Friday, June 11, 2010
C.A.S.T. awarded $27,000 from Wal-Mart Foundation
AE Consulting recently won a $27,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation's State Giving Campaign that will go toward supporting the Fishing Kids Program through the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation! This is wonderful news for the program and foundation. And as always, great timing. Thank you Wal-Mart Foundation!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Establishing an Online Presence for Your Small Business, Part 3 of 3
Americans conducted 15.4 billion searches in the month of March according to comScore, a company that tracks U.S. search engine market share. Approximately 65.1% of these searches were done through Google. These statistics further prove the necessity for businesses to establish their presence online to take advantage of the large number of consumers using the Internet to find products and services.
In parts 1 and 2 of our series we explained that the ideal form of online presence is a website, which you can have developed professionally or you can create one yourself. If your company does not currently have the financial resources or time to develop a website, your next best option to establish your company’s online presence is to claim your business using Google Places, a simple and free service offered by Google. Regardless if you have a website or not, every business should take advantage of this service. In this article we will go over the basics of Google’s local search and how you can use it to your advantage to attract customers in your area who are searching for the products or services your company offers.
Understanding Google’s Local Business Search
Here’s how it works: whenever someone uses Google’s search engine and looks up a business name or key words/phrases along with a geographic phrase (i.e. Italian restaurants in Spokane, Washington), they are provided with local business listings (LBL) and a map and phone number for each listing. Notice that the first results displayed are seven local businesses, which are known as the Google 7-Pack – the top seven listings for a local product or service. You can view all local results by clicking the link below the 7-Pack.
What makes local business results different than regular search listings is that they are derived using Google maps. This means that if your business has a spot on the map, then more likely than not it will be included in Google’s local business results.
The Benefits
Claiming your business is free, simple, and rewarding. As mentioned above, most likely your business is already listed through Google, but by registering you are able to edit and update your business listing yourself. Not only can you ensure that the information provided is correct, you also have the ability add more information about it such as your website, services, hours of operation, photos, coupons and much more. You can visit Google Places anytime to update your business’ information or to see how many people have clicked on your listing.
Getting Started
Before you begin you must have an account with Google (Sign up here). Next, check to see if your business is already listed with Google by searching [your business name in your city, zip code]. If your business is included, click on the listing and you will see a link titled, “Business Owner?” in the top right corner of the listing page. Click on this link and go through the process of validating your business, which can be done by phone or mail. Once you receive confirmation that you are validated as the business owner, you can proceed to edit and modify your business’ listing. If your business is not already listed with Google, visit the Google Places homepage and click on the link titled, “Add new business.” Go through the necessary steps as instructed. To learn more about this process and for troubleshooting, visit the Google Places User Guide. You can also learn more about Google Places by tuning into this helpful webinar.
Once your business is registered with Google Places, you can start modifying your places page to meet your company’s advertising needs. There are multiple factors that enhance your business’ ability to rank higher in Google’s local business results. David Mihm, a professional SEO consultant based in Portland, Oregon, has teamed-up with others in the Internet marketing field to compile an excellent list of these factors, listed by importance. To see his list, go here.
This concludes our 3-part online presence series. We hope that you have found this information useful and encourage you to contact AE Consulting should you have further questions on how to establish your business’ online presence.
In parts 1 and 2 of our series we explained that the ideal form of online presence is a website, which you can have developed professionally or you can create one yourself. If your company does not currently have the financial resources or time to develop a website, your next best option to establish your company’s online presence is to claim your business using Google Places, a simple and free service offered by Google. Regardless if you have a website or not, every business should take advantage of this service. In this article we will go over the basics of Google’s local search and how you can use it to your advantage to attract customers in your area who are searching for the products or services your company offers.
Understanding Google’s Local Business Search
Here’s how it works: whenever someone uses Google’s search engine and looks up a business name or key words/phrases along with a geographic phrase (i.e. Italian restaurants in Spokane, Washington), they are provided with local business listings (LBL) and a map and phone number for each listing. Notice that the first results displayed are seven local businesses, which are known as the Google 7-Pack – the top seven listings for a local product or service. You can view all local results by clicking the link below the 7-Pack.
What makes local business results different than regular search listings is that they are derived using Google maps. This means that if your business has a spot on the map, then more likely than not it will be included in Google’s local business results.
The Benefits
Claiming your business is free, simple, and rewarding. As mentioned above, most likely your business is already listed through Google, but by registering you are able to edit and update your business listing yourself. Not only can you ensure that the information provided is correct, you also have the ability add more information about it such as your website, services, hours of operation, photos, coupons and much more. You can visit Google Places anytime to update your business’ information or to see how many people have clicked on your listing.
Getting Started
Before you begin you must have an account with Google (Sign up here). Next, check to see if your business is already listed with Google by searching [your business name in your city, zip code]. If your business is included, click on the listing and you will see a link titled, “Business Owner?” in the top right corner of the listing page. Click on this link and go through the process of validating your business, which can be done by phone or mail. Once you receive confirmation that you are validated as the business owner, you can proceed to edit and modify your business’ listing. If your business is not already listed with Google, visit the Google Places homepage and click on the link titled, “Add new business.” Go through the necessary steps as instructed. To learn more about this process and for troubleshooting, visit the Google Places User Guide. You can also learn more about Google Places by tuning into this helpful webinar.
Once your business is registered with Google Places, you can start modifying your places page to meet your company’s advertising needs. There are multiple factors that enhance your business’ ability to rank higher in Google’s local business results. David Mihm, a professional SEO consultant based in Portland, Oregon, has teamed-up with others in the Internet marketing field to compile an excellent list of these factors, listed by importance. To see his list, go here.
This concludes our 3-part online presence series. We hope that you have found this information useful and encourage you to contact AE Consulting should you have further questions on how to establish your business’ online presence.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Seahawks Fish & Feast Fundraiser Great Success
RENTON, Wash. – The fourth Annual Seahawks Fish & Feast Charity Fundraiser raised more than $20,000 for the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation. Twenty local disabled or disadvantaged children received a once in a lifetime experience on a guided fishing trip with a Seahawk player, coach, or Sea Gal last Sunday. The event is structured to emulate an actual C.A.S.T. event with a twist of celebrity.
AE and Seahawks Community Outreach managed the full production of the event. We're looking forward to next year! Special thanks to all those who were involved. CLICK the above link to a short video covering this unique event.
The Importance of Transparency
The blog post from Cause Capitalism titled, How Transparency Can Benefit Your Company (There’s More To Be Gained Than Consumer Trust), by Olivia Khalili, expands upon a quote from Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation, “If you’re not scared by what you’re revealing, than you’re not being transparent enough.”
Practicing transparency applies not only to for-profit businesses, but to the nonprofit sector as well. The suggestion that you should be scared when exposing your organization’s practices, flaws and all isn’t entirely true. Transparency doesn’t have to be scary. In other words, honesty should lead to profitability. A professional journalist, investor, and friend of mine recently told me with incredible conviction that she would not donate to an organization if she couldn’t easily read about where her money was going. The following suggestions are proven steps in creating transparency for your donors, grantors, supporters, and constituents:
1. Establish a well-written and informative website;
2. Post your Annual Report or 990 on the site (as a PDF); and/or
3. Register and maintain a presence on sites such as GuideStar and Charity Navigator.
If your small business or nonprofit and would like guidance on establishing transparency, contact an AE Consultant to discuss your options.
Practicing transparency applies not only to for-profit businesses, but to the nonprofit sector as well. The suggestion that you should be scared when exposing your organization’s practices, flaws and all isn’t entirely true. Transparency doesn’t have to be scary. In other words, honesty should lead to profitability. A professional journalist, investor, and friend of mine recently told me with incredible conviction that she would not donate to an organization if she couldn’t easily read about where her money was going. The following suggestions are proven steps in creating transparency for your donors, grantors, supporters, and constituents:
1. Establish a well-written and informative website;
2. Post your Annual Report or 990 on the site (as a PDF); and/or
3. Register and maintain a presence on sites such as GuideStar and Charity Navigator.
If your small business or nonprofit and would like guidance on establishing transparency, contact an AE Consultant to discuss your options.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Establishing an Online Presence for Your Small Business, Part 2 of 3
In Part 1 of our series we discussed the importance of having an online presence to cater to the increasing number of consumers who are using the Internet to research products and services. We explained that a website is the most common form of online presence and your ideal (and more expensive) option is to invest in a web developer to design and develop your site. If you are on a tight budget and cannot afford a professionally developed website at this time, your next option is to build it yourself.
How to build your own website step-by-step:
1. Obtain a domain name – The domain name is what people type into their address bar to get to your site (www.ae-consulting.net). Picking a domain identical to your company’s name is ideal, but due to limited availability this may not be an option. In this case, find a domain that best reflects what your company offers (Learn more about choosing a domain name).
2. Find a web host – In order for people to access your website, you must have a web host. A web host is a company that leases space on a server where people can publish their websites. There are tons of web hosts out there so do your research to find one that meets your needs (Learn more about finding a good web host).
3. Build your website – The website is what people actually see online. When creating your site you have two options: using a template or starting from scratch. Many web hosts offer website builders where you simply choose a design and fill-in the blanks. You can also purchase templates online. If you plan on building your site from the ground up, you will need to know HTML, the language of web pages (Learn about HTML). Remember to follow basic design principles and web usability strategies to enhance user experience.
4. Managing your content – Your site content includes text, images, and multimedia. Make sure all content has a purpose, whether it is to inform customers about your company or answer any potential questions they may have (Learn about the copywriting process). Also, ensure your content doesn’t contain “too good to be true” words (Learn about copy mistakes). It is also important to keep your site updated with new content so visitors have a reason to check back.
Building your own website takes time and can be an overwhelming process. What do you find to be most intimidating when considering building your own website? This concludes part 2 of our series. Next, we will be discussing your third alternative if hiring a web designer and building your own website is currently not an option for your business.
How to build your own website step-by-step:
1. Obtain a domain name – The domain name is what people type into their address bar to get to your site (www.ae-consulting.net). Picking a domain identical to your company’s name is ideal, but due to limited availability this may not be an option. In this case, find a domain that best reflects what your company offers (Learn more about choosing a domain name).
2. Find a web host – In order for people to access your website, you must have a web host. A web host is a company that leases space on a server where people can publish their websites. There are tons of web hosts out there so do your research to find one that meets your needs (Learn more about finding a good web host).
3. Build your website – The website is what people actually see online. When creating your site you have two options: using a template or starting from scratch. Many web hosts offer website builders where you simply choose a design and fill-in the blanks. You can also purchase templates online. If you plan on building your site from the ground up, you will need to know HTML, the language of web pages (Learn about HTML). Remember to follow basic design principles and web usability strategies to enhance user experience.
4. Managing your content – Your site content includes text, images, and multimedia. Make sure all content has a purpose, whether it is to inform customers about your company or answer any potential questions they may have (Learn about the copywriting process). Also, ensure your content doesn’t contain “too good to be true” words (Learn about copy mistakes). It is also important to keep your site updated with new content so visitors have a reason to check back.
Building your own website takes time and can be an overwhelming process. What do you find to be most intimidating when considering building your own website? This concludes part 2 of our series. Next, we will be discussing your third alternative if hiring a web designer and building your own website is currently not an option for your business.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Nonprofits Could Lose Tax Exemption Status
According to the New York Times post on April 23, 2010, an estimated one-fifth to one-quarter of some 1.6 million charities, trade associations, and membership groups will lose their tax exemptions on May 15 at midnight thanks to a provision buried in a 2006 federal bill aimed at pension reform. If you have not filed taxes for three consecutive years, including those with revenue under $25k, you need to contact a tax professional immediately. Please reference the linked article for more information.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Welcome Erin to AE's Team
We'd like to welcome Erin Freehan to AE's team as a level 2 Consultant. She will be working with existing and new clients, has a background in PR and marketing, and has extensive experience with nonprofits. As our client base continues to grow, it is important for us to ensure we're offering quality services to each client, thus a new consultant was needed! Welcome Erin! We look forward to your contributions to our team and client projects.
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