Hello, E-commerce Meet…Social Networking & Appointment Scheduling

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Stacy

Wow! It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged.

Stacy Vanden Heuvel

But that is OK because I’ve been busy with family, web design (just finished The Oaks Bed and Breakfast) and launching my encaustic and mixed media art at MtnArtist.com.

More fine art has been entering my blog. The most interesting part is that the articles geared to small business are extremely relevant to the independent artist. I’ve been working on new small business e-commerce solutions and wanted to show you some of the other wonderful programs you can take advantage of.

Here is a list of “Ten Programs You Need to Check Out” to make your precious time more effective and efficient:

Adobe ConnectNow—Start web conferencing with one click. Share your screen. See the participants. Use a whiteboard, chat, and share notes. It’s almost like being there.
FreshBooks Online Invoicing—Focus on what you love to do by using this easy program to send email (or snail mail) estimates, invoices, accept payments online and it integrates with Quickbooks and lots of other software programs.
Mail Chimp Email Marketing—Email marketing that integrates with your social networking …and you can have a FREE account.
MatCutter.com—You create the art, they’ll cut the mats. Easy to navigate site for all artists who want to present their work in a very professional way.
Moo.com Creative Print—When they say ‘we love to print’, they really mean it. The most creative solutions for business cards, postcards and stickers. Especially for people who think outside the box (or for people who wish they did.)
Screenr.com Screencasts—You can create web-based screencasts (no software to download), embed them on your site, post them to YouTube and more. (I’ve got one on MtnWebs.com for my clients, “WordPress Intro Screencast“. Getting ready to add one to MtnArtist.com about my work.
Setster—Amazing! Innovative calendar not only converts web traffic to appointments 24 hours a day, it accepts payments and promotes your services over every social media outlet. Just set your available hours and let site visitors/clients schedule appointments. *see below
Skype Video Calls and IM—In addition to instant messaging, I have it set up so my work number actually calls Skype on my computer. There is an email notification if you miss a call, voicemail, call forwarding and the ability to create a contact list.
Wise Stamp Email Signatures—No one listens to me on this one, but it’s fantastic. WiseStamp Email Appsenable users to bring functionality in every email they send. Check out the Apps gallery where you’ll find 14 social, fun and serious apps. Send all your social networking and even an rss feed of your blog through your email!
Wufoo Online Form Builder—Not just any contact form for you! The form builder helps you create contact forms, online surveys, and invitations so you can collect the data, registrations and even online payments you need without writing a single line of code.

Many of these innovative small business solutions integrate with one another so you can import or export contacts to target new contacts or retain current clients.

I use EVERY ONE of these fantastic business solutions on my web design site, my fine art site or website’s that I design for clients. So, they have been personally tested and I only have rave reviews to report.

I’d also like to introduce you to a wonderful blog: ArtBizBlog: For the Business of Being an Artist by Alyson B. Stanfield. She’s got tons of great posts about the business side of art. Check out this one: 5 minute Self-Promotion Tasks. Great for anyone that gets totally overwhelmed and says “I just don’t have the time to deal with that Twitter thing.” Again, her blogs apply not only to artists but almost all small business owners.

*Psst…Hey, have you noticed the red button on our web page? Have you seen what happens when you click on it? Give it a try! We’ll have to warn you though, you may be in for a surprise! It’s my time wrapped up in a great package and presented to you for your ease and convenience to get a hold of me anytime. Give it a Setster a try

Web Design and the Geek Sensibility

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Stacy

It takes a special combination of computer geek sensibility and creative ability to be a web designer, web developer or graphic designer these days. In fact, there’s an article on a new website to be launched in February by Dave Abrams, TheMarySue.com, targeting the widely underserved: female geeks.

“TheMarySue.com will feature content on topics such as video games, comics and women in technology, and will be curated from a female geek perspective.
“A lot of it is going to be, ‘here are the cool things on the Internet,’ but it’s from the sensibility of women who are really knowledgeable about the tech and geek world,” MSNBC’s Abrams said in a phone interview.

OK…I’m NOT on board with this. Video games and comics? Come on.

Code and technical know-how as well as combining color, symmetry and balance on using cutting edge software are what it takes to be a great web developer or website designer. The ability to communicate while helping the viewer navigate the website is the end goal of every graphic element. Whether it is a male or female web developer does not factor in. While I appreciate the effort to provide the latest geek information for the nerdy requirements of my profession, I object to the rest of their perspective on the subject of female geeks.

Susana Polo (obviously a female) will be editor of TheMarySue.com. She has said she’s excited about carving out a new space for women on the Web. However, I see her as taking us a step backwards.

“One of the things you want to do as a girl geek is you just want to play with the boys; you want to be part of that culture,” said Polo, who currently writes for Geekosystem. “I think there’s value in having our own space.”
“She explained by phone that the name of the site is an ironic twist on the Mary Sue character in fan fiction. A Mary Sue is typically a beautiful female character who represents a standard of perfection that’s impossible to live up to.”

If that is not the most condescending, ridiculous statement toward female web designers, I don’t know what is. Ugh, the images of perfection girls are fed, even in jest. While I embrace my female geek sensibility, I do not feel excluded from any aspect of gathering design information, participating in web forums, or the geek community in general. Being a female in a male environment can be a plus and fascinating, as well.

Hopefully, as the vision for TheMarySue.com develops, it will become a valuable hub and community for techy women, nerdy web designers, geeky developers and more. One that contributes to a tech knowledge base as a whole and not devalue the role of us female geeks in an unintended, “humorous” way. I’m also interested in how much they comment on social networking and women in technology (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) in relation to the web and tech world.

I’d like to share the artistic side of this female tech geek. Here is a sample of some of my latest fine art. They are created with encaustic wax, acrylic paint, ink, Japanese paper and a few other things. Who knows— hopefully you may see them around Hendersonville or Asheville some day. Enjoy.

[portfolio_slideshow]

10 Awesome Ways to Integrate Twitter With Your Website

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Stacy

: Image via Wikipedia

Web developers with social media savvy are in hot demand. Imagine what it would be like to promise your clients a web presence that is fully integrated…read more via 10 Awesome Ways to Integrate Twitter With Your Website.

But let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

Definition of Twitterverse, according to the Urban Dictionary:

1. The cyberspace are of twitter. This naturally extends beyond Twitter.com to anywhere you can twitter, which includes cell phones. Example: “Wow, I think Ashton is the most popular person in the whole twitterverse!”

I have to admit…I was slow to incorporate Twitter into my web universe. Who has the time to deal with one more thing? But one person online said “If Facebook is considered addictive, then twitter is like crack.” OK, a little harsh, but totally true. I have discovered the value for me is linking my twitterverse to other social media. When I blog, it goes to Twiiter. My Tweet shows up on my Facebook page. It’s automatically updated on my LinkedIn profile—all this with barely any effort. Bwah, ha, ha!!

Not many people who are building their first presence on the web realize the potential. And you can’t take the approach that “if you will build it they will come.” The web site is up, the tweet is out or the Facebook page is set up. So…where are the people?

Have you given viewers a reason to follow you on Twitter, Facebook or your site? Monthly specials, a forum, free advise and building your reputation as an expert in the field?

Expect your social media and web site to be an integral working part of your business. Publicize your site, Facebook page and Twitter name at every point of contact: invoices, emails, business cards, letterhead, bumper stickers and magnets, your voice mail…Everywhere. It’s called viral marketing for a reason. So jump in, send that first Tweet and see what happens.

P.S. Posting the photo of Ashton Kutcher instead of the Twitter logo was a much better idea, don’t you think?

WorkHappy.net: Killer Resources for Entrepreneurs

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Stacy

I discovered a really interesting web site from Stanford University’s Entrepreneurship Corner. A collection of short, potent videos and pod-casts by very well-known, successful entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerburg, Larry Page and Michael Dell, as well as some less well-known, but still inspiring and successful entrepreneurs. They’ve been doing this for a few years, and new additions are added regularly. Why is it great? Because it’s bite-sized nuggets of inspirational goodness and expertise that we all need.

But even better…it lead me to a very fun and informative blog site called WorkHappy.net. LOVE it. It is self-described as “a labor of love for fellow entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, freelancers, consultants, lone wolves whathaveyou.”

BTW, want to make your own screen casts and screen recordings for your Twitter followers? Check out Screenr to create ready-to-tweet screencasts. Nothing to download, works with PC or Mac and it’s FREEEEE! Haven’t made one yet, but I’m going to give it a try.

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Tag Archives: Twitter

Web Design and the Geek Sensibility

WorkHappy.net: Killer Resources for Entrepreneurs

Wow! It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged.

Here is a list of “Ten Programs You Need to Check Out” to make your precious time more effective and efficient:

I use EVERY ONE of these fantastic business solutions on my web design site, my fine art site or website’s that I design for clients. So, they have been personally tested and I only have rave reviews to report.

Aside from making you smile, what does this really mean for your small business?