New York (PRWEB) July 24, 2008 -- Sure, you have a Web site. You created it a few years back, it has an overview of your company and its products, you've updated it a few times, but--let's be honest here--it's not really a high priority.
But maybe it should be.
That's the message of the groundbreaking new marketing book Get Content. Get Customers. Authors Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett are on a mission to teach marketers about the importance of high-quality, information-rich content that draws consumers in and keeps them coming back.
And in the age of the Internet, nothing has more power to reach consumers than a well-designed Web site.
"It's really unbelievable how many companies squander the inherent possibility of their Web sites," said Pulizzi. "Marketers need to understand that their site can make or break a consumer's opinion of their brand in just a few seconds, and that nothing drives off a potential customer more quickly than a stagnant, self-promoting site."
Added Barrett, "A Web site has to be more than just a placeholder--it should be a dynamic resource that educates customers and builds loyalty through unique, informative content."
In Get Content. Get Customers., Pulizzi and Barrett examine some of
the most successful Web sites, from both large and small companies, to
showcase the best of the medium and to help readers understand what
draws customers in…and keeps them coming back.
Resources for
Uplink Web Designs & Marketing
I am currently on the long, lonely walk of loneliness no motivation.
I don't want to go to the gym. I don't want to eat healthy. I don't want to drink green tea.
(Since I didn't go to the gym today, though, I am eating healthy and drinking green tea. I know that I'm not magically going to wake up thin and pretty tomorrow, but I am telling myself that I have go to the gym or drink green tea, but I can't get out of doing both--I have to do one or the other.)
About the only thing I have going for me right now is that I get to see The Dark Knight and the X Files tomorrow. (And oh, aren't we all ready for me to stop discussing the double feature?)
I need a pep talk and for all the local Chipotles, Boston Markets and pizza places to disappear. (And if I could somehow be convinced that exercise is awesome fun, that'd be good, too.)
But it's okay. I'm still making healthy food choices (until tomorrow, when I get a small popcorn) and I'll start over with the gym next week.
Overall, though, the mood was warm, even joyful, a sign perhaps of just how deep the yearning outside the US is to end the current era — and to have an America non-Americans can believe in again.
* A term borrowed from my Vox peep Kzinti
- Texas has 284 counties. Why is this relevant? Because I had to assign a metro area (big city) to each one of them. Thank goodness for Google Maps.
- I have a feeling that the 'wrongful termination' lawsuit against Chris and our boss has been dropped. Especially since she sent Chris an e-mail thanking him for firing her, she is being charged with insurance fraud, she is being sued for identity theft, and then there is this little matter here.
- Fish sticks and Macaroni 'n cheese make a good lunch.
- I wish it would rain more---this drought is making my yard entirely too crunchy. I haven't had a nice green lawn in years. Although it is saving us gas money as Chris doesn't have to mow if the yard is dead.
- I LOVE this house: more than I love this house but there are cracks in the foundation and on some of the walls. Since Chris's folks just paid several grand for foundation work that doesn't seem to be working (the interior cracks have come back twice since the foundation was 'fixed' he refuses to even consider a house with that kind of damage....even if we had an industrial engineer come out and inspect it. ~sigh~
- School starts in just 13 days and I have not bought a single supply.
- This house could potentially be shown in just two days and I still have to finish cleaning/decluttering my office and the pantry, the windows all need washed, I need to move the Dragon out of the kitchen and into my office, and we need to finish up the landscaping. Wish us luck.
- Chris leaves for India early Monday morning.
was to call my insurance company, Progressive. I remember having talked to someone locally a few months ago when the guy I had the accident with (we'll call him JH since those are his initials) submitted his original claim about this accident, but I didn't have his name or number, and I didn't even have the number of the local office. I had to just call the generic 800 number on the website.
I would like to point out that within five minutes, I was talking to my local guy again. That's pretty impressive service.
He made me feel a lot better too. I had assumed that the claim JH made had been paid, that my insurance coverage for this incident had been maxed out, and that JH was suing me for *another* 75 grand. Turns out, they were still negotiating the original claim, in fact my insurance guy (CT, my hero for today) even had him down from 50 to 35, but for whatever reason, the guy decided to file suit against me about it. Apparently 75 is just the number they always use.
This guy had no broken bones and no catastrophic injuries. It was all soft tissue. And apparently he ended treatment months ago. He's just being a prick for some reason.
My insurance guy said "I'll meet with my litigation team and we'll decide how to proceed. If we need to, we'll hire defense counsel. We'll do the lion's share of the work here - that's why you pay a premium."
So there's that.
Finished Zombie Blondes by Brian James--and seriously, this is a really fun book. :) Like the Twilight series, it involves the undead except this time, the undead are a little...um...juicier than vampires.
I prefer zombies to vampires anyway, I think. Incredibly fun book and I think most people could read it in a few hours.
Next up?
Another zombie book, this time by Daniel Waters. This is his first book, I think, but he's better known (to me anyway) as the guy who wrote Heathers. (If you have not seen Heathers, rent it immediately. If you don't like it, don't ever let me know.)
Meanwhile, weekend plans. I have two episodes of 90210 (the ninth season is winding down, which means I only have one full season and a handful of episodes to go before I can say that I've seen every episode) in my DVR and Netflix sent me 21. I have a load of clothes in the dryer.
(90210 and 21 must be dealt with today as I am spending much of tomorrow in the movie theater.)
Maybe you remember, last year I crashed crushed my Subaru. Pulled out in front of a guy on a Harley.
A few months ago he submitted a "policy limits claim" on my insurance - this means he asked for the full amount that my policy covered at the time. Unfortunately that was only $50,000.
This morning a guy showed up at my house and served me with papers. He's suing me for an additional $75,000.
I'm scared and freaked out and I don't know what to do. I mean, obviously I have to get an attorney and stuff but... I'm scared. That's a hell of a lot of money, and that accident was totally and completely my fault. I don't have a leg to stand on here.
Things are running through my mind like selling my second car, moving from my house into a cheap apartment, not going out any more... basically my life getting much shittier just so I can pay a lawyer and whatever judgment I end up with.
Not a great way to start my day.
Have I mentioned that I love my kids? I have? A lot? Whatever, deal with it.
This morning I got on my laptop and opened Word. I saw a document called "Christmas Wish List" and even though it wouldn't be unheard of for me to start making a Christmas wishlist in July, this time it wasn't me. I swear.
So I peeked inside and saw that Jesse had not only made a list of items he wants for Christmas, but he had justified his choices. First on the list was "The Rachet and Clank PSP pack" and his reasoning follows. "Universally well reviewed"? "Countless hours of fun on an otherwise boring car trip"? The boy, who is only eleven I have to remind myself, has a career in marketing ahead of him. I mean, I'm convinced.
Why it’s on the list.
1. The pack contains National Treasure 2 on a portable format that can be played on the go, as well as memory card so I could save TV shows and movies onto it and play them in a car or on a plane. As well as these great features it comes with Ratchet and Clank Size Matters, part of my favorite game series, universally well reviewed. As well as an awesome single player there are online and local multiplayer mode. The local multiplayer would be extremely useful as I could play with Connor whose asking for the pack and Kameron whose asking for the game. I could also play a multiplayer online with people around the world. The games story line is meant to be replayed, finding armor looking for gold bolts, which can be used to unlock things, then play the game with those things. The reason I mention this is that as I replay it I get countless hours of fun on an otherwise boring car trip. Then there’s the PSP it self. With the ability to play games, watch movies, save movies on, listen to music, view pictures on, and connect to the Internet when in a wifi hotspot, as well as play games on I think that the PSP would be perfect for every situation.
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