True Colors Jennings Technologies Online Publication :: Committed to your business success.

So I am gonna keep my post short and sweet this week. I want to address the issues of businesses losing existing clients and having trouble driving in new ones! Now I could talk or write forever and a day about all of the things I as a technology professional can do with digital marketing to help you improve your business, but I want to approach these topics from a different angle. And I am going to dare to say that there is plenty YOU can do on your own to improve the picture that is your business…here goes:

Kindness is Free

It can be easy to look at every business issue your clients have from a selfish place and think: “How can I help and how much do I charge?” As a business owner myself I understand this thinking and know that it is a natural and fine way to approach business. You want to help your clients solve their problems and you also want to see your business flourish; this is great, but there can be trouble if you don’t occasionally ask yourself: “What can I do for free to make my clients lives better?” I am not suggesting that you turn yourself upside down and lose your very important revenues; I am only suggesting that you at least ask yourself this question, because often times you will find that there is plenty you can do to improve your worth with clients and it can be free. Sending a simple “thank you” email every once in a while can help brighten your clients day and let them know you appreciate their business. Writing a blog like this and letting clients know what’s on your mind can give valuable insight into things and often the information and tips can be of value to someone; even if it’s one person. You can give your client two cherries on top of their ice cream sundae instead of one. You can chop an hour off of an invoice if you know you can afford it and your very loyal client could use the break. You can vacuum the floor of the car after you change the oil. You can offer up referrals to other businesses you trust if you know they can help your client save money and get trusted service in one area or another. You can offer a choice of paper or plastic. You can let them keep the pen. You can ask them how their day is going. You can update them on the status of a project. YOU can figure out something…

I appreciate my clients….very much! Thank you for being you.

-Justin

Posted under Uncategorized

Great video explaining Twitter.  Enjoy!

Posted under digital marketing

I’m sure you’ve heard the news. Businesses in the US are hurting and the economy is experiencing a bad spell the likes of which we have not seen in a long time. So, the obvious question for business owners is “What can we do to recession proof our business?”. While this is a complicated question with no sure answer, there are definitely steps you can take to ensure survival during these tough times.

Out with the old, in with the new!

Most business owners are very familiar with the traditional steps needed to keep the revenue stream steady while driving more business through the door. There are very specific things that are done to advertise and establish a brand in the real world which include: creating printed materials like business cards and brochures, purchasing advertisement space on television, radio and billboards, and hiring staff to perform sales calls and setup sales meetings. These are very true and proven methods of marketing and that’s fine and dandy, but should you still be investing the same amounts in these things to keep your eggs in one basket? The answer is no.

In a world where digital technology and digital advertising is everywhere from your home computer to electronic coupons at the grocery store; the question you should be asking yourself is “How does my business stack up within the digital landscape?”. Digital marketing is a must for companies who expect to weather the growing financial storm.

Top Analysts Rank Search Engine Marketing in Top 3 out of 10 Ways to Generate High Quality Leads

It’s true; people would rather use a search engine when looking for goods and services. Not only are Internet based Ads and Websites a “greener” approach to marketing due to the lack of ink and paper that magazines and postcards require, but consumers of all types find it easier to shop and compare when using Internet Search Engines like Google and Yahoo. On top of this a Digital Marketing Strategy can save your business thousands of dollars. We all win.

Things you need to do to stay competitive:

1. Get an Attractive User-Friendly Website
2. Get Your Website Listed with Google (this is a necessity..compare the stocks of Google(GOOG) versus a top competitor like Yahoo(YHOO) http://www.nyse.com/)
3. Drive High Quality Leads to your Website through precisely targeted Pay Per Click Ads
4. Consider Blogs, Newsletters, and Email Marketing
5. Close your Sales and Stay Competitive!

Contact me at justin@jngstech.com for more information!

Or visit us on the web: http://www.jngstech.com

Posted under digital marketing

In tough economic times every business owner is keeping their eyes and ears open in hopes of finding better and more efficient ways to conduct business and drive up revenues. One place that few businesses are cutting back on is marketing, and for good reason. A business needs effective and consistent marketing no matter what economic climate exists, just look around and you will notice very few have cut back marketing by dramatic and noticeable amounts. While it may not be smart to cut back or eliminate marketing, I think we can all agree that smarter, cheaper, greener and more efficient never hurt anybody! Digital Marketing is a great way to advertise, attract and retain new and existing clients, but what should you look for?

Here’s a few of my thoughts on that question:

• Metrics..does the Digital Marketing company you are looking into offer proof that your investment is paying off? There is little reason behind dumping your money into an investment that remains “virtual”. Make sure that you are seeing results on a regular basis, monthly reports should be a requirement. The proof is in the pudding!
• Flexibility..one of Digital Marketing’s great strengths lies in its flexibility. Traditional marketing relies heavily on consistency, and that’s a good thing, but you can’t fix a typo or color flaw on 5000 postcard mailers without some pain and money loss. Digital Marketing should give you the ability to change your strategy at the drop of a dime….without spending one! This brings me to my next point…
• Flat-Fee Pricing..Flat-Fee pricing is the way that smart businesses will price and pay for services now and into the future. Be secure, know what you’re getting for how much, you deserve it! Death to the hidden costs!

Consider these points a good place to start when looking to invest in Digital Marketing. Check back often for more thoughts!

Visit our website at www.jenningstechnologies.com.

Posted under digital marketing

As a business owner with a website or webmaster with an online business you should be required to ask yourself the following question: How can I make money online while doing very little work?

One answer: Google Adsense

Google Adsense is a fun and easy way to drive in some extra revenue for your business, and all you need is a valid website (Google does review each website that requests ad placement primarily to make sure you are not scamming anyone).

Here’s how it works. Let’s say you have a site online that serves to advertise your primarily real world occupation of professional wrestler as well as sell some of your cool merchandise. What you may want to do is allow Google to place relevant ad-links throughout your site so when a user comes to check out some awesome pics of you “Superfly” splashing (shameless plug and example at: http://www.jimmysnuka.com) someone off the top rope, they may decide to follow an ad-link from your site because it so happens that they are already in the market for a Honda SUV. Well not only are you a good friend for reminding them that Honda’s are cool, but you just got paid because they clicked on an ad that was placed within your site.

The whole process is pretty easy and you have some control over the kinds of ads that are placed on your site. Even if you don’t strike gold and drive in thousands of dollars in revenue, you may be able to cover a few of your expenses, like putting a gallon or two of gas in your Honda SUV!

For more information visit us at: http://www.jenningstechnologies.com/digitalMarketing.asp

Posted under Make Money!

Make Money Online. It’s that simple. Everyone wants to know what the best way to make money online is. While there is no simple answer to this question there are a few things you as a business owner can ask yourself before you take the plunge.

Posted under Make Money!

Welcome to True Colors!

This is our first post and I am extremely excited and proud that we have launched this site as a way to communicate with other business owners on the topic of Information Technology.  This site is much more than a simple blog about technology.  It is an online publication dedicated to educating our clients, prospects, and fellow business owners alike.  You will notice there are several sections of this publication.  Topics range from Digital Marketing and Managed Services to Custom Application Development and Information Security.  Hopefully there’s valuable information you can use immediately to better your business.  If not, feel free to leave a comment and we’ll be happy to address your questions and issues.

Simple Philosophy

When it really comes down to it Jennings Technologies and True Colors are designed to do 3 things.  Help you use technology to Make Money, Save Money, and Reduce Risk.  That’s it!  You will notice the three different colored logos throughout the site.  The Green logo is dedicated to helping you make money.  The Orange logo is dedicated to helping you save money.  The Blue logo is dedicated to helping you reduce business risk.  This is why we call the publication True Colors. 

What You Can Expect

Each week we’ll cover topics that are important to your business and to discuss ways you can reach your business goals by using technology.  A different topic will be discussed for each of the three core areas (make money, save money, reduce risk). Feel free to use your favorite RSS reader to obtain instant updates! 

Plea for Help

So this is the time where I beg for your help.  As this is a new publication we really need your help to let us know if we are on the right track.  Please leave honest comments to let us know your thoughts on the topics discussed and your impression of the site.  We are here to serve you and your feedback is invaluable to us! 

About Stephen Jennings

Stephen Jennings is the President and CEO of Jennings Technologies located in Medford, NJ.  Jennings Technologies was founded in the summer of 2004 when Stephen left his full time position as the Director of Information Security with Applied Card Systems and started providing independent consulting services to mid market and Fortune 500 companies throughout the United States.  Read More…

Posted under First Post