Scheduled for 30 minute intervals, the website analysis with Network Solutions web consultants and advisors will enable businesses to better understand why their website might be ranked higher by Google® and other search engines. The web consultants will offer suggestions for each site they review.

This event takes place at the following time and place:
Office Suites Plus
2050 Marconi Drive
Suite 300
Alpharetta, GA 20005
770-777-8202

Map to the event:

View Larger Map

Whether you’re a new entrepreneur, an established small business or someone who dabbles on the internet, each of these seminars will prove worthwhile. While “Getting More from Your Website” was designed to demonstrate trends that businesses have found for generating more revenues from the web, “Search Engine Optimization” enables business owners to better understand what Google® and other search engines look for in their websites, and what to do to get noticed.

Free Wifi for everyone!

In previous years, attendees at the Gwinnett Chamber’s Big Expo and Job Fair have found it necessary to pay for internet access. This year the Gwinnett Chamber extended an offer to Network Solutions to sponsor the wireless internet, which Network Solutions gladly accepted. As a result, all attendees and exhibitors attending the event this year will have free access to the wireless internet at the Gwinnett Civic Center.

This event will occur at the following time and place:
Gwinnett Civic Center
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097
770-813-7500

Map to the Event:

View Larger Map

If you have the ability to attend, it will be well worth the time.

Program Type: Brown Bag Lunch
When: 08-14-2009
11:30AM – 01:30PM
Where: Chamber Office – 571-323-5300

At the luncheon, Mr. Dunbar will address the newest information derived from the partnership with the University of Maryland and their Small Business Success Index.  GrowSmartBusiness.com was created as a result of the enormous amount of data resulting from the study.

Small business owners often wear many hats to make their businesses thrive. This has proven especially challenging in the current state of the economy. The study focuses on how competitive small businesses believe they rate in six key areas of business. Mr. Dunbar will discuss not only what is being done by businesses within the technology field, but also within marketing, Capital management, Customer Service and other fields.

Atlanta Marriott Century Center
2000 Century Center Boulevard, NE
404-325-0000

Not to be outdone, Local Networking events, which require a regular physical presence, are also seeing record turnouts lately. Similar to social media, the same adage applies here too, yet the two networking media are poles apart. We’ll explain. But first, we should define Local Networking. Local Networking is any organization, consisting of small to medium sized businesses, which meets on a regular basis to share and receive referrals and leads. Examples of formal Local Networking groups are: BNI (Business Networking International), Merchants’ Associations, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations, etc. We’ve outlined below the most common similarities, and biggest differences, between local networking events and social media.

The similarities
1. No matter the city where you live, local networking events occur all of the time.
2. Both social media and local networking events are primarily in place to promote businesses to new customers.
3. It is usually the most interesting blogger (or interesting person at the local event) who will get the most leads.
4. Many Local Networking groups, as well as bloggers, attempt to pay for their activities (and even make a profit) by attracting sponsors.
5. They both require constant attention, although the frequency may be quite different.
6. Social media can become viral, where blog entries and links are sent along to readers who might find the content interesting. Similarly, local networking groups are not in place to sell to one another, but rather to sell to the attendees’ circle of influence.

The differences
1. Blogs and other social media typically require regular (often daily) attention. Local Networking events typically occur (at most) on a weekly basis.
2. By definition, Local Networking events are… well… local. Not global like social media can be.
3. Some Local Networking groups, like BNI, are exclusive to one business per industry.
4. Just as Local Networking groups do not require daily interaction, the payback period for this group is also prolonged. Generally speaking, the attendees at local networking groups must become familiar with you at their regularly scheduled events before they feel comfortable suggesting you to their customers or circle of influence.
5. Due to the nature of geographically based businesses, some industries are better than others for Local Networking vs. Social Media. (e.g. a mechanic in Opelika, AL may have a fantastic blog worth reading every other hour, but he’s not likely to get much business from his most loyal fan in San Fransisco, CA)

On July 16th the award winning Network Solutions brings its well received SEO seminar to the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, to the industries best practices on SEO they will also share the Search Engine Marketing techniques used by Network Solutions professionals to generate more leads through their clients’ websites. Including, but not limited to Pay Per Click(PPC) tools available by plan. Normally $129, Network Solutions has agreed to offer the seminar and workshop for free, in conjunction with their partnership with the chamber.

What happens after the seminar? A limited number of participants will receive a free 30 minute, one on one, evaluation of their business website.

Preregistration is recommended.

Seminar Information
Date: Thursday July 16, 2009
Time: 8:00 am, Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 11:30 pm, Program
Location: Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce
212 Kelly Mill Rd,
Cumming, GA 30040-2317

Presenter: Randy Windsor, Director of Search Marketing, Network Solutions

Cost: FREE for Chamber Members!

Registration/Contacts: Seating is limited. Call Jennifer Shipp at the chamber to register 770-887-6461 / Tony Casteel 770-309-4154

OR you can go to this site to get registered.

Course Information

• Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009
• Time: 8:45 am, Registration & Continental Breakfast
  9:15 am – 12:15 pm, Program
• Location: Atlanta REALTORS® Center
  5784 Lake Forrest Drive, Atlanta 30328
• Presenter: Randy Windsor, Director of Search Marketing
  Network Solutions
• Cost: FREE for ABR Members!

You will learn:

• How to develop your Web site’s marketing strategy
• What to look for on search-engine friendly Web pages
• How to boost your rankings on Google® and Yahoo®!
• How to budget your marketing dollars and maximize your return
• The pros and cons of outsourcing SEO and PPC

TWO OTHER AWESOME REASONS TO ATTEND:

1.) FREE One-on-one Website Consultations
After the Course, Network Solutions is offering FREE, 30 minute evaluations of your business Web site. A Network Solutions marketing expert will review your site and provide recommendations about how to best use your marketing dollars for SEO and PPC.
Time slots are limited and reserved on a first come, first served basis, so register for one now!

2.) 3 Hours of CE Credit Certified by the Georgia Institute of Real Estate

Registration

• Register online today!

AND in case you want to do some homework for the session:

You can check out the following videos:

Hope to see you this Wednesday in Atlanta!

The current economy is forcing many small businesses to wear several hats, and in some cases reevaluate their business models. The strength of Roy’s presentation is derived from the Small Business Success Index, the results of which enable other business owners to gauge the general sense of their peers facing the same issues. From industry statistics, to best practices, to significant differences by gender, Roy has a wealth of information to share with audiences.

Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Atlanta Life Building, 100 Auburn Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia
Cost: ABL Members and Future Members, Complimentary Admission
RSVP: Online registration REQUIRED

More details on the event and how to register at the Atlanta Business League web site

The Atlanta Business League was established in 1933 as an affiliate of the National Business League, which was founded by Dr. Booker T. Washington. The Atlanta Business League fosters the growth, creation and development of successful business enterprises owned, operated and managed by African-Americans and other ethnic minorities in metropolitan Atlanta.

Friendship Foundation, Inc.
3951 Snapfinger Parkway
Suite 435
Decatur, GA 30035

Registration Here

The Dekalb Chamber in Atlanta, working with Network Solutions and Sago Networks, have joined forces to offer a free seminar to business owners interested in learning more about what it takes to get their websites found by Google and other search engines. Network Solutions is flying in a national speaker from St. Louis. Randy Windsor, Senior Manager of SEO Training, explained that the seminar keys in on several topics.

The concepts for organic search, include:

Identify the best combination of high traffic, low competition key words
Understand how “spiders” work
Set up your site architecture with critical on-page elements
Create content focused on specific key phrases
Understand the secret to natural ranking – links!
Find and build back links
Have a plan, be careful to utilize what Google considers “white hat” tactics
Monitor, analyze, apply the knowledge and maintain your site

To identify optimal key words, Windsor explains that we can learn from the Yellow Pages. “When people are looking in the Yellow Pages, they know exactly what they want at the time they want it. They are ready to buy. Search engines work the same way, but with so much more information.”

The best key words would be very specific, for example ‘cosmetic dentist in Buford, GA would give better results than ‘dentist office.’ Windsor was careful to explain that this search phrase wouldn’t necessarily give more results, just results that are considered better, because this phrase will help businesses will reach people who are more likely to become customers.

“Once you identify key words that are most profitable, you need to know how to place your key phrases,” said Windsor. “To do this you need to understand how search engines look at your site.”