Check out his blog and drop some feedback. I'll be watching the comments 
Check out his blog and drop some feedback. I'll be watching the comments
One of my projects is to create a Facebook page - an interesting idea for the oldest family owned florist in Toronto! Martin's has survived and flourished through 5 generations by staying on the leading edge. While we might be a bit later than some to the Facebook party, I am hopeful that this will give Mom and her team a chance to connect with their younger generation of clients. This also provides a great venue to promote the Dec 6th Open House. Janis has been baking for a week, already.
You can also shop online at the Martin's, the Flower People website. I don't usually make a habit of linking to clients, but since this business is family I want to make an exception. It was growing up in this business that gave me a love for helping small businesses succeed - hence the creation of Strider!
]]>Rather than repeating SEO advice on FlowerChat over and over, and then making the members search all through the site to assemble the pieces, we decided to there needed to be a resource for florists to find SEO information relevant to the retail florist industry.
The Florist SEO blog will be an assembly of basic advice, local search, site reviews and small business marketing information designed to help florists eliminate the common mistakes that plague the industry, and enable them to compete in the online environment. We have a long list of topics, starting with a series on duplicate content issues.
If you are a florist - or just someone interested in small business internet marketing and SEO, come and visit us at the Florist SEO Blog!
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Company: EmbroidMe - Woodbridge
Owner: Don Soars
Product / Service: Promotional clothing and products
In business since: Oct. 2006
What made you decide to start your own business?
My partner and I wanted to have more control over our destiny.
Is this your first time operating your own business?
Yes
How would you describe the products you offer?
Of the highest quality. We always run a sample before a production run so there are NO SURPRISES! Customers like the "hands on" control
In your words, what makes your business unique?
We're part of the largest such organization in the world. Fastest in the GTA! No minimums on most products including BYO's (bring your own)
What challenges have you faced in launching your business?
Setting up an infrastructure second to none! We realized long time ago that it's better to be prepared and have no opportunity, than to have opportunity and not be prepared. "Under promise and over deliver"
Tell us about your favourite success story.
The BIG things have come because we successfully took care of the small things.
What venues are you using to promote your business?
We're finding that referral "word of mouth" accounts for the largest part of our business.
What tips or advice can you offer to people who are considering owning their own business?
Due diligence is the key!
Company: It's Up To You
Owner: Teresa Salerno
Product / Service: Health & Wellness
In business since: 2007
How would you describe the products you offer?
Our nutritional cleansing products unlock the miracle of the human body.
What made you decide to start your own business?
I have always had a passion to help people. When Isagenix changed my life I made it my mission to impact world health.
Is this your first time operating your own business?
Yes.
In your words, what makes your business unique?
We have improved upon the ancient health practice of cleansing by creating a system to infuse nutrients into the body.
What challenges have you faced in launching your business?
I have had to overcome the fear of approaching people that I don't know.
Why did you choose the Isagenix system?
Like no other system out there we feed our bodies whole food nutrients at a cellular level.
What venues are you using to promote your business?
Isagenix provides us with a website, newsletters, brochures, business cards. Joining BNI and Chambers of Commerce has been helpful.
What tips or advice can you offer to people who are considering owning their own business?
When you find a passion and a drive in a product or a service that has impacted you not only financially but mentally and spiritually you want to share it with the rest of the world. Don't worry how you need to do it, just believe in your service or product, believe in yourself and take it one step at a time.
I am very excited to present our first interview in the series, with Rebecca Wagler, owner of The Ardent Sparrow.
Company: The Ardent Sparrow
Blog: The Ardent Sparrow Blog
Owner: Rebecca Wagler
Product / Service: Handmade Jewellery & Supplies
In business since: 2008
How would you describe the products you offer?
Most of my pieces have an antique or vintage flair and I am definitely moving more and more in that direction! I love antique brass stampings of birds, leaves, and dragonflies. I am also beginning to work with vintage Lucite, moulded glass beads, and antique brass flowers. Working with older materials allows me to create unique and one-of-a-kind pieces with a great deal of charm.
What prompted you to start your own business?
I used to make jewellery back in my University days. When I started teaching I just didn't have time with all the planning, marking, and reporting. The first few months after my first daughter was born were rather busy, but as she began to settle in, I began to long for some creative outlet! A good friend is getting married this summer and I thought it would be neat to make her earrings... And I was once again hooked! Friends then began to encourage me to sell it and I thought of Etsy... Now I've had several sales both on Etsy and as custom orders for friends and family! It's taken off much more quickly than I could have ever imagined!
Is this your first time operating your own business?
Yes... And it's very exciting!
In your words, what makes your business unique?
My jewellery is all hand-made and I spend hours scouring stores (both in person and on-line) for unique and vintage materials to create my pieces with!
What challenges have you faced in launching your business?
Getting the word out there has been difficult! Etsy has helped but the site is very saturated with jewellery makers already. I've had several supportive friends that have purchased my pieces as I'm getting started, spread the word to their friends, and supported through their own on-line businesses!
Why did you choose Etsy to host your online store?
Etsy has great services (for a small fee) and a built in clientele! I would LOVE to have my own site someday, if it ever comes to that... But right now, Etsy works and my own site is just a dream!
What other venues are you using to promote your business?
I have sold a great deal to family and friends. A store owner from New Jersey also saw my Etsy shop and asked if I would be willing to send her items to sell in her store so I'm currently working on getting some pieces ready to ship to her!
Your product images are beautiful - tell us about your process for creating these images?
I've always loved taking pictures... and I have a huge assortment of vintage china from my Grandma! Photographing my pieces as allowed me to bring three of the things I love together! I also use an antique German bible that belonged to my husband's grandfather which makes a delightful backdrop to most of the pieces!
What equipment / software do you use to create your images?
I had never used any graphics design software before opening my store. When I saw what people were charging for banners and avatars on Etsy, I thought I would give it a try on my own. I initially edit most of my photos in "Picasa2". I then use a combination of "Gimp 2", "Serif PhotoPlus 8.0" and "Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2" to edit them further and add text. I still have a lot to learn but I love designing my own images to use on-line.
Where do you find inspiration for your jewellery designs?
Most of my inspiration comes late at night... And as a result, I've become a bit of an insomniac! I love old things... things with a lot of character so I always keep that in mind when I'm creating. I try to design things that I know even my Grandmothers would appreciate! I also enjoy browsing Etsy for unique inspiration!
How / where do you source your materials? Is it a struggle to find new and interesting materials to work with?
I get some of my items from jewellery supply stores but I find them overpriced. I was thrilled to find several sellers of incredible materials on Etsy, so I try to give them most of my business. I also search out second hand stores, looking for great items that I can take apart and remake. It isn't too much of a struggle to find new and interesting materials but it can be a bit pricey!
Do you envision The Ardent Sparrow becoming a full-time gig for you as the business grows, or do you plan to keep small and very niche?
I would love it if the business became more steady but by the nature of the work, I will likely have to keep it small! It takes a lot of time to purchase good materials as well as to plan and design the pieces, not to mention actually putting them together! There's only so much time I have to do all this in! My dream would be to expand beyond Etsy someday and have a small site with my own designs as well as a loyal following... But who knows? I would love to make enough money to continue to create, cover my costs, and make a bit of a profit.
Do you have plans to expand beyond jewellery into other types of art or decoration?
I would love to begin to carry some vintage items such as lovely tea cups, dishes, and other items for the home. I also have some other ideas for handmade goods, but at the moment, there just isin't time!
Are you interested in learning more about internet marketing tactics, either by attending seminars or reading online? What have been your most influential sources (if any) for online marketing tips?
Right now I'm just flying by the seat of my pants! The only really useful tip I've gotten so far is to try and keep up a blog as they seem to help get the word out in the Etsy world. At the moment, I am looking for ways to improve my blog. In the future, I would definately like to learn more about on-line marketing if my business grows.
Will you give us another interview in one year so that we can follow up on your progress?
I would love to!
Vanishing Act
So, let's say that you decide to hire Acme SEO agency because they promise quick results. They work on the site and deliver! You watch your web site climb higher and higher in the rankings for the keyword. Suddenly, one day your site drops to the second search results page or disappears entirely from the search engine results pages. Your online sales plummet. What happened?
Let Down
Think about this for a minute. An SEO does not have
access to the two main factors that control your ranking: the search engine and
your competitors. Google does not sell search rankings to the highest
bidder. No SEO can call up the search engine and make some kind of deal
to get your bakery ranked number one for "chocolate cake." An SEO
guarantee is just a dubious marketing gimmick aimed at driving sales and not a
sign of expertise.
I Do That Too!
SEO is not
something that can be tacked on to a website at the end the design
process. Things that can be done
afterwards, like filling in meta tags and submitting the site to search
engines, are fine and good, but far from adequate. SEO is so fundamental to web design that the
ideal site is coded around a structure determined by SEO principles.
For more information on the subject, here's some suggested reading from some solid resources:
A great, but more technical list of SEO questions was posted at SEOmoz.
]]>I will be presenting on three topics, "Foundations for a Successful Website," "Local Search," and "PPC - How Not To Lose Your Shirt." Jim's workshop will cover SEO 101.
Floral Summit is all about giving florists practical and usable information that is relevant to their particular business needs. To make this happen we're borrowing liberally from the recently completed (and very successful) Small Business Marketing Unleashed conference, run by the fab folks at Search Engine Guide. The format for Floral Summit is small workgroups that start with a presentation by the speaker and lead into discussion time with Q&A.
I am really hopeful that the florists attending will bring their ideas, attention and courage so that we can make these workshops as beneficial as possible. Jim & I love to talk SEO, so the only problems I foresee are staying within the guidelines and trying not to lose my voice with three 45 minute workshops and some one-on-one time.
Events like Floral Summit are excellent venues to reach the small business community and teach them about the importance of SEO and online marketing, as they are so uniquely positioned to succeed online if they seize the opportunity. If you would like to have Strider present on SEO or online marketing at your event, please contact us! We love to talk SEO :)
A personal highlight was having
the sessions in a life-sized replica of the
I hope we are able to go again next year.
]]>So, Matt, here it is ... I've caved to your link begging building campaign. Now it's time for you to join the rest of the world on Twitter. :)
Last week, Jim & I were in Simi Valley, CA (just outside Los Angeles) to attend the Advanced Certification course given by Bruce Clay, Inc. Let me say, this is no rubber stamp training program! There were people in attendance making their third trip in the past 12 months. To me, this is reflective of just how much changes in a year in the SEO world, and why training and accreditation are so important.
Following the training course we will have 30 days to apply what we've learned; then it's exam time! Apparently only half the people who take this exam pass on the first attempt. I'm quite confident that Jim & I will do well, and I'll post again around exam time to announce our results.
The SEO Toolset certification is recognized as the highest certification available in the SEO industry. To put this in context, according to the SEO Toolset directory only a few people in Canada have achieved this certification; none outside of BC. In the USA there are only a few thousand.
Jumping forward to this week: We were back in the office and hard at work. Several projects are nearing completion (which is why I'm writing this at 3:40 4:49am) and the to do lists are getting longer. We've been blessed with a few "out of the blue" potential clients and had the privilege of rescuing a friend from a web design disaster (more on that next week when the launch the site).
We will be leaving on Sunday for the Small Business Marketing Unleashed conference in Houston. I've really been looking forward to this event as it's a smaller group than an SES type conference, and is geared toward small business owners and marketers. The workshop format of the second day should be really beneficial, and I confess I'm stealing some ideas for another one of our projects. Unleashed is organized by my friend Jennifer Laycock and the team at Search Engine Guide, and I wish nothing more than to see this conference be a smashing success for them.
That's all for now ... the To Do list is calling my name. Does anyone have tips on dealing with a wasp infestation in your office?
We haven't been here long, but I can already tell that we're going to like this hotel room a lot more than the afterthought closet we had in New York. I figure we've got four times the room and double the number of beds for 1/3 the price. That's right, folks, no brokeback SEO here! (In NYC I joked to Jim that just because my prison cot rollaway bed was wedged into the 2 sq ft to spare at the end of the real bed, I had no intention of uncovering his feet! :)
Tomorrow we rise and shine early for some advanced training from Bruce Clay himself. Since I'm horribly overdue in posting my thoughts on the SES NY trip, let me just say for now that the Bruce Clay team have been a real pleasure to deal with - very friendly and hospitable. The Lisa even insulted me in NYC, so I feel like family. (You may recall that the Bruce Clay Inc. contest is the reason we were able to attend SES NY, and the training in California.)
Now, time to get some shut-eye, before my internal clock starts trying to wake me 3 hours early. Oh, wait ... that would be about now :)
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