The origin of "Website Lite"

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Small companies are promoting themselves at holiday parties in the coming three weeks. They can either hang their head low and say “I’m going to be putting a website together” or they can hold their head high and say “come check out my website.”

Tuesday night, I finished arrangements to offer something special to people who can’t afford a traditional website right now. For two hundred and fifty dollars, a company can now have a web presence, complete with a home page, an about us page or a photo gallery, and a contact page and get a year of hosting free.

There are seventeen spots left, and all of the websites will be finished before Christmas.

New businesses and home improvement companies want to get their before and after pictures online and save money, and a three-way email introduction is the first step in helping them.

Author's Note: This program ended before Christmas when the last one was purchased. It was so popular that it gave birth to the current "Website lite" program, which offers a similar package for only $400.00

Letter about Avondale High School to the Board of Education

Many of you already know that one of my charities is helping the kids at Avondale High School. There was a meeting held last night to address many some of the issues there. I sent this email to the following people to follow up...

BARBARA_M_COLMAN@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us - New head of construction for DeKalb County

CC to:

Alumni Bobby Burgess Flem Mitchell Billy Bourn Gary Roberson John Plageman

Board Members SARAH_COPELIN-WOOD@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ceo@co.dekalb.ga.us JAY_CUNNINGHAM@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us JIM_REDOVIAN@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us EUGENE_P_WALKER@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ZEPORA_W_ROBERTS@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us don_mcchesney@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us h_paul_womack@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us PAM_SPEAKS@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ALICE_A_THOMPSON@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ROBERT_MOSELEY@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Ramona_Tyson@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us JANET_EBERHARDT@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us state.superintendent@doe.k12.ga.us Virgil_S_Bryan@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Ricardo_Upshaw@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us James_L_Ziegler@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Diadra_N_Malone@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us TASHARAH_M_WILSON@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us - Principal at Avondale SUSAN_M_MCCAULEY@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us MICHAEL_O_CARSON@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us - Head Football Coach at Avondale

---

Good Morning, Ms. Colman (and everyone else on this email),

I want to personally thank you and some of the board members for taking the time to speak with us and for the update on the construction for the kids. As you can see, there is a lot of anger and passion both about what has been done to these children and also getting these kids what they need and making sure that their dignity is respected.

I was disappointed, however, that a lady in the front row was ignored throughout the duration of the meeting and that the gentleman running the meeting chose to close the meeting out with people's concerns left unvoiced, saying "we agreed to end at 7:30" when what was really said by several in the audience was they wanted to make sure everyone had their opportunity to have their comments and questions addressed. There was no "agreement." It silenced concerned voices. It demonstrated to me that ending a meeting by a certain time was more important than complete and thorough communication.

That being said, I like a lot of what I heard last night. I think it's great to get the folks from Avondale and DSA speaking and working toward solutions that help all the kids. I also am glad to hear the commitment to provide Avondale athletics with what they need. I never realized until this year (when I saw it for myself) how much impact a team's competitiveness could have on a student body in morale and increased academic participation.

I am looking forward to helping in the process. These music students, ROTC students (who represented themselves very well last night) and these young athletes deserve to have equal footing to the other schools. That story of how the ROTC kids couldn't participate in the multi-school event because they didn't have a place for uniforms is very sad...

While the new band room is a step in the right direction, it's not what those kids need. A lot of money could have been used elsewhere with cooperation between Avondale and DSA... even if the board had to facilitate that cooperation.

When I was a first grader at Montgomery Elementary, Dr. Lewis taught me that everyone deserves an equal chance to try. He taught me that everyone is important. He also encouraged everyone to try... regardless of what they thought they could or could not do (he also taught me the hard side of life with a lot of lap-running!).

We may have to "run some laps" or make decisions that people don't like... but we have to provide for the kids - and I don't mean by what some book says... we need to use our own discernment as well.

I have a correction from last night. I misappropriated a quote to Brad Barnes. Mr. Barnes is not the man who said "it sounds like the rich kids moved in and told the poor black kids to get out of the way." That was somebody else, so I apologize for that error.

The photos that were taken (and an upcoming video) are available to anyone who wants them. For those of you who have not seen the photos for yourselves, I invite you to view them on my Facebook page. Look up Dave Green or go to www.facebook.com/websitedave (you'll probably have to request that I add you as a friend, and I will do so). Or if you prefer, I can email them to you or to anyone else who requests them.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to the solution.

Dave Green
Class of 1988 - Avondale High School
Website Dave, Inc.
Common Sense Web Design and Website Maintenance
1360 Powers Ferry Road #A-227
Marietta, GA 30067
404-422-2056
www.websitedave.com

$800 VS. $29.95 - Which is the better deal?

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

The secretary in charge of booking holiday parties is checking out restaurants’ websites to see what’s available and restaurant owners are scrambling to get their last minute holiday offerings up to date.

Mark needed text and pictures changed on eight pages of his website and their previous web designer wanted to charge them a hundred dollars a page.

Enter Website Dave’s Website Maintenance Plan.

I speak website-ese nearly as well as I speak English, so I got all their changes made in about an hour, and I wasn’t the one who built the site.

Mark is really happy because instead of eight hundred dollars, he got the changes he needed for only twenty nine ninety five.

The restaurant owner gearing up for the holidays wants to save money, and a three-way email introduction is the first step in helping them.

Gary's customers need love, too.

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Gary’s customers need routine text changes made to their websites. These changes used to take weeks to get made and they were freaking expensive.

Marketing comes naturally to me and I understand that a website is a vital piece of a company’s marketing strategy. So it has to change when the company needs it to change and it can’t wait a week for someone to get to it.

For as little as twenty nine ninety five a month, a company get those regular changes made even if I didn’t build the site in most cases. So when someone complains about how long it takes to get changes made to their website and how much it costs, a three-way email is the best way to introduce them to Website Dave’s twenty nine ninety five a month maintenance plan.

"My web guy takes weeks to make changes."

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Nicole and Angelo need routine text changes made to their website. Their previous web guy would take weeks to get these changes made and would charge out the wazoo to get them done.

Luckily, I’m a marketing junkie and I understand that a website is a centerpiece to a company’s marketing strategy, and it has to be able to change when the company needs it to change.

For as little as twenty nine ninety five a month, a company can have a web guy who they can get a hold of and who can make those regular changes even if he didn’t build the site in most cases.

So when someone says “I can’t find my web guy” or complains about how long it takes to get changes made and how much it costs, a three-way email is the best way to introduce them to Website Dave’s twenty nine ninety five a month maintenance plan.

"How should I introduce Website Dave to a restaurant owner?"

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

I was recently asked how to introduce my services to a new restaurant owner.

Restaurant owners like knowing my background, because I’ve walked in their shoes and have been successful at it. Their website will be built from that experience and will help position them for success.

I managed restaurants and nightclubs for six years, helping one reach over ten million dollars in sales within their first eighteen months of business. I helped another position itself as a target for acquisition and a large sale. They like that I keep sharpening my skills and that one of the founders of WebMD is my best friend and we have lunch at least once a week.

Restaurant owners love the fact that I’m a marketing junkie and that planning websites for restaurants just comes naturally to me. I know many technologies out there that help restaurants execute and can help them avoid expensive purchasing mistakes.

Visuals - Hamburger! Next Exit!

Effective website design starts with a strong billboard mentality. The average visitor gives a website less than five seconds to keep their attention, and strong visual communication goes a long way in establishing this.

There are two rules of visuals that I like to use. First, it must catch the eye, and then second, it has to communicate the idea of the page very quickly.

A great place to find examples of this kind of visual use is looking at billboards on out-of-town highways.

Billboards in metro areas don't count for this illustration... they're increasingly being designed for people stuck in traffic jams. You need to drive away from the city where the average speed all day long (including rush hour) is above 70 miles per hour and look at the billboards along the side of the road.

Just like websites, these billboards get less than five seconds to get someone's attention - especially at those speeds!

Effective billboards use one large visual which typically covers about a third of the space. The visual is either a picture, a logo or a short word in very large and bold type. The offering is communicated very quickly and the driver knows exactly what's there.

The trick is to grab eyes quickly with strong contrast. It's not the time to be artistic or cute or subtle. In less than five seconds, the person driving toward the billboard will know if they are interested in the service, whether it's a hamburger, gas, hotel or any other service offered along the highway.

If they are interested, then they will look for more information. If not, they drive on.

The first page of a website works in a similar fashion, although the visitor is hopefully not surfing the web while driving!

A website visitor is almost always at least interested in what's on the website, otherwise they wouldn't be there in the first place. So instead of trying to grab attention, the visual is to keep their attention, confirm they are in the right place and set a vibe or convey a feeling.

VIsuals - Don't overdo the background! Part 6

Any time a background graphic is used, it needs to be subtle and not interfere with the text or other content that goes on top of it. Here are the two tricks that I most commonly use when a picture is going to be used... 1 - Fade When I fade a picture for a background, I fa-a-ade the picture for the background. My goal is for visitors to feel the picture, not look at it. That's all I want then to do. It's about the website's content, not the pretty picture on the background. Fade the photo as far as needed so that the text on top of it is very easy to read. This could mean that the photo is displayed at a 10% opacity in some cases. If there are high-contrast areas in the image, take that into consideration when deciding how transparent the image should be in the background. 2 - Color Making the whole image different shades of the same color (light and dark blue, for example) can work wonders in the feel of a website. The key to making this work is being subtle. Avoid stark contrasts and go for smooth transitions. This will help maintain the text's legibility. If the whole photo can be kept to about 30% of a color's light to dark range, then it should be fairly simple to place text on top of it that as very easy to read.

VIsuals - Don't overdo the background! Part 5

If a website is going to have a photograph as its background - not a part or a section of a website, I mean the entire website - make sure it is very large. If it can be 1400 pixels wide and about 1200 pixels high, then that's a great start.

The reason that a background image for an entire website should be that large is that if a visitor stretches their browser window wider than the background picture, then it will usually repeat itself - and it's not pretty. It will take visitors' attention away from the message.

Ugly gets attention (something to remember) and that's not where ugly is wanted on a website.

Will this slow down a site? Probably. So a decision needs to be made whether or not that picture is important enough to the overall message of the website to be included. There are ways to optimize the picture to reduce the amount of delay, but it still has to be considered. Presentation is always important, but it's more important for some websites than for others.

Can I work on a website I didn't design?

They call me Website Dave because I make websites. I am often asked if I can go in and work on or update a site that somebody else built. The answer is “yes” and I am introducing a maintenance program that makes it possible and easy to have someone work on a company’s website, even if I’m not the guy who built it. For a low monthly fee, they can have a website guy in their back pocket who can make the small and quick changes to a website without the stress of 15 minute minimums every time a web guy lifts a finger. So now, companies who love their websites but hate their website guy (or can’t find their website guy) have a way to get their websites updated without a whole bunch of hassles.

VIsuals - Don't overdo the background! Part 4

The best use of a photograph as a background is to make sure it enhances the message rather than detract from it. If the background is getting all of the attention, then what are visitors looking at?

I recently visited a website for a residential cleaning company. They had a picture of their baby boy in a bunny outfit tiled (repeated) all over the background. Now the picture was cute, but it had nothing to do with the company... worse, it kept taking my attention away from the company and their message.

Rule #1 for using a photograph as a background is that there better be a reason for it being there. A photo for the sake of having a photo is counterproductive, but if it is needed to set a vibe or put a descriptive picture into someone's head, then use it wisely.

A good example of this can be seen at Prickly Pear Taqueria's website. Note: There is music that plays in the background of this page, so adjust your volume if necessary.

The photos used in this site were taken to show potential visitors what the facility looks like and how fun it is. It is an integral part of the message, and if planned properly, will drive the point home.

All of the photos in the site share something else in common, which we will discuss later in this series. Photos that don't have this element when used in this manner will fail to communicate the intended message.

VIsuals - Don't overdo the background! Part 3

So now the question is "what *is* a good background?"

In graphic design, the most effective and most often used background is plain white. Black text is used on this white background to get the most contrast and the easiest visibility, and therefore, the easiest readability.

Let's look at the contrast for a moment. Contrast is one of the most abused rules in graphic design, both by professionals and amateurs alike. Sometimes it's on purpose... and sometimes... it's not.

Contrast is the difference between two objects or ideas. In print (and on the web), this is achieved through color and pattern selections. The further "apart" the colors are from each other, the more contrast. Contrast creates separation, which can be used for organization of ideas and content on a website or printed piece.

Text needs strong contrast to be easily read. Otherwise, it gets lost. Whether it is black text on a white page or white text on a black page, the contrast has to be there.

So to answer the question, if the text can be easily read, then the site has a good background. If not, then the background needs to be toned down.

VIsuals - Don't overdo the background! Part 2

While it's true that a visual can speak a thousand words, be careful what words they say... especially if they say them over and over again.

The second set of fouls comes from a repeated photograph in the background. While this is a nice touch to put on personal family websites, it is a disaster for a company.

Although there is no written rule saying so, having a background photo that tiles all over the background tells visitors that a company values the object of the photo more than anything else on the page, but worse, it distracts visitors' attention.

Two of the most powerful photo elements are children and cute animals. So why would a company post that photo as their background? I like to think that it's because they don't know better or haven't thought it through to completion.

Now a knee-jerk response to that example is "well that's what my company does - we provide a service that brings kids and cute animals together." If that's the case, then it could be a good photo for you to use, but it is not a good choice for a background image that repeats itself all over the page.

First, it distracts attention from the marketing message. When a company is selling a product, effective advertising and design put eyeballs on the message, not the background. Second, it looks amateur and diminishes the professional image of a company.

VIsuals - Don't overdo the background!

While it's true that a visual can speak a thousand words, be careful what words they say... especially if they say them over and over again. There are many examples of this on MySpace pages.

The most common "fouls" come from small background images repeated many times. The images may look really good on their own, but when multiplied, they create several issues.

The first is what I like to call the checkerboard effect: alternating dark and light spots all over the screen. This creates an issue where a website's text cannot be easily read... in many cases, it's downright difficult to read and visitors will leave the page very quickly if they cannot read what's going on there.

Marketing depends on contrast, and it should all point to a message. When a page has a lot of contrasting elements in so many places, a visitor's eyes get very confused.

Luckily, there are a couple simple remedies to this...

Repeating a logo as a background can be handy branding for the right kind of companies, and fading that logo to a low opacity (maybe somewhere between 10-20%, depending on the logo) will retain the repeated artwork effect and subdue the contrast so that it will be easier to put text on top of it and let it be easily read by visitors.

The other is to use a table for your text and fill the cells with a background color. While this will cover up the wallpapered image, it only does it where the table is, so the wallpaper is still visible along the sides. if your company can benefit from a "step and repeat" type of wallpaper, then this gives you the branding opportunity as well as a clean slate on which to place your text.

Eight years later...

Eight years ago, I came out of the shower and heard about the attacks. Work was a somber place that day. Everyone drove slower. Spirits were serious... but not down.

Everyone on that day had felt the sting around the world. For a short time, politics got put to the side and we were all part of the same group: Americans.

We showed that like any family, we will bicker and fight with each other, but if someone messed with us, we would unite very quickly.

Soon afterward, Osama Bin Ladin made a comment that our unity would be short-lived, and that before long we would be back at our regular ways and that we would forget what happened.

He was right.

In fact, we are even bolder about the attacks we place on each other now than ever before. Facebook is ripe with all kinds of examples from both sides of many issues and people are so entrenched in their.... beliefs... that they won't acknowledge that they agree with the other side on certain issues.

But it's not everybody. There are still some who think for themselves and stand for what they believe in... even when it creates unlikely political alliances...

I'll illustrate it with one example...

There's a person I admire here in Atlanta for a cause that he rallies against... human trafficking... especially when prostitution and children are involved. On the political side, he and I pretty much disagree on a lot of things. I'm pretty conservative and he's very liberal - and he is one of the folks who can intelligently and reasonably make his points, which I respect.

A situation just came up with ACORN... many people have seen the videos of how they are coaching a couple how to work the tax system around a prostitution ring that would involve many young girls brought in from El Salvador.

He's speaking up about it... even though criticizing that organization or its people for anything is a political hot potato. Thank God there are people who think for themselves and don't just drink the kool-aid!

Thanks for standing up for the kids!

Website Success Story: Avondale Blue Devils

Avondale High School is one of the causes I support and the past couple weeks have been amazing.

Today, Fox5 is coming out to film practice. They are featuring the team on Saturday morning, and the website and internet marketing have been described by those involved as "essential to the team's success."

We have raised over $15,000 to fund the kids through the website and other means. The Blue Devils' newsletter goes out to nearly 1,300 people, highlighting what's happening with the team, telling readers what's coming up, and also raising funds for a severely underfunded team.

The approach was to start revitalizing the school with football... football involves a whole lot of kids and energizes the school body early. When I attended Avondale, the football team had probably 40-50 guys dressed on the field. Our marching band sent 140 kids on the field. The cheerleaders had a dozen or so kids involved, and both the footall team and cheerleaders had Varsity, Junior Varsity (or B-Team) and eighth grade squads (our school was 8th-12th grade at the time.

I won't go into all the details of the hardships the kids face nowadays, but the school is being treated like an old poor school that the county wishes would just go away.

- The School of Performing Arts has returned to Avondale, and their facilities are getting a full renovation, and about 1/3 of the school is being dedicated to them as a separate student body (we were intermingled with the Avondale kids when I was there).

- The weight room has been moved from where it had been for decades and all the equipment moved into a storage container across the street. When the kids work out, they have to haul the equipment out and exercise in a parking lot.

- Economics were so bad that when I went to photograph a practice, some kids had socks, and some did not (I've heard that the year before, cleats were passed in between students because they couldn't afford to buy more).

The Return to Excellence

When I built their website, I hadn't planned on getting involved with the program - I live about 45 minutes away. However, when I saw what they had to work with and how hard they were working despite the situation, I knew that these kids deserved much more.

I ramped up the website to include the ability for people to donate online, started a newsletter through Constant Contact for them, got a Facebook page going and recently began a twitter campaign for them.

The newsletter currently has about 1300 subscribers, mostly alumni. We are starting to promote to the faculty and student body.

The facebook page has nearly 600 fans - and actively works with the other Avondale Alumni groups - and photos from the games and practices are passed along there, including newsworthy items.

The Twitter page has got all kinds of potential once we get that list up and running.

Marketing online is a lot more than just a website... it takes work... just like any other marketing.

The team has won 3 games so far, including one preseason game. They are officially 2-0 (as of this writing) and they only won two games last year. They're ramping up into a run of games with Georgia powerhouses Blessed Trinity, Buford, Westminster, Greater Atlanta Christian, Decatur and Lovett all in a row with no bye weeks in between them (their bye week is right before this run).

This is an improved team, and while this will be a tough year, they will not be pushed around like they have been over the past 20 years.

...and the student body is energized!

Visuals: Mystery vs. Goofy

I would have to say that the most unique client I have had is a company that does ghost tours in downtown Atlanta. The website breaks a lot of rules and does a lot of things that web developers will say "it's not supposed to do."

What can I say? I'm a rule breaker.

Her website, Darkside Tours, uses strong visuals to set the mood and to create mystery. "I don't want to see dancing ghosts" comments Liz DeVaney, owner of Darkside Tours.

She was referring to several of the other ghost tour sites which feature predictable animations: The wide open sinister eyes floating around and staring at you, the ghosts that would pop out when a visitor rolls over a certain spot and yes, a dancing ghost making the whole experience comical.

Luckily, I'm a marketing junkie... I watch a Claritin commercial and know why people feel allergy symptoms when they see it. Visuals are a playground for me, and creating suspenseful scenes from the photographs she provided was a lot of fun...

...and there were no ghosts involved...

...or we're there???

Visuals: Why a sandwich equals a hungry customer

Websites work with a combination of billboard and brochure mentalities.

The first page uses the billboard mentality. A visitor will give a website an average of five seconds to decide whether or not they want to stay there or not, so it is important to grab their attention and keep it at the start.

If someone is looking at a restaurant's website, they are probably either hungry right then, or they are planning something for the future. A good shot of food gets their eyes and presses their hunger button.

A picture of a really nice fresh submarine sandwich stacked with meat and veggies appeals to a lot of people, and when someone sees it, the restaurant has their attention. At that moment, it doesn't matter what kind of meat they have, how many locations, where the owner is from or what the price is... That time will come soon.

All that matters right then is "You're hungry - look at this really yummy sandwich."

It works for sandwiches, and it works for all kinds of products and services.

There are two important secrets to making this work:

First - the picture must be great. This is not the place to skimp. Make sure that the photographer can take a good picture of your subject. Different photographers have different specialties, so be sure to ask them for samples where they have taken pictures of your type of product or something similar.

Take the time to present the product well. Food shots, for example, should have plenty of food and/or a very artistic presentation to make it look really good. If it's a steak, there's a certain way to cook it so it photographs well.

Product shots benefit by being taken in the environment where they will be used (there will be a whole series about photography coming soon). If that's not possible, consider using what photographers call a "white box," where the only thing in the picture is the product. Black backgrounds can also work, depending on the product.

The second secret is to make that one picture big enough to be easily seen on the website. A small picture will not get the point across nearly as well as a big photo. I usually recommend using one third to one half of the page to show the product.

Now the visitor has a clear picture of what is being offered... their attention is on the product. If they want more information, they will look for it (make it easy to find, of course)... and that's where the brochure mentality will come into play.

Give back to the community...

Most business owners that I know support at least a couple charities. Mine include a women's shelter and a high school football team. I wasn't planning on ever posting this, but it's on my heart to put it out there in case there are others who would like to help or to find charities that they would like to help support.

The women's shelter takes in ladies from all sorts of bad situations (abuse, drugs, on the streets and more) and helps them get back on their feet. Some of the ladies' children become straight A (or near straight A) students, and the ladies become self-sufficient and regain their confidence and dignity. They have done all this for years with volunteers of people's time, skills and money. There are many things we take for granted in life that the people being rescued by this operation are just now discovering or haven't had for so long in their lives.

If you would like to help with this shelter, send me an email at dave@websitedave.com and I will get y'all connected.

The other is the football team at the school where I graduated: Avondale High School. Although they were a powerhouse for decades, the past twenty years have been noted by AJC as one of the most poignant "riches-to-rags" stories. I won't go into all the details here (they can be found on their website: www.avondalebluedevils.org) but it was crazy... some of the kids had socks and some kids did not, for example.

The kids have been working really hard and it's just a matter of getting them funded so they can continue to do so. They are off to a 2-0 start this year (first time in ten years) and the rest of the student body is getting energized... Why start with football? Because it impacts so many other people (that's also detailed on their website).

...that's just something that's on my heart to share this morning... doesn't have much to do with websites as much as it does with the entrepreneurial heart.

GOT 'R' DONE!!!

48 Hours - One Website (we'll make a few small adjustments in the next few days).

http://www.warehouseaquarium.com

That was a fun project with a whole lot of moving parts... and done just in time for college football! Woot!

8.5 Hours left - Can he do it???

The deadline is 7pm to have my client's website up. This project came up with 48 hours' notice and he will be showing the site tonight! At 7pm tonight, I will be tweeting whether or not I met the deadline (no additional pressure, huh?), so if you're on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/websitedave and follow me and you'll see if I get the thrill of victory... or the agony of defeat... Where is it right now? As of right now, the client hasn't approved the copy or the layout (ETA 30 minutes), and there's still so much that needs to get done! Ok - mental break over - time to get back to work!

One of WebMD's Founders to Website Dave: I need a website in 48 hours!

Website design strategies should never be rushed... but they shouldn't drag on forever, either. Tomorrow at 7pm (preferably before), my latest project "goes live" for the world to see. It is a project for one of the founders of the company that would become known as WebMD. His latest venture involves the retail, wholesale and maintenance industries.

I learned about this project yesterday evening... giving me really about 48 hours to put this site up.

If you have ever seen one of those cooking shows, it looks reallyquick and easy. There are bowls full of ingredients, and the chef puts them into a pan in a certain order and does things in between steps, and then they come out with a beautiful and tasty dish.

What they don't show is all the prep time it took to get those bowls of ingredients ready... the peeling, the slicing, the weighing and measuring. They have prep guys do that for them ahead of time.

Building a website in 48 hours (and I'm not talking about "here's a template - fill it in") requires similar steps. Graphics have to be chosen/developed, traditional copy needs to be transformed into copywriting for websites, search engine optimization strategy needs to be figured out, proper internet marketing techniques need to be implemented, etc... and all this needs to be ready to go before building the site itself. It speeds up the process.

...it also helps that I own and have operated businesses outside the internet industry.

One of the things my clients like about me is that I'm not a "computer guy." I didn't just come up in the computer field and learn how to code a website along the way. They like that I've been out in the trenches and understand business needs from the owner's point of view. So this allows me to put together the pieces in a website design strategy that naturally works with a company's marketing plans and operational tactics.

Putting all this together means a lot less time figuring out what to put on the site and more time putting all the pieces of the puzzle into what will become the centerpiece to a company's marketing strategy.

Web Design: When should a jalapeno dance?

I am often asked why I place so much emphasis on visuals in my website design. After all, haven't website designers always said that if you have a lot of graphics it will bog down the website?

That's half-fact and half-myth. Today's computers process information much more quickly than even a couple years ago and can handle complex graphics. However, if someone's trying to fit too much stuff into their website designs, it will slow things down - sometimes a lot.

Now while that doesn't mean "jam a page full of pictures," visuals can be strong website design ideas.

A well-planned picture will speak a thousand words and can define a company and set a vibe for the visitor. With a little marketing strategy, the right picture can be developed to deliver a strong message without interfering with the advertising ideas or the performance of the website.

One example I like to give of a great illustration idea is a smiling tooth. It says a whole lot more more than "dentist." It indicates happy teeth, a happy visit, kid-friendliness and a whole lot more. A dentist with this visual on their website sends a positive message to their visitors - and one that's a lot more specific that just a couple people smiling!

Being a marketing junkie who has run production departments at ad agencies and publications for years, using and planning pictures that speak volumes just comes naturally to me... take Andy and Nick, who opened a taqueria in Midtown Atlanta.

A *what???* How do you spell that?

A taqueria is defined as a restaurant or stand specializing in Mexican dishes, like tacos and burritos. But that really only tells about a third of the story at Andy and Nick's place. They also have an extensive tequila selection (over 100 types) and a large margarita/mojito menu - so they bring the party, too.

Luckily, pictures are my playground...

I know that a Margarita with a Jalapeno pepper can say "Jumping Mexican Party Bar," - if the Jalapeno is dancing.

So I broke my rule of "avoid animation" and started the site with a display of drink shakers, spinning margaritas...

...and dancing jalapenos...

Now when a visitor goes to the site, they know within two seconds what they can expect the taqueria to be like... and so far, the business at the restaurant indicates that the visitors like what they see (and the food's good, too!).

Making Time to Blog: Time Management learned from my daughter's needs

It's kinda ironic - like ray-ee-yain on your wedding day - that I haven't started a blog until now. I urge my clients to do a blog for a host of reasons, yet I haven't done it for myself. It's funny... a website design guy who helps others with search engine optimization (or SEO) and I haven't done a whole lot of it for my own site.

While I could argue a business reason for not doing the SEO (haven't needed to do it... most of my business is referral-based) or do the whole "image management" thing and use some professional-sounding excuse... the truth to the matter is that the reason I haven't started my blog is the exact same reason that most of the folks I know haven't started theirs:

"I'm going to, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet."

"Blogging" is a business task if it's done properly. If it's treated like checking email, taking out the trash, follow-up phone calls or transaction-entering, it gets done.

Now it's one thing to preach time-management or to know what it's about, but applying it is a totally different matter... one brought to my attention by my daughter going back to school.

My wife and I own a hair salon which serves both the American and Brazilian communities. Her specialty is Brazilian Hair Straightening Keratin Treatments... with very long and physically demanding hours.

Forcing yourself to get good at time management: I have stepped in and become the school and activities taxi and official homework checker. Our daughter's schooling in Brazil has her a couple years behind the other kids, so I am working with her to get her caught up. Yes - I am my kid's mom (I'm glad football season is here so I can get weekly doses of testosterone!).

This new role has forced me to get good at time management. Not only do I lose a half-hour in the mornings - but I also cannot schedule meetings between 12-3 each day because I pick her up from school. In addition, her homework takes an average of two and a half hours for me to help and coach her to completion (language barriers, math deficiencies, etc... all taken into consideration).

I have to take the hours that I do have and do more with them... which includes fitting my blog and other promotional stuff in there...

...and I am loving it!

So why am I telling people this? What does it have to do with a company starting a blog?

Force yourself to manage your time to get your blogging done.

Whether a business has a website or not, it needs to get a blog going. Blogs create more opportunities for search engines to find and present a company to someone who is searching what that company has to offer. It is worth planning a 15-30 minute session each day to handle your blogging and social networking stuff.

Treat it like a meeting and put it on your calendar if you need to. You will be amazed at what happens in a couple weeks. Not only will you have a blog that is actually being used and read, but you will find that it is one more thing that you can get done in a day...

...and that's what's up!

Website Design and Do-It-Yourself Hair Coloring for Men

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Common Sense Web Design Says avoid website templates unless you really know what you are doing.

Just like doing your own hair color, when you screw it up, it shows! When a man puts that stuff in their hair without knowing what they're doing, they go from salt & pepper to jet black in 8 minutes flat... and everyone notices, but they don't say anything.

I’m looking for the owner of Scalini’s. Anyone with garlic rolls that taste that good needs better than what they’ve got.

To quote that great philosopher, Brittney Spears: “Oops! They did it again.” Their template-made website includes a hit counter and access to administrative tools and information that they probably don’t want the public to be looking at. Somebody get me a 3-way email introduction to them... quick!

Would you buy vitamins from "stripperbabe" at aol dot com?

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Common Sense Web Design Says to choose an email address wisely...

The following email addresses have been altered (but not by much) to protect identities. "Skoal bandit at yahoo" doesn’t say "computer repair tech."
"Tequila diva at hotmail" doesn’t say "virtual assistant."
"Party till you puke at yahoo" sold insurance and "stripperbabe at aol" was an office secretary selling health products.

One's email address communicates a lot about an individual - especially if it is potentially embarrassing for the person.

Their new emails tell people that they are in business: “Their name at their company dot com.”

On a side note, I need to meet Dr. Trent Brumbaugh at Marietta Square Chiropractic and pick his brain. I’m kinda feeling what he’s doing. Great promotion and I love his website. The best way to introduce me is via 3-way email with a warm contact.

One size doesn't fit all.

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Common Sense Web Design Says to choose the type of website carefully.

Is it a sales site? Is it an informational site that positions you as an expert? Is it a gallery? Is it a client reference?

Tim and Kim have a multi-technique therapy clinic. Their clients kept forgetting what to do between sessions.

Luckily, figuring out unique solutions just comes naturally to me. I made a website with exercises and information that reduced phone calls and increased their clients’ performance.

By the way, I need an introduction to the owner of Classic Impressions printing. They’re using a terrible template to represent their beautiful print work. The best way to introduce me is via 3-way email with a warm contact.

Make it easy to remember!

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Common Sense Web Design Says to make the domain name easy for folks to remember. That bird site dot com is much easier to remember than Tim Vogle’s 18th annnual southeastern bird show dot com.

Jimmy is a painter and his canvas is somebody else’s brick walls. He doesn’t usually have permission to use these brick walls and Jimmy wants to show off his handiwork but wants no hard evidence that can link him to it. His domain name was jimmy smith spray paint art dot com.

You can’t make this up!

Luckily, being the marketing junkie that I am, helping clients choose a memorable domain name just comes naturally to me.

"The Graffiti Guy" is much easier to remember and we developed a domain name that is just as easy to remember and that keeps Jimmy safely anonymous.

Speaking of design that nobody should want to claim, somebody introduce me to the owner of Johnnie MacCrackens. Irish pubs are usually pretty cool, but their website is about as cool as a lukewarm pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon. A three-way email with an introduction to the owner is the best way to introduce me to them.

Peanut Butter and Sauerkraut - Not Congruent

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

Common Sense Web Design Says a website should sell one concept at a time. A specialty shoe store shouldn’t try to sell barbecue grills on the same website.

Being the marketing junkie that I am, helping clients focus on one niche market at a time just comes naturally to me.

Bruce has a deli with two locations, which are open for breakfast and lunch. He and his wife started a speed dating company and considered advertising the delis on their speed dating site and vice-versa.

This would have created branding problems at best and credibility issues at worst.

While it could be a good practice to put a coupon for the deli into the speed dating email once in a while, it doesn’t work the other way around.

Luckily, I convinced them that delis and speed dating go together like peanut butter and sauerkraut and we discussed better ways to promote the companies.

Multiple concepts that target the same audience for the same general reason could work.

For example, an insurance agent who owns a driving school could promote both of them together on one site effectively. Several restaurants could band together to make a “dining in this area” website.

A bunch of Irish stores could put together an Irish resource. By the way, the owner of Johnnie MacCrackens needs to talk to me. The bar sounds pretty cool, but the website is banjaxed, laddie. A three-way email is the best way to introduce me to them.

Why a graphics person should be involved in nearly every website...

They call me Website Dave because I make websites.

A picture speaks a thousand words. It defines a company and sets the vibe.

Whirling tools say more than "handyman." A smiling tooth says more than "dentist."

Being a graphic artist, making pictures that speak volumes just comes naturally to me.

Angelo and Nicole opened a Taqueria in Midtown. That’s right. A Taqueria. A hard to pronounce name, especially in Midtown where one-syllable restaurants rule the land.

Luckily, pictures are my playground and I know that a Margarita with a Jalapeno says "Jumping Mexican Party Bar!"

I put drink shakers, spinning margaritas and dancing jalapenos into their website and now when a visitor sees it, they know what’s up within two seconds.

They’ll join the email list, share the site with friends, and go eat there.

The owner of Runaround Sue’s needs to talk to me so I can fix their website and help it put butts in their seats, especially with their off-the-beaten-path location. A three-way email with an introduction to the owner is the best way to introduce me.