Business Networking in Brisbane

Small Business Brisbane, marketing strategies No Responses »
Sep 062010

Many service businesses and consultants would realise the power of meeting business people at a business networking or luncheon event. Before I give you some more local places to meet professionals, here are three quick tips for making your networking useful:

1.  Don’t thrust a business card out when you are introduced. Save it to the end of a delightful conversation.

2.   Listen and ask questions about the other person’s business. When they tell you about their troubles or specialty, respond with genuine interest e.g. “I didnt know that”, “I can see that”, or “so that’s what a patent lawyer does”.

3.  Open the door to the future. When it comes to your turn to talk, try not to overwhelm them with your industry knowledge, instead speak about what results you have achieved for clients quite like themselves. (This lets the other person connect the dots and ask for your card or appointment).

Local Networking Events – Northside and Redcliffe

Meetup.com provides numerous local interest groups run by individuals, sometimes sponsored by businesses.  The idea is to introduce yourself, see if you and the group is aligned, and then go to a meetup – or suggest your own meetup in the local area.

Families in Business.  Families in Business organiser is presently out of town, but I am trying to organise a meeting at Woody Point monthly (Saturday 18th Sept), particularly for parents in business, who find it impossible to go to morning breakfast meetings. Marketing focus. Please show your interest now!

New! Business 2 Business Brisbane meetup will meet at Chermside South.

For those more centrally located:

http://www.meetup.com/Home-Business-Ideas-Brisbane/ Entrepreneurs unite

http://www.meetup.com/WordPress-Brisbane/ Introduction to WordPress and all it can do.

Other Independent Networking Events

Ray White host a North Lakes networking monthly meeting with no cost or obligation. Next one has a speaker (Renee of Zestee Concepts) but also allows for networking discussion. It’s on Tuesday 7th September 2010, 10 am at Nessies, Evergreen Centre, North Lakes. For more information, call Lem 0404 859 426.

Business Connector hold regular monthly meetings at North Lakes, and Angie is holding a special event for small businesses – a free 3-hour marketing expo at Kallangur. To discuss websites, what is SEO, marketing solutions, etc.

When: Monday 13th September
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Where: Norths Leagues Club, Kallangur

Book with angie@garnish.com.au.

Posted by Jennifer at 10:40 am Tagged with: , ,

Should You Really Customise and Write a Website Yourself?

SEO tips, Small Business Brisbane, Website Design 1 Response »
Aug 262010

Small business owners are a busy lot; today we consider… do you have time and skills to DIY your content and run a full CMS?

We wrote a little about this when we considered the question, DIY Template or Employ a Web Designer?

Recently I found another web company offering an ‘all-in-one’ solution – where business owners pick a template and do their own content and optimisation. This really assumes that business owners have an eye for design and colour, copywriting skills, and knowledge of keywords and where to put them.

That’s quite of a lot of assumptions. Most people who are very good at what they do, whether plumbing a roof or consulting to business, don’t have the time to research and get good at these varied skill sets. Hell, they don’t even have the time to consult with us on what they want in their website at times, much less always be doing it themselves.

Content Updates to Websites

In our new publication ‘Small Business Websites… Finally Explained’ we express the need for regular website updates if you want your website to be fresh and ranked well in Google. (And we practice what we preach).

If you or your partner can set aside 3 to 5 hours per month and you are a concise writer, please go ahead and pay for a full CMS (content management). If you’re normally in a car or up on a roof for work, then look into getting Hosting Maintenance included in a standard small business website. This means you can send in your website updates every couple of months at no extra cost.

Remember, you can optionally add a WordPress blog to a small business website and easily enough put in articles. Blog writing can be a simple affair and help your site be found for very specific subjects and locations. These can be articles which encourage the reader to purchase from you. When (notice I don’t say if) you realise that you can’t possibly keep up with writing these posts then I’d be happy to do it for you on a regular weekly basis, from $40 per post, or less for editing. Cheers.

Posted by Jennifer at 2:36 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

Development Applications made easy

Small Business Brisbane 1 Response »
Aug 182010

Well, they say it’s difficult to get a DA through Council… and they’d be right, usually! But with Town Planning Strategies (in Redcliffe, north Brisbane), our experienced Town Planner (Robyn) will help you get your property Development Application approved, with customised plans and strategies to suit.

Being informed is a must when you are a developer.  That’s why Town Planning Strategies have included a section ‘Planning in Queensland‘ with info about the Sustainable Planning Act and IDAS, and links to all the Local and Government resources and maps, on their website.

If you see this website and think, “wow, that’s a clean, modern, and easy to use website”… please let us at Red Planet Design know and find out how you can get this kind of quality website too… all for under $1,000.

Posted by Gino Lancaster at 1:03 pm Tagged with:

Hiring Graphic Designers – Hourly versus Project Rates?

Graphic Design, Small Business Brisbane 1 Response »
Aug 062010

It’s always a surprise to find out a competing graphic designer charged out 10 hours to design a DL flyer, so let’s discuss what a small business owner in Brisbane should expect to pay for a well-designed brochure. (Often a tri-fold DL)

When looking at getting some print design work done, there’s a few things to consider.

  • Designer is adept at carrying out the brief, with solid design skills, to the point of making it print ready.
  • Designer gives a quote or estimate upfront of entire job, not just an hourly rate. (Since 3 hrs x $90 ph only costs $270, whereas 10 x $80 ph costs $800). This should include high res PDF, all print ready. He/she may also state whether the cost includes print management – i.e. liaison with your printer. (RPD can design A4-folded double-sided brochures from $300 – $400+ GST).
  • Designer is a decent person with good customer service (ie. calls you back promptly, happy to do changes, etc)

You should also be mindful of printing prices. Red Planet Design can actually give you economy print choices so that on a smaller print run, a very low cost digital printer is used, and on quality or larger runs, a reliable full service printer is used. We pass on the savings to you and never charge a commission.

And of course, these days you can even have personalised print, different shapes cut (like a wave), different styles of designs done for various markets/products, and of course gloss spot UV varnish on high quality paper, all to make your print brochures stand out.

Posted by Gino Lancaster at 12:36 pm Tagged with:

Website Checklist for a Better Site

Small Business Brisbane, Website Design No Responses »
Jun 162010

This coming month I’m getting out in northern Brisbane area, offering free web appraisals. Using a 100-point checklist for checking each website, it’s clear that there is a lot more to a good website than nice design and structure. Checking off:

  • Domain names and URLs – (dynamic or static), keywords, redirections, etc
  • Browser issues
  • Logo display
  • Design considerations (33 points)
  • Architectural issues (won’t be looking in-depth, mainly note loading time)
  • Navigation issues
  • Content (grabs attention, WIIFM, needs and benefits, justifies/calls to action, no typos, etc)
  • Content appearance
  • Links & buttons
  • Home Page (provides a good overview, no splash page)
  • About us Page (links to contact/support pages)

So before you say, oh we’ve got a website thanks… perhaps let an outsider take a look.

You may never know if there is something missing until it’s pointed out. For instance, our clients last year were, to start off with, unhappy with their copy not being proofread. Well, with a proper edit and all the right keywords in the right places, this Concrete Products supplier is attracting many more clients via Google for ‘concrete sleeper retaining walls’. On top of this, more people are using the Quote button to ask for a quote via a form (before, it didn’t do anything).

They say that simplicity is beautiful, but it can also be profitable. Call Jennifer on 07 3103 0238 to book in your complimentary website appraisal.

Posted by Gino Lancaster at 9:45 am

Greenscene offers Sustainable Landscaping

Small Business Brisbane No Responses »
Jun 092010

Greenscene Gardenscope, among RPD’s first clients and our very own Landscapers, have had their website redesigned – and are now running their own Blog. If all landscapers were this savvy, there would be very pretty streets all over Brisbane.

You have to admit, everyone loves a good Before and After landscaping shot. We think this new section offers the most concrete idea of how a project could transform your garden space.

The gallery can give you ideas, such as kinds of water features, types of retaining walls, garden beds and pavers, and commercial landscaping. But you might decide on something completely different.

Brisbane’s gardens and landscapes is a topic on their new blog.

Posted by Gino Lancaster at 3:49 pm
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