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In this article:

From the Captain's Chair - Email Marketing Campaigns


Graphing and Reporting Programs for your Website


Why use Opt-In Marketing?


Importance of Keeping Microsoft Windows Updated


Updating Your Online Presence

  • From the Captain's Chair - Email Marketing Campaigns

    • Avoid the high costs and low returns of direct mail campaigns and choose the marketing communication tool that is easy on your budget! E-mail marketing and communication works, and InterCoastal Net Designs knows how to get the RESULTS that you deserve!

    Never before in our business environment has implementing a consistent communication program been this easy, affordable and effective!

    You must have noticed, as we have, how often your clients or prospective clients have said, "Just send me the information by e-mail." Now you can deliver news, company updates, special offers, or just say "Hello!" on a monthly or weekly basis to just about anyone without significant effort or expenditures.

    The format of your e-letter will be designed so that your clients will recognize it, identify with your company, and over time, will create brand recognition, awareness and loyalty for your business or organization.

    Our program has great reporting features - You'll be able to see how many clients from your list opened the email, and how many "clicked-through" to specific pages on your website. We'll also manage your e-mail subscriber list and add or remove subscribers as needed.

    One of our local client's, in the accommodations industry, voluntary subscriber list has increased by 270 in just a little over one month! Don't delay, get your company's clearly focused and targeted message out today!

    Contact Holly Long for details and pricing.

    -Brandon Sauls









  • Graphing and Reporting Programs for your Website.

    • This month I am going to be discussing Coldfusion graphing. CFGraph is a feature of Coldfusion. Coldfusion is the brain behind most of your web-sites. CFGraph makes it possible for you to see real-time graphs of any data that is collected off of your websites. Here are a few sample graphs.

    The above graphs are the most common we find when doing real-time graphing for our customers. Here is the full list of available graphs:

    • bar
    • line
    • pyramid
    • area
    • horizontal bar
    • cone
    • curve
    • cylinder
    • step
    • scatter
    • pie

    Graphs are also fully customizable: colors, size, titles, legends, and more. These graphs are available in picture format and flash format. At this point you might be thinking, "that’s all fine and dandy, but how does that apply to my business and my website?". Here is a short generalized list of what you could use graphing for, plus some other ideas which are more website specific.







    Link Tracking
    • Track your visitors on your website: What links they are clicking on? What links are they leaving on? Which pages are most popular? What is the path they taking through your website? What time of day are they clicking the links? From this information we can graph anything you want to know.
    Forms
    • Do you have a contact page? Track what time of day contacts are submitting your form. How many times in a day or month are they submitting forms. Track what days they are submitting form.
    Other Ideas:
    • Real Estate Idea: Track the criteria potential clients are using to search your properties. Get the total # of searches done in an hour, day, month. How many of your clients searched for properties and then clicked on your email form for more info? This can be tracked and graphed.
    • Do you have different features or pages on your website where customers buy from you? Find out which pages on your website cause the customer to hit the buy button on your website and display the results in a graph.

      The ideas are endless of what you can use graphs for. Be more informed about your websites and clients by using real-time Coldfusion graphs and information tracking. The more informed you are, the better decisions you are able to make, which will lead to more sales and profits.

      If you are interested in how you can apply CFGraphs and information tracking on your website send an email to support@icoastalnet.com with “FREE CFGRAPH CONSULTATION” in the subject. I will evaluate your website and respond with some cool innovative ideas on how you can leverage CFGraphs and information tracking in your business.

      - Randy Johnson, Lead ColdFusion Programmer

    • Why use Opt-In Marketing?

      • The integration of opt-in marketing has become a cost effective way for businesses to keep clients current with your business and industry. Building a relationship with clients is the most effective way of turning one-time purchasers into loyal, repetitive buyers. By sending newsletters, coupons or helpful hints to clients on a regular basis you ensure that you are placing your business in front of the client on a repetitive cycle. Using the opt-in method benefits both your business and the client because they are requesting that you send them information. There are various ways to incorporate opt-in marketing into your current website, from pop-up windows to newsletter sign-up forms.

      Contact Holly at 910.575.6095 or holly@icoastalnet.com to discuss your opt-in marketing opportunities.

      - Holly Long - Project Coordinator

    • Importance of Keeping Microsoft Windows Updated

      • Microsoft regularly issues patches or updates to solve security problems in their software. The critical updates are the ones you should be concerned about. If these are not applied, it leaves your computer vulnerable to hackers. Service Packs are larger updates which upgrade and fix security problems. The Windows Update feature built into Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP can check your PC against a common database of patches. You go to a Microsoft web site and your operating system is checked against critical updates and a suggested list shows for your PC so that you may download and install these. You should do this periodically. More recent versions of windows have an Automatic Update feature. This is available in Windows 2000, ME, and XP. If you turn on this feature, your PC will check for, download and install critical updates over night. This eliminates the need for you to periodically check for updates. If you are not sure whether your computer is up to date, bring it on by and we will make sure your computer is running at its best!!

      - Jason Johnson, Search Engine Specialist / PC Repair

    • Updating Your Online Presence

      • Five tips for updating your online presence to keep your website working FOR you:

      1. Use Your Site as an Effective Marketing Tool
        If you are not yet monitoring your site's traffic data, such as which sites and search engines visitors are clicking from or which pages are getting the most traffic, you should get consider paying more attention to this valuable information. When you have a better understanding of where the traffic is flowing on your site you will be better able to develop the content, navigation and structure that will quickly satisfy your targeted visitors. If you have not yet used the Webtrends report, please contact us at support@icoastalnet for more information.
      2. Set up an E-mail list
        Create an incentive for visitors to register or give you their e-mail addresses. Give away something that your website visitors would perceive as value for their exchange of personal information, like a gift or prize for consumers, or a white paper for business-to-business clients. Once you have their addresses, send out occasional useful e-zines, special offers, or other bulletins.
      3. Create an Online Reward for Prized Customers
        Treat your best customers with distinctive perks or discounts. You can easily give them their own area of the site without much additional effort on your part. You can also, of course, keep a separate email list to send them their own targeted e-mail offers.
      4. Update Your Color Scheme
        Consider revising your site's color palette. One opinion: "Think Far East colors, like rust, persimmon, mustard or saffron, and dump the jewel tones and zebra stripes that look like clothes from the back of your closet," says Dali Wiederhoft, a publicist. Good advice to heed for a more appealing web site design.
      5. Add Testimonials or Success Stories
        Very few sites do this and there's no question that they add major credibility for potential buyers or clients. Ask long-time customers for quotes or permission to post their case histories and their satisfaction with your services.

      Any of these ideas will help you update your online presence and help your website to more effectively work for you. Keep your visitors happy and they will keep coming back for more!

      - Adam Hankey - HTML Programmer / Graphic Designer

      Intercoastal Net Designs
      6649 Beach Dr. SW
      Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
      P. 910-575-6095 / F. 910-575-1095
      Toll Free: 866-249-6095
      info@icoastalnet.com