Information at your fingertips: At Design Expressions, we have provided resources and articles to assist you on your next marketing project, as well as teamed with carefully chosen reputable companies.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

A few companies we feel have been very beneficial in our success

Our Trusted Partners

Envision Marketing LLC
A network of marketing professionals that help build relationships for business success.
Necessaria Marketing
A marketing company that specializes in helping non-profit companies succeed in their cause.
Beanes-Talk Media
A marketing directory to assist in finding companies to help promote your web site.
IT-PMA
IT Project Management Associates, Inc. We employ a systematic, repeatable process to manage the creative endeavor of web design and programming.
Constant Contact
Ready to open the lines of communication? Speak and listen with Email Marketing and Survey by Constant Contact, and begin an ongoing dialogue with your customers, members, or clients. Email Marketing and Survey helps you build strong, lasting relationships.

Articles and White Papers

After many hours and research we wanted to share with you some resources we have found useful in building a web site or brand identity:

The ABCs of Domain Names:
Everything on the Internet starts with a domain name! I know that may come off as a bit over reaching - but its true. From email to news, search, video or anything else on the Internet - you have to know where you're going which is only achieved by a domain name.
25 Ways to Add Quality Content to Your Web Site....
We've known for a long time that quality matters to Google. In a post Senior Google Engineer Matt Cutts made to his blog, "quality" was mentioned several times as being important to Google. Quality matters when it comes to content, and it matters when it comes to links.
The Best Online Marketing Strategy: Tips for Starting a New Online Business
One of the biggest mistakes that many businesses online and offline make is that they do not have a plan for success. Even though it is an online business, you should still have a business plan and you should have a search marketing strategy and know that you are targeting a large enough market. You should do searches online on Google, and Yahoo, and MSN, and see which of your competitors come up for that search term.
Some Tips to Improve Slow Website Sales
I've seen it many times. A new entrepreneur is excited because their website just went live after weeks, or even months, of hard work. But the excitement doesn't last long when they see that they have yet to make a sale. Or maybe they've only made one or two. They're not covering their expenses, and they're certainly not making enough to live on.
Innovative Ways to Market
Marketing is a three-syllable word that seems so simple, yet encompasses so much. Marketing is a multi-faceted approach to promoting a product or service. Both traditional and unconventional marketing methods have a place in the small business world. Marketing helps small businesses focus on building their brand and identity.
The Eight Secrets of Successful Internet Marketing
A report released by the Internet Advertising Bureau made it very clear that Internet advertising has arrived. Online revenues topped $5 billion in the Q3 of 2007 and are expected to exceed $6 billion in Q4. Both are industry records and industry pundits predict it is just the beginning. Some analysts say Internet revenues will double from more than $21 billion in 2007 to $42 billion in 2011. Others say that projection is conservative. Without doubt, this is an industry poised for exponential growth in the upcoming years as more and more companies are aligning budgets to reap the many benefits of online advertising.
Build Customer Confidence with Testimonials
Every person in America has bought something that either broke or stopped working after a few days. Because of this, today's customers want to feel reassured that you are selling quality products and services. Customers do not want to lose money or feel like they've made a bad decision. The best way to do assure customers is to have good, strong testimonials.
The 3 Types of Website Traffic
Where does traffic come from? Now I'm not talking about that stuff we all get stuck in during rush hour. Website traffic is essential, if you have no traffic to your website you are not going to get anyone buying your products or reading your articles. Traffic is one of the key components of your website and is available in these three forms.
Can I Create a Great PPC Program For You?
We regularly get email something similar to this: I'm just one guy running my business. I want a great PPC program and I heard you can cater to someone like me. Can you help me? I typically respond to questions like this very carefully because there isn't a simple yes/no answer. I don't want to provide false hope because yes, I do create great PPC programs, but much of the success is going to depend heavily on the website. Let's look at a few things relevant to the campaigns first.
Identifying Target Markets For Your Brand
Identifying target markets for your brand is critical because your customers are the future success and growth of your business. But who are your customers and how can you find more like them?
Taking Advantage of Google's Local Business Listings
For local searches in particular, paid listings are more relevant than organic ones. After all, marketers only want to pay for relevant clicks, and there's never been a foolproof way for Google or the other search engines to identify the optimal local results for a specific query.
Social Media Checklist for Small and Medium Size Businesses
As a member of the SES Chicago Social Media Checklist panel last week, it was striking to hear from so many small and medium-sized businesses wrestling with developing a viable social media marketing strategy. Small and medium-sized businesses often have more limited resources, both personnel and budgets, than large companies, so they're looking to build more cost-effective sales streams. With the goals of raising awareness, expanding market share, and improving customer loyalty, it's critical to be creative in how your business engages and participates in the social media arena.