Connectivity
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Love of travel and web savviness had us viewing resort and vacation rental website designs long before it was the standard that it is today. As timeshare owners, we search resort and vacation rental websites regularly for new travel experiences. We seldom stay at the same venue twice – not even our home resorts. Why bother when of timeshare exchange companies like RCI and Interval International and vacation clubs such as Global Connections, offer web portals and we can view thousands of resort and vacation rental website designs all in one spot.
In addition to our timeshare travels and online vacation planning, we list our own vacation rental property. Our vacation property guests book online through our Michigan cottage rental website. We are not in a highly-sought Up-North Michigan location. We are not on any of the Michigan Great Lakes. Lake Michigan is at least an hour and a half away from our rental cottage. Our rental is just a kitschy one bedroom cottage on a small lake in mid-Michigan. Yet, each season we have to turn people away because we get booked up so early.
Amateur or professional, when it comes to resort and vacation rental website designs seeing is believing
With resort reviews, beautiful photos of every suite, villa, view, and amenity offered, finding a premium vacation rental is just a click away. Sadly, many very desirable resort destinations neglect to present their property and amenities effectively. When resort and vacation rental websites show views of a pristine beach or bright lights of the city with luxury designer furnishings, travelers feel confident booking their stay. When another beachfront resort has a website that doesn’t function on mobile devices, lacks standard features, or has outdated content and photos, visitors are not as confident and they search other options.
Many vacation properties and resorts assume listing with RCI, II, Travelocity, TripAdvisor, Homeaway, AirBnB, etc. can serve as their online marketing. When travel or vacation rental referral sites suggest a property, visitors will still visit the actual resort and vacation property website. Even when photos and property descriptions are posted on the referral site, vacationers practice due diligence.
Recently, we were seeking a resort destination for spring break. We searched for a resort within driving distance and planned to use some of our RCI points. I searched through RCI and found a resort with availability. When I showed the photos and the resort website to the 13 year old she was mortified. “Look how old the furniture is! Ewww they probably have bedbugs!.”
Granted we stretch our points and seldom stay at 5 star resorts, but this kid has never stayed at a resort where there was a concern about cleanliness, let alone bugs. I share her response only to demonstrate how important visuals are in this world of internet shoppers. Even if resort furnishings aren’t top-of-the-line updating your resort and vacation property website designs can go a long way.
Work with a company who gets you.
It’s time to take charge of your online brand and improve your resort and vacation rental website designs. Give us a call today and let’s review your current website design and functionality. We can put together a cost effective, timely solution, within budget that exceeds your goals.
Why change the name to Connection Group after 20 years?
In addition to the award winning graphic design and web design specialties, marketing services have increasingly been added to bring additional value to our customers. As these marketing services continued to answer the needs of an ever changing business climate, customers and prospects consistently remarked that the name did not indicate the many benefits they received.
From administrators, to designers, to writers, to website and app coders, Connection Group staff and contractors are unified in the effort to achieve the highest results in the most efficient manner. We are dependent on each other and appreciative of each others skills and talents. The new name, “Connection Group” better represents the company mission to help customers reach their goals.
How will the name change to Connection Group impact existing customers?
Connection Graphics, LLC will be retained as the corporate name and we will be doing business as (DBA) Connection Group. The name change will not impact established business relationships. Pricing and agreements will not change. Payments can still be made to Connection Graphics.
Essentially there will only be minor changes to note:
- new website address is www.connection.group (connectiongraphics.com will be retained also and will point to connection.group
- new name will be placed on correspondence and marketing items
- company email addresses will be forwarded from the old address
What else can companies expect from the new Connection Group?
Founder and President, Connie Sweet said “We know small business owners are busy running their business. Keeping their website updated, designing leave behind materials or determining what marketing and advertising methods offer the most value is not an efficient use of their time.” In answer to this challenge, Connection Group has developed affordable packages that combine design and marketing services to keep small businesses current and connected to their customers. From brand design packages to quarterly or monthly website maintenance, customers can select one package, multiple packages or customize packages dependent on their goals.
How will businesses benefit from this change?
Any business, from start ups, to established businesses, large and small can take advantage of new services. With over 20 years of design and marketing experience, Connection Group dedicates efforts to increase brand image and maintain brand presence affordably and efficiently. From logo design to brand and website maintenance, each business message can be streamline to get noticed.
In 2017, Connection Group will update their marketing materials to reflect the name change. To keep clients up-to-date on industry changes and mandates a monthly e-newsletter, regularly posted content to connection.group, social media outlets, and regular published blog posts will help keep customers informed. Sweet says, “The name has changed but the commitment to bring the highest level of service while continuing to stay connected to our customers and the communities we serve remains.”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
May Your Days be Merry and Bright
We hope you have received your 2017 Connection Group calendar in the mail by now.
Here’s wishing you and your family and friends a very fun, safe, and joyous holiday!
We will be closed for the holidays on the following days:
Monday December 26, 2016
Friday December 30 and
Monday January 2
We have big changes ahead for 2017 and we hope you will stay connected!
WordPress rocks as a responsive website solution that non-coders can update easily, the challenge is that, it eats up space. It’s popularity also leaves it susceptible to hackers when it is not maintained properly. New website hosting features, discounted website maintenance and website security solutions are affordable and necessary solutions for small business websites.
Safe surfing for everyone
Earlier this year we penned a blog about Google’s plans for a safer, friendlier internet. In short, member-based websites, e-commerce sites, any website that requests customer log-in or visitor information will be required to have a secure website (https vs http). Beginning in 2017, Google will begin putting warnings on all non-secure websites that request log in information or websites that offer items or services for sale. As a result, these warnings will effectively shut down website visitors.
Google prefers all sites be trusted and certified.
Finally, after the initial phase, the plan is to target other websites in an effort to increase security across all of the internet. As a result, it is recommended all websites include an SSL certificate and choose secure website hosting.
Cost for SSL Certificates and Set up
Secure Security Socket (SSL) certificates for small business websites vary from 128/256 bit to 2048 bit encryption. If your website doesn’t retrieve personal information you could choose a lower level of coverage and see a cost savings. If your website accepts payments, customer or member information, and if you have a large amount of visitors monthly we recommend the highest security level.
Additional Benefits of Secure Websites:
- Higher search engine rankings
- Increased credibility and relevancy ratings
- Referrer data – creating more accurate website analytics
Discounted Website Maintenance for Hosting Customers
Website hosting means your website and domain emails are stored on web servers. Web servers share your website content with the world. That is all basic website hosting is. If you would also like to reduce susceptibility to hackers, have regular back ups, and assistance with website updates and staff emails, a website maintenance plan should be added .
Connection Group offers our hosting customers an exclusive quarterly maintenance plan . Small business customers who do not need a lot of updates or who don’t receive 1000s of visitors each month are eligible for the discounted website maintenance. Small website hosting customers can receive the benefits of website maintenance with all of the services listed in our basic plan for $100 per quarter ($400 annually) instead of paying $75 per month or ($900 annually). Please review the quarterly plan to see if it suits your company.
Benefits of Website Maintenance
- Increased search engine placement (SEO)
- Current content on your website helps your visitor stay informed
- Website updates show visitors that your company is progressive (and still in business!)
- WordPress version updates helps to keep your website running smoothly
- Google Analytics integration and access helps you see website visitor trends
- Daily back ups help protect you in case of unforeseen issues
- 3rd party plug-in updates keeps your website safer from hack attacks and compatibility issues
- Email control allows you to create, delete, back up all company email or ask us to help you
Reap the benefits and savings of discounted website maintenance. Websites that have current information instill visitor trust. The majority of websites that get hacked are those that are not maintained. In conclusion, take precautions, maintain your website, have staff check it regularly or outsource the service. The time to clean up a hacked website can take many hours or days. If you sell directly from your website the cost in lost sales alone can be devastating.
Please give us a call today. We’re here to help.
Taking Care of Business:
Give Thanks to Local Business
Locally, a group of us have taken a grassroots approach to the #shopsmall movement. The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, along with the Capital Regional SBDC is organizing Shop Small With Us – Love for Charlotte Businesses. From yarn and quilt shop specials, a visit from Santa, s’mores, and a free kids movie at the local theatre, Charlotte will be a fun-filled destination for families.
I’m happy we played a part in the planning and graphic design and social media promotions we donated for the #shopsmall movement. Personally, I prefer the service and unique gifts I find from small businesses. Professionally, it is primarily small businesses who keep us growing. From brand identity and management, web design and maintenance, and social media management, the bulk of our customers are small businesses.
Regardless of where you are in the country, or the world, when you are shopping for goods and services, remember to start small.
Social Media Gems
I’m going to be self indulgent this month. My favorite social media share recently is the one on the right. I love a good quote, I love inspiring words, add cleaver design and beautiful graphics and I’m a fan for life. We have created social media graphics and Facebook page covers you can use for free. Find the ones that inspire you, then share them to inspire others. Keep sharing and we will keep creating!
Find Us On : Facebook, Pinterest,Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram…
Looking for small business marketing solutions? We receive calls everyday from small businesses looking for answers to their marketing needs. We also receive phone calls from other marketing companies trying to sell to us! I am amazed by the volume of calls (some robo calls, don’t get me started on those-ugh!) from marketing companies. Each call promises increased Google rankings, website visitors, social media followers, decreased pounds – wait, no, that is a call that could actually be helpful…
I met with a customer this week who received one of these calls. The call spurred a discussion about Google rankings and how we could help. We’ve also met with a couple of small businesses in Lansing and Charlotte, Michigan have monthly marketing package agreements with Town Square Media. Town Square Media have a large sales forcey, targeting small businesses in mid-Michigan and throughout the country who need help with web design and marketing. They build responsive websites and offer social media management. They also promise search engine optimization (SEO) and monthly edits to small business websites for a set monthly fee.
Marketing Packages for Small Business
Marketing packages are beneficial small business marketing solutions if they offer consistent, fresh, customized content, at a set affordable cost. We were surprised to hear Town Square Media customers were paying twice as much per month as we charge. Plus, their customers were getting a very small percentage of the service we provide. Some of the small businesses who had WordPress responsive websites built were paying over $200 a month. They also told us that if they wanted to cancel they would lose their website. After over a year of paying for a website the didn’t even own their website!
Fortunately, we have been able to help these Lansing and Charlotte, Michigan businesses. They now own their website designs and have control of their internet marketing. Can we help your small business save money and get more ROI and higher brand recognition?
If you are a Town Square Media customer in Lansing or in the surrounding small towns please give us a call today. We believe in small businesses and we relish the opportunity to help you grow. For those of you who are paying monthly for a responsive e-commerce website or other small business website that you will never own – cut your losses.
Affordable Small Business Marketing Solutions
We will build a custom website for similar or less cost than you have paid and you will own it once paid in full. We will also train you on how to edit your responsive website. Have problems with edits? Call us, we’re here to help and we will walk you through updating your website. We’re here for you if you have major changes you prefer not to attempt. We will provide an accurate time-based estimate to get your website design developed quickly. You don’t have to take our word for it, our reviews speak for themselves.
For small businesses with professional websites who need answers about social media management, email marketing, SEO and getting reviews posted on Google, etc. please give us a call. Don’t sign on with a company you haven’t researched or with a company who doesn’t know you, or your local area. We will meet with you over the phone or face to face. After the meeting, we can develop a custom plan. Plans can include fee based services, or we train you how to achieve similar results. Take back ownership of your brand, connect with us today!
Taking Care of Business:
Driving Revenue to Your Brand
We have used Mailchimp for Connectivity and for our customer e-mail marketing for many years. Similar to WordPress, the website design and management software we recommend, Mailchimp is easy-to-use and reasonably priced. Mailchimp has become a leader in the email marketing space and continually adds new automated features.
Today I want to pass along a Skillshare video training highlighting new features Mailchimp has created for e-commerce websites. For those of you who sell products or services through your website, these new e-commerce features can help stimulate sales. (If you don’t want to join Skillshare, click the bottom right corner to view the videos.)
For those of you who have not implemented e-mail marketing into your marketing mix, Mailchimp has an extensive knowledge base and step by step instructions to set up your first campaign.
If you need help implementing these new features, please give us a call. We can add automated features to your website that assist your do-it-yourself e-mail marketing efforts. We can also take the reigns and develop weekly, monthly, or quarterly email campaigns to keep your customers informed and help you stay connected.
Social Media Gems
Ever wonder how your friends social media gets hacked? Or how yours got hacked? Many times hacks come from apps connected to your accounts — often from apps you don’t use anymore, or never have used. Google created a gif encouraging cleaning apps from your Google account. You can check your Facebook Apps here.
Find Us On Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin, and Twitter…
As of January, 2017 website security for member log in websites and all websites that accept and/or store credit card information must be secure (HTTPS). Google will begin to penalize e-commerce and member-based websites if they are not secure.
Main difference between HTTP and HTTPS
HTTP is the protocol that allows the web server to communicate with a web browser. HTTP web data is transferred as plain text. Credit card numbers, passwords and social security numbers can be mined by hackers. Alternatively, HTTPS is not text based. Instead, HTTPS uses SSL (secure socket layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security), data is encrypted and is impenetrable to the outside world. Another benefit of website security is faster page loads.
Website Security Increases Online Sales and Business Credibility
A 2014 survey by Global Sign indicated 85% of people who buy items online will only buy from websites they know are secure. Chrome and Firefox web browsers show a lock in the title bar on secure websites. The lock graphic assures the website is secure and the company is credible.
Google will begin flagging non secure websites that gather log in and or financial data with a red triangle “Not secure” warning. By adding the red triangle to non-secure websites, Google will effectively shut your website traffic off.
Have you seen a Google warning to stay out or “harm may come to your computer” on a website? As web developers, we know that these sites have been hacked. Even though they may already be cleaned, we still respect the warning and stay away. Often, if a site is hacked once, it will be targeted again. Similarly, the red triangle will be a digital stop sign.
Will Your Company Website be Affected?
Eventually all HTTP pages will be labeled as non-secure. Even if your small business website doesn’t collect member or financial data you’ll need to have website security. Hackers are becoming more sophisticated and even small websites with low traffic are targets.
Google has not released the date in which they will be marking all non HTTPS compliant websites as insecure. They have set January, 2017 as the date they will begin rolling out the penalties to websites that gather personal or financial information. We will share critical dates in emails.
How do you know if your website is part of this first phase?
Organizations and small business websites that accept payments online and websites with membership portals, are required to have website security.
Types of Member-Based Websites:
Trade association websites, non-profit organization websites, website directories, web forums, all websites that ask for a log in. This includes small business websites that may not receive payments. For instance, if you have a website that sells yarn or fabric and all of your sales go to Paypal you wouldn’t need HTTP right away. That same website can be aa member-based website if it requires a member account for free access to pattern downloads. You will need HTTPS designation for your small business website.
E-Commerce Websites or Web Shops
An e-Commerce website is any website that offers products or services for purchase on the website. Selling products online such as photos, handmade art, hunting supplies, and any product available for purchase online falls under e-Commerce. In addition, services like our individual brand consultation and our monthly website maintenance are also. If a website maintenance customer chose to pay online through our website and not through snail mail or Paypal, our site would need website security.
As you can see, it doesn’t matter what items you offer. Your items for sale can be a products or services, as large as an RV or as small as a brand consultation. If customers log in to your site or if they can send payment through your website you need a secure website. If you do not have website security, call and connect with us today. Don’t wait until your customers get scared away.
Taking Care of Business:
Business Card Design for Small Business
As a graphic designer I have been known to break a few corporate rules. However, I don’t get too crazy when it comes to business card design. At least when it comes to the shape and size of business cards. As in most industries, there are standards to follow that help consumers and industry professionals. Challenges, expense and frustration occur when products vary from industry standards. An innovative product may be deemed unusable. A company who chooses to break from the norm may be striving to create a new standard (Hello Apple iphone7 headphones). In other instances they may not have compiled the proper research. Or they are just going rogue.
Lately, when attending networking events the business cards I have garnered are in a variety of shapes and sizes. Creative business card design is a valuable investment for start ups as well as established corporations. But, it is important not to get too far away from the norm… read more on the blog
Social Media Gems
We love the practice of Feng Shui here in the office. Our most popular blog post for the longest time was Bring Good Energy to Your Business – Feng Shui Your Brand. We stumbled cross (aka – got lost in Pinterest for a while) this Feng Shui color meaning infographic. Check out your brand visuals. Do the elements flow, does your color suit your brand personality? Is it time for a Feng Shui cure? Give us a call, let’s map it out.
Don’t miss the fun, Find Us On Facebook, and Twitter..,
As a graphic designer I have been known to break a few corporate rules. However, I choose to play by the rules when it comes to business card design. At least when it comes to the shape and size of business cards. As in most industries, there are standards to follow that help consumers and industry professionals. Challenges, expense and frustration occur when products vary from industry standards. An innovative product may be deemed unusable. A company who chooses to break from the norm may be striving to create a new standard (Hello Apple iphone7 headphone). In other instances they may not have compiled the proper research. Or they are just going rogue!
Lately, when attending networking events the business cards I have garnered are in a variety of shapes and sizes. Creative business card design is a valuable investment for start ups as well as established corporations. But, it is important not to get too far away from the norm. It is your logo and business card design that people see most. Business cards will be exchanged at networking events, one on one meetings, and cold calls. If your card looks unprofessional, then so do you.
What is the size of business cards?
The standard dimensions of a business card design is 2” x 3.5”. Traditionally the 3.5” is the longer, horizontal measurement. Over the years vertical business card designs have made a mark as well. The most widely accepted business card shape is a horizontal version. Industries such as banking, insurance, manufacturing, and education use traditional, clean designs. Comparatively, vertical business card designs, tend to be used by creative industries such as architects, interior or graphic designers, crafters or arts and craft products, etc.
Business card design styles
Business card designs that break away from the normal business card size stand out. But, having an outstanding design is different than having a design that stands out. The goal of a professional business card design is to be memorable, communicate clearly and be easy for the recipient hold onto it. When a vendor hands me a square business card that are all the rage right now I don’t know what to do with it. It doesn’t fit in my business card holder, it doesn’t fit in a pocket folder slit, it doesn’t fit in my phone case! Plus, with square business card design, nearly all are two sided – so now you’ve created more work for the recipient.
Don’t get me started on the small business card designs that resemble the size of keychain loyalty cards. Why would someone choose these to promote their business? Does the small business card save that much on paper cost? I will confess, I do not know the actual printing cost of business cards in this format. Why? The answer is because I would never recommend them to my customers. Consider using them as a small product insert but please don’t use them as a professional business card.
Size matters
In closing, I will share that it is common practice to scan business cards into a customer relationship management (CRM) system. All of those tiny business cards get stuck in the scanner. Additionally, square, two sided business cards must be scanned twice. In one sense you have achieved the goal in standing out to me by choosing an odd shaped business card design. Increased scanning and input time has been created for me. This doesn’t leave me with a good impression of you and your company. Isn’t leaving a good impression the first goal of networking?
We’re happy to take a look at your business card and offer feedback. Fair warning- it will be honest feedback! Email or give us a call today.
Stay connected!
