I’ll never forget last spring. My wife and I were shopping for our first home. We’d lived in an apartment for nearly four years, and were finally going to get a house. We had, as most people do, a fairly tight budget - so the pickin’s were slim. Our realtor was a former roommate and long-time friend of mine, and so I was asking him a lot of questions about not just home-buying, but home-selling. I won’t forget some of the principles he taught me (I think I’ll need them someday!). But one that really stands out is this: The #1 thing that sells a home is curb appeal.

Wow! The exact same principle is true of your website.  

The average visitor to your site is going to spend less than 30 seconds on it. That’s what stats show. In reality, though - a good chunk of people spend far less than that - maybe 10 seconds . . . maybe. The point is this, you don’t have a lot of time to impress them, and first impressions are key. When you drive through a neighborhood, you always see the house that stands out above the rest. It just looks better. Many times, what you’re seeing is not really the house, but the whole property. The owners have created a great, alluring environment. It’s this extra care that ought to be taken with the design of a home page.

Think about it: If someone is searching for local electricians, they are simply going to “glance” at most of the sites until they see a home page that stands out. That’s proper curb appeal. So the question is: What makes great curb appeal? Well, how much time do you have to read?  Tell you what - we’ll keep it simple with just a few things:

1) Fresh, but simple. My favorite tree is the willow tree. Where I grew up in Virginia, we had a willow tree in our backyard, and I loved to go outside and just sit under it, hiding from the world. If I saw a willow tree in the front yard of a home, it would grab my attention; but if I saw ten willow trees . . . not so much. Your home page doesn’t need to be over-elaborate. For every one person you turn on for having some kind of over-the-top flash sequence (or whatever), you’ll turn several away. They’re not interested in how cool you can look, they’re interested in what you can give them. It has to look good, it has to look appealing, but it has to stay simple.

2) It needs to be inviting. I tell you what - to understand where I’m coming from on this, do a search on electricians in your area. Take the top-ten companies (don’t include the directories) and count how many of those home pages actually make you feel “welcome,” make you want to look inside a bit more. You’ll know what I mean now. The meat of your site isn’t on your home page - or at least it shouldn’t be. The #1 thing that sells a home may be curb appeal, but what really determines the value is kitchens and bathrooms. You want people to go into your site and see all you have to offer them. The home page needs to offer quick and easy access to where you want them to go. They need to feel compelled to step inside and look around.

3) Stand out from the rest. After I moved into my neighborhood, I noticed everyone had one tree planted in the front yard: The same type at just about the same spot. That’s definitely not how you want your web site to be. You’re unique. Your business is unique. Your web site needs to reflect that uniqueness. Your site needs to stand out from the other sites in your “suburb.” So what do you do? Take the challenge to find that unique aspect of your company to showcase on the web. If you’re having trouble with this you could find a good consultant for your brand — before you go to have a website rebuilt. And be prepared to invest. There are a lot of people who claim they know how to create a brand for you and how to market you, but only a select few really know how to execute.

My wife and I knew the moment we drove up to our home that we had found “the one.” Barring anything gone awry inside the house, we were sure the instant we saw it. That’s the power of curb appeal. Your home page is your curb appeal. Is it fresh as well as simple, inviting, and unique? Use this principle when rethinking your home page!

Now before you think to yourself what a nerd, let me clear a few things up. You’re absolutely right. I’m a nerd.

My selection of books had grown since Kris Kringle last came. I narrowed it down to two books: The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire and The Google Story. I decided to tackle the modern day empire of Google and leave the Romans for another holiday…

As I was reading the fascinating story of Google I came across their informal company motto: “Don’t be evil.” When I first skimmed over those words I thought, “Oh that’s cute and simplistic. Only Google could get away with something like that.” However, the further I delved into the book the more this phrase kept appearing over and over again. *Insert the proverbial light bulb above my head turning on – This motto must be important.

So I began to mull over and ruminate on those 3 (well, 4 if you split the contraction) small words. What did they mean? Why say what you don’t want to be instead of what you do want to be? What does evil even mean?

Let me tackle a few of those questions:

1. What does evil mean? Google defines it jokingly as whatever their founders say is evil IS evil. After all, it’s their motto.
2. What did they mean by their motto? It’s an all encompassing motto for Google. No matter what they do whether it be Gmail, Froogle, Google News, or just searching – don’t be evil about it. Don’t try to crush the competition (oops). Don’t try and cheat consumers. Don’t go against everything the company stands for. Don’t sacrifice the Google brand and image for a short term profit gain.
3. Why use a negative motto? Google could have used “be good” or “do good” yet they chose to say what they are NOT going to do. So if Google knows what NOT to do…then what SHOULD they do? The door is left wide open in that area. They effectively eliminated all of the things they shouldn’t be in 3 (ok, maybe 4) words. That leaves a plethora of possibility for what they should be. This matches the Google culture completely – one of innovation, risk taking, and ingenuity!

Google used a motto that gave them flexibility. If they had used one like “Put Google in the hands of anyone with the internet” then they’d be out of business. Done. They’ve achieved their motto. By using “don’t be evil” they allow themselves limitless growth and a motto that is almost universally applied at their company.

So what does all of this mean for other companies? Ok, yes, duh. “Don’t be evil.” Treat your customers right – they are people not money machines. I could insert here a corny motto like “Don’t be Worthwhile” err wait “Be Worthwhile.” Lest I digress further let me wrap this up….Companies everywhere – treat your customers right (after all, you are here to SERVE them not SUBDUE them). Also, provide a culture at work that promotes fairness, honesty, and a place where employees know what is expected of them yet have room to grow. “Don’t be evil.”

	Jared Sutton, Network Engineer | As the network engineer, Jared oversees the Worthwhile network as well as the company’s network infrastructure located at the Immedion building in the CUICAR Corridor. He also provides specialized service by personally handling client questions and issues regarding their network services. Jared holds a B.S. in Computer Science.
	Mark Ladygo, Software Developer | Mark joined the team as a Software Developer for special projects. He is currently focusing on a private social network programming project for a client. Mark enjoys studying and exploring programming languages and is working towards completing a degree in Computer Engineering.

“We are excited to have Jared and Mark join our team,” said Dan Rundle, The Worthwhile Company’s Chief Operating Officer. “They have expanded the scope of services available to our clients. We are now able to provide specialized network service and to focus on new software products we can offer our customers in the future.”

Happy Pies and YouTube Friday…that was the subject line of the email that hit my inbox late one Thursday afternoon. Reply with your favorite pizza topping and bring your favorite clip to lunch. Friday noon found 13 of us crammed into the Worthwhile conference room, eating pizza, watching goofy clips and laughing together. 30 minutes later we were back at our desks….more energized and closer as a team.

fun facts….

So, pizza and YouTube might not fit your culture, BUT it is important to know that great companies invest in fun:

• Great Place to Work Institute = great companies earn high marks for being a fun place to work
• Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For = 81% of employees surveyed at the 100 Best say they are working in a fun environment

fun benefits…

People who are having fun work harder, stay longer, maintain composure in crisis, and take care of the organization — isn’t this what every company strives to achieve?

fun has a bottom line…

Trust. Communication. Creativity. Find employees who say they have these freedoms and you’ve found employees who say they work in a fun place.

As for the actual fun — find what fits your culture and do it! There’s no formula except producing laughter. And while you’re laughing, drop us a note and let us know what kind of fun you have at your company.

fun resources…

The Levity Effect: 142 Fun Ideas

Carrot Culture: recognizing those who have the energy to get you through anything

I’ve been a fan of Dunkin Donuts coffee for years. I know the Worthwhile coffee connoisseurs are more the Starbucks specialty types, but I lean more toward the plain old Dunkin Donut blends or (my favorite) the Ethiopia blend at Liquid Highway. So, when it came time to get some coffee for the party, I planned on bringing in a Box O’ Joe.

I knew I had to call ahead if I wanted it on time, so I started calling around 7:30 AM to arrange for a box to be prepared. The DD Web site was very helpful and I found a map of all the locations including their telephone numbers. This wouldn’t be hard.

The first location had a busy signal. I tried it a couple of times. Then I attempted to call the next closest location. The associate who answered the phone told me that they were out of the Box O’ Joes and wouldn’t get more in until 5 PM “when the truck comes.”

Now don’t get me started on the “truck” at DD. I still remember the “Time to make the donuts” man. No more. Now we get our donuts shipped to us from a central distribution center. But I digress…

Once again I look up another location and call. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring… Ah! the phone is picked up! “We’re sorry, there is no one available to take you call right now…” Okay, I’m now starting to have a bad customer experience! Does Liquid Highway have a Box O’ Ethiopia?

I then call the original location and a cheerful voice answers. Finally, I have the coffee ordered (though I am now running late). While I still have a bad taste in my mouth about the experience, I’m feeling much better.

Upon arriving at the store, I go in and am greeted by the pleasant associate that I talked with on the phone. I don’t even have to mention my name as she prepares to hand me the box, creamers, and sugar. I’m slowly getting over my miffed state.

At this time a man walks in with a glum look on his face. There are two cute kids with him about 6 and 4 years of age. He says to the associate, “I won’t be able to get them. I walked out of the house without my wallet.” The looks on the faces of the kids gets longer. They turn and shuffle out.

As I walked out I turned to go to my car, but the looks on the faces of those kids really pulled at me. Plus, I felt for that dad who was going to have some pretty unhappy kids on his hands! I came back to them. “Hey, would you like some cash?” I told the father. “I’d hate for them not to get their donuts.”

He didn’t want to inconvenience me, but I kept insisting. Of course, in the back of my mind, I was thinking. “Shoot, if I ran this place, I would give the kids some donuts. What would that cost to earn some good will?” I kept reaching for my wallet as this thought was going through my mind.

About that time the door opened to the store and the manager (complete with elf hat) came outside. “Come on in and get some donuts,” she said. The man responded, “Can I do that and just bring the money later?” The manager shook her head, “Don’t worry about it. Just come in and get some donuts.”

As I turned to walk to my car. All those bad feelings of the morning went away. That act of kindness on the manager’s part most likely won some loyal customers with that dad and his two kids. That manager doesn’t know it, but I know her act of kindness helped saved the good will of one long time customer.

1. The 30 second intro principle. Consider your home page content as the “sales pitch” you have to give. Even if you’re not selling a product or service, you’re always selling something — your story, your brand, your reputability, etc. The most important words are the first ones. They set the stage for everything else you will say. Why only 30 seconds of intro? After this, if they’re not interested, you’ve lost them. This needs to be concise, clear, and deliberate.
2. Ask Jeeves principle. This search engine, now called Ask.com, was launched in 1996. It was started to allow users to enter searches with questions posed in everyday language. The thinking here is that in a question for information, the user defines and limits his/her search in an optimized, concise way. People are actually really effective communicators when they want something. This principle carries over into writing content for your Website. It’s easy to get caught up with using vague words and descriptions or buzz words that really don’t enunciate what you really are or what you do. The goal in writing Web content is to use concrete terminology that pertains to your brand. Boil down your ideas to the core information, and support that information with good writing style (if you can’t, hire a writer — it’s worth it). This will have HUGE Search Engine implications. (You have my word.)
3. The Person over Product Principle. This seems like a hair-splitter. <Touche> This is not to say don’t talk about your product or service. However, here is the “hair-splitting” distinction that really separates good content from bad on the Web - Are you writing more to tell the user more of what you want them to know or of what they want to know from you? Example: You could tell a user/potential client how greatly acclaimed your product/service is, or you could go the extra mile and explain to them what benefit it will have for them. Again, a small step that leads to a big gain in the “long run,” pardon the pun. From our experience, business owners and non-profit leaders often think of writing Web content in terms of simply gathering data for every part of their site map. Remember this: The user is the single reason you have a Web site in the first place. You can’t ignore this fundamental element. With every sentence, keep your user in mind.

During my undergrad years, I can remember losing track of time in the computer labs on Wikipedia learning about facts in history that I never seemed to care about in Elementary and High school. In a way, it seems that it has helped me catch up on all of those years in school where I didn’t want to pay attention to what the teacher said I would need (or want to know) someday.

So I will also admit that I have arrived at some pretty weird deviations from the original search, but I think that’s part of the fun. Where else could a logical link be found through such a bizarre string of words? Just the other day, when I looked up “Snoopy”, I found myself at a strange destination. After only a few clicks, I was reading about Piracy (Snoopy, Pantomime, Peter Pan, Piracy). Arr matey.

Although some critics don’t like it because it can be biased or incorrect, I still look at it as a work in progress. I also love the fact that it made wikis more popular to the general public. I had never heard of a wiki before then, and wikis are now a great way for collaboration to be accomplished for school, work, and community projects. It also doesn’t hurt that they can be an interesting tool for learning. So thank you, Wikipedia for making wikis fun.

Since my article was posted, I’ve had several people approach me privately to discuss whether Republicans even have a prayer at winning an election in the near future now that the Democrats have so well embraced branding a politician and marketing them socially online. I said, “Sure, they just have to do the same thing, and with a new unique take.” The usual reaction to that comment is something like, “Yeah, but do you really see that happening?”

Nope, at least I didn’t. The people running the McCain campaign had forgotten just who people were nowadays. They kept trying to somehow get McCain some inroads with the press, while the Obama campaign went completely around the press and directly to where the American people were at: their computers and their cell phones. The big problem, as I saw it, was that the GOP didn’t see the need to make a push virally. And post-election thus far, I’ve seen or heard nothing that the opinion had changed. They claimed Obama won because of the “change” message or because he’s the first African-American to be president. But the truth is he won because he put his message out in a far superior manner than his opponent did.

Now it would seem that the Republicans finally agree with me. Or at least some of them. CNN put out a story earlier in the weekend about the GOP’s need to embrace technology. It’s a good read, with good points that almost sound as if they were ripped from my blog post. The RNC Chairman seems to be on board, but only 2010 will tell whether or not they actually understand how to use the Internet, or if they’re just treating it like a “necessary evil.”

We’ll see.

UPDATEMUS MAXIMUS! This just in: Our very own Beth Honshell found this great little piece concerning Obama’s online policies over on the 1to1 blog. I’d like to add that he should instate a rule that people on his staff shouldn’t post pictures of themselves at parties on Facebook.

Where have all the good home pages gone? No, seriously. Has the age of Adobe Flash and Adword-driven Landing Pages really brought us to this? So many domains you click on now have some of the coolest graphics, animation, and sound around, but the home page and subsequently the whole site, makes no flippin’ sense whatsoever! Others are poorly laid out - a conversion of confusion and convulsion (yes, I said that!). The point is, many businesses today need to rethink their home pages. I contend that it is not an issue of code, art, or site map plan - it goes much deeper than that. It’s a weak philosophy. Never fear, we’re here to get you back on track. But before we explain to you the right way to view your home page, we need to get rid of some wrong views.

Here are a few popular ones that have been going around:

My web site is about me and my company. I don’t blame anyone for feeling this way. Chances are, you’ve invested a good deal of money and time on your Web site - it needs to benefit you. That’s fine. We want the Web sites we build to benefit our clients. But that’s not why you should have a Web site. Your Web site ought to be about your customers. What do they want? What would they like? You may want a beautiful and elaborate 30 second flash intro to your site - it shows that you’re prominent, that you’re somebody. Does your customer really care? I mean, seriously, do they? You may want music on your site - it creates a cool atmosphere. Does your customer want that? Or would they rather listen to their Pandora music while browsing your site?

Here’s something to think about: Look at news sites with user-generated content, like Digg and Yahoo Buzz. Why are more people ditching CNN.com and going to these sites? Because user-generated content sites aren’t interested in selling you merchandise or making half their home page soapbox stories for their leading television personalities. Those sites are where to find the news people actually care about.

Of course, we can carry out this thought all day - from the menu structure to the actual content. It needs to be about the visitor to your site, not about you. I’d love to see someone build a site with the moxie to not have an “About Us” page, but rather an “About You” page. The more I think about it, the more that would totally rawk!

I want to create an atmosphere. Awesome. Good for you. Let me be clear - there is nothing wrong with this idea. But it should never be the backbone philosophy for your Web site. If this is where the philosophy starts, it’s going to end up as a mindless drivel that people don’t care about. Take Brill Publications for example. They’ve just been slapped on the prestigious list of Top Ten Worst Web Sites of 2008 at WebPagesThatSuck.com. I could take the time to explain to you all of the intricate details about why this site is so awfully bad, from their terrible menu (that you can’t even see on the home page!) to its confusing pages - but you should check it out yourself.  Long story short - they wanted “atmosphere.” Well they got it, but I think people would generally rather go up 50 stories in a real elevator than visit or explore that site.

But purely on a small business scale - atmosphere should not be your primary driver. Small businesses are asking more and more to have details like “rotating pictures” and “flash” on their home page. (Flash is in quotes because people tell me they want it all the time, when they don’t even know what it is. *sigh*) Folks, this isn’t good. You shouldn’t want these things for the sake of having them, but only if it truly enhances your site.

Case in point, we worked with a client who demanded their home page consist almost entirely of a single gallery of rotating pictures. We gave it to them. We got an email two weeks later saying that people didn’t even know there was a rotating gallery on the home page. This person was upset because they thought the gallery was too slow. Nope. Not at all. It was because visitors were clicking off of the home page so fast. They didn’t care about the gallery - they wanted information! So don’t get blindsided on this one, people. Atmosphere on your home page is good, but it needs to be your secondary concern.

This post is fairly negative, but it’s necessary before we can discuss good philosophy for your home page. The web is becoming filled with stuff that looks cool and fun, but offers users little in the way of valuable information. You may have read this and thought, “Junk! That’s me!” Don’t worry, there’s hope. And the first step is to think of your clients first. Between now and the next post on this topic, just chew on that for a while.

Your business is special, and you have clients to win. Your home page is the door and your domain is the key. When people walk up to your door, do they want to go in? Or would they rather just walk away?