Tag: Truckee

Website Makeovers: Before and After Video

There are many places where you can have an online presence. However, with the numerous sites that allow for rankings and viewable customer feedback, the main place that you can ensure 100% of what you want to say to your potential clients is your own website.

Knowing your website may be your first online impression to your potential clients, why would you sacrifice the look and feel of your site? Below is a video featuring some website makeovers that I have designed and programmed for numerous small businesses. The result of the redesign has been successful for all of these clients, giving them a website they can be proud to market.

New Summer Artworks

The idea of summer has been in my hear for the last few weeks despite the cloudy days. I thought that if I could paint it, perhaps the sun, the bright green leaves, and bluebird skies would appear. And guess what? Here they come! These summer days are so inspirational- I just love the amazing life that the greens of the new leaves present- they are so bright with chlorophyl that they are almost bursting at the seams with potential energy.

Check out some of the new artworks I recently made to capture this essence in Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Emerald Bay. Many of these are also available as greeting cards and prints, starting at $4.

Websites without a marketing plan are lost in space

Ok- so you spent a lot of money and time developing the PERFECT website that visually epitomizes everything you and your business is about. You had some help with the messaging and implemented search engine optimized techniques. You were trained how to use your WordPress or Joomla site, you added one blog post and ta-da: now the site is done. So now what? This is where many people get lazy and just stop. They think that because the SEO I implemented on their site got them on page one of Google rankings that they no longer have to worry about doing anything to their site, or marketing it, for that matter: "It will just bring new clients to me on its own, right?" MAYBE, BUT NOT GUARANTEED.

One of my favorite quotes I saw from a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company rings so true:

Launching a website without an ongoing marketing plan is like spending the money and time on a tv commercial and never buying air time to show it.

So what can you do? The beauty of content management sites (CMS) like WordPress and Joomla are not only are they easy to navigate and update (once trained) but there are thousands of tips on how to make changes and how to get a better client base by installing pre-programmed widgets (like newsletter sign up forms) all over the internet. I personally give my clients techniques on how to write search engine optimized posts and content, as well as how to drive content back to your site through the use of eNewsletters and social media. But despite how easy and how CHEAP it is to do your own marketing, the excuses still take hold: "I don't have time."

My retort: "So you have time to complain about the economy, have time to worry about money, but don't have time to put 1/2 an hour a week into free marketing ideas?" Crazy. I am all about taking the bulls by the horns and that is what it takes. Now it doesn't mean you have to dedicate your life to marketing all the time, but 1/2 an hour to 2 hours a week can really do wonders.

If you don't know where to start, just start with some goals. Make a list of how many new clients you want per month and how much time and money you have to spend to acquire those clients. The work backwards. If you want 5 new clients a month, then you need to get about 20 hot leads, which means you need to get the word out to about 75+ people (these are totally rough numbers just to give you an idea). Anyways, if you get lost or confused, you can always hire a marketing consultant. But if not, you can start with that and then make a plan of action.

If you are worried about money but have time on your hands, the first thing you can do is start researching eNewsletter options, such as Constant Contact, MailChimp, Vertical Response, as well as thousands of others. It is a great way to get people who are already interested in you to take action.

The next thing you can do is start setting up your social networks as well as your free business listings in Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Relevant links back to you always help the validity of your site as well as help people who are interested be able to connect with you.

Tags: Marketing, SEO, Truckee, Web Design, web designer, web marketing, web marketing tips, website seo, websites

Party of Three Exhibition at Riverside Studios starts June 3

What happens when three artists from different genres work on the same canvas? Something worth celebrating! The Party of Three, (aka Carole Sesko, Eve Werner and myself) worked on several artworks together, meaning we each took turns painting on the same canvas. The body of work created called Collaboration will be on display at Riverside Studios for the month of June 2011. Though our main body of works was created in 2007, we sold many of them and to fill the gaps, we have recently completed some new works. Included in those works are "Libby" and "Coffee". Collaboration as well as some of our individual works will be on display at an opening reception at Riverside Studios at 10060 Donner Pass Road in Historic Downtown Truckee. The show is on display throughout June. For more information, call Riverside Studios at 530-587-3789 Read more about our collaborative process and view the portfolio.

Stoked on Daniel Smith's Art Products

Artist often search around to find art supplies and surfaces that will fit the need of their next masterpiece. I would love to shop locally for many of my art supplies and paints, but local places don't supply half of the items I need, especially since I live in a small town. I have searched many places online and have happily found Daniel Smith Art Supplies to not only provide quality artist materials, but provides exceptional customer service. A little about Daniel Smith Art Supplies: Daniel Smith, Finest Quality Artists' Materials has been a trusted manufacturer and seller of art supplies since 1977. Daniel Smith is committed to offering outstanding quality art supplies, products, value and savings to the artist community. We offer artists over 12,000 sku’s of watercolor, acrylic and oil paints, sticks, brushes, pastels, charcoal, inks and printmaking supplies. The key differentiator between Daniel Smith and our competition is that we manufacture artist’s paints that are recognized as the finest in the world. These highest quality watercolor, oil, and acrylic artist paints are created in the Daniel Smith paint-making lab, located in Seattle Washington. It is a world of machinery and color, where the air smells of linseed oil, and everyone’s clothes are splattered with paint. The manufacturing R&D lab is the soul of the company, a place where ideas are shared, artist’s voices are heard, and new colors are brought to life by a talented and dedicated production team. Artisans making paint for artists, we have your customer’s complete satisfaction in mind. ~ DanielSmith.com

New art works for the soul

One day I was feeling down in the dumps. Despite the hugs and support from my family, I needed something else. So I painted a series of 4 cups filled with the items I needed: Nurturing, Peace, Love and Harmony. When done, I felt complete and that they could move on. These 4 pieces are now on display at  Riverside Studios along with many of my prints.

New websites launched this week

Phew! What a week! I launched 3 of my latest web site creations in the last 6 days! I have had the pleasure of working with some great clients, each with some unique products and services. Here are some links to these latest and greatest web site. Let me know which you like the best and why:

• RaceCatheter.com
• BlueBirdDesigns.com
• BellPropertyGroup.com

Commissioned Heart Art

I was recently commissioned by a great local designer to create a "heart" as both a Valentine's gift and to be an organic element to be used within a logo. It was a fun project working with a creative with a vision that is different than mine, yet through working together, we could utilize each other's talents. Here's the nice testimonial I received:

I just want to say that we're having a great time with the heart painting. It was so easy to work with you and the painting adds a perfect splash of color and emotion to our home. Thank you again!!

Illustrated map of the Truckee River watershed

I have recently completed a watercolor and pencil illustrated map of the watershed of Truckee. This map will be used online as an informative diagram illustrating the boundaries of the Truckee River watershed. I am also working on the website for this large project as we speak. More updates to come!

"Fall to Winter" art show at Dragonfly Restaurant

My newest series of works will be on display in a show called "Fall to Winter" from December 2 through March 2011 at Dragonfly Restaurant in Truckee. An opening reception with appetizers will be on Thursday, December 16th from 4:30 to 6 pm. Artworks and prints will be available for sale during the exhibit. The opening reception is free and open to the public. This series of artworks depicts the seasonal change in the Sierras from a unique perspective. The colors in these newest works reflect a "tropical" take on the traditional Sierran landscape. I LOVE tropical colors and was always seeking a new way to express the beauty of the mountain landscape surrounding us. This series is the marriage of my affinity for this palette and the mountain environment. Furthermore, many of these works on created on recycled cabinet doors from local cabinet shops with recycled papers used for texture.