great communicator. Your online salesperson must be:<br /><br />1. Current and fresh<br />2. Visually pleasing with a good color palette and high quality graphics and imagery<br />3. Easy to navigate<br />4. Updated frequently with content that is relevant and engaging<br /><br />The entire goal of your website is to engage the prospect or customer and encourage him/her to take action. The website ‘call-to-action’ is like a salesperson wrapping up his/her presentation and asking for the business. That online ‘call-to-action’ should trigger a sequence of events which either drive or support sales such as generating a lead by capturing prospect data.<br /><br />Of course, an online super salesperson needs to be coupled with various marketing and media campaigns to drive traffic to your website – but that’s a completely different topic. (I’ll cover that in a future post.)<br /><br />If your site isn’t bringing value to your business, I encourage you to take the necessary steps to make it a vital part of your sales team. You may need to partner with a marketing agency and/or web development firm that can provide the skills and guidance you need to transform your site. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><strong><u>Here’s the bottom line:</u></strong> A website should be focused on the role of a 24/7 online salesperson and should provide measurable value to the marketing and sales strategy of your business.<br /><br /><em>Learn how Encore Web Works can help you transform your website into a sales and marketing asset.</em> </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><em>Visit <a href="http://ww.encorewebworks.com/AboutUs.aspx">http://ww.encorewebworks.com/AboutUs.aspx</a> or <a href="http://www.notabrochure.com/">http://www.notabrochure.com/</a></em></span>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-13365693932209711302009-09-09T11:17:00.005-05:002009-09-09T11:31:54.454-05:00It's 2 a.m. Do you know what your web site is doing?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the 1960’s (before my time by the way), there was a public service announcement that said “It’s 10pm. Do you know where your children are?”</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />I often ask the same thing of business owners with a slight change. “It’s 2am. Do you know what your web site is doing?” Most of the time, the answer is simple. “I have no idea…” <br /><br />Here is the issue. Many business owners launch a web site and then never think about it or measure its success. Would you dump money into a mutual fund and never check to see how it is performing (don’t answer that)? Would you hire a salesperson and never check to see if he or she is selling anything? <br /><br />Regardless of the product or service, a company’s web site should be a 24 x 7 x 365 super sales person. I’m not talking about e-commerce. That’s a different story. A company web site should be consistently and constantly driving leads and sales to your business by shouting from the internet roof-tops that yours is the best, brightest and most beautiful (insert your product or service here) in the world. It should provide a specific call-to-action to get that lead or customer into your “sales machine”.<br /><br />How do you know if this is happening? How do you know if your web site is your star quarter-back or, heaven forbid, secretly playing for the other team by driving leads to your competition’s web site? The answer, and the moment you’ve all been waiting for ladies and gentlemen – Web Analytics.<br /><br />Web Analytics (which is basically special code inserted into the pages of your web site), tracks nearly everything. It’s sort of like putting a radio-locator on your dog (or your kids). It tracks what people are viewing, when they’re viewing, where they’re bailing out, where they’re spending time, and, with the right tools, can even track how much money your site is making for your business…wow….<br /><br />Using analytics correctly can mean the difference between a down year in a bad economy and an embarrassingly fantastic year in a bad economy. Using web analytics correctly can be the final ingredient in your secret “sales” sauce that makes your competition crazy with jealously.<br /><br />Notice I mentioned using analytics “correctly”. Web Analytics are useless if you don’t review them monthly and make site adjustments. Think of it like paying for a termite inspection on your house but not listening when the inspector tries to tell you if you have bugs or not.<br /><br />There are many analytics packages out there. Some are free (I like Google Analytics). Others have a license cost. If you need help getting set-up with analytics, be sure to choose a web development company that not only installs the analytics code for you, but can provide monthly analysis and recommendations of the results. Otherwise you’re no better off than before.<br /><br />The next time someone asks you, “It’s 2 am. Do you know what your web site is doing?” You should be able to say, “Absolutely! It’s making me money!”<br /><br />Check out Encore's web analytics services at <a href="http://ww.encorewebworks.com/ACEAnalysis.aspx">http://ww.encorewebworks.com/ACEAnalysis.aspx</a><br /></span>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-59955551001816715852009-08-27T12:20:00.005-05:002009-08-27T12:29:19.392-05:00Encore co-owner chosen for Leadership Lee's Summit<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Encore Web Works co-owner Jodi Bowers has been selected to participate in the 2009-2010 class of Leadership Lee's Summit.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">This intensive 9 month leadership program was developed by the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce to develop and enhance leadership skills in individuals who will generate positive actions within the community and help <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">resolve</span> future challenges. Since its inception in 1991, the program has graduated over 300 leaders who have gathered knowledge and skills to become influential in the community.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Approximately 25 participants are selected each year based on strict criteria, including personal motivation, an interest to serve in the community, potential or existing opportunities for advancement to top leadership positions, and willingness to commit time and energy to complete the program.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">"My goal is to learn more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">about</span> the Lee's Summit community and opportunities for community involvement, develop lasting relationships with business and community leaders, and enhance my leadership skills," says Bowers. Encore Web Works is proud to support Jodi Bowers as a participant in Leadership Lee's Summit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For more information on Encore Web Works, Inc. visit <a href="http://www.encorewebworks.com/">http://www.encorewebworks.com/</a> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1817686401430574493.post-43460072234404410232009-07-31T15:13:00.003-05:002009-07-31T15:16:35.645-05:00Encore Web Works listed among Top 25 Web Firms<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Encore Web Works, Inc. was listed among the Top 25 Web Development Firms in Kansas City by the <em>Kansas City Business Journal</em>.<br /><br />Encore was formed in 2001 by owners Steve and Jodi Bowers. The company’s consistent growth enabled it to make the Business Journal’s coveted list for the second year in a row. President Steve Bowers commented on the success of Encore, “Our continued success stems from our commitment to our clients. Our business relationships are important and our partnership approach has made our clients successful – which, in turn has made us successful.”<br /><br />Encore specializes in online marketing services, customized landing pages, microsites, and web analytics, as well as database-driven web site solutions. Clients include NASCAR/Sprint, Austin Bank, Sequoia Systems International, CoreFirst Bank and Trust, and Summit Financial Group.<br /><br />For more information on Encore Web Works, Inc. visit </span><a href="http://www.encorewebworks.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">http://www.encorewebworks.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.<br /></span><div></div>Encore Web Works, Inchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251305818975156991noreply@blogger.com