Welcome to the August edition of my newsletter containing plenty of tips to get more from your website. With the current economic climate there are even tips on what you can do to stay ahead.

If you would like to discuss any of these items just pick up the phone and give me a call on 01454 261111.

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Facebook already has over two hundred million users (and growing), so you can rest assured that a number of your customers are already participating on it. Recently, to extend its reach even further, the social media giant has provided the option for businesses to claim a presence. As with a personal account, the Facebook Page is presently available at no cost.

While creating a Facebook Page can be seen as a cheap alternative to building a business website, the best way to use it is to enhance, not replace, your main web presence. So how can a Facebook Page be used effectively to reinforce your main marketing messages? Following are twenty tips for maximising your social media activities.

Using Facebook to Extend Your Reach

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One of the gloomy consequences of the present economic climate is seeing high streets a little emptier, as shopper footfall reduces and struggling shops close down. Online stores, however, are not being hit quite so hard, and online sales continue to rise, albeit not at as fast a pace as previously witnessed.

Understandably, consumers are tightening their belts and correctly associating internet shopping with experiencing savings on their purchases. Add to this the increasing popularity of engaging consumers via various social media sites and you might be forgiven for thinking the opportunity for online stores has never been better. So how can etailers gear their sales techniques to appeal to shoppers' present mind-set?

10 Sales Tips to Appeal to Today's Shoppers

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The internet is a visual medium, with the right, or wrong impression being communicated in the first few seconds. Successful web design begins with your audience. What are their needs, their expectations and their background? The process of translating the answers to these questions may not be straightforward but, if done well, it will help you create a successful design.

Your website design has an important role to play. Even the best content can be undermined by an unattractive layout. A good combination of colour, shape, and balance will not only convey your brand, but can also go a long way toward steering your visitors through to the sales conversion process. So how do you achieve a winning web design?

Begin with a Design Blueprint

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If you have a web marketing budget – which, by the way you should – then you are probably keen to know how effective it is proving to be. While working out a rudimentary cost-per-conversion figure can be worthwhile to compare to your offline marketing activities, a decent web analytics program can tell you so much more.

Marketing over the internet is more measurable than any other media channel. Your website visitor statistics provide a wealth of information which, when interpreted correctly, can identify where your customer acquisition process may be breaking down. Following are some tips for using web analytics to help you achieve a real return on your marketing investment.

What to Measure and How to Improve

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Rob Thomas
Internet Marketing Consultant
e: rob@customconsultingservices.co.uk 
t: 01454 261111
m: 07788 916505
www.customconsultingservices.co.uk