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Category:
Published: July 2007
Melissa Ward talks about her innovative approach to web design and internet marketing, and how she juggles her responsibilities as a business owner and a single mom.
Success Magazine: What does success mean to you?
Melissa Ward: Success is having flexibility in life. I have my own business, take care of my home and children. I am very accessible to my clients, and I still have time to play and do community work through Rotary. I have a good balance in my life.
SM: How do you achieve that balance?
MW: I have achieved the balance by networking with people who can accept some of the responsibilities of my business. Once I allowed myself to give up some of the control and took on a business partner, Bob Newberry, my work load was cut down considerably. Bob does all the programming and database work. Now, I have contracted an administrative assistant to help with the paperwork processing and some of the marketing. I can wear fewer hats. I always know what's going on, but I don't always have to do it. As a single mom and business owner, I found that I needed to rely on other people to expand my company. Now I can focus on what I do best and have the freedom to spend time with my girls and be involved in Rotary.
SM: How did you get into this business?
MW: I have a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and an MBA. I dabbled in Web design, but it wasn't until after my divorce that I choose to learn HTML and start a business. I initially donated time to firms to get my feet wet and then I was motivated by a business associate, Paul Farina of Vital Bottom Line Marketing, to join the Chamber of Southern Saratoga and really focus on networking. I also joined the Twin Bridges Rotary Club, of which I am now President.
SM: Did you have any business plans when you started?
MW: No, I really didn't. It wasn't until I joined forces with Bob that I needed to have legal contracts and form an LLC instead of a DBA. I had to retain an attorney and then retain an accountant as we expanded.
SM: What services do you offer?
MW: We offer Web site design, Internet marketing, E-commerce, Web site hosting, and we consult on how to use the Internet to market your company in this ever changing environment. We also developed our own online property management and rent tracking system called RentTropolis.com and are going into beta test of a new Web to Mobile marketing product called TxtNOW.com.
SM: Where do you see your company in the next 5 years?
MW: As we expand, we will be developing and marketing our services and products much more aggressively both online and off.
SM: What makes you different then other web site development firms?
MW: We understand our clients and don't just set up their web site and do a hit and run. We have seminars and workshops to educate business owners on the needs and benefits of initiating and properly marketing their web site. You have to know who you are marketing to before anything else. Then you have to create trust and position your business as the expert. We listen to our clients and work with them to help them create their unique position in the market. Always know what the client's end goal is and we come up with a plan on how they will achieve it. Do they need a merchant account? How to set one up? Do they have a domain name, a web site, do they want to update their own site or not?
SM: How do you determine their market?
MW: We ask them to describe their perfect customer. We also ask our clients to ask 5 people what key words they would use to find them online. Search engine marketing is a tool, not something to be feared. It's measurable just like any other marketing tool. We work with our clients and show them how to make better use of their web sites and teach them how to use inexpensive sites that can increase their web activity.
SM: Such as?
MW: Such as Ebay, MySpace, Overture or Google. Then we look at their header, text and tag usage. Look at their inbound links and of course we look at complimentary web sites and analyze the competition.
SM: What other advice do you give your clients?
MW: Write online articles - monthly articles to get their name out there and get name recognition for search engines. We make sure that their web site is appealing, easy to use, gives people a reason to come back and is always up to date.
SM: What is your favorite part of your business?
MW: I can design the web site and do all of the backend development, manage the business and paperwork and constant day to day activities, but what I really love to do most is work with my clients and develop their marketing campaigns.
SM: If you had to describe yourself in one word what would that be?
MW: Dynamic. I love variety and I am very enthusiastic about all the things that I do.
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