by Pete Wright | Sep 22, 2020 | Digital Marketing, Small Business Advice, Social Media
Social media marketing doesn’t get much simpler.
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So Newport is back in lockdown, and Cardiff and Bristol may soon follow. Whatever happens, with everyone now online, this autumn’s marketing season will be more competitive than ever, and there’s no time to waste in getting started. So this seems a good time to mention that I offer a FREE social media dashboard to save tons of time with your social media marketing.
Social media marketing doesn’t get any easier. This dashboard helps you to create, schedule and re-use posts across the main social media channels, with a simple calendar interface. Just create a few days’ worth of posts whenever you have time, and set them for when your audience are online.… Read the rest
by Pete Wright | Aug 15, 2020 | Small Business Advice, Web Design, Web Development
So here’s something I left out of my “Why Website Prices Vary” post because it can be a touchy subject. So first, let me say that most web designers I know are superb, talented people who only want to help. That said, the experienced ones are rarely cheap web designers.
Still, I have just spoken to yet another distressed small business owner. His cheap web designer had left him in the lurch with a broken website and no access to fix it.
Other business owners had told him this was “typical” of “flaky” designers. They all just assumed the worst of our entire industry. Even web designers rarely discuss it, just pointing out that you get what you pay for. Still, it is predictable and avoidable.… Read the rest
by Pete Wright | May 24, 2020 | Small Business Advice, Web Design, Web Development
Small businesses often want simple, affordable web design packages. That’s fine, we can do that — but then some call professional web design “expensive” and “overcomplicated”. So why do website prices vary so much?
Because web design can mean several very different things.
Business websites serve a wide range of purposes. Some of those purposes are common, others less so. So there are at least three levels of web design to consider.
Affordable Web Design Packages
Common requirements can sometimes be standardised, and processes streamlined, to keep costs down. However, flexibility creates complexity, so in practice, “streamlining processes” always means “restricting choices”.
For some people, and some purposes, that makes little difference — and cash flow is often a bigger concern for small businesses.… Read the rest
by Pete Wright | May 1, 2020 | Small Business Advice, Web Design
Web design is like cooking — it may look easy, but it’s easy to get wrong. No microwave can make you a chef. Similarly, DIY website builders let you make costly mistakes. So Base22 kindly provided this infographic of ten common website design mistakes, and I’ve added a few more points below.
Ten Common Website Design Mistakes
Whilst DIY web design often makes these mistakes, so do inexperienced web designers. That’s why experienced professional web design is a better business investment, even in affordable web design packages.
Poor User Experience
Whilst user experience is also affected by most of the points below, visual design plays a big part too. It’s not just a matter of making things look pretty, either.… Read the rest
by Pete Wright | Mar 20, 2020 | Digital Marketing, News, Small Business Advice
Enough with the doom and gloom. As small business owners facing this coronavirus lockdown, we need to remember:
- Bad news and fear sell papers. So they get over-promoted.
- Good news is coming from other sources. Share hope, not fear.
- The game has changed, not ended. We lose if we admit defeat.
- Everyone is being hit — but that levels the playing field.
- Adaptability is the small business advantage.
- Negativity undermines creativity and planning.
- Our families and teams need to see confidence, not fear.
- Stress also undermines the immune system. Breathe, and calm.
- Mutual support, determination and flexibility will win.
- No entrepreneur survives without being able to see hope in adversity. Silver linings may be a razor’s edge at times, but that’s where we find the silver.
… Read the rest 
