by Katie L | Oct 24, 2016 | Web Design
One of the greatest changes in my life came occurred because of a testimonial. A friend posted how much she loved a workout class in our area. As a result, I signed up, started kickboxing and have gained huge strides in every aspect of my being.
Her informal testimonial led to increased sales for the kickboxing business. It alleviated many of my fears by describing that the class was friendly to all fitness levels. It told me that the class works (because who wants to waste time and money on workouts that don’t work).
There were a few key factors that made her testimonial so successful.
- It used her real name. Yes, I was friends with her on Facebook, but I knew she was indeed a real person. The testimonial giver wasn’t a made up persona to generate more sales.
- It was specific. The testimonial told me how much weight the user lost, and the non-tangible things she gained. Instead of saying, “I love kickboxing.”, her testimonial showed me that it worked and that it was a welcoming environment.
- She used photos. Over a series of Facebook posts, this same person has also posted before and after pictures of her body’s transformation. This is a great selling point for those of us wishing to lose weight!
- It overcame my objections. Like most people, I felt a bit afraid when starting to work out. Would I know how to use the equipment? Would I look like a complete idiot? Would I pass out? Would I start working out and eventually lose motivation?
So, what was her testimonial exactly? To be honest, I can’t remember the exact words. But, I do remember it caused me to take a risk and sign up and I haven’t looked back. I do remember that it did the four things outlined above: it used her real name (I knew it was a legit testimony), it was specific, it used photos and it overcame my objections. A simple post not only drove sales, but helped others.
Why not take a few minutes and gather some feedback from your supporters? Testimonials are an inexpensive form of advertising and often, you are providing a service to your customers. Any time you can help them know that you are offering a quality product and/or service, you are helping them. Consumers are smart and don’t want to be sold to, they want to be served. It’s a pretty cool thing when you get to make money helping others.
Sources
SEARCH ENGINE LAND: http://searchengineland.com/88-consumers-trust-online-reviews-much-personal-recommendations-195803
COPY BLOGGER: http://www.copyblogger.com/testimonials-part-1/ and http://www.copyblogger.com/testimonials-part-2/
by Katie L | Oct 6, 2016 | Web Design
Over the course of the next few weeks, we are going to be highlighting some of our clients and the amazing work they do. We feel pretty blessed because we get to work with some of the best people and we wanted to share who these people are and what they have to offer with you.
Our first client spotlight is Empowering Fitness. Empowering Fitness has filled an important need in the Parkersburg, Iowa area and done so successfully. Previously, there weren’t many opportunities for group fitness, but thanks to Empowering Fitness, that has changed. EF offers kickboxing classes for men and women of all fitness levels. These classes are encouraging, uplifting and FUN! At Empowering Fitness, it doesn’t matter if you’ve worked out for years, or you are just starting out. The instructors are patient, motivating and take the time to show you how to properly do the exercises and how to maximize your workout for the best results.
However, as a participant, I have found the benefits of attending to be so much more than just physical. I’ve gained a confidence that has been buried for years. I find myself thinking, “If I could do 25 burpees last night, I can do this today!”. It’s amazing how physical and mental strength go hand in hand. If you want to take your business to the next level, I highly recommend you take the time to take care of your body. Entrepreneurship, like many things in life, can be all consuming. I have come to crave my workouts and I have found my work to be stronger, better and sharper since working out.
In addition to the mental and physical benefits, there are amazing social benefits to attending Empowering Fitness. I have found a community of like minded women who encourage and lift each other up. When you think you want to quit, there is someone there to help you keep going. In a world of me first, EF has been a breath of fresh air.
Empowering Fitness has a round of classes starting on Monday, October 10th in their new location! Check out their website (designed by us!) for more details. Learn more about Empowering Fitness at www.empoweringfitness.org.
by Katie L | Jun 17, 2015 | Web Design
First Congregational Church, Parkersburg, Iowa
First Congregational Church is an active church located in the heart of Iowa. “Congo” as it is often referred to by locals, reaches people of all ages through their various ministries. Nash Street Designs wanted to create a website that reflected this. Like many churches, Congo wanted to reach potential visitors with their website, but also use it as a valuable tool for their current parishioners. They did some thinking outside of the box and we helped them to bring these ideas to life.
Some of these ideas include:
- Creating a categorized list of resources that the church has on hand. A page was created for each category. You can see this here: http://firstcongregationalparkersburg.com/small-group-resources/
- A password protected page for church reports. This allows reports to easily accessed by church members, but not the entire public.
- A password protected page for the music committee. Instead of emailing music each week, the worship team can simply go to the website and find out which songs they need to practice.
Some features of the website include:
- Custom photography by Nash Street Designs. Much of the photography on Congo’s website was taken by us and edited to match the overall look and feel of the website.
- Front page sliders created by us. These sliders reflect the key points that Congo wanted to share.
- The ability to upload and organize sermons based on preacher, book of the Bible, sermon series and topic.
- A easy to use CMS and training. Nash Street Designs uses WordPress for our websites due to it’s ease of use and ample resources for training. Congo was given training by us on how to use WordPress and a user manual made specifically for their website.
Congratulations First Congregational Church of Parkersburg on the launch of your new website. We pray that the website is a blessing to your ministry.
by Katie L | Jan 8, 2015 | Web Design
As the saying goes, time is money. Every business owner I talk to wants two things. They want to save time and maximize profit. Often these two are mutually exclusive. However, there is one tool, if utilized properly, that can help your organization or business do both. What is it? A website.
If you aren’t sure about this theory, look below. You will find five ways your business or organization will benefit from a quality website.
1. Chalk it up to kids these days, but people are less likely than ever to pick up the phone and call. Gone are the days of pulling out the yellow pages, walking over to a corded, rotary phone mounted to the wall and dialing a number to ask for information. If someone wants to know your hours of business, they’ll look it up on their smartphone. If you don’t have a website, you are losing business. Think of your website as a 24/7 employee, always there to answer questions, but never wanting to be paid over time.
2. This leads us to our second point. You may not have a website, but your competition does. 45% of all small business have a website. That can be troublesome for those who don’t. Say Joe and Mary own a home and are looking for someone to do a little landscaping. A quick google search shows four companies in their area who do this type of work. Two out of the four have websites. Which ones are automatically out of the running? You guessed it, the ones without a website. According to a recent study done by G/O Digital, 80% of respondents did their research online before stepping into a physical store. That means that if you don’t have a website, but your competition does, you could be losing a major portion of your business.
3. Websites sell to the introvert. Almost half of the population is introverted. For the introvert (I should know, I am one), the thought of talking on the phone or entering a small store front to be greeted by a salesperson is a bit unnerving. Will I do it? Yes. Will most introverts do this if necessary? Yes. But the good news is for all of the I’d-rather-stay-home-and-not-make-small-talk kind of people is that we can buy almost anything online. Many of us will justify paying more for a product in order to stay within our comfort zone. Let us gather information anonymously, via the web, and we are much more likely to step foot in your shop. This is how half of the consumer base prefers to shop. If you don’t have a website, half of your potential clients are likely to go somewhere else for their business (see point #2).
4. A quality, professional looking website levels the playing field. The little store front can actually compete with the big box store thanks to the internet. Businesses can use the internet to reach potential customers locally, nationally and globally. Even if your product isn’t sold online, a website informs your customer of what you do sell. Whether you sell physical items or offer a service, your customers need to know what you do. Otherwise, they will continue to do what is familiar, which is often shopping at larger retailers. In the long run, a solid website is one of the least expensive forms of advertising available. It exposes your organization or business to a wider audience than any other form of media.
5. It gives your business credibility. Solid content, professional design and quality images show your potential customers that your business is worth their time to check out and ultimately buy from.
Whether your current website reminds you of 1996 and needs a little updating or your business isn’t online, it’s obvious that a carefully crafted, professional looking website is crucial to your company’s future. If you are interested in starting a web design project, but don’t know where to begin, we’re here to help. Contact us at 319.415.0741 or at katie@nashstreetdesigns.com to take your business to the next level.
Recent Comments