An article posted a couple weeks ago at the New York Times gracefully details the rise and fall of six companies that had started between 1996 and 2008, all of which closed up shop in 2010. Unfortunately, many of the failures were a result of the economy and therefore couldn’t have really been predicted, but I find it surprising that half of these stories involve some kind of defeat by a competitor who simply ‘does it better.’ Ouch!

Culminating all six of these stories, there are a few clear trends that can be acted upon by us as business owners entering 2011. To start, here’s one way to avoid the heat that melted these companies: Know Your Competition. Basically, learn about your competitors as though you were a typical consumer, looking to hire or purchase from them.  Pay attention to find the areas in which you think they’re on the right path and areas where they’re probably losing ground.  Remember that something that differs from your opinion or the way you do business may not be wrong—you’ll often benefit from heeding new ideas!

From Tim Berry of Entrepreneur Magazine:

• Shop your competition.
  Depending on what business they’re in, you can probably call them, visit their offices and perhaps buy from them. Get a price list. Listen to their pitch. If it’s applicable, count the cars in their parking lot. Count customers coming out of their store, both with and without purchases.
• Talk to their customers.
  What do their customers like or dislike about each competitor? Why and how do customers decide between one competitor or another?  [Honestly, people will often give you this information freely, whether they're hoping you'll offer something better or they're looking to boast about the services or products they receive.  Testimonials are good only for specifics; of course they'll all say glowing things, so read testimonials only to gain insight about what the company is doing well.]
• Purchase credit and background reports at Dun and Bradstreet’s website.
  [It costs $119 right now to get a full report on a company, so this is only for those competitors that represent huge losses for you.  Also, it may not be exactly the information you're looking for.]
• Small or not, local or not, check your competitors’ websites.
  Study them carefully. Many companies offer an abundance of information about themselves on the web. Do they offer their products or services in an online store? Or do they simply provide information only? Do they have a price list? What are they emphasizing on their site? What do they say about themselves? What conclusions can you draw? Their websites are a great source of company information. No website? That’s interesting competitive information as well.
• Do a thorough search of the internet, using your favorite search engines.
  Besides their own site, you want to see where else your competition turns up. Maybe they don’t have their own site, but they’re listed on other sites or have a store in an online mall. And maybe you can find press information on them, articles that profile them or offer information on changes they may have gone through, such as store openings or hiring a new CEO. The web is amazing in what it can reveal.

From Kim Gordon of Entrepreneur Magazine:

• Evaluate “perceived” competitors.
  Chances are, you have a lot more competitors than you think. In addition to real competitors, evaluate the marketing tools and materials of any businesses your prospects perceive as offering a similar set of products or services. For example, a custom cabinetmaker may believe he competes exclusively with other companies that build kitchen cabinets to order. But if his prospects think of the customized cabinetry offered by major home centers as competitive products, the cabinetmaker must evaluate the way the major chains market cabinetry in his local area.

From Rich Harshaw of Y2Marketing:

• Consider the appeal of not doing anything a competitor.
  To wrap up the parts of Harshaw’s long article that focus on “inertia” or the draw for a prospect to not take any action, you want to view this inaction as a competitor, too. Prove yourself better than the direct and indirect competition; but also prove yourself good enough for the prospect to make a move and not be lured away by the potential to save time and money by ignoring their need for you altogether.

From JK Harris of Entrepreneur Magazine:

• [Recognize] products and services you don’t offer and haven’t thought about offering.
  You’re also competing with the businesses that are meeting the needs of your customers with products and services you don’t offer and haven’t thought about offering, and the businesses that might make your products obsolete. You need to know who all your competitors are–not just the obvious ones, but the ones flying under the radar as well.
• Use programs like Google Alerts to track what’s said about them online.
  [TweetDeck and others can be set up to notify you when competitors are mentioned in tweets.]
• Be prepared to cooperate and collaborate when necessary.
  If something is going to have a strongly positive or negative impact on your industry, reach out to your competitors so you can join forces and take appropriate action. Depending on your particular business, you may also find that competitors can serve as backup resources. For example, you might get an order that’s too big for you to fill alone.Or if a competitor suffers a disaster of some sort that prevents that company from serving its customers, you can step in and help out.

It’s easy to put your blinders on and stick to what you’ve been doing, but don’t let it take you down. And don’t be bothered if these methods seem shady to you: If your competitors know you’re there, they’re probably doing the same things to keep tabs on you! Just be honest in your approach, and don’t be afraid to try something new. Read the NYT article here.

You heard me right: Verizon is getting its own iPhone 4. They’re not wasting any time with it, either, as preordering begins in early February and the decision was made to not waste time developing for the new 4G network (it’ll stay on the 3G network). AT&T is the largest wireless provider worldwide, but Verizon is the largest within the U.S. and still has the best coverage within the country. Assuming that your next phone will be a smartphone—because being able to do business on-the-go is of utmost importance now—and possibly on the Verizon network, will you go for a new smartphone on the super-fast 4G network or go for the popular iPhone? Note that right now, Verizon will be the first to provide service on a 4G network. (Yeah, I’m a little biased.)

A high-definition full-length movie that might have taken 4.5 hours to download on a 3G network will take less than 4.5 minutes on 4G, he said. [Lowell McAdam, COO of Verizon Wireless]—from The New York Times

No Simultaneous Voice & Data and Not as Many Countries Covered

These, being the only two negative differences found between the Verizon iPhone 4 and the AT&T iPhone 4, aren’t a big deal in my own opinion. Having a phone meeting with a client while reading through the emails you’ve exchanged is very convenient, but how necessary is it?  And of course, international coverage is only important if you make more than a few international calls each year.

Supplying a Wi-Fi connection to 5 laptops

Nervousness sets in when I see the term “unspecified monthly amount,” but this is still a very cool feature that Verizon will offer while AT&T does not: Connect up to five computers via a Wi-Fi connection from the wireless network.

Is 4G all it’s cracked up to be?

To help me answer that question, I’ll ask this question: How many times have you wanted to throw your computer out the window for taking too long to download content? AT&T says that “customers don’t care about G’s [Glenn Lurie, the company’s head of emerging devices],” but I think that’s a cop-out. To think that people don’t care about speed is counter to anything we’ve said and done in other facets of our lives. Our cars, our computers, even our relationships are all going faster and faster these days.  It seems to me that 4G is part of the natural progression that we’ll follow without realizing it.

In the end…

Well, there is definitely no end in sight, but that is hardly a bad thing! Which way do you see yourself going – iPhone 4 or 4G network? Personally, I’m thinking the Droid Bionic, which is set to be the first 4G phone released by Motorola for Verizon, is more appealing than the iPhone 4.

Read these two articles from The New York Times about Verizon’s plans for 2011.  There’s a ton of information available within:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/technology/12phone.html?ref=technology

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/technology/07verizon.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1294912877-FNvlK5nf2l2s8sEVAD99pg

Tax time isn’t much fun until you see that strangely beautiful check made out in your name from the federal and/or state treasuries—if you’re even that lucky. Contrary to what we’d like to think, the goal for most people shouldn’t be to get the largest refund check possible but to get very little and pay nothing. A large refund check means that for the past year, Uncle Sam has been hanging onto your money, interest-free. You have to pay interest when you borrow from your bank or from the government, but the government doesn’t owe you any extra for the privilege of using your money over the past year.

To avoid this sinking feeling next year, pay really close attention to your financial statements and tax filings, for your company and for yourself. In keeping with my logical yet attention deficit-like mind, I’ve gone back to TopTenReviews.com for their straight-forward charting of the top—eh hem—nine tax filing software programs for 2011. There is a wide range in price, but the first three softwares (TurboTax, H&R Block and TaxACT) all come with maxed out ratings.  During this time of year, tax softwares are on sale almost everywhere.  Check out places like Office Depot and Costco for some solid savings.  Virtually all tax programs have some kind of “home & business” edition, as well as e-filing features to make submitting your forms quick and easy.

Tax deduction finders are fairly common and certainly recommended (TurboTax, H&R Block and TaxACT all find tax deductions), but don’t forget to do some of your own research! The U.S. Small Business Administration has a page chock full of information about tax deductions for small businesses. Among seven examples of the “top tax deductions for your small business,” provided by Nolo, is bad debt; if a customer doesn’t pay for a product you ‘sold’ them, the cost can be deducted, but if a client hasn’t paid for a service, the work isn’t deductible. Ouch.

Government-run websites are going to be your best sources of information, so you’ll probably want to check out the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center from the IRS. It covers virtually ev-er-y-thing you need to complete your business tax filing. Want some more information and not sure how to find it? Post your question in the comments section and we’ll surely find an answer!

As LymeLight prepares to launch its mobile website service for building mobile versions of business websites, I found the timing of this Inc. article perfect. In “Better for Business: Mobile Web or App?” author Kim Boatman does an excellent job comparing mobile websites to apps (stand-alone applications for smartphones), including benefits and cost. Not sure if you need either one? The simple response is yes, you’d be wise to invest now because millions of people own and use smartphones daily, and the numbers will grow exponentially. Check out Joshua Odmark’s article, “Top 10 Reasons Your Website Should Go Mobile” for some very compelling evidence of your need for a mobile presence.

Onward, we delve into the question: To go mobile via website or web app? For most small and mid-sized businesses, the answer will be a mobile website, mostly due to its substantially lower cost. Part of the cost for applications comes in needing a separate app for each platform, and at the very least, you’ll want apps for Android and iPhone, but RIM still holds a solid portion of the market. There are six parts to the debate over which medium is best for your purpose, as Boatman points out:

1. Utility

A mobile website will work across platforms, while an app developed for the iPhone won’t work on the Android and vice versa.


2. Need

Do you provide a service to customers, or will a recurring action be necessary? Go with the app. Is your business location-based, or are you looking for something sales-based? Get a mobile website.

3. Traffic

A website that gets a lot of traffic from mobile users may benefit more from having a mobile version than from having an app.

4. Content

For a site that is mostly text-based, a mobile website is best; a website that is graphic-oriented could fare better with an app counterpart.

5. Availability

A service that is used regularly is best in app format, but if users only need to visit once in a while, a mobile-friendly website is perfect.

6. Cost

Once again, a mobile website will cost much less than a mobile app. The mobile version may cost 50-80% of the cost of your full website, but an application will run $35,000-50,000 per platform.

I also like this list from Best Rank, Inc. of types of businesses that benefit most from having mobile websites or applications:

• Content Driven News Sites/Blogs
• e-Commerce Stores
• Impulse Purchases (example: pizza delivery)
• On Demand Services (example: taxis)
• Local Businesses (example: restaurants)
• Emergency Services (example: tow trucks)

Look for more information on LymeLight’s mobile website services within the coming months.

There are things that we, as professionals, students or hobbyists, tend to take for granted as far as what’s “obvious” or “common sense.”  Cloud computing is one of those things that I figured out based on what I knew previously about the Internet and its inner workings, and I always assumed that if I could figure it out, it must be as obvious as tying one’s shoe.  Recently, though, a cohort, who is by no means a stupid person, asked me what “the cloud” is.  This friend has been studying biological science for years, so as dumbfounded as I was that such an intelligent individual wouldn’t know what cloud computing is, it quickly occurred to me that the term still isn’t used widely enough to be “common sense.” Would you believe me if I told you that you probably use some form of cloud computing on a regular basis?

“The Cloud” is basically another term for the Internet. I say that this is the basic definition because in connotation, it is more used to describe the applications that we use via the Internet, including email clients, document and graphics editors, and virtual storage. You’re probably familiar with Google’s Gmail, and you may even use Google Docs or Google Apps. Perhaps you use an app like Piknic to edit your photos for sharing or Dropbox to share various files with friends, family and coworkers. You may be using Mozy to backup your computer regularly so as not to lose your important files. These applications all offer the unique benefit of collaboration that traditional software can’t so easily offer.

Is there a security risk? Sure, but the engineers of these online software are ever-so-aware of your skepticism, and they’re likely working much harder on the security aspect than are producers of ‘normal’ software. Also bare in mind that just because it rests solely on your hard drive does not guarantee security: Viruses and other malware are built smarter and stealthier now, so as they say, abstinence [from the Internet] is the only way to truly avoid…malware

Cloud computing seems like something you’d like to try out, but you’re not sure where to start or what is even necessary. Going to a completely Internet-based can be useful for growing businesses, but making a huge shift in that direction can be overwhelming. Each application will have a bit of a learning curve, so I’d recommend starting with your email. Programs like Mozilla Thunderbird and Microsoft Office make a more secure connection to your business email because rather than forwarding to a different address, thereby sending it further through cyberspace, they pull email directly from your email server to your desktop program. But consider that web-based email applications let you check email from anywhere—your desktop, laptop, Smartphone or a someone else’s computer—so if you’re constantly on the go, then the minor risk is often worth it. Google Apps (at merely $50/year) includes ample space for email, so you can start there and gradually move into the other apps, integrating them into your company’s work environment one-by-one.

Around the same time, getting started with an Internet-based computer backup system will save you from the seemingly inevitable frustration of losing documents in a disaster. Even static electricity can ruin your motherboard or hard drive, forever erasing your most critical documents and your sweetest photographed memories. Services like Carbonite and Mozy will automatically back up specified folders, and there are countless other programs, so do some research to find the best one for your purposes. These services may not have cheap price tags, but they become invaluable when even the simplest incident leaves you with nothing.

With the Cloud being such a new development, we’re all still learning about it, so I’d love to hear of any other applications you use and like or if you have any more questions! Leave a comment or drop me an email (see the green envelope icon in the first sidebar?) and I’ll update the site with new information as we go.

When business slows down, sometimes we throw ourselves into an alarming despair, hastily searching for any new work that we can latch onto. But those who have ‘been there, done that’ all seem to agree that it is of utmost importance to only choose to work with the clients we want to work with—and we know that by only taking on the enjoyable clients, we keep our stress levels to a minimum and free up time that would be wasted with the clients who are too difficult to work with. So where’s the happy medium, where we can boost business without taking chances in acquiring unwanted clientele? Revamping a stale business with simplicity seems to be the way to go.

Entrepreneur writer, Antonio Neves, offers five great ways for you to redesign your business in a simple, yet effective, fashion. To recap, Neves suggests that you 1) tell your story; 2) focus on direct sales (for retail, this is selling your items rather than sending them to distributors); 3) collaborate with strategic partners; 4) charge your real cost; and 5) revamp your company culture, thereby raising morale and increasing organization.

Telling your story seems simple enough, but when you try to think through your own company’s story, you may find yourself a little lost. Marketing expert and founder of Shoestring Marketing, Jessica Swanson has a great, fresh piece on telling your business’ story: why it’s important, how to find the story and how to get others to sink their teeth into it. Other important aspects of revamping your business are marketing and, of course, your website. Inc. magazine offers an excellent article that shares the expert marketing opinions of entrepreneurs who have suggestions for a fashion company. Their suggestions can flow into any field or market, and I’ve even heard the suggestion of seeking celebrity endorsements before. When a chef was running out of ideas to boost his restaurant’s business, he humbly asked a national food television show to come visit the restaurant. They did and they loved it, bringing an instant crowd to the small restaurant.

While there isn’t much information out there on how to revamp your business, I hope these ideas will get you going on a thoughtful, useful plan with simple steps toward a redesign that may be quite necessary right now.

Just a few days ago, on November 10, Mozilla released the Beta 7 version of Firefox 4, and the tentative release date for Beta 8 is November 30.  I took some time to play around with Beta 7, and thus far, I would confidently recommend Firefox 4 to anyone.  For those who are familiar with the Google Chrome browser, Firefox 4 is very similar in appearance, but it has a few tricks up its sleeve—major features that Chrome doesn’t have. Here are my top 4 reasons to download (and use) Firefox 4, even while it’s still in beta:

Firefox Panorama for easy tab viewing

To avoid sugarcoating it, I’ll mention that the Panorama feature will take some getting used to. But once you get the hang of it, it’s quite fun and very useful for those of us who often have internet browser tabs for work, family, shopping and everything else open at once. Panorama allows you to group tabs in visually-appealing boxes, so you don’t have the research you’re doing for work getting lost between the sites your friend told you to check out. After opening the Panorama view via a convenient icon on the browser’s toolbar, view all of your open tabs in screenshots, drag and drop each one into a specific group and switch between groups of tabs instantly. You’ll only see the tabs that are grouped with the tab you’re currently working on. The Panorama icon is under the browser’s Close button; it looks like several boxes fitted together. The Feedback icon is there for you to send anonymous feedback to Mozilla about Firefox 4 and will only be available during Beta, I believe. This is the whole top right section, including my bookmarks button and FireShot plugin button:

Firefox Sync to take your stuff with you

This is sure to be my favorite feature that any browser has offered. How many times have you been on your laptop, wanting to show a friend or client something you had bookmarked…only to realize you bookmarked it on a different computer?! You’re tired of emailing links to yourself, and Google Bookmarks isn’t always accessible. By enabling Firefox Sync, which functions much like Dropbox, your bookmarks, history, passwords and open tabs are all saved online to the Firefox server and are then available to the computers you’ve linked.  Only computers that you physically link using an individual 20-character Sync Key can connect to each other, and Mozilla doesn’t even save the number so your privacy is still secure.

Sleeker design for smaller screens or more viewing pleasure

This is where Firefox 4 is most obviously like Chrome: The sleek design can display only your open tabs and the address bar, but the look is easily customized. I fell in love with the sexy look of Chrome and have since turned others on to it, but Mozilla has latched onto this feature, and the two browsers look almost identical. Below is a shot of the Firefox 4 and Chrome toolbars side-by-side from the top-left edges.

Much faster, better HD video viewing, and more compatibility with newer technologies

Firefox 4 brags faster startup and page and image loading, and it provides better support for Javascript, HTML5, CSS3, OpenType fonts and other technologies that make life better for us (web developers) and you (viewers).

Mozilla is clearly committed to making Firefox 4 the best it can be, as they start off soliciting feedback with two surveys and ask to collect information about users’ viewing habits. For more information and help, you can go to the Mozilla Blog or to Mozilla Hacks (both are legitimate Mozilla websites), or post a comment here and I’ll find the answer for you!

Malware [general term] - software designed to secretly access a computer system without the owner’s informed consent. (Wikipedia)

Computer Virus [a type of malware] - a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer…. A true virus can spread from one computer to another (in some form of executable code) when its host is taken to the target computer; for instance because a user sent it over a network or the Internet, or carried it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB drive.  (Wikipedia)

Computer Worm [a type of malware] - a self-replicating malware computer program. It uses a computer network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computers on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention.  (Wikipedia)

Trojan Horse [a type of malware]- appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install but instead facilitates unauthorized access of the user’s computer system… The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek mythology.  (Wikipedia)

Spyware [a type of malware] – can be installed on computers and collects little bits of information at a time about users without their knowledge.  (Wikipedia)

Adware (advertising-supported software) [can be classified as or can come tied to spyware] - any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer. These advertisements can be in the form of a pop-up… Adware, by itself, is harmless; however, some adware may come with integrated spyware such as keyloggers and other privacy-invasive software.  (Wikipedia)

Keylogging [sometimes a type of spyware] - the action of tracking (or logging) the keys struck on a keyboard, typically in a covert manner so that the person using the keyboard is unaware that their actions are being monitored.   (Wikipedia)

Trojans are regarded as some of the most troublesome issues in the realm of computer security because a hacker who has planted a Trojan horse on your computer has likely granted himself remote access to watch or control your computer. Since they can slip onto your computer nearly undetected (without adequate security software running), these malicious software live up to their name, without a doubt.

With many different types of malicious software (malware) readily available, proper protection is crucial. Note that the terms I’ve listed above only scratch the surface of the kinds of malware and existing information on these malware. Above, I’ve outlined a basic tree of computer threats, starting with the broad umbrella term, “malware,” and listing some types of malware, followed by some types of “spyware,” which are also a type of malware. Some of these seem like common sense, and they are, but there are intricate differences between them that make each threat a unique problem to be dealt with specifically.

Luckily, there actually is a nearly “end all, be all” answer in that various programs referred to as “Internet Security” suites are available, of high quality and not terribly expensive. Beyond programs labeled solely as antivirus, Internet Security suites protect your computer(s) from viruses, spyware, Trojans, adware, and other internet, email and network vulnerabilities. Check out this review sheet of the Top 10 Internet Security Suites for 2011, which incorporates a thorough analysis of the necessary internet security components. I had been using ESET Smart Security for a year on my desktop, but since my Eee PC netbook works much better with the sleek Trend Micro Internet Security, and since Amazon was offering a three-PC download of the latest Trend Micro Internet Security for less than $20, I switched to Trend Micro and would certainly recommend it. Any of the programs listed in the aforementioned Top 10 sheet will serve you well, so no worries.

Ultimately, the specific settings you place on each of your computers’ security suites are up to your taste and schedule. I, for the sake of my personal information and for my business and clients, have my security programs run every single day, but a lesser-used computer may only need weekly scans. I also have my desktop scanned at a time when I am not around each day, and my laptop is scanned around 5am, when I am surely not awake and won’t interrupt it. A schedule that doesn’t conflict with your computer usage is best because the scan could put a strain on your computer’s performance if you’re trying to work or surf the internet at the same time.

Not unlike our teenage years, the threats we face today require a conscious protection effort. Safeguarding ourselves from Trojans, as well as viruses, worms and others, is a fairly simple process that we easily take for granted.

To continue on the topic of improving your website’s credibility, it seems only necessary to cover the topic of badges. You’re probably so used to seeing them that you hardly notice them anymore, and when you do, maybe you get warm fuzzies, knowing that someone is watching out for you.

While it’s always a good idea to beware the impostors who gain access to or replicate legitimate badges and falsely advertise commitment to your safety, it’s also good to know how you can get badges for your website—the right way.

Badges (or seals) help customers identify you immediately as a trusted source or a secure seller.  Ultimately, the badges will drive more visitors to hit the “Buy” button: When given the choice between a site that seems secure and has reasonable pricing and a site that has been proven to be secure and has reasonable pricing, of course they’ll choose the latter.

Note that some of these fit in multiple categories, and they are merely categorized according to what seems most important to each badge provider.

Badges for e-Commerce Sites & Shopping Carts

TRUSTe Seal (for small and medium-sized businesses)

VeriSign Trust Seal

Trustwave Trusted Commerce Badge

Badges for Websites Handling Sensitive Information

McAfee SECURE Service

Instant SSL by Comodo

Business Accreditation and Website Ranking Badges

Better Business Bureau Accreditation Badge

Hubspot’s Website Grader (for SEO) Badge

Alexa Web Information Traffic Ranking Badge

WooRank Website Analysis Badge

Accreditation with the BBB is recommended for any business, but these ranking sites have their places, too. By displaying a badge from a third party that has objectively (automatically, no people involved) graded your site with a high mark based on numerous points, you’re telling visitors that you took the time to make your site the best that it can be.

Indeed, there are many more scanning/verification/accreditation/ranking badge sites, but these are some of the more common ones that I’ve been able to check out. I’ll post more as they come to my attention, and of course, if you’re looking for any information on those mentioned above, drop me an email or post a comment below! I’d love to hear your thoughts or questions regarding website security and trust =)

Building trust is crucial in business, and it becomes more difficult when the first line of communication is via the internet. As a customer, you can walk into a brick-and-mortar store, office or bank, look the representatives in the eye, listen to what they say—and how they say it—and decide almost instantly whether you feel the company is trustworthy. When shopping online, however, none of these benefits are present. If you’re more skeptical of online merchants and consultants, then why wouldn’t others be more skeptical of your online presence? Check out some of these tips, collected from all around (including my own experience), and try following this like a checklist.

There are more topics to cover when considering the trustworthiness of your website. Next week, I’ll cover website badges, and on November 4th, we’ll look at website rating engines. It’ll be a fun and particularly useful series, so stay tuned!

I wouldn’t expect a new company or one that is still growing to have hit all of these points—in fact, my own company hasn’t had the chance to catch up on all of it—but they should still be somewhere on the “to do” list:

• Start a blog

  Not only are corporate blogs appropriate for companies of all sizes these days, they are almost essential! Companies like GM, Google, Southwest, Nike, NFL, Giant Supermarket and many, many others have corporate blogs, and with good reason. With few ways for your website to stand out among hundreds of millions, finding your “voice” and “speaking” to your online audience will help them get a feel for who you are and how genuine you are. Blogging will also keep your site up to date, which builds some level of trust. As an added bonus, customers will know where to turn when rumors spread or even when your products are recalled. Instead of trying to run for cover, put the facts and any due apologies out in the open and in your newly found “voice” to reassure customers that they have every reason to stand by you.

• Keep the readability to a moderate level

  Visitors don’t want to feel overwhelmed or berated by a website (of all things), but they’ll be turned off by a site that reads like it was written for kiddies. Industry jargon is too confusing for those outside your industry, and you aren’t trying to sell to people who are already doing what you do! So keep the diction to more general terms, but also remember that using “bigger” words will often help with conciseness. LymeLightWebs.com reads at a high school level (rated by HubSpot, which I’ll cover soon), and I think it’s a great position to be in.

• Make friends with other website editors and bloggers

  When you’re comfortable with some of these editors and bloggers, ask them to write something about you on their site and link that piece to your site. It’s understandable that as an interior designer, you may not feel led to request a spot on another interior designer’s website, but go for the architects and real estate agents, as well as the landscapers, because they’re all wonderful complements to your field of work. When a person is confidently hiring a particular landscaper and they see that this landscaper respects you and recommends your work, you gain instant trust with that client.

• Use clean navigation, an intuitive layout and quality design.

  Loose, clumsy navigation makes it look like you’re trying to hide something. At the opposite extreme, confusing navigation that is all piled in the same spot looks unprofessional. Ensure that each link—from main page to storefront, from blog to portfolio to contact page—flows to the next and that there are no surprises. Similarly, anticipate the route that your visitors will take to make sure that each section is a continuation of the next (or indirectly tell them where to go). Finally, a quality website design enhances the professional look you’ve created through blogging and online references. This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about functionality and interactivity, too.

• Post only your own content.

  This may seem like a no-brainer, and sometimes the line between what is your content and what came from someone else is blurry. But a critical example of this is of a web design firm’s identical copy of an article from a developer resource website (excerpts shown below). The design firm breaks virtually every rule of building trust, including having a terrible website (paradoxical, I know), but in this case, they’ve stolen intellectual property and have given no credit to the original writer.  Really, what’s the likelihood that two authors had the exact same idea for introductions to their articles?  The “copycat” changed a few words here and there and removed one point that seemed redundant and one point that is wrongfully overlooked as an integral part of website building.  Every industry has them – don’t be “those people.”