| How much time do you spend surfing the web? Okay, | | | | willingness to be a student of your craft. It means |
| so maybe that's an unfair question. You probably | | | | being observant and analytical. It means taking a useful |
| spend a lot of time working to market your online | | | | general concept and making it work for your |
| business. The common theme of most web use is | | | | application. |
| unifocused. You approach the time you spend online | | | | Your online time is important, but your ability to become |
| as something done to promote a goal and vision. The | | | | a student of your craft can make a huge difference in |
| problem is the end result of your work may have | | | | the overall tone, structure and application of your |
| diminishing returns. | | | | website and associated marketing strategies. |
| If you have worked to provide some creativity to your | | | | In the corporate world business owners will send their |
| site design and marketing strategies you can bet | | | | staff to observe other non-competing businesses to |
| someone has been paying attention. It is possible | | | | learn what they can about the success they find and |
| others who see the wisdom in your approach are | | | | how to conform some of those strategies to a new |
| imitating some of your core concepts. | | | | application in a different type of business |
| One thing I encourage you to try is to spend some of | | | | This concept allows one business to re-imagine their |
| your online time researching other successful sites. | | | | business in light of a revised battle plan. Think of it like |
| Ask yourself what it is that makes these sites work | | | | getting expert parenting advice. You implement those |
| well. Try to find areas you perceive as weak and then | | | | things that work well, discard the things that absolutely |
| pinpoint why something doesn't seem to work from | | | | don't work for your situation, and you adapt other |
| your perspective. | | | | concepts that might work. |
| Pay attention to the site's ease of use. How many | | | | An underlying truth of marketing is you need to part |
| clicks does it take to get to important site destinations? | | | | expert and part student. The combination of the two |
| Does the site seem cluttered or does it have a sense | | | | allows you to consistently build on a strong foundation |
| of balance? How easy is it to understand the function | | | | of knowledge. Think of it like building blocks that |
| and use of the site? Are there tools available to help | | | | continue to make a more impressive and elaborate |
| you understand the website better? | | | | design. |
| Don't be afraid to look for general themes and | | | | This concept encourages you to leave complacency |
| marketing strategies that may be useful to you in the | | | | behind while being consistently aware that fine-tuning |
| ongoing development of your website. | | | | will be required. It's the feeling that you should never |
| The most successful website owners spend time | | | | settle for good enough. You will want to be better and |
| learning from other websites. It's not just a matter of | | | | then improve your improvements. |
| doing what you think needs to be done. It involves a | | | | |