by Mary Johnson -- Web Site Helper, LLC
  July 27, 2004  Issue 9
Internet Solutions to Grow Your Business
 

My sister from Florida joined us and that is the two of us enjoying some quality time together.

Call me:  937-974-5539
Email me:  Mary@WebSiteHelper.com
 Web me:  www.WebSiteHelper.com

Hi There,

My husband and I are back from our yearly vacation on the lake.  This year we rented a lakefront cabin on Norris Lake in Tennessee.

Since my subscribers to this enewsletter are from all over the US, let me explain that the lakes in Tennessee & Kentucky are huge, unlike Ohio where I live.

You can cruise in your boat all day in one direction without running out of water. Our GPS comes in quite handy to find our way back. Great fun!

IN THIS ISSUE

Find out about a great Web site to get inexpensive professional photos for your company brochure and Web pages.

If you find this information useful, don't keep it a secret! Please forward this email to a friend (see link in footer).
 
In This Issue    
Grow Your Business Tip    
 

Hot Tip for Source of Professional Photos

Have I got a hot tip for you! Professional photos can be obtained from http://www.istockphoto.com for as little as fifty cents. Believe it!

They have a great user interface on the site that allows you to search on any keyword phrase to quickly find that perfect photo. You can also save photos to a "light box" for comparison before making a final selection. They even offer a complimentary photo-of-the-week.

I am proud to say that I contribute photos to the site, more as a hobby than as a way to get rich. I've sold quite a few! It is lots of fun and I find it fascinating to see which pictures are marketable and which are not.

 
Technology Tip    
 

Crash Course on Choosing Photos for Your Web Site

Use Photos to Support Your Message

What you may think is obvious may not be to your customers.

Some time back, I did a Web site for a coffee house (http://www.aCoffeeAffair.com).   The first photo people saw on the Web site was of the owners standing by their coffee roasting machine. I can't tell you how many people have told me that they never knew that they roasted their own coffee before they saw that picture!

Be Different

Don't be afraid to insert some pictures that are simply pretty or fun. Why? Because this can add freshness, personality, humor, and offer a break from information overload.

To turn what could be considered "dry material" into something a little more playful and less intimidating, use carefully selected photos. For an example, look at a Web site that I recently did for Employer Benefit Resources (http://www.employer-benefit.com) which sells group and life insurance to businesses.

  
Focus on the Client    

 

Change Stereotyped Images -- Even for Used Car Sales

Stereotypes are hard to break and what stronger stereotype is there than a "used car salesman"?

Create Some Personality

With Ken's Kars, located in Dayton Ohio (http://www.kenskars.com), I created some personality for a new Web site by using some great historical photos that they had showing their 3-generation history in the community. Don't you just love that old jalopy!

Personal Stories Also Help

Once we got talking, the folks at Ken's Kars remembered some priceless gems that are worth repeating to friends.

One such story was that their mail carrier bought his Pontiac GTO from Ken's Kars in 1974. He still has the car!

Better yet, he is also still their mail carrier and tells everyone that he is on the Web site! You can't beat that kind of advertising.

If you think your Web site lacks some personality, give me a call.


Call me:  937-974-5539
Email me:  Mary@WebSiteHelper.com
 Web me:  www.WebSiteHelper.com