How to Choose a Hosting Company for Your WordPress Site |  |
- How to Choose a Hosting Company for Your WordPress Site
- Google Opens AdWords Express Community
- The Franchise Sales Process Has Changed
- Man Spends $1,000 to Tweet About Bad Service
- 5 Barriers to Better Sales
| How to Choose a Hosting Company for Your WordPress Site Posted: 18 Sep 2013 04:00 PM PDT
WordPress is arguably the most popular web software on the market, powering more than 60 million websites. The benefits of building your site with WordPress are numerous: A rich and full-featured platform, powerful CRM (customer relationship management) tools and thousands of plugins to enhance the experience. Best of all, it's free—a great price for any small business. Your website is essential to your business and it has to look professional, with a private domain name. That means you have to choose a hosting company for your WordPress site. These tips will help you narrow it down from the endless choices, to choose a web hosting company that's right for your small business. Hosting Requirements for WordPressThe WordPress platform runs on a lightweight script that's compatible with nearly all quality web hosting companies. The only requirements are:
Because WordPress is so widely used, many hosting companies offer one-click WordPress installation. What to Consider When Choosing a Web Hosting CompanyThere are tens of thousands of web hosting companies out there, and they're not all created equally. The most important issues to think about when you're choosing a web hosting provider for your WordPress site include: Storage and Bandwidth AllowanceIn many cases, this is not an issue. The major hosting companies generally offer unlimited storage for your content and unlimited bandwidth to handle any levels of traffic.However, it's still a good idea to check the fine print in the hosting plan, especially if you're being offered a discount, and make sure the one you choose offers sufficient resources for your business website. Customer SupportReliable customer service is a must for your web hosting company. If something goes wrong with your website (and it's practically a guarantee that something will), you'll need a host that can handle the issue right away, so you're not stuck with a non-functioning website that's losing you business and harming your reputation. Look for a hosting company that offers 24/7 support by phone, email and live chat. Make sure to test the support features before committing to a web hosting contract, and ensure that they suit your needs. User ReviewsReading reviews from web hosting customers is a great way to make sure the company is stable, well-regarded, and apt to be around for a long time. Unfortunately, it's easy for a brand new, inexperienced business to put up a professional-looking sales page that looks a lot more reputable than it is. Look for generally positive customer reviews, preferably a mixture of older and newer entries that establish both the longevity and the quality of the hosting company. CostMoney isn't everything, but when it comes to a web hosting company, paying a little more is often worth it. When considering the cost to host your WordPress site, expect to pay between $4 and $7 per month for a good quality provider with strong customer service. Often, lower priced hosting services come with limitations, poor customer service, and an increased risk of server downtime. You should also avoid "free" website hosting altogether because most of these services are subsidized by advertisements that run on your site. A Quick Selection of Great Choices for WordPress HostingThe web hosting companies below offer a one-click WordPress platform installation, reasonably priced plans, unlimited hosting and responsive customer service: BlueHost: Plans starting at $4.95 per month, with 50% off for the first month. HostGator: Annual plans starting at $3.96 per month. HostMonster: Plans start at $4.95 per month. What tips do you have to choose a web hosting company for your WordPress site? Choice Photo via Shutterstock The post How to Choose a Hosting Company for Your WordPress Site appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Google Opens AdWords Express Community Posted: 18 Sep 2013 01:30 PM PDT
Advertisers using the Google AdWords Express platform now have a new community where they can talk with others just like them. Google AdWords Express is a special service allowing local businesses to create simple ads fast and is distinct from Google’s main AdWords program. That program has more controls for the experienced online advertiser. The AdWords platform lets businesses of any size set up keyworded advertising to be displayed on Google’s search pages or on any other site that uses Google AdSense across the Web. Google promotes AdWords Express as a simple system that lets anyone set up an ad in minutes. However, last week the search engine company took the additional step of introducing the AdWords Express section of the AdWords community. New AdWords Community OpensIn a post on the official Google And Your Business blog, Zuzana Stierankova, AdWords Community Lead, explained the rationale:
Already posted in the community are threads including an introduction by Stierankova, questions on Google AdWords Express for mobile and many other inquiries. Other features include Google hangouts on display advertising, video ads and a variety of other topics. Image: Google The post Google Opens AdWords Express Community appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| The Franchise Sales Process Has Changed Posted: 18 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT
Things have really changed for franchise salespeople (also known as franchise development managers) in the past decade. Technology is partly to blame for the some of the changes that have come down the pike. Today's franchise sales professionals have had to adapt to these changes in order to sell new franchises. Let's see how and why. The Franchise Sales Process Used To Be SimplerIt used to be that franchise salespeople would arrive at the corporate office of the franchisor they were working for, grab some coffee, go to their desk, open their daily planners and start dialing. In addition, there were only a few places in which to find prospective franchise owners to even call. Some of these places hardly account for any of the calls that franchise salespeople make these days. For example: Business magazines. It used to be that all you had to do was fill in your name, address and telephone number (no line for an email address) on a contact form located on the bottom of a franchise opportunity print ad and mail it in. You would then get a phone call from the franchise salesperson who would verify your information-and your interest, and send out a print brochure. This brochure wasn't just any old brochure. It was an all color, expensive print brochure. And, it wasn't cheap to mail. Fast-forward to now. How many people fill in contact forms found in print publications these days? Better yet, how many print publications even have contact forms available to fill out and mail? But, prospective franchise owners still purchase print magazines that focus on the franchise and business opportunity niche. It's just that once they find an opportunity that interests them in magazines like Entrepreneur magazine, Franchise Times, Small Business Opportunities magazine, The Franchise Handbook and the Business Opportunities Handbook, they jump online to learn more and request information directly from the company's website. Changes In Franchises Sales/New Franchisee AcquisitionMany things that have changed in franchise sales and new franchisee acquisition. I reached out to a couple of franchise sales/development professionals to find out what some of the changes are that they're seeing and experiencing first-hand. Chip Baranowski, VP of Franchise Development for Honest-1 Auto Care, was kind enough to share the following information (including some helpful tips) with me:
It's great to hear a franchise development executive talking about the benefit of having a good sales process in place. And, when I say "benefit," I'm referring to the fact that good franchisors look at their businesses in a long-term way. They weed out candidates that aren't a good fit for their concept. Doing that can slow the growth of the system short-term, but in the long run, the franchisor benefits as they'll probably have higher-grossing franchisees in which to collect royalty payments from. Average and below-average franchisors tend to take the short-term view when it comes to awarding franchises. They choose average candidates that may not be an ideal fit but have franchise fee checks in hand. That's because no one wins if the franchise is not a good fit for both parties. Mandi Brandon is the Director of Operations at Color Glo International and is heavily involved in new franchisee acquisition:
Mandi's take on referrals, franchisees, and customers being the sales team was interesting and true. The ability (because of the Internet) that all of us have to instantly let our feelings be known about our experience with a specific business is powerful. Review sites like Yelp are quickly becoming high-traffic websites. Websites that have a lot of traffic (and good content) tend to rank high on Google and Bing. So, if you're on the hunt (online) for that perfect franchise, chances are pretty good that you'll see a consumer review website appear in your search. Visiting a review site allows you to see how the public feels about the service or product that the franchise you're looking into sells. That's a good thing. The Information EconomyFranchisors have had to adapt to the rapid changes that have taken place during the past decade. Instead of relying strictly on print advertising to attract potential franchisees, they've had to learn how to use several different marketing techniques in order to attract high-quality franchisees. In addition, they've had to learn how to provide the kind of information that today's prospective franchise owners want and need in order to make informed decisions. These days, there's no substitute for great information. Searching Online Opportunities Photo via Shutterstock The post The Franchise Sales Process Has Changed appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Man Spends $1,000 to Tweet About Bad Service Posted: 18 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT
How far would your customers go to tweet about your products or services? Would they spend $1,000 to tell the world about you? That would be great if what they had to say was complimentary. But suppose the reverse were true. How far would a customer go to complain about a bad product or tweet about bad service? Promoted Tweets Target Airline Over Lost LuggageChicago-based business man Hasan Syed paid about $1000 to promote his angry tweets, like the one below, to all of British Airways followers, after he said the airline lost his father’s luggage:
Media reports say the campaign worked and the airline finally apologized. We generally think of social media in terms of marketing messages. But, of course, customers can also have their say. And it turns out some of them may actually pay to do so! Syed even shared some of his stats with his followers showing details about the level of engagement he received:
The promoted tweets were seen by more than 50,000 people in the UK and New York area where the promoted posts ran, reports Business Insider. Promoted tweets are just like ordinary tweets but are specially targeted to reach current and potential followers, according to Twitter. Tweets can be targeted based on gender, keyword, interests, geography, device and more. This situation made the news because it seems to be the first (or certainly one of the first) uses of Twitter advertising to make sure a complaint is heard. It’s all the more reason to deal with customer service issues quickly. Because not only may disgruntled customers take to Twitter, but if you make them angry enough, they have the power to amplify their complaints through advertising. It’s a leveling of the playing field — in a way that may catch some companies flat footed. Angry Blue Bird Photo via Shutterstock The post Man Spends $1,000 to Tweet About Bad Service appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Posted: 18 Sep 2013 05:00 AM PDT
Don’t make excuses when it comes to making sales. Your company needs them to survive. There are always challenges to making sales and bringing in the revenue you need to make your business a success. But don’t let those challenges stop you. See them as opportunities, not barriers to better sales. Below are five of the most common challenges every business faces and how to surmount them without making excuses for lack of success. Barriers to Better SalesYour Prospect Already Has a SolutionThis, of course, is probably the case, unless your product or service is so revolutionary, you have no competitors. But did you know that, even if your prospective client or customer already has a vendor providing a service and even a whole process set up around that vendor, chances are they are already looking for a change? Need more proof? Check out Raintoday.com's “How Clients Buy: The Benchmark Report on Professional Services Marketing and Selling from the Client Perspective.” The study surveys more than 200 buyers in 8 service areas, including accounting and financial consulting, IT consulting and services, legal services and more. According the study, at least 53% to 88% of B2B professional services buyers are looking for (or willing to) switch service providers. What a great opportunity to sell your alternative solution now. Your Clients Have No TimeWe’re all busy. It’s true. And a clients hectic schedule and apparent lack of availability might even cause you to resort to a simple sales pitch instead of the kinds of meaningful conversations you know you should be having to make that sale. Don’t do it. Potential clients and customers always have time for meaningful conversations, especially ones that can lead to solving a particular problem or pain point. Think your prospect is short on time? Don’t resort to the sales pitch. Instead, take the time to engage your prospect about the issues that are really bothering him or her. Ask them the questions that need to be answered. Then see if you have a solution to help. Your Sales Process is BackwardsAuthor and columnist Geoffrey James writes on Inc.com that many sales processes remain “vendor centric” and ineffective in today’s business world. These processes usually involve finding customers, investigating needs, presenting a product or service, making a proposal, answering objections and closing the sale. Today all that has changed. A study by the Corporate Executive Board Company found most B2B companies are more than halfway through their purchase decision before ever engaging a sales person from your company. It’s time to give customers the tools they need to learn about products themselves. You’re Too Focused on ClosingFor as long as most remember, sales has been about closing. As the old sales expression says, “Always be closing.” Trouble is, there’s a new way of selling that may be taking over. John Tabita, Director of Digital Strategy at Haines Publishing, Inc., explains the difference between transactional and consultative sales. The latter are based on communication, trust and the ability to showcase strong value. They allow entrepreneurs to earn respect, credibility and trust – critical pillars to keep a business sustainable and profitable. You’ve Got No Time for Content Marketing or Social MediaLike it or not, content marketing and social media are a huge part of the sales process a today. In a world where many buyers are already half way through a sales decision before contacting you, these are important tools to answer questions and represent the value of your products and services early on. Here’s more. Entrepreneurship remains just as challenging as ever – although there are plenty of ways to make it easier on you. The key to success in business was, is, and always will depend on your ability to market and sell to your clients while creating relationships that will help them stay loyal to your business and vouch for your products. Which of these barriers to better sales do you find the most challenging when reaching your sales goals? Dollar Barrier Photo via Shutterstock The post 5 Barriers to Better Sales appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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