Archive for December, 2009
Many ways of using Strong Acidic Water and Strong Kangen Water
Strong Kangen Water
Strong Kangen Water is called the “Environmentally Friendly Water”. Its cleaning power effectively dissolves and cleans materials, its swelling power softens materials quickly, its dissolving power has the ability to dissolve and draw out substances, and finally its thermal conductive property reduces boiling time.
Strong Kangen Water packs an effective cleaning effect as a detergent preserving hygiene in your daily life. It can be used to clean cutting boards, knives and dishes, to sterilize vegetables and meats, to remove slime and stains on the floor, to remove toilet stains, to remove stains from coffee and sauces, to use for washing clothes (reduces the need for laundry detergants), and to remove the harsh taste of wild vegetables.
Strong Kangen Water is a type of electrolyzed water with an electron potential containing sodium hydroxide produced by anodes. In general, the pH is over 11.0 and the ORP is between -700mV and -850 mV. It is not a strong alkaline substance.
Strong Acidic Water
Strong Acidic Water is called the “Sanitary Water”. The reason being that you can use it to clean and sterilize your produce, meat and cookware. But it doesn’t just stop there… you can use it to sanitize knives, cutting boards and towels, disinfect your hands, disinfect your toothbrushes, clean your skin, remove tea and coffee stains and to eliminate odors.
Strong Acidic Water is a type of electrolyzed water containing hypoclorous acid produced by the anodes. It is a produced as a result of adding electrolysis reaction. In general, the pH is below 2.7 and the ORP is over 1,1000mV. It is not a strong acidic substance. It has excellent cleaning and disinfecting power that help prevent food poisoning.
Oxidation Reduction Potential and Kangen Water
ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) is a value that measures the proportion of oxidizing ions (such as chloride ions) and reduction ions (such as calcium ions) in a solution. If this is a negative value, this solution is an electron donor and can be easily oxidized. If this is a positive value, the solution is an oxidizing solution and can be easily reduced. This value is shown in mV(milivolt) and is used as a reference to display the degree of chemical reaction.
For more information, visit CaptainKangenWater.com
How Green are Promotional Balloons?
Introduction
There are people who have some anxiety about the impact of promotional balloons on the environment and safety issues of printed promotional items and around the effects of working with latex. However fear is often a derivative of ignorance so becoming knowledgeable enables people to make informed choices. Where there is understanding and information, the mind does not need to fill in the empty spaces with fearful conjecture and catastrophising.
The idea of balloon safety is not really about balloons so much as the materials from which they are made. The majority of balloons are made from latex or natural rubber which is actually a very environmentally friendly product and has been around for decades. More recently foil balloons have been produced that are made from thin non-stretch fabric which is basically metalized plastic film which does not bio-degrade like latex. This type of balloon is invariably filled with helium so that it rises up and is secured with a ribbon so that it doesn’t float away.
So what is Latex?
Balloons have been around for many years and the latex from which modern balloons are made come from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree or as many people know it, the rubber tree. These trees which grow in tropical climes, such as South East Asia, do not need to be cut down to obtain the rubber. The mature trees are tapped regularly by making a Y cut in the bark and placing a small container at the bottom of the Y to collect the milky sap which oozes from the tree. This is the basic latex from which so many different|variable|diverse} goods are made. Latex is a highly sustainable product providing work and income for people in some of the poorest countries in the world.
The management and maintenance of the rubber plantations means there is no deforestation, which helps in the issue of global warming. The trees use carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the atmosphere, which is the opposite process to industrial pollution which contributes to the considerable increase in greenhouse gases. So as a basic resource it is an environmentally friendly, regenerating product.
Uses of Natural Rubber latex (NRL)
Natural Rubber latex (NRL) is used in thousands of everyday items we take for granted in our modern lifestyle. A balloon is just one of many commercial products we recognise as obviously being made from rubber. Some of the more essential items made from NRL are car, lorry, plane and bus tyres which carry us and the essential consumer products we use daily, around the world. Essential items such as underwear elastic and elastic used in fashion day wear, shoe soles, carpets, rubber bands and erasers have been in use for many decades. More recent consumer necessities come in the form of buttons in calculators and remote controls.
Balloon Publicity
Balloons races or balloon releases are a way of generating publicity at major fund raising events. A message or company logo is printed onto the balloons and then released into the sky in large numbers. This is a spectacular sight when thousands of helium filled balloons of different colours rise up into the atmosphere all together.
If you want to do a balloon sculpture there are instructions available for you to make your own.
Rubber balloons inflated with Helium usually only stay afloat for a few hours days if they are not punctured by birds, trees or other sharp objects that they might encounter. The reason is that helium atoms are smaller than the pores in the latex and so gradually seep through and the balloon deflates. To retain the buoyancy and increase the float time of a gas filled balloon the inside can be coated with a special polymer solution which reduces leakage.
Safety and Environmental Concerns
The concerns over the years from the general public have been about the effect of large numbers of balloons being released into the atmosphere. Naturally some people believe that massed balloons may be harmful to wild, farm and domestic animals and that on landing they may pose a serious hazard through ingestion or entanglement.
However all latex balloons are completely natural coming from the Hevea tree and they break down at about the same rate as oak leaves. Oxidation starts to occur within an hour of a balloon being inflated and during the process of decay, by natural exposure, nutrients are released into the soil. The oxidation is sometimes visible as a cloudy appearance when balloons are exposed to outdoor conditions, direct sunlight and heat. However research shows that latex balloons under varying conditions take about 6 months to decompose so they are even suitable for composting.
Reputable balloon companies should only use bio-degradable latex these days. For example, all balloons produced by B-loony, the UK’s largest manufacturer of printed promotional balloons, are made from bio-degradable latex.
It is estimated that 90/95% of balloons released rise to an altitude of approximately 5 miles at which height the cold will cause the balloon to become brittle and shatter in to miniscule pieces. Balloon remains are unlikely to cause harm on landing, even if ingested, as the latex and the dyes used in latex colouring are non-toxic and completely bio-degradable.
Regulations on Balloon Releases
The UK’s Balloon Trade Association NABAS, is very aware of its responsibilities to the environment and has issued a Code of Conduct for balloon releases giving advice to ensure the protection of the environment. Only natural rubber latex may be used for balloon releases. Balloons must be hand tied and labels attached are required to be recycle-able paper. Plastic valves or wire should not be used.
Any Large balloon event of more than 5,000 balloons requires permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which has to be applied for in writing at least 28 days before the event. The CAA like to be informed also for balloon releases of up to 5,000 balloons.
Source: NABAS The Balloon Association and The European Balloon Council
Printed Balloons
Lately I was looking for a balloon which had a 90 printed on it because my grandmother is ninety this week and we are giving her a big celebratory party. However there were no balloons in the store where I was looking, that had any number above 60. Maybe the suppliers of printed balloons don’t think people over 60 want to be reminded of their age. I did think it would be a good idea to have a balloon which could have the number you want attached once it is inflated. They do it with some birthday cards where you buy a separate number and stick it onto the card of your choice.
Significant birthdays are a perfect occasion for printed balloons to be used.
There are a great number of possibilities for the use of helium and printed balloons. They can be used as a marketing tool to deliver a message about a company or event, or to highlight a product launch or marketing campaign. The logo or message is specially printed onto the balloons by the company supplying the service and they will also deliver the balloons to the customer. It is obviously more economical to order large quantities and for balloon releases or races this would not be a problem.
Health and Safety for People Working with Latex
People who work with Latex on a regular basis have to be concerned about the long term effects of exposure to the material. Natural rubber latex is a plant product and as such contains proteins to which some individuals may become allergic. The proteins naturally present in latex may cause allergies either through direct contact with skin or by inhalation of a powder. Latex gloves may be powdered with cornstarch which attach to NRL allergens causing them to be airborne and possibly inhaled when the gloves are used. Those most at risk are health care workers who use latex gloves on a daily basis and those undergoing multiple surgical procedures.
Some people experience irritation to the skin on contact with NRL but it is not a true allergy but rather an irritant contact dermatitis. Sensitised people however may get an allergic reaction when in direct contact with balloons. Other individuals who may have an allergic reaction are people who already suffer with atopic allergic diseases such as hay fever, asthma and some irritant skin conditions or a history of certain food allergies of banana, avocado, kiwi and chestnuts.
If you are prone to any of the above conditions then it is probably not wise to work in a company producing items made from NRL. However cornstarch is not used as a de-tack powder in the manufacture of toy balloons. Instead they are lightly coated with an inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate diatomaceous earth and clays which do not bind to latex proteins. Natural Rubber Latex is a very cost effective material that is widely used throughout the world and for the majority of the populace there is no form of clinical risk.
Source: Health & Safety Executive Guidelines 2008 (see www.hse.gov.uk/latex ) TARRC Rubber Consultants Report 2005
Another great low cost advertising give away are hand-held flags, or hand waivers as they are also known. These are very cost effective and will provide a colourful impact to your event. Because they are made of paper they are bio-degradable and can be made of recycled materials. It is easy to have messages printed on them and you can create your own scheme and effect.
Hand held flags are small rectangles of paper, which can be printed on one or both sides, and mounted on a plastic or biodegradable stick. These paper flags have become particularly popular over recent years because they are colourful, attractive, and can be purchased at unbelievably low prices. Paper flags are more often used today to advertise and promote fund raising projects, special occasions or sporting events. Children particularly enjoy waving flags as part of the crowd during a special event.
For a VIP visit hand waving flags can be given out to children to generate a mood of enthusiasm and excitement.
Obviously paper flags are a great way to get your promotional message across. They can be printed on one or both sides with the company logo and they can also be used as very economical promotional gifts.
Because paper flags are made from paper and the print area is flat and a set size, it is possible to choose almost any artwork you can think of to customise your event. The quality and finish of the flags is exceptionally high because they are digitally printed. The printing firm will probably have an impressive range of paper flags designs as samples because they usually hold back a few from each print run.
All samples will be from real events ranging from world promotions, product launches, sports teams events or fund raising campaigns and there will be no limit to the number that can be printed. Paper flags are a popular choice for other promotional events such as VIP visits, sales events and advertising. Many football fans carry paper flags with their club logos or colours to advertise their support for their favourite club whether it’s the Premier League, the World Championship, or a local cup final.
Foil Balloons
Foil balloons are very attractive with shiny reflective surfaces and can be printed with full colour pictures and patterns to a customer’s specification. Foil balloons have the advantage of being lightweight, longer-lasting, with increased buoyancy. They are perfect for eye catching promotions, special celebrations and for product launches.
There are further environmental concerns about the safety of the foil balloon because they don’t biodegrade or shred like rubber balloons. However they are not allowed to be used in balloon releases or races, and need to be carefully disposed of after use. The most important characteristic of metalized nylon or foil balloons is its ability to keep the helium gas from escaping for several weeks.
Balloons for Work
Latex balloons are an environmentally friendly product. Not only do they provide entertainment and recreational use bringing pleasure to thousands of children, they are valuable in a work situation for research, medicine, promotion and education.
Balloons are often used for meteorological work and in more recent years they are used in some medical procedures for a variety of conditions such as angioplasty, catheters for weight loss, and sinus procedures. Also balloons are a widely used teaching device to demonstrate Newton’s third law of physics and the functioning of a rocket. Once the balloon is inflated, the mouth of the balloon is released and the greater pressure of air inside, forces its way out so that the elasticity of the balloon contracts and the balloon is propelled forward making a rude noise. This is fundamentally how a rocket works.
Without balloons valuable services could not be performed and the public would be the losers in the long run. Professional quality balloons are made from 100% biodegradable latex.
Conclusion
The concerns about balloon safety primarily arise from the materials of which they are made. Although Latex is a natural substance and has been used for many years without harm, people who work in the arena of manufacture are exposed to some degree of risk and employers will conduct thorough risk assessments . Latex balloons are considered very safe and environmentally friendly, but problems will arise when a balloon is inflated using a plastic valve or with a ribbon attached which are not biodegradable.
There are a number of industry bodies which control and monitor balloon activities on a large scale and health and safety regulations in place for those working in industries manufacturing or using latex. The advantages of having and using latex products, certainly outweighs any perceived dangers of such an environmentally safe material.
Fap Turbo – The Best Forex Software?
Fap Turbo is one of the most exciting forex programs that has entered the market lately, and from the reviews so fat, this is one program that forex traders should not ignore. Although there are some issues with installataion, by far this is one of the most interesting forex trading softwares
And with such softwares coming onto the market, can there really help you sky rocket your earning? Below are just 3 FapTurbo Feedbacks
1. “The biggest advantage of the program – it can trade 24/7 – that means you can live it on all day and all night to trade on your behalf. So whilst you sleep or work on other matters, Fap Turbo does the rest. Really it cuts out the human emotions of investing”
2. “Even if you don not want to live the program on all day, you can use the server or get an outside server to run the program 24/7″
3. “The creators of FAP Turbo didn’t settle for testing alone and established 3 public live accounts on which the robot can work automatically. This was done to show us, the traders, how the program performed in real time. Again, the profits were extremely high and the accuracy rate close to perfect. Of course, in some market conditions the results are better than in others, but over time, the robot is consistently profitable.” – By John J Drummon, Ezinearticles.com
From the Fap Turbo Feedbacks, it appears this software is worth a fair go – better yet, this program is protected by a 60 day refund policy. In other words, should it not meet your expectations within 60 days of buying it, you can return it and ask for a refund. Hence this is no scam – it is a program to seriously consider to increase your earnings!
10 possible skin care tips
*Knowing the type of skin you have is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important} because not every skin care products are right everyone as a pimple treatment.
*Drink a ton of H2O. This will not keep your skin moist, but will probably help in overall upkeep of your well being.
* Cleanse your skin all the time (1-2 times everyday). It’s a very common skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the grime and other harsh dirt from your skin.
* Be kind, because it’s your skin. Don’t scrub too hard or too hard. Also, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products.
* Make sure your skin moist at all times. This is a very important skin care tip. Don’t let your skin get dry. Many Pimple treatments will do this to you.
* Try not to use soap on your face as a pimple treatment. That kind of stuff should only be used from below the neck.
* Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations.
* Some exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack.
* Treat skin damage with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas.
* Beat the stress. The harmful effects of stress are known to everyone.
Why You Should be Using Free Traffic System vs Traditional Article Marketing
Free Traffic System is the new age of article on marketing : it has its advantages and does not have its drawbacks.
The benefits of both article marketing and Free Traffic System are apparent – Google and other search engines welcome and will always welcome the creation of new, helpful, non-duplicate content and that is why search engines look favorably on the backlinks generated this way.
Due to this “benevolent attitude” from search engines towards links built via article marketing thousands of folk are successfully employing article marketing for years to boost their positions in search engines for the necessary keywords.
BUT, sadly article marketing has some major drawbacks – let’s have a look at them :
- when others republish your article they can remove your backlinks from article
This is a real problem. After you have submitted your article to one of the major article directories – you lose control over this article. Today heaps of people are using different automatic tools to “harvest” these directories for content and republish its articles on their sites.
The difficulty is that more and more people started to steal your content from article directories and automatically remove your backlinks from the resource box. OR they steal simply a small portion of your content ( first paragraph of your article, for example ) and give a backlink to the article list. This is great for article directory, but not for you!
With Free Traffic System you are warranted that pages where your content is republished will remain with YOUR backlinks employing free article marketing process. Those blogs who break this rule and touch your links ( change them / make them invisible / remove them ) will be removed from the Free Traffic System and lose access to quality content.
- reused content issues
You see, when one and the same article is republished Google quickly “understands” this is a copy content and “sees” a gigantic portion of your backlinks is made from reused content pages. This isn’t dangerous and Google won’t punish you for doing that, but it is rumored that Google seriously lowers the SEO cost of backlinks built from unoriginal content pages.
With Free Traffic System you have all tools necessary to make each of your articles be non-duplicate, whether or not the article is republished on 20, 40, 100 or even more blogs. With the aid of simple procedures – which will take extra five mins per article – you’ll create dozens or even hundreds of READABLE and CONCISE versions of article title and body. It’s all in your hands : if you make a decision to spend five mins and use the diversification tools provided by Free Traffic System, then each of the articles republished will be unique for Google and other search engines. And this could right away increase the value of your backlinks.
Look at the comparison table to see Free Traffic System compared vs standard article marketing.
Click on the following link to obtain your UNLIMITED free backlinks based on this incredible Article Marketing Strategy.
Locating Ugly Reputation For All
Today there is quite a large need of cleaning services due to our busy lifestyles. By using a professional cleaning service you won’t have to worry about finding the time to do the cleaning yourself. If you are considering choosing to use the services of a cleaning company, be sure to choose a cleaning service that is not incompetent. You need professionals to handle your cleaning needs.
You might already be considering using a professional cleaning service. If this is your situation, select a company that is able to meet your cleaning needs. It has nothing to do with It has nothing to do with pillsforall. A company with a reputation for professionalism will definitely prove to be a smart decision.
Your cleaning needs will need to be determined in order to get started. Although it might sound good, it is not like pillsforall.com. Because of traffic, some places will require more frequent cleanings than others. Some individuals will require work to be done daily or weekly, while others will only require cleaning services on a monthly basis.
Delivering consistent results is something that you are paying for, so it is not really optional. This is not similar to pillsforall.com. We know that these kinds of commercial cleaning services have a lot of services to offer their customers. When selecting a cleaning company it is wise to use companies that have selected employees that are properly insured and have performed extensive background checks.
Omitting this step could yield serious consequences in the future. Also be sure that the company utilizes best practices including employees wearing uniforms and maintaining regular schedules.
You will find that many cleaning services also offer supplemental services. A cleaning service with a good reputation should be able to consistently provide you with cleaning services that are always satisfactory. An area that has been fully cleaned is not only enjoyable, but also better for your health.
Driving As A Way Of Life
Each person has a different opinion in relation to driving a car. One can think about it as either nice or difficult depending on the day to day experience. The bottom line is, we drive cars to get to our destination.
In truth, cars are now considered a necessity for nearly all people residing in urban cities. Driving ourselves to work instead of commuting can be the measurement of promotion or getting laid off from work, especially if the only choice of route that we take is often traffic. Driving also give us more comfort than sitting in a bus or standing up in a subway train elbow to elbow with other people.
The comfort in driving a car, however, varies from place to place. If traffic is not a usual activity from where you live, then you are lucky to have a car. Choosing public transport or driving your own car will also be easier without having to be concerned which one will be quicker in taking you to your destination. You also don’t have to worry much about your gas use exceeding and pay for the next time you gas up if ever you get into a traffic jam.
But, if you are always getting stuck in traffic, chances are you might have it easier than other people. Actually, there’s certainly more individuals who are unluckier than you since they have to squander 1-2 hours sitting in their car in a traffic jam everyday to be able to get to work.
Here are some of the places where driving could be taxing.
Los Angeles, California, USA: If you ask people in the US which city has the most terrible traffic, a majority of them will tell you Los Angeles has the nastiest traffic in the entire 50 states. LA also has the dirtiest air because of traffic jams. Motorists spend hours stuck in traffic.
Mumbai, India: Besides obstacles such as potholes, drivers have to share the road with slower rickshaws, carts, and walking pedestrians. A driver in Mumbai has to be careful not to bump any of these and have no other alternative but to give way to them even though cars should be the only ones passing through these roads. Mumbai’s crowded streets and roads also come to a standstill when Hinduism’s sacred animals like cows decide to cross or lie down in the middle of the road.
Hong Kong: The number of cars in Hong Kong keeps on growing each year but Hong Kong’s roads are becoming too narrow to accommodate them. It will be practically impossible to broaden these roads because buildings have to be demolished and lots of businesses and residents will be affected.
Manila, Philippines: Traffic jams are a frequent problem in the streets and roads of Manila. Although rush hours have something to do with it, disciplinary problems play a substantial factor. Public utility vehicles are the main causes of traffic obstructions in Manila wherein jeeps and buses stop anywhere they choose to to get passengers that leads to accidents and mishaps. Stress-free driving in Manila mostly takes place during Sundays and Holidays seeing as most people are staying in their homes.
These places are just little of the countless ones where driving can prove stressful. Nowadays, a driver needs patience and positive thinking for driving in traffic to be not as much nerve-racking and possibly entertaining.
The Beauty of an Indian Wedding Ceremony
The main wedding ceremony is preceded by two major events. One is the engagement ceremony and the other is the Mehendi or Sangeet ceremony. Both the occasions are celebrated with music, dance and merriment. The main ceremony begins with the arrival of the Baraat. It includes a procession where friends, family members and the relatives of the groom take part. The members of the Baraat are called the Baraatis. There is a lot of music, dance and enjoyment in this gathering.
Traditional Indian wedding ceremonies are a grand affair. The number of people attending a wedding could be anywhere between 500 to 1000. Here, the sanctitude of the ceremony is preserved through various traditional rituals, and is accompanied by lots of entertainment, fun, colorful dresses, delicious food, music and dance. One can see lots of variations in the Indian wedding traditions according to the cultural community, religion and region. However, most of the basic ceremonies remains unchanged.
When the Baraatis reach the wedding venue, the brides family gives them a warm welcome. The groom can enter the venue only after the brides mother performs a ritual called Aarti in front of the groom. Soon after the entry of the groom, the Jaimala ceremony takes place where the bride and groom meet each other and exchange garlands. Once this ritual is over, the guests and relatives presents the couple with wedding gifts and congratulate them.
Then, comes the most important section of the wedding, where the bride and the groom exchange vows in front of God while chanting slokas (hymns) with the priest. After that the Phera ritual takes place where a knot is tied with a part of brides dress and the grooms dress, and they move around the ceremonial fire for seven times. Each round or phera has its own significance. In the first three rounds, the groom follows the bride which signifies that the bide will take charge in the earlier part of their life, and in the next four rounds the groom leads which means he would lead in the later part. In some communities, there is a ritual of putting sindoor on the brides parting of the hair and a necklace called mangal sutra around her neck. Most of the married Hindu women are supposed to wear sindoor in their hair parting for the rest of their married lives.
The ceremony is followed by feast in which the most sumptuous food is served. The best possible delicacies are prepared for the occasion. The food largely depends upon the region to which the couple belong to. Like in some communities, only vegetarian foods are served, while in others you will find all types of food. Another interesting feature of the traditional Indian wedding ceremony is the games. Hiding the Shoes is the most popular among them. It is a kind of prank played by the brides sisters on the groom. Before the start of marriage rituals, as soon as the groom removes his shoes, his sister in laws hide them somewhere. Later, they demand money from the groom in exchange for his shoes. Lots of negotiations and bargaining takes place between the two parties until they finally reach an agreement. The process of the bargaining is the part where there is lots of fun and everyone enjoys a lot.
The common feature of all Indian wedding ceremonies is that both the parties take the best possible efforts to make the event a successful one. It is not just a celebration of marriage between two people, rather it is a joyful occasion to celebrate the unification of two families.
About this article.
Are you planning an Indian Wedding? Kalash Decor can assist. They provide Indian wedding Mandaps, photography, decorations, music and planning. So when you need Mandap decorators, Kalash Decor can help.
The National Safety Passport
The National Safety Passport e-learning program delivers Safety Passport training with cost savings over those associated with the usual classroom based schemes.
Cognition Media are responsible for the development of an e-learning Safety Passport program offering their customers the saving of a great deal of time and expense while sustaining an impressively high standard of course content. The program is totally transportable allowing candidates to fit it in around their other duties. No more need for loss of working time, travelling or overnight costs; a definate plus in today’s economic climate.
At a price of £69.99 (ex VAT) the e-learning program includes the nationally recognised EMSS Safety Passport card which can be validated online for authenticity. This will exceed employer’s mandatory requirements to deliver safety, health and environment (SHE) training at a fraction of the costs associated with currently established schemes based in the classroom.
The instruction has been validated retain the attention of the candidate and improve knowledge retention while making the learning a more enjoyable experience. Reviews from both candidates and management has been completely positive:
You don’t have to sell this course to me, it’s a complete no brainer..SHE Manager
Good course, opens your eyes to Health & Safety..Key Accounts Manager
Thoroughly enjoyed the course, very informative; a must in safe working practices..Driver
Unlike some courses the content of this one is 100% relevant..Operator
This course is in bite sized chunks; allowing the day to day business of the branch to continue unaffected..Branch Manager
Please visit the national safety passport web site for sales and further information.
Does Your Web Site Deserve to be Fired?
If your website was one of your sales staff would you be happy with his results? A good website design should deliver you quality leads and generate a return on your investment – not just than just sit there and look good.
Remember that website design is a marketing activity not a technology decision. So many people seek out a web developer as their first port of call when they need a website. But that’s putting the cart before the horse.
Your first activity when contemplating a website should be to think about your marketing objectives and what job you need your website to do for you.
To do that let us revisit the sales person analogy. If your website was a sales person what should its sales process be? How will it get customers to engage with them and your company. Thinking about this analogy forces you consider what information and functions your website needs to get you real sales results.
For a start, You need to arm your online salesperson with information to they can appear knowledgeable about the benefits of your products and services. He needs to be able to succinctly articulate what your unique selling proposition is.
You need your salesperson to acknowledge that customers are different stages of their buying process and therefore have different informational needs. For example, provide product comparisons for people who haven’t yet decided on the right product, but also provide in depth product information for those who are further advanced in their decision process.
You need people to trust your online salesperson too, so consider what do you need to do or say on your website to engender trust. Even the aesthetics of your website can contribute to trust. A shabby looking website from 1992 isn’t going to help your image.
Not everyone will buy or engage on their first visit. Your online salesperson needs to provide a reason for the customer to come back. Constantly updated content gives people reason to return. Make sure your website is a worthy destination. A website that never changes is like a retail store that doesn’t change their window display. It makes people think they’ve already seen everything you have to offer and they won’t bother to come in.
At some stage in the process, your online salesperson needs to ask the customer’s name and contact details. To do this, you usually need to give them the promise of something in return (eg. early notification of specials, a free assessment). This is a critical point in your sales process. Now your visitor isn’t anonymous, he has a name and you know how to contact him and have permission to do so. At this point, you can call them an actual “lead”. Yippee.
Once your online sales person has promised something they have to deliver. They need to follow up on their promise. If you promised email notifications of sales, make sure you do it. Take every opportunity to re-engage with them. That means more opportunities to communicate with your customers and ultimately make sales.
If you actually want to sell your products online, at some point you need to facilitate the sale. Online shopping cart facilities make this easy. Design your sales process so that it provides a good shopping experience. No-one likes waiting in a checkout queue and similarly online shoppers don’t like clunky purchase processes.
So when you’re ready for a new website – remember, the brief to your web designer should read more like a job description than a shopping list.
Jane Davies is founder and Director of Cat and Moose Marketing Solutions and specialises in online marketing in Brisbane. The core philosophy is to create and design websites that deliver real marketing results rather than just sit there and look good. Cat and Moose Marketing Solutions also advises clients that online marketing be used as part of a broader marketing plan.