Dock Boards Built The New Way

A startup company in Rio Vista, TX is designing dock boards a new way. Brazos Manufacturing is using a computer modeling software called FEA or Finite Element Analysis to determine all facets of their design. Material thickness, weld placements break placement are evaluated and visual feedback is immediately available. It is amazing.

In the stone age when I was working in that industry, we would model by building. Sure our industrial engineer would run calculations and we would "sort of" know what to expect when we built the dock board or yard ramp. But the design regarding weld placements and a lot of geometry was only evaluated by building one and running a forklift truck over it a few hundred times.

My how times have changed. Watch this short video to see FEA in action. Go to http://brazosmanufacturing.com to see their full line.

Small Business Can Use a Big Approach

By design, I work with small B-to-B companies who are unsure how to use the web in their business. They range from having no website at all to having a brochure online. Many say "the web just doesn't work in our industry". I usually reply that it sure works for your competitor.

Much of the early work with clients is education about the medium and it's tools. I debunk bad information they have from any number of sources and sometimes have to backtrack into general (non-web business strategy). When I am lucky enough to gain their confidence we start the process. From that point they are only hampered by small budgets, lack of time to devote to the project and little or no photos, case studies or customer testimonials.

I try to give them a simple (strategic) model for them to implement regarding using the internet for their business.  It looks something like this;

• Build the best professional website you can to start with.
• Immediately start the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) process
• Discover and initiate a SEM (Search Engine Marketing) strategy (low hanging fruit first)
• Develop a habit of using the analytics to make decisions
• Realize the work is never done

The goal of my business is to partner with companies that see this as a viable way to go to market.  I find that if I will be honest, prove myself relevant to their needs, establish my knowledge about the process, they reward me with their business.  HEY...that is the same thing Google does....maybe we are on to something.

I will try to write about each of the bullet points above.  In the meantime, good selling.

User Experience is Google's Target

I have been watching the blogs writing about the changes that Google has made over the last couple of months and you just have to smile.

Google Hummingbird

Because Google doesn't explain itself, any action they take is "spun" by a huge community. That community is populated mostly by self-proclaimed experts who, for the most part, want to profit from their pseudo-expertise. There are a few of the community who really study, analyze & interpret Google's actions and write about the underlying intent and give global advice.  The surprise here is that over time the advice is consistent.

Google values good original content that answers the "searchers" questions. There are presentations that make for a better user experience and Google values those. There are online tools and communities that testify to a company's (or individual's) authority or true involvement in a subject or solution...Google values those.

As a small business person you are constantly being contacted by SEOs & marketers that tell you that if you will write a check they can guarantee you top billing in Google.  RUN....it's a lie.  You will figure it out but you will waste time and money.

SEO is a skill-set, not a magic bag.  You study your customer, please them and you will please Google.

#seo #hummingbird  #smallbusiness

Some Things Remain the Same in the Midst of Change

I published this article in February of 2012.  In light of #Hummingbird and other changes I reviewed the advice contained here and found the basics never really change....see for yourself........

My efforts on behalf of my customers revolve around the same issues that have always confounded business owners/managers. How to present your products or services to the right people, at the right time and give them a clear path to doing business with you.

• Internet Marketing History - Like most new things, the internet was over-hyped and could not deliver in the early 2000s. Many of you tried things (that cost a lot of money) and didn't work or other marketing had better ROI. In many conversations now I hear "the internet just doesn't work in our industry". Well - it works for your competitor. And they are getting better at it every day.
• Then & Now - There was a time when the "yellow pages" was a must for a local business owner. I was in over 13 books at one point with my company. Their value today is almost non-existent to most B to B companies. I pumped a lot of money into trade shows. Today you have a trade show anytime you want (and it is a lot more comprehensive). Direct mail was once a driver for business...today it is used to drive clients to your website.
• The New Minimum - We know that industrial customers buy differently than retail customers. Pew Research tells us that 97% of industrial buyers use search at some point in the selection of a vendor.
  • You must be there - if you do not have a professional website with excellent content - you don't exist to a huge segment of the population.
  • You must be found - seems like something I shouldn't have to say, but you would be surprised how many companies spend a lot of money with web designers and no one gives a thought to marketing it or making it search friendly. Like printing a beautiful catalog and sitting it on the interstate...hoping someone will find it.
  • Your content must be relevant - clients who wind up on your site must see or easily find what they need to complete their task. Location, hours of operation, product specifications, easy ways to contact you are all absolute minimums...more is expected.

To those who understand and correctly use the internet it is the most cost effective tool ever available to a business person. I would love to help you navigate these very productive waters. It begins with a conversation.....email me...Ron Gilleland ... or hook up on G+ G21 Buzz

Who Do We Design For?

I have spent the last year acquiring knowledge and skills about web development and online marketing. There are many ways to apply these skills;

• Building websites 
• SEO - Search Engine Optimization 
• Drip Marketing 
• Local vs National efforts

 As I decide how I will go forward with my professional goals (which I have branded +G21 Buzz) I am reminded that good customer service is a the heart of every successful campaign. One of the podcasts that I listen to on a regular basis is starting a new series around the topic of building customer concentric websites vs client concentric. The dilemma is the client is your customer not his or her customer. If the client asks for design or function that will clearly not give the users of the site a good experience......how hard should we argue the point with our customer?

The client is the person we are trying to satisfy.  However, is their satisfaction based in having the site exactly like they want or in having the site perform for them as they hoped.

Seems like an easy question and most gains are made in the long run.  However, you had better be sure of what you can deliver if you have this argument with a client....you could deliver something that is not what they want nor does it do what they need.

Internet Search Continues to Change

I published this article in February of 2012.  In light of #Hummingbird and other changes I reviewed the advice contained here and found the basics never really change....see for yourself........

My efforts on behalf of my customers revolve around the same issues that have always confounded business owners/managers. How to present your products or services to the right people, at the right time and give them a clear path to doing business with you.

• Internet Marketing History - Like most new things, the internet was over-hyped and could not deliver in the early 2000s. Many of you tried things (that cost a lot of money) and didn't work or other marketing had better ROI. In many conversations now I hear "the internet just doesn't work in our industry". Well - it works for your competitor. And they are getting better at it every day.
  
  
• Then & Now - There was a time when the "yellow pages" was a must for a local business owner. I was in over 13 books at one point with my company. Their value today is almost non-existent to most B to B companies. I pumped a lot of money into trade shows. Today you have a trade show anytime you want (and it is a lot more comprehensive). Direct mail was once a driver for business...today it is used to drive clients to your website.
  
  
• The New Minimum - We know that industrial customers buy differently than retail customers. Pew Research tells us that 97% of industrial buyers use search at some point in the selection of a vendor.
  • You must be there - if you do not have a professional website with excellent content - you don't exist to a huge segment of the population.
    
  • You must be found - seems like something I shouldn't have to say, but you would be surprised how many companies spend a lot of money with web designers and no one gives a thought to marketing it or making it search friendly. Like printing a beautiful catalog and sitting it on the interstate...hoping someone will find it.
    
  • Your content must be relevant - clients who wind up on your site must see or easily find what they need to complete their task. Location, hours of operation, product specifications, easy ways to contact you are all absolute minimums...more is expected.

To those who understand and correctly use the internet it is the most cost effective tool ever available to a business person. I would love to help you navigate these very productive waters. It begins with a conversation.....email me...Ron Gilleland ... or hook up on G+ G21 Buzz

Stop Protect IP and SOPA

Your congress...our congress is about to make a mistake that will take years to unravel. It will put us on a censorship track that we badmouth other countries for. This video explains it .... watch...this is serious.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.