Wordpress small-business

WordPress for Small Business www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

What is WordPress?
Why Is It SO Popular?
What Is a CMS?
www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

How do I get WordPress?
WordPress.com is a free blog service
WordPress.org is free software

WordPress.com is a free blog service
signup for: websitename.wordpress.com
can't modify theme code
have to pay to modify CSS code
can't install plugins or themes they don't already have
has paid upgrades (like vanity domain names)
don't have to pay for hosting
maintained for Automattic company, not WordPress community
limited customization - but nearly unbreakable

WordPress.org is free software
requires web hosting
maintained by WordPress community (which includes Automattic)
can install any plugins or themes you want
highly intuitive, fairly easy learning curve
unlimited customization potential
you break it - you fix it

Isn't Wordpress for Blogging? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

Can I Really Create and Manage a Website?
WordPress is Free
Thousands of Free Themes
Thousands of Free plugins
What's Your Time Worth?

How Much Money Will I Need?
WordPress.com is free (but inflexible)
Most businesses "self-host"
requires a domain name and web hosting account
What you spend beyond that is unique to your business needs
DO NOT put your website LAST on your list of expenditures

Preventative Maintenance Tips
Offsite backups
Update WordPress regularly
Update Plugins regularly
Remove unused plugins
Use Basic Security measures

How do I Find a WordPress Expert?
Google search
forums or groups
outsourcing websites
recommendations

How Do I know if my WordPress guy IS AN expert?
ask for examples of work
ask for references WITH contact information
get estimates of work in advance
ask lots of questions
talk with them over the phone
pay for only portions of work over time

How Much Do I Pay a WordPress expert?
You get what you pay for
Rates run from $10/hr to $200/hr
Compare costs to any other skilled trade
Differences are from coaches to coders
If you want custom work, you pay a custom price

PEOPLE ARE JUDGING YOU!
first impressions are everything
you have about 5 seconds time
it's like a job interview
are you trustworthy?
can YOU do what I want?
is what I want within 2 clicks?

The Needs of a Small Business Online
listing of services
selling products (e-commerce)
blogging
social media engagement
contact forms
invoicing
generating leads
SEO (getting found)
email marketing
advertising

Listing Your Services
write in depth descriptions
don't put non-relevant services on the same page
think off each service page as a "target"
know your keywords in advance
don't OVER-SEO
don't forget the homepage target

Selling Products (e-commerce)
know your requirements first
find the best solution (using WordPress or not)
have a dedicated maintenance person
be secure
cover yourself legally

Blogging for a Small Business
don't let it be a missed opportunity
position yourself as an expert
grow in the search engines
use it to populate social media
give away knowledge as your loss leader
Keep people engaged via updates
Use examples, case studies, and testimonials

What Plumber Would You Call? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

What Painter Would You Contact? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

What Lawyer is most reputable? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

Which Accountant Is Best? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

Who Has the Best Pizza? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

What Have We Learned?
Have an extremely visible “call to action”
Look as professional as possible
Highlight your strengths
Don't have a “cluttered” website
Is your message “5 seconds or less”?

Are You Getting Conversions?
Is your website bringing in visitors?
Are those visitors converting to sales?
What can you do to get more traffic?
What can you do to convert more sales?

Does Your Website have ROI?
Every business owners wants ROI
If you don't spend (time or money), no ROI
ROI is NOT manufactured overnight
You get OUT of it what you put INTO it
www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com </li>

Go BEYOND your website
Spend time doing external promotion
Network in local meetups and groups
Answer questions in forums
Connect in forums
CALL PEOPLE
Connect traditional media to your website

Questions? www.jtpratt.com www.jtprattmedia.com

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Wordpress small-business

by John Pratt on May 25, 2011

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Wordpress small-business — Presentation Transcript