Signalfire | Brand Matters

Small Business Owner: Does The Weather Have You Stuck At Home?

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:40:54 -0600

Hey there fellow small business owner. Does the weather have you stuck at home? Thinking of the 1.83x10^5 things you have to do at the office? Forget them all.

Write. Yes, write.

Your website is in desperate need of fresh content. Remember that awesome thing that happend at the end of last month? Your future customers want to hear about it and how you can make it happen for them, too. Sure, fresh writing will help with search engines, but you’re not writing for Google. You’re sharing a story that will get your next customer saying, “these are my kind of people.”

You don’t need to pen the next great American novel. You don’t even need to get to page 2 on a Word document. 200 or 300 words can be more than enough to share the awesome that is your business. So get cracking.

Wait. What? You can’t update your website from home? You need to call us. Now.

Signalfire Teams with Area Businesses and Economic Development Agencies to Develop Videos Addressing Manufacturing Skills Gap

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:02:44 -0600

Imagine four years out of high school… one person is over $50,000 in debt, without experience, and hunting for a job. The other is well into a career making serious money—and his employer is footing the bill for education. College isn’t the golden road to success we were led to believe and new options are on the table.

Signalfire produced three web videos promoting manufacturing as an exciting career choice for middle school and high school students. The two-minute web videos were produced in conjunction with Walworth County Job Center, Walworth County Economic Development Alliance (WCEDA), Lake Geneva Economic Development Corporation (LGEDC), Alliant Energy, and Wisconsin’s Dream It! Do It! Program and with cooperation from Brunk Industries and Yunker of Lake Geneva.

Learn more and see the other videos!

Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center's 2013 Guidebook is off to press!

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:12:06 -0600

We’re thrilled to see our sixth edition of this Signalfire-designed publication head off to press at J.B. Kenehan Printing. Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center is responsible for promoting tourism and business in the only year round city in the thriving tourism destination of Door County, Wisconsin.

Congratulations to Signalfire’s Art Director, Jodi Heisz, and the rest of the team. The booklet is 44 pages with a fold-out map in the back. The real story is what’s inside:

Over 200 member listings—each with contact information and most with extensive descriptions
Articles and tid-bits about activities, festivals, and the beauty of Door County, Wisconsin’s largest city
Dozens of full color ads
QR codes jumping to mobile-friendly pages on the Sturgeon Bay website

While going into production, the 2013 Sturgeon Bay Guidebook may be ordered the week of February 11th by clicking here.

Got a travel question about the area, just drop us a line. We’re full of recommendations from dining to lodging!

Running Your Content Marketing Like a Gold Mine

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:33:25 -0600

I have a confession. I love the gold mining shows on TV. They appeal to me because it shows that a bit of vision, smart planning and hard work, tossed in with a touch of luck, can produce rewards. What I love even more is that the same logic that yields success for mining gold will yield success in content marketing. How? Let’s look at some principles of gold mining.

Start Recovering Your Content Gold >

Last Chance To Sign Up! Brick and Mobile: Retail Marketing in a Mobile World

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 15:51:43 -0600

Traditional brick and mortar retail locations often feel many online developments don’t apply to their situation and many times they’re right. However, the rapid rise of smart phones, tablets, and other portable devices are changing the way consumers shop. People are creating and storing shopping lists, scanning product bar codes to compare prices, and accessing coupons and promotions all on their phones and in your store.

Join Signalfire’s Matthew Olson to discuss and learn how mobile can change how your brick and mortar store view the online world!

Click here for FREE registration!

Matthew Olson to Speak at WFMA Fall Workshops

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:27:00 -0500

Wisconsin Farmers Market Association has invited Matthew Olson, president of Signalfire, to lead both of the Fall Workshop breakout sessions on Saturday, November 10, at Titletown Brewery in Green Bay, Wis.

The first breakout session will discuss farmers markets utilizing social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare to improve exposure. The second breakout session will involve general tips on making the most out of limited marketing dollars with web-based marketing.

The Wisconsin Farmers Market Association (WFMA) was created to bring together resources and expertise from around the state to help farmers markets in Wisconsin thrive. The WFMA’s purpose is to promote local food consumption through the support and education of market managers, vendors, communities and consumers.

The Fall Workshop is being held in two locations, Green Bay and Lake Mills (near Madison) and hopes to provide information and resources for market managers.

“Farmers markets play such a critical role in both living local and living healthy,” Matthew Olson said. “Having the opportunity to share marketing knowledge and promote their success is equal parts an honor and exciting.”

Learn more about the Wisconsin Farmers Market Association by visiting their website at www.wifarmersmarkets.org. Farmers markets help keep the local economy stimulated and help sustain businesses and families. Shop at your local farmers market and keep your community nourished.

Content Curation vs. Content Development: The Two Sides of Content Marketing

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 09:06:00 -0500

Content marketing is one of the hottest trends in marketing for very good reasons!

Demonstrates your brand’s expertise by sharing knowledge and insight
Provides helpful, useful data or information to your interest community
Establishes both trust and value in your brand
Search engine boosts don’t hurt, either

Where do over-tasked business owners or time-indebted managers find the time to generate this small mountain of content? Some try to hammer it out themselves (and typically fail), some smartly hire writers who embrace their brand voice, and fewer turn to a the wider blogging community to offer guest interest community leaders to post. Are any of those, by themselves, the single best option? No, they all are.

While no business owner or manager really has time to personally pound out daily, weekly, or sometimes monthly content, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t write at all. All three options working in concert can be a great approach to the process.

A great illustration to this is Atomic Research’s new infographic outlining the difference between content development and content curation. Essentially, content curation mean a brand turns to the experts within the interest community to share articles or insights on their own platform. While this gives the critical hat-tips to the interest community at large by recognizing the leading voices, it also still shares the critical value from the provided content.

By being in tune with your interest community, you will be able to spot the leaders. Embrace them. Contribute to the community by posting your own content. Between the two, you’ll build trust and value for your brand as well as your website.

Like this infographic? Read more about Content Marketing @ Atomic Reach.

Content Marketing as a Vital Investment

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:35:00 -0500

Traditional marketing says you are the right choice, but content marketing shows your company is a dependable investment. Content marketing is critical for small businesses because it effectively builds brand awareness, allows for more customer interaction, drives in leads, brings in visitors, improves SEO results, and improves your customer retention rate. There is no doubt that a solid content marketing strategy is a vital investment for your company’s reputation and worth.

What is content?

Learning the basic foundation to content marketing is key to a successful content strategy. Content is everything on your website, which can be the main pages on the site; About, Contact, Products/Services, Blog/News, and FAQ pages. In terms of marketing, it is everything that can be shared; social media posts, news releases, blogs, etc.

What can good content do?

It helps, educates, informs, or entertains.
It builds brand awareness illustrating why your company meets the needs of existing and future customers.
It acts as a form of customer service by creating value, reinforcing decisions, and creating ongoing conversations
It builds a bond with clients and potential customers.
It demonstrates expertise through providing your industry specific knowledge.

Why use content marketing?

Small businesses should use content marketing to not just say their business or organization is a reliable investment, but actually show they are. Anyone can talk the talk, but few can show you actually walk the walk. Provide good and useful content to your consumer network. By using content as a marketing tool effectively, your content will allow for more customer interaction, drive in leads, and increase brand awareness.

Which type of content marketing is right?

Content marketing takes the content created and molds it together with a content strategy—a plan on how you will use the content. A well-developed content marketing strategy will review the many areas content is delivered. Understanding the options and which options best suits our audience will lead to even greater success.

Social Media

One of the quickest ways to build, reach, develop, influence a community around your brand, and to get content out and shared is by using social media. Small businesses with business-to-consumer communication will benefit most because it allows for direct interaction.

eNewsletters & Articles

Concise, creative, and engaging eNewsletters and articles are a great ways to get information to clients. Small businesses that have a lot of new products, promotions, events, or news will benefit greatly from eNewsletters and Articles.

Case Studies & News Releases

Case studies and news releases establish credibility through sharing stories about your business or a product that resolved a problem. This is one of the best delivery methods for small businesses because it can also be used in conjunction with an eNewsletter.

Blogs

Small businesses can share their expertise, build an online community, and establish leadership, and build brand awareness. Blogs allow small businesses with a lot of industry knowledge and experience to produce and deliver content extending your reach.

eBooks

eBooks are great tools for companies to use because you can provide written content and visuals to help illustrate your information. Delivering content in larger volume and detail allows your company to establish expertise and a foundation for future content.

Testimonials

Gain trust and show reliability from customers whom have received help, and solved a problem with your company, product, or a person. It gives your company credibility and trustworthiness, and allows you to see what you are doing right and what to improve.

Content marketing has become a critical component for small businesses. It is easy for a small business to fall short to the rapidly expanding Internet and social media networks. Signalfire can develop a content marketing strategy that will help your company show that you are the right choice.

Content as a Commodity

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:15:32 -0500

We all have our favorite websites. Some sites are for news, some are for commentary, and quite a few are just for personal interest. The list of favorites is getting longer, more specialized, and more personalized—and it′s the content on those websites that keep us coming back.

Essentially, content has become the base commodity of the Web. And just like every other consumable commodity, an industry is rising around its production, delivery, exchange, and sharing. Content is a commodity that has actual cash value. Here’s why.

Like any other business commodity, great content adds value to the end product—in this case, your website. The more users value the content, the more they consume, the more they return, and the more they engage. How web users are consuming content is changing, and that’s driving the competition to stay ahead of the content challenge.

Read More

"Traditional marketing and advertising is telling the world you’re a rockstar. Content marketing is..."

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:06:33 -0500

“Traditional marketing and advertising is telling the world you’re a rockstar. Content marketing is showing the world you are one.”

- Robert Rose, Author of Managing Content Marketing

Fall Seminar Series Returns With Small Business Blogging

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:58:30 -0500

Join Signalfire’s Matthew Olson on Wednesday, September 12th at Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva for the first of four FREE Breakfast and Learn seminars from Lake Geneva Economic Development Corporation.

Blogs and content play a critical role in your company’s efforts to generate new business and spread brand awareness. You are connecting and engaging with your audience and building a relationship. By providing customers with information that helps, educates, informs, and/or entertains you are showing them that your brand is the right choice (building trust in your B2C or B2B relationship), not just saying so.

Consumers are looking for more out of websites. More information, more answers, and more engagement. Whether updates on industry news, events, or answering common questions, a blog can be a powerful marketing tool and understanding what makes a successful blog can result in big success. Come learn with other small businesses and leave with answers!

Click to learn more or register…

Google+ Pages Comes to Hootsuite and Small Business Stand to Gain the Most

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:35:00 -0500

Hootsuite has just announced the social media dashboard will now support Google+ Pages updates for all users.

For many small businesses, using a social media dashboard like Hootsuite, TweetDeck, or others is the best and only way to stay on top of social media. With Hootsuite’s addition of Google+ Pages (not individual accounts, yet), many of these burgeoning brands can now more actively interact in Google’s struggling social media platform.

While some say Google+ is languishing, I agree with Chris Brogan’s sentiments that it is a significantly underutilized platform that can significantly improve a brand’s performance on the search side of Google. For a system of engagement and audience participation, Google+ has a world of features and functions that succeeds over Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

If you’ve been looking for a reason to finally jump into Google+, this might be it. Will this impact your use of Google+ for business? If you’d like to discuss putting a strategy together that includes Google+, give Signalfire a shout!

Leading Plastic Manufacturer Launches Website Ahead of Product Launch

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:33:35 -0500

Signalfire was contacted by Continental Plastic, a leading international plastic manufacturer of artificial insemination products and accessories, for a new website. Continental Plastic was just four weeks away from launching a revolutionary new product line at one of their major tradeshow events—and they needed a new website to pull off the launch successfully.

Continental Plastic needed a site that would showcase the new products, demonstrate their expertise, and highlight their superior customer service. Signalfire and Continental Plastic then met to identify the immediate needs and to lay the foundation for future development.

“They understood that Continental Plastic not only manufactures product, but also promotes and distributes for various livestock, veterinary, and food/safety industries,” Continental Plastic Vice President of Business Development Judy Morris stated. “Understanding that allowed them to have a clear view on what we wanted and needed from a website’s standpoint.”

Just got our samples back from the printer! Next time...

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:23:58 -0500

Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center Maps

SBVC's Calendar and Ads

Just got our samples back from the printer! Next time you’re up in Sturgeon Bay, Door County staying at a hotel, resort, or cozy B&B, be sure to ask for one of these maps. Complete city map on one side and profitable ads by SBVC members on back. Be sure to check the calendar of events on back to see the latest happenings. Need more details? Hit the QR code on the front to get to the website.

Signalfire developed the concept of the map notepads, coordinated the member ads, created the design, and managed the printing. We’re always on the hunt to make tourism organizations helpful, profitable, and successful.

Mobile Friendly vs Mobile Optimized vs Responsive Design: What You Need To Know About The Mobile Version of Your Website

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:59:03 -0500

Making a website mobile ready is pretty high on the request list for businesses and organizations developing a new website. However, there is a flurry of terms surrounding mobile. Mobile friendly, mobile optimized, and a newer term: responsive design. What is the difference between them? Why is it important?

Last fall Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president at Gartner, a world-wide IT analysis and research company, projected that by 2014 there will be more web browsing from mobile devices than on traditional desktops or laptops. We’ve seen our own clients’ website analytics for mobile users jump from an average of 5-8% in 2010 to 16-20% in 2011.

Groundbreaking Electronic Recycing Facility Launches Website With Signalfire

Wed, 30 May 2012 11:25:09 -0500

Signalfire did a four week fast track website development and tradeshow campaign for DP Electronic Recycling, an Elkhorn, Wis., recycling company specializing in end-of-life recycling (e-waste), asset management, data destruction, and electronic purchasing options. DP Electronic Recycling had an urgent need to build a new site. With the launch of their new revolutionary product made from recycled CRT glass—which was to debut at the E-Waste Management Summit in Las Vegas—DP Electronic Recycling needed a new site that would not only showcase their new product, but also their full range of electronic recycling options.

7 Questions To Ask About Designing A New Business Website

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:18:34 -0500

Asking Yourself These 7 Questions Will Save Time, Money, and Frustration!

You’ve decided you’ve got to “do something” about your website. Now what? Designing or developing a new website should not be started without some serious examination. We recommend spending some time assessing your own online efforts, talking with your best as well as your newest customers, and investigating the online efforts of your competition.

Knowing what works for you, establishing goals, and mapping a course to success will deliver a far greater return on this critical investment. It’s a good idea to get a notebook or create a file to keep a record of your answers.

Where Are You Now?

It’s always a good idea to know more about where you’re starting. Some easy questions can be asked to help determine the status of your existing website.

Who is your target audience or website user?
How do customers find you on the web? Search engines? Links from other websites (organizations, industry groups, etc.)? Web-based advertising?
Which pages receive the most traffic or views?
How frequently do you update your website?
What is your website’s call to action (phone call, email, purchase)?
Do you believe your website tells “your story” well?

Where Do You Want To Go?

Wayne Gretsky always said, “I don’t skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going to be.” The same should be said for your website redesign goals. Start with the end in mind—don’t develop the website you need today. Develop the site you’ll need for the future.

How will you define success for your website? An increase in traffic, an increase in online sales, a search position or ranking, or an increase in new leads?
How do you intend to use the website? Utilize a blog? Feature upcoming events? Talk about business news?
Who will be updating or maintaining the website?

What Are Your Raw Materials?

Building a website is no different than any other construction project. You need lumber, nails, drywall, and countless other raw materials to build. Websites have similar material requirements—text, images, and video are just a few of them.

Have you assessed your existing website content? Is it out of date or stale?
Have you updated photos or videos recently? Are they still accurate or do they need to be “refreshed?”
Are you currently using social media? Who is administering the accounts? Is news, information, or updates coordinated between the website and the social media accounts?

What Tools Will You Need?

Do you remember how we just talked about the raw materials of a building project? The right tools are also a big help! From utilizing a content management system (CMS) to social sharing, think of how your customers or clients use your website.

How frequently will you update the website? Building with a content management system (CMS) makes website management a world easier. Have you looked at some of the options? Protip: don’t be fooled by “free.” Even free CMSs take billable time to setup and build the site.
Do you have an existing Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools, or other website reporting platform?
If you’re using social media, would social sharing buttons such as “Share This” be useful?
Are you utilizing an email marketing platform such as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, or iContact? Do you need an email signup area?

Who’s The Competition?

Few businesses exist without competition and knowing as much about your competitors as possible will work to your advantage. Look at who your local competitors are as well as pick out a similar environment at a distance. For example, if you run a restaurant in Baltimore, check into how thing are done in Portland, Oregon.

Have you listed the competition and their websites? Their online strengths and weaknesses?
Do you subscribe to competitor’s email newsletters, connect with their social media accounts, or frequently review their websites?

What Makes You Stand Out?

Differentiate. No one operates in a market vacuum and knowing what separates you from the others creates an opportunity to shine. If there are 30 other drywall contractors, perhaps focus on your 15 unique wall finishes or exquisite ability to match previous work. Highlight your differences.

Why do customers choose your business? Why do they come back?
What are the key differences between your business or organization and the competition?

What Do Your Customers Want?

When was the last time you spoke with an existing customer? Do you ask why they chose your online store or visited your website? Communicating with your customers and clients about what you’re doing right and what you should be doing gives you critical insight.

Have you asked your best customers or clients what is most important on your existing website?
Do you ask potential customers or clients how they found you?
What missing content or features would be the most helpful? News or blog? Event calendar? Online catalog?

Simply Putting A Different Design Online Is A Bad Idea

Just as painting over a weak spot in the wall won’t solve any structural problems, simply putting a different design online won’t really improve performance. Before starting out, take some extra time to map your route and choose your destination.

Assessing your business or organization is a key component to a designing a new website. A bit of research and insight will speed development, chart tangible goals, and deliver a fantastic return on this critical investment.

Signalfire can also assist in developing this needs analysis for your business or organization. Set up an appointment now to get the process started—contact us to discover how Signalfire has successfully helped other businesses or organizations like yours develop a successful website.

See also – What Makes A Great Website?

Non Profit Animal Shelter Launches New Brand and Website with Signalfire

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:28:54 -0500

Signalfire launches a new brand and website for the Lakeland Animal Shelter, a non-profit animal welfare shelter located in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Signalfire developed an engaging new logo and supporting brand materials as well as an intuitive, welcoming, interactive user experience for the Lakeland Animal Shelter website.

Signalfire chose to design a user interface design to become the central foundation of how Lakeland Animal Shelter communicates with the community and their diverse user groups. The development and functionality centers around the ability to easily maintain and grow—via the web based interface. Signalfire developed a content managed system that would easily accommodate Lakeland Animal Shelter’s pet adoption software.

See the new branded materials and the website

Example of new merchandising available soon!

Politics is like Business: Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins

Sun, 13 May 2012 19:19:25 -0500

How well are you telling your story? Google+ might have opened the platform for politics, but it still gives businesses, organizations, and now politicians a great challenge. Relevance.

For politics as much as business–whoever tells the best story wins. Businesses, organizations, and even political parties are now competing for relevance in every customer, constituent, and compassionate donor’s social media stream.

The average social media user has discovered how easy it is to sort and silence the “noise” in social media without severing the connection totally. A brand (even political figures are brands) may have thousands of connections, followers, or “likes,” but how engaged are they. Did they simply silence your brand by unsubscribing, parking you in a dormant list, or exiling you to a far flung circle?

Brands are in a fight for valuable and very limited territory, the space in your feed. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ (as well as all the social media dashboards) allow users to display only the content most important to them. It is up to your brand to prove your content is worth the space. In short, tell the best story.

Want to see how Signalfire has helped? Contact us!

Signalfire Launches Website for Chicago Construction Management Firm

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 10:02:57 -0500

Signalfire has launched a new corporate website for Franklin Development Trust, Inc., a Chicago based project management, construction management, and construction services company.

Franklin Development Trust chose Signalfire, to develop the new site. Signalfire’s goal was to create a website design that would commuicate the experience and expertise of Franklin Development Trust in the highly comeptitive Chicago construction industry, and the high quality and value of the servises they provide.