Back in the Saddle

Yikes! Doesn't time fly when you realize you haven't posted anything new to your blog in over two months? December is usually the time when I take time to make tweaks and updates to my sites and prepare my business plan for the next year.

It's also a good time for reflection about what makes one template series sell better than another. Is it the design, the colors, the layout...or a combination of all three. Sometimes you just never know. I've been in the template biz long enough to know that you win some and you lose some.

2009 is bringing some changes in some of our policies and those updates have already been posted to http://www.rtbwizards.com, plus we have a new site design to start off the year.

If you haven't dropped in for a visit lately, you'll find quite a few new templates have been added over the last month or so.

Biz Growth in a Tough Economy

It's certainly not news that the economy has seen better days. All businesses are feeling a pinch and some are feeling a definite squeeze.

Small online business owners have an advantage, especially in tough economic times. Because your business is available 24/7, you don't have to cut hours, reduce inventory, or even cut staff. Customers may be reluctant to drive from store to store in search of a bargain, but they will turn to the internet as a way to shop faster and smarter.

You have strategies available that most traditional stores don't have. Taking some small steps now could put you closer to the top of the game when the economy begins its upswing.

• Rethink your market. You should know who your customers are. If you rely on big-ticket items, you may want to offer some additional lower-priced products. Low-cost products could bring in different group of customers.
• Consider giving your website a new look, especially if it is older than two years. Nothing says success than a site that announces "We've changed our look to bring you more!" New site designs that are built to current web standards are more search engine friendly, too.
• Improve your customer service. It's too easy for a customer to go to a competitor, so do things a bit better. This means having your contact information easily available. Responding to emails, returning phone calls, and giving help when needed will encourage your customers to tell their friends. It's how businesses grow.
• Slow traffic means slow sales. If you aren't saavy on internet marketing tools, take the time to learn how to better position your site in the search engines. Almost any business can benefit from some targeted keyword ads and you can set your ad budget so it doesn't hurt your wallet.

This is your chance to view the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. Be proactive. The results will be worth it.

Released 10-07-2008

• Release date: August 27, 2008
• Multi-page Expression Web template
• 2 and 3-column layouts provided
• CSS-based layout is XHTML and CSS validated
• Designed for 1024 x 768 and wider resolutions

Hurricane Ike

I've gotten lots of emails regarding Hurricane Ike. My area of Katy, TX is about 60 miles inland and sits about 110 feet above sea level. Katy sits to the west of Houston on Interstate-10. We are far enough inland that "storm surge" is not an issue. Flooding generally isn't an issue here except in a few lower areas that generally flood when we get a lot of rain.

All coastal communities such as Galveston and bay areas have been hit extremely hard. There's major flooding in these low areas. Wind damage has been extensive even 100 miles inland. Our house was lucky. We have some downed tree branches, part of a fence partly down, and a few missing shingles. Others in our neighborhood had whole trees toppled, fences down, and minor roof damage. Businesses had awnings ripped away, signs down, and the usually damage one would expect from 80+ MPH winds.

Houston has a series of bayous that drain into Galveston and Trinity Bays. The bays drain into the Gulf. The storm surge of Ike pushed 10-15 feet of water inland. So now with all of the rain, the bayous cannot drain until the Gulf water levels drop. This is expected to happen later today and tomorrow.

So now the storm has passed and we're cleaning up. Our local electric companies are estimating that there are about 3 million -- yes, million -- homes and businesses without power. It could be weeks before power is restored to the entire affected areas. Cell phone service is being restored, but is still spotty in many areas and non-existent in others nearer the coast. Internet connections are also spotty: the farther inland the better your chances of being able to connect.

If you have friends and family living in the areas impacted by Hurricane Ike, don't panic if you cannot contact them. Until power, internet, and phone service is restored, there just isn't any way they can let you know they are OK.

For curious minds, http://www.abc13.com (one of our local networks) has some amazing before and after pictures of Hurricane Ike. This one will go down in history. Never underestimate the power of any hurricane.

So thank you for your well wishes and your concern. We are doing fine and weathered the storm. I plan on being back in business in a few days. :-)