Atlanta, Asheville Web Site Design - Jaymunda Blog

At Jaymunda we know that it can be tough to compete with larger companies online. To assist small businesses, we created a solution to fit your needs. Jaymunda Basic is a tool that gives your business an effective online presence without the hefty price tag.

Our goal is to provide quality websites for businesses who are starting a business or have less than ten employees. We have carefully selected business providers who are well trained to assist you in the planning stages of your website.

Visit www.jaymundabasic.com to learn more.

I Got Traffic. Now What?
By Jon Rognerud - Entrepreneur.com 
Congratulations. Through diligent keyword placement, content creation, and internal and external link development, you’ve optimized your site to attract search engine visitors for your top related terms and phrases.

Now that they’re coming, how do you get them to stay? And more importantly, how do you get them to buy?

It’s a lot easier than it looks. By mastering the following 11 techniques, you can be assured higher conversion rates, more sales and, best of all, more money in your pocket.

1. Clean house before you have visitors over. Your website should have a clean, professional, easy-to-navigate design. If it looks like your 10-year-old nephew designed your website, potential customers may conclude that he designed your product, too–and leave right away.

A professional-looking design inspires confidence in your visitors, with the added benefit of making it simple for them to find exactly what they need–or didn’t know they needed.

It doesn’t have to be expensive. You can purchase a customizable template at sites like Template Monster or hire a freelance designer at a site like Guru or Rent-A-Coder. Make sure you change the template enough so that it doesn’t look like one.

2. Provide details, details, details. While you don’t want to reprint the dictionary, the more details you can provide your potential customers, the higher the perceived value of your products and the more comfortable your visitors will be making a purchase.

If you’re selling an information product, include an excerpt or two–maybe even a full chapter. List the table of contents, the glossary and/or the appendix. Mention the page count, word count, chapter count, or that it includes “101 color palettes to make your living room pop” or “interviews with 27 industry leaders.”

If you’re selling a physical product, include one or more high-quality images. In fact, even if you’re not selling a physical product, creating a fake “book graphic” and highlighting a photo of it can lend credibility while making a lengthy text description easier on the eyes. List the dimensions, the weight and/or the materials.

When describing the tangible benefits of your products, don’t forget to appeal to your customers’ emotions. Don’t just tell them that your abdominal crunching machine can help them do 50 crunches a minute; remind them how great their six-pack abs and smaller dress size will make them feel.

Along the same line, include images that appeal to their emotions. Don’t just put up a photo of your abdominal cruncher against a white wall. Instead photograph a fit, attractive person having fun using it.

3. Make suggestions. If you have more than one product, cross-promote and up-sell where you can. It’s very likely that a person looking at a birdhouse will also want birdseed and a guide to identifying North American birds. In fact, even if they decide they ultimately don’t want the birdhouse, they may still wind up buying one or more of the related products. Make sure you track the various items on your page. See my More Money from Landing Pages blog post for more on that.

4. Create a sense of urgency. If you give visitors the impression that your website and special pricing will be around forever, they might take that long to decide if they want to make a purchase. Boldly announce a sales price that only lasts until midnight, or that you only have 12 items remaining in stock and aren’t sure if you’ll ever have more. This will encourage readers to buy right now instead of thinking they can wait until later.

5. Give clear directions. Studies of website visitors have shown that using the phrase “Click here” or “Yes, I want my white paper” instead of a vaguer phrase like “Read more” yields much higher click-through rates. Don’t assume anything. If they need to click a link to make a purchase, explicitly tell them to click the link.

6. Start high, end low. Another strategy for getting people to make purchases is to start out by offering an expensive item–say, a complete set of 100 motivational DVDs with 1,000 hours of video–and then introducing a smaller, more affordable version of the item. The idea is to whet their appetite for all that you could be offering, and then give them a version that they can also benefit from without breaking the bank.

The best part is that some visitors will buy the higher-priced item, too.

7. Everyone likes something for free. Come up with a bonus to offer for free with each purchase. If you sell an information product, offer a free e-book or newsletter. If you ship a physical product, throw in an extra accessory or even something as small as a sticker. Even better: Factor in the cost of shipping into each item’s price and then offer “free” shipping.

8. Give your word–and stick to it. Offer a money-back guarantee on whatever products or services you’re selling. This makes it easier for potential buyers to hand over their money. Offering a 60- or 90-day guarantee allows the person to trust you and take action on your offer.

Will a few unscrupulous buyers take advantage of your guarantee? Probably, and the best way to deal with them is to refund their money and move on. Honoring your word in this way builds positive word-of-mouth marketing, and if nothing else is simply good business karma. The additional sales you’ll earn in exchange for offering a money-back guarantee is well worth it.

9. Offer testimonials. Inspire trust in your visitors by displaying testimonials from happy customers. If you haven’t sold anything yet, ask friends and family to write testimonials for you, or swap testimonials with an online acquaintance selling a non-competitive–or better yet, complementary–product. Adding a video or audio clip is something you should consider, especially in the current YouTube times.

10. Get them to leave something, if not their money. The mere fact that someone arrived at your website in the first place means they’re interested in what you have to offer. There’s a myriad of reasons why they may not purchase right away.

Don’t let them leave without saying good-bye. Offer a free bonus, gift or coupon code in exchange for their e-mail address. A great strategy is to invite visitors to sign up for a free newsletter or information product that requires their e-mail address to deliver. You can then send periodic e-mails announcing sales, specials or new products to these potential customers, who are already pre-screened and want what you have.

11. Don’t forget to keep working on SEO. Once the traffic starts rolling in, it’s easy to forget how your visitors found you in the first place. Keeping up with your SEO strategies will ensure a steady stream of customers for a long time to come. SEO is a never-ending task.

Jon Rognerud is a recognized authority on the subject of search engine optimization and has spent more than 15 years developing websites and marketing solutions at companies like Overture and Yahoo!. His website, www.jonrognerud.com, provides a wealth of informative articles, resources and complimentary e-mail courses on everything you’ll ever need to know about SEO and search marketing.

Asheville-based marketing and Web technology company Jaymunda (www.Jaymunda.com) is helping other local businesses thrive and grow through small business education following their own recent expansion, opening a new office in the Atlanta area in the Fall of 2007.
Asheville, NC – May 7, 2008 – Local web development and Internet marketing company, Jaymunda (www.Jaymunda.com), is nearing its four-year anniversary while actively promoting economic development in Asheville through a focus on entrepreneurs. After the company’s own recent growth and expansion with a second office opened in the Atlanta area, Jaymunda is working to help other small and medium-sized businesses succeed through new technology education.
Jaymunda has been involved in small business education in Asheville by teaching classes through an affiliation with A-B Tech’s Small Business Center / Incubator, as well as their past event “So You Have a Website… Now What?” which was attended by over 60 community members and small business owners.
Jaymunda’s contributions to the community haven’t gone unnoticed. “We appreciate Jaymunda’s participation in our Professional Services office to provide pro bono time for clients of our center,” says Russ Yelton, Executive Director of Entrepreneurial Ventures and Business Incubation for A-B Tech. “It is professionals such as them who give of their time back to the community that makes the Asheville business market a special place to be.”
Nearly every small business has the potential to grow if they can harness the power of a truly effective Web presence. “Websites have come a long way over the last several years,” says Jason Syzdek, President of Jaymunda.  “Websites offer tools and capabilities many small business owners aren’t even aware of, such as the ability to more directly interact with their customers. It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist, an online business, or even a consultant - having a website should be looked at as a necessity and not just an option at this point in time. Websites are just as effective in building more local business as they are in expanding to new markets nationally or even internationally.”
While small towns can feel “invaded” by large corporations setting up chain stores or offices, Jaymunda serves as an example of small business biting back. They expanded from Asheville to Atlanta while still staying true to their local roots, focused on helping other Asheville entrepreneurs do the same.
“At Jaymunda, we believe we have a duty to help educate local business owners in a way that they can better understand how technology, design, and Internet marketing combine to lead to growth, both on an individual basis as well as economic growth in the community,” says Syzdek. “Small businesses shouldn’t fear corporate growth into their towns. We have the ability to help them reach local customers by using technology in ways that can help to level the playing field.”
In addition to classes and events in the community, Jaymunda offers free marketing tips, tools, and downloads for entrepreneurs at www.Jaymunda.com.
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About Jaymunda
Jaymunda: Graphic & Web Design, Inc. is a respected Web technology company focused on providing advertising, design, programming, search engine optimization, and marketing services to small and medium-sized businesses. Based in Asheville, NC, the company expanded in 2007 to open a second office in Marietta, GA. Jaymunda was founded by President Jason Syzdek.
For more information about Jaymunda, or what the company is doing to help Asheville’s small and medium-sized businesses, please visit www.Jaymunda.com.

Asheville’s small businesses, such as marketing and Web technology company Jaymunda (www.Jaymunda.com,) help to maintain the city’s character and atmosphere by working together to build a strong business community. Strong small businesses are ones that will stick around, supporting the local economy for years to come.
Asheville, NC – May 16, 2008 – While other cities and towns across the country are feeling overrun by development and major corporations moving in, Asheville’s small businesses are thriving and helping to keep the charm and community feel of the city by working together. Local Web development and Internet marketing company, Jaymunda (www.Jaymunda.com), is a prime example – helping other area small businesses make the most of new technologies through education and Web-based services.
“Asheville’s small businesses all have something to offer the community or to each other,” says Jaymunda’s Co-owner and Vice President, Heather Syzdek. “These entrepreneurs are real members of the community themselves, and they’re a part of the local culture. By working together towards growth, Asheville’s business owners help to support the local economy while ensuring their own stability. Jaymunda tries to do its part by educating area entrepreneurs about technologies that can help them succeed in the local market or expand beyond it, as our company did last year by expanding to a second office in the Atlanta area. Strong small businesses are good for Asheville as well as good for the owners.”
Jaymunda and the company’s clients serve as an example of the power of word-of-mouth – referrals and cross-promotional opportunities are always available, and they can help any type of small business succeed. “When small businesses thrive, it builds confidence within the members of the community who can build bonds with local entrepreneurs in ways that corporate chain stores can’t compete with,” says Syzdek. “Our tight-knit community feel isn’t of concern to large corporations opening stores and offices anywhere they can make a buck, but small business owners are residents, neighbors, and friends.”
In addition to helping local small businesses build a Web presence and market themselves online, Jaymunda has actively worked to educate members of the Asheville community about small business technology issues by teaching classes through A-B Tech’s Small Business Center.
In addition to classes for local entrepreneurs, Jaymunda offers free marketing tips, tools, and downloads at www.Jaymunda.com to help small business owners make better use of Web-based technologies.
About Jaymunda
Jaymunda: Graphic & Web Design, Inc. is a respected Web technology company focused on providing advertising, design, programming, search engine optimization, and marketing services to small and medium-sized businesses. Based in Asheville, NC, the company expanded in 2007 to open a second office in Marietta, GA. Jaymunda was founded by President Jason Syzdek.
For more information about Jaymunda, or what the company is doing to help Asheville’s small and medium-sized businesses, please visit www.Jaymunda.com or contact Jason Syzdek at 828-254-0892.

by Lynne M. BaabJonathan, 28, believes Web sites functions like a “front page” for organizations. He notes that his generation surfs the Internet continuously, both during the work day and during leisure hours, and that they would almost never visit a church or other organization without first checking out its Web site. Whether or not Jonathan can speak for an entire generation, organizational Web sites are certainly proliferating. More congregations are establishing Web sites and more congregational leaders are realizing how helpful, even strategic, Web sites can be. 

Reaching All Audiences Congregational Web sites have three audiences, two of them primary and one of them less prominent. One audience is congregation members. Often they come to the Web site for information. What time is that missionary speaking tonight, and where? They also visit the Web site to download the sermon in audio, video, or written form. Keeping the Web site updated with factual information and recent sermons is key for this audience. 

A second audience is potential visitors. Is the time of the worship service posted on the homepage? Is there a link to directions to the church? Is basic information about the congregation presented—both verbally and visually—so that a visitor would have some sense of this congregation’s priorities? Are there links to information specifically for newcomers, or general information about the church that newcomers would value? A third audience congregational Web sites might consider addressing is people from other congregations who are looking for resources. Perhaps someone visits a congregation on vacation, enjoys the sermon, and comes back to the congregation’s Web site each week to read or listen to the pastor’s sermon. Or perhaps a children’s ministry leader is looking for new ideas, so scans other churches’ Web sites to see how they are serving children. A worldwide network of connections is facilitated by the existence of congregational Web sites, a fascinating new manifestation of the body of Christ and of Jewish solidarity. 

The Rise of the Visual Communication scholars have noted a significant shift in communication patterns in recent decades. The written word is giving way to images. Web sites are an assemblage of words and images, and most experts on Web sites affirm that viewers tend to notice the visual aspects first. 

Most of the Web site producers I interviewed affirmed that the pastors and leaders of their congregations are largely word-oriented. I suspect this is true of rabbis and leaders of synagogues as well. My interviewees told me that their pastors and other congregational leaders generate announcements of events and descriptions of the church that are usually designed for newsletters, brochures, and printed bulletins. Web designers edit these texts, usually shortening them significantly, and pair them with photos and other images to create a pleasing whole. Note the disconnect here. Congregational leaders are charged with leading the congregation and communicating its vision, yet the aspect of the Web site that carries the greatest impact—the visual components, such as photos and graphics, as well as the overall visual structure—is usually determined by one person, the Web designer. This person is usually a member of the congregation who volunteers to create the site, a paid employee, or a paid independent contractor. In very few cases is it a leader of the congregation. 

Many congregational Web sites are quite effective and interesting, but are they communicating the values of the congregation in ways that mesh with the vision for the congregation established intentionally by its leaders? Unless leaders of congregations take their Web sites seriously, these sites will continue to be the work of one person, or a very small number of people, who may or may not be closely connected to the leaders and their vision. Help from “Critical Friends” 

When the Internet started to become a significant force in society about a decade ago, religious leaders were divided in their opinions about this new technology. Some were extremely negative, viewing the Internet as a dehumanizing force, a threat to community and communication. Others saw it as a place of opportunity for religious organizations, a place where proclamation and explanation could take place and a place where community and connections could be nurtured. One of the premier researchers on online religious community, Heidi Campbell, argues for a middle ground. She uses the term “critical friends” ¹ to describe what she would like to see: religious leaders who affirm the opportunities provided by the Internet while also being cautious and careful about the possible negative repercussions. 

In my study of congregational Web sites, I found that this critical friend role was often absent in congregations. Many Web site producers work quite independently because of lack of interest by congregational leaders. Critical friends among the congregation’s leaders would bring an additional set of eyes and an understanding of the congregation’s priorities, enabling Web sites to represent congregations as accurately as possible. In addition, critical friends are urgently needed in congregations to minimize the growing tendency toward a consumerist model of faith and congregational life. Because Web sites use visual communication in ways similar to those of the advertising industry, congregational leaders need to think carefully about how their Web sites tap into consumerist practices. 

The Web site producers I interviewed were uniformly positive about the opportunity afforded by the medium. Most of them saw no potential conflicts in wholesale adoption of secular marketing strategies to promote their congregation and to describe its uniqueness. Critical friends, with an awareness of the risks inherent in the consumer model and perhaps with theological training, need to be in dialogue with Web site producers as choices are made regarding Web site content. Web sites provide amazing opportunities for congregations to reach out and to provide information and resources for members. Careful and effective use of congregational Web sites will involve attention to the visual as well as the verbal and will reflect the congregation’s values in photos, graphics, art, and links. Web site producers will not work in isolation but with the help of critical friends among the congregation’s leaders, who will help them make decisions about this strategic communication tool. 

Excerpted from “Our New Front Door: How Congregational Web Sites Communicate Church Vision” from the Spring 2008 issue of Congregations magazine. Lynne M. Baab’s book Reaching out in a Networked World: Expressing Your Congregation’s Heart and Soul will be published this fall.
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¹ Heidi Campbell, “Approaches to Religious Research in Computer-mediated Communication,” in J. Mitchell & S. Marriage, eds., Mediating Religion: Conversations in Media, Culture and Religion (New York: T & T Clark, 2003), 216. 

Jaymunda recently launched two websites with a very simple, yet effective feature: A button that changes the size of the text for those who need larger text!