The Most Important Things In the World – #thinkbigthursday
#thinkbigthursday is our day to dream for something bigger than what we’ve got! So we’re gathering advice from people who have done more, gone farther, and we’re thinking big!
5 Signs that You Need a New Logo via Entrepreneur Magazine #wednesdaywisdom
5 Signs that You Need a New Logo via Entrepreneur Magazine
“A logo is your business’s public face,” says Patrick Llewellyn, president and CEO of 99designs, a graphic design firm where businesses hold online contests to find new logos. “If it doesn’t represent your business at its core, it’s time for a change.”
Now – I’m not a fan at ALL of 99designs – but there’s some great thought here about logos. Check it out!
Why WordPress? It’s simple to use for updating your site
If you are wondering about using WordPress as a Content Management System for your website, there is definitely a reason that Hatcher Media works with it exclusively.
The fact that it is simple – and allows a novice to keep a site updated is one of it’s biggest selling points.
If you know how to use facebook, gmail, and a word processor like Microsoft Word – then you can keep your website updated. There is a reasonable learning curve, and I’m usually able to show my clients how to update in under an hour.
That being said – installing, configuring, designing, and troubleshooting your site really needs to be done by a professional. The behind the scenes stuff takes some experience and knowledge – and if you get into the inner workings, you can break your site! I have found that the wordpress forums have been a great resource for finding answers to common breaks – but for what you NEED to do with your site on a daily/weekly basis – it’s fairly basic.
Updating your blog and your static pages is not complicated, and you can even download the wordpress app on your phone!
The Extra Mile – #thinkbigthursday
#thinkbigthursday is our day to dream for something bigger than what we’ve got! So we’re gathering advice from people who have done more, gone farther, and we’re thinking big!
Why WordPress? It allows for beautiful design
If you are thinking about a website – you’ve probably heard a pitch for all kinds of Content Management Systems, and why theirs is the best. After years of trial and error, I’ve settled on one platform above all the others: WordPress
There are a number of reasons that WordPress is king – and over the next few weeks, we will discuss those together. Today, I want to focus on what I think is the most important feature:
Design.
WordPress sites don’t all look pretty, but there are some amazing things that you can do with it. Let me show you some examples of websites that Hatcher Media has designed using wordpress.
http://www.nannenarboretum.org
http://www.reisscountryproperties.com
http://www.justinwilloughby.com
http://www.patruckingins.com
I usually work with a theme pack that I purchased that has great support, beautiful clean design, and that are highly customizable – so that I can make each site unique and relevant to my clients’ target audience.
Why Not? – #thinkbigthursday
#thinkbigthursday is our day to dream for something bigger than what we’ve got! So we’re gathering advice from people who have done more, gone farther, and we’re thinking big!
5 Ways Dreamers Can Become Doers via Entrepreneur Magazine
5 Ways Dreamers Can Become Doers via Entrepreneur Magazine
Check out this great article about transitioning from a Dreamer to a Doer – I know how EASY it is sometimes to get caught up in the dream – and not in the doing. I’ve got a LOT of ideas for side businesses to start – but the truth is – if I focus – I can prioritize and build those ideas over time.
Remember that being a doer isn’t necessarily better than being a dreamer. You need both to succeed.
If you’re really off kilter and have a lot more dreamer tendencies, it’s time to take action. Here are some of the easiest, quickest ways to embrace your inner doer so your dreamer can take a little break. Remember, without a comprehensive, balanced approach you’ll just keep going in circles:
Startup Marketing Basics: Persistence Matters!
I can’t tell you how many times people are ready to QUIT marketing after a short run.
This is a marathon. Not a sprint. You may have short bursts of marketing capaigns – but if the theory of touches is accurate – it’s going to take quite a while for people to hear about you!
If you are starting up – be prepared for it to take some time before you start seeing a return.
Patience is one thing, but PERSISTENCE is what you need. Keep at it – keep pushing – keep talking about your business. If you don’t keep reminding people, then those “touches” that you were shooting for will be forgotten, and you’ll have to start all over again to win them over!
What tends to happen with a lot of startups, is that they work hard on their marketing, then get really busy doing the work to please their new clients and customers, and then they stop marketing all together! I know I have made this mistake myself! Even if things are going well – you have to persistently keep pushing, so that if things slow down – your past marketing will continue to yield results!
I propose carving out the first part of your week for marketing. Every Monday morning – the first thing you should do is spend 15 minutes, an hour, or a few hours doing the marketing work. Make #MarketingMonday a thing – and you’ll have the discipline you need to keep it going!
The 7 WordPress Plugins Your Site Needs to Succeed via Entrepreneur Magazine
The 7 WordPress Plugins Your Site Needs to Succeed via Entrepreneur Magazine
More content is created than audiences can handle. The challenge for entrepreneurs, then, is to find an underserved segment of consumers that would love nothing more than what you have to offer, whether it is blog posts, products or services.
Fantastic article from Entrepreneur about WordPress plugins! Remember – you’ve got to be careful with third party plugins, as they can create conflicts and vulnerabilities – but they can also be great tools to help your website evolve into something amazing!