Alberta Business Marketing

Greetings from Toronto and the floor of SES 2010 Toronto.

During the next couple of days the members of Ulistic are wearing our “press and PR” hats.  David and I have been invited to cover in our blogs, all the great things going on at this years Search Engine Strategies Toronto conference.  This is my first time ever at this event and I am very excited to be back in my hometown.  It is truly an honour to be working in this industry and very excited to be reporting on all the great things happening in and around this two-day conference.

I was shocked to hear that this year’s SES 2010 Toronto event is the 7th annual event.  It only seems like yesterday that search engine optimization became such a big deal.  But it is for many Canadian small businesses?  I believe that effective SEO strategies are a big deal and it is now a very crucial component to any marketing and sales plan.  It is time for Canadian business to execute on creating vibrant SEO campaigns to help market their business in the highly competitive online world we live in.  I am not going to start my rant about planning again today, however if you are not thinking about your search positioning on the major search engine engines you maybe missing out on opportunities out in the market.

SEO is especially important since I just learned that the Yellow Pages Residential directories are going to stopped in seven cities across Canada.  They are urging people to go online and search for information.  Wait a second, they are encouraging you to do what?  Yes, search for information online.  Now do you get the importance of SEO.

Ulistic is a Calgary-based Search Engine Optimization firm specializing in helping your business gain exposure online and David and I are here in Toronto attending and covering the SES 2010 event.  Need some help to figure out SEO for your Canadian Small Business…give me a ring at 403.775.2205.

Tags: 403.775.2205, Business, Business/Finance, Calgary, canada, Internet Marketing, online world, Organization of Search Engine Optimization Professionals, search engine, search engine engines, search engine optimization, Search Engine Strategies, search positioning, toronto, ulistic, World Wide Web, Yellow Pages
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WOW…is all I have to say!

David and I are on our way home today after a great couple of days in the Los Angeles area visiting with partners and friends of Ulistic.

Lots of great lessons were shared during our time with our partners from both sides of the table.

I am looking forward to pushing ahead now with some of the great opportunities.

Tags: California, LAX, los angelas, Stuart's ramblings, ulistic
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Are websites really relevant in todays’ social web? I subscribe to a great and very informative blog by marketing expert Scott Brinker.   Recently one of his discussion points was on the concept of a website in today’s social web.  Go ahead and check out his article 3 nimble trends changing content and marketing, it makes for some very interesting reading on where we may be heading in the marketing world.

It was Scott’s article that sparked the thought in me about relevance and business websites.

Are these Internet billboards really necessary when we have so many different forms factors online to consume information?

I don’t know the answer to this question or maybe I do and need to write about to figure it all out.  Half of me is torn one way while the other half torn in the opposite direction.  For those who follow this blog and my number of different blogs focused on business in Calgary and Canadian business know that I have a passion for creating content.  So much this is my career, working with small business on crafting and creating their online communications strategy.  I am so blessed to have a faithful following of people who check in almost daily for new information that either comes from my colleagues like Scott or stuff I just think about.  We don’t have a website for these content service, just a blog…and for all argument sakes a blog is really a website with dynamic content.

My argument for business “owning” their website (notice I didn’t say having) is this.  Your website serves a great place for your static business content.  Information about your products and services, history of the company and a run down of all the great things you do.  Some of you even transact through your website.  However, more and more of the leading websites are now combining traditional static information with bits and pieces of dynamic content thrown in just for fun.

Your business marketing site (your website) is your sales and marketing engine online.  David and I work hard each day and focus our services at Ulistic on educating small business owners across North America on the value of investing in the ownership of the entire web presence through our Ulistic Coaching and Online Mentoring Program.  Not just a simple website but an interactive marketing machine that converts visitors to prospects for your business.

The demand for this knowledge of communicating online is overwhelming some days however it is truly rewarding.

What does this really mean?

I believe websites for small business are an investment.  A well performing website is a huge asset to any corporation, especially one that has proven conversion results.  So yes, a business must have a marketing website to market their business online and one that blends all the social interaction required in today’s world.

I think I just answered my own question.

Here is a great quote I pulled off of Scott’s blog and it really sums it up.

Nic Newman of the BBC:
You can’t afford to [create] a piece of content for any one platform. Instead of crafting a website, you have to put more effort into crafting the description of an asset and the different bits of an asset, so they can be reused more effectively, so they can deliver more value.

Tags: blog, business marketing site, Business Success, Business/Finance, Calgary, Computing, Internet billboards, Modal logic, North America, online communications strategy, Online Mentoring Program, Scott Brinker, social web, technology, Technology/Internet, ulistic, web presence, website, World Wide Web
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This past week I have been working with a fellow Heartland Tech Group member from the Philadelphia, PA area and leader in the Philadelphia Small Business Computer Support market, Jobecca Technology Group.  Michael and I have known each other for a couple of years now and it wasn’t until this past month we decided to work together and what a pleasure it is to have Michael on board as a client with Ulistic.  Today, Ulistic is assisting Michael in taking his web marketing and overall web strategy to a new level.  So far, so good and it is awesome to have this HTG member as a client of our Calgary based Social Media Consulting and Online marketing organization, Ulistic.  Need help 403.775.2205.

See Jobecca’s new Philadelphia Business Computer Support blog today.

I learn from my clients just as much as I hope they learn from my experiences from us working together and with Jobecca, no exception to this rule occurs.  Michael and I share a very close friend Jeremy Epstein from Never Stop Marketing. I have been reading Michael’s blog posts and he reminded me about a focus point our friend Jeremy is talking about on his blog about Dandelin Marketing and the importance of Never Stop Marketing…sorry to the guys at TLC in Calgary…Jeremy coined this phrase long before you guys started using it (see spam emails going around Calgary).

Like Michael and I have mentioned, one of Jeremy’s new or recent discussion points is on Dandelion Marketing.  Are you asking yourself what is Dandelion Marketing? let’s think about this for a second and how dandelions spread in the wild.  Look outside your Calgary home right now, can you see a number of dandelions investing your lawn?  Being the May Long Weekend, it is more than likely that the dandelions are out in full force.  I know my front yard has many of the yellow butter cups showing their face.

In Jeremy’s blog post on Dandelion Marketing, he shares 6 basic concepts on how to share information online with your raving fans and also those who simply like what you have to offer.

• Know the Commander’s Intent
• EVERYONE is in marketing.
• Brand: Feel Over Look.
• Agile Marketing Development
• High Fault Tolerance.
• Rapid Feedback Loops.

Dandelion Marketing is in my opinion is about leverage.  Using the tools available to you, some are actually free and some have a small price tag associated with them to share relevant information with your community and also your raving fans.  Information that is relevant, information they would find interesting and information their follows find interesting and when everything aligns…well look how dandelions spread across the prairie landscape!

Download the Dandelion Marketing eBook from Jeremy Epstein today…some very good reading…I am reading it on my iPad right now!

Tags: 403.775.2205, Biology, Botany, Business Success, Business/Finance, Calgary, Dandelion, heartland tech group, Herbs, Human Interest, iPad, Jeremy Epstein, Jobecca Technology Group, leader, Medicinal plants, Michael, never stop marketing, overall web strategy, Philadelphia, philadelphia computer support, social media consulting, Social Media Consulting and Online, Taraxacum, ulistic, web marketing
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Greetings from Florida everyone.   David and I are in Tampa this week meeting with clients and partners of our Calgary-based Internet Marketing firm, Ulistic.  After washing away the ice and snow from our United Airlines flight in Calgary we were on our way through Denver and eventually Tampa, Florida.  A long day in the air however the flight crews and staff with United Airlines took great care of us and we got here with no major challenges or delays.

When we arrived at our destination on the east end of Tampa we had to go out and check out the local sites.  Plus I have never been over to St. Petersburg or Clearwater especially after working with firms like Tech Data for so many years who has their US headquarters in the Clearwater area.  David and I picked up our rental car and started to explore the wonderful sites of the Gulf coast.  Those bridges across the bay are amazing, the sand was delightful and we didn’t see any oil washing up on the shores of West Florida.

After a drive and walk around the beach we decided to get some dinner and found a wonderful beach front cafe/restaurant.  I have to share with you our awesome experiences at Frenchy’s South Beach Cafe on Gulfview Blvd in Clearwater.  It was great and plenty of food to feed an army or at least enough for my kids to eat.  The service, food and staff are simply amazing and our server Jenny provided us with an overall pleasurable experience.  Frenchy’s is just a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico and the sights and sounds of the sea add to the enjoyment of our night out before a couple of business days in the Bay area.

The food was great and in typical American style, way too much food for this Canadian boy.  I am sure the servings are at least half to double the size of what we are used to in Canadian restaurants.  Not a bad thing but you have to go in hungry.  Also, the Key Lime Pie is great and something you have to experience.

Why are we sharing our feedback with our experiences with this restaurant on the beach in Florida.  We believe in sharing our experiences with local business (they are the glue holding together our economy right now) and also sharing something great when we see it or experience it.  There is way too much negativity in our world today and this slight shot of something positive in our blogs, day-to-day business dealings and wherever or whatever we do helps us feel good about what we do and why we are here to do it.

If you are ever in Clearwater, Florida or even Tampa it is worth the drive, walk, cab ride to check out Frenchy’s South Beach Cafe.

Tags: Calgary, denver, Film, florida, food, Frenchy's South Beach Cafe, Grease, Gulf of Mexico, Hospitality/Recreation, Internet Marketing, Jenny, Small Time Crooks, Stuart's ramblings, tampa, Tampa Florida, UAL Corporation, ulistic
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