The WhiteHaus Informant

It's the Inside That Counts

Location. Location. Location. It's marketing 101 but what professor X may not have mentioned is the inside of the business counts too. A business can be on the busiest street in a metropolitan area but fail on decor--the one thing that captures the psyche of customers and employees at first glance. If you are a business owner here are some things to keep in mind. If you are an employee, mention this at your next staff meeting. If you are a customer, make a suggestion if convenient.

Make a Splash - Color is powerful and can affect people mentally and physically. Choose wall and accessory colors that reflect your industry. If you are in a conservative industry such as banking or medicine, it's best to choose wall shades of whites, beige or even mint.

Furnish With Taste -  Bub-bye vinyl! Keep it simple, but keep it modern. Maintain the same style of furniture throughout the entire space. Mixed matched furniture looks out of place and confusing. In this era, businesses are always closing and furniture is being liquidated. For inexpensive, modern furniture check IKEA Workspace.

Art Saavy - Art work and sheet rock are typically best friends but let's do something a little different. Add medium sized abstract sculptures to your floor space. Place shadow boxes and other framed art to your walls, tables and desks. Allow the art to reflect the culture of your business. Local artists are always seeking exposure. Display their most attractive pieces in your space. You receive free art and the artist receives free publicity.

Breathe Friendly - Fresh, green, lush plant life adds life to a space and fills the room with cleaner air. It also improves your health and your mood. Find low maintenance foliage and place on desks, half walls and tables. If you have the space and natural lighting, add floor plants. 

Minimalism - Clutter is the enemy. If you love stress, keep the mess. Reducing the clutter on desks gives way to a free mind and better mood. A picture frame, plant, computer and phone are enough. Anything else is unnecessary. Leave the stapler, Post-It pop-up dispenser, bowl of candy, files and binders in the desk drawers. You know where they are :) 


Have Fun!

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5 Simple Tools for a Paperless Office

Despite living in the age of e-mail, wireless networks, smartphones, and tablets, many small businesses
are still beholden to paper. There are a variety of reasons for this. Often, it’s the other businesses or government agencies that you interface with that demand paper forms or faxes. Sometimes, it’s just that old habits die hard.

However, there are software solutions to some old paper problems that don’t require the network infrastructure of a large corporation. And making a small technology investment now could save your business a bundle long-term — not to mention reducing its wasteful reliance on paper products.

5 Simple Tools for a Paperless Office

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According to eMarketer, by 2013, 128 million people in America will read blogs on a monthly basis. Businesses need not only have a static website but a blog as well. A blog is good for business. Why?

Effective Blogging Practice #1

A business website gives information about the company, products and services, but there rarely is a place customers can leave feedback and share their thoughts. When creating a blog in addition to a website, you must be an active blogger. Google loves blogs because they are not stagnant; it also increases your search ranking. Nothing is worse than creating a blog, adding content, receiving feedback from readers and customers alike and then disappearing for six months. Readers are waiting to hear from you and if they don't they may not return.
Lesson: Blog Often.

Effective Blogging Practice #2

Your website shows what you sell/offer. Your blog should not be a direct selling platform, used to market and advertise your products and services. Instead leverage what you sell to facilitate creativity. For 
example, T.J. Maxx's website hosts a blog called The Maxxinista Corner. Here shoppers can post comments about their finds in their local T.J. Maxx and share fashion tips with other readers. The goal is to house a community of like-minded people who will attract more readers. This will in turn create more business.
Lesson: Leverage your business to facilitate creativity amongst readers.

Effective Blogging Practice #3

Allow comments. Some businesses keep comments closed due to fear of negative feedback. However, they are missing out on the positive feedback that can boost business. Take the negative with a pinch of salt and use it to better your business practice, service or products. Address comments, be friendly and on a first name basis. This shows that you, as the blog administrator, are human and approachable. Also, readers like to share ideas with each other and talk about your new products and services.
Lesson: Let their voices be heard.

Final Effective Blogging Practice #4

I saved the best for last. The layout of your blog can attract or turn people off at first glance. A two column layout is easy to manage and keeps your posts visible and readable. Your Twitter feed and Facebook Badge/Fan Box should be on the sidebar and not too much at the top. Also an About Us page should be part of your navigation bar. Three column layouts are cool but the contents must be placed strategically. If not, too many words, pictures and links may confuse the reader and they may close your blog and go to the next. There are many templates to choose from, so choose wisely :)
Lesson: Keep it clean

Other Tips/Wrap Up: 

• Use your blog for crisis management: Inform readers when a site is down or services or products are no longer available. Also if there is any confusion in the media about your business, your blog is where most readers may go for answers and feedback.
• Your blog does not have an expiration date: If you know you have the time and personnel to update your blog periodically/frequently, blog away. If not, don't bother.
• Choose a layout based on your geek gene: If "font-size: 17px;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">" confuses you, stick to a pre-made template you can work with.
• Add descriptions and tags to your blog content: Link your blog content and pictures to a source. Add descriptions when necessary. This is all apart of SEO. 
• Spell/Grammar check: That speaks for itself!

Happy Blogging! :)

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