A New Year is upon us and if you're one of those people who make resolutions, what are yours? I've never really made them before because I knew that they'd be forgotten about in less than a week, but this year, I'm going to try it. This is the year I get healthier, physically and financially, and the year that I take my business to the next level. What can YOU do to take your business to the next level, and what does that really mean for you? If you'd like to get together and brainstorm on what you can do this year to grow your business, give me a call and we can chat over coffee, 840.9711, or drop me a line. Let's see what we can come up with!

Marketing 101— A Picture Paints 1000 Words

You've seen it before, I know. You get a postcard in the mail from some business, or you visit the Web site of one you're looking into, and you see them. The photos. The BAD photos, to be exact. The photos taken from too far away, in poor lighting, no flash or too much flash, with the color balance all wrong, with the subjects out of focus, and a big fingerprint on the lens! Why, oh why does every person with a little digital camera think "Hey, we don't have to hire a photographer! I can take some pictures and save us a ton of money!" You've invested so much time in building your business, you're a professional and the customers who keep returning to you know it, but what will that new customer think when they visit your site and your photos are anything but professional?

If you're a plumber, you're better at fixing a running toilet than Joe Homeowner, because you've studied and you know what you're doing. If you're really sick, you wouldn't diagnose yourself, you'd leave that to your doctor, and you wouldn't represent yourself in court, you'd hire an attorney. It's the same with photos. A professional photographer studies and learns their craft, they understand light, they have better equipment and sharper lenses. The old adage that "A picture paints 1000 words" is very true. Studies on newspaper use (and this really applies to any media) show that people look at the photo first, read the caption second, look at the headline third and then read the story. That photo is what stops them, catches their eye, brings them in and hooks them. Let your photos work for you.

Instead of using bad photos:

• Hire a professional photographer to get amazing images that are specific to your business. Nothing will better tell people that you take yourself, and them, seriously. It might not be as expensive as you think.
• If hiring a professional photographer isn't in your budget, contact the art department of a local university to find out if they have any promising photography majors who are interested in freelance work. You might not get images as good (and might get some that are downright mediocre) but it will usually cost you less.
• You can often purchase stock photos that have been taken by professional photographers and if you use the right sources, you can get great images that cost only a few dollars. The downside is that they won't be of your business, or show your staff but it's a great alternative to bad photos.
• As a last resort, download free stock photos from Microsoft or other free sites. Yeah, they'll usually look ok but remember, a lot of other people are downloading the exact same photos so they'll likely have seen that same image a few times.

New!

Flumoxed by online Social Media? Do the words Facebook make you want to hide, Twitter make you quiver, and LinkedIn make you want to CheckOut? You know you need to do it, but no idea how to go about it? Patric Welch at Noobie (friendly technology coaching and consulting) has a new e-book, The Small Business Owner's Guide to Social Media. Click here to view more details.

Welcome New Clients!

AlephMEDIA would like to welcome its newest clients, Indy Great Dates! and the Noble of Indiana Auxiliary. Indy Great Dates! is a new online dating site for those looking for a serious relationship. The Web site isn't ready just yet, but keep checking back, or contact Tod Esquivel for more information. AlephMEDIA designed the logo for the site.

The Noble Auxiliary hosts the annual "Noble Evening in the Garden" Gala fundraiser and this year, AlephMEDIA is designing all the publicity materials for the event.

AlephMEDIA Recommends...

...Operation Open Up! Operation Open Up! collects used cell phones and chargers, which are then provided with new phone numbers, SIM cards and donated pre-paid cellular service, and then given to disenfranchised individuals needing an open line of communication when seeking needed services such as jobs, housing or medical services, empowering them to move forward with their lives.

To prevent abuse of the program and center on helping those most in need of their service, clients to Operation Open Up! must be referred by other outreach organizations, social service agencies and churches who help them recognize the needs of their clients. I donated seven of my own phones last year, and put a collection box at my congregation, and was able to collect another 15 phones and chargers.

If you'd like to donate an old phone or have a collection at your place of employment or church, contact Cissi Sherlock at 605.8584 or check their Web site for dropoff locations.

Upcoming Networking Events

• Cup of Coffee Networkers — Every Tuesday at 1 p.m., LePeep, 8487 Union Chapel Rd.
• Affiliated Women International West Neighborhood Meeting — Tuesday, January 5 at 9 a.m., IHOP, 10143 Rockville Rd.
• Unique 3 First Annual Business Bash Celebration — Wednesday, January 13 at 4:30 p.m., Lushin & Associates, 5655 Castle Creek Parkway North Drive
• Affiliated Women International North Neighborhood Meeting — Thursday, January 14 at 11:15 a.m., Bravo!, 8651 Castlecreek Parkway East Drive
• Smaller Indiana's Hole in the Wall Lunch — Friday, January 15 at 1 p.m., Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, 5646 E. Washington St.
• At the Top Networking — Thursday, January 21 at 4:30 p.m., The Skyline Club, One America Square
• Rainmakers Main Event — Tuesday, January 26 at 5:30 p.m., Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, 7435 N. Keystone Ave.

This is a far from exhaustive list of networking events in the area. If you'd like your organization's events listed, please send me an e-mail.